Digital Commons Network^™

Elucidating The Mechanisms Of Stress Tolerance In Reef-Building Coral Holobionts, Emma Strand

Open Access Dissertations

Coral reefs worldwide are threatened by climate change effects like increasing ocean warming and ocean acidification. These increased pressures cause a dysbiosis between the coral host, algal endosymbionts, and associated coral microbiome that results in the coral host expelling algal endosymbionts, leaving the coral host with a stark white ‘bleached’ appearance. Without their endosymbionts, coral hosts are forced to sustain themselves energetically with heterotrophy instead of relying on the autotrophic carbon and energy sources that once came from the algal endosymbionts. When this response, termed ‘coral bleaching’, happens reef-wide during an extreme wave of increased ocean temperatures, this is called …

A Group Respite Intervention For Family Caregivers Of Children Living With Special Needs, Christine Mcgrane

Open Access Dissertations

Family caregiver stress is a growing healthcare concern as more and more families are providing a large portion of care at home. As a family caregiver, parents of children living with special needs are taking on this role as a lifelong journey with their child. Due to the provision of continuous caregiving, these parents are at higher risk for exhaustion, stress, and social isolation, and the challenges can impact both the child and family’s physical and emotional well-being. The demands of caregiving can impact their physical, mental, social, and financial health. As a society, the importance of caring for the …

The Effect Of Acceptance And Commitment Therapy On Value Consistency During A Weight Loss Program, Leah Dorfman

Open Access Dissertations

In the last decade, the prevalence of obesity has increased significantly in populations worldwide. It is well established that overweight and obesity are associated with a host of deleterious health consequences. Standard Behavioral Therapy (SBT) for weight loss has been demonstrated to yield only modest outcomes with poor long-term maintenance. Therefore, efforts must be made to improve upon what is currently considered to be best practices in weight loss interventions, especially with a goal of improving retention and long-term maintenance. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a behavioral and cognitive intervention that implements both acceptance and mindfulness processes, and commitment …

Biochemical And Genetic Mechanisms Underpinning Escherichia Coli Cell Cycle And Growth Transitions, Josiah Morrison

Open Access Dissertations

Bacterial cell division and the decision to divide is a process that requires a wide variety of factors. In bacterial cells, such as the widely studied Escherichia coli, a large protein complex, termed the Z-ring, assembles at midcell to enable division. The Z-ring is subject to many regulators which govern the spatiotemporal positioning of the ring. The Z-ring is made up of the eukaryotic tubulin homolog FtsZ, which polymerizes to recruit division proteins to the midcell. FtsZ polymers are tethered to the cytoplasmic membrane by the actin homolog FtsA. Together, FtsZ and FtsA act as the first step in …

Reweighted Components In Diet Quality Scores And Mortality Risk Associations, Haley Wynne Parker

Open Access Dissertations

Over the past few decades, evidence-based dietary guidance has transitioned in focus from single components (i.e., nutrients or food groups) to a more holistic total diet approach. While the total diet approach is more practical for public health messaging, capturing the complexity and multidimensionality of overall diet is methodologically challenging. As a result, diet quality indexes have been developed to facilitate comparisons across dietary patterns by yielding total diet quality scores (i.e., higher score=healthier diet). Various high-quality diets are consistently associated with a similar magnitude of overall and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality risk reduction across different diet quality indexes, despite …

Reconstructing Nutrient Consumption In The Expanded Southern Ocean Of Pleistocene Glacial Periods, Basia A. Marcks

Open Access Dissertations

The emergence of the longer, high amplitude glacial cycles of the last ~1 million years are attributed, in part, to variations in the global overturning circulation and iron stimulation of biological carbon drawdown. Previously, data resolving the relative importance of these processes within the Southern Ocean did not exist. Here, I present high resolution records of foraminifera-bound nitrogen isotope values from ODP Site 1090, within the Subantarctic Zone (SAZ), and IODP Site U1475, beneath the modern Subtropical Frontal Zone (STFZ), spanning both the last glacial period (0 - 160,000 years ago) and the Mid-Pleistocene Transition (MPT, 1,200,000 - 600,000 years …

Brain Health Perceptions Questionnaire: Further Development And Refinement, Caitlin Michelle Ogram Buckley

Open Access Dissertations

The promotion of brain health is often perceived through an illness model, as research tends to focus on neurodegenerative disease risk reduction. However, research indicates that healthy individuals can potentially improve their cognitive performance through the adoption of health-promoting behaviors such as diet, exercise, and the management of cerebrovascular risk factors. There remains a need for validated instruments measuring the public's perceptions about cognitive health, a need this study addressed by further refining a quantitative measure of brain health knowledge and beliefs, the Brain Health Perceptions Questionnaire (BHPQ). Principal Components Analysis resulted in a 23-item questionnaire composed of five subscales …

An Interpretative Phenomenological Study Of Undergraduate Student Wellness: Exploring Generation Z Student Wellness Experiences During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Kristen Pepin

Open Access Dissertations

Qualitative research exploring undergraduate student wellness during a pandemic was scarce prior to the outbreak of COVID-19 and is still lacking. Studies investigating student wellness during pandemics often fracture the concept by quantitatively researching specific wellness dimensions (Cao et al., 2020; Galea et al., 2020; Tang et al., 2020) as opposed to exploring the construct from a holistic perspective. Additionally, few studies aim to understand how undergraduate students make meaning of wellness and their lived wellness experiences, specifically during a pandemic. Furthermore, emerging research (Huckins et al., 2020) corroborates the extant literature that posit student health behaviors were declining in …

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 …

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 …

Feasibility And Acceptability Of The Ebb And Flow Parenting Program, Maria Catherine Difonte

Open Access Dissertations

It is well-documented that parenting impacts childhood outcomes, and research has found specific positive parenting strategies that are associated with increased child resilience, well-being, and functioning (Williams et al., 2009). In-person and online programs aim to increase use of these strategies and have led to significant improvements in child outcomes and parental self-efficacy and adjustment (Webster-Stratton, 1981; Sanders, 1999; Morgan et al., 2018; Khanna et al., 2017). While findings are promising, work is needed to assess the preventative roles of single-session psychoeducational parent training programs in reducing the emergence of diagnosable concerns in children, yet research in this area is …

Longitudinal Clustering Of Health Behaviors Within The Framingham Heart Study, Nathan L. Baumann

Open Access Dissertations

Health risk behaviors (HRB) have been shown to impact non-communicable chronic disease (NCI) over the lifespan, which are among the leading causes of mortality within the United States. Treatment of NCI includes both pharmacological and behavior change intervention. Though behavior change recommendations are common in the treatment of NCI, our understanding of the long-term trajectory of HRB and how they cluster are not yet fully understood. The current study seeks to elucidate the clustering of specific health behavior changes over the lifespan, bolstering the potential for taking preventative measures as well as fostering positive health behavior change more broadly in …

Collaboration Is Key: Using Interdisciplinary Assessment To Improve Wildlife Management Practices, Public Engagement In Science, And Science Communication Programs In Rhode Island, Erin R. Harrington

Open Access Dissertations

Over the past few decades, prestigious scientific institutions such as The National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Academy of Sciences have acknowledged the utmost importance of science communication to help improve the general public’s understanding of scientific knowledge. NSF has gone so far as to make “dissemination of research findings to increase scientific literacy” the third most recommended category for research funding priorities, second only to teaching and training, and broadening participation of underrepresented groups (NSB 2011, Skrip 2015). These efforts attest to a growing interest and investment in improving the field of science communication (Druschke and McGreavy 2016); …

Hypertension, Rheumatoid Arthritis, And Hypothyroidism In Women Born Preterm Of The Women's Health Initiative, Pamela L. Brewer

Open Access Dissertations

Advances in perinatal and neonatal management, along with improved healthcare technologies, have increased the long-term survival of individuals who were born preterm. Millions of preterm birth survivors now reach adulthood. Premature birth, defined as birth before 37 weeks gestation, predisposes individuals to adverse health risks later in life. The Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) theory was used as a framework for this dissertation. The main tenets of the DOHaD theory are that early birth infers immature organ development and when coupled with maternal, neonatal, and environmental stressors, long-term health consequences and/or chronic disease may result. International studies report …

Dietary Magnesium Intake And Risk Of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus In Ghanaian Women Of Reproductive Age, Helena Bentil

Open Access Dissertations

In several studies conducted in high-income countries, low magnesium intake has been linked to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, very no studies have been conducted in Africa, where the prevalence of T2DM is increasing in many countries. Furthermore, few studies have investigated the risk of magnesium deficiency in women of reproductive age, a group where lower levels of dietary magnesium intake have been linked to gestational diabetes and pre-eclampsia during pregnancy. The purpose of this dissertation was to conduct a pilot cross-sectional study to investigate the dietary magnesium intakes of women of reproductive age in …

The American Lobster (Homarus Americanus) In Narragansett Bay During A Time Of Ecosystem Flux: Temperature, Predation, And Larval Dynamics, Kristin Huizenga

Open Access Dissertations

The American lobster (Homarus americanus) in southern New England sustained a particularly prosperous fishery during the 1980s and 1990s. However, in 2001 lobsters in the region began to decline, leading to the eventual collapse of the fishery in Rhode Island. The Narragansett Bay was no exception to this trend, with the number of lobsters caught by the University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Oceanography weekly fish trawl survey peaking in the 1990s before the decline. Today, few lobsters are caught in the Bay.

This dissertation seeks to identify whether environmental stressors and predators drive lobster populations 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 …

Antecedents Of Childhood Obesity Risk Factors, A Self Determination Theory Perspective, Katelyn Fox

Open Access Dissertations

Overweight and obesity effect one in three children in the US, with significant disparities for Non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic/ Latinx children. Factors such as rapid weight gain, non-responsive feeding practices, and poor diet quality in infancy and early childhood can contribute to the development of obesity. An in depth understanding of what predicts these factors is necessary to inform and improve obesity prevention and treatment efforts. This is especially important to understand in the communities disproportionately impacted by childhood obesity. Therefore, the objective of this dissertation was to explore the contextual factors that influence rapid weight gain, non-responsive feeding practices, …

Dietary Fermentable Carbohydrate (Fc) Consumption And Associations With Diet Quality And Health Parameters, Ajita Jadhav

Open Access Dissertations

Excessive body fat and related dysmetabolic complications concern both emerging and developed countries. An important environmental cause of these conditions is the altered composition of gut microbiota, which is influenced by the host diet. A number of clinical trials target gut microbiome composition or functions with fermentable carbohydrates (FCs) to promote a healthier profile. Total dietary fiber, which includes both FC and non-fermentable carbohydrates, is considered a promising tool for the prevention of chronic diseases. This has led to significant changes in food and health recommendation with an increase in dietary fiber intake advised. However, reference to other FCs such …

Anti-Inflammatory Effects Of Polyphenol-Enriched Extracts, Chang Liu

Open Access Dissertations

Our laboratory initiated a comprehensive research program to investigate the phytochemical composition and biological effects of several botanical based natural products including pomegranate (Punica granatum), red maple (Acer rubrum), polyphenol-enriched maple (Acer saccharum) syrup extract, and various phytocannabinoids (Cannabis sp.). We hypothesize that these bioactive natural products can exert beneficial biological effects via their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.

In Manuscript 1-4, we identified a series of phytochemicals from botanical extracts including pomegranate, red maple, phenolic-enriched maple syrup extract (MSX) and evaluated their biological activities for potential cosmeceutical and/or dermatological applications. In …

Examining The Leadership And Literacy Practices In Effective Title 1 Schools: A Multiple Case Study Of Schools That Foster Efficacy So All Can Learn, Wendy K. Amelotte

Open Access Dissertations

Under the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) law of 2001, professional learning activities and curricula, particularly in the area of literacy, were limited by the definition of reading put forth by the 2000 report of the National Reading Panel (see Duke & Carlisle, 2011). When NCLB was reauthorized as the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), states and districts were allowed more freedom to redefine student achievement and school success, with hopes that a more “holistic approach” would allow for equitable learning opportunities for all children. Yet, today’s school leaders continue to grapple with how to bring research-based practices to life …

Nurse Practitioners’ Experiences Working With Patients Living With Morbid Obesity, Sharon A. Mclimans

Open Access Dissertations

Morbid obesity is recognized as a complex chronic medical disease which has been increasing at an alarming rate in the U.S. The etiologies of this disease involve a complex interplay of genetics, physiological, psychological, behavioral, socioeconomic, and environmental factors. Serious medical consequences are associated with morbid obesity including diabetes, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and increasing the risk of certain cancers. Research has shown individuals with morbid obesity have higher incidence of depression and are subjected to stigmatizing and biases across society including health care professionals. The monumental cost of health care associated with morbid obesity places enormous burden on our …

Phytoplankton Thermal Responses As Drivers Of Community Composition And Biogeography In A Changing Environment, Stephanie I. Anderson

Open Access Dissertations

Phytoplankton are biogeochemically relevant, sequestering 45 Gt of carbon each year, roughly equivalent to all terrestrial plants combined. Because of their ecological importance to marine ecosystems and the biosphere, many have sought to assess the factors that regulate phytoplankton communities and make projections for how they may fare in a future ocean. This endeavor has proven challenging as phytoplankton are incredibly diverse, with varied and unique evolutionary histories. To confront this complexity, phytoplankton are often distilled down to a few key physiological traits which have been mathematically characterized. In this simplification, insights regarding broad ecological trends can be discerned with …

Carrot Or Stick: Nudging Consumers Towards Healthier Choices Through Customized Price Incentives, Xintong Guan

Open Access Dissertations

In a market where consumers are increasingly concerned with maintaining a healthy diet and demand healthier foods, the role of retail grocery stores has been highlighted, as they exert a powerful influence on food choices. To increase more healthful food purchases, some food retailers have implemented marketing efforts to influence consumer food decision-making. However, due to the mixed findings on the effect of existing marketing interventions on improving purchasing of healthier foods, it is unclear which interventions work best to shift purchasing and what benefits they can bring to the retailer.

A promising approach to nudge healthy purchases with behavioral …

Predictors Of Paired, Singular, And No Action Among Middle School Students With Behavior Risks, Eva-Molly Petitto Dunbar

Open Access Dissertations

Understanding multiple health risk behavior change may contribute to the prevention of chronic illness. The present study examined drivers of behavior change over time within individuals with health behavior risks who were at risk for two behaviors. Participants were middle school students from a randomized controlled trial conducted across 20 middle schools within the state of Rhode Island using two transtheoretical model tailored, computer-delivered interventions in the school setting. Participants received an alcohol prevention program or an energy balance program. Analyses were conducted with participants who were at risk for both physical activity and fruit and vegetable intake (N = …

The Human Dimensions Of Coral Reef Restoration: A Case Study In The Spermonde Islands Of Indonesia, Jessica Vandenberg

Open Access Dissertations

This study employs a decolonial multidisciplinary approach to explore the sociocultural dimensions of a corporate-led coral reef restoration program implemented in a small island community in Indonesia framed as a conservation and food security initiative. Coral Reef Restoration (CRR) has gained increased attention as a coral conservation tool to supplement traditional approaches to tropical marine management (Boström-Einarsson et al. 2020). Like many other forms of conservation, CRR programs are often posed as dual conservation and development programs, aimed at achieving both ecological and social outcomes. Despite the intention to meet both conservation and development goals, CRR studies have been criticized …

Evaluation Of Key Perfluoroalkyl Substances To Induce Liver Steatosis In Mouse And Human Models, Emily Sara Marques

Open Access Dissertations

Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of synthetic chemicals that have been released into the environment over the past six decades. Some perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAA), such as perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), have been associated with hepatic steatosis in rodents and monkeys, however it is unclear if lipid accumulation occurs in humans. This thesis explores the liver effects of PFAS on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, or NAFLD, using mouse and primary human hepatocytes. The central hypotheses are that diet and liver lipid composition alter PFAS-induced outcomes, and PFAS structure (i.e. functional groups and chain length) will …

Potential Value Of Gear-Based Management For Coral Reef Fisheries And Conservation, Paul Carvalho

Open Access Dissertations

Access to markets and globalization has fueled the expansion of fishing pressure in coral reef fisheries and has consequently led to overfishing on many reefs around the world. Overfishing has profound consequences for reef ecosystems and the people that rely on reef resources for nutrition and income. Collecting fisheries-dependent data required for traditional stock assessment methods that guide management is often infeasible for coral reefs due to the small-scale, dispersed, multi-species, and multi-gear nature of these fisheries. In addition, coral reefs are concentrated in developing countries that often have inadequate capacity for management and enforcement, which limits the effectiveness of …

Tailoring Digital Health To Improve The Nutrition And Health Of People With Parkinson’S Disease, Dara Lyn Lobuono

Open Access Dissertations

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is an incurable, neurodegenerative movement disorder, impacting nearly one million Americans. By 2030 the number of people with PD (PwPD) is expected to double and with this growing population, informal caregiver responsibility will also increase. Nutritional status worsens as PD progresses, which impacts cognition, body composition, ability to perform activities of daily living (ADL) and quality of life (QOL), and increases caregiver burden. Nutritional screening and intervention for PwPD can improve health outcomes, but are often excluded from PD treatment plans.

Given the negative impact of PD on mobility and increased caregiver burden, digital technology could improve …

Influence Of Parent And Community Factors On Infant Snacking, Amy Michelle Moore

Open Access Dissertations

Snacking has increased among young children in recent decades, yet little is known about snacking during infancy. Therefore, three studies were conducted to explore the influence of parent and community factors on infant snacking. Across the three studies, findings suggest that infants are snacking on less healthy foods, mothers may offer snacks to prevent hunger and manage infant behavior, and less healthy snacks are widely available in the retail food stores. The first study was a secondary analysis of data from the Nurture study that examined the prevalence of less healthy snack intake at three time points (4-6, 7-9, and …