Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Rhode Island, 2005. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 120-130).

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In the past, water treatment plants have stopped the application of pre-filter oxidants to create a bioactive filtration process to remove soluble Mn. After the cessation of pre-filter oxidants, a Mn desorption phenomenon was seen where effluent Mn exceeds influent Mn concentrations. The reason for the sudden increase in effluent Mn was not known, but it was hypothesized that Mn-reducing bacteria on the filter media play a substantial role in this phenomenon. The primary goal of this research was to assess the role of Mn-reducing microorganisms in the desorption of MnOx(s) from coated filters once pre-filtration chlorine ceased. A secondary objective included the development of a molecular detection method for Mn-reducing microorganisms in laboratory and environmental samples. Bench-scale filter column studies were completed to investigate the impacts of Mn-reducing microbial populations on desorption of Mn from MnOx(s) coatings. Secondarily, the effects of influent carbon loading and MnOx(s) age on Mn desorption were investigated. In situ vial assays were created to gain insight into the impacts of MnOx(s) age on Mn reducing microorganism bioavailability. Lastly, a qPCR detection method was developed that targeted the mtrB gene. Results determined that microbially mediated Mn desorption was possible when sufficient numbers of Mn-reducing microorganisms were present on the MnOx(s) surface and that those organisms contributed to the Mn desorption phenomenon. qPCR detection methods were able to show a greater number of Mn-reducing microorganisms in studies where Mn desorption was observed. Lastly, MnOx(s) age was shown to play an important, but unexplained, role in bioavailability. / Master of Science

Furthering our understanding of children's memory mechanisms will expand our knowledge of ways to reduce false memory errors. Hege and Dodson (2004) found that adult participants who studied pictures later recalled items more accurately than participants who studied words. This demonstrated that encoding information in a distinctive manner can reduce false memories. The main aim of the present study was to explore whether using distinctive information within the Deese-Roediger-McDermott paradigm can reduce false memories in children (Deese, 1959; Roediger & McDermott, 1995). Two hundred and forty-three eleven year-old children (mean age 11.5) studied pictures and words on a screen, each with an accompanying aural label. In contrast to the findings of Hege and Dodson, studying pictures did not reduce false memories in these participants. There were no significant encoding differences between children who studied pictures and children who studied words, as measured by the rate of falsely recalled non-presented critical lure words. Moreover, the children's average rate of recall of the false memories was very low (19.6%). This is just over half the rate reported by Hege and Dodson with adult subjects. On the other hand, manipulation of the test instructions at retrieval had a significant effect on the rate of recall of critical lures. Each group of participants received different retrieval instructions. As expected, the highest numbers of recalled critical lures occurred when subjects were asked to report studied items as well as related items (inclusion recall instructions). This study demonstrated the complex role of encoding and retrieval mechanisms in older children's memory processes, and showed that children do not appear to reduce false memories in a manner that is consistent with adults. The results are discussed in terms of children's processing of pictures and words, eleven-year-olds' semantic development, and links to fuzzy-trace theory.

The purpose of the present study is to compare a "traditional" behavioral therapy approach (based on selfcontrol techniques) with a previously unresearched "contextual therapy" for the treatment of overweight. The remainder of this chapter is devoted to a discussion of a variety of relevant behavioral techniques, an evaluation of them, and a discussion of a contextual model for the treatment of overweight.

Over the past century, resuscitation of victims of hemorrhage with crystalloid or colloid solutions has proven time and again to enhance survival. Recent animal studies have shown even further improvement if drag reducing polymers (DRPs) were added in nanomolar concentrations to these resuscitation fluids. Nevertheless, our fundamental understanding of how the microcirculation responds to hemorrhage is incomplete, as well as how properties of resuscitation fluids may modulate microvascular blood flow and tissue oxygen delivery. In the present study, we examined the systemic and microcirculatory responses to hemorrhage, as they relate to hemodynamics and oxygenation, and how resuscitation fluids modify these responses. Fourteen anesthetized, male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to a volume hemorrhage that reduced their blood volume by 30%. After 30 minutes of hemorrhagic hypotension, the animals were resuscitated either with a conventional colloid solution of Hespan (6% hetastarch), or Hespan plus 10 parts per million of the drag reducing polymer polyethylene oxide. A volume of either fluid equal to the shed blood volume was infused over a period of one hour. All the animals were observed for two hours following the initiation of fluid resuscitation or until they expired, with measurements made at 30-minute intervals during this time. Unlike previous studies, this study found no significant improvement in blood flow and tissue oxygenation, and no significant difference between the Control and DRP groups.