Digital Commons Network^™

An Exploratory Assessment Of Peer-Reviewed Life Science Literature Statement Readability Used In Text-Based Interpretive Analyses, Jeremy Jackson

Theses

This project looked to explore the process of one of the scientific community’s leading text mining software, Pathway Studio, which efficiently streamlines the tedious task of information sorting and gathering in a clinical setting. To do this Pathway Studio implements a sentiment scoring algorithm which decides, based on interpreting literature similarly to natural human understanding, what sections of literature are most relevant to a given search request and provides corresponding peer-reviewed work in the industry. The novel statistics derived of its performance are used to establish an average form of a statement which reflects that of a standard level of …

Fire Blight In Utah: An Annual Management Guide, Marion Murray

All Current Publications

Fire blight is a serious disease of apple and pear trees. Because this disease spreads rapidly and symptoms are not visible until two weeks after infection, it can catch growers off-guard. Having a well-executed and integrated year-round management program can reduce losses from fire blight.

Management Of Glyphosate-Resistant Palmer Amaranth (Amaranthus Palmeri S. Watson) In Dicamba/Glyphosate-Resistant Soybean, Shawn Thomas Mcdonald

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

While not a historically problematic weed in Nebraska, Palmer amaranth has become increasingly problematic in many agronomic cropping systems. Throughout the state, several cohorts of Palmer amaranth have been found resistant to several different sites of action. Of major concern is a population found resistant to glyphosate the most common post-emergence herbicide in Nebraska. As chemical control methods are the most common forms of weed control throughout the state methods alternatives or enhancements are highly desired. Two field experiments were conducted in 2018 and 2019 at a grower’s field near Carleton, Nebraska with the objectives to evaluate the effects of …

Alma Link Resolver Subject Report 2020-2021, Andrée J. Rathemacher

Technical Services Reports and Statistics

Statistics for 2020-2021 on the number of OpenURL requests by Library of Congress classification code made to the Ex Libris Alma link resolver for items held by the University of Rhode Island Libraries.

Information provided includes Classification Code, Classifications, Number of Requests, Number of Clicked Requests, and % Clicks from Requests.

Alma Link Resolver Title & Issn Report (Top 500) 2020-2021, Andrée J. Rathemacher

Technical Services Reports and Statistics

Statistics for 2020-2021 on the total number of OpenURL requests by journal title and ISSN made to the Ex Libris Alma link resolver for items held by the University of Rhode Island Libraries. Includes only the top 500 journals.

Information provided includes journal Title, ISSN, EISSN, Number of Requests, Number of Clicked Requests, % Clicks from Requests.

The Music Of Rivers: How Climate, Land Use, And Disturbances Tune The Frequencies And Volumes Of Streams Worldwide, Brian Charles Brown

Theses and Dissertations

The amount of water flowing through streams and rivers changes through time. The seasonality and duration of these changes can have profound impacts on human freshwater availability, aquatic habitat, and biogeochemical cycling. Numerous factors are thought to influence streamflow regime, including drainage basin area, temperature, precipitation, and land cover. Few of these qualities have remained untouched, either directly or indirectly, by expanding human activities. Altered climate, sweeping changes to large portions of the earth's surface, and the construction of dams and other infrastructure have fundamentally altered streamflows worldwide. Understanding the nature of these changes, both globally and regionally in the …

Protein Conformational Stability Enhancement Through Pegylation And Macrocyclization, Qiang Xiao

Theses and Dissertations

PEGylation can improve the pharmacokinetic properties of protein therapeutics via decreasing renal clearance and shielding the protein surface from proteases, antibody neutrailization, and aggregation. Conformational stability enhancement can provide criteria for the identification of optimal sites for PEGylation, but how PEG influence the noncovalent interactions from the surface of proteins has not been well illustrated. Macrocyclization can effectively enhance the conformational stability of small peptides and large proteins. Combination of PEG-based conformational stability enhancement and macrocyclization-based conformational constraint has not been explored. Macrocycliziation has been employed to stabilize protein tertiary structures, but there are no general guidelines for interhelical staple …

Learning As Cognition: A Developmental Process For Organizational Learning, Rob E. Carpenter

Human Resource Development Faculty Publications and Presentations

The aim of this article was to present a viewpoint from learning as individual and group cognition for the benefit of organization learning scholarship. The results demonstrate that perspective of intentionality is important for understanding how learning as cognition develops into organizational learning. Organizations that recognize perspective as the agency by which learning as cognition develops organizational learning have a better opportunity to remain competitive. This article provides a basis to advance understanding on how perspective influences learning as cognition as a developmental process for organizational learning.

Quantifying Resource Use Among Insectivorous Bat Species With Overlapping Distributions, Shannon Whitney

Master of Science in Integrative Biology Theses

Bats make up 20% of all mammalian species, are globally distributed, and are the only mammals capable of sustained flight. Bats have adapted to feed on insects, scorpions, aquatic arthropods, mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, blood, carrion, fruit, flowers, nectar, pollen, and even seeds and foliage. However, the feeding ecology of these organisms is not well understood. Most bat species in North America rely on the same method of foraging and locomotion. The geographical range and habitats of these bats also commonly overlap. Bat feeding ecology studies have used fecal analysis to identify consumed prey species. Factors such as time …

Walking The Talk In A Vaccine Study, Carl P. Fictorie

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

"Scientists and engineers of all religious stripes and colors have helped bring about the amazing advances in science and technology that have improved our lives and well-being over the past few hundred years.."

Posting about ­­­­­­­­science as a reliable tool for understanding from In All Things - an online journal for critical reflection on faith, culture, art, and every ordinary-yet-graced square inch of God’s creation.

https://inallthings.org/walking-the-talk-in-a-vaccine-study/

Aducanumab: Appropriate Use Recommendations, Jeffrey Cummings, Steve Salloway

School of Medicine Faculty Research

Aducanumab recently received accelerated approval by the FDA. An Expert Panel was comprised to provide recommendations on appropriate use of aducanumab in real world practices. Patient selection, aducanumab administration and monitoring, management of ARIA, and best practices in patient care in the context of aducanumab therapy are described. The paper was published in the Journal of Prevention of Alzheimer's Disease.

Rehabilitation And Return-To-Play Criteria After Fresh Osteochondral Allograft Transplantation: A Systematic Review., Michael Stark, Somnath Rao, Brendan Gleason, Robert A. Jack, Bradford Tucker, Sommer Hammoud, Kevin B. Freedman

Rothman Institute Papers

Background: Fresh osteochondral allograft (OCA) is a treatment option that allows for the transfer of size-matched allograft cartilage and subchondral bone into articular defects of the knee. Although long-term studies show good functional improvement with OCA, there continues to be wide variability and a lack of consensus in terms of postoperative rehabilitation protocols and return to sport.

Purpose: To systematically review the literature and evaluate the reported rehabilitation protocols after OCA of the knee, including weightbearing and range of motion (ROM) restrictions as well as return-to-play criteria.

Study Design: Systematic review; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods: PubMed, EMBASE, Cumulative Index …

Chloride Sensing By Wnk1 Regulates Nlrp3 Inflammasome Activation And Pyroptosis., Lindsey Mayes-Hopfinger, Aura Enache, Jian Xie, Chou-Long Huang, Robert Köchl, Victor L.J. Tybulewicz, Teresa Fernandes-Alnemri, Emad S. Alnemri

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Faculty Papers

The NLRP3 inflammasome mediates the production of proinflammatory cytokines and initiates inflammatory cell death. Although NLRP3 is essential for innate immunity, aberrant NLRP3 inflammasome activation contributes to a wide variety of inflammatory diseases. Understanding the pathways that control NLRP3 activation will help develop strategies to treat these diseases. Here we identify WNK1 as a negative regulator of the NLRP3 inflammasome. Macrophages deficient in WNK1 protein or kinase activity have increased NLRP3 activation and pyroptosis compared with control macrophages. Mice with conditional knockout of WNK1 in macrophages have increased IL-1β production in response to NLRP3 stimulation compared with control mice. Mechanistically, …

Dna Polymerase Θ: A Cancer Drug Target With Reverse Transcriptase Activity, Xiaojiang Chen, Richard T. Pomerantz

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Faculty Papers

The emergence of precision medicine from the development of Poly (ADP‐ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors that preferentially kill cells defective in homologous recombination has sparked wide interest in identifying and characterizing additional DNA repair enzymes that are synthetic lethal with HR factors. DNA polymerase theta (Polθ) is a validated anti‐cancer drug target that is synthetic lethal with HR factors and other DNA repair proteins and confers cellular resistance to various genotoxic cancer therapies. Since its initial characterization as a helicase‐polymerase fusion protein in 2003, many exciting and unexpected activities of Polθ in microhomology‐mediated end‐joining (MMEJ) and translesion synthesis (TLS) have been …

Exploration Of Constant-Force Wristbands For A Wearable Health Device, Thomas Alexander Naylor

Theses and Dissertations

Wearable Health Devices (WHDs) are an emerging technology that enables continuous monitoring of vital signs during daily life. Issues with constant and consistent data acquisition have been found while WHD technology has developed. The force of the measurement area and movement of the sensors are key mechanical issues that need to be solved for WHDs to become a viable way to continuously monitor health conditions. This work explores Constant-Force Mechanisms (CFMs) as a solution to problems the current WHD industry faces. Additionally, the relationship between force provided from the mechanism, sensor pressure on the wrist, patient comfort, and sensor readings …

Nonlinear Ultrafast Excitation And Two-Dimensional Terahertz Spectroscopy Of Solids, Brittany E. Knighton

Theses and Dissertations

Ultrafast spectroscopy allows us to probe and understand material properties. With it, we can measure phonon-polaritons (optical phonons coupled with light) and the resulting dispersion curve in lithium niobate. Customizing the excitation source in ultrafast measurements can excite phonon modes to large amplitudes, allowing the experimental exploration of the Potential Energy Surface in solids. However, stronger pump fluences and bigger signal isn't always the answer in ultrafast spectroscopy. When sample signals and their nonlinear and mechanisms cannot be distinguished with 1D measurements, simple 2D THz measurements are a great place to start searching for distinct factors as was the case …

Method Development Of Standard Dilution Analysis On Molecules And Dissolution Studies Of Ibuprofen Tablets Along With Common Beverage Constituents, Scott Richardson

Master of Science in Chemical Sciences Theses

The United States Pharmacopeia sets the standards for the manufacturing, storage, and analysis of medicinal formulations. One analysis, dissolution testing evaluates the rate at which the medicinal formulation forms a solution to predict in vivo drug release. Dissolution testing on ibuprofen tablets alone and in the presence of ascorbic acid or caffeine was performed to mimic the administration using orange juice or caffeinated soft drinks to assess their impact on the dissolution rate of ibuprofen. Results using the external calibration method produced a dissolution rate of ibuprofen that decreased 4% in the presence of ascorbic acid and increased 1% in …

Photons From Nir Leds Can Delay Flowering In Short-Day Soybean And Cannabis: Implications For Phytochrome Activity, Paul Kusuma, F. Mitchell Westmoreland, Shuyang Zhen, Bruce Bugbee

Plants, Soils and Climate Student Research

Photons during the dark period delay flowering in short-day plants (SDP). Red photons applied at night convert phytochromes to the active far-red absorbing form (P_fr), leading to inhibition of flowering. Far-red photons (greater than 700 nm) re-induce flowering when applied after a pulse of red photons during the dark period. However, far-red photons at sufficiently high intensity and duration delay flowering in sensitive species. Mechanistically, this response occurs because phytochrome-red (P_r) absorbance is not zero beyond 700 nm. We applied nighttime photons from near infrared (NIR) LEDs (peak 850 nm) over a 12 h dark period. …

A Comparison Of Explanations Given By Explainable Artificial Intelligence Methods On Analysing Electronic Health Records, Jamie Duell, Xiuyi Fan, Bruce Burnett, Gert Aarts, Shang Ming Zhou

School of Nursing and Midwifery

No abstract provided.

Dlg5 Variants Are Associated With Multiple Congenital Anomalies Including Ciliopathy Phenotypes, Jonathan Marquez, Nina Mann, Kathya Arana, Engin Deniz, Weizhen Ji, Monica Konstantino, Emily K. Mis, Charu Deshpande, Lauren Jeffries, Julie Mcglynn, Hannah Hugo, Eugen Widmeier, Martin Konrad, Velibor Tasic, Raffaella Morotti, Julia Baptista, Sian Ellard, Saquib Ali Lakhani, Friedhelm Hildebrandt, Mustafa K. Khokha

Peninsula Medical School

BackgroundCilia are dynamic cellular extensions that generate and sense signals to orchestrate proper development and tissue homeostasis. They rely on the underlying polarisation of cells to participate in signalling. Cilia dysfunction is a well-known cause of several diseases that affect multiple organ systems including the kidneys, brain, heart, respiratory tract, skeleton and retina.MethodsAmong individuals from four unrelated families, we identified variants in discs large 5 (DLG5) that manifested in a variety of pathologies. In our proband, we also examined patient tissues. We depleted dlg5 in Xenopus tropicalis frog embryos to generate a loss-of-function model. Finally, we tested the pathogenicity of …

Wave, Tide And Topographical Controls On Headland Sand Bypassing, E. V. King, D. C. Conley, G. Masselink, N. Leonardi, R. J. Mccarroll, T. Scott, N. G. Valiente

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

No abstract provided.

Metabolic Modeling And Omics-Integrative Analysis Of Single And Multi-Organism Systems: Discovery And Redesign, Mohammad Mazharul Islam

Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Computations and modeling have emerged as indispensable tools that drive the process of understanding, discovery, and redesign of biological systems. With the accelerating pace of genome sequencing and annotation information generation, the development of computational pipelines for the rapid reconstruction of high-quality genome-scale metabolic networks has received significant attention. These models provide a rich tapestry for computational tools to quantitatively assess the metabolic phenotypes for various systems-level studies and to develop engineering interventions at the DNA, RNA, or enzymatic level by careful tuning in the biophysical modeling frameworks. in silico genome-scale metabolic modeling algorithms based on the concept of optimization, …

Mitochondrial Genome Of Geomydoecus Aurei, A Pocket-Gopher Louse, Theresa A. Spradling, Alexandra C. Place, Ashley L. Campbell, James W. Demastes

Faculty Publications

Parasitic lice demonstrate an unusual array of mitochondrial genome architectures and gene arrangements. We characterized the mitochondrial genome of Geomydoecus aurei, a chewing louse (Phthiraptera: Trichodectidae) found on pocket gophers (Rodentia: Geomyidae) using reads from both Illumina and Oxford Nanopore sequencing coupled with PCR, cloning, and Sanger sequencing to verify structure and arrangement for each chromosome. The genome consisted of 12 circular mitochondrial chromosomes ranging in size from 1,318 to 2,088 nucleotides (nt). Total genome size was 19,015 nt. All 37 genes typical of metazoans (2 rRNA genes, 22 tRNA genes, and 13 protein-coding genes) were present. An average …

Integrated Single-Cell Atlas Of Endothelial Cells Of The Human Lung, Jonas C Schupp, Taylor S Adams, Carlos Cosme, Micha Sam Brickman Raredon, Yifan Yuan, Norihito Omote, Sergio Poli, Maurizio Chioccioli, Kadi-Ann Rose, Edward P Manning, Maor Sauler, Giuseppe Deiuliis, Farida Ahangari, Nir Neumark, Arun C Habermann, Austin J Gutierrez, Linh T Bui, Robert Lafyatis, Richard W Pierce, Kerstin B Meyer, Martijn C Nawijn, Sarah A Teichmann, Nicholas E Banovich, Jonathan A Kropski, Laura E Niklason, Dana Pe'er, Xiting Yan, Robert J Homer, Ivan O Rosas, Naftali Kaminski

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Cellular diversity of the lung endothelium has not been systematically characterized in humans. We provide a reference atlas of human lung endothelial cells (ECs) to facilitate a better understanding of the phenotypic diversity and composition of cells comprising the lung endothelium.

METHODS: We reprocessed human control single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq) data from 6 datasets. EC populations were characterized through iterative clustering with subsequent differential expression analysis. Marker genes were validated by fluorescent microscopy and in situ hybridization. scRNAseq of primary lung ECs cultured in vitro was performed. The signaling network between different lung cell types was studied. For cross-species …

Maternal Caregiving Ameliorates The Consequences Of Prenatal Maternal Psychological Distress On Child Development, Leah A. Grande, Danielle A. Swales, Curt A. Sandman, Laura M. Glynn, Elyssia Poggi Davis

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Children exposed to prenatal maternal psychological distress are at elevated risk for a range of adverse outcomes; however, it remains poorly understood whether postnatal influences can ameliorate impairments related to prenatal distress. The current study evaluated if sensitivematernal care during the first postnatal year could mitigate child cognitive and emotional impairments associated with prenatal psychological distress. Prenatal maternal psychological distress was assessed via self-reports of anxiety, depression, and perceived stress for 136 mothers at five prenatal and four postpartum time points. Quality of maternal care (sensitivity to nondistress, positive regard, and intrusiveness reverse-scored) were assessed during a mother–child play interaction …

Biogeography And Connectivity Across Habitat Types And Geographical Scales In Pacific Abyssal Scavenging Amphipods, G Bribiesca-Contreras, Tg Dahlgren, T Horton, Jc Drazen, Et Al

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Recently, there has been a resurgent interest in the exploration of deep-sea mineral deposits, particularly polymetallic nodules in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ), central Pacific. Accurate environmental impact assessment is critical to the effective management of a new industry and depends on a sound understanding of species taxonomy, biogeography, and connectivity across a range of scales. Connectivity is a particularly important parameter in determining ecosystem resilience, as it helps to define the ability of a system to recover post-impact. Scavenging amphipods in the superfamilies Alicelloidea Lowry and De Broyer, 2008 and Lysianassoidea Dana, 1849 contribute to a unique and abundant scavenging …

Utilization Of Electric Arc Furnace Dust As A Solid Catalyst In Biodiesel Production, Khaled El-Araby Khodary, Marwa Mohamed Naeem, Mai H. Roushdy

Chemical Engineering

World’s energy sources like petrochemical oils, natural gas and coal cause global warming and environmental pollution. Therefore, the traditional energy sources must be replaced by the renewable energy resources. Biodiesel has been recognized as one of the effective, green, renewable and sustainable fuels. This paper investigates the production of biodiesel from sunflower oil by using electric arc furnace dust (EAFD) as a heterogeneous solid catalyst. Four reaction variables, i.e., the reaction time, methanol-to-oil (M/O) molar ratio, reaction temperature and EAFD loading, were chosen to determine their effect on biodiesel production. The effect of the all reaction variables on the biodiesel …

2021 Summer Experience Program Abstracts, The University Of Texas Md Anderson Cancer Center

Summer Experience 2021

The mission of the MD Anderson Summer Experience Program is to eliminate cancer, through training of high School, undergraduates and first year medical students to make a lasting impact on training the next generation of scientist and physicians through research and education.

The MD Anderson Summer Experience is an umbrella program that comprises 18 summer academic programs at MD Anderson.

The summer research program is an 8-10 week program that offers hands-on experience in biomedical, translational or clinical research. In this program, students are matched with a mentor from MD Anderson’s research or clinical faculty. Participants work alongside the mentor …

About The Contributors

The Robert Frost Review

No abstract provided.

From Bloom To Bust: Harmful Algae Blooms And Their Impacts On The Waterfront Economy, Sergio Alvarez

Rosen Research Review

The true costs of harmful algae blooms (HABs) and the mechanics that determine their socio-economic impacts are for the most part unknown. Florida’s 2017–2019 red tide (Karenia brevis) bloom is a historical case study of the ever-growing threats to coastal welfare posed by HABs. A new research project at Rosen College of Hospitality Management has this at its heart. The central objective of the project is the identification of direct, indirect, and induced socioeconomic impacts caused by the 2017–2019 K. brevis bloom in Florida.