Other Pharmacology, Toxicology and Environmental Health Commons^™

Using Mouse Models To Define How The P53 R72p Polymorphism Impacts The Adverse Effects Of Doxorubicin And Ionizing Radiation, Emily Dominguez

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

The single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) at codon 72 of the tumor suppressor gene p53 codes for either an arginine (R) or proline (P) (p53 R72P). This SNP may impact how cells respond to genotoxic insult. Studies in cell culture and in tissues from mouse models of the SNP indicate that, in response to gentoxic treatment, the two variants may differentially induce apoptosis and expression of p53 target genes. In epidemiological studies, the P variant is associated with decreased cancer survival and increased risk of side-effects from genotoxic cancer treatment. Genotoxic therapy is still the mainstay of cancer treatment, and doxorubicin …

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, …

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.

Policy Options To Mitigate Cigarette Filter Litter In California, Max Wechsler

Master's Projects and Capstones

Approximately 16.2 billion cellulose acetate cigarette filters are littered in California annually. Cigarette filter litter (CFL) creates an annual financial burden of over $1.27 billion for California. CFL also poses unquantifiable damages to human and environmental health in the form of ingestion, toxicity, formation into microplastics, and quality of life degradation. These costs and damages warrant the adoption of policy measures in order to mitigate CFL. Cigarette taxes and fees raise government revenue, but they are politically challenging due to California Proposition 26. Locational smoking bans encourage anti-smoking cultural norms and may decrease consumption, although indoor smoking bans may increase …

Flow Cytometric Analysis For Cyanobacteria In 36 New Jersey Freshwater Bodies, Ruchit Patel

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Eutrophication, a process that occurs due to excessive accumulation of nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorous is primarily from anthropogenic nitrogen and natural occurrences. This phenomenon causes cyanobacterial overgrowth which can potentially lead to toxic algal blooms that affect public drinking water sources and recreational usage. An immediate need to detect bloom forming cyanobacteria in freshwater bodies early hand is critical to implement prevention strategies. These microorganisms contain phycobiliproteins such as phycoerytrhin, and allophycocyanin as part of the phycobillisome that allow autofluorescence. In this study, 36 freshwater bodies from 14 New Jersey counties were collected and processed for flow cytometric …

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 Role Of Pxr And Ikkβ Signaling In Cardiometabolic Disease, Robert N. Helsley

Theses and Dissertations--Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death worldwide and is partially attributed to perturbations in lipid metabolism. Xenobiotics, such as pharmaceutical drugs and environmental chemicals, have been associated with increased risk of CVD in multiple large-scale human population studies, but the underlying mechanisms remain poorly defined. We and others have identified several xenobiotics as potent agonists for the pregnane X receptor (PXR), a nuclear receptor that can be activated by numerous drugs as well as environmental and dietary chemicals. However, the role of PXR in mediating the pathophysiological effects of xenobiotic exposure in humans and animals remains elusive. …

The Influence Of Abiotic Factors On The Uptake And Elimination Of 3-Trifluoromethyl-4-Nitrophenol By Larval Sea Lamprey (Petromyzon Marinus), Benjamin Livingston Hlina

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The backbone of sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) control in the Great Lakes is the use of the piscicide, 3-trifluoromethyl-4-nitrophenol (TFM), which is applied to streams containing larval sea lampreys. However, TFM effectiveness can be influenced by abiotic factors such as pH and temperature, which fluctuate daily and seasonally. The objectives of this thesis were to evaluate the influence of pH, temperature, and season on the toxicity, uptake, and elimination of TFM by larval sea lamprey. Radio-labeled TFM (¹⁴C-TFM) was used to determine how TFM uptake rates varied at different water pHs or temperatures during exposure to …

The Sublethal Physiological Effects Of Exposure To Copper And Silver Mixtures On Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus Mykiss), Wesley Truong

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The mechanisms behind metal-metal interactions in freshwater environments are currently not well understood. Freshwater environments consist of many different types of metals, from those naturally present such as copper (Cu) and those that originate from anthropogenic sources like silver (Ag). Both Cu and Ag use apical sodium (Na⁺) channels for uptake into the gills of freshwater fish. In the gills, the mechanisms of Cu²⁺ and Ag⁺ toxicity appear to be similar to one another, which is by inhibiting Na⁺ /potassium (K⁺)- adenosine triphosphatase (NKA) and carbonic anhydrase (CA). Inhibition of NKA and CA …

Street Drug Markets Beyond Favelas In Belo Horizonte, Brazil, Elenice De Souza Oliveira, Braulio Figueiredo Alves Silva, Marcos Oliveira Prates

Department of Justice Studies Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

This study examines whether social disorganization mechanisms that explain clusters of street drug markets in socially disorganized neighborhoods in developed countries can also help explain geographical patterns of drug dealing across neighborhoods in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Data for this study includes drug arrests from 2007 to 2011 and socio demographic data from the 2010 Census. To examine the influence of exploratory variables on drug market locations, the Negative Binominal regression model was used at two levels of analysis—the Belo Horizonte city center and other neighborhoods including favelas. The findings show that a high hot spot of street drug markets located …

Odorant Receptor-Based Discovery Of Natural Repellents Of Human Lice, Julien Pelletier, Pingxi Xu, Kyong-Sup Yoon, John M. Clark, Walter S. Leal

SIUE Faculty Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity

The body louse, Pediculus humanus humanus, is an obligate blood-feeding ectoparasite and an important insect vector that mediates the transmission of diseases to humans. The analysis of the body louse genome revealed a drastic reduction of the chemosensory gene repertoires when compared to other insects, suggesting specific olfactory adaptations to host specialization and permanent parasitic lifestyle. Here, we present for the first time functional evidence for the role of odorant receptors (ORs) in this insect, with the objective to gain insight into the chemical ecology of this vector. We identified seven putative full-length ORs, in addition to the odorant receptor …

Occupational Exposure To Isoflurane Anesthetic Gas In The Research Environment, Andrea R. Mulvenon

Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation is a compilation of studies related to the halogenated anesthetic gas isoflurane. Historically, halogenated anesthetic gases have been used in the health care industry. In 1977 the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) issued a recommended exposure limit (REL) of two parts per million (ppm) averaged over one hour of exposure for halogenated anesthetic gases (NIOSH 1977). The purpose of the standard was to protect healthcare workers from exposure to halothane, methoxyflurane, and chloroform. However, isoflurane only became available after the NIOSH REL was adopted. Therefore, the NIOSH REL is not directly applicable to isoflurane. Moreover, …

Photocatalytic Mineralization Of Phenol On Fluidized Titanium Oxide-Coated Silica Gel, Guillermo J. Rincon

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

A bench-scale tubular reactor with recirculation was built in order to study the efficiency of the photocatalytic oxidation of phenol on fluidized titanium oxide-coated silica gel beads. A UV-C lamp placed along the central vertical axes of the reactor was used as source of photons. A bed of silica gel beads was fluidized by means of fluid recirculation and forced to follow upward helical flow around the lamp. Anatase was successfully synthetized on silica gel particles of average diameters 224, 357 and 461 µm, as confirmed by scanning electron micrographs, through a sol-gel technique using a titanium (iv)isopropoxide / hydrochloric …

Soil Total Organic Carbon And Farmers’ Perceptions Associated With Bokashi Application In Cerro Punta, Panama, Emma Searson

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Sustainable use and maintenance of agricultural soils are important for maintaining long-term agricultural productivity and environmental quality. These issues are especially important in Cerro Punta, known as the breadbasket of Panama, which is experiencing severe erosion. While current practices and agrochemical usage damage soil health and function over time, application of organic material improves soil physic-chemical properties such as nutrient and total organic carbon (TOC) content. Bokashi, a fermented organic soil amendment with effective microorganisms (EM), is thought to be especially beneficial due to its ability to augment populations of soil microbes, which deliver plant-available nutrients to crops and improve …

Fighting For The Right To Breathe: Exploring Perspectives Of Environmenal Threats In The South Durban Basin, Kayleigh Bhangdia

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The goal of this project is to understand the way in which community members in South Durban perceive the environmental threats that they face. I have contextualized the current environmental injustices present in the wake of the Apartheid legacy. I worked closely with the South Durban Environmental Conservation Alliance in preparing my questions and conducting my interviews. I conducted 24 interviews in three different communities in the South Durban Basin including Wentworth, Merebank, and Clairwood. Following the interviews in Merebank and Clairwood, I engaged the participants in a short participatory mapping exercise in which they highlighted where the pollution was …

Numerical Simulations Of In Vitro Nanoparticle Toxicity – The Case Of Poly(Amido Amine) Dendrimers., Marcus Maher, Pratap Naha, Sourav Prasanna Mukherjee, Hugh Byrne

Articles

A phenomenological rate equation model is constructed to numerically simulate nanoparticle uptake and subsequent cellular response. Polyamidoamine dendrimers (generations 4-6) are modelled and the temporal evolution of the intracellular cascade of; increased levels of reactive oxygen species, intracellular antioxidant species, caspase activation, mitochondrial membrane potential decay, tumour necrosis factor and interleukin generation is simulated, based on experimental observations.

The dose and generation dependence of several of these response factors are seen to well represent experimental observations at a range of time points. The model indicates that variations between responses of different cell-lines, including murine macrophages, human keratinocytes and colon cells, …

Inhalable Constituents Of Thirdhand Tobacco Smoke: Chemical Characterization And Health Impact Considerations, Mohamad Sleiman, Jennifer M. Logue, Wentai Luo, James F. Pankow, Lara A. Gundel, Hugo Destaillats

Chemistry Faculty Publications and Presentations

Tobacco smoke residues lingering in the indoor environment, also termed thirdhand smoke (THS), can be a source of long-term exposure to harmful pollutants. THS composition is affected by chemical transformations and by air–surface partitioning over time scales of minutes to months. This study identified and quantified airborne THS pollutants available for respiratory exposure, identified potential environmental tracers, and estimated health impacts to nonsmokers. In a ventilated 18 m3 laboratory chamber, six cigarettes were machine-smoked, and levels of particulate matter (PM2.5) and 58 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were monitored during an aging period of 18 h. Results were compared with field …

Bioplastics: Reinventing Conventional Plastic Production And The Future Of Biodegradable Materials, Ruby Roca

2014 Student Theses

The use of plastic is prevalent in our society due to the increasing amount of new products entering the market that need some form of packaging that is solid enough yet disposable. From everything to yogurt containers to diapers, plastic containers are a large part of our society’s consumption culture and often goes unnoticed. However, people point to plastic water bottles and containers as the only culprit, and often times forget that almost all packaging contains some form of plastic. For my thesis I want to examine how the use of plastics has increased waste material, considering that it takes …

Environews #7, Richard Philp

Data and Test Instruments

Artificial sweeteners in rivers, arsenic underground, gutting of environmental protection laws are topics discussed.

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 …