Environmental Public Health Commons^™

Why Your Clothes Could Be Killing You: The Detection Of Bpa In Clothing Using Fluorescence Spectrophotometry, Bella Bevel

Scholars Day Conference

Bisphenol-A, better known as BPA, is a carcinogenic compound found in many plastic-containing products due to its ability to add rigidity and strength to the plastic. However, BPA has been found in a wide variety of products not traditionally thought of as “plastic” including feminine hygiene products, printer receipts, and even clothing. Clothing containing a polyester/spandex blend, common in athletic wear, contains BPA, whereas traditional cotton clothing does not. Using flourospectroscopy, the presence of BPA in these types of clothing was confirmed, as well as measured over time. Strips of clothing containing polyester and spandex blends were submerged in a …

Reducing Food Scarcity: The Benefits Of Urban Farming, S.A. Claudell, Emilio Mejia

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

Urban farming can enhance the lives of communities and help reduce food scarcity. This paper presents a conceptual prototype of an efficient urban farming community that can be scaled for a single apartment building or an entire community across all global geoeconomics regions, including densely populated cities and rural, developing towns and communities. When deployed in coordination with smart crop choices, local farm support, and efficient transportation then the result isn’t just sustainability, but also increasing fresh produce accessibility, optimizing nutritional value, eliminating the use of ‘forever chemicals’, reducing transportation costs, and fostering global environmental benefits.

Imagine Doris, who is …

Environmental Exposures And Aging., Daniel Chris Gomes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In recent years, research into air pollution has shown that exposure to certain components in air pollution, primarily PM2.5 can accelerate biological aging and thereby lead to increased susceptibility to multiple diseases. We hypothesize that prolonged exposure to air pollutants can result in premature aging leading to extensive tissue dysfunction and susceptibility to diseases. To examine this, we exposed mice to PM2.5 for 9, 15, and 21 days, then measured the telomere lengths, cellular senescence, and histone methylation patterns of multiple cell types. We found consistently increased telomere attrition, cellular senescence and advanced age-consistent histone methylation patterns in groups exposed …

Bisphenol-A And Phthalate Metabolism In Children With Neurodevelopmental Disorders, T Peter Stein, Margaret D Schluter, Robert A Steer, Xue Ming

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Faculty Scholarship

BACKGROUND: The etiology of autism spectrum (ASD) and Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity (ADHD) disorders are multifactorial. Epidemiological studies have shown associations with environmental pollutants, such as plasticizers. This study focused on two of these compounds, the Bisphenol-A (BPA) and Diethylhexyl Phthalate (DEHP). The major pathway for BPA and DEHP excretion is via glucuronidation. Glucuronidation makes insoluble substances more water-soluble allowing for their subsequent elimination in urine.

HYPOTHESIS: Detoxification of these two plasticizers is compromised in children with ASD and ADHD. Consequently, their tissues are more exposed to these two plasticizers.

METHODS: We measured the efficiency of glucuronidation in three groups of children, …

An Aerobic Exercise Intervention To Improve Metabolic Health Among People Living With Hiv With At-Risk Alcohol Use: The Alive-Ex Research Study Protocol, Liz Simon, Stefany D. Primeaux, Danielle E. Levitt, Brianna Bourgeois, Neil M. Johannsen, Adrianna Peters, Jameel Ahmed, Richard H. Marshall, Alexandra H. Fairchild, Tekeda F. Ferguson, Patricia E. Molina

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Background: Effective antiretroviral therapy (ART) in people living with HIV (PLWH) has improved life expectancy and increased risk of age-associated cardiometabolic comorbidities. At-risk alcohol use is more frequent among PLWH and increases the risk of health challenges. PLWH with at-risk alcohol use are more likely to meet criteria for prediabetes/diabetes and this is associated with impaired whole-body glucose-insulin dynamics. Methods: The Alcohol & Metabolic Comorbidities in PLWH: Evidence Driven Interventions Study (ALIVE-Ex Study, NCT03299205) is a longitudinal, prospective, interventional study to determine the effects of an aerobic exercise protocol on improving dysglycemia among PLWH with at-risk alcohol use. The intervention …

The Threat Of Hospital Wastewater: An Evidence-Based Call To Action, Ann P. Nguyen

DNP Qualifying Manuscripts

Introduction: Hospital wastewater carries a unique composition of pollutants, a burden that includes high chemical and biological residuals. These pollutants are discharged into sewage treatment plants and natural environments where they contaminate human water sources and larger ecosystems. Water treatment plants are not designed to treat the high loads of biomedical waste and persistent organic compounds found in hospital wastewater and therefore pollutants survive in conventionally treated water. Evidence of contaminated soil, municipal wastewater, surface water, ground water, and even drinking water have been demonstrated in studies conducted around the world highlighting the ubiquity of the problem. Hospital effluent as …

The Intersection Of Herbicide Policy, Exposure, And Health At The University Of Connecticut, Katherine Hayward

Honors Scholar Theses

Pesticides play an extremely complicated role in our everyday lives. From the water you use to make your coffee, to the breastmilk your neighbor provides for their child, to the lake your dog swims in, chemical pesticides or their byproducts have been found in nearly every corner of our lives. The chemicals used in synthetic herbicides, a subcategory of pesticides, have far reaching negative impacts on human health, biodiversity, and water quality. Despite there being numerous published studies on the relationships between pesticide exposures and health, there is still ongoing discord and controversy surrounding their role in our lives. After …

Saliva As A Diagnostic Tool To Measure Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Exposure In Dental Patients Exposed To Intimate Partner Violence (Ipv), Aramandla Ramesh, Leslie R. Halpern, Janet H. Southerland, Samuel E. Adunyah, Pandu R. Gangula

School of Dentistry Faculty Publications

Background: Social habits such as tobacco use, alcohol consumption, and chemically contaminated diet contribute to poor oral health. Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is a global public health epidemic which can exacerbate the prevalence of health conditions affecting a victim's lifespan. This study investigates using saliva as a biomarker for detecting levels of benzo(a)pyrene [B(a)P]; a toxicant present in cigarette smoke and barbecued meat in a population of IPV + female patients. Methods: A cross-sectional IRB-approved study utilized 63 female participants (37 African Americans [AA], and 26 non-African Americans [NAA]), who provided consent for the study. Participants submitted samples of saliva, …

Identification Of Novel Biosynthetic Gene Clusters Encoding For Polyketide/Nrps-Producing Chemotherapeutic Compounds From Marine-Derived Streptomyces Hygroscopicus From A Marine Sanctuary, Hannah Ruth Flaherty

Honors Theses and Capstones

Nearly one out of six deaths in 2020, around ten million people, were caused by cancer, making it a leading cause of death worldwide (WHO, 2022). This major public health issue, in addition to the rise of multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens, provides a high demand for the discovery of new pharmaceutical drugs to be used clinically to treat these conditions. The Streptomyces genus accounts to produce 39% of all microbial metabolites currently approved for human health, indicating its potential as an important species to study for antimicrobial and anticancer agents. The long linear genome of Streptomyces contains specialized sequences known as …

Analysis Of Multigenerational Behavioral Effects Of Dietary Benzo[A]Pyrene Exposure In Adult Zebrafish, Mary Beth Gillespie

Honors Theses

Benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) is a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon that is linked to negative reproductive and developmental effects in humans and animals. Because BaP is carcinogenic, and its continued presence in the environment allows it to be inhaled and ingested, better understanding of the effects of BaP is needed. To determine the behavioral effects of BaP exposure, zebrafish were used as a model. Wild-type zebrafish (5D) underwent two separate 21-day dietary exposures to 2.5 and 25 μg BaP/g fish to compare how BaP exposure affects locomotor activity. Following the dietary exposure, fish were mated to obtain and raise the F1 generation to …

Identifying The Cardiovascular Effects Of Multiple Pollutants., Katlyn Elizabeth Mcgraw

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death from environmental exposures. Although exposure to PM_2.5 is an established risk factor for CVD, the contribution of other hazardous pollutant exposure to CVD is less clear. Overall, this work aimed to examine the effect of pollutants with lesser documented effects on cardiovascular disease using a multi-pronged approach to exposure assessment. The three aims were to examine the relationship between county-level toxic chemical releases and CVD mortality in the contiguous United States between 2002 and 2012, to assess the relationship between individual-level VOC metabolites and vascular function, and to build multipollutant …

Hear Me Roar, Abigail R. Seethoff

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Hear Me Roar, a compilation of personal essays interspersed with short forms, grapples with the nuances of compliance versus autonomy in the context of the male gaze, beauty standards, and pop culture. The collection also explores what it means to treasure something—another person, an object—and how to express and deepen that affection.

Measuring The Effects Of Thc On Human Sperm Parameters Using Biomonitoring Analysis, Roxana Amaya-Fuentes, Heather Young, Courtney Irwin, Jonathan Crites, David Moody, Melissa Perry

GW Research Days 2016 - 2020

Marijuana is one of the most common substances used in the United States with more men utilizing marijuana compared to women. The effects of marijuana on the brain are well known, however, there is limited research on its effects on human sperm parameters. We examined the association between THC and human sperm parameters in participants in the Washington D.C. area. Our preliminary results suggested that THC was associated with low sperm morphology.

Background: Marijuana has a long history of human usage for medicinal, ceremonial, and religious purposes. As of January 2018, nine states including Washington D.C. have legalized it for …

The Legalization Of Medical/Recreational Marijuana: Implications For School Health Drug Education Programs, Joseph Donnelly, Michael Young

Department of Public Health Scholarship and Creative Works

BACKGROUND

More than half of US states have legalized medical marijuana. Several states have also legalized it for recreational use. In spite of states' actions, marijuana remains illegal under federal law. It remains to be seen, however, if the Trump administration will enforce federal law in states that have legalized marijuana. For now, it appears the move toward state legalization of marijuana will increase. Because of its legal status, research concerning the medical benefits of marijuana has been limited.

METHODS

We reviewed the literature pertaining to medical use and legalization of marijuana.

RESULTS

Available research shows that marijuana can benefit …

Radical Social Ecology As Deep Pragmatism: A Call To The Abolition Of Systemic Dissonance And The Minimization Of Entropic Chaos, Arielle Brender

Student Theses 2015-Present

This paper aims to shed light on the dissonance caused by the superimposition of Dominant Human Systems on Natural Systems. I highlight the synthetic nature of Dominant Human Systems as egoic and linguistic phenomenon manufactured by a mere portion of the human population, which renders them inherently oppressive unto peoples and landscapes whose wisdom were barred from the design process. In pursuing a radical pragmatic approach to mending the simultaneous oppression and destruction of the human being and the earth, I highlight the necessity of minimizing entropic chaos caused by excess energy expenditure, an essential feature of systems that aim …

Randomized Trial To Reduce Air Particle Levels In Homes Of Smokers And Children, Suzanne C. Hughes, John Belletierre, Benjamin Nguyen, Sandy Liles, Neil E. Klepeis, Penelope J.E. Quintana, Vincent Berardi, Saori Obayashi, Savannah Bradley, C. Richard Hofstetter, Melbourne F. Hovell

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Introduction

Exposure to fine particulate matter in the home from sources such as smoking, cooking, and cleaning may put residents, especially children, at risk for detrimental health effects. A randomized clinical trial was conducted from 2011 to 2016 to determine whether real-time feedback in the home plus brief coaching of parents or guardians could reduce fine particle levels in homes with smokers and children.

Design

A randomized trial with two groups—intervention and control.

Setting/participants

A total of 298 participants from predominantly low-income households with an adult smoker and a child aged <14 years. Participants were recruited during 2012–2015 from multiple sources in San Diego, mainly Women, Infants and Children Program sites.

Intervention

The multicomponent intervention consisted of continuous lights and …

Children’S Exposure To Environmental Toxins: Socioeconomic Factors And Subsequent Effects On Mental Health And Function, Dorothy L. Mcleod

Center for the Human Rights of Children

The physical environment in which children live, including the air they breathe and the water they drink, has a profound influence on their development. While children need many chemicals and nutrients to physically grow and develop normally, others, such as those deemed environmental toxins (e.g. pesticides, lead, mercury, and illicit substances) act instead as a threat to healthy development. These chemicals may have highly toxic effects, and while they are a threat to all individuals, they affect infants and children most severely. In order to provide an introduction to the issue of toxin exposure and mental health outcomes, to highlight …

Lead Content Of Lip Balms: A Cross Sectional Convenience Sample With Exposure Assessment Estimating An Average Daily Intake For Young Children, Julie Grunklee

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Lead remains one of the largest environmental toxins affecting children today (Costa, et al., 2004). It is associated with lower IQ, learning difficulties, decreased economic potential and other negative health effects and social behaviors (Kordas et al., 2006). In the United States (U.S.), high amounts of lead remain in and immediately around housing built before 1978 (Tarragó, 2015) as well as a variety of other sources, including cosmetics such as lip balms, that are marketed to the most lead-vulnerable population: young children. Lip balm was found to be the source a lead poisoned child in Minnesota (Minnesota resident, 28 years …

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 …

Surveillance, Epidemiological, And Virological Detection Of Highly Pathogenic H5n1 Avian Influenza Viruses In Duck And Poultry From Bangladesh, Wahedul Karim Ansari, Md Safiullah Parvej, Mohamed E. El Zowalaty, Sally Jackson, Stephen A. Bustin, Adel K. Ibrahim, Md Tanvir Rahman, Han Zhang, Mohammad Ferdousur Rahman Khan, Md Mostakin Ahamd, Md. Fasiur Rahman, Marzia Rahman, Khm Nazmul H. Nazir, Sultan Ahmed, Md Liakot Hossenn, Md Abdul Kafi, Mat Yamage, Nitish C. Debnath, Graba Ahmed, Hossam Ashour, Md Masoud, Ayman Noreddin, Md B. Rahman

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Avian influenza viruses (AIVs) continue to pose a global threat. Waterfowl are the main reservoir and are responsible for the spillover of AIVs to other hosts. This study was conducted as part of routine surveillance activities in Bangladesh and it reports on the serological and molecular detection of H5N1 AIV subtype. A total of 2169 cloacal and 2191 oropharyngeal swabs as well as 1725 sera samples were collected from live birds including duck and chicken in different locations in Bangladesh between the years of 2013 and 2014. Samples were tested using virus isolation, serological tests and molecular methods of RT-PCR. …

Calcium Phosphate As A Key Material For Socially Responsible Tissue Engineering, Vuk Uskoković, Victoria M. Wu

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Socially responsible technologies are designed while taking into consideration the socioeconomic, geopolitical and environmental limitations of regions in which they will be implemented. In the medical context, this involves making therapeutic platforms more accessible and affordable to patients in poor regions of the world wherein a given disease is endemic. This often necessitates going against the reigning trend of making therapeutic nanoparticles ever more structurally complex and expensive. However, studies aimed at simplifying materials and formulations while maintaining the functionality and therapeutic response of their more complex counterparts seldom provoke a significant interest in the scientific community. In this review …

Traveling With Stowaways: The Human Microbiome And Travel, Alisha N. Hughes

Global Honors Theses

The human microbiome is a research field that is fairly new and thus, not yet fully understood. However, past research has revealed that the human host and the microorganisms interact with each other. To comprehend how influential the connection between host and its stowaways is, the following text will first offer general information on the human microbiome, before moving on to a pilot case study proposal. With the use of similar case studies, this proposal aims to investigate how the human microbiome changes when the host travels and analyzes the changes and their affects on the individual’s health. The paper’s …

Exposure To Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals And Male Reproductive Health, Hueiwang Anna Jeng

Community & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) can interfere with normal hormonal balance and may exert adverse consequences on humans. The male reproductive system may be susceptible to the effects of such environmental toxicants. This review discusses the recent progress in scientific data mainly from epidemiology studies on the associations between EDCs and male reproductive health and our understanding of possible mechanisms associated with the effects of EDCs on male reproductive health. Finally, the review provides recommendations on future research to enhance our understanding of EDCs and male reproductive health. The review highlights the need for (1) well-defined longitudinal epidemiology studies, with appropriately …

Effects Of Polychlorinated Biphenyl (Pcb) On Response Perseveration And Ultrasonic Vocalization Emission In Rat During Development, Howard Cromwell

Howard Casey Cromwell

The 3 major symptoms of autistic spectrum disorders include 1) social behavioral alterations, 2) problems in communication and 3) higher-order motoric deficits of perseveration and stereotyped movements. Previous work has shown that early developmental exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) alters rat pup social motivation and juvenile rat social recognition/investigation. The present work extends this previous research by examining how perinatal PCB exposure alters motoric functions and communication abilities at different stages of development. Action perseveration was examined using performance measures from a T-maze environment. Communication abilities were evaluated by monitoring ultrasound emission in rat pups during a brief isolation from …

Local Tobacco Control: Application Of The Essential Public Health Services Model In A County Health Department’S Efforts To Put It Out Rockland, Lisa D. Lieberman, Una Diffley, Sandy King, Shelley Chanler, Maryanne Ferrera, Oscar Alleyne, Joan Facelle

Department of Public Health Scholarship and Creative Works

In 2000, Rockland County, a small suburban county north of New York City, dedicated $1 million of its Master Settlement Agreement funds to a comprehensive tobacco control program, Put It Out Rockland. Developed and implemented by the county health department, this program used an essential public health services model and an ongoing financial investment, within the context of strong statewide tobacco control efforts, to lower adult smoking rates to 9.7% and to reduce both smoking among youths and exposure to secondhand smoke over the ensuing decade. By combining state funds and local dollars for a total of $6.75 cost per …

Atrazine And Nitrate In Public Drinking Water Supplies And Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma In Nebraska, Usa, Martha G. Rhoades, Jane L. Meza, Cheryl L. Beseler, Patrick J. Shea, Andy Kahle, Julie M. Vose, Kent M. Eskridge, Roy F. Spalding

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

A secondary analysis of 1999–2002 Nebraska case-control data was conducted to assess the risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) associated with exposure to nitrate- and atrazine-contaminated drinking water. Water chemistry data were collected and weighted by well contribution and proximity of residence to water supply, followed by logistic regression to determine odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). We found no association between NHL risk and exposure to drinking water containing atrazine or nitrate alone. Risk associated with the interaction of nitrate and atrazine in drinking water was elevated (OR, 2.5; CI, 1.0–6.2). Risk of indolent B-cell lymphoma was higher …

Under The Gun: Ongoing Assaults On Bahrain’S Health System, Richard Sollom, Holly G. Atkinson

Publications and Research

In February 2011, the Government of Bahrain began targeting health professionals who treated protesters. In April 2012, PHR's Richard Sollom, Deputy Director, and Holly Atkinson, MD, FACP, past President of PHR's Board and volunteer expert, authored a report showing the devastation on Bahrain's health system that have resulted from the Government of Bahrain’s continued assault on doctors, patients, and the healthcare system.

Arsenic Contamination In Groundwater In Vietnam: An Overview And Analysis Of The Historical, Cultural, Economic, And Political Parameters In The Success Of Various Mitigation Options, Thuy M. Ly

Pomona Senior Theses

Although arsenic is naturally present in the environment, 99% of human exposure to arsenic is through ingestion. Throughout history, arsenic is known as “the king of poisons”; it is mutagenic, carcinogenic, and teratogenic. Even in smaller concentrations, it accumulates in the body and takes decades before any physical symptoms of arsenic poisoning shows. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the safe concentration of arsenic in drinking water is 10 µg/L. However, this limit is often times ignored until it is decades too late and people begin showing symptoms of having been poisoned.

This is the current situation for Vietnam, …

Second-Hand Smoke In A University Campus: Attitudes And Perceptions Of Faculty, Staff And Students, Cecilia M. Watkins, Sandeep Mishra, Herpreet Kaur Thind, Srinivasa B. Gokarakonda, Grace Lartey, Monia Chahal

Public Health Faculty Publications

Purpose: To examine the attitudes and perceptions of faculty, staff and students concerning tobacco policies at a university campus in a tobacco producing state. Methods: A questionnaire was administered to faculty, staff and students to assess knowledge, attitudes and beliefs related to smoking and exposure to second-hand smoke on campus. A 3-wave e-mailing was used to send the questionnaire. Results: A total of 2,914 individuals responded to the questionnaire. Majority (60%) of the participants believed a smoke free policy would be a positive move and could possibly improve the quality of life for the campus community, while not negatively affecting …

Peer-Led, School-Based Nutrition Education For Young Adolescents: Feasibility And Process Evaluation Of The Teens Study, Mary Story, Leslie A. Lytle, Amanda Birnbaum, Cheryl L. Perry

Department of Public Health Scholarship and Creative Works

Peer education has become a popular strategy for health promotion interventions with adolescents, but it has not been used widely in school‐based nutrition education. This paper describes and reports on the feasibility of the peer leader component of school‐based nutrition intervention for young adolescents designed to increase fruit and vegetable intakes and lower-fat foods. About 1,000 seventh‐grade students in eight schools received the nutrition intervention. Of these, 272 were trained as peer leaders to assist the teacher in implementing the activities. Results from a multicomponent process evaluation based on peer leader and classroom student feedback, direct classroom observation, and teacher …