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An Exploration Of The Link Between Vertebral Endplate Fracture, Velocity, And Health Of The Intervertebral Disc., John Mcmorran

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The capacity for fractures to manifest in the growth cartilage of the adolescent human spine is well documented, but much of the knowledge available regarding such fractures remains retrospective and is largely composed of small case series made up of relatively few participants. In-vitro tissue testing has demonstrated that pressurization of the intervertebral disc’s nucleus pulposus significantly contributes to the generation of growth plate fractures. However, a comprehensive biomechanical investigation of the mechanical consequences for the intervertebral disc when exposed to ring apophyseal (growth plate) fractures at different velocities remains to be demonstrated.

The first two experiments of the present …

Nitrogen: Both A Potential Stimulator And Suppressor Of Cyanobacterial Blooms In Temperate Lakes, Catherine Goltz

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Cyanobacterial blooms are complex phenomenon that are impacted and controlled by various factors such as lake depth, air temperature, wind, and nutrient loading. Nutrients such as phosphorus, nitrogen and iron all have very differing effects on cyanobacterial blooms. While phosphorus and iron are known to drive cyanobacterial biomass, nitrogen has been observed to have a direct impact on toxin synthesis. Nitrogen exists in the environment in many different forms such as atmospheric N₂, in inorganic forms such as nitrate and ammonium as well as in organic forms such as urea which can all affect cyanobacterial bloom development differently. …

Exploring The Membrane Protein And Peptide Interactions Of Mitochondrial And Bacterial Lipid Systems, George Saudan

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This study aims to expand the understanding of interactions between membrane lipids and proteins, and relate it to their biological functions in two experimental systems. The first system focuses on the interaction and conformation of a membrane protein Uncoupling Protein 4 (UCP4) in mitochondrial inner membrane lipids, in the absence and presence of cardiolipin; a lipid specific to mitochondrial inner membranes. The second system considers the interaction and conformation of a cell penetrating peptide, Penetratin, which can interact with both mammalian and bacterial cells. A N- and C-termini protected form of this 16-meric peptide (Pen2) was used to explore its …

A Closer Look At The Role Of Precipitation And Air-Sea Gas Exchange Of Circumpolar Waters In The Eastern Amundsen Sea, Antarctica, Virginia Cousens

Open Access Master's Theses

Pine Island Glacier in the remote Amundsen Sea has exhibited some of the most pronounced thinning and retreat in Western Antarctica in recent decades, resulting in significant influx of freshwater to the region. These dynamic changes are caused by climate sensitive processes from warming ocean currents to changing air temperature. Glacial melt in this region has been thought to dominate the freshwater budget, but meltwater tracers suggest precipitation may also be significant in terms of freshwater flux. Here, we take a closer look at the magnitude of precipitation derived from oxygen-18 and noble gases as freshwater tracers and seek to …

Exploratory Analyses Of American Lobster Habitat Preferences And Catchability In Ventless Trap Surveys, Annabelle Leahy

Open Access Master's Theses

Numerous factors must be considered in efforts to rebuild sustainable stock levels of the Southern New England (SNE) lobster stock including changing uses of marine space, such as the growth of the offshore wind industry, and stressors such as rising ocean temperatures. These factors may change the species’ habitat use and could further impact the ability of the region to support a healthy lobster population. This work uses data from pre-wind farm construction ventless trap surveys to further characterize the suitable habitat of the SNE lobster stock and to examine the effects of survey design, namely trap position and trap …

A Case Study Of White Shark Tourism In Cape Cod: Conservation And Management Considerations For A Growing Industry, Letty Cass

Open Access Master's Theses

In the past ten years, Cape Cod, Massachusetts has become a notable hot spot for white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) aggregation, which can be attributed to an increase of their food source, the gray seal. This increase in white sharks has had many positive and negative impacts on the community. In recent years, some businesses have taken advantage of the increased white shark presence by offering shark viewing tours directly off the coast of Cape Cod. This study investigated the growth and development of the shark tourism industry by conducting eleven semi-structured interviews with members of the shark tourism …

Environmental Drivers Of Phytoplankton Abundance And Community Size Composition Across Thermal Regimes In The U.S. Northeast Continental Shelf Ecosystem, Rowan Murphy Cirivello

Open Access Master's Theses

Phytoplankton are a diverse group of photosynthetic microorganisms and are critical components of global biogeochemical processes. Rapid changes in the U.S. Northeast Shelf (NES), a region where multiple marine heatwaves have occurred and is warming faster than the global ocean, may have far-reaching effects on ecosystems and biogeochemical processes; this study seeks to describe how these changes impact the drivers of phytoplankton abundance and community size composition within this region. Environmental drivers were characterized using multivariate modeling via partial least squares regression (PLSR) and the importance of each predictor variable was determined via variable influence on projection (VIP) scores. To …

The Response Of Benthic Communities In Narragansett Bay To Changing Nitrogen Input And Temperature, Shaina Harkins

Open Access Master's Theses

Marine ecosystem changes are often driven by different forces simultaneously, making it challenging to evaluate the individual contributions of each force. In Narragansett Bay, nitrogen input from wastewater treatment facilities (WWTF) was successfully decreased by 50% from 2005 to 2013. In the last 50 years, surface water temperature in the Bay has also increased by 1.6°C. The response of the benthic community to either of these changes has yet to be determined. We replicated the historical methodology of diver collected cores for infaunal macrofauna, organisms living in sediment, and included beam trawl sampling to catch larger, more mobile epifauna, organisms …

Developing A Low-Cost Stereo Imaging System For Quantitative Visual Modeling Of Marine Environments, Alexandra T. Runyan

Open Access Master's Theses

Structure-from-Motion (SfM) photogrammetry has become an increasingly useful tool in recent years for underwater surveys of seafloor environments. The resulting digital 3D reconstructions from SfM provide rich information for quantifying changes in benthic communities and allow for more effective long-term monitoring and conservation efforts. In coastal waters, the current method involves divers placing physical ground control points (GCPs) and scale-bars on the substrate, swimming in a boustrophedon pattern over the substrate, and taking several overlapping images with high-cost digital cameras. The necessity of GCPs and divers when using a single camera greatly limits the depths in which spatially rectified SfM …

Power And Sample Size Calculations For Evaluating Spillover Effects In Networks With Non-Randomized Interventions, Ke Zhang

Open Access Master's Theses

Determining the appropriate sample size that is needed to achieve a desired level of statistical power is an integral aspect of study design, as it ensures that studies are adequately powered and that their results are reliable and meaningful. Adequate statistical power can also address some practical and ethical considerations. Various methodologies for power and sample size calculations have been developed for distinct types of studies. However, the implications for power when estimating spillover effects in sociometric network-based studies with non-randomized interventions (SNS-NRIs) remain inadequately explored. In this study, we first conducted a series of simulations to evaluate how the …

Recovering The Full Network Using A Sampling Bias Adjustment In Sampled Network, Ryan Humphreys

Open Access Master's Theses

This project aimed to investigate the differences in terms of network structural characteristics between full and sampled networks and to develop a new weighted generalized estimating equations model (WGEE) in order to mitigate the sampling bias and obtain less biased sample estimates for model coefficients and standard errors. The applications of such an approach are of interest in the field of network analysis and public health studies. The Transmission Reduction Intervention Project (TRIP) is an HIV study using risk networks and is a key motivator for this work. Two other motivating examples were constructed where it was found that sampled …

Analysis Of Turkey Reovirus Using Machine Learning, Maryam Kafikang

Open Access Master's Theses

Avian reoviruses continue to cause disease in turkeys with varied pathogenicity and tissue tropism. Turkey enteric reovirus (TERV) has been identified as a causative agent of enteritis or inapparent infections in turkeys. The new emerging variants of turkey reovirus tentatively named as turkey arthritis reovirus (TARV) and turkey hepatitis reovirus (THRV) are linked to tenosynovitis/arthritis and hepatitis, respectively. Turkey arthritis and hepatitis reoviruses are causing significant economic losses to the turkey industry. These infections can lead to poor weight gain, uneven growth, poor feed conversion, increased morbidity and mortality, and reduced marketability of commercial turkeys. To combat these issues, it …

On The Utility Of Multi-Species Foraminifera-Bound Δ15n Records For Subtropical Front Migration Analysis, Shalan Mcdonagh

Open Access Master's Theses

>The Subtropical front (STF) is an area of intense mixing between the cold Southern Ocean and the warm subtropical South Indian Ocean. On interglacial-glacial timescales the STF migrates, altering surface chemical and biological conditions as it moves. A recent study interpreted this migration through changes in the isotopic composition of nitrogen in the surface ocean during the Last Glacial Period by measuring the isotopic composition of nitrogen of foraminifera-bound nitrogen in a single species of foraminifera. Relying on a single species interpretation in this dynamic mixing zone may bias toward species-related ecological preferences. Here we explore the possibility that measuring …

Blue Carbon And Microplastic Sequestration In Coastal Habitats Of The Philippines, Emily Hall

Open Access Master's Theses

Climate change and human development pose significant threats to coastal ecosystems, and an understanding of the history of these ecosystems is necessary to assess potential climate mitigation and coastal resiliency strategies. The high-resolution histories in coastal vegetated habitats, enabled by high sedimentation rates, record long-term sequestration of below-ground carbon as well as the history of pollutants such as microplastics. Rates of sequestration, in addition to bulk storage estimates, are needed to inform future management decisions. This study documents organic carbon and microplastic concentrations and accumulation rates from five distinct sites in the southern Philippines. The carbon and plastic records are …

Early Life History Of American Lobsters (Homarus Americanus) In Coastal Southern New England Waters, Declan James Mccormick

Open Access Master's Theses

The Southern New England (SNE) American lobster (Homarus americanus) stock, previously one of the largest fisheries in the region, has suffered a significant decline since the early 2000s and is now severely depleted. The SNE lobster stock has struggled to recover and is currently experiencing recruitment failure, with a population bottleneck occurring between the spawner and recruit life stages. The objective of this project was to quantify the abundance and spatial distribution of larval and early benthic phase lobsters in coastal Rhode Island (RI) waters to investigate current recruitment processes. Field sampling for larval and juvenile lobsters occurred during the …

A Sample Efficient Off-Policy Actor-Critic Approach For Discrete Action Environments, Nicholas Clavette

Open Access Master's Theses

In the current reinforcement learning (RL) taxonomy, there exist few algorithms for discrete action environments that are capable of learning stochastic policies in an off-policy manner. Learning stochastic policies brings benefits such as stable training and smoother exploration strategies. Training an algorithm in an off-policy manner allows for greater sample efficiency, as experiences collected while interacting with a learning environment can be used more than once. Stable performance and good sample efficiency are highly important when collecting experiences from a learning environment is expensive. This thesis proposes a new algorithm for discrete action RL called Discrete General Policy Optimization (Discrete …

Hard Clam (Mercenaria Mercenaria L.) Response To A Warming Environment: A Mesocosm Experiment, Michael Shawn Potter Ii

Open Access Master's Theses

The Northern quahog (Mercenaria mercenaria), known also as the hard clam, is a cultural, economic, and ecologically important species endemic to the east coast of North America. Numerous studies have indicated that water temperature and food supply are the primary factors contributing to the success of the species. The response of the hard clam to warming trends in Narragansett Bay has yet to be fully investigated due to the challenge of isolating the impact of temperature alone on local populations. In this study, mesoscale physical models of Narragansett Bay were used to replicate conditions within the Providence River …

Effects Of Mate Choice On The Reproductive Success Of New England Cottontails (Sylvilagus Transitionalis), Hannah Petit

Open Access Master's Theses

The vulnerable New England cottontail (NEC, Sylvilagus transitionalis) has lost most of its historic range. Roger Williams Park Zoo (RWPZ) and affiliates created a reintroduction breeding program that breeds wild-caught rabbits and releases the offspring to amplify declining populations. To improve offspring production, a mate choice experiment was conducted that tested the preference of 8 females with 3 males in a pen that allowed visual and olfactory contact with all males simultaneously. The length of time, frequency of visits, female urine markings, number of barrier investigations, and female proximity to each of the males was recorded. These behaviors were …

Assessing Well-Being Impacts Of Sargassum Events In Puerto Rico, Patricia Valentin

Open Access Master's Theses

Since 2011, Sargassum events have become larger and more recurrent in Puerto Rico and appear to have come to stay. While some studies have described economic and ecological impacts on the archipelago, studies of Sargassum impact on human well-being are lacking. However, in the context of Puerto Rico, only a few studies have been conducted in terms of general impacts of sargassum events and its management. Puerto Rico, like most territories of the region, lacks an efficient strategy for sargassum management. Currently, only one set of protocols or guidelines has been produced since sargassum accumulations have become an issue for …

Modeling Acoustic Propagation Near The Atlantis Ii Seamounts, Nathan Tustison

Open Access Master's Theses

Acoustic modeling was used to predict ray paths for a future experiment at the Atlantis II seamount, part of the New England Seamount Chain. Historical sound speed data from the area around the Atlantis II Seamounts was analyzed to build the acoustic prediction model. The results of the prediction model produced propagation paths for various sound speed profiles (SSP)s. The model was used to assist in the placement of acoustic sensors prior to the experiment. The acoustic environment varies significantly due to the seamount's location and the presence of the Gulf Stream. The model has been designed to accept the …

Green Nation: State Forestry And Its Failures In The Atlantic Pyrenees, 1827-1848, Timothy R. Jarvis

Open Access Master's Theses

This thesis argues that state forestry programs in nineteenth-century France failed to produce adequate conservation systems, resulting in the devastation of the natural world. After the revolutionary era, a highly centralized and technocratic state attempted to solve old environmental problems with modernized solutions. This tension between old and new ways of thinking reached a watershed moment during the middle of the nineteenth century, when Romantic and Enlightenment worldviews clashed within the environmental theater of state forestry. This confrontation radically transformed how the French perceived and interacted with nature. Concepts such as radical empiricism, biological evolution, and natural theology became cultural …

The Current State Of South-West Rural Representation In Contemporary Theatre., Ryan Wilce

School of Law, Humanities and Social Sciences Theses

The following thesis will present the current state of South-West rural representation in contemporary theatre and explore who has the right to tell rural communities stories. Using rural proofing as a base framework will present a new framework for theatre makers to inform and influence their creative representations of South-West rural life. To understand the current state of representation and create the framework to improve this, I will be using formalist, actantial and script analysis of select plays, practitioners and theatre companies representing rural life in their work. Equally, my work as a theatre maker will be analysed as I …

Intergenerational Community Engagement Strategy To Minority Families In Urban Housing Developments Suffering From Generational Issues In The Pioneer Homes And Central Village On The Southside Of Syracuse, New York, Aaron V. Chancy

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

In the Seventh-day Adventist Churches Fundamental Beliefs, Fundamental Belief #13 The Remnant and Its Mission, pages 168-178 of the Seventh-day Adventist Church Manual (Church Manual, 172), there is no mention pertaining to the closing versus of Matthew 28. Yet within the evangelism endeavors, there is a lack of the elements of intergenerational ministry to families in low-income housing as a methodology in which to fulfill this mission. While the adage "If we get the children, we will get the parents" has been used in attempts to do ministry among low-income households, the lack of a systematic intergenerational evangelistic method …

Comparison Of Toxicity Of Silver Nanomaterials And Silver Nitrate On Developing Zebrafish Embryos: Bioavailability, Osmoregulatory And Oxidative Stress, Spp Pereira, D Boyle, Aja Nogueira, Rd Handy

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

The mechanisms of toxicity of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) to the early life stages of freshwater fish, and the relative hazard compared to dissolved metals, is only partially understood. In the present study, zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos were exposed to lethal concentrations of silver nitrate (AgNO3) or silver (Ag) ENMs (primary size 42.5 ± 10.2 nm). The 96 h-LC50 for AgNO3 was 32.8 ± 0.72 μg Ag L-1 (mean ± 95% CI) compared to 6.5 ± 0.4 mg L-1 of the whole material for Ag ENMs; with the ENMs being orders of magnitude less toxic than the metal salt. The EC50 …

Economic Trade-Offs In Marine Resource Use Between Offshore Wind Farms And Fisheries In Scottish Waters, Yang Qu, J. Kim Swales, Tara Hooper, Melanie C. Austen, Xinhao Wang, Eleni Papathanasopoulou, Junling Huang, Xiaoyu Yan

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

The rapid expansion of offshore wind farms (OWFs) has prompted growing concerns about the extent to which competition over the marine resource causes trade-offs within the energy-food nexus. Reflecting this concern, the paper develops a novel marine resource allocation module which augments a computable general equilibrium (CGE) model, calibrated on Scottish data. This allows simulations with varying degrees of differential productivity of the marine resource across alternative uses. Simulation results with the model show that increasing OWFs can impose substantial negative impacts on seafood supply. Extensive analysis is undertaken to test the sensitivity of the model results to changes in …

Challenges Of Evidence-Informed Offshore Decommissioning: An Environmental Perspective, Anaëlle J. Lemasson, Paul J. Somerfield, Michaela Schratzberger, Antony M. Knights

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Many offshore artificial structures are at or nearing their ends of life, and society faces the considerable challenge that is decommissioning. Current scientific evidence of the ecological and environmental consequences of decommissioning is insufficient to reliably and accurately inform decision-making and policy development. Thus, we must strengthen the scientific basis for evidence-informed decommissioning.

Victrices Scientiarum Of 1904: Who Were The First Women Elected As Fellows Of The Linnean Society Of London?, R Boden

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Published within The Linnean Special Issue No. 10 "‘The Door Was Opened’ Pioneering Women at the Linnean Society of London and Their Continuing Legacy" Compiled and edited by Gina Douglas Hon FLS and Leonie Berwick

Nature-Based Education: Expanding The Walls Of The Classroom, Halle Louise Kilburg

Honors Program Theses

Are the current practices of education one that best benefits a student? Every day, millions of children go to school. While there is a wide variety of what this experience may look like, there are common factors, such as sterile classroom environments, canned experiences, and dry lectures that often contribute to leaving students feeling burnt out, exhausted, and unmotivated. The purpose of this study was to explore how various schools use Nature-Based education to run their programs and the impact of this approach on students and teachers. For this study, four educators from three various programs were interviewed and asked …

Design, Evolution, And Evaluation Of A General Chemistry-Bridging Course, Scott A. Reid

Chemistry Faculty Research and Publications

General chemistry I/II courses are important gateway courses for a variety of STEM majors, as poor performance in these courses is often associated with lower rates of student success and retention. Much research has explored preparatory or remedial strategies to improve student outcomes. In this article, we report a different approach, which involved the development of a bridging or intervention course designed to capture students who are not or have not succeeded in general chemistry I and prepare them to retake the course in the following semester or summer. The course was initially developed as an eight-week module in the …

Measuring How Kinetochore-Microtubule Detachment Contributes To Chromosome Movement And The Correction Of Attachment Errors, Melissa K. Parks

Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations

The goal of mitosis is to achieve faithful chromosome segregation; ensuring that the daughter cells inherit equal numbers of chromosomes. This is vital to cell health and viability and if mis-regulated can result in birth defects and disease such as cancer. There are many intricately regulated processes that occur throughout mitosis to achieve proper chromosome segregation, and one such example is the dynamic attachments formed between cytoskeletal structures, known as microtubules, and chromosomes, the carriers of genetic material. These attachments occur at structures called kinetochores, and the microtubules attached here are referred to as kinetochore-microtubules (k-MTs). These k-MTs are inherently …