Digital Commons Network^™

A Winding Rhode: An Event Planning Manual For Every Rhody Ram, Jennifer Nussinow

Senior Honors Projects

The University of Rhode Island has given me four outstanding years of an undergraduate experience. Throughout this time I have taken many classes, joined sports teams and clubs, and had jobs. In each of these opportunities I have had the pleasure of putting together numerous events as well as being a participant. As I began my journey of planning different functions, I ran into many problems, but more importantly found numerous solutions. However, the process was inefficient and required much time and effort. The system presently in place to help plan affairs was ineffective and rarely used. I found that …

Cd73-Generated Adenosine Restricts Lymphocyte Migration Into Draining Lymph Nodes, Masahide Takedachi, Dongfeng Qu, Yukihiko Ebisuno, Hiroyuki Oohara, Michelle L Joachims, Stephanie T Mcgee, Emiko Maeda, Rodger P Mcever, Toshiyuki Tanaka, Masayuki Miyasaka, Shinya Murakami, Thomas Krahn, Michael R Blackburn, Linda F Thompson

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

After an inflammatory stimulus, lymphocyte migration into draining lymph nodes increases dramatically to facilitate the encounter of naive T cells with Ag-loaded dendritic cells. In this study, we show that CD73 (ecto-5'-nucleotidase) plays an important role in regulating this process. CD73 produces adenosine from AMP and is expressed on high endothelial venules (HEV) and subsets of lymphocytes. Cd73(-/-) mice have normal sized lymphoid organs in the steady state, but approximately 1.5-fold larger draining lymph nodes and 2.5-fold increased rates of L-selectin-dependent lymphocyte migration from the blood through HEV compared with wild-type mice 24 h after LPS administration. Migration rates of …

Enterococcus Faecalis Pcfc, A Spatially Localized Substrate Receptor For Type Iv Secretion Of The Pcf10 Transfer Intermediate, Yuqing Chen, Xiaolin Zhang, Dawn Manias, Hye-Jeong Yeo, Gary M Dunny, Peter J Christie

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Upon sensing of peptide pheromone, Enterococcus faecalis efficiently transfers plasmid pCF10 through a type IV secretion (T4S) system to recipient cells. The PcfF accessory factor and PcfG relaxase initiate transfer by catalyzing strand-specific nicking at the pCF10 origin of transfer sequence (oriT). Here, we present evidence that PcfF and PcfG spatially coordinate docking of the pCF10 transfer intermediate with PcfC, a membrane-bound putative ATPase related to the coupling proteins of gram-negative T4S machines. PcfC and PcfG fractionated with the membrane and PcfF with the cytoplasm, yet all three proteins formed several punctate foci at the peripheries of pheromone-induced cells as …

Yzgd Pyridoxal Phosphatase From P. Thiaminolyticus; Subcloning, Expression, And Purification For X-Ray Crystallography Structure Determination, Amanda M. Strassner

Theses

The HAD superfamily contains enzymes that catalyze carbon or phosphate transfer reactions. One family within the HAD superfamily is the p-nitrophenyl phosphatase (PNPPase) family. Members of this family are all phosphatases that cleave the substrate analog pnitrophenyl phosphate, in addition to their biologically significant substrate. Interestingly, among the small number of family members that have been characterized, there is a wide variety of biologically relevant activities. YZGD from Paenibacillus thiaminolyticus has pyridoxal phosphatase activity, catalyzed by a HAD superfamily domain, as well as a CDP-alcohol/sugar nucleotide hydrolase activity, catalyzed by a Nudix hydrolase domain. Determining the structure of this enzyme …

Carbon Nanotubes And Nanocomposites For Thermal And Electrical Applications, Wei Wang

All Dissertations

The known electrical and thermal properties of carbon nanotubes have prompted many predictions on their extraordinary potentials for ultimately performing polymeric nanocomposites. In this dissertation, chemical modification and functionalization of carbon nanotubes have been demonstrated as being effective for high-quality polymeric carbon nanotube composites, especially with our approach of using polymers that are structurally identical or maximally similar to the matrix polymers in the nanotube functionalization. For example, a poly(N-vinyl carbazole) (PVK) copolymer containing pendant hydroxyl groups was synthesized for the functionalization of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs). The shared solubility of the functionalized nanotube samples with PVK matrix polymer enabled …

Caps: Concurrent Automatic Programming System, Ken Kennedy

All Dissertations

In the past few years, the focus in microprocessors has shifted from increasing speed to creating processors
that contain multiple cores. In order to effectively use the new processors, concurrent specifications
and applications must be developed. Additionally, there are many applications that require the specifications
to be provably correct. CAPS (Concurrent Automatic Programming System) is designed to aid the user in
the creation, execution, and formal verification of concurrent specifications.
The specification language of CAPS (CAPSL) is a very high-level language designed for concurrency
and automatic conversion to a colored Petri net (CP-net). For each statement of the language, there …

Preparation And Characterization Of Macroporous Electrodes For Electrochemical Bioassays, Ashwin Rao

All Dissertations

Applications such as point-of-care medical diagnosis and in-the-field biological warfare agent detection require portable bioassays which are less laborious yet cost effective. Conventional sandwich bioassays see limited use for such applications as it involves time consuming steps of reagent treatment and washings, and are restricted to use inside laboratories. We explore new platforms for sandwich bioassays required by such applications. The platform we have developed is based on electrochemical methods of detection. Flow-through three-dimensional electrodes suitable for use in electrochemical sandwich bioassays were fabricated. A composite of superporous agarose and reticulated vitreous carbon (SPA-RVC) material was used for the fabrication …

School Building Quality And Student Performance In South Carolina High Schools: A Structural Equation Model, Scott Smith

All Dissertations

This study attempts to identify conditions of school building quality that relate to the performance of students in public high schools in South Carolina. The amount of data collected in this area is relatively small, and the researcher wishes to add South Carolina to the list of states that are slowly developing a means to assess school condition. The primary research question in the study asks: How does the condition of a school facility affect student performance, as measured by the High School Assessment Program? The results are analyzed using AMOS in lieu of more traditional statistical approaches. AMOS provides …

Investigating Risks, Effects, And A Potential Management Strategy For Avian Vacuolar Myelinopathy On Southeastern Reservoirs Using An Eco-Epidemiological Approach, Rebecca Haynie

All Dissertations

Avian vacuolar myelinopathy (AVM) is a neurologic disease of unknown etiology that has severely impacted waterbirds and raptors in the Southern United States since it was first diagnosed in 1994. Research studies have suggested that the causative agent is a neurotoxin produced by a previously undescribed Stigonematalan cyanobacterium which grows epiphytically on submerged aquatic vegetation. A suite of experiments were conducted to determine if: (1) triploid Chinese grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) are an appropriate management strategy for AVM; (2) to measure mammalian susceptibility to cyanobacterium exposure; and, (3) to discern population-level impacts to American coots (Fulica americana) and bald eagles …

Vibration Analysis Of Piezoelectric Microcantilever Sensors, Amin Salehi-Khojin

All Dissertations

The main objective of this dissertation is to comprehensively analyze vibration characteristics of microcantilever-based sensors with application to ultra small mass detection and low dimensional materials characterization. The first part of this work focuses on theoretical developments and experimental verification of piezoelectric microcantilevers, commercially named Active Probes, which are extensively used in most today's advanced Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) systems. Due to special geometry and configuration of Active Probes, especially multiple jump discontinuities in their cross-section, a general and comprehensive framework is introduced for forced vibration and modal analysis of discontinuous flexible beams. More specifically, a general formulation is obtained …

Incorporation Of Polydiacetylene Sensors Into Commercial Polymers, Jennifer Kauffman

All Dissertations

Polydiacetylenes (PDAs) exhibit a chromatic response to solvents, temperature, strain and other environmental perturbations. When formed in a solid-state polymerization, the backbone of the polymer is planar and continuous π-overlap is observed. However, when the PDA backbone is distorted by an outside force the extended conjugation is interrupted and an optical shift from blue to red occurs. By exploiting the PDAs properties within polymer systems, smart fibers and films have been created that enhance the original intention of the host. Under this umbrella, a strain sensitive polydiacetylene-polyurethane blend was created using 3 and 4-butoxycarbonylmethylurethane PDA and a medical grade polyurethane, …

Population Dynamics Of The Cotton Aphid, Aphis Gossypii Glover (Homoptera: Aphididae), And Its Fungal Pathogen, Neozygites Fresenii (Nowakoski) Batko (Entomopthorales: Neozygitaceae) In South Carolina, Ruly Anwar

All Dissertations

The broad spectrum insecticide, acephate, neonicotinoid insecticides, acetamiprid, thiamethoxam, and imidacloprid, and other insecticides, λ-cyhalothrin, emamectin benzoate, indoxacarb, and spinosad were evaluated for their effects on the cotton aphid, Aphis gossypii, its entmopathogenic fungus, Neozygites fresenii, aphid parasitoids, lacewings, and coccinellids. Numbers of cotton aphids were significantly higher in plots treated with broad-spectrum insecticide than in untreated plots. Also, levels of both fungus-infected aphids and parasitized aphids were significantly higher in plots treated with broad-spectrum insecticide than in untreated plots. Numbers of lacewings and coccinellids were not significantly different between insecticide treated and untreated plots. Levels of fungus-infected aphids were …

Development Of A Novel Fouling Deterrence Strategy By Understanding The Efect Of Noradrenaline On The Cells Of Eastern Oyster, Crassostrea Virginica And Cypris Larve Of The Striped Barnacle Balanus Amphitrite, Neeraj Gohad

All Dissertations

ABSTRACT

The focus of this study was to understand and evaluate the effect of noradrenaline (NA) on two prominent fouling marine invertebrates, the Eastern Oyster, Crassostrea virginica and the Striped Barnacle, Balanus amphitrite for the purpose of developing a novel fouling deterrence strategy.
To understand the effect of NA at a cellular level the immune cells (hemocytes) of C. virginica were chosen as representative molluscan cells. Upon stimulation with 10 micro-molar of noradrenaline ~4% hemocytes of C. virginica labeled positive for the beta-adrenergic receptor (beta-AR). Upon NA stimulation the beta-AR positive cells formed cell-cell synapses and apoptosis was detected in …

Insight Into The Origins Of The Rumex Acetosa Sex Chromosomes And Mechanisms Causing Dimorphism, Samuel Forrest

All Dissertations

Sex conferring chromosomes are subject to rapid change throughout evolution. Y-chromosomes (male determining) are subject to extensive chromatin remodeling and higher mutation rates than the autosomes being that recombination with the X chromosome is inhibited in many regions. The non-recombining regions comprise varying proportions of Y chromosomes from species to species and they are subject to mutation acquisition including both deletions and insertions. Recently it has been shown that these insertion mutations include repetitive DNA such as satellite DNA sequences (satDNA) and transposable elements. It is thought that Y chromosomes go through many rounds of expansion and contraction throughout evolution …

Social Anxiety And Facial Affect Recognition In Preschool Children, Chelsea M. Ale

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Previous research relating anxiety and facial affect recognition, focusing mostly on school-aged children and adults, has yielded mixed results. The current study sought to demonstrate an association among behavioral inhibition and parent-reported social anxiety, shyness, social withdrawal and facial affect recognition performance using the Diagnostic Analysis of Nonverbal Accuracy Scale in 30 preschool children, ages 4 years to 5 years 8 months. Results indicated that social anxiety, social withdrawal, shyness, and behavioral inhibition together account for 25% of the variance in facial affect recognition performance, although this proportion was not statistically significant r2 = .25, F(4,24) = 1.95, p = …

Hydroacoustic Assessment Of Resident Species In The Ugashik Lakes, Alaska, Garrett James Staines

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The Ugashik Lakes in southwest Alaska are a large, remote, thereimictic system that does not thermally stratify during the ice-free season. Little research has been done on the resident species of this system and others similar to it. However, with such little baseline information management agencies are still responsible for management of these lakes. In order to provide baseline data on the Ugashik Lakes resident species, hydroacoustic (2001-06) and gillnet (2004-06) surveys were performed.;Chapter 2 uses specific data gathered from the hydroacoustic unit to produce a target strength (TS) and length relationship for salmonids found in the Ugashik Lakes. The …

Effects Of Atmospheric Acid Deposition And Single Versus Mixed Leaf Litters On Foliar Litter Decomposition, Carbon, Nitrogen, Phosphorus And Calcium Dynamics In A Regenerating Forest, Prinith Sumudu Munasinghe

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Increases in atmospheric N deposition over the past decades have raised concerns over nitrogen (N) retention and carbon (C) and nutrient cycling in forest ecosystems. We conducted two litter decomposition studies at the Long-Term Soil Productivity (LTSP) study at the Fernow Experimental Forest (FEF) in West Virginia. In the LTSP study acid deposition is simulated by periodic ammonium sulfate additions (N+S). Other treatments include control (ref) (no additions or reference) and ammonium sulfate plus lime (lime). Fresh litter was collected from treatment plots in November. Air-dried litter was weighed, and placed in nylon litter bags. Litter bags were placed in …

Water Quality Changes Over Time In Upper Freeport And Pittsburgh Coal Mines In West Virginia, Ben M. Mack

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The objective of this research was to determine the changes in acidity, sulfate, iron, aluminum, and calcium concentrations over time in above-drainage, underground mines. Water analyses were compiled from four sampling dates for two coal seams. Results for all sites showed declines in all parameters. Acidity decreases from the 40 sites were compared to three acidity decay curves. The data most closely matched the 5 percent decay curve. Acidity values from a different mine most closely matched the 10 percent decay curve during its first 12 years after closure. None of the five parameters showed significant relationships with either decade …

Evaluation Of The Impacts Of Highway Construction On Sediment And Benthic Macroinvertebrates In Appalachian Streams, Lara B. Hedrick

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Corridor H is a four-lane highway under construction in north eastern West Virginia. I used a variety of methods to assess the impacts of highway construction in the Lost River watershed, Hardy County, West Virginia. I designed a two part sediment sampler to be used to monitor sediment in paired sites upstream and downstream of highway construction. The two-part design, a base that remains embedded in the substrate, and a removeable trap, allowed for long-term placement of samplers without continual disturbance of the streambed. I used a laboratory flume to compare my sediment sampler design with other devices used to …

Comparison Of A New "U" Shaped Plastic Fish Tank System To The Traditional Concrete Raceway System, Daniel J. Miller

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The goal of this research was to compare the cost of purchasing, installing and operating a new plastic "U" shaped raceway (fish tank) to the traditional concrete flat-bottomed raceways used in many federal, state, and private fish hatcheries. Potential benefits of this new design include lower fixed (purchase and installation) costs, ease of mobility due to its light weight, reduced operational cost due to the rapid cleaning process that the "U" shape allows, and the simplicity with which modifications can be made to the tank to suit the operation. Limitations include width and depth restrictions and greater vulnerability to vandalism …

Development Of Direct Elemental Speciation In Solid State Materials Using Pulsed Glow Discharge Mass Spectrometry, Jennifer N. Robertson-Honecker

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Among the various elemental mass spectrometry techniques, glow discharge mass spectrometry is recognized for its ability to provide direct determination of trace elements present in solid state samples. In the present work, a pulsed glow discharge time of flight mass spectrometry method is developed for the direct speciation of chromium in solid state samples. In initial investigations, time-resolved power perturbation and Langmuir probe studies were undertaken to elucidate the excitation and ionization processes in a pulsed glow discharge plasma. The experimental data provides further insight into the energy transfer processes that occur at different spatial locations and in different temporal …

Open, Clear Decisions: Virginian Woolf's Orlando And Clarissa Dalloway As Bisexuals, Sarah Brey

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

In Orlando Virginia Woolf, shows Orlando as a person with a clear conscience who knows what he/she wants. Like Clarissa Dalloway in Mrs. Dalloway, who is also often regarded as a lesbian because she loves Sally fondly her whole life but chooses to marry Richard, Orlando loves Sasha regardless of what changes her body undergoes, but chooses to marry Shel. Neither Clarissa nor Orlando is forced into marriage. Both choose to marry and abandon their active lesbian tendencies because they know what is most comfortable for them. As bisexuals they show the confusion of desiring both sexes, and instead of …

Improving Preservice Elementary Teachers' Views Of The Nature Of Science Using Explicit-Reflective Teaching In A Science, Technology And Society Course, Mehmet Kucuk

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This paper discusses how the acquisition, development and exercise of knowledge and skills in relation to quality teaching (QT) practices have impacted upon professional learning within a number of QT inquiry projects. The emphasis is upon how the major challenges and limitations of professional learning have occurred within the social context of collaborative inquiry, and how these challenges and limitations helped shape the professional learning. The paper offers an interpretation of the methodologies and evaluative aspects of teacher professional learning as these have interacted with QT. From this perspective a metacognitive model of professional learning is proposed, aimed at linking …

Preferential Flow And Phosphorus Translocation In Benchmark Soils Of West Virginia, Michael B. Harman

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Preferential flow is a mechanistic description of water movement in a soil profile where much of the soil matrix is bypassed during periods of rapid infiltration. The occurrence of preferential flow could lead to the movement of phosphorus (P) down through the soil profile. The objectives of this research were (i) to verify the presence of preferential flow in benchmark West Virginia soil series and (ii) measure soil test phosphorus (STP) levels within the preferential flow pathways and the surrounding soil matrix to determine the effects of preferential flow on phosphorus distribution within the soil profile. A non-reactive dye (Brilliant …

Disturbances, Prescribed Fire, And Invasion By Exotic Plants In A Xeric Mixed-Oak And Oak-Pine Dominated Area Of The Ridge And Valley In Eastern West Virginia, Jonathan A. Pomp

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This document discusses three fire and exotic invasive plant related research studies that were conducted in an area of the Ridge and Valley dominated by xeric mixed-oak and oak-pine forest communities. The first study characterizes the timing, frequency, and magnitude of canopy disturbances in the study area by investigating demographic (age distributions), anatomical (growth increment patterns), and structural (diameter distributions) evidence. In addition to the general reconstructed disturbance history, the potential link between overstory tree-of-heaven (Ailanthus altissima (P. Mill.) Swingle) populations and prior forest management disturbances (i.e. harvesting) is investigated. This study indicates an uneven-aged structure resulting from multiple disturbances …

Pilot Fatigue Detection Using Aircraft State Variables, Benjamin L. Smith

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Pilot fatigue has been proven to be the cause of many aviation accidents. Fatigue introduces error into the pilot's inputs, which can potentially lead to accidents. To date, fatigue has been widely researched through physiological variables and sleep studies. Often, systems monitoring physiological variables would require constant physical contact with the pilot during flight. This arrangement could be cumbersome to pilots, and may hinder their flying ability even more. These systems will also add unnecessary weight to the aircraft, which could lead to increases in fuel consumption. Sleep studies have been investigated in an attempt to determine causes of pilot …

Selenite Removal Using Gac Based Iron-Coated Adsorbents, Ning Zhang

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Removal of selenite from aqueous phase using iron-coated granular activated carbons (GAC) was investigated in this study. Five different types of GAC were used for iron coating by oxidizing ferrous chloride with sodium hypochlorite and tested for selenite removal. Nitrogen adsorption-desorption analyses indicated that Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area, pore size, and pore volume deceased with the iron coating. The Darco 12x20 GAC was shown to be the most effective adsorbent among the five tested GACs after iron coating. Among the different concentrations used for iron coating, the Darco 12x20 GAC coated with 0.1 M ferrous chloride achieved the highest selenite …

An Investigation Of The Ecology Of Nesting Golden Eagles In North Dakota, Anne Marguerite Coyle

Theses and Dissertations

Few studies have focused on golden eagles nesting in North Dakota. This project investigates the ecology of, and the potential effects from energy development on, nesting golden eagles in North Dakota, by collecting historical data, conducting nest checks and surveys (2002-2006).

Historical information was not sufficient for population estimates. Nest checks/surveys indicated that nest densities, occupied nest sites and territories was greatest near the riparian river bottoms. There were 176 potential extant territories. The average minimum distance between occupied nest sites was 6.32km (7.20km to 3.85km). The mean territory area was 8.95 km2 (SD = 4.25 km2, min = 3.09 …

A Historical-Critical Examination Of North Korea's Juche Ideology Using Fantasy Theme Analysis: A Vision Transformed, Matthew Warner

Masters Theses

Scholarship on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is severely limited due to the secretive nature of Kim Jong Il and his regime; much of this secrecy and, generally, the closed nature of North Korean society is due in part to an ideology based on self-reliance, Juche. Through a communication scholarship based rhetorical examination this thesis aims to understand and explain how Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il have been able to create and sustain the Juche ideology in spite of North Korea’s poor economic and social condition. The research traces the evolution of North Korea’s Juche ideology from …

Chemical Ecology And Conservation Biological Control, Zeyaur R. Khan, David G. James, Charles A.O. Midega, John A. Pickett

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Elucidating the chemical ecology of natural enemies, herbivores and host plants is important in the development of effective and successful integrated pest management (IPM) strategies where abundance and distribution of natural enemies could be manipulated by semiochemicals for improved conservation biological control (CBC). In response to attack by herbivores, plants produce semiochemicals called Herbivore-Induced Plant Volatiles (HIPVs) which act to repel pests and attract their natural enemies. Damaged, and in some cases, intact plants may also produce volatile signals that warn other plants of impending attack. Some of these intact plants are used as intercrops in 'push-pull' strategies; cropping systems …