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Identification Of Oct-2 As A Mediator Of Lead Neurotoxicity, Saleh Abdulrahman Bakheet

Open Access Dissertations

Lead exposure is highly neurotoxic, particularly to the developing brain. A potential mechanism through which lead could precipitate cerebral damage is by perturbations in the regulation of genes mediated by transcription factors involved in neural development. Macroarray screening analysis was conducted in vivo in an attempt to identify novel transcription factors that are involved in the response to lead exposure in the hippocampus of developing rats. Oct-2 was identified as a novel transcription factor prominently induced by lead. Lead-induced elevation of Oct-2 was confirmed by RT-PCR analysis and the functional properties of Oct-2 were examined using EMSA. We found that …

Obesity And Colorectal Cancer And The Knowledge, Attitudes, Beliefs And Behaviors Related To Colorectal Cancer Prevention Among Non-Hispanic Black Women In Rhode Island, Kathleen Mary Cullinen

Open Access Dissertations

Obesity is an established risk factor for colorectal cancer (CRC). Numerous studies have linked diets low in fruits and vegetables and decreased physical activity, risk factors for obesity, with increased cancer risk. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of obesity on CRC mortality; the behavioral, socioeconomic and demographic predictors of obesity; and the knowledge attitudes, beliefs and behaviors of a Rhode Island population identified at high risk for both obesity and CRC. The first study tested a model hypothesis that a diet low in fruits and vegetables, decreased physical activity, and obesity as defined by a …

"What I Think Of As A Positive Experience, Is The Lack Of A Negative Experience": Exploring Female-To-Male Transgender And Transsexual Individuals' Interactions With Health Care Providers, Melynda Leigh Craig

Open Access Dissertations

Using qualitative interviews, previous studies have examined gender identity among transgender and transsexual people (i.e., transpeople). However, these studies did not consider the perspectives of female-to-male (FTM) transpeople or situate transpeople's experiences in the larger sociocultural context. Specifically, these studies did not address the mundane challenges faced by transpeople, including the urgent problem of health care barriers. In contrast, other studies used focus groups and questionnaires to examine transpeople's experiences with health care, but did not interpret these experiences from a psychological perspective. In response to the methodological and conceptual deficiencies of previous research, the current study had two objectives. …

Quantitative Analyses Of F+ Specific Rna Coliphages, Marek Kirs

Open Access Dissertations

Microbial contamination of coastal waters poses a significant risk to human health through recreational exposure and consumption of shellfish. Current protocols for assessing the magnitude of microbial contamination in coastal waters cannot distinguish between human and non-human sources. Therefore, there is a critical need at local, regional and national levels for a method that allows reliable discrimination of human and non-human microbial contamination (microbial source tracking). F+ specific RNA coliphages (Leviviridae) have been suggested as a indicator organism for microbial source tracking. Because subgroup II and III are predominantly associated with human, and subgroup I and IV are predominantly associated …

Applicability Of The Transtheoretical Model In Weight Management In An Adolescent Population In Taiwan, Yating Yeh

Open Access Dissertations

Westernized dietary preferences and life-styles are thought to have a significant impact on the increasing prevalence of obesity in Asian populations. The increased numbers of overweight and obese adolescents is becoming an emerging health issue in Asia. Meanwhile, previous studies have indicated that adolescents ' self-perceived weight is poorly related to the medical definition of overweight, and considerable numbers of clinically normal-weight persons are trying to or wish to control weight. Due to the considerable prevalence of desire for weight control among adolescents who are not overweight /obese, it is important for researchers to look at the issue of weight …

The Role Of Planning In Marine Resource Management: The Effect Of Differing Legislative Mandates On The Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan, Shannon Olivia Marie Bettridge

Open Access Dissertations

Natural resource management laws mandate that Federal agencies must develop and implement plans to protect living and non-living resources. Occasionally these laws overlap in their jurisdiction of marine species, subjecting the resource in question to the requirements of more than one Federal statute. This dissertation examines the planning directives of three Federal resource laws: the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, and the Endangered Species Act of 1973, to identify procedural and substantive conflicts between their mandates. In the U.S., Atlantic large whale protection comes under the purview of the three environmental statutes …

An Assessment Of The Habitat Quality And Nutritional Intake Of North Atlantic Right Whales In Cape Cod Bay, Amy Susanna Delorenzo

Open Access Dissertations

Cape Cod Bay is the only known winter feeding ground of the North Atlantic right whale, a seriously endangered species, and is thus a critical habitat for right whales. As with most coastal ecosystems, Cape Cod Bay is a dynamic system with a high degree of variability in both physical and biological parameters. However, the extent of these fluctuations and their effect on the suitability of the bay as a right whale feeding ground is not known. This study was conducted to address variability in the biological and physical environment of the bay on different temporal and spatial scales and …

Nanoplankton Biodiversity In The Pettaquamscutt River Estuary, Rhode Island, Unites States, Sunshine Menezes

Open Access Dissertations

Biodiversity of the nanoplankton was investigated within the Pettaquamscutt River Estuary (PRE) in southern Rhode Island, U.S.A. through light and electron microscopy. Five stations were sampled along the salinity gradient of the estuary to determine spatial and temporal variation in the nanoplanktonic community. Salinity and nutrient data indicated that there were two distinct regions within the estuary, classified as the "lower river region" and the "upper river region". Nanoplankton always dominated the phytoplankton biomass (as chlorophyll a) in the upper river region, but not in the lower river. Live samples indicated that there is an abundant and diverse assemblage of …

Dissolved Oxygen Dynamics In A Shallow Stream System, Bjoern Michaelis

Open Access Dissertations

Dissolved oxygen dynamics in a shallow stream system were analyzed under dry weather conditions on the Blackstone River in the state of Massachusetts. A dissolved oxygen modeling was conducted with the enhanced stream water quality EPA model QUAL2E by Brown and Barnwell (1987). The dissolved oxygen model was successfully calibrated and validated for dynamical simulations. The accuracy of the model results was proved by graphical and statistical comparison. A procedure is provided to simulate chlorophyll a in QUAL2E with higher accuracy, based on converted photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and extinction coefficients of PAR in the water column. The significance of …

Restructuring School: Improving K-8 Science Teaching And Learning In Schools Through Systematic Professional Development, Diana Catalina Siliezar

Open Access Dissertations

The purpose of the study is to examine the effectiveness that a systematic, content specific professional development program has on K-8 teachers' attitudes, content preparedness, pedagogy preparedness, teacher efficacy, and their knowledge of standards and classroom practice. The Northeastern LSC program in this study is a project that uses inquiry-based, hands-on science kits that have been designed to help K-8 students comprehend science content and processes that are outlined by the various science standards such as the National Science Education Standards (NSES, 2001). Teachers were stratified according to the number of professional development hours they encountered and the types of …

Hydrography, Suspended Sediments, Chlorophyll A, Chromophoric Dissolved Organic Matter And Optical Characteristics Of The Pearl River (Zhujiang) Estuary During July And November, 1998, Wendy Lynn Woods

Open Access Dissertations

The Pearl River (Zhujiang) is the second largest river in China and the largest in southern China, with a strongly seasonal discharge driven by Asian monsoon rainfall patterns. Optical characteristics of the plume region are expected to strongly affect light limitation of primary production and the interpretation of satellite remote sensing data. The river is enriched with nutrients from agriculture, aquaculture, and human waste disposal, and experiences frequent phytoplankton blooms. An understanding of factors controlling phytoplankton primary production is currently lacking, but is essential for effective water quality management. This study reports on the hydrography (temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, pH, …

The Representation Of Race In Composition Studies And Stories, Carole Eileen Center

Open Access Dissertations

Nonwhite students have limited access to and limited success in graduating from US institutions of higher education. First-year required composition courses and other writing requirements can act as barriers to college matriculation. Yet composition studies, which has as its focus writing students and student writing, has yet to commit to a thorough examination of all the factors that affect the experience of nonwhite students in composition classes. In order to engage in inquiry into the difference that race makes in students' classroom experiences, composition teacher-researchers must represent the race of those involved in classroom scenes because, as race studies (whiteness …

Energetic Constraints On Diapause In Calanus Finmarchicus: Implications For Population Dynamics In The Gulf Of Maine, Whitley Joseph Saumweber

Open Access Dissertations

Deep basins in the Gulf of Maine act as refuge for a large population of resting Calanus finmarchicus during the summer and fall. Dynamics of this population are not well understood, however, and loss terms from advection and starvation may be large. A three part study was therefore undertaken to determine potential diapause duration in C. finmarchicus , monitor changes in the summer-fall population, and to define the relative importance of energetic limitation as a control on C. finmarchicus population dynamics. Six standard stations were sampled in and around the Gulf of Maine on a series of four research cruises …

Curricular Affairs Committee Report #429, University Of Rhode Island Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Committee Reports and Appendices

No abstract provided.

Graduate Council Report No. 2004-2005-4, University Of Rhode Island Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Committee Reports and Appendices

No abstract provided.

The Four Hundred Twenty-Seventh Report Of The Curricular Affairs Committee, University Of Rhode Island Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Bills

No abstract provided.

Curricular Affairs Committee Report #427, University Of Rhode Island Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Committee Reports and Appendices

No abstract provided.

Graduate Council Report No. 2004-2005-3a, University Of Rhode Island Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Committee Reports and Appendices

No abstract provided.

Curricular Report No. 2004-2005-2 From The Graduate Council To The Faculty Senate, University Of Rhode Island Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Bills

No abstract provided.

Graduate Council Report No. 2004-2005-2, University Of Rhode Island Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Committee Reports and Appendices

No abstract provided.

Gel Shift Analysis Of The Empa Promoter Region In Vibrio Anguillarum, Steven M. Denkin, Pedja Sekaric, David R. Nelson

Cell and Molecular Biology Faculty Publications

Background:

The induction of metalloprotease encoded by empA in Vibrio anguillarum occurs at high cell density in salmon intestinal mucus. Previously we have shown that there are significant differences in empA expression in two strains of V. anguillarum, M93Sm and NB10. It is hypothesized that differences in empA regulation are due to differences in binding of regulatory elements.

Results:

Two strains of V. anguillarum, M93Sm and NB10, were examined and compared for the presence of DNA regulatory proteins that bind to and control the empA promoter region. Gel mobility shift assays, using a digoxigenin (DIG)-labeled oligomer containing a …

Marine Science Journals And Serials : 1993-2003 Update, Judith B. Barnett

Technical Services Faculty Publications

An annotated bibliography of marine science journals and serials published between 1986 and 1993 appeared in this journal in 1995. It is updated by this listing of thirty new titles commencing between 1993 and 2003. These publications reflect new research directions in this multifaceted field.

Idcr: Infectious Diseases In Corrections Report, Vol. 7 No. 10/11, Infectious Diseases In Corrections

Infectious Diseases in Corrections Report (IDCR)

No abstract provided.

Inverted Echo Sounder Data Report Ulleung Basin Of Japan/East Sea June 1991 To July 2001, Douglas A. Mitchell, Yongsheng Xu, Karen L. Tracey, D. Randolph Watts, Mark Wimbush, William Teague

Physical Oceanography Technical Reports

Observations were conducted from June 1999 to July 2001 to study the shallow and deep current variability in the southwest Japan/East Sea. Data were collected during the field experiment with a two-dimensional array of pressure-gauge equipped inverted echo sounders (PIES) and deep recording current meters (RCM). The collection, processing and calibration of the PIES are documented in this report. Descriptions of the processes used to identify and remove jumps (offsets) in the pressure and travel time records, that resulted when the instruments were jostled or moved by deep crab-fishing activities in the Japan/East Sea, are given. Time series plots of …

Monographic Acquisitions And Copy Cataloging (Macc) Annual Report 2003-2004, Karen M. Ramsay

Monographic Acquisitions and Copy Cataloging Reports and Documents

Annual report of the Monographic Acquisitions and Copy Cataloging (MACC) Unit, University Library, University of Rhode Island. Covers staffing, hardware and software, monograph acquisitions, and inventory project during the fiscal year 2003-2004.

Seabed Auv Offers New Platform For High-Resolution Imaging, Hanumant Singh, Ali Can, Ryan Eustice, Steve Lerner, Neil Mcphee, Chris Roman

Graduate School of Oceanography Faculty Publications

A number of marine biological, geological, and archaeological applications share the need for high-resolution optical and acoustic imaging of the sea floor [Ballard et al., 2002; Greene et al., 2000; Shank et al., 2002]. In particular,there is a compelling need to conduct studies in depths beyond those considered reasonable for divers (∼50 m) down to depths at the shelf edge and continental slope (∼1000–2000 m). Some of the constraints associated with such work include the requirement to work off of small coastal vessels or fishing boats of opportunity,and the requirement for the vehicle components to be air-shippable to enable inexpensive …

Taming The Rugged Landscape: Production, Reordering, And Stabilization Of Selected Cluster Inherent Structures In The X13-NYN System, Dubravko Sabo, J. D. Doll, David L. Freeman

Chemistry Faculty Publications

We present studies of the potential energy landscape of selected binary Lennard-Jones 13 atom clusters. The effect of adding selected impurity atoms to a homogeneous cluster is explored. We analyze the energy landscapes of the studied systems using disconnectivity graphs. The required inherent structures and transition states for the construction of disconnectivity graphs are found by combination of conjugate gradient and eigenvector-following methods. We show that it is possible to controllably induce new structures as well as reorder and stabilize existing structures that are characteristic of higher-lying minima. Moreover, it is shown that the selected structures can have experimentally relevant …

Nelinet Costs 2003-2004

Technical Services Reports and Statistics

This report lists the total charges paid by the University of Rhode Island Libraries to the bibliographic utility NELINET during the fiscal year ending June 30, 2004. Costs are broken down by invoice date and category. Categories include cataloging, interlibrary loan, tattletape/barcodes, membership, DIALOG search charges, conference fees. Cataloging total: $30,116.16. ILL total: $27,073.28. Tattletape: $2,943.00. DIALOG searches: $529.98. Grand total: $122,880.36.

Curricular Report No. 2003-04-7 From The Graduate Council To The Faculty Senate, University Of Rhode Island Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Bills

No abstract provided.

The Four Hundred Twenty-Fourth Report Of The Curricular Affairs Committee, University Of Rhode Island Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Bills

No abstract provided.