Pharmacology, Toxicology and Environmental Health Commons^™

Evaluating The Influence Of Concurrently Available Non-Drug Reinforcers On Drug Reinforcement Using Sophisticated Preclinical Models Of Substance Use Disorder, Madison M. Marcus

Theses and Dissertations

The maladaptive allocation of behavior towards cocaine and away from other concurrently available non-drug reinforcers (e.g., family, health, work, etc.) is a key characteristic of cocaine use disorder (CUD) that is embedded into multiple diagnostic criteria for CUD. Accordingly, basic research conducted in a drug-vs-food “choice” context has improved our fundamental knowledge of the behavioral and neurobiological mechanisms of drug reinforcement. However, to date, these preclinical studies have only been conducted with food as the alternative reinforcer. The extent to which other non-drug reinforcers compete with cocaine-taking behavior is unknown. The studies in this dissertation establish two sophisticated discrete-trial cocaine-vs-alternative …

Sex Identification Of Mytilus Edulis Following 26 Day Treatment To Ee2 And Kz, Helen C. Poynton, K. Garrett Evensen

Data and Datasets

Blue mussel M. edulis were exposed for 26 days to 50 ng/L 17alpha-ethinylestradiol or 30 ug/L ketoconazole for 26 days in four replicate tanks. Prior to exposure, mussel sex was identified using the VERL-VCL RT-qPCR assay on hemolymph collected from each mussel. Following exposure, mantle tissue was collected from each treated mussel and the VERL-VCL RT-qPCR assay was used to identify the sex of the mussels.

Telomeres: A Tool To Assess The Impacts Of Mining Contaminants On Riparian Songbirds, Lillian Krach, Bridger Creel, Megan Fylling, Zac Cheviron, Creagh Breuner

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Mining has left massive environmental and physical scars across the landscape. Aquatic and riparian landscapes in particular have been significantly impacted by traditional mining practices. Waste products left over from hard-rock mining leech heavy metals onto the landscape and these metals spread from headwater streams to major waterways (Lottermoser 2010). Heavy metals have been shown to cause physiological stress and challenges to organisms depending on the metal and the concentration (Baos et al. 2019, Boyd & Rajakaruna 2013). While some mining-impaired areas have undergone restoration efforts, is it enough? Typical restoration methods replace the contaminated floodplain, but not the riverbed …

Lead And Cadmium Exposure Alters Respiration And Shell Bioadhesive Matrix In A Single-Chambered, Agglutinated Foraminiferan Protist: Implications For Marine Biomonitoring, Amanda L. Andreas

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Heavy metal exposure from anthropogenic pollutants negatively affects many marine organisms, including foraminiferan protists. Foraminifera are often used as bioindicators in benthic environments due to their sensitivity to environmental stress. Primary research has commonly focused on how heavy metals affect foraminiferal assemblages, distribution, ultrastructure, and shell morphology. Multi-chambered calcareous and agglutinated forams are the primary focus of such ecotoxicological studies; however, less is known about how heavy metals affect the physiology and shell microarchitecture of monothalamid agglutinated species. The research reported here represents an interdisciplinary environmental toxicology approach to study the exposure effects of heavy metal toxicants, lead (Pb) and …

Revisiting The 2018 Corsica Oil Spill - A Preliminary Case Study Of Ecosystem Recovery From Pahs In Yelkouan Shearwater (Puffinus Yelkouan), Makenna Mahrer

CMC Senior Theses

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a specific class of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) heavily associated with crude oil, and pose genotoxic and physiological threats to marine life when released into the aquatic environment during a petroleum spill. This study seeks to understand the residual impacts of the 2018 Corsica oil spill on Puffinus yelkouan (Yelkouan Shearwater), a seabird endemic to the Mediterranean basin, using the species as a bioindicator for contamination in the region. Though classified by the IUCN Red List as ‘vulnerable,’ this species remains grossly understudied in present monitoring literature. This study made use of blood samples and …

The Evaluation Of The Efficacy And Safety Of Different Methods Of Myopia Control, Chaya Feuchtwanger

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Myopia is the leading cause of preventable blindness in East Asia and has a rising global prevalence. If no treatment is done to curb myopic progression, the eye will continue to grow leading to high refractive errors. A higher prescription leads to an increased risk of developing sight-threatening diseases that can lead to irreversible blindness later in life. The discovery of a treatment that slows or even stops myopia from progressing is increasingly important with many studies being conducted worldwide. Currently, the most effective forms of myopia control are atropine eye drops and specialty contact lenses, with new studies exploring …

Epilepsy And Treatment Resistance, Eva Kowalsky

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Epilepsy is one of the most common debilitating neurological conditions. Individuals with epilepsy experience frequent seizures. Seizures are caused by hyperexcitable and hyper-synchronized neurons. Anti-seizure medications typically work to normalize the electrical activity in the brain. Many epileptic disorders are caused by genetic mutations, most of which cause mutations in ion channel mechanics. 30% of individuals with epilepsy do not respond to classic anti-seizure medications. A combination of factors typically contributes to treatment resistance. Individuals with drug-resistant epilepsy must turn to novel approaches for seizure relief. These approaches include following a ketogenic diet, using CBD products, utilizing a neurostimulator device, …

The Effects Of Nausea And Vomiting On Mother And Child, Mayane Bensoussan

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Nausea and vomiting are common side effects that can occur during pregnancy. On one hand, it can lead to its severe form called hyperemesis gravidarum, which can lead to hospitalization for electrolyte imbalances, dehydration, muscle weakness, or arrhythmias. On the other hand, nausea and vomiting may be an indication of a statistically healthier fetus. Benefits of maternal nausea and emesis to the developing fetus include improved neural development, decreased risk for congenital heart defects, and decreased incidence of miscarriages. Additionally, benefits to the mother include decreased risk for lung, cervical, and rectal cancer. The mothers also had an overall decreased …

Effects Of Microdosing With Psilocybin Mushrooms, Chavivah Davis

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Microdosing with psilocybin, a psychoactive compound found in certain species of mushrooms, has gained popularity in recent years as a means of enhancing mood, cognition, and creativity without inducing the full-blown psychedelic experience. There are many potential benefits associated with microdosing with psilocybin. Although studies do show many positive effects of microdosing with psilocybin, long-term research is required to make a conclusive statement regarding this topic. Furthermore, there are risks and concerns involved that need to be considered, including the illegality of psilocybin and the lack of research. This paper will review the available literature on microdosing with psilocybin. It …

Epinephrine And Cardiac Arrest: The Catch-22, Shaina Friedman

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Epinephrine has been a standard of care treatment for cardiac arrest for the last century; however, the use of epinephrine began without a significant amount of research. In recent years, many have started to question whether epinephrine is an appropriate treatment for cardiac arrest. While epinephrine causes vasoconstriction of the blood vessels and directs much-needed blood flow to the heart, it has also been shown to harm the microvessels of the brain, causing ischemia and neurological damage. Many trials, studies, and surveys were conducted to determine the correct course of action involving the use of epinephrine during cardiac arrest. Additional …

The Impact Of Maternal Health On Breastfeeding Duration, Yael Weinberg

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

The mechanism of breastfeeding is a complex biological process beginning with hormone production from the pituitary gland and ending with the ejection of milk from the breasts. Mothers are recommended to breastfeed exclusively for six months and then continue for another six with the addition of solid food. However, despite the countless health benefits associated with lengthened breastfeeding for both mother and infant, many women dismiss this recommendation. This paper aims to research the aspects of maternal health that can derail the recommended duration of breastfeeding, focusing on emotional health, nutritional intake, and various diseases or surgeries. It is found …

Do The Benefits Of Growth Hormone Outweigh The Risks?, Michael D. Goodstein

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Growth hormone treatment was introduced in the 1950s to confront growth hormone deficiency and metabolic irregularities. In 2003, however, the FDA approved growth hormone treatment for patients with abnormal growth rates unlinked to growth hormone deficiency. The treatment has become largely available to the general public, making the safety of growth hormone treatment an extremely important subject. This paper clarifies the benefits and efficacy of growth hormone treatment and analyzes the potential associated risks, including cancer and diabetes.

Nsaids And Oral Drug Absorption: Ibuprofen Through A Pharmacokinetic Lens, Courtney Gant

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Human pharmacokinetics is the study of how administered medications move throughout and behave within the body. Absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion are four integral parts of this field of study and are commonly known as the ADME principles of pharmacokinetics, but other processes are studied within the field. For orally administered drugs, the absorption process lies within the small intestine and colon, two components of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract; this bodily system is associated with many variables––many of which must be considered in the study of oral drug absorption. Often administered orally, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) make up a group …

To Determine The Role Of The Platelet Activating Factor - Receptor In Folfirinox Therapy-Mediated Microvesicles Particle Generation, Krishna Awasthi

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Given that Pancreatic cancer continues to be one of the primary causes of cancer-related death and that existing treatment options have a poor success rate, it is important to investigate the role of potential factor(s) involved in pancreatic cancer growth or diminishing the effectiveness of chemotherapeutic agents. An alternative regimen for pancreatic cancer treatment called FOLFIRINOX has shown to increase the survival rate and improve Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status score among the pancreatic cancer patients. However, FOLFIRINOX therapy is associated with several side effects. Through mechanisms involving the secretion of microvesicle particles (MVP), studies, including ours have …

Halogen Bonding Interactions Of Haloaromatic Endocrine Disruptors And The Potential For Inhibition Of Iodothyronine Deiodinases, Craig A. Bayse

Chemistry & Biochemistry Faculty Publications

Halogen bonding (XB) is a potential mechanism for the inhibition of the thyroid-activating/deactivating iodothyronine deiodinase family of selenoproteins through interactions with halogenated endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs). Trends in XB interactions were examined using density functional theory for a series of polyhalogenated dibenzo-1,4-dioxins, biphenyls, and other EDCs with methylselenolate, a simple model of the Dio active site selenocysteine. The strengths of the interactions depend upon the halogen (Br>Cl), the degree of substitution, and the position of the acceptor. In terms of donor-acceptor energies, interactions at the meta position are often the strongest, suggesting a link to the topology of THs, …

An Analysis Of Water Quality At Orange County, California Beaches, Naomi Meurice

Pomona Senior Theses

Beaches in Southern California are highly recreated by residents and visitors, making beaches socially and economically important. Public health departments in coastal communities are in charge of measuring water quality and ensuring it is safe for users. Research in the past has indicated that beach water quality gets worse after storms, with bacteria levels jumping on the day of a storm and staying high for up to five days. Studies have shown these spikes in bacteria to be associated with storm runoff, with beaches closer to runoff discharge locations experiencing more impact. However, prior research has not considered the period …

Effectiveness Of A Long-Acting Cocaine Hydrolase In Metabolizing Cocaine And Its Physiologically Active Metabolites, Linyue Shang

Theses and Dissertations--Pharmacy

Cocaine is a widely abused, hepatotoxic drug without an FDA-approved pharmacotherapy specific for cocaine addiction or overdose. Cocaine-induced toxicity in animals and humans is due to its multiple physiological effects on the central nervous system, cardiovascular system, etc. The toxicity of cocaine is highly complex, as its metabolites also contribute to the toxicity. Notably, the combination of cocaine and alcohol is common among drug users and can produce additional metabolites. Some of the metabolites are more toxic than cocaine itself. Hence, to develop an ideal therapeutic candidate, the candidate should not only account for cocaine but should also detoxify other …

Age-Associated Increase Of Gamma Delta T Cells In Visceral Adipose Tissue And Mechanisms Of Their Accumulation, Sujata Mukherjee

Theses and Dissertations--Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences

Chronic systemic inflammation, known as inflammaging is considered a hallmark of aging and associated diseases. While adipose tissue has long been considered only as a caloric reservoir regulating systemic energy homeostasis, research in the past couple of decades substantiate its endocrine function to secrete an array of inflammatory mediators and hormones, which have physiological effects on multiple organ systems, and contribute to inflammaging. Redistribution of adipose tissue from subcutaneous to visceral depots, changes in the immune profile and the chronic inflammatory state are among the major sources of adipose tissue dysfunction with aging.

This dissertation is focused on identifying and …

Chemical Immobilization Of Helicopter-Captured Elk (Cervus Canadensis) And Survival Of Elk Calves In Southeastern Kentucky, Kathleen E. Williams

Theses and Dissertations--Forestry and Natural Resources

Safe and effective chemical immobilization is critical to minimize stress and risk of injury when capturing free-ranging, wild ungulates. Many traditionally favored high potency opioids have been phased out or become unavailable because of increased regulations, leading to the development of two pre-mixed combination drugs, butorphanol-azaperone-medetomidine (BAM) and nalbuphine-medetomidine-azaperone (NalMed-A). Both drugs have been used to chemically immobilize ungulates, but their efficacy has not been documented in elk captured and transported via helicopter. During 2020 – 2022, we chemically immobilized helicopter-captured female elk (Cervus canadensis) with a single IM-injection of BAM (n = 41) or NalMed-A (n = …

Alternative Pharmacology: Exploring Ketamine Use For Treatment Resistant Mental Health Disorders, Kiersten L. Ash

Soaring: A Journal of Undergraduate Research

No abstract provided.