Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Exploring The Cause Of Injury Or Death In Grain Entrapment, Engulfment And Extrication, Salah F. Issa

Open Access Dissertations

Grain entrapments and engulfments are one of most common hazards associated with grain storage facilities. Since the 1970’s over 1,880 incidents have been documented in agricultural confined spaces of which 65% of all recorded incidents were grain entrapments and engulfments. There have been several studies conducted on the contributing factors behind these incidents; however, there have been very few attempts to understand the environmental, physiological or psychological factors the victims experience while entrapped, engulfed, or extricated. This includes understanding how secondary injuries are caused by grain or during extrication by first responders. The research effort was divided into three segments. …

Structuring A Risk-Based Bioassay Program For Uranium Usage In University Laboratories, Johnne' Talia Dawson

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Bioassay programs are integral in a radiation safety program. They are used as a method of determining whether individuals working with radioactive material have been exposed and have received a resulting dose. For radionuclides that are not found in nature, determining an exposure is straightforward. However, for a naturally occurring radionuclide like uranium, it is not as straightforward to determine whether a dose is the result of an occupational exposure. The purpose of this project is to address this issue within the University of Nevada, Las Vegas’s (UNLV) bioassay program. This project consisted of two components that studied the effectiveness …

Use Of A Modified Greenscreen Tool To Conduct A Screening-Level Comparative Hazard Assessment Of Conventional Silver And Two Forms Of Nanosilver., Jennifer Sass, Lauren Heine, Nina Hwang

Environmental and Occupational Health Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Increased concern for potential health and environmental impacts of chemicals, including nanomaterials, in consumer products is driving demand for greater transparency regarding potential risks. Chemical hazard assessment is a powerful tool to inform product design, development and procurement and has been integrated into alternative assessment frameworks. The extent to which assessment methods originally designed for conventionally-sized materials can be used for nanomaterials, which have size-dependent physical and chemical properties, have not been well established. We contracted with a certified GreenScreen profiler to conduct three GreenScreen hazard assessments, for conventional silver and two forms of nanosilver. The contractor summarized publicly …

Use Of A Modified Greenscreen Tool To Conduct A Screening-Level Comparative Hazard Assessment Of Conventional Silver And Two Forms Of Nanosilver., Jennifer Sass, Lauren Heine, Nina Hwang

Environmental and Occupational Health Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Increased concern for potential health and environmental impacts of chemicals, including nanomaterials, in consumer products is driving demand for greater transparency regarding potential risks. Chemical hazard assessment is a powerful tool to inform product design, development and procurement and has been integrated into alternative assessment frameworks. The extent to which assessment methods originally designed for conventionally-sized materials can be used for nanomaterials, which have size-dependent physical and chemical properties, have not been well established. We contracted with a certified GreenScreen profiler to conduct three GreenScreen hazard assessments, for conventional silver and two forms of nanosilver. The contractor summarized publicly …

Concluding Commentary: Children In All Cancer Prevention Policy Decisions., Cynthia F Bearer, Lynn Goldman

Environmental and Occupational Health Faculty Publications

This interesting series of articles on Opportunities for Cancer Prevention During Early Life brings many ideas for the primary prevention of cancer in childhood, or in adults due to early life events. The economic burden not only of cancer mortality but also of lifelong morbidity among cancer survivors, as shown by Guy et al,1 raises the importance of this critical public health issue. The topics of these articles were developed during online seminars with the pioneers in this area, some of whom authored the articles. They reflect the determinants of health diagrammed so eloquently in Healthy People 2020.2 …

Chemokine Levels In The Penile Coronal Sulcus Correlate With Hiv-1 Acquisition And Are Reduced By Male Circumcision In Rakai, Uganda., Jessica L Prodger, Ronald H Gray, Brett Shannon, Kamnoosh Shahabi, Xiangrong Kong, Kate Grabowski, Godfrey Kigozi, Fred Nalugoda, David Serwadda, Maria J Wawer, Steven J Reynolds, Cindy M. Liu, Aaron A R Tobian, Rupert Kaul

Environmental and Occupational Health Faculty Publications

Individual susceptibility to HIV is heterogeneous, but the biological mechanisms explaining differences are incompletely understood. We hypothesized that penile inflammation may increase HIV susceptibility in men by recruiting permissive CD4 T cells, and that male circumcision may decrease HIV susceptibility in part by reducing genital inflammation. We used multi-array technology to measure levels of seven cytokines in coronal sulcus (penile) swabs collected longitudinally from initially uncircumcised men enrolled in a randomized trial of circumcision in Rakai, Uganda. Coronal sulcus cytokine levels were compared between men who acquired HIV and controls who remained seronegative. Cytokines were also compared within men before …

Electronic Cigarettes In The Indoor Environment, Cheri Marcham

Publications

"E-cigarettes should be considered a source of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and particulates in the indoor environment that have not been thoroughly characterized or evaluated for safety."--NIOSH

Profiling Work Health And Safety Incidents And Injuries In Australian Army Personnel: An Investigation Of Injuries And Other Incidents Suffered By Army Reserve Personnel, Rob Marc Orr, Rodney Pope, Ben Schram, Dylan Macdonald, Wayne Hing

Ben Schram

The Army reserve soldier is an integral part of overall Army capability and functioning. Although only becoming full-time when participating in training exercises or when called on for operations, these personnel are generally expected to perform at a level commensurate with full-time soldiers of the same rank and trade. Due to their transitions between civilian and military employments, they are typically exposed to less chronic military physical conditioning than their full-time counterparts. This reduced chronic conditioning, but requirement to perform the same tasks at the same level as full-time soldiers, may leave the reserve soldier at a higher risk of …

Profiling Work Health And Safety Incidents And Injuries In Australian Army Personnel: An Investigation Of Injuries And Other Incidents Suffered By Army Reserve Personnel, Rob Marc Orr, Rodney Pope, Ben Schram, Dylan Macdonald, Wayne Hing

Wayne Hing

The Army reserve soldier is an integral part of overall Army capability and functioning. Although only becoming full-time when participating in training exercises or when called on for operations, these personnel are generally expected to perform at a level commensurate with full-time soldiers of the same rank and trade. Due to their transitions between civilian and military employments, they are typically exposed to less chronic military physical conditioning than their full-time counterparts. This reduced chronic conditioning, but requirement to perform the same tasks at the same level as full-time soldiers, may leave the reserve soldier at a higher risk of …

Aneuploidy: A Common And Early Evidence-Based Biomarker For Carcinogens And Reproductive Toxicants., Daniele Mandrioli, Fiorella Belpoggi, Ellen K Silbergeld, Melissa J. Perry

Environmental and Occupational Health Faculty Publications

Aneuploidy, defined as structural and numerical aberrations of chromosomes, continues to draw attention as an informative effect biomarker for carcinogens and male reproductive toxicants. It has been well documented that aneuploidy is a hallmark of cancer. Aneuploidies in oocytes and spermatozoa contribute to infertility, pregnancy loss and a number of congenital abnormalities, and sperm aneuploidy is associated with testicular cancer. It is striking that several carcinogens induce aneuploidy in somatic cells, and also adversely affect the chromosome compliment of germ cells. In this paper we review 1) the contributions of aneuploidy to cancer, infertility, and developmental abnormalities; 2) techniques for …

Hazcom 2012, Cheri Marcham

Publications

This presentation reviews changes to the OSHA Standard called HazCom 2012. Old and new definitions for "health hazards" are discussed as well as labeling requirements.

Consumer Product Chemicals In Indoor Dust: A Quantitative Meta-Analysis Of U.S. Studies, Susanna D. Mitro, Robin Dodson, Veena Singla, Gary Adamkiewicz, Angelo F. Elmi, Monica Tilly, Ami R. Zota

Environmental and Occupational Health Faculty Publications

Indoor dust is a reservoir for commercial consumer product chemicals, including many compounds with known or suspected health effects. However, most dust exposure studies measure few chemicals in small samples. We systematically searched the U.S. indoor dust literature on phthalates, replacement flame retardants (RFRs), perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), synthetic fragrances, and environmental phenols and estimated pooled geometric means (GMs) and 95% confidence intervals for 45 chemicals measured in ≥3 data sets. In order to rank and contextualize these results, we used the pooled GMs to calculate residential intake from dust ingestion, inhalation, and dermal uptake from air, and then identified hazard …

Public Health Stops At The School House Door., Jerome A. Paulson, Claire L Barnett

Environmental and Occupational Health Faculty Publications

In the United States, all children of appropriate age are required to attend school, and many parents send their children to child care. Many school and day care buildings have been found to have environmental health problems that impact children’s health and diminish their ability to learn. No federal agency has the capacity or authority to identify, track, or remediate these problems. A recent meeting, coordinated by Healthy Schools Network, Inc., has developed a set of recommendations to begin to deal with the issue of environmental health problems in schools.

School Siting Near Industrial Chemical Facilities: Findings From The U.S. Chemical Safety Board's Investigation Of The West Fertilizer Explosion., Veronica A Tinney, Jerad M Denton, Lucy Sciallo-Tyler, Jerome A. Paulson

Environmental and Occupational Health Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) investigated the April 17, 2013 explosion at the West Fertilizer Company (WFC) that resulted in 15 fatalities, more than 260 injuries and damage to more than 150 buildings. Among these structures were four nearby school buildings cumulatively housing children in grades K-12, a nursing care facility and an apartment complex. The incident occurred during the evening when school was not in session, which reduced the number of injuries.

OBJECTIVES: The goal of this paper is to illustrate the consequences of siting schools near facilities that store or use hazardous chemicals, …

Ergonomics And The Potential For Sharps Injury Reduction: Developing A Strategy To Assess Mobile Dentistry In Rural Alaska, Gregory P. Calvert

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

This report describes the development of an ergonomic assessment strategy for a Rural Alaska mobile dental team (n=3). An examination of available peer reviewed literature was conducted to identify known physical risk factors associated with musculoskeletal disorders and the practice of dentistry. The report also explored the association between ergonomics, work-related musculoskeletal disorders, and a reduction in dental sharps injury.

The known physical risk factors associated with work-related musculoskeletal disorders, sharps injury prevalence data, and results from Nordic Questionnaires were collected as baseline data. A sharps injury report from January through October of 2016 was obtained from the Bristol Bay …

Differentiating Between Low Level Activities In Sedentary Occupations Utilizing Fitbits, Trace A. Forkan

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

Objective: Fitbits are popular devices used to track personal activity throughout the day. The potential usage of these devices in tracking sedentary activities in research studies rely on the validity and accuracy of the devices. The objectives of this study are to investigate if changes in daily activity is associated with changes in duration of standing time using a sit-to-stand workstation. Also to establish if an accelerometer may be used to detect differences between sitting and standing sedentary positions.

Methods: Sixteen participants wore Fitbit accelerometers throughout the workday and were emailed surveys on a weekly basis to report their …

The Effects Of Job Characteristics On Home Care Workers’ Well-Being And Job Performance: Understanding The Psychosocial Effects Of Relational Care, Emily C. Franzosa

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Home care workers are the lowest-paid and most precarious segment of the health care industry. Although these workers provide critical, non-medical support that allows elderly and disabled individuals to remain in their homes, the workforce is highly unstable, due to low wages, a lack of supportive benefits like health coverage, paid leave and retirement support, poor working conditions and a physically and emotionally demanding workload. But a lack of consensus around the nature and value of home care has made “quality”, in terms of both jobs and care provision, difficult to define, measure or improve. While home care is a …

Training For Tactical Operations In Tropical Environments: Challenges, Risks, & Strategies For Risk Management, Rodney Pope, Rob Orr, Anthony Walker, Shane D. Irving, Ralph P. Jones, Richard J. Gorey, Scott D. Gayton, Joseph Knapik

Rob Marc Orr

Tactical operators, encompassing military, law enforcement, fire and other emergency personnel, can be found in all climatic zones. These tactical operators may be deployed at short notice to tropical environments, often with limited time to acclimatise if based in more temperate zones. They are then expected to undertake arduous tactical tasks, often repeatedly and for extended periods in the tropical area. These demands combine with harsh environments, personal protective equipment (PPE), tactical loads, threats to life, and responsibility for the safety and survival of others to place immense physical and mental stresses on tactical operators. Managing the resulting risks is …

Chores At Times Of Fatal Or Serious Injuries Associated With Tractor Overturns With And Without Rollover Protection, Henry P. Cole, Melvin L. Myers, Susan C. Westneat

Southeast Center for Agricultural Health and Injury Prevention Faculty Publications

This study describes chores when farmers were either fatally or seriously injured and required emergency medical treatment as a result of overturns of tractors with or without rollover protective structures (ROPS). Data from the 2002 Kentucky Farm Tractor Overturn Survey were used for this study. The data were collected by a telephone survey of a population-based random sample of 6063 (7.98%) of Kentucky’s 76,017 farm operators as listed in the Kentucky Agricultural Statistics Service database. Of farm operators interviewed, 551 (9.1%) reported 603 overturns and 5512 (90.9%) reported no overturns in the history of their farm, covering a period from …

Exploring Determinants Of Handwashing With Soap In Indonesia: A Quantitative Analysis, Mitsuaki Hirai, Jay P. Graham, Kay Mattson, Andrea Kelsey, Supriya Mukherji, Aidan Cronin

Environmental and Occupational Health Faculty Publications

Handwashing with soap is recognized as a cost-effective intervention to reduce morbidity and mortality associated with enteric and respiratory infections. This study analyzes rural Indonesian households’ hygiene behaviors and attitudes to examine how motivations for handwashing, locations of handwashing space in the household, and handwashing moments are associated with handwashing with soap as potential determinants of the behavior. The analysis was conducted using results from a UNICEF cross-sectional study of 1700 households in six districts across three provinces of Indonesia. A composite measure of handwashing with soap was developed that included self-reported handwashing, a handwashing demonstration, and observed handwashing materials …

Perceived Ethnic Discrimination And Depressive Symptoms Among Biethnic Adolescents In South Korea., Gum Ryeong Park, Son Inseo, Seung-Sup Kim

Environmental and Occupational Health Faculty Publications

Objectives

Methods

Results

Surveillance Of Non-Fatal Agricultural Injuries Among Farm Operators In The Central States Region Of The United States, Ketki Patel

Theses & Dissertations

Agriculture is a major industry in the U.S. with high rates of fatal and non-fatal occupational injuries. The dynamic nature of the U.S. agriculture industry, regional variations in farming practices, and the diverse workforce make surveillance of injuries challenging. A recent National Academies (U.S.) evaluation reported that data for non-fatal agricultural injury are scarce, and mainly available through national surveys. Limited data are available for employees in the agriculture sector, especially farm owners and operators. The objectives of this study were to- 1) review and evaluate existing survey-based systems for surveillance of non-fatal agricultural injuries on U.S. farms, and 2) …

A Functional Movement Screen Profile Of An Australian State Police Force: A Retrospective Cohort Study, Robin Marc Orr, Rodney Pope, Michael Stierli, Ben Hinton

Rodney P Pope

Background Police officers are required to perform dynamic movements in unpredictable environments, the results of which can lead to injury. Early identification of poor movement patterns of a police population, and potential sub groups within this population, may provide opportunities to treat and minimise injury risks. The aim of this study was to profile the functional movement capabilities of an Australian state police force and potential sub groups through a retrospective cohort study. Methods Retrospective data from an Australian State Police Force were provided for analysis (♂ n = 1155, mean (±SD) age = 31.34 ± 8.41 years: ♀ n …

A Comparison Of Fitness Scores Between Injured And Uninjured Police Cadets., J. Jay Dawes, Robin Orr, Rodney Pope, Craig Elder

Rodney P Pope

Purpose: The purpose of this investigation was to determine whether there were significant mean score differences on selected fitness tests between cadets who sustained an injury while attending a 27-week state patrol training academy and their uninjured counterparts. Methods: Archival data for eighty-one cadets from two 27-week state patrol training cohorts were utilized for this analysis. This data was collected as part of the agency’s normal training academy fitness assessment prior to commencement of training. The data included self-reported age (yrs); height (in) and weight (lbs); and push-up, sit-up, vertical jump and 20 meter multi-stage fitness test (20m-MSFT) scores. Injury …

A Comparison Of Fitness Scores Between Injured And Uninjured Police Cadets., J. Jay Dawes, Robin Orr, Rodney Pope, Craig Elder

Rob Marc Orr

Purpose: The purpose of this investigation was to determine whether there were significant mean score differences on selected fitness tests between cadets who sustained an injury while attending a 27-week state patrol training academy and their uninjured counterparts. Methods: Archival data for eighty-one cadets from two 27-week state patrol training cohorts were utilized for this analysis. This data was collected as part of the agency’s normal training academy fitness assessment prior to commencement of training. The data included self-reported age (yrs); height (in) and weight (lbs); and push-up, sit-up, vertical jump and 20 meter multi-stage fitness test (20m-MSFT) scores. Injury …

A Functional Movement Screen Profile Of An Australian State Police Force: A Retrospective Cohort Study, Robin Marc Orr, Rodney Pope, Michael Stierli, Ben Hinton

Rob Marc Orr

Background Police officers are required to perform dynamic movements in unpredictable environments, the results of which can lead to injury. Early identification of poor movement patterns of a police population, and potential sub groups within this population, may provide opportunities to treat and minimise injury risks. The aim of this study was to profile the functional movement capabilities of an Australian state police force and potential sub groups through a retrospective cohort study. Methods Retrospective data from an Australian State Police Force were provided for analysis (♂ n = 1155, mean (±SD) age = 31.34 ± 8.41 years: ♀ n …

Differences In The Carcinogenic Evaluation Of Glyphosate Between The International Agency For Research On Cancer (Iarc) And The European Food Safety Authority (Efsa)., C. J. Portier, B. Armstrong, B. Baguley, X. Baur, I. Belyaev, Melissa J. Perry, +Several Additional Authors

Environmental and Occupational Health Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Available Interventions For Prevention Of Cotton Dust-Associated Lung Diseases Among Textile Workers, Asaad Ahmed Nafees, Zafar Fatmi

Community Health Sciences

The authors reviewed literature on interventions for cotton dust-associated lung diseases among textile workers. Internet sources (PubMed, Cochrane Library, Google and Google Scholar) were accessed and interventions were categorized into: Engineering or administrative controls, or personal protective equipment (PPE). Ten relevant articles were shortlisted, five related to engineering controls (pre-processing, bactericidal treatment of cotton, improved workplace design, machinery and dust control measures). Administrative controls may involve setting standards, environmental surveillance, periodic medical examinations, and workers training. Although specific guidelines are available regarding the use of PPEs, but there was little literature on their effectiveness. It was concluded that there is …

Detection Of Zoonotic Enteropathogens In Children And Domestic Animals In A Semirural Community In Ecuador., Karla Vasco, Jay P Graham, Gabriel Trueba

Environmental and Occupational Health Faculty Publications

UNLABELLED: Animals are important reservoirs of zoonotic enteropathogens, and transmission to humans occurs more frequently in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where small-scale livestock production is common. In this study, we investigated the presence of zoonotic enteropathogens in stool samples from 64 asymptomatic children and 203 domestic animals of 62 households in a semirural community in Ecuador between June and August 2014. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) was used to assess zoonotic transmission of Campylobacter jejuni and atypical enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (aEPEC), which were the most prevalent bacterial pathogens in children and domestic animals (30.7% and 10.5%, respectively). Four sequence types …

Effects Of Neonicotinoid Pesticide Exposure On Human Health: A Systematic Review., Andria M Cimino, Abee L Boyles, Kristina A Thayer, Melissa J. Perry

Environmental and Occupational Health Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Numerous studies have identified detectable levels of neonicotinoids (neonics) in the environment, adverse effects of neonics in many species including mammals, and pathways through which human exposure to neonics could occur, yet little is known about the human health effects of neonic exposure.

OBJECTIVE: This systematic review sought to identify human population studies on the health effects of neonics.

METHODS: Studies published in English between 2005 and 2015 were searched using PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases. No restrictions were placed on the type of health outcome assessed. Risk of bias was assessed using guidance developed by the …