Digital Commons Network^™

Trace Elements In Otoliths Indicate The Use Of Open-Coast Versus Bay Nursery Habitats By Juvenile California Halibut, Graham E. Forrester, Stephen E. Swearer

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Many coastal fishes use inshore nursery habitats as juveniles, but it is often difficult to define which nursery areas supply most recruits to adult populations. We tested whether trace element concentrations in otoliths can be used to identify which of 2 nursery habitats (bays or shallow open coast) were occupied by juvenile California halibut. Juveniles from bays in 1998 had concentrations of Cu and Pb in their otoliths that were higher than those in open coast juveniles of the same year. This broad-scale difference between bay and open coast juveniles remained intact when bay juveniles from 1994 to 1997 were …

Cellulose Synthase (Cesa) Genes In The Green Alga Mesotaenium Caldariorum, Alison W. Roberts, Eric M. Roberts, Deborah P. Delmer

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Cellulose, a microfibrillar polysaccharide consisting of bundles of β-1,4-glucans chains, is a major component of plant and most algal cell walls and is also synthesized by some prokaryotes. Seed plants and bacteria differ in the structures of their membrane terminal complexes that make cellulose and, in turn, control the dimensions of the microfibrils produced. They also differ in the domain structures of their CesA gene products (the catalytic subunit of cellulose synthase), which have been localized to terminal complexes and appear to help maintain terminal complex structure. Terminal complex structures in algae range from rosettes (plant-like) to linear forms (bacterium-like). …

Using Meta‐Scientific Studies To Clarify Or Resolve Questions In The Philosophy And History Of Science, David Faust, Paul E. Meehl

Psychology Faculty Publications

More powerful methods for studying and integrating the historical track record of scientific episodes and scientific judgment, or what Faust and Meehl describe as a program of meta‐science and meta‐scientific studies, can supplement and extend more commonly used case study methods. We describe the basic premises of meta‐science, overview methodological considerations, and provide examples of meta‐scientific studies. Meta‐science can help to clarify or resolve long‐standing questions in the history and philosophy of science and provide practical help to the working scientist.

Environmental Regulation And Differential Production Of Members Of The Bdr Protein Family Of Borrelia Burgdorferi, David M. Robert, Melissa Caimano, John Mcdowell, Michael Theisen, Arne Holm, Edward Orff, David R. Nelson, Stephen Wikel, Justin Radolf, Richard T. Marconi

Cell and Molecular Biology Faculty Publications

Borrelia burgdorferi B31MI carries 18 plasmid-carried genes that form the bdr gene family. The bdr genes of B. burgdorferi encode proteins that form three distinct subfamilies, the BdrD, BdrE, and BdrF subfamilies. bdr orthologs have been demonstrated to be carried by all Borrelia species analyzed, and their widespread distribution suggests that they play an important genus-wide functional role. The biological rationale for maintaining 18 bdr alleles has not been defined. It is our hypothesis that specific paralogs function in different environments and are differentially expressed in response to environmental conditions. As a first step in testing this hypothesis, the production …

A Simple Method For Estimating Larval Supply In Reef Fishes And A Preliminary Test Of Population Limitation By Larval Delivery In The Kelp Bass Paralabrax Clathratus, Mark A. Steele, John C. Malone, Amy M. Findlay, Mark H. Carr, Graham E. Forrester

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

This paper describes a method for estimating larval supply of a temperate reef fish, the kelp bass Paralabrax clathratus, that is simple, inexpensive, requires relatively low effort, and integrates larval supply over time. Using this method, we sampled larval supply concurrently at 4 sites spread over about 35 km for nearly an entire settlement season. With these data and visual estimates of recruitment (the density of young-of-the-year after the end of the settlement season), we tested the hypothesis that spatial patterns in recruitment were set by larval supply. This hypothesis was rejected: kelp bass recruitment to the 4 sites …

Neonatal Transitional Physiology: A New Paradigm, Judith S. Mercer, Rebecca L. Skovgaard

College of Nursing Faculty Publications

Early clamping of the umbilical cord at birth, a practice developed without adequate evidence, causes neonatal blood volume to vary 25% to 40. Such a massive change occurs at no other time in one's life without serious consequences, even death. Early cord clamping may impede a successful transition and contribute to hypovolemic and hypoxic damage in vulnerable newborns. The authors present a model for neonatal transition based on and driven by adequate blood volume rather than by respiratory effort to demonstrate how neonatal transition most likely occurs at a normal physiologic birth.

Gaba B Receptors In The Ventral Tegmental Area Regulate Morphine-Induced Motor Sensitization And Accumbal Fos Expression In C57bl/6 Mice, Kimberly Anne Leite-Morris

Open Access Dissertations

Mesolimbic dopamine (A10) neurons have a central role in mediating opiate-induced motor sensitization and are implicated in drug addiction. This dissertation examines the hypotheses that GABAB receptors are located in the ventral tegmental area (VTA), that morphine sensitization occurs via A10 neuronal activation, and that GABAB receptor activation in the VTA inhibits the development and expression of morphine-induced sensitization. Dopaminergic neurons projecting from the VTA to the nucleus accumbens (NAc) of the forebrain are involved in mediating behavioral sensitization to morphine. GABA B receptor activation in the VTA leads to inhibition of dopaminergic transmission and inhibition of opiate actions. Sensitization …

The Regulation And Function Of Inositol Phosphorylceramide Synthase In The Yeast Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, Angeleah Arlene Browdy

Open Access Dissertations

IPC Synthase has been shown to be an essential membrane bound enzyme in yeast that catalyzes the transfer of PI to ceramide to yield the primary sphingolipid found in yeast, Inositolphosphorylceramide. A biochemical approach was taken to investigate the biological factors that regulate IC synthase activity in order to better understand the sphingolipid synthesis. A highly purified IPC synthase was purified over 1000-fold from the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae by a procedure that included Triton X-100 solubilization, as well as a series of ion exchange and hydrophobic column chromatography steps. The highly purified enzyme fraction contained three major bands at 45, …

Functional Characterization Of The Pregnane X Receptor, He Zhang

Open Access Dissertations

Cytochrome P450 3A enzymes (CYP3A) are involved in the metabolism of two thirds of drugs and other xenobiotics, and highly induced by structurally diverse xenobiotics. Induction of CYP3A causes many drug-drug interactions, and an orphan nuclear receptor, the pregnane X receptor (PXR) is established to mediate the induction of CYP3A in mouse and human. Structurally, the PXR has a N-terminal uncharacterized domain, a conserved DNA binding domain (DBD) and a diverse C-terminal ligand binding domain (LBD). The purpose of the studies described in this dissertation is to characterize the role of the N-terminal domain and the LBD in PXR-mediated signaling …

A Critical Evaluation Of Interlaboratory Data On Total, Elemental, And Isotopic Carbon In The Carbonaceous Particle Reference Material, Nist Srm 1649a, L. A. Currie, B. A. Benner Jr., J. D. Kessler, D. R. Klinedinst, G. A. Klouda, J. V. Marolf, J. F. Slater, S. A. Wise, H. Cachier, R. Cary, J. C. Chow, J. Watson, E. R. M. Druffel, C. A. Masiello, T. I. Eglinton, A. Pearson, C. M. Reddy, Ö. Gustafsson, James G. Quinn, P. C. Hartmann, J. I. Hedges, K. M. Prentice, T. W. Kirchstetter, T. Novakow, H. Puxbaum, H. Schmid

Graduate School of Oceanography Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Thin Layers And Camouflage: Hidden Pseudo-Nitzschia Spp. (Bacillariophyceae) Populations In A Fjord In The San Juan Islands, Washington, Usa, J. E. B. Rines, Percy L. Donaghay, M. M. Dekshenieks, J. M. Sullivan, M. S. Twardowski

Graduate School of Oceanography Faculty Publications

Two sets of observations were made on the distribution of Pseudo-nitzschia taxa in a fjord in the San Juan Islands, Washington, USA. From May 21 to 31, 1996, we observed the spatio-temporal distribution of a dense bloom of P. fraudulenta. Microscopic observations of live material were compared to physical-optical water-column structure, currents and wind. At the start of the study, dense concentrations of Pseudo-nitzschia spp. were observed directly at the surface. Optical profiles indicated that most cells were concentrated in a thin layer at ~5 m depth, which appeared to be contiguous throughout the sound. Several days later, sustained …

Occurrence And Mechanisms Of Formation Of A Dramatic Thin Layer Of Marine Snow In A Shallow Pacific Fjord, Alice L. Alldredge, Timothy J. Cowles, Sally Macintyre, Jan E. B. Rines, Percy L. Donaghay, Charles F. Greenlaw, D. V. Holliday, Margaret M. Dekshenieks, James M. Sullivan, J. Ronald V. Zaneveld

Graduate School of Oceanography Faculty Publications

Huge accumulations of diatom-dominated marine snow (aggregates >0.5 mm in diameter) were observed in a layer approximately 50 cm thick persisting over a 24 h period in a shallow fjord in the San Juan Islands, Washington, USA. The layer was associated with the 22.4 σ_t density surface. A second thin layer of elevated phytoplankton concentration located at a density discontinuity 1.5 to 2 m above the marine snow layer occurred within a dense diatom bloom near the surface. At the end of the study period, isopycnals shoaled and the 2 layers merged. More than 80% of the diatom bloom …

Modeling Phytoplankton Production: Problems With The Eppley Curve And An Empirical Alternative, Mark J. Brush, John W. Brawley, Scott W. Nixon, James N. Kremer

Graduate School of Oceanography Faculty Publications

Papers reporting the results of dynamic simulation models of aquatic ecosystems tend to show predicted concentrations of the state variables. The phytoplankton compartment is typically represented as predicted biomass, expressed as the concentration of chlorophyll a, particulate carbon, or particulate nitrogen. While computed values of phytoplankton biomass generally agree with observations, many of these same models significantly underestimate primary production. Existing simulation models often base the calculation of primary production on the Eppley curve, which sets the maximum daily phytoplankton growth rate as a function of temperature. Despite the apparent wide applicability of the Eppley curve, an increasing number …

Seasonal Distribution And Abundance Of Fishes And Decapod Crustaceans In A Cape Cod Estuary, Kenneth W. Able, Michael P. Fahay, Kenneth L. Heck Jr., Charles T. Roman, Mark A. Lazzari, Susan C. Kaiser

Graduate School of Oceanography Faculty Publications

Sampling in several habitat types (sand/mud, eelgrass, sand, gravel, macroalgae/mud) during all seasons with a variety of gears in Nauset Marsh, Massachusetts during 1985–1987 found a fauna consisting of 35 fish and 10 decapod crustacean species. Although most of the abundant species were found in several habitat types, species richness and habitat use appeared to be highest for vegetated habitats (eelgrass, macroalgae). The fishes and decapods were numerically dominated by cold-water taxa; however, numerous fish species, represented by rare individuals of predominantly southern forms, enriched the fauna. Species composition of Nauset Marsh could be distinguished from estuaries south of Cape …

Direct Measurements Of Light Attenuation By Epiphytes On Eelgrass Zostera Marina, Mark J. Brush, Scott W. Nixon

Graduate School of Oceanography Faculty Publications

Declines in the seagrass Zostera marina L. in estuaries and lagoons have been attributed in part to reductions in irradiance reaching the seagrass blades. Epiphytes growing on Z. marina have the potential to attenuate a large fraction of the light that would otherwise reach the blades. This problem has previously been studied by measuring light penetration through homogenized epiphytic slurries or through glass slides fouled with epiphytes. However, the latter may not represent the natural succession or species composition found on live Z. marina leaves and the former does not preserve the structure of the epiphytic complex. Further, past studies …

Comparison Of Algorithms For Estimating Ocean Primary Production From Surface Chlorophyll, Temperature, And Irradiance, Janet Campbell, David Antoine, Robert Armstrong, Kevin Arrigo, William Balch, Richard Barber, Michael Behrenfeld, Robert Bidigare, James Bishop, Mary-Elena Carr, Wayne Esaias, Paul Falkowski, Nicholas Hoepffner, Richard Iverson, David Keifer, Steven Lohrenz, John Marra, Andre Morel, John Ryan, Vladimir Vederinkov, Kirk Waters, Charles Yentsch, James A. Yoder

Graduate School of Oceanography Faculty Publications

Results of a single‐blind round‐robin comparison of satellite primary productivity algorithms are presented. The goal of the round‐robin exercise was to determine the accuracy of the algorithms in predicting depth‐integrated primary production from information amenable to remote sensing. Twelve algorithms, developed by 10 teams, were evaluated by comparing their ability to estimate depth‐integrated daily production (IP, mg C m⁻²) at 89 stations in geographically diverse provinces. Algorithms were furnished information about the surface chlorophyll concentration, temperature, photosynthetic available radiation, latitude, longitude, and day of the year. Algorithm results were then compared with IP estimates derived from ¹⁴C …

Uri Undergraduate And Graduate Course Catalog 2002-2003, University Of Rhode Island

URI Course Catalogs Archive

This is a digitized, downloadable version of the University of Rhode Island course catalog.

Rational Approaches To The Regulation Of Nonprescription Medicines, Anand S. Achanta

Open Access Dissertations

In recent years, self-medication products have undergone a dramatic change due to the advent of herbal medicines, dietary supplements, nutraceuticals and health foods in addition to traditional nonprescription medicines and the increasing societal preferences towards greater individual control over the use of medicines. Globally, the role and importance of nonprescription medicines in healthcare delivery is also rapidly increasing due to the potential cost-savings. Hence, this area is beginning to receive much attention from regulatory authorities, academia and professional/industry/trade organizations.

This dissertation presents a comprehensive analysis of the classification of nonprescription medicines and Rx-to-OTC switch criteria/policy in the United States, United …

Leftist Literature And The Ideology Of Eugenics During The American Depression, Sarah Catherine Holmes

Open Access Dissertations

This dissertation examines both literary and non-literary works to illustrate how leftist writing was profoundly influenced by notions of eugenics which circulated widely in Depression-era America, though often just beneath the surface. One of the most popular movements during the Great Depression was the attempt to prove that certain groups of the American population were "unfit" and that society should take intentional steps to intervene in citizens' reproductive rights. This eugenics doctrine was so pervasive that it became embodied in a variety of texts, including many "leftist" texts, thereby producing an ideological crisis for many of these writers. Leftist literature …

The Nature Of Infant Relinquishment As Described By Two Voices: The Relinquishing Mother And The Obstetrical Nurse, Linda Jean Kobokovich

Open Access Dissertations

Little is known about the relinquishment experience and nursing interventions for infant relinquishment. The purpose of this study was to first, describe in the birth mother's voice, the relinquishment experience and her perception of nursing interventions, while second, creating an inventory of nursing interventions. Kim's (2000) Practice Domain provided the theoretical background. This two-phase study used an inductive, qualitative approach and employed a mixed method design of semi-structured interview and focus group interview. The interview was crafted upon the interview style of McCracken (1988) and Spradley (1969) while focus group methodology as detailed by Morgan (1993, 1996) guided the second …

16s Ribosomal Dna Sequencing Confirms The Synonymy Of Vibrio Harveyi And V. Carchariae, Eric J. Gauger, Marta Gomez-Chiarri

Fisheries, Animal and Veterinary Sciences Faculty Publications

Seventeen bacterial strains previously identified as Vibrio harveyi (Baumann et al. 1981) or V. carchariae (Grimes et al. 1984) and the type strains of V. harveyi, V. carchariae and V. campbellii were analyzed by 16S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) sequencing. Four clusters were identified in a phylogenetic analysis performed by comparing a 746 base pair fragment of the 16S rDNA and previously published sequences of other closely related Vibrio species. The type strains of V. harveyi and V. carchariae and about half of the strains identified as V. harveyi or V. carchariae formed a single, wellsupported cluster designed as ‘bona …

Genetic Transformation Of Bentgrasses For Fungal Disease Resistance, Yuexia Wang

Open Access Dissertations

Genetic transformation of cultivated plants is a new tool that could be used to improve plants for higher yield, better quality, and enhanced stress tolerance. To establish a stable and efficient biolistic-mediated genetic transformation system for bentgrass trait improvement, this research focused on: (1) comparing growth media for embryogenic callus induction and plantlet regeneration; (2) transferring bar, chitinase, glucanase and barnase genes into embryogenic calli of creeping and velvet bentgrasses, and regenerating transgenic plants from the transformed calli; (3) evaluating the transgenic plants by using herbicide glufosinate, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), Southern blot and northern blot hybridization assays; and (4) …

Evaluation Of Several Metrics Of Benthic Macroinvertibrates, Scott Lynch

Open Access Master's Theses

This study simulates individuals that are modeled after benthic macroinvertebrate populations from streams in Vermont. Using the EPA biological scoring criteria for assessing the overall condition of streams, we analyzed two metrics (parameters) associated with these criteria. The two metrics, taxa richness and Community Loss Index (CLI) have "critical" values that were set by the EPA. These "critical" values although well established are not be justified statistically. In order to analyze these "critical" values, we analyzed three different options: sample size, taxonomic level, and changing the "critical" value to achieve our goal.

We asked the question, how often would two …

Lecithin Organogel-Based System For Topical Application Of Ketorolac Tromethamine, Angela Attar Nasseri

Open Access Master's Theses

Among various nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), ketorolac tromethamine has been widely used for post operative and emergency treatment of pain. However, it accompanies adverse side effects including gastrointestinal irritation when administered orally. Topical administration of ketorolac offers the advantage of enhanced drug delivery to the affected sites with a reduced incidence of gastrointestinal side effects. However, as skin is an exceptionally effective barrier to most chemicals, very few drugs can permeate it in amounts sufficient to deliver a therapeutic dose. Therefore, systems that make the skin locally more permeable and thereby enable transdermal delivery are of great interest. Lecithin organogels …

Disc Golf: Sport For Sustainable Community, Craig Hotchkiss

Open Access Master's Theses

This project, Disc Golf: Sport for Sustainable Community, aims to promote the sport of disc golf as an environmentally reverent and cost effective, recreational opportunity for a sustainable community. This paper also suggests enhancements to the signs and maps of a disc golf course in order to include environmental interpretation aspects into the recreational facility. Reviewing the material will enable a community to determine potential disc course locations and designs.

This project describes the sport of disc golf to introduce the principal concepts for those who may be unfamiliar with the sport. In the United States, The President's Council on …

Fish Landmarks For Chromosome 11 Of Bombyx Mori: An In Situ Analysis, Charles Eugene Mcgovern

Open Access Dissertations

Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) has been used to simultaneously identify the positions of the ribosomal DNA and the Sericin genes on chromosome 11 of Bombyx mori. The ribosomal DNA genes were detected using biotin labeled plasmid pBmR 161 and avidin-Texas Red and the Sericin 2 gene was detected using digoxigenin labeled plasmid 2002 and anti-digoxigenin-fluorescein. The position of the Sericin 1 gene was identified using the ribosomal DNA genes as a chromosomal landmark. Sericin 1 was detected using digoxigenin labeled bacterial artificial chromosome 9HJD and anti-digoxigenin-fluorescein. The chromosomal spreads were counterstained with diamindino-phenyl-indole (DAPI). The signals from the sericin …

Market Information And Fisheries Management: Improving Efficiency In Private Property Right Management Systems, Eyjolfur Gudmundsson

Open Access Dissertations

Fisheries economics concentrates on solving the problem of economic overexploitation in fisheries. The field took its first steps, as a specialized study area within economics, in the early 1950s. The approach since then, for solving the problem of overexploitation, has mostly been one of neo-classical economics, with emphasis on the production side of the problem. A potential solution to the overexploitation problem is the privatization of fisheries in order to maximize long-term economic benefits. Recent studies have shown that prices and certain product characteristics are an important factor for determining the optimal management of fisheries. This study tries to establish …

Effect Of Ph And Temperature On Conformational Changes Of A Humanized Monoclonal Antibody, Sejal Gandhi

Open Access Master's Theses

Maintenance of the structural integrity of a therapeutic protein is essential for its efficacy in relation to physiological and pharmacological activity. Therefore, a major challenge confronting the pharmaceutical scientist working with protein formulation is the instability of the protein during processing, handling, storage, and use. Hence well-defined preformulation studies for proteins need to be performed to understand the stability issues relevant to their production, formulation, and use. Vast numbers of drugs available in the market are rnicromolecular dugs, which have molecular weight less than 1000 D. There is a good reason to believe that polypeptides and proteins offer different challenges …

Effect Of Crystalline To Amorphous Conversions On Solubility Of Cefuroxime Axetil, Tooba Murshedkav

Open Access Master's Theses

This study investigates a new method of converting a crystalline drug to its amorphous form and studying the effect this conversion has on the solubility of the drug. The physical form of the drug is of great importance in the process of taking a drug molecule from its discovery to its formulation into an acceptable dosage form. For oral solid dosage forms, the physical state of the drug molecule influences various important parameters including bioavailability and stability. Bioavailability in tum is governed by factors like dissolution and solubility, which can be altered to give desired results. A review of the …

Moisture Interactions With Pharmaceuticalpol Ymerjc Film Coatings, Ravi S. Pappu

Open Access Master's Theses

It is a well-known fact that water can act as a detrimental variable in performance of pharmaceutical dosage forms. Derivatives of various starches and cellulose are widely used as excepients, generally in high proportions to the total amount making up the dosage form. A complete understanding of the uptake of moisture by cellulose polymers is important because moisture-polymer interaction affects various properties such as compressibility and stability. In this study I) hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), 2) modified HPMC (SEPPIC^®), 3) microcrystaline cellulose containing carrageenan (Lusterclear^®) were used for studies of moisture polymer interaction. The interaction of moisture …