Digital Commons Network^™

Special Forum: Undergraduate Perspectives On Feminism, Sabrinna Fogarty, Jeannette E. Riley

Journal of Feminist Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Gender Unfreedom: Gender Diverse Perspectives From Digital India, Sara Bardhan

Journal of Feminist Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Assessing The Potential Of The Unexploited Atlantic Purple Sea Urchin, Arbacia Punctulata, For The Edible Market, Coleen Suckling, Max D. Zavell, Anna L. Byczynski, Brian T. Takeda

Fisheries, Animal and Veterinary Sciences Faculty Publications

The global demand for sea urchin as seafood is currently unmet. Despite exploitation of > 40 species across the world, there is a need to identify other candidate species, especially in regions where diversification in production is sought where species are considered native. The Eastern US presents an opportunity to determine the marketability of the currently unexploited Arbacia punctulata which is naturally distributed from Massachusetts and southwards into the Gulf of Mexico. To determine whether A. punctulata had market potential, it was fed one of the following diets to determine whether the gonad tissue (uni) could be manipulated to increase gonad …

Evaluating Beluga (Delphinapterus Leucas) Blow Samples As A Potential Diagnostic For Immune Function Gene Expression Within The Respiratory System, Justin Thomas Richard, Krystle Schultz, Caroline E.C. Goertz, Roderick C. Hobbs, Tracy A. Romano, Becky L. Sartini

Fisheries, Animal and Veterinary Sciences Faculty Publications

Evaluating respiratory health is important in the management of cetaceans, which are vulnerable to respiratory diseases. Quantifying the expression of genes related to immune function within the respiratory tract could be a valuable tool for directly assessing respiratory health. Blow (exhale) samples allow DNA analysis, and we hypothesized that RNA could also be isolated from blow samples for gene expression studies of immune function. We evaluated the potential to extract RNA from beluga blow samples and tested whether transcripts associated with immune function could be detected with endpoint polymerase chain reaction. A total of 54 blow samples were collected from …

Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Estimation Of Combined Skeletal Muscle Oxidative Capacity And O2 Diffusion Capacity In Humans, Andrea M. Pilotto, Alessandra Adami, Raffaele Mazzolari, Lorenza Brocca, Emanuela Crea, Lucrezia Zuccarelli, Maria A. Pellegrino, Roberto Bottinelli, Bruno Grassi, Harry B. Rossiter, Simone Porcelli

Kinesiology Faculty Publications

The final steps of the O2 cascade during exercise depend on the product of the microvascular-tointramyocyte PO2 difference and muscle O2 diffusing capacity (DmO2). Non-invasive methods to determine DmO2 in humans are currently unavailable. Muscle oxygen uptake (mVO2) recovery rate constant (k), measured by near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) using intermittent arterial occlusions, is associated with muscle oxidative capacity in vivo. We reasoned that k would be limited by DmO2 when muscle oxygenation is low (kLOW), and hypothesized that: i) k in well-oxygenated muscle (kHIGH) is associated with maximal O2 flux in fiber bundles; and ii) Δk (kHIGH-kLOW) is associated with capillary …

A Crew-Operated Data Recording System For Length-Based Stock Assessment Of Indonesia’S Deep Demersal Fisheries, Elle Wibisono, Peter Mous, Edwison Firmana, Austin T. Humphries

Fisheries, Animal and Veterinary Sciences Faculty Publications

Deep demersal fisheries in Indonesia yielded close to 90,000 metric tons of snapper and grouper in 2019, landed by a fleet of approximately 10,000 fishing boats. Prior to the present study, information on these multi-species, dispersed, small- to medium-scale fisheries was scarce, while reliable species-specific data on catch and effort were non-existent. This data-deficiency made stock assessments and design of harvest control rules impossible. We developed a new data collection method, the Crew Operated Data Recording System (CODRS), to collect verifiable species- and length-composition data from catches across all segments of the fleet. CODRS engaged crews of 579 fishing vessels …

Diversity And Distribution Of Symbiodiniaceae Detected On Coral Reefs Of Lombok, Indonesia Using Environmental Dna Metabarcoding, Arief Pratomo, Dietriech G. Bengen, Neviaty P. Zamani, Christopher E. Lane, Austin T. Humphries, Erin Borbee, Beginer Subhan, Hawis Madduppa

Fisheries, Animal and Veterinary Sciences Faculty Publications

Background

Dinoflagellates of family Symbiodiniaceae are important to coral reef ecosystems because of their contribution to coral health and growth; however, only a few studies have investigated the function and distribution of Symbiodiniaceae in Indonesia. Understanding the distribution of different kinds of Symbiodiniaceae can improve forecasting of future responses of various coral reef systems to climate change. This study aimed to determine the diversity of Symbiodiniaceae around Lombok using environmental DNA (eDNA).

Methods

Seawater and sediment samples were collected from 18 locations and filtered to obtain fractions of 0.4–12 and >12 µm. After extraction, molecular barcoding polymerase chain reaction was …

Nutrient Capture And Sustainable Yield Maximized By A Gear Modification In Artisanal Fishing Traps, Bryan P. Galligan, Timothy R. Mcclanahan, Austin T. Humphries

Fisheries, Animal and Veterinary Sciences Faculty Publications

Coral reef artisanal fisheries are an important source of nutrition and economic wellbeing for coastal communities, but their management is subject to conflicts and tradeoffs between short-term food security benefits and long-term ecological function. One potential tradeoff is between nutrient capture and fish yields, where targeting small, nutrient-dense species may be more valuable for food security than maximizing fish yields, which is more closely aligned with supporting biodiversity and ecological function. We explored these potential tradeoffs by comparing two similar gears: traditional African basket traps and traps modified with an escape gap. Traps without escape gaps captured a higher frequency …

Organic Farmers Face Persistent Barriers To Adopting Diversification Practices In California’S Central Coast, Liz Carlisle, Kenzo Esquivel, Patrick Baur, Nina F. Ichikawa, Elissa M. Olimpi, Joanna Ory, Hannah Waterhouse, Alastair Iles, Daniel S. Karp, Claire Kremen, Timothy M. Bowles

Fisheries, Animal and Veterinary Sciences Faculty Publications

In the face of myriad environmental challenges associated with industrial agriculture, some farmers and researchers have looked to diversified farming systems as a promising alternative. Despite well-documented ecological benefits, diversification practices remain rare in many regions of the U.S, even amongst organic farmers. Our study focuses on organic farmers in the Central Coast region of California, an area that has played a crucial role in the rise of organic agriculture over the last several decades. Through 20 interviews with farmers who all grow lettuce and 8 interviews with technical assistance providers, we investigate the persistent barriers that growers in this …

Interviews With Farmers Suggest Negative Direct And Indirect Effects Of The Invasive Green Iguana (Iguana Iguana) On Agriculture In Puerto Rico, Christina N. De Jesús Villanueva, Gabriela P. Massanet Prado, William Gould, Carlos G. Garcia-Quijano

Sociology and Anthropology Faculty Publications

Agricultural communities and crop production are negatively impacted by invasive species, with the effects of pathogenic fungi, parasitic insects and weedy plants being well studied. Mammals and birds are also recognized as impacting crops, but reptiles, such as non-native green iguanas (Iguana iguana), are typically not considered agricultural pests. Research on non-native green iguanas has largely focused on the lizard’s interactions with native species with little attention given to its impact in the agricultural landscape. We conducted semi-structured interviews with farmers from 20 farms in Puerto Rico to explore the effect of the invasive green iguana on the production of …

Incorporating Hemodynamic Cognitive Neuromarkers For Personalized Assistive Communication Technology, Seyyed Bahram Borgheai

Open Access Dissertations

A Brain computer interface (BCI) for communication bypasses standard efferent neural pathways towards peripheral nerves and muscles and directly translates brain activity into symbolic commands to facilitate communication in people with motor impairments. Although a range of access options have been developed, there are still many challenges, particularly for those with severe motor-control limitations. Limitations in availability of access options and the accuracy they provide may lead to patient frustration. Hence, many conventional non-invasive BCIs that rely on eye-gaze control and alternative communicative solutions, such as eye-tracking systems, fail to provide successful and efficient communication in people with severe motor …

Probiotics For Eastern Oyster Hatcheries: Commercial Formulations And Effect On Microbial Communities, Evelyn Takyi

Open Access Dissertations

In the United States of America, oyster production is an important component of the seafood industry in many coastal communities. Oysters provide ecological, economic, and cultural services. Several hatcheries providing eastern oyster, C. virginica, seed to oyster farms face significant losses owing to Vibrio spp. infections causing massive larval mortalities. Probiotics have been proposed as a potential preventive measure to limit the impact of bacterial diseases in shellfish hatcheries. The probiotic bacterium Phaeobacter inhibens S4 has been shown to protect C. virginica larvae from Vibrio coralliilyticus RE22 (RE22) infection. A liquid formulation of this probiotic has been developed for …

Frequency Of Food Cravings In Adults Consuming Animal- Or Plant-Based Diets, Kate Thomas

Open Access Master's Theses

Objective: To investigate the differences in the frequency and intensity of food cravings between animal- and plant-based consumers as well as the association between habitual intake of dietary fibers, animal and plant protein, and food cravings. Methods: An online cross-sectional study collected data from adult (≥ 18 years) animal- and plant-based consumers from March 2020 to January 2022. Participants completed a Qualtrics eligibility questionnaire self-identifying their dietary pattern and weekly frequency of meat, seafood, dairy, egg, and honey consumption. Eligible participants (non-smoking, not pregnant, no fiber supplementation, no chronic disease) were invited via e-mail to complete a Dietary History …

Examining The Proximal Relationship Between Religious Coping And Depression Among Trauma-Exposed Adults, Emmanuel D. Thomas

Open Access Master's Theses

Depression is a common outcome of trauma exposure. As such, it is imperative to investigate factors that may mitigate this association. Although religious coping has been previously studied within the context of trauma, there is a dearth of research examining the potential reciprocal relationships between religious coping and depression among trauma-exposed individuals at the daily level. The current study addresses this gap in the literature by exploring the bidirectional daily relations between religious coping and depression symptoms in a community sample of trauma-exposed adults. Participants were 84 individuals with a history of sexual assault who self-identified as being religious (Mage …

The Effects Of Auditory Predation Risk Cues On Caterpillar Growth, Development, And Fitness, Zachary A. Lee

Open Access Master's Theses

Predation risk is a major factor that impacts the growth and behavior of organisms. Being able to detect potential predators before contact offers a major competitive advantage, but these anti-predator behaviors often come with a significant energetic cost. Domestication, which can remove predation stress as a selective force, can lead to a reduction in these costly anti-predator behaviors in favor of increased growth and reproduction. Monarch (Danaus plexippus) and spongy moth (Lymantria dispar dispar) caterpillars both use auditory cues as a primary detection method for airborne predators. We exposed both species to a series of auditory …

Population Monitoring Of White-Tailed Deer In Rhode Island, Dylan Ferreira

Open Access Master's Theses

Wildlife conservation and management occurs across the world through many different mechanisms and underlying principles. North America has developed a unique and successful process coined the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation. A key outcome of this model is that wildlife science informs management decisions, which are made by government officials in the public’s trust. If a species undergoes some form of legal take, managers are often required to ensure it is done responsibly with empirical evidence and consideration of ecological and societal objectives. Recent research suggests that 60% of wildlife management systems in Canada and the United States were …

Childhood Medical Trauma And Its Effect On Emerging Adult Mental Health Outcomes, Emma Ceres

Open Access Master's Theses

Children who have been exposed to or experienced trauma are at increased risk for developing persistent reactions that impede their daily functioning. Any situation in which a child fears for their life, anticipates injury, witnesses violence, or loses a loved one can be viewed as a childhood traumatic episode (National Child Traumatic Stress Network, 2003). Moreover, those coming from low socioeconomic backgrounds find themselves especially vulnerable to the effects of trauma and mental health outcomes as a result of the disparities linked to such backgrounds (Miech et al., 1999). Existing literature suggests that a medical diagnosis, as well as subsequent …

Investigation Into The Impact Of Parasitic Apicomplexans On The Gut Microbiome Of Marine Tunicate Ciona Intestinalis, Evelyn Anna Spencer

Open Access Master's Theses

Gregarines are a diverse group of apicomplexan parasites that inhabit the intestines, coeloms and reproductive vesicles of marine, freshwater, and terrestrial invertebrates. They have been known to dominate soil communities and show high infection rates within their hosts. Despite this, little information is available about the impact of infection on the gut microbiome of their hosts. Tunicates are a known host of gregarines and several species already have preliminary research focusing on microbial sampling and even screening for bioactive metabolites with pharmaceutical potential. The solitary ascidian Ciona intestinalis emerged as a model organism for studying host–microbe interactions taking place in …

Assessing Horseshoe Crab (Limulus Polyphemus) Population Structure Within Southern New England, Natalie Ameral

Open Access Master's Theses

The Atlantic horseshoe crab, Limulus polyphemus, is a commercially, ecologically, and economically important species. Current management practices of this species may not be well informed enough to avoid jeopardizing the future health of these animals. This thesis argues that population differences, as defined by morphometrics, behavior, and genomics, may be visible over smaller geographic scales than current fisheries management observes. Specifically, this work focuses on three states in southern New England: Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. Ten sampling locations were observed over two years, 2020-2021, from which over 500 crabs were sampled. Width and weight data were collected to assess …

Control Of Varroa Destructor Using Powdered Sugar And Heat, Casey L. Johnson

Open Access Master's Theses

The parasitic varroa mite, Varroa destructor (Anderson and Trueman), is a global threat to honey bee health and the leading cause of honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) colony mortality. In the constant battle against varroa, many apiarists turn to chemicals, such as formic acid, oxalic acid, or synthetic compounds, to control mite populations and save their colonies. However, each chemical treatment option exhibits certain shortcomings and the development of new varroa mite controls is key to combating varroa resistance and increasing safety to beekeepers and bees. The objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of two organic methods …

Deciphering Biogenic Silica Production Trends In Picoplankton Of The Subarctic North Pacific Using Novel Dna Barcoding Methods, Andrew Presley

Open Access Master's Theses

The Silica cycle and the biological pump in our global oceans are intimately related. As a part of the NASA Export Processes in the Ocean from Remote Sensing (EXPORTS) our work aims to explore the community composition of picoplankton in the 0.2-5µm size fraction and their contributions to the silica cycle using next generation MiSeq sequencing and analysis. Recently published data from collaborators within the EXPORTS project have observed high biogenic silica production in the picoplankton, indicating that organisms in this size fraction are contributing notably to the silica cycle in the North Pacific, though it remains unclear exactly what …

Bulk Recycling: Density Separation Models For Mixed Plastic Waste, Megan Lee St. Hilaire

Open Access Master's Theses

Microplastic pollution is now everywhere, from the highest elevation of Mount Everest to the deepest dives of the Mariana Trench. The use of synthetic polymers has contributed to the transformation of our modern world. Nonetheless, the growing presence of plastics in the natural environment constitutes a sense of urgency to develop sustainable solutions to address the global plastic pollution crisis. Approximately 80 percent of all the plastics ever produced have been discarded. Our relationship with plastic needs rethinking.

Achieving a circular economy requires a holistic approach to redesign the systems that make, use and reuse plastics. Evaluating the life cycle …

Bumble Bees (Bombus Spp.) Of Rhode Island: Relative Abundance, Diversity, And Floral Visitation, Elizabeth Varkonyi

Open Access Master's Theses

Bumble bees (Bombus spp.) are declining globally due to parasites, pesticides, competition, habitat loss, and climate change. Historically, eleven bumble bee species were found in Rhode Island. To assess the status of bumble bee species in the state, I conducted a statewide survey using two sampling methods: vane traps and observations on flowers. Bumble bees were collected using vane traps at farms, golf courses, and in residential areas throughout the state from May through September in 2019-2021. Floral observation surveys were performed in 2020 and 2021 at locations with abundant floral resources to determine the species abundance, diversity, and plant …

Distribution Of Wood Turtle (Glyptemys Insculpta) Populations In Rhode Island, Chloe Nicole Johnson

Open Access Master's Theses

Wood turtle (Glyptemys insculpta) populations are declining throughout their geographic range and the species is listed as Endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. Population declines have resulted from habitat loss, road mortality, land use practices, and many other detrimental anthropogenic factors. This species has been studied in several parts of its geographic range, but its distribution in Rhode Island, a rapidly urbanizing state, is poorly understood. In 2021 and 2022, we surveyed 24 stream segments five times each to determine occupancy and detection probability for wood turtles in Rhode Island, USA. Visual surveys were conducted in …

Bacterial Community Dynamics In Rhode Island Coastal Ecosystems, Zachary Pimentel

Open Access Dissertations

In temperate coastal ecosystems, there are a variety of potential environmental niches and lifestyles for bacteria to occupy, along with constantly changing environmental conditions. Residing in such a diverse environment with broad habitats, bacterial adaptation can be observed at both the community and genome level. For example, an individual strain may acquire new mutations or genes to respond to varying conditions or occupy a new niche. In addition, the taxonomic composition of bacterial communities can shift, resulting in higher abundances of strains specialized for a new condition. In this dissertation, community and genome-level adaptations to varying lifestyles and environmental change …

Understanding The Roles Of Heterogenous Swi/Snf Complexes In Regulation Of Differential Gene Expression, Tomali Chakravarty

Open Access Dissertations

SWI/SNF is a multi-subunit chromatin remodeling complex that is evolutionarily conserved from yeast to human. In humans, it is known to exist in 3 distinct assemblies and influence expression of genes involved in signal transduction, cell cycle, adhesion, cell morphology, cell fate determination DNA repair, and stress response, by altering chromatin architecture. Deletions in SWI/SNF subunits are known to have deleterious consequences on cells with about 20% of all known cancers harboring loss of protein mutations in SWI/SNF. This thesis focusses on understanding how heterogeneity in SWI/SNF complexes confer advantage to cells in the absence of ARID1A, one of the …

Mechanisms And Consequences Of Cross-Generational Acclimatization In Reef-Building Corals, Kevin Harrison Wong

Open Access Dissertations

Coral reefs are valued over trillions of dollars and are becoming increasingly degraded due to global climate change. Ocean warming disrupts the symbiotic relationship between corals and their algal symbiont, Symbiodinaceae, leading to severe energetic reduction and increased mortality. Recent studies have identified the potential for beneficial within-generational and cross-generational acclimatization to mitigate the impacts of future environmental change, however the mechanisms and outcomes remain understudied in tropical corals. Here, I present three manuscripts testing different mechanisms of within- and cross-generational acclimatization in corals to understand the long-term consequences of ocean warming. First, we tested the hypothesis that the survival …

Advanced Detection Of Microplastics And Per- And Polyfluoroalkyl Substances In Sediments From The Narragansett Bay Watershed, Michaela A. Cashman

Open Access Dissertations

Sediments underlay most waterbodies and make up a vital part of aquatic habitats. Due to their physical and chemical properties, sediments can act as a sink for many types of contaminants. Sediments must be routinely assessed for their possible interaction with emerging contaminant classes. But the identification of emerging contaminants in sediments is often hindered by a lack of analytical standards or standardized methods. The research herein develops methods for the detection of two classes of emerging contaminants from sediment, namely microplastics (MPs) and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). These methods are then used to analyze sediments within the Narragansett …

Clustering Of Cancerous Genomes Using Efficient Distance Calculations, Yana Hrytsenko

Open Access Dissertations

Comparative cancer genomics can elucidate similarities in genome variation across different types of cancer. Current approaches are implemented through the identification of mutations in specific pathways present in multiple cancers. However, the major shortcoming of these approaches is in identifying specific genes that are similar rather than determining broad-scale patterns of variation in the genome. Similarities found in these patterns across cancers may be linked to similarities in driver mutations and thus lead to treatment approaches with a higher success rate. Identification of such similarities requires comparison of whole genomes and is not always easy to do using traditional alignment-based …

Remote Sensing Of Water Color To Assess Water Quality In A Changing Climate, Cameron Murray

Open Access Master's Theses

Water is that basis of all life on this planet. Access to clean and safe freshwater provides the population with the basic means to live. Yet approximately one in seven people in the world do not have access to safe water. Water can become unsafe due to contamination by various organic and inorganic compounds. Organic contaminants such as phosphorus, nitrogen, or bacteria, disrupt the balance of the existing system. Metals like lead, fluoride, or mercury are inorganic and cannot be normally processed in a natural water system. These contaminants can come from industrial processes, agriculture, aging plumbing systems, etc. This …