Pharmacology, Toxicology and Environmental Health Commons^™

Evaluation Of Biochar As A Remediation Tool For Aminopyralid Contaminated Compost, Steven James Parris

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Aminopyralid is a synthetic auxin herbicide which is applied to grass pastures to control broadleaf weed populations. Aminopyralid can contaminate compost through inputs derived from treated pastures such as manure and grass clippings. This possibility poses the threat of inadvertent herbicide exposure to sensitive vegetable plants through using compost contaminated with aminopyralid. Biochar can absorb pollutants and has a synergistic effect with compost when applied to the compost mixture. This study examined the relationship between biochar and aminopyralid through compost consisting of dairy manure and sawdust 1:1 mixture, aminopyralid (10μg/kg), and biochar at four treatment levels of total mass of …

Synergistic Anticancer Effect Of Pistacia Lentiscus Essential Oils And 5-Fluorouracil Co-Loaded Onto Biodegradable Nanofibers Against Melanoma And Breast Cancer, Obaydah Abd Alkader Alabrahim, Hassan Mohamed El Said Azzazy

Faculty Journal Articles

Chemoresistance and severe toxicities represent major drawbacks of chemotherapy. Natural extracts, including the essential oils of Pistacia lentiscus (PLEO), exhibit substantial anticancer and anti-inflammatory activities where different cancers are reported to dramatically recess following targeting with PLEO. PLEO has promising antimicrobial, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory properties. However, the therapeutic properties of PLEO are restricted by limited stability, bioavailability, and targeting ability. PLEO nanoformulation can maximize their physicochemical and therapeutic properties, overcoming their shortcomings. Hence, PLEO was extracted and its chemical composition was determined by GC–MS. PLEO and 5-Fluorouracil (5FU) were electrospun into poly-ε-caprolactone nanofibers (PCL-NFs), of 290.71 nm to 680.95 nm …

Investigation Of Chondrogenesis, Myogenesis, And Osteogenesis After 2,4-Dtbp, 2-Bp, 4-Bp, 3,5-Dtbc Exposure In Zebrafish, Haley Brashears

All Theses

Synthetic phenolic antioxidants (SPAs) are used in personal care products, food packaging, and water pipes, common SPAs include 2,4-di-tert-butylphenol (2,4-DTBP), 2-tert-butyl phenol (2-BP), and 4-tert-butyl phenol (4-BP). These compounds are detected in the environment and in human biological samples. 2,4-DTBP has been detected in cord plasma, placenta, and breast milk samples. This drives the concern regarding developmental toxicity. In human iPS cells 2,4-DTBP impairs differentiation into somites and osteoblasts. Other SPAs, like 2,6-di-tert-butyl-hydroxytoluene caused increased rates of malformations including yolk and pericardial edema, and spinal curvature in 5-day post fertilization (dpf) zebrafish. …

Investigating Nekton Response To Changing Salinities In The Mississippi Sound: An Experimental And Statistical Approach, Adam Murray

Master's Theses

The Mississippi Sound provides nursery habitats for many coastal species and is recognized for its commercial fisheries. Previous freshening events linked to the Bonnet Carré Spillway, a Mississippi River flood diversion structure, proved catastrophic for oyster populations in the Mississippi Sound, but effects on mobile fish and shellfish species are not well-defined. The planned Mid-Breton Sediment Diversion (MBSD), an initiative to combat wetland loss, is also forecasted to lower salinities in the region, increasing the need to better understand responses of commercially and ecologically important species to freshening events. The objective of this study was to characterize effects of salinity …

Comparison Of Methods For Amphetamine Enantiomer Analysis Using Hplc And 1h-Nmr, Martin Mai

Student Theses

A molecule is chiral if it cannot be superimposed on its mirror image. Chiral drugs exist as these mirror image enantiomers, which can differ in their pharmacological effects. When a drug’s active molecule exists as a pair of enantiomers, the relative ratio of each enantiomer in the final product can provide information about the source of production for this drug, i.e., whether the drug was legally or illegally produced. However, typical detection methods may not differentiate between enantiomers of a chiral molecule. This thesis study compares three different methods for enantiomer detection of amphetamine, which is a drug often prescribed …

Leveraging High-Frequency Water Quality Data And Machine Learning For Monitoring Harmful Algal Blooms, Ibrahim Busari

All Dissertations

Freshwater management is one of the most critical resources on the earth due to the plethora of water use and its limited availability. Increased algae proliferation is one of the significant problems of freshwater bodies that is triggered by nutrient enrichment and enabling conditions such as light and warm temperatures. This algal proliferation is toxic to the ecosystem through their biomass and potential toxin production that can cause hypoxic conditions and is often referred to as Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs). Current monitoring approaches include laboratory analysis of water samples to observe algal cells, monitoring of water quality parameters using water …

A Novel Arsenic Methyltransferase Splice Variant Expressed In Human Keratinocytes, Caitlin H. Reynolds, Alexandra N. Nail, Miroslav Styblo, Peter Cable, J. Christopher States

The Cardinal Edge

Chronic inorganic arsenic (iAs) exposure from contaminated drinking water is a global issue that impacts over 220 million people worldwide. iAs is a Group 1 human carcinogen. Skin lesions, including skin cancer, are hallmarks of arsenic toxicity. Arsenic methyltransferase (AS3MT) is required for the biotransformation of iAs to monomethyl-As (MMA^V and MMA^III) and MMA to dimethyl-As (DMA^V and DMA^III), and the iAs:MMA:DMA ratio determines arsenic clearance and toxicity. Both trivalent MMA (MMA^III) and DMA (DMA^III) are exceedingly more toxic compared to iAs and may promote toxic and carcinogenic effects associated …

Low Concentrations Of Hexavalent Chromium In Drinking Water Induce Alzheimer’S Disease Neuropathology: Using A Toxic Aging Coin Approach To Assess Hexavalent Chromium Neurotoxicity, Liam Buchanan, Samuel Vielee, Spencer Roof, Haiyan Lu, Jamie L Young, Idoia Meaza Isusi, Aggie Williams, Joseph Kouokam, Sandra Wise, Luping Guo, Jun Cai, John Wise, John P. Wise Jr.

The Cardinal Edge

Introduction: We are currently facing an aging crisis, as 20% of the U.S. population will be geriatric (65+) by 2030. This growing geriatric population will result in increasing prevalence of age-related diseases, coinciding with increasingly prevalent environmental pollution. Environmental pollution is a ubiquitous health threat that affects people at all ages and contributes to aging pathology. However, geriatric individuals are likely more susceptible to the negative health effects from environmental pollution. The distinct effects of environmental pollutants across age groups are currently understudied. We use a Toxic Aging Coin approach to investigate: 1) how age impacts toxicity (heads), …

Anti-Aging Properties Of Cosmetics, Anna Lipinski

The Cardinal Edge

It is well established that external factors, specifically UV exposure, are among the highest contributors to the biological aging of the skin. Prolonged exposure may disrupt skin cell homeostasis through shifts in proteostasis, accumulation of reactive oxidative species, premature cellular senescence, and inflammatory pathways. Cosmetic companies have responded to this by producing products marketed as "youthful" and "anti-aging" by including specific compounds into formulas to combat skin aging. This review discusses the specific mechanisms of anti-aging formulas, including polyphenols as senotherapeutic agents and L-ascorbic acid as an anti-inflammatory compound, in resisting the biological aging of the skin.

Analysis Of Adverse Events Associated With Sglt2 Inhibitors And Molecular Mechanisms Using Faers Database And Transcriptome Data, Rahinatu Bawah Ali

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis, we explored the differential effects of sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors on cardiovascular and renal health, utilizing both clinical data and molecular insights. Focusing on three commonly prescribed SGLT2 inhibitors—Dapagliflozin, Canagliflozin, and Empagliflozin—we employed the Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) database to assess adverse events, including myocardial infarction, cardiac failure, tachycardia, acute kidney injury (AKI), renal failure, urinary tract infections, and fungal infections. This analysis was complemented by transcriptomic data from kidney cell lines treated with these drugs, processed through NCBI’s GEO2R and Limma programs, to reveal the gene expression profiles linked to these …

Tak1 Blockade Plus Azacitidine Induces Apoptosis, Augments Cytarabine, And Ablates Clonogenicity In Mll-Af9+ Human Aml Cell Lines, Austin P. Runde, Cameron Lewis, Peter Breslin Sj, Jiwang Zhang

School of Medicine

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) encompasses a diverse group of cancers that originate in the blood-forming tissues of the bone marrow [1]. Aside from the PML-RARA⁺ subtype, AML carries a 5-year survival rate of 28% for patients 20+ years of age. AML is the most common cancer of the hematopoietic system and is slightly more common in biological males; the average age at diagnosis is 68 years. Standard frontline treatment for AML is a two-phase regimen of intensive chemotherapy (CTx) employing daunorubicin and cytarabine; etoposide may also be added in select regimens. Despite 60-70% of patients achieving complete remission (CR), …

Confocal Raman Spectroscopy Coupled With In Vitro Permeation Testing To Study The Effects Of Formalin Fixation On The Skin Barrier Function Of Reconstructed Human Epidermis, Hichem Kichou, Franck Bonnier, Amanda C. Caritá, Hugh Byrne, Igor Choupra, Emilie Munnier

Articles

Confocal Raman Spectroscopy is recognised as a potent tool for molecular characterisation of biological specimens. There is a growing demand for In Vitro Permeation Tests (IVPT) in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic areas, increasingly conducted using Reconstructed Human Epidermis (RHE) skin models. In this study, chemical fixation of RHE in 10% Neutral Buffered Formalin for 24 hours has been examined for storing RHE samples at 4°C for up to 21 days. Confocal Raman Spectroscopy, combined with Principal Components Analysis, revealed the molecular-level effects of fixation, notably in protein and lipid conformation within the stratum corneum and viable epidermis. IVPT by means …

Rabbit Control: Bait Products, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity factsheets

This factsheet is part of the bait and poison directory for vertebrate pests in Western Australia (WA). It provides information on bait, poison, and toxin (bait) products available for use in WA to control rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus).

For information on how to access bait, poison and toxin (bait) products, training required, animal welfare considerations and legal requirements, refer to the Bait and poison directory for vertebrate pests’ page on the website at dpird.wa.gov.au. Information on bait, poison, and toxin (bait) products available for use in WA for rabbits, is provided below.

Evaluating Indoor Air Quality In Residential Environments: A Study Of Pm2.5 And Co2 Dynamics Using Low-Cost Sensors, Kabir Bahadur Shah, Dylan Kim, Sai Deepak Pinakana, Mkhitar A. Hobosyan, Armando Montes, Amit U. Raysoni

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Indoor air quality (IAQ) poses a significant public health concern, and exposures to high levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and carbon dioxide (CO2) could have detrimental health impacts. This study focused on assessing the indoor air pollutants in a residential house located in the town of Mission, Hidalgo County, South Texas, USA. The PM2.5 and CO2 were monitored indoors: the kitchen and the bedroom. This investigation also aimed to elucidate the effects of household activities such as cooking and human occupancy on these pollutants. Low-cost sensors (LCSs) from TSI AirAssure™ were used in this study. They were deployed within …

Determining User Implementation Needs For Pharmacist-Prescribed Contraception Using Concept Mapping: A Participatory, Multiple Stakeholder Approach, Jenny L. Newlon, Jennifer A. Campi, Sally Rafie, Ashley H. Meredith

Purdue University Libraries Open Access Publishing Fund

Background

As of October 2024, 29 states and the District of Columbia allow community pharmacists to prescribe hormonal contraceptives. Pharmacists have reported many challenges and barriers to service implementation.

Methods

Concept mapping was used to gather insights from diverse stakeholders to identify resources to facilitate implementation of pharmacist-prescribed contraceptive services. Stakeholders included end-users (pharmacy managers, staff pharmacists) and decision-makers (pharmacy owners/executives). Participants' ideas for resources were collected via multi-stakeholder focus groups. Participants then rated each idea (i.e. statement) in terms of importance and feasibility (1 = not at all important/feasible, 4 = extremely important/feasible) and sorted ideas into groups based …

Preparation And Efficacy Evaluation Of Chicken Egg Yolk Sourced Igy Against The Venoms Of Cobra, Krait, Russell’S Viper, And Saw-Scaled Viper, Gayathri G

Theses and Dissertations

Envenomation resulting from snakebites is widely recognized as an alarming health risk in tropical and sub-tropical areas. The big four snakes including Naja naja, Bungarus caeruleus, Daboia russelli, Echis carinatus are responsible for most of the envenomation in India. The current therapy for snake envenomation is immunoglobulins, produced from serum or plasma of horses or sheep. To overcome the drawbacks of current antivenom, chicken egg yolk (IgY) antibodies have recently emerged as one of the most promising research avenues.

In this study, the efficacy of chicken egg yolk sourced antisnake venom (ASV) IgY against the big four venoms was evaluated …

Rabbit Control: 1080 Versus Pindone, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity factsheets

There are two toxins available for controlling pest rabbits in Western Australia: 1080 and pindone. This factsheet provides a brief summary of the main characteristics of both vertebrate pesticides. 1080 is generally the preferred toxin for rabbit control in Western Australia (WA).

Any attempt to reduce the impact of rabbits on the productivity of any agricultural enterprise (for example, pasture, crops, tree farms, horticulture) should be undertaken as part of a pest management plan.

This strategy should be proactive rather than reactive to a problem. It should also include a long term strategy for dealing with potential rabbit damage, including …

Rabbit Control: Fumigation, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity factsheets

Fumigation for rabbit control involves the introduction of poisonous gas into a warren. It is one of the best control methods to use where low numbers of rabbits live in a few widely scattered warrens. The threat to non-target animals is minimal. This factsheet should be read in conjunction with registered product labels and directions for use. Check the Department of Health, Western Australia website (health.wa.gov.au) for public health requirements for the use of phosphine fumigation.

Fumigation may be used in areas where access is limited, such as fence lines, around trees, and on riverbanks, but it may be difficult …

Harvesting Health: The Role Of City Policy In Urban Agriculture And The Downstream Effects On Youth, Lesley Leake

Theses and Dissertations

Contextualizing environmental health within the socio-ecological framework, acknowledges the diverse factors at play in the environment-human dynamic. The research design, methods, and study populations of each chapter vary to match the socio-ecological level(s) of focus and reinforce the translational and interdisciplinary nature of this research. Chapter 2 examines the policy-supports for urban agriculture using a mixed-methods case-study of the City of Charleston, SC to understand how municipal policy (societal) impacts urban agriculture implementation (community) and what impact this has on residents (relationship and individual). Chapter 3 centers on the potential impact of urban farms (community) and their programming (community and …

Histopathology Of Heart And Spleen As A Result Of Chromium Exposure In Mice, Syeda Nadia Ahmad, Sana Akram, Iram Inayat, Muhammad Ali Kanwal, Sadia Suleman, Khawaja Raees Ahmad

Journal of Bioresource Management

Potassium dichromate (K₂CR₂O₇) contains hexavalent chromium that was tested for cardiac and splenic histopathology and micro anatomical and morphometric analysis at sub-toxic chronic exposure in drinking water in mice at 50 ppm, 100 ppm and 200 ppm concentration. Its duration of exposure was 30 days. The forty animals were divided into 4 groups as Group I was designated as Control (Ctl) received free normal drinking water, other groups (Group II-IV) were Cr (VI)50 ppm, Cr(VI)100 ppm, Cr(VI)200 ppm received 50, 100 and 200 ppm chromium in drinking water respectively. The animals were sacrificed after …