Pharmacology, Toxicology and Environmental Health Commons^™

Understanding The Connection Between Water, Fish, And Pfas Concentrations: Implications Of Fish Diet And Species-Specific Variability, Ece Yeldan

Honors College

Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly known as PFAS or “forever chemicals,” have emerged as a significant concern for both human health and the environment. These persistent compounds permeate various aspects of commerce, leading to widespread exposure and the cycling of these compounds through environmental feedback routes. Among the sources of exposure to humans, fish consumption stands out prominently. Recreational and sustenance fishing, cherished by Maine residents and indigenous communities alike, underscores the need to comprehend PFAS dynamics in fish and water. To explore the variability of PFAS accumulation in fish, water, and sediment, I conducted a comprehensive literature review. The …

Seasonal Affective Disorder Treatment: Light Therapy Versus Ssri Therapy, Gabriella M. Hinde, Hannah Dyer, Ash Werner, Michaela Cisowski

Non-Thesis Student Work

To determine the effect of pharmacological and nonpharmacological treatments for seasonal depression in college students, we asked the following evidence-based PICO question: In college students (ages 18-25) with seasonal affective disorder (SAD), how does SSRI (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor) therapy compared to light therapy affect seasonal depression syndrome? Seasonal affective disorder is synonymously used with the terminology seasonal depression due to the clinical manifestations that encompass depression, such as low energy, feelings of sadness, emptiness, or hopelessness. SAD begins in the fall months and peaks in the winter months due to a decrease in Vitamin D and ultraviolet (UV) ray …

The Impacts Of Embryonic Arsenic Exposure Of Fundulus Heteroclitus, Torey Bowser

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Arsenic is a toxic metalloid that exceeds safe drinking water standards in groundwater in many locations worldwide. Arsenic exposure in fish has been linked to destruction of gill tissues, impairment of growth, decreased muscle mass, memory impairment, increased aggression, and avoidance behaviors. We examined the behavior of mummichogs (Fundulus heteroclitus) following arsenic exposure during development in two studies. Embryos were collected from fish from three reference sites: Scorton Creek (SC), Massachusetts, Wells Harbor (WE), Maine, and Block Island (BLOC), Rhode Island and two contaminated sites: Callahan Mine (CM), Brooksville, Maine, and New Bedford Harbor (NBH), Massachusetts. Embryos were …

The Impact Of Natural Rubber As A Toughening Agent On The Strength, Degradability, And Toxicity Of An Algae-Based Bioplastic, Megan Driscoll

Honors College

With the growing attention on widespread plastic usage and its impact on the environment and human health, the need for sustainable alternatives to petroleum-based plastics is more important than ever. One of the most promising solutions is bioplastics; however, current bioplastics struggle to compete with the material properties of petroleum- based plastics. Agar is a sustainable algae-derived hydrocolloid polysaccharide that can be used for bioplastics and biofilms. Despite promising characteristics, bioplastics made from agar are brittle. Common additives, such as the plasticizer glycerol, offset brittleness but sacrifice strength in return. This study looks at the impact of natural rubber as …

Triclosan Disrupts Immune Cell Function By Depressing Ca2+ Influx Via Acidification Of The Cytoplasm, Suraj Sangroula

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Triclosan (TCS) is an antimicrobial agent that was effectively banned by the FDA from hand soaps in 2016, hospital soaps in 2017, and hand sanitizers in 2019; however, TCS can still be found in a few products. At consumer-relevant, non-cytotoxic doses, TCS inhibits the functions of both mitochondria and mast cells, a ubiquitous cell type. Via the store-operated Ca²⁺ entry mechanism utilized by many immune cells, mast cells undergo antigen-stimulated Ca²⁺ influx into the cytosol, for proper function. Previous work showed that TCS inhibits Ca²⁺ dynamics in mast cells, and here we show that TCS also inhibits …

Does Circularizing Source-Separated Food Waste Present A Risk To Our Food?, Astha Thakali

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

About a third of the food produced annually is wasted. Food waste recycling can be a way to close the loop and attain a more sustainable food system, however, the system must be carefully monitored and managed to avoid the introduction and build-up of contaminants. To study the potential presence of contaminants in food waste, source-separated food waste was collected and screened for five classes of contaminants (physical contaminants, heavy metals, halogenated organic contaminants, pathogens, and antibiotic resistance genes) from two separate regulatory environments (voluntary vs mandated food separation). The regulatory environment did not affect the level of contamination, except …

Effect Of Arsenic Exposure On Early Eye Development In Zebrafish (Danio Rerio), Remy S. Babich

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Arsenic is a metalloid that contaminates drinking water supplies worldwide. Due to concerns for human health, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have established a safe level in drinking water of ≤ 10 ppb. Arsenic has been shown to have carcinogenic effects in humans at high and low doses. Chronic exposure may result in dermal conditions such as hyperkeratosis and hyperpigmentation. Recently, arsenic exposure has also been linked to lower IQ values in children. The effect of arsenic on neurogenesis, specifically eye development, has not been widely explored. This study aimed to examine the …

Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Toxicant Effects On Mast Cell Signaling And Mitochondria, Juyoung Katherine Shim

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Mast cells contribute to numerous physiological processes and diseases including immunological and neurological roles. Mast cells degranulate, releasing potent mediators, following signaling transduction initiated by receptor crosslinking. Previously, we showed that the environmental toxicant arsenic and the antibacterial agent triclosan inhibit mast cell degranulation; thus, we have investigated the mechanisms underlying their inhibitory action. We have discovered that arsenic targets early steps in the mast cell signaling pathway: it inhibits phosphorylation of early tyrosine kinase Syk and of Syk’s direct substrate PI3K. Arsenic’s tyrosine phosphorylation inhibition causes inhibition of calcium influx into the cytosol, a key event necessary for degranulation. …

Developing A Risk Assessment Protocol To Quantify Distribution And Uptake Of Persistent Organic Pollutants In Glacial Outflows, Kimberley Rain Miner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Pollutants released by industrialized nations between 1960 and 2004 have been transported northward through atmospheric processes and deposited into glaciated alpine ecosystems. Many of these chemicals retain their original structure and are absorbed into the biota thousands of miles away from where they were originally utilized. With a warming climate increasing the melt of alpine glaciers, these glaciers may be introducing growing amounts of toxins into the watershed. While studies have demonstrated the existence of resident pollutants within glaciated ecosystems, no one has developed a risk assessment to identify sources and quantity of risk posed by these compounds when released …

Expression Profiling Of Non-Coding Rna By Environmental Interactions In Innate Immunity, Jacob R. Longfellow

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disorder that affects 30,000 people in the United States and currently has no cure. Although CF affects all of the body’s systems, it is largely characterized as a lung disease. CF is caused by a mutation in both copies of the gene for cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR). A mutation in the CFTR gene leads to improper movement of chloride ions and water into the airways, which dysregulates the airway surface liquid volume and composition. Individuals with CF are prone to lung infections due to inefficient bacterial clearance and by the age of …

Maine Healthy Beaches Program Excerpts From Data Analysis, 2006-2015, K. Kaczor, M. Sims

Maine Sea Grant Publications

No abstract provided.

Ex Vivo Immune Responses In Freshwater Fish Leucocytes Exposed To Environmental Serotypes Of Lipopolysaccharides, Hakim Samai

2nd International Conference of Fish & Shellfish Immunology

No abstract provided.

The Cost Of Alcohol And Drug Abuse In Maine, 2015, Marcella H. Sorg, Jamie A. Wren

Health & Public Safety

No abstract provided.

Signs Of The Seasons: A New England Phenology Program Field Guide, Esperanza Stancioff, Beth Bisson

Maine Sea Grant Publications

Signs of the Seasons (SOS) is an environmental monitoring and education program for Maine citizens of all ages. Participants contribute to scientists' understanding of the local effects of climate change by observing and recording phenology, the seasonal changes of common plants and animals, in their own backyards and communities. The University of Maine Cooperative Extension and Maine Sea Grant developed the program in 2010, and co-coordinate the program's volunteer services, research collaborations, and public outreach. In 2012, University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension and New Hampshire Sea Grant joined the effort, and have extended the program to volunteers and research …

Maine Drug-Induced Deaths: A Brief White Paper Prepared For The Spf-Sig State Epidemiology Workgroup, August, 2007, Marcella H. Sorg

Anthropology Faculty Scholarship

Drug death statistics for Cumberland County declined following an effort at public health information targeted at users/misusers. Specific education messages aimed at young adults, particularly males and 20-34 year olds will potentially reach the most at risk group. Messages regarding the dangers of diversion, recognition of snoring as a warning sign of respiratory distress, the benefits of placing users in the “recovery position to maximize airway access are being used in Cumberland and Kennebec Counties.

Education efforts targeted at health care providers who write narcotic prescriptions and the patients who receive them should be supported, particularly encouraging messages about the …

Dickey-Lincoln School Lakes, Maine, U.S.A. And Quebec, Canada: Design Memorandum No. 4a: General Design (Revised), New England Division, United States Corps Of Engineers

Dickey-Lincoln School Lakes Project

This design memorandum presents for review the revised general plan and data for the Dickey-Lincoln School Lakes project, Maine, U.S.A. and Quebec, Canada to provide the basis for preparation of detailed design memoranda, plans and specifications. This document presents revisions to the basic project plan and related data included in the 1967 General Design Memorandum reflecting current water resource requirements. This memorandum serves as a functional design document and 1s presented 1n Phase II level of detail. However, 1n view of the long period of Inactivity, Phase I features have also been incorporated for continuity of project information.

A Study Of The Dickey-Lincoln Hydroelectric Project And Its Impact On The Resources Of The Upper Saint John River Valley, Rosemary M. Manning, Sierra Club, New England Chapter

Dickey-Lincoln School Lakes Project

This report was under-taken primarily to evaluate the impact that the construction of the Dickey-Lincoln project would have upon the resources of the Upper St. John River, and to examine the assertion that the Dickey-Lincoln project constitutes a wise use of the public's environmental and economic resources. Since the case that has been made for the construction of the Dickey-Lincoln project rest primarily on the justification of the project in economic terms, this aspect of the project proposal will be intensively explored.