Pharmacology, Toxicology and Environmental Health Commons^™

Adopters And Non-Adopters Of Low-Cost Household Latrines: A Study Of Corbelled Pit Latrines In 15 Districts Of Malawi., Rochelle Holm, Mavuto Tembo, Dalo Njera, Victor Kasulo, Mphatso Malota, Willy Chipeta, Wales Singini, Joshua Mchenga

Faculty and Staff Scholarship

The Sustainable Development Goals will challenge low- and middle-income settings to look at new approaches for rural sanitation. In 2013, Mzuzu University, in partnership with United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Malawi, started a low-cost latrine program in rural areas using the corbelled latrine design supported by locally owned sustainable businesses. The objective of this work was to trace customers (early household adopters) and non-customers through field observations and interviews in 15 districts of Malawi. The research team spent 193 personnel work days in data collection and found 21 households as adopters in 7 districts. Most respondents had a preference with …

Quantifying The Toxicity Of 1-Methylnaphthalene To The Shallow-Water Coral, Porites Divaricata, For Use In The Target Lipid Model, Nicholas Turner

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

The proximity of coral reefs to coastal urban areas and shipping lanes predisposes corals to petroleum pollution from multiple sources. Previous research has evaluated petroleum toxicity to coral using a variety of methodologies, including monitoring effects of acute and chronic spills, in situ exposures, and ex situ exposures with both adult and larval stage corals. Variability in toxicant, bioassay conditions, species and other methodological disparities among studies prevents comprehensive conclusions regarding the toxicity of hydrocarbons to corals. This research evaluated the 48-hour toxicity of 1-methylnaphthalene to Porites divaricata using a continuous-flow passive dosing system. The range-finding exposure evaluated the dosing …

Rickettsiologist Pavel F. Zdrodovskii: Larger Than Life, And Not Just For His Famous Book, Marina E. Eremeeva, S. N. Shpynov, I. V. Tarasevich

Environmental Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

This article highlights the biography and scientific accomplishments of Pavel F. Zdrodovskii and his contributions to understanding the biology, pathogenesis, treatment, prevention and epidemiology of brucellosis, rickettsioses and many other infectious diseases.

Synthetic And Biological Exploration Of (+)-Boldine - Identification Of Potential Cns Receptor Ligands, Sujay Joseph

Theses and Dissertations

(+)-Boldine, an aporphine alkaloid, is reported to be biologically active at various Central Nervous System(CNS) receptors. However, only a few Structure Activity Relationship(SAR) studies have been conducted using boldine’s aporphine scaffold. A library of novel analogs was synthesized from boldine to understand the effect of bisbenzylation at C2 and C9 positions on the affinity and selectivity at the serotonin receptors.

Molecular Mechanisms Involved In Neurotoxicity Mediated By Hiv Proteins And Drug Abuse, Yu Cai

Theses & Dissertations

While the advancement of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has transformed the course of HIV/AIDS from a death sentence to a manageable chronic condition, the prevalence of a constellation of neurological disorders collectively termed as HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) continues to persist in these patients. HAND is characterized by cognitive dysfunction, depression, impaired memory and/or deficits in motor skills. The underlying factors leading to HAND have been the subject of extensive research and are thought to be associated with HIV infection in the CNS combined with robust immune activation of resident cells of the CNS. In addition, there is a …

Binge Ethanol Exposure Causes Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress, Oxidative Stress And Tissue Injury In The Pancreas, Zhenhua Ren, Xin Wang, Mei Xu, Fanmuyi Yang, Jacqueline A. Frank, Zun-Ji Ke, Jia Luo

Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences Faculty Publications

Alcohol abuse is associated with both acute and chronic pancreatitis. Repeated episodes of acute pancreatitis or pancreatic injury may result in chronic pancreatitis. We investigated ethanol-induced pancreatic injury using a mouse model of binge ethanol exposure. Male C57BL/6 mice were exposed to ethanol intragastrically (5 g/kg, 25% ethanol w/v) daily for 10 days. Binge ethanol exposure caused pathological changes in pancreas demonstrated by tissue edema, acinar atrophy and moderate fibrosis. Ethanol caused both apoptotic and necrotic cell death which was demonstrated by the increase in active caspase-3, caspase-8, cleaved PARP, cleaved CK-18 and the secretion of high mobility group protein …

Comparative Genomics Of 9 Novel Paenibacillus Larvae Bacteriophages, Casey Stamereilers, Lucy Leblanc, Diane Yost, Penny S. Amy, Philippos K. Tsourkas

Life Sciences Faculty Research

American Foulbrood Disease, caused by the bacterium Paenibacillus larvae, is one of the most destructive diseases of the honeybee, Apis mellifera. Our group recently published the sequences of 9 new phages with the ability to infect and lyse P. larvae. Here, we characterize the genomes of these P. larvae phages, compare them to each other and to other sequenced P. larvae phages, and putatively identify protein function. The phage genomes are 38–45 kb in size and contain 68–86 genes, most of which appear to be unique to P. larvae phages. We classify P. larvae phages into 2 main clusters and …

Drug-Induced Nutrient Depletion, Rodney Richmond

Faculty Research ​and Publications

No abstract provided.

Manufacturer Perspectives On Content Transparency And Material Health In The Us Building Products Industry, Alexandra A. Muller

Open Access Theses

Flawed U.S. federal regulation of chemicals has resulted in a materials market that undervalues human and environmental health in favor of the more traditional attributes of price, performance and aesthetics. In the building products industry, global, dynamic supply chains and proprietary information concerns further complicate the task of assessing the material health of products.

Voluntary material health programs in the green building industry are intended to incentivize the manufacture and selection of safer products by getting companies to gather and assess ingredient, hazard and risk information from their supply chain. Building product manufacturers considered early adopters of the main material …

The Interactive Effects Of Pesticide Exposure And Infectious Disease On Amphibian Hosts, Katherine M. Pochini

Open Access Theses

Natural systems are home to a multitude of natural and anthropogenic stressors, which draw an array of effects on ecological communities. While these effects have been investigated individually, it is important, given the routine co-occurrence of these stressors, to understand their interactive effects. Pesticide exposure and infectious disease are two common, co-occurring stressors that each have documented detrimental effects on species and, as evidence suggests, may have interactive effects. Moreover, existing research suggests that these interactive effects are highly context dependent, eliciting different results based on species, disease agent, toxin, and environment. Given the variability with which species may experience …

X-Ray Fluorescence For Quantification Of Lead And Strontium In Vivo, Aaron James Specht

Open Access Dissertations

Lead (Pb) is a toxicant well known for its effects on almost every organ system in the body. Pb use in industry has declined since removal of Pb from gasoline, but many developing countries still have significant use of Pb. Exposure to Pb has been linked with diseases causing neurodegeneration and thus have lasting effects long after the initial exposure. Another metal, strontium (Sr), has been linked with bone disease in particular situations and shown to have uses in treating osteoporosis as a supplement. However, there are no studies of the effects of Sr using a meaningful biomarker. The most …

Air Pollution, Pulmonary Oxidative Stress, And The Endothelin System In The Development Of Cardiovascular Injury., Jordan B. Finch

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this project was to examine the role of endothelin-1 (ET-1) as a mediator in the pathway between air pollution exposure and the development of vascular injury. A human cohort and male mice (C57BL/6 and ecSOD-Tg) were used to evaluate changes in the ET-1 system in response to exposures of fine particulate matter (PM2.5). Human ET-1 levels were significantly associated with environmental factors and markers of vascular change, but were decreased with increased PM2.5. No association was seen between ET-1 and endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) except for EPC-4, possibly indicating a regulatory relationship with this specific population. In …

Isolation Of Egfr-Containing Early Endosomes., Julie A. Gosney

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) that is an integral component of proliferative signaling. When activated by a ligand at the plasma membrane, EGFR undergoes clathrin-mediated endocytosis. This spatial regulation of the receptor is an important regulator of receptor expression as it mediates its degradation. Endocytosis also has implications on EGFR downstream signaling, though the details are not fully understood. The goal of this thesis is to develop a method to isolate early endosomes in order to study downstream effectors associated with activated EGFR in this compartment. HeLa cells were used to test various …

The Role Of The Nucleolus In Neurodegeneration., Justin Lauren Hallgren

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The overarching goal of my studies was to determine the role of the nucleolus in neurodegenerative disease. Numerous studies suggest the impairment of ribosomal biogenesis in neurodegenerative disease and such a condition may contribute to neuronal dysfunction in two ways, loss of function and stress response. Ribosomal biogenesis has been demonstrated to play an essential role in both neuronal growth and maintenance. Therefore insufficient levels of ribosomal biogenesis would be expected to produce atrophy and synapse loss. Moreover, the fidelity of ribosomal biogenesis is monitored by nucleolar and ribosomal stress responses which induce apoptosis and/or cell cycle arrest. Therefore, I …

Improving The Roadside Environment Through Integrating Air Quality And Traffic-Related Data, Christine M. Kendrick

Dissertations and Theses

Urban arterial corridors are landscapes that give rise to short and long-term exposures to transportation-related pollution. With high traffic volumes, congestion, and a wide mix of road users and land uses at the road edge, urban arterial environments are important targets for improved exposure assessment to traffic-related pollution. Applying transportation management strategies to reduce emissions along arterial corridors could be enhanced if the ability to quantify and evaluate such actions was improved. However, arterial roadsides are under-sampled in terms of air pollution measurements in the United States and using observational data to assess such effects has many challenges such as …

Assessment Of Concentrations Of Trace And Toxic Heavy Metals In Soil And Vegetables Grown In The Vicinity Of Manyoni Uranium Depositin Tanzania, F.A. Kapile, In Makundi

Tanzania Journal of Science

This study reports on determination of concentrations of trace and toxic heavy metals in soil and vegetables grown near of Manyoni uranium deposit. Soil and vegetable samples were collected from five sites namely Mitoo Mbuga, farming area, Miyomboni, Tambukareli and near water pump. The concentrations of heavy metals in soil and edible vegetables samples were analyzed using Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometry (EDXRF).All vegetable samples were found to have higher concentrations (in μg/g) of trace elements such as Ni (67.3) in pea leaves, Cu (14.9) in pumpkin leaves, Fe (478.6), (200.5) and (337.1) in pea, pumpkin and spinach leaves respectively, …

In Vitro Monitoring Of Time And Dose Dependent Cytotoxicity Of Aminated Nanoparticles Using Raman Spectroscopy, Esen Efeoglu, Alan Casey, Hugh Byrne

Articles

No abstract provided.

Achieving The Sustainable Development Goals: A Case Study Of The Complexity Of Water Quality Health Risks In Malawi., Rochelle Holm, Philip Wandschneider, Allan Felsot, Golden Msilimba

Faculty and Staff Scholarship

RESULTS: The water quality data and human dimension questionnaire results were used to develop a household risk presentation. Sixty-seven percent and 50 % of well water and household drinking water samples, respectively, exceeded the WHO health guideline of zero detections of E. coli. Technology transfer was advanced by providing knowledge through household risk debriefing/education, establishing a water quality laboratory at the local university, and providing training to local technicians.

Erbb2 And P38Γ Mapk Mediate Alcohol-Induced Increase In Breast Cancer Stem Cells And Metastasis, Mei Xu, Zhenhua Ren, Xin Wang, Ashley Comer, Jacqueline A. Frank, Zun-Ji Ke, Yi Huang, Zhuo Zhang, Xianglin Shi, Siying Wang, Jia Luo

Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences Faculty Publications

Background: Both epidemiological and experimental studies suggest that excessive alcohol exposure increases the risk for breast cancer and enhances metastasis/recurrence. We have previously demonstrated that alcohol enhanced the migration/invasion of breast cancer cells and cancer cells overexpressing ErbB2/HER2 were more sensitive to alcohol exposure. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This study was designed to investigate the mechanisms underlying alcohol-enhanced aggressiveness of breast cancer. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) play a critical role in cancer metastasis and recurrence.

Methods: We evaluated the effect of chronic alcohol exposure on mammary tumor development/metastasis in MMTV-neu transgenic mice and investigated the cell signaling in …

Spectroscopic Studies Of Anthracyclines: Structural Characterization And In Vitro Tracking, Zeineb Farhane, Hugh Byrne, Malgorzata Baranska

Articles

A broad spectroscopic characterization, using ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) and Fourier transform infrared absorption as well as Raman scattering, of two commonly used anthracyclines antibiotics (DOX) daunorubicin (DNR), their epimers (EDOX, EDNR) and ten selected analogs is presented. The paper serves as a comprehensive spectral library of UV-vis, IR and Raman spectra of anthracyclines in the solid state and in solution. The particular advantage of Raman spectroscopy for the measurement and analysis of individual antibiotics is demonstrated. Raman spectroscopy can be used to monitor the in vitro uptake and distribution of the drug in cells, using both 488 nm and 785 nm …

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 …

A Caenorhabditis Elegans Model To Detect Developmental Teratogens With Adverse Reproductive And Metabolic Effects, Alexis Ann Killeen

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Obesity is a current epidemic in the United States. Greater than one third of adults and nearly one fifth of children are classified as obese (Ogden, 2014). Increased awareness of this problem has triggered interest into the potentially causal agents in our environment. These agents, termed obesogens, are a type of teratogen hypothesized to work during embryonic development by programming offspring to store excess fat. A type of teratogen, obesogens are also typically reprotoxic, affecting germline development and embryonic viability. These noxious teratogens span a variety of different chemical classes including estrogen mimics, metals and metalloids, biocides, and even voluntary …

Estimating Indoor Pm2.5 And Co Concentrations In Households In Southern Nepal: The Nepal Cookstove Intervention Trials, C. Chen, S. Zeger, P. Breysse, J. Katz, W. Checkley, F. Curriero, James Tielsch

Global Health Faculty Publications

High concentrations of household air pollution (HAP) due to biomass fuel usage with unvented, insufficient combustion devices are thought to be an important health risk factor in South Asia population. To better characterize the indoor concentrations of particulate matter (PM2.5) and carbon monoxide (CO), and to understand their impact on health in rural southern Nepal, this study analyzed daily monitoring data collected with DataRAM pDR-1000 and LASCAR CO data logger in 2980 households using traditional biomass cookstove indoor through the Nepal Cookstove Intervention Trial–Phase I between March 2010 and October 2011. Daily average PM2.5 and CO concentrations collected in area …

From Milpas To The Market: A Study On The Use Of Metal Silos For Safer And Better Storage Of Guatemalan Maize, José Rodrigo Mendoza

Department of Food Science and Technology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This project aimed to implement the use of metal silos to improve quality and safety of maize consumed by inhabitants of the highlands of Guatemala. This manuscript includes a literature review of the maize production chain in Guatemala, a survey about agricultural practices used in the region of study, as well as a characterization of the analyzed maize regarding its mycoflora, nutritional composition, and insect infestation. To better understand the current situation regarding agricultural practices and maize consumption, a survey was carried out. Sample consisted of 280 families representing 14 rural communities distributed in the townships of Todos Santos and …

Access To Groundwater And Link To The Impact On Quality Of Life: A Look At The Past, Present And Future Public Health Needs In Mzimba District, Malawi., R. C.G. Chidya, R. H. Holm, M. Tembo, B. Cole, P. Workneh, J. Kanyama

Faculty and Staff Scholarship

Imagine a world where you have to get up at 4am to walk for two hours in the dark to fetch water. This remains true in Malawi, where it is said that the Millennium Development Goals have been met. This research aimed at understanding the impact access to groundwater has on people's ‘Being’, ‘Belonging’ and ‘Becoming,’ as well as on people's capabilities and on their quality of life in Mzimba District, Malawi. Being, Belonging and Becoming define three life domains. Being reveals ‘who one is,’ Belonging reflects ‘connections with one's environments’ and Becoming relates to ‘achieving personal goals, hopes and …

Omics As Therapeutic Platform: Environmental Factors To Parkinson's Disease, Hong-Duck Kim, Shana Warner, Kamini Singh, Jae-Hyeon Cho, Diane E. Heck

NYMC Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Exploration Of Chemical And Biological Management Strategies For Diaphorina Citri The Primary Vector Of Candidatus Liberibacter Asiaticus, Gretta Marie Sharp

Biology Theses

Diaphorina citri (Hemipteran: Psyllidae), the Asian citrus psyllid, is a phloem-feeding, invasive species endemic to southern Asia that was first identified in the United States in Florida in 1998. Since introduction, D. citri has spread across the major citrus growing regions of the United States. This is of great concern to the citrus industry because D. citri is the primary vector of Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus the causal agent of Haunglongbing (HLB). Haunglongbing is the most economically devastating disease of citrus causing an estimated 8.92 billion dollars lost in revenue and 4.62 billion dollars lost in gross domestic product between 2006-2007 …

Hexavalent Chromium Induces Malignant Transformation Of Human Lung Bronchial Epithelial Cells Via Ros-Dependent Activation Of Mir-21-Pdcd4 Signaling, Poyil Pratheeshkumar, Young-Ok Son, Sasidharan Padmaja Divya, Lilia Turcios, Ram Vinod Roy, John Andrew Hitron, Lei Wang, Donghern Kim, Jin Dai, Padmaja Asha, Zhuo Zhang, Xianglin Shi

Center for Research on Environmental Disease Faculty Publications

Hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] is a well-known human carcinogen associated with an increased risk of lung cancer. However, the mechanisms underlying Cr(VI)-induced carcinogenesis remain unclear. MicroRNA-21 (miR-21) is a key regulator of oncogenic processes. Studies have shown that miR-21 exerts its oncogenic activity by targeting the tumor suppressor gene programmed cell death 4 (PDCD4). The present study examined the role of miR-21-PDCD4 signaling in Cr(VI)-induced cell transformation and tumorigenesis. Results showed that Cr(VI) induces ROS generation in human bronchial epithelial (BEAS-2B) cells. Chronic exposure to Cr(VI) is able to cause malignant transformation in BEAS-2B cells. Cr(VI) caused a significant increase of …

Nitrate From Drinking Water And Diet And Bladder Cancer Among Postmenopausal Women In Iowa., Rena R Jones, Peter J Weyer, Curt T Dellavalle, Maki Inoue-Choi, Kristin E Anderson, Kenneth P Cantor, Stuart Krasner, Kim Robien, Laura E Beane Freeman, Debra T Silverman, Mary H Ward

Exercise and Nutrition Sciences Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Nitrate is a drinking water contaminant arising from agricultural sources and a precursor in the endogenous formation of N-nitroso compounds (NOC), which are possible bladder carcinogens.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the ingestion of nitrate and nitrite from drinking water and diet and bladder cancer risk in women.

METHODS: We identified incident bladder cancers among a cohort of 34,708 postmenopausal women in Iowa (1986-2010). Dietary nitrate and nitrite intakes were estimated from a baseline food frequency questionnaire. Drinking water source and duration were assessed in a 1989 follow-up. For women using public water supplies (PWS) >10 years (N=15,577), we estimated average …

Aflatoxin-Exposure Of Vibrio Gazogenes As A Novel System For The Generation Of Aflatoxin Synthesis Inhibitors, Phani M. Gummadidala, Yung Pin Chen, Kevin R. Beauchesne, Kristen P. Miller, Chandrani Mitra, Michelle Velez-Martinez, Peter D. R. Moeller, John L. Ferry, Alan W. Decho, Anindya Chanda

Faculty Publications

Aflatoxin is a mycotoxin and a secondary metabolite, and the most potent known liver carcinogen that contaminates several important crops, and represents a significant threat to public health and the economy. Available approaches reported thus far have been insufficient to eliminate this threat, and therefore provide the rational to explore novel methods for preventing aflatoxin accumulation in the environment. Many terrestrial plants and microbes that share ecological niches and encounter the aflatoxin producers have the ability to synthesize compounds that inhibit aflatoxin synthesis. However, reports of natural aflatoxin inhibitors from marine ecosystem components that do not share ecological niches with …