Other Pharmacology, Toxicology and Environmental Health Commons^™

The Legacy Of Lead: Lead Exposure's Harmful Effects And Its Concentration In Poc Communities, Layla Sophronia Barber

Student Theses 2015-Present

This thesis examines the disproportionate burden of lead exposure carried by low income, POC communities. The systemic nature of this problem is a symptom of a longstanding legacy of environmental injustice in the United States. Decades of federal neglect are reflected in the higher statistics of lead exposure and poisoning in predominantly black communities. While it is understood that lead exposure poses a serious threat to physical health and early cognitive development, there is a discouraging lack of urgency to remove the toxin from non-wealthy communities. The material covered by this thesis aims to identify and correct the discriminatory social …

Predicting Accelerated And Delayed Aging In Global Settings: Biobehavioral Age Gaps And The Role Of Global Exposomes, Hernan Hernandez, Hernando Santamaria-Garcia, Sebastian Moguilne, Agustina Legaz, Pavel Prado, Jhosmary Cuadros, Liset Gonzalez, Cyprian Mostert, Chinedu Momoh, Zul Merali

Brain and Mind Institute

Background: Global health challenges like aging and dementia are shaped bysocioeconomic disparities, environmental factors, and social determinants of health.We developed a behavioral age gap (BAG), measuring the difference between expectedbehavioral age and chronological age

Method: We utilized a cross-sectional sample (n = 161,981) comprising countriesfrom Latin America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. Behavioral age was estimated usinga Gradient Boosting Regressor with 10-fold cross-validation, incorporating multiplerisk factors (hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, female sex, visual impairment andhearing impairment) and protective factors (cognition, functional ability, education)associated with healthy aging. BAG was calculated as the difference between predictedand chronological age, and adjusted gaps were derived …

Enhancing Cataract Surgery Outcomes: Optimal Use Of Pre- And Post-Operative Eye Drops, Keith Skolnick M.D., Anu Valiaveedu

Mako: NSU Undergraduate Student Journal

Many preoperative and postoperative cataract patients struggle with comprehending the use of prescription medication as directed. Language barriers and low health literacy levels are major factors contributing to improper use of prescriptions. To increase patients comprehension, the Fort Lauderdale Eye Institute employed an educational intervention consisting of a live presentation and an instructional video. Results found that 44% of patients were hesitant to ask questions to clinical staff, 32% felt overwhelmed, and nearly 70% lacked confidence in using their prescribed eye drops. Following the intervention, 91% of patients reported increased confidence in their medications, and most indicated that the video …

Implementation Of Prognosticator Algorithm For Initiation Of Serious Illness Discussions And Improving The Rate Of Palliative And Hospice Referrals, Joy Isebor

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects - Archive

Context: Early serious illness conversations related to end-of-life and goals of care with seriously ill patients have been associated with improving patients' outcomes and quality of care (Bernacki et al., 2015). However, initiating these serious illness discussions has been challenging in the home-based primary care setting.

Objectives: To train and support home-based primary care clinicians in integrating best practices in serious illness discussions and decision-making engagement among patients sixty-five and older with serious illnesses, optimize the alignment between patient goals and the medical care they receive, improving their quality of life and the rate of palliative care and hospice referrals. …

An Exploratory Study On Strategies Adopted By Parents Who Use E-Cigarettes To Negotiate Risk Perceptions Of Their Children's Secondhand Exposure And Parental Role Modeling, Joon Kyung Nam, Jesse P Zatloff, Su-Wei Wong, Hsien-Chang Lin, Wei-Chung Su, Anne Buu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Existing health messages mainly targeted youth susceptible to vaping or parents who do not have much knowledge about e-cigarettes. This study makes a unique contribution by conducting the first in-depth investigation of e-cigarette-using parents' risk perceptions and parental role modeling and how these two factors affect their vaping behaviors at home or implementation of any strategies to reduce their children's risk. Fifteen parents who used e-cigarettes participated in a semi-structured interview. Interview transcripts were coded and analyzed through a deductive approach of thematic analysis. This study demonstrates the need to develop and disseminate future health messages for e-cigarette-using parents who …

Map The System: Presence And Impact Of Ppcps In Water, Emma Vandermeulen, Ruby Mitchell

OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Annual Conference

In a changing climate, there is growing emphasis on protecting our water sources and developing systems for conserving and reusing water. While many contaminants of concern are monitored and addressed by water treatment systems, pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) are generally not accounted for. PPCPs in water systems have been an increasing concern as detection of these products has increased over the last few decades. Studies have been exploring the impact of antibiotics, antidepressants, contraceptives, and other anthropogenic products on our water system and how these substances interact with local ecosystems. Our main research questions are to understand what …

Health Effects Of Neonicotinoids On An Agricultural Community, Jocelyn Rodriguez-Paar

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Mead, Nebraska, a small United States agricultural community consisting of approximately 600 people, was accidentally exposed to high amounts of neonicotinoids when AltEn, an ethanol plant that used neonicotinoid coated corn and soybean seeds for biofuel, was discovered not disposing of the toxic byproduct safely. Coincidentally, there was also a leak in their wastewater system that also contaminated the nearby areas. Although neonicotinoids are not considered highly dangerous with low dose exposures, large dose exposures can cause symptoms similarly to nicotine poisonings, such as difficulty breathing, vomiting, nausea, hypertension, tachycardia, and lethargy (Imamura, T. et al., 2010). Neonicotinoid poisoning can …

Early Detection Of Atypical Motor And Neurobehavior Of Infants At Risk Secondary To Opioid Exposure: A Prospective Study, Kara Boynewicz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Prenatal opioid exposure has been studied in relation to infants' medical outcomes. However, large gaps exist in the literature supporting early identification of atypical neurobehavior and motor development of infants with prenatal opioid exposure. The purpose of the study was to investigate whether prenatal opioid exposure has a negative influence on a newborn infant’s neurobehavior and motor development to aid in the early identification of potential delays. Using a prospective quasi experimental design, infants motor development using the Test of Infant Motor Performance (TIMP) and neurobehavior using the NICU Neonatal Network Scale (NNNS) was assessed on 58 infants in a …

Opioid Use Disorder: The Timeline For Medication Assisted Therapy, Alexander Cristofori

Capstone Showcase

Opioid Use Disorder is patterns of opioid use leading to withdrawal, giving up important life events in order to use opioids, and excessive time spent using opioids, to name a few diagnostic criteria. The clinical progression of the disorder involves periods of acute exacerbation and remission that are cyclic in nature. Treatment is most effective when it includes both pharmacological and psychosocial modalities, referred to as medication assisted therapy (MAT). Three drugs used commonly in MAT-based treatment for OUD from oldest to newest include Methadone, Buprenorphine-naloxone, and Naltrexone. Treatment program models that prioritize total abstinence from the addictive substance attached …

Prevalence Of Tuberculosis In District Haveli, Azad Jammu And Kashmir, Abu Ul Hassan Faiz, Ghazal Tariq, Ayesha Faiz, Lariab Zahra Faiz

Journal of Bioresource Management

Tuberculosis is an infectious disease with a common occurrence in population of Azad Jammu and Kashmir. The current study was designed to find out the prevalence of TB among the general population of a less developed District Haveli. Samples were collected from different hospitals and TB centers located in district Haveli and tested through sputum smear microscopy for conformation of positive for TB. The three-year (2015 to 2018) study was conducted to record prevalence of tuberculosis in selected area of Azad Jammu and Kashmir. The trend line of prevalence was made by using (SPSS software). Results produced linear trends yearly …

Volatile Organic Compound Exposure And Cardiometabolic Syndrome Risk In A Nationally Representative Cohort., Stacey Lane Konkle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

BACKGROUND: The relative importance of environmental exposures such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is one of the paramount public health priorities of our time, yet is presently unstudied. VOCs are ubiquitous in the environment and have been associated with numerous adverse health effects, including a number of cardiovascular and metabolic effects that are components of Cardiometabolic Syndrome (CMS). OBJECTIVES: To examine the relationship between CMS and individual-level exposures to VOCs, measured as urinary metabolites of VOCs (UM-VOCs), in a nationally representative sample. METHODS: Associations between urinary biomarkers of exposure to 19 parent VOCs and CMS were assessed using the National …

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.

Pm25 Metal Constituent Exposure And Stillbirth Risk In Harris County, Texas, Amal Rammah, Kristina W Whitworth, Inkyu Han, Wenyaw Chan, Elaine Symanski

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

There is limited evidence on the role of exposure to chemical constituents of fine particulate matter (PM

La Asociación Entre La Contaminación Del Agua Y La Salud En Los Niños Menores De Cinco Años En Villa Garrote, Partido De Tigre / The Association Between Water Pollution And Health In Children Under Five In Villa Garrote, Tigre Party, Morgan Whyte

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

La intersección entre el medio ambiente y la salud es un tema central en el estudio de la salud pública porque el acceso a un medio ambiente seguro es esencial para los resultados positivos en la salud. Este tema es particularmente relevante al considerar a Villa Garrote, una pequeña villa situada en el río Reconquista en el municipio de Tigre. Para abordar este tema dentro de esta villa, esta investigación pretende explorar la asociación entre la contaminación del agua y la salud de los niños. Además, los objetivos específicos de este estudio incluyen: investigar los principales elementos que contaminan el …

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 …

Regulation Of Radioactive Fracking Waste, Elizabeth Ann Glass Geltman, Nichole Leclair

Publications and Research

Natural gas extracted form shale reached record production totals in 2015 in the United States and the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) forecasts natural gas production will continue to increase. Wastes from shale gas extraction can contain the radioactive isotopes radium-226 (Ra-226) and radium-228 (Ra-228), which decay further into radon (Rn). Exposure to radon, a form of naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM), is the leading cause of lung cancer in the United States, after smoking. This article explores how states handle the disposal of technologically enhanced naturally occurring radioactive materials (TENORM) and/or NORM waste from oil and gas operations to …

Poison In Pink, Sydney V. Cook

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Humans slather, spray, mist, and cleanse their bodies with personal care products like lotion, hairspray, cologne, and shampoo every day. Our cupboards are stocked full of them, but few of us understand what is in those jars and bottles. We trust that if it’s on the shelf at the store, it’s safe. However, this is not always the case, and many personal care products contain chemicals that are harmful to human and environmental health.

My multi-disciplinary Environmental Studies thesis project combines evidenced-based research, interviews, nonfiction narrative, and science communication to create part of a book manuscript intended to educate general …

Airborne Infectious Agents And Other Pollutants In Automobiles For Domestic Use: Potential Health Impacts And Approaches To Risk Mitigation, Syed A. Sattar, Kathryn E. Wright, Bahram Zargar, Joseph R. Rubino, M. Khalid Ijaz

Publications and Research

Theworld total of passenger cars is expected to go fromthe current one billion to >2.5 billion by 2050. Cars for domestic use account for ∼74% of the world’s yearly production ofmotorized vehicles. In North America, ∼80% of the commuters use their own car with another 5.6% travelling as passengers.With the current life-expectancy of 78.6 years, the average North American spends 4.3 years driving a car! This equates to driving 101 minutes/day with a lifetime driving distance of nearly 1.3 million km inside the confined and often shared space of the car with exposure to a mix of potentially harmful pathogens, …

Are Electronic Cigarettes The Solution To Smoking Cessation?, Heather L. Walsh, Audrey L. Mcmurray

Physician Assistant Capstones, 2016 to 2019

Objectives: Little is known regarding the effectiveness of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) as therapy to aid in smoking cessation. Many hypothesize that e-cigarettes are equally as effective or more effective than alternate smoking cessation therapies. The purpose of this review was to examine the evidence on effectiveness of e-cigarettes on smoking cessation and quitting behavior as compared to other smoking cessation therapies, or no therapy at all.

Methods: Searches were done in PubMed utilizing the terms “electronic cigarettes” and “smoking cessation” [MeSH terms]. In PubMed, the following filters limits were used: published in the last 5 years, human species, …

The Effects That Liquid And Solid Cattle Manure Have On The Water Quality Of Drainage Ditches In Putnam County, Ohio, Janelle Horstman

Honors Projects

Lake Erie has experienced harmful algal blooms with increased frequency since the mid-1990s due to excess nutrients from Rivers, such as the Maumee River, and largely agricultural watersheds. Nonpoint source pollution from agriculture contributes to eutrophication, algal blooms, and the degradation of water quality. This creates stress on aquatic fauna, reduced aesthetic quality, odor, and limits of the water for usage of drinking, recreation, and industry. This research paper asks what the contributions of having access to manure application records, soil records, and information about antibiotics have on what is known about manure management and antibiotic resistance, which has been …

Fish Tissue Contamination In Maine Lakes : Data Report, Jeanne Difranco, Linda Bacon, Barry Mower, David Courtemanch

Maine Collection

Fish Tissue Contamination in Maine Lakes : Data Report

by Jeanne DiFranco, Linda Bacon, Barry Mower and David Courtemanch

Regional Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (REMAP)

State of Maine Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Land and Water Quality, Division of Environmental Assessment, State House Station 17, Augusta, Maine 04333 (September 1995).

Contents: List of Figures and Tables / I. Introduction / II. Goals and Objectives / III. Experimental Design / IV. Methods / V. Data / VI. Quality Assurance-Quality Control / Appendices A-H

Geophysical Surveys For Buried Waste Detection At The Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, U.S. Department Of Energy

All U.S. Government Documents (Utah Regional Depository)

This report describes a series of geophysical surveys performed at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL). The main purpose of the surveys was to evaluate techniques, principally ground-penetrating radar, for detecting and mapping radioactive wastes buried in shallow trenches and pits.

Ec1571 Practical Housefly Control, Ephriam Hixson, Robert E. Roselle

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Extension circular 1571 discusses practical housefly control.