Pharmacology, Toxicology and Environmental Health Commons^™

Infection Intensity And Prevalence From Perkinsus Marinus In The Eastern Oyster, Crassostrea Virginica (Gmelin 1791) And Their Association With Salinity, Temperature, And Sex In South Carolina Estuaries, Deja E. Best

Theses and Dissertations

This project aimed to identify the associations between the infection intensity and prevalence of Perkinsus marinus infection (i.e., Dermo ) in the Eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica (Gmelin), with extrinsic environmental factors such as changes in salinity and temperature along with oyster host factors such as sex ratio. The objectives of the study were to: (1) identify significant associations between the dependent variables, P. marinus prevalence and infection intensity, in relation to salinity and water temperature which may be affected by climate change; and (2) identify any intrinsic factors related to sex (i.e., male, female, intersex, and indeterminant) that may affect …

Replenishment Of Essential Natural Resources: An Assessment Of The Ability Of Freshwater Algae To Enhance Crop Quality And Soil Health, Lala Christina Ek

Theses and Dissertations

Disregard for soil, an essential natural resource, hinders global food production. Food insecurity is a major concern for both public health officials and environmental scientists due to soil quality decline, pollution, and climate change. Alternatives or targeted additions to chemical fertilizers can bolster soil quality, improve crop yields, lengthen crop shelf life, and mitigate environmental pollution. One potential alternative to chemical fertilizers is replacement of them with biological soil amendments, including algae, to enhance crop growth and improve soil health. Research was conducted at the University of South Carolina-Columbia campus garden to determine impacts of non-toxic freshwater algae on crop …

Quantification Of The Internalization Of A Commercially Available Silver Nanoparticle To The Bacterium Escherichia Coli, Samantha Mcneal Case

Theses and Dissertations

Nanoparticles (NPs), materials with dimensions ranging from 1 to 100 nanometers, are widely used in various consumer products, with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) being the most prominent. Exposure to AgNPs occurs through multiple sources, including food packaging, supplements, and disinfectants, owing to their antimicrobial properties. Prior research has identified adverse health effects, such as cytotoxicity, toxicity, and Ag bioaccumulation resulting from AgNP exposure to bacteria in biological systems and the environment. However, most studies employ pristine, highly concentrated NPs, which may not accurately represent realistic exposure scenarios at environmentally relevant concentrations. This project investigates the fate and internalization of AgNPs, found …

Inequality Of Air Quality?: A Study Of Air Quality Within Housing Price Brackets In Gettysburg, Pa, Jess G. Schaefer, Alexis J. Jones, Arden H. Dowd

Student Publications

With the rise of cars and other motorized vehicles has come the rise of air pollution, which tends to have disproportionate environmental and health impacts on low-income and communities of color. This study analyzes car presence and air quality on a transect within Gettysburg, PA to determine if there is a relationship between air pollution and vehicle presence, and if there is a difference in air quality between higher price bracket housing compared to campus, commercial, and lower price bracket housing. To test our research questions, we identified nine sampling locations along a transect where we measured air pollutants, including …

Analyzing The Ramifications Of Climate Change On Mental Health, Salvatore A. Medori

Student Publications

When thinking about the vast array of impacts that the climate crisis has on humanity, there are many things that come to mind, but mental health impacts are likely not one of them. Even though research demonstrates that mental effects from any form of disaster far exceed the physical health implications mental health impacts of the largest disaster facing humanity since the Second World War are rarely considered at all, let alone when solutions are being created. This has led to a hidden crisis emerging underneath an even larger crisis, with serious consequences for most individuals across the globe. The …

Clean Water Saves Lives: Improving Clean Water Access In Yeakpee Town, Liberia, Mishael F. Ohanwadi

Student Publications

Civil unrest in Liberia, a West Coast African nation, has caused the destruction of essential infrastructure, particularly water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) systems. As a result, there is a high reliance on unsafe water sources and prevalence of waterborne diseases and health issues, particularly in the Yeakpee Town Community. Inadequate funding has hindered progress, and there are connections between gender inequalities and limited access to clean water. The Clean Water Save Lives project, launched in 2020, aimed to provide sustainable access to clean water in Yeakpee Town community by constructing a water pump with a filtration system. The project aimed …

Transdisciplinary Approaches To Community Engagement, Research Translation And Science Communication Through Application Of The Socio-Environmental Report Card Process And Product In Murrells Inlet, South Carolina, Ekaterina Negodyaeva Altman

Theses and Dissertations

Public health and environmental sustainability are interlinked. Three pillars of sustainable development are society, environment, and economy are supported and reinforced by healthy populations. Balancing these values in a long-term vision and application requires active involvement of communities and stakeholders in decision-making process of management of environmental resources and personal health choices. Transdisciplinary sustainability science provides a framework for addressing complex issues in sustainability and generates actionable knowledge to link science and policy and involved stakeholders in the scientific process. Transdisciplinary research processes use co-design, co-production, and co-implementation framework to create and re-integrate useful knowledge into practice on a local …

Ethnobotanical Survey On The Knowledge And Use Of Medicinal Plants For Malaria Management Among University Students, Felista W. Mwingira, Deokary J. Matiya, Neema G. Mogha

Tanzania Journal of Science

Malaria remains a public health problem in Tanzania, escalated by the emergence of both parasite and vector resistance. Plant-based traditional medicines have been widely utilized as alternatives to malaria management. However, proper documentation is minimal, especially among the younger generation. This study assessed the knowledge of medicinal plants for malaria management among 532 Dar es Salaam University College of Education students. Overall, twenty-four plant species, most belonging to the family Asteraceae, were identified with Azaradichta indica being the most dominant species. These results reveal a substantial knowledge of medicinal plants for malaria management among university students.

Piperine Encourages Apoptosis In Human Cervical Adenocarcinoma Cells Through Ros Generation, Dna Fragmentation, Caspase-3 Activation And Cell Cycle Arrest, Asif Jafri, Juhi Rais, Sudhir Kumar, Md Arshad

Research Symposium

Background: Cancer is one of the most common destructive diseases and the second leading cause of death in humans. Among cancer, cervical cancer is the second most common malignancy among women globally. Thus, there is a continuous need to search for chemotherapeutic chemicals or naturally occurring drugs to resolve this global health problem. Piperine (1-piperoylpeperdine) is present in the fruits of black pepper (Piper nigrum Linn.) and long pepper (Piper longum Linn.). It possesses several pharmacological properties and in the present study we have evaluated its anti-cancer potential on human cervical adenocarcinoma (HeLa) cells.

Methods: The anti-proliferative effect …

International Conference On Cancer Health Disparities, Juhi Rais, Asif Jafri, Neelam Shivnath, Habiba Khan, Md Arshad

Research Symposium

Background: Biochanin A, an isoflavone that is mainly present in red clover, has potent chemopreventive properties against many cancers. Ovarian carcinoma is fifth most common and deadliest gynaecological malignancy that causes the highest mortality in females worldwide. Hence a substantial need for new therapies for combating this gynaecological malignancy arises.

Methods: The present study aimed to investigate anti-cancerous potentials of biochanin A on cultured human ovarian carcinoma PA-1 cells through the cell viability assay, cellular apoptosis, disruption of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), involvement of ROS, cell cycle kinetics, and expression of apoptosis-related genes namely, p53, Bax, Bcl-2, Noxa and Puma. …

Cell-Based Experimental Evidence To The Anti-Covid-19 Potential Of Ashwagandha And Honeybee Propolis Ingredients, Renu Wadhwa, Durai Sundar, Yoshiyuki Ishida, Keiji Terao, Sunil C. Kaul

Research Symposium

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic emerged in December 2019 by a novel strain of SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2) has led to new endeavours in repurposing of existing drugs, anti-COVID-19 vaccine and drug development. Natural products, due to their general safety and wider availability, have attracted research and public attention. In this study, we report anti-COVID potential of compounds from honeybee propolis and Ayurvedic herb, Ashwagandha. Effect of active ingredients was studied on human cell surface receptors (ACE-2:Angiotensin Converting Enzyme-2/Spike protein and TMPRSS2:Transmembrane Protease Serine 2), critical for virus infection and virus main protease (Mpro, essential for virus replication), …

Microplastics In Water, Their Effects On The Aquatic Ecosystem And Human Public Health, And The Proposed Solutions, Mohanad Abouserie

The Undergraduate Research Journal

We could be swallowing a credit card's weight in plastic every week. Microplastic water pollution is becoming a threat to both humans and aquatic creatures. In this research, microplastic water contamination is discussed, and divergent solutions are proposed. This paper attempts to investigate the causes and effects of such pollution and analyze the current solutions for this issue. The adopted research method is secondary research, where several studies are explored and analyzed. This study explains numerous causes for this issue like cosmetics, cleaning products, factories, and sewage. Consequently, this contamination can negatively impact the organs and metabolisms of the living …

Comparative Investigations On Microextraction And Conventional Air Sampling Techniques: Challenges And Future Directions, Firoz Ahmed, Mehedi Hasan Roni, Ashiqur Rahman, Sayed M A Salam

Al-Bahir

Microextraction technique (e.g., solid phase microextraction, thin film microextraction, in-tube extraction) brings a revolutionary change in air sampling techniques over the recent few years. This advanced technique exhibits a high pollutant extraction rate, a low retention time, and a lower error margin compared to conventional air sampling techniques. The accuracy range of microextraction technique (MET) was recorded ~90-95% to isolate the volatile organic components, oxygenated and halogenated carbon particles from the air. However, the efficiency of MET increases additional >3-5% when employed by coupled with gas chromatography or gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The conventional sampling techniques (e.g., bag sampling, grab sampling) …

Adipocyte-Derived Pxr Signaling Is Dispensable For Diet-Induced Obesity And Metabolic Disorders In Mices, Fang Wang, Jinwei Liu, Rebecca Hernandez, Se-Hyung Park, Ying-Jing Lai, Shuxia Wang, Bruce Blumberg, Changcheng Zhou

UK CARES Faculty Publications

Pregnane X receptor (PXR) is a xenobiotic receptor that can be activated by numerous chemicals including endogenous hormones, dietary steroids, pharmaceutical agents, and environmental chemicals. PXR has been established to function as a xenobiotic sensor to coordinately regulate xenobiotic metabolism by regulating the expression of many enzymes and transporters required for xenobiotic metabolism. Recent studies have implicated a potentially important role for PXR in obesity and metabolic disease beyond xenobiotic metabolism, but how PXR action in different tissues or cell types contributes to obesity and metabolic disorders remains elusive. To investigate the role of adipocyte PXR in obesity, we generated …

Factors Associated With Per- And Polyfluoroalkyl Substance (Pfas) Concentrations: Implications For Exposure Assessment And Highly Exposed Communities, Jordan Mcadam

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Background: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance exposure has been implicated as a factor contributing to the development of many adverse health outcomes across populations of all ages. Despite this, the factors associated with PFAS concentrations in humans are not well understood. Most studies evaluating factors associated with PFAS concentrations consider a small number of variables. Differences in the factors associated with PFAS levels in populations of high exposure versus low or background exposure (i.e., the general population) have not been considered. Advancing our understanding on this topic is necessary to better understand the serum elimination half-lives and toxicokinetics of PFAS. Additionally, …

New Insights On The Differential Interaction Of Sulfiredoxin With Members Of The Peroxiredoxin Family Revealed By Protein-Protein Docking And Experimental Studies, Murli Mishra, Hong Jiang, Qiou Wei

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Sulfiredoxin (Srx) is the enzyme that restores the peroxidase activity of peroxiredoxins (Prxs) through catalyzing the reduction of hyperoxidized Prxs back to their active forms. This process involves protein-protein interaction in an enzyme-substrate binding manner. The integrity of the Srx-Prx axis contributes to the pathogenesis of various oxidative stress related human disorders including cancer, inflammation, cardiovascular and neurological diseases. The purpose of this study is to understand the structural and molecular biology of the Srx-Prx interaction, which may be of significance for prediction of target site for the novel drug-discovery. Homology modeling and protein-protein docking approaches were applied to examine …

Low-Cost Pm2.5 Sensors Can Help Identify Driving Factors Of Poor Air Quality And Benefit Communities, Tim Keyes, Rea Domingo, Samantha Dynowski, Royal Graves, Martha Klein, Melissa Leonard, John Pilgrim, Alison Sanchirico, Kate Trinkaus

WCBT Faculty Publications

Air quality is critical for public health. Residents rely chiefly on government agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the United States to establish standards for the measurement of harmful contaminants including ozone, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, volatile organic chemicals (VOCs), and fine particulate matter at or below 2.5 μm. According to the California Air Resources Board [1], “short-term PM2.5 exposure (up to 24-h duration) has been associated with premature mortality, increased hospital admissions for heart or lung causes, acute and chronic bronchitis, asthma attacks, emergency room visits, respiratory symptoms, and restricted activity days”. While public agency resources …

Jinhua Qinggan Granule Uhplc-Q-Extractive-Orbitrap-Ms Assay: Putative Identification Of 45 Potential Anti-Covid-19 Constituents, Confidential Addition, And Pharmacopoeia Quality-Markers Recommendation, Jingyuan Zeng, Xican Li, Rongxin Cai, Chunhou Li, Shaoman Chen

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

The study combined UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap-MS analysis with authentic standards, to create a novel strategy for isomers recognition and putative identification. Through the strategy, anti-Covid-19 Jinhua Qinggan Granule was found to comprise 28 isomers and 45 potential anti-Covid-19 constituents. The detection of three constituents (Danshensu, cryptotanshin, and tanshinone IIA) suggests Danshen as confidential additive. Based on this, 6 constituents are recommended as quality-marker candidates, including chlorogenic acid, acteoside, peimisine, baicalein, licoricesaponin H2, and tanshinone IIA. Obviously, the study can not only help the public to really understand the Granule's formula and chemistry, but also facilitate its Pharmacopoeia collection in future.

Autophagy-Urea Cycle Pathway Is Essential For The Statin-Mediated Nitric Oxide Bioavailability In Endothelial Cells, Wen-Hua Chen, Bei-Chia Guo, Chia-Hui Chen, Man-Chen Hsu, Chih-Hsien Wang, Tzong-Shyuan Lee

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

Statins induce nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability by activating endothelial nitric oxide synthase via kinase- and calciumdependent pathways in endothelial cells (ECs). However, their effect on the metabolism of L-arginine, the precursor for NO biosynthesis, and regulatory mechanism have not yet been investigated. In this study, we investigated the role of the autophagy–urea cycle-L-arginine pathway in simvastatin-mediated NO bioavailability in ECs. Griess's assay was used to determine the NO bioavailability. Protein expression was assessed using Western blot analysis. Further, immunocytochemistry was performed to observe autophagosome formation, while conventional assay kits were used to quantify the levels of different intermediate substrates of …

Identification For Metabolism Profiles And Pharmacokinetic Studies Of Tradition Chinese Prescription Ji-Ming-San And Its Major Metabolites In Rats By Uhplc-Q-Tof-Ms/Ms And Uhplc-Ms/Ms, Cheng-Yang Hsieh, Ching-Chiung Wang, Lemmuel L. Tayo, Po-Wei Tsai, Chia-Jung Lee

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

Ji-Ming-Shan (JMS) is a traditional prescription use for patients with rheumatism, tendons swelling, athlete's foot, diuresis and even gout. This study developed a rapid and sensitive method for the analysis of JMS chemical components in the Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) prescription and in the serum samples of rats which were administered with the herbal extract. Two mass spectrometric approaches were used namely Ultra-performance liquid chromatographyquadrupole time-of-flight-mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS) method for the major metabolites of the JMS extract while Ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) was employed for the detection of the JMS metabolites in the sera of rats. It was …