Digital Commons Network^™

Detecting Slow Slip Events From Seafloor Pressure Data Using Machine Learning, Bing He

Open Access Dissertations

Largest earthquakes with destructive tsunamic waves mostly occurred in the offshore subduction zone, causing massive fatalities and significant property losses. Due to the limitations of the seafloor geodesy, it is hard to know the stress status offshore, like the terrestrial geodesy. The shallow slow slip event (SSE) occurrence provides an approach to studying the shallow subduction zone stress status and investigating the area and size of the potential large earthquake and following tsunamis. SSE is a bridge linking the slip rates from aseismic creeping near the trench to the highly locked region in the seismogenic zone. Seafloor pressure measurement, as …

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 …

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 …

Three-Dimensional Numerical Modeling Of Skirted Anchor And Reticulated Micropile Foundation Systems, Paul Sauco

Open Access Dissertations

The development of novel foundation systems can render projects ranging from infrastructure rehabilitation to sustainable energy applications more cost-effective. A reticulated micropile system is one such foundation and is studied herein. A reticulated micropile network is a three-dimensional lattice structure that involves the creation of a laterally confined soil-pile composite structure. A numerical analysis using FLAC3D was performed to better understand the mechanics of the 'knot' effect in a reticulated micropile system. FLAC (Fast Lagrangian Analysis of Continua) is a numerical modeling software used for advanced geotechnical analyses of soil, rock, constructs, and ground support. The 'knot' effect is the …

Associations Among Affect, Alcohol Use, And Risky Sex: A Daily Diary Study Of First Nation Adults, Melissa R. Schick

Open Access Dissertations

Introduction: Optimal subjective well-being is comprised of high levels of positive affect, low levels of negative affect, and overall satisfaction with one’s life. Some literature has connected each component of subjective well-being with health risk behaviors including alcohol use and risky sexual behavior. While there is diversity in rates of alcohol use and risky sexual behavior among North American Indigenous (NAI) populations, they experience disproportionate rates of negative consequences associated with these behaviors (e.g., physical, social, legal). Approaches to reducing health disparities that emphasize improving well-being may be well-accepted among NAI communities given their calls to focus on protective, …

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 …

The Synthetic Development Of Innovative Supramolecular Architectures For The Purposes Of Drug Delivery And Biosensing, Lauren Elizabeth Seveney

Open Access Dissertations

When I first started my graduate journey at The University of Rhode Island, I knew I wanted to pursue my research in an organic chemistry research group. I was drawn to the DeBoef Group, as their research was profoundly interesting in the sense where the group conducted research in various fields. Where each group had a name amongst the graduate students, such as “the nanopore group”, or “the polymer group”, the DeBoef Group was just what it truly is at heart, “the synthesis group”. I always wanted to be a synthetic chemist, I enjoyed the work, and taking something from …

Multiscale Simulation And Machine Learning-Assisted Performance Prediction For Cementitious Composites, Gideon Arthur Lyngdoh

Open Access Dissertations

Concrete is the most widely used construction material in the world for building infrastructures, bridges, and tunnels. However, cement production contributes to 5-7% of the global CO_2 emissions, and thus, there is a significant need for innovative sustainable alternatives without compromising on the mechanical properties. Most of the approaches to address these concerns so far rely on the trial and error-based experimental response. Hence, robust multiscale simulation-based design approaches are needed to be developed for fundamental understanding as well as the comprehensive design of these new sustainable innovative materials. However, performing the simulations with millions of degrees of freedom could …

Co-Constructing Self-Compassion, Amanda Ashley Roy

Open Access Dissertations

The present study sought to explore the process by which thirty graduate or undergraduate students, university or college staff, community members, and employed or interning peer recovery specialists aged 19-64 utilize and define self-compassion through the use of virtual interviews and online surveys. Constructivist Grounded Theory and Convergent Mixed Methodology techniques revealed that participants utilize and define self-compassion in holistic and mindful ways with a large focus on self-care. Data also indicate that numerous factors can impact a person’s decision to respond compassionately, including the type of situation, if others are involved, and age. No gender differences were observed, though …

Impacts Of Hypertension And Thrombosis In A Rat Model Of Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy (Rtg-Di), Aleksandra Stanisavljevic

Open Access Dissertations

Hypertension (HTN) and thrombotic events cause vascular compromise and are both related to pathology of cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA). Both HTN and CAA are cerebral small vessel diseases that cause many of the same pathologies, particularly thrombosis, intracerebral hemorrhage, and stroke. The purpose of this dissertation is to elucidate how introducing the common vascular comorbidity HTN (with two differing rat models) or the pharmacological targeting of thrombin by dabigatran etexilate, impacts pathology in the transgenic rTg-DI rat model of CAA to elucidate mechanisms of the disease with and without a comorbidity.

Cross breeding of rTg-DI with Spontaneously Hypertensive Stroke Prone …

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 …

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 …

Wearable User-Centric Zero-Configuration Haptic Feedback System Design In Connected Environments, Joshua V. Gyllinksy

Open Access Dissertations

This doctoral dissertation focused on the creation of wearables for gait which feature haptic feedback systems and can make use of Connected Environments (CE). The developed systems were created in a user-centric way with the intent of minimizing human effort for setup and configuration, using zero-configuration for network self-discovery and unattended organization.

CE empowers Internet Of Things (IoT) technologies to become non-stationary, enabling users to multitask, focusing on things other than the IoT Device. Since these technologies often are intended to have high availability and in some cases be always-on, discreet communication channels, such as the haptics of the vibration …

Probabilistic Vision Only Localization In Single And Multiple Mobile Robot Systems, Sarah E. Brent

Open Access Dissertations

In this work, we address and propose solutions to the problem of localization in single and multi-robot systems using vision as the sole sensor. We first propose a study on landmark identification as a step towards a localization setup for real-world robotic swarms setup. In real world, landmark identification is often tackled as a place recognition problem through the use of computationally intensive Convolution Neural Networks. However, the components of a robotic swarm usually have limited computational and sensing capabilities that allows only for the application of relatively shallow networks that results in large percentage of recognition errors. In [1], …

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 …

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 …

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 …

Blatant Benevolence And Social Capital Attainment On Social Network Sites – A Multi-Method Approach, Jiayuan Zhang

Open Access Dissertations

While information systems literature includes multiple studies on knowledge contribution or sharing, blatant benevolence in general has received less attention. To extend the knowledge of the blatant benevolence concept, this dissertation analyzes the blatant benevolence – social capital link on social network sites based on three different studies.

The first study implements an interview method to explore antecedents, forms, and consequences of blatant benevolence. More importantly, it also explores the moderators that change the relationship between blatant benevolence and social capital attainment on social network sites. After conducting 126 interviews with social media users, we find that five most common …

Investigating The Relationship Between Teacher Agency, Student Engagement, And Student Achievement, Catherine Hawthorne-Kocak

Open Access Dissertations

This study seeks to determine the relationship that exists between the average level of teachers’ perceived sense of agency in a given school and the achievement of that school’s students, with average levels of student engagement as a possible mediating variable. The research questions are: RQ1 - Do schools with higher contextual and relational support of teacher agency (SUP) have higher student achievement (ACH), and RQ2 - does student engagement (ENG) mediate the effects of contextual and relational support of teacher agency on student achievement. To answer these questions, survey data were collected from over 63,000 students and 10,000 educators …

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 …

Quantifying And Compensating For P300 Variations In Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Alyssa Hillary Zisk

Open Access Dissertations

P300-based brain–computer interface (BCI) systems enable people with neuromuscular disabilities, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), to communicate and to control their environments using brain activity. However, BCI systems have not yet fulfilled their promise as reliable communication systems for all who need them. Despite continued work on improving BCIs for end users, people with ALS can experience both reduced performance overall compared to neurotypical users and significant day to day variations in BCI performance and event-related potential (ERP) characteristics.

The P300 response, which the P300 speller is based on, is also known to exhibit trial-to-trial latency variability. The importance of …

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 …

Working Towards Proficiency: Investigation Of Reclassification And Growth Rates For High School English Learners In An Asset And Research-Based English Learner Development Course, Amy Correia

Open Access Dissertations

This study evaluated the impact of a newly-developed asset and research-based English Learner Development (ELD) course on high school English Learners’ (ELs) likelihood of reaching reclassification or showing growth on an annually-administered state assessment of English language proficiency (ELP). Logistic regression was used to calculate the probability that an EL would reach reclassification while controlling for the student-level variables of gender, lunch status, and time in country. Linear regression was used to calculate growth rates in literacy. The findings of this study revealed that ELs who participated in the ELD course were 1.6 times more likely to reach reclassification status …

Intimate Distances: An Archipelago, Elizabeth Foulke

Open Access Dissertations

“Intimate Distances: An Archipelago” is a collection of personal essays and short form experimental nonfiction prose that uses the relationship between content and form to explore the solitude and the array of relationships to which the single woman gives her attention. How do relationships that defy the categories of friend, family, spouse, partner— for example relationships with strangers, minor acquaintances, and place—give purpose and meaning to our lives? The work in this collection engages with this question.

Previous works of life-writing and sociological texts by and about the single woman, in their reliance on mimetic narratives, foreclose the potential for …

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 = …

South Asian American College Students’ Mental Health Help-Seeking Attitudes And Preferences, Mehwish Shahid

Open Access Dissertations

Previous research has established that Asian Americans are less likely than other racial and ethnic groups to utilize mental health services. This has given rise to a multitude of studies examining Asian Americans’ attitudes towards seeking professional psychological help. However, given the immense diversity of the Asian American population, there exists a need for additional studies exploring the needs of specific subsets of the Asian American population. The present study explored the mental health help-seeking preferences and attitudes of South Asian Americans in particular. Participants were 131 South Asian American undergraduate and graduate students from universities across the United States. …

Psychometric Properties And Generational Differences In Selfreporting On The Clinically Useful Substance Abuse Problems Outcomes Scale, Donya Sorensen

Open Access Dissertations

Substance abuse is a growing problem worldwide, and the negative consequences associated with Substance Use Disorder (SUD) impact people across all age groups, but the availability of SUD screening tools that show clinical usefulness across generational differences is limited. Therefore, more research exploring differences and similarities in substance abuse and dependence problems across age groups may provide useful information for future research and clinical work. The present study examines age group differences in substance abuse and dependence behaviors in three main analyses.

First, age differences in abuse and dependence of drug types were examined using Chi-square tests for independence with …

Genius Hour: Educator Perspectives On Navigating The Prompts, Promises, And Predicaments Of Implementing Interest-Driven Learning In Public Schools, David Quinn

Open Access Dissertations

Recent studies on student engagement suggest that students become decreasingly engaged as they proceed through their secondary-level school experience (Gallup Inc, 2015; Hodges, 2018; Washor & Mojkowski, 2014; Yazzie-Mintz, 2007). The consequences of low student engagement or disengagement in schools can be significant, leading to poor academic performance and the potential for dropping out of school (Geraci et al., 2017; Loeb, 2016; Shernoff, 2013; Yazzie-Mintz, 2010). However, the literature suggests numerous teaching practices, including inquiry-based learning rooted in student interests, can create conditions for high levels of student engagement (Boss, 2017; Garcia et al., 2014; Newmann, 1992; Shernoff et al., …