Digital Commons Network^™

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 …

Chemically Tuned Sers Sensors And Signal Processing For Marine Sensing, Robert Chevalier

Open Access Dissertations

The aim of this dissertation was to explore and develop tools for marine sensing by surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). The first chapter focuses on the development of a real-time signal processing program to deal with background removal in different spectroscopic techniques such as UV/Vis, SERS and XPS. Background removal by a dual-tree complex wavelet transform with an iterative algorithm (DTCWT-IA) was compared to different background removal methods such as: linear, spline, Tougaard, Shirley, and unspecified proprietary methods from the instrument software companies. Unlike the more conventional methods, DTCWT-IA more resembled the presumed background shape and was generalizable across different spectroscopic …

Chemical Biology Of Dna Adduct Repair, Bypass And Mutagenesis, Rui Qi

Open Access Dissertations

DNA is necessarily to be stable and intact since it is the repository of genetic information in each living cell. However, DNA is not inert, and it is vulnerable to the endogenous and environmental assault including reactive oxygen species (ROS), ultraviolet (UV) light, and various carcinogens. Exposure to these DNA damaging agents is associated with various adducts ranging from small methyl or etheno adducts to bulky adducts such as acetylaminofluorene. These resulting damages, if not repaired, will lead to replication block or mutation which can eventually cause cancer or other genetic diseases. The research covered by this dissertation falls into …

The Development Of An Inclusive Three-Item Gender Instrument, Angela Astorini

Open Access Dissertations

Existing gender instruments are not inclusive and sensitive to all persons of transgender and/or gender diverse experience (TGDE), individuals whose gender identity does not align with their sex assigned at birth according to the heteronormative sociocultural construct of gender (Flores et al. 2016; Meerwijk & Sevelius, 2017). The goal of this study was to use a mixed methods approach to develop a new three-item gender instrument that collects information from participants on their sex assigned at birth, gender identity, and the gender they live as in their day-to-day life (lived gender). This gender instrument would aid researchers and health professionals …

Chemical Investigation Of Metabolites Produced By Marine Pseudoalteromonas Spp., Margaret Rosario

Open Access Dissertations

In natural environments, bacteria are surrounded by other organisms such as eukaryotic phytoplankton and other bacterial species. Specialized metabolites are encoded within bacterial genomes and are expected to play a large role in mediating interactions with other cells. Furthermore, chemical communication in bacterial communities is a key component to controlling group behaviors including virulence. Marine Pseudoalteromonas spp. Produce a plethora of specialized metabolites, suggesting a reliance on the biosynthesis, secretion, and response to chemical cues. This dissertation explores the prevalence and function of signaling molecules and specialized metabolites produced by two species of Pseudoalteromonas.

The first study, which is …

Investigation Of The Structural And Optical Properties Of Xanthene Dyes For Analyte Detection And Thin Film Sensor Development, Mara A. Dubnicka

Open Access Dissertations

Chapter 1 Abstract:

The effect of structure on the photophysical properties of six xanthene dye thin films: Rh560, Rh19, Rh6G, RhB, Rh3B, and Rh640 is investigated. The absorption spectra of all six dyes exhibit bathochromic shifts as the thickness of the thin film is increased. Bathochromic shifts are also seen in the emission spectra of the thin films with increased thickness. These shifts are attributed to the formation of J-dimers as the concentration of the casting solution increases. The quantum yields of the thin films are greatly reduced compared to the quantum yield values in aqueous solutions.

Chapter 2 …

Broken Dozer, Haunted Vale: The Ecopoetics Of Ambient Language, Andrew Merecicky

Open Access Dissertations

Broken Dozer, Haunted Vale is a collection of poetry that explores the principles of ambient language poetics as articulated in its critical introduction. Rather than a poetic focused on a set of thematic concerns, ambient language poetics is an ecopoetic that addresses the writing process itself and proposes an alternative to the internal/external spatial metaphor that inspires creative writing pedagogy premised on the urgency of self-expression. The poems within the collection are an experimental inquiry into what might be possible in making poems if the activity of reading/writing is not motivated primarily by representational and mimetic aims that are described …

An Evaluation Of The Effectiveness And Safety Of Direct Oral Anticoagulants Versus Warfarin In Chronic Liver Disease, And After Anticoagulant-Related Major Bleeding, Oluwadolapo D. Lawal

Open Access Dissertations

The introduction of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) in the last decade have greatly expanded available treatment options for the management of thromboembolic diseases. Based on their non-inferiority in efficacy and safety, and more convenient dose monitoring and adjustment compared to warfarin, DOACs are now considered the first-line treatment option in the management and prevention of venous thromboembolism (VTE) and nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). While the use of DOACs continues to increase in the general population, limited evidence exists to support its use in chronic liver disease (CLD). Of note, individuals with elevated liver enzymes, liver cirrhosis or CLD were excluded …

Synthesis And Application Of Novel Trisresorcinarenes And Investigation Of New Photochemical Processes Of Chromophores, Carson Lawrence Hasselbrink

Open Access Dissertations

Two fields of organic chemistry with a prominent presence in many research groups are supramolecular chemistry and photochemistry. These fields continue to grow and spread their influence in many industries and research areas. The first two chapters of this dissertation focus on the studies and applications of the macrocyclic isomers Noria and trisresorcinarene (R3). The development of their respective rotaxanes via the slipping method was examined and how the incorporation of the linear thread molecule affects the binding properties of the exterior pockets for target gas molecules: CO₂, Xe, and Kr. Additionally, a novel water-soluble version of Noria …

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 …

The Self-Health Movement: Changing For Good Health, Julian Michael Saad

Open Access Dissertations

Each person's efforts to support their personal health deserve to be supported and valued by those providers, researchers, and politicians that take a vested interest in the health of populations. Although there are scientific fields, like Population Health, that are committed to supporting equitable patterns of health across populations, there remains a very real absence of a unifying framework that can coordinate the very essential efforts of persons, populations, providers, researchers, and politicians. There is a great need for a generally-accepted and widely-used way of communicating to individual persons and general populations about the science of their health and the …

Advanced Water Treatment And Reuse With Activated Ferrate, Charles D. Spellman

Open Access Dissertations

Ferrate is a promising, emerging water treatment technology. However, there has been limited research on the application of Ferrate in a water reuse paradigm. Recent literature has shown that ferrate oxidation of target contaminants could be improved by "activation" with the addition of reductants or acid. This study examined the impact of sulfite-activated Ferrate in laboratory water matrix and spiked municipal wastewater effluents with the goal of transforming organic contaminants of concern (e.g., 1,4-dioxane) and inactivating pathogenic organisms. Additionally, the formation of brominated disinfection byproducts by activated ferrate were examined and a proposed reaction pathway for byproduct formation is presented. …

Design Of A Wearable Multi-Sensory Based Chest Belt Integrated With Iot Functions For Respiration Monitoring, Gozde Cay

Open Access Dissertations

The world is witnessing a rising number of preterm infants who are at significant risk of medical conditions. This situation demands innovative solutions for medical monitoring in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Medical parameters such as heart rate (HR), respiration rate (RR), and blood oxygen level (SpO₂) are continuously monitored in premature infants in the NICU using a set of wired, sticky electrodes attached to the body. Even though medical adhesives are used, they are still harmful for preterm babies’ underdeveloped skin. Also, development of an accurate and sophisticated technology to monitor respiration rate is a …

Regulation Of Composition And Functions Of Swi/Snf Chromatin Remodeling Complex, Kathleen Diep Tran

Open Access Dissertations

The multi-subunit chromatin remodeler, SWI/SNF, is evolutionarily conserved from yeast to humans. The general function of this remodeler is in gene regulation and manipulation of chromatin architecture. In yeast, SWI/SNF acts upon only a subset of genes but under stress conditions, SWI/SNF is targeted to a greater set of genes. The human SWI/SNF has vital roles in cell differentiation, development, and cellular processes and variations of the complex can exist across tissues and cells. SWI/SNF is recruited to chromatin via two methods: covalent modifications of histones and interaction with transcription factors. Specific subunits of the complex contain domains that can …

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); …

Biofouling Of Sensors In Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island, Kayla Kurtz

Open Access Dissertations

The objective of this study was to investigate the biofouling capacity and potential solutions for sensor devices in Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island. The dissertation was comprised of three main studies. First, the biofouling potential of several surface-enhanced Raman scat-tering (SERS)-based sensors was tested using zoospores from the common biofouling al-gae Ulva spp. Fluorescence microscopy was used to compare the adhesion of tubular Ulva spp. zoospores on commercial and novel SERS-based sensors including uncoated and gold (Au) silicon nanopillar array SERS substrates from Silmeco, Au coated carbon black nano-particle (AuCB NP) substrates, uncoated and Au sputter-coated in-house SERS created with a …

Characterization Of Ovarian Tissue Culture And Investigation Of Embryonic Response To Temperature Stress Using A Shp2 Phosphatase Inhibitor In Ciona Intestinalis, Rose Jacobson

Open Access Dissertations

This dissertation is comprised of two parts, the first is cell culture. In this work I describe the successful primary culture of Ciona intestinalis ovary tissue. Improved cell proliferation in 3D Petri Dish® system over culture treated plastic is shown, as well as the efficacy of using C. intestinalis hemolymph as a media additive. The seeded ovarian cells assemble into multicellular aggregations, which mimic the morphology of in vivo ovaries. It is also important to understand the molecular pathways in which marine organisms handle stress and how these pathways change in high stress situations.

The second is the role of …

A New Paper-Based Microfluidic Device For Sensitive Detection Of Nitrate In Seawater, Amer Charbaji

Open Access Dissertations

Nitrate is a naturally occurring nutrient that is part of the nitrogen cycle. Monitoring of this nutrient in water bodies ensures its safety for consumption, guards against water nutrient pollution, and provides oceanographers and marine scientists with data to better understand nitrogen cycling and other phenomena of interest. Currently, there are several techniques available for nitrate detection. However, they either lack the required sensitivity for use in the field, or are costly, time consuming, and require special handling of the water sample as it gets sent to a laboratory for analysis.

Paper-based technologies possess several advantages that can facilitate sensitive …

Turning Points: A Case Study Of Motivation In Foreign Language, Shawna C. Iula

Open Access Dissertations

Enrollment in foreign language courses has been declining. Fewer students are studying foreign languages and those that do often discontinue after the introductory levels. This single-embedded case study looks into why students who initially wanted to continue on to more intermediate levels did not, and also why students who initially only wanted to complete introductory levels changed their plans and continued on to more intermediate levels. Participants included two groups with nine participants total. The first group consists of five students who initially planned on discontinuing after introductory levels and changed their minds and decided to continue. The second group …

Stress Conditioning To Hypercapnic Seawater In The Pacific Geoduck Panopea Generosa, Samuel J. Gurr

Open Access Dissertations

Expansion and enhancement of sustainable shellfish production is necessary to prevent overexploitation of wild stock and satisfy international trade, but hatchery rearing poses a critical production bottleneck due partially to environmental stressors such as ocean acidification. Given that stress conditions exacerbated by anthropogenic activity are projected to intensify in the near-future, long-lived molluscs, such as Pacific geoduck Panopea generosa (known lifespan up to 168 years), may rely on intragenerational acclimation to buffer against rapid environmental change. While acute stressors can be detrimental, environmental stress conditioning can improve performance. For example, moderate oxidative stress (i.e. temperature, irradiance, and dietary restriction) shows …

Effectiveness Of Roadside Best Management Practices (Bmps) On Maintaining Stormwater Quality Through Monitoring And Modeling, Khurshid Jahan

Open Access Dissertations

A comprehensive assessment of the stormwater BMPs’ in terms of flow volume reduction, peak flow attenuation and runoff pollutant concentration reduction was made to evaluate the effectiveness of existing stormwater best management practices (BMPs) on the campus of the University of Rhode Island, RI, USA.

Urban stormwater runoff became a pressing issue in the later part of the 1980s with the recognition that point source controls were not sufficient to protect and restore water quality. In the last 15 years, the observed annual total rainfall in the study area was usually greater than long-term average yearly rainfall, suggesting the climate …

Preservice Teachers’ Knowledge, Attitudes, And Comfort Towards Lgbtq+ Students, Crassandra Mandojana-Ducot

Open Access Dissertations

In school settings, teachers are on the front lines for supporting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) adolescents and have direct contact with students daily. Previous research establishes that LGBTQ+ adolescents are at a higher rate of experiencing mental health disorders compared to their cisgender and heterosexual peers due to high social stress from discrimination and bullying. The current study expanded upon previous literature by examining preservice teachers’ knowledge, attitudes, and comfort towards LGBTQ+ students, the relationship between these factors, and teachers’ intention to engage in school-based LGBTQ+ advocacy. Participants were 168 undergraduate and graduate level preservice teachers currently …

Development And Characterization Of Nanomaterials To Overcome Pulmonary Epithelial Barriers, Md Golam Jakaria

Open Access Dissertations

With the rapidly growing popularity and sophistication of inhalable therapeutics, there is an increased demand for tailor made inhalable drug-loaded particles capable of efficient delivery to the lungs with optimal therapeutic outcomes. To cope with this formulation demand, a wide variety of novel technologies have emerged. Preparation of particle formulations suitable for inhalation and loaded with biomolecules is also of interest for gene therapy and vaccination applications. Dry powder inhalers (DPI) capable of delivering high dosages of therapeutics have rapidly evolved over the last decade, and nanoparticles have proven to be highly beneficial for controlled and sustained release of therapeutics …

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 …

Gendered & Genrefied Bodies: Heroism As Production And Performance In Sword & Sorcery Fantasy, Anthony Conrad Chieffalo

Open Access Dissertations

Works of sword-and-sorcery fantasy often have the reputation of reproducing “traditional masculinity” through figures of heroism that embody a stoic, self-reliant and self-righteous machismo. They are similarly regarded as presenting stereotypical femininity as emotional, dependent, and delicate. These assumptions prevent sword-and-sorcery fantasy works from receiving the critical examination that the genre warrants. This genre is critically underutilized despite its unique capacity and bountiful potential to channel and redirect cultural expectations of gender roles and social norms. Sword-and-sorcery texts often reflect the patriarchal structures of reality, but they can also challenge and subvert those same structures. Sword-and-sorcery can be a genre …

A Case Study Of Scientific Modeling In Fifth Grade Classrooms: Teacher Conceptions, Epistemic Framing And Students’ Explanatory Models, Caroline W. Stabile

Open Access Dissertations

There is a call in science education for students to be in the business of “doing science,” rather than “doing the lesson” (Jimenez-Aleixandre et al., 2000). Developing explanatory models is one important strategy for sensemaking in science. Teachers’ knowledge plays a critical role in how classroom interactions are framed and how students perceive and go about their work. If we want students to be the knowers and doers of science, then we need to understand more about the relationship between teachers’ knowledge of strategies like scientific modeling and how classroom interactions can be framed to support students as they develop …

The Loud Impact Of A Quiet Ego: How Positive Psychology Increases Salesperson Performance And Well-Being, Jonathan Ross Gilbert

Open Access Dissertations

The role of business-to-business (B2B) sales professionals is adapting to meet ever-changing customer expectations. B2B buyers are now demanding more complex, customized solutions and more personalized after-sales support and service. This profound change in the nature of professional selling has spurred a global race to scale up digital platforms that seamlessly support buyer needs and expectations throughout the purchase journey. However, this emphasis on the marriage of technology and human interaction prior to the sale has created a dearth of attention to, and related scholarship on, the role of salesperson support after the sale [emphasis added]. The “quiet ego” (QE), …