EPA CHILDREN'S PESTICIDE EXPOSURE MEASUREMENT PROGRAM

EPA Science Inventory

The U.S. EPA's National Exposure Research Laboratory conducts research in support of the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA) of 1996. FQPA requires that children's risks to pesticide exposures be considered during the tolerance-setting process. FQPA requires exposure assessme...

THE EPA CHILDREN'S PESTICIDE EXPOSURE MEASUREMENT PROGRAM

EPA Science Inventory

The U.S. EPA's National Exposure Research Laboratory conducts research in support of the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA)) of 1996. FQPA requires that children's risks to pesticide exposures be considered during the tolerance-setting process. FQPA requires exposure assessme...

Agricultural use of municipal wastewater treatment plant ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Agricultural use of municipal wastewater treatment plant sewage sludge as a source of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) contamination in the environment The National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL) Human Exposure and Atmospheric Sciences Division (HEASD) conducts research in support of EPA mission to protect human health and the environment. HEASD research program supports Goal 1 (Clean Air) and Goal 4 (Healthy People) of EPA strategic plan. More specifically, our division conducts research to characterize the movement of pollutants from the source to contact with humans. Our multidisciplinary research program produces Methods, Measurements, and Models to identify relationships between and characterize processes that link source emissions, environmental concentrations, human exposures, and target-tissue dose. The impact of these tools is improved regulatory programs and policies for EPA.

Advances in Exposure Science (Washington, DC Modernized TSCA meeting)

EPA Science Inventory

I am describing current research from the Chemical Safety for Sustainability research program's Rapid Exposure and Dosimetry project that relates to predicting human exposure to environmental chemicals for thousands of chemicals.

THE EPA/ORD/NERL'S HUMAN EXPOSURE MEASUREMENTS PROGRAM - CHILDREN'S FOCUS

EPA Science Inventory

The U.S. EPA's National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL) conducts research in support of the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA) of 1996. FQPA requires that children's risks to pesticide exposures be considered during the tolerance-setting process. The Act requires exposure...

IMPLICATIONS OF PARTICULATE MATTER RESEARCH PROGRAM UPON EXPOSURE ASSESSMENT AND APPORTIONMENT AND ATTRIBUTION OF ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS

EPA Science Inventory

Recent personal exposure panel studies and monitoring programs addressing fine particulate matter (PM) and associated co-pollutants have elucidated the physical and statistical relationships between personal exposures, residential indoor concentrations (and sources), concentratio...

Spaceflight Radiation Health program at the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, A. Steve; Badhwar, Gautam D.; Golightly, Michael J.; Hardy, Alva C.; Konradi, Andrei; Yang, Tracy Chui-Hsu

1993-01-01

The Johnson Space Center leads the research and development activities that address the health effects of space radiation exposure to astronaut crews. Increased knowledge of the composition of the environment and of the biological effects of space radiation is required to assess health risks to astronaut crews. The activities at the Johnson Space Center range from quantification of astronaut exposures to fundamental research into the biological effects resulting from exposure to high energy particle radiation. The Spaceflight Radiation Health Program seeks to balance the requirements for operational flexibility with the requirement to minimize crew radiation exposures. The components of the space radiation environment are characterized. Current and future radiation monitoring instrumentation is described. Radiation health risk activities are described for current Shuttle operations and for research development program activities to shape future analysis of health risk.

The EPA's human exposure research program for assessing cumulative risk in communities.

PubMed

Zartarian, Valerie G; Schultz, Bradley D

2010-06-01

Communities are faced with challenges in identifying and prioritizing environmental issues, taking actions to reduce their exposures, and determining their effectiveness for reducing human health risks. Additional challenges include determining what scientific tools are available and most relevant, and understanding how to use those tools; given these barriers, community groups tend to rely more on risk perception than science. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Research and Development, National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL) and collaborators are developing and applying tools (models, data, methods) for enhancing cumulative risk assessments. The NERL's "Cumulative Communities Research Program" focuses on key science questions: (1) How to systematically identify and prioritize key chemical stressors within a given community?; (2) How to develop estimates of exposure to multiple stressors for individuals in epidemiologic studies?; and (3) What tools can be used to assess community-level distributions of exposures for the development and evaluation of the effectiveness of risk reduction strategies? This paper provides community partners and scientific researchers with an understanding of the NERL research program and other efforts to address cumulative community risks; and key research needs and opportunities. Some initial findings include the following: (1) Many useful tools exist for components of risk assessment, but need to be developed collaboratively with end users and made more comprehensive and user-friendly for practical application; (2) Tools for quantifying cumulative risks and impact of community risk reduction activities are also needed; (3) More data are needed to assess community- and individual-level exposures, and to link exposure-related information with health effects; and (4) Additional research is needed to incorporate risk-modifying factors ("non-chemical stressors") into cumulative risk assessments. The products of this research program will advance the science for cumulative risk assessments and empower communities with information so that they can make informed, cost-effective decisions to improve public health.

OVERVIEW OF EPA'S HUMAN EXPOSURE AND SOURCE-TO-DOSE MODELING PROGRAM: HEADSUP

EPA Science Inventory

EPA's human exposure and source-to-dose modeling program is designed to provide a scientifically sound approach to understanding how people are actually exposed to pollutants and the magnitude of predicted exposures and dose. The objective of this research project is to develo...

20170915 - EPA’s Rapid Exposure and Dosimetry Project (Alberta Health)

EPA Science Inventory

The Chemical Safety for Sustainability Research Program includes the Rapid Exposure and Dosimetry (RED) project. RED advances high throughput research in exposure modeling and toxicokinetics. This presentation is an overview of publicly available tools developed by the RED projec...

INTEGRATED HUMAN EXPOSURE SOURCE-TO-DOSE MODELING

EPA Science Inventory

The NERL human exposure research program is designed to provide a sound, scientifically-based approach to understanding how people are actually exposed to pollutants and the factors and pathways influencing exposure and dose. This research project serves to integrate and incorpo...

How Exposure Science can be Integrated into the Assessment of Ingredient Safety (American College of Toxicology Annual Meeting)

EPA Science Inventory

The presentation describes ongoing research in the Rapid Exposure and Dosimetry project funded under the Chemical Safety for Sustainability Research Program of the Office of Research and Development. There is a well known need for information on human exposure to thousands of che...

(PRAGUE)BIOMARKERS OF EXPOSURE TO PARTICULATE AIR POLLUTION IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC

EPA Science Inventory

The use of biomarkers in the Teplice Program, provided a key tool to relate health outcomes to individual personal exposures and to provide measures of confounding exposures. This research program on the health effects of air pollution studied a population living in the heavil...

(CZ)BIOMARKERS OF EXPOSURE TO PARTICULATE AIR POLLUTION IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC

EPA Science Inventory

The use of biomarkers in the Teplice Program, provided a key tool to relate health outcomes to individual personal exposures and to provide measures of confounding exposures. This research program on the health effects of air pollution studied a population living in the heavil...

Wet weather exposure measures

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1988-02-01

Accident surveillance programs require a measure of wet-pavement exposure to determine whether the wet-pavement accident rates of particular highway sections are higher or lower than expected. This research program used the results of laboratory and ...

Respiratory diseases research at NIOSH: reviews of research programs of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

2008-07-01

Respiratory diseases caused by exposures to dangerous materials in the workplace have tremendous implications for worker health and, by extension, the national economy. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) estimates that deaths from work-related respiratory diseases and cancers account for about 70% of all occupational disease deaths. NIOSH conducts research in order to detect and reduce work-related hazardous exposures, injuries, and diseases; its Respiratory Disease Research Program (RDRP) focuses on respiratory diseases. This National Research Council book reviews the RDRP to evaluate the 1) relevance of its work to improvements in occupational safety and health and 2)more » the impact of research in reducing workplace respiratory illnesses. The assessment reveals that the program has made essential contributions to preventing occupational respiratory disease. The National Research Council has rated the Program a 5 out of 5 for relevance, and a 4 out of 5 for impact. To further increase its effectiveness, the Respiratory Disease Research Program should continue and expand its current efforts, provide resources for occupational disease surveillance, and include exposure assessment scientists in its activities. There are numerous references to respiratory systems diseases caused by coal mining. 4 apps.« less

Biochemical, endocrine, and hematological factors in human oxygen tolerance extension: Predictive studies 6

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lambertsen, C. J.; Clark, J. M.

1992-01-01

The Predictive Studies VI (Biochemical, endocrine, and hematological factors in human oxygen tolerance extension) Program consisted of two related areas of research activity, integrated in design and performance, that were each based on an ongoing analysis of human organ oxygen tolerance data obtained for the continuous oxygen exposures of the prior Predictive Studies V Program. The two research areas effectively blended broad investigation of systematically varied intermittent exposure patterns in animals with very selective evaluation of specific exposure patterns in man.

Mapping ExpoCast onto ToxCast

EPA Science Inventory

The National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL) Human Exposure and Atmospheric Sciences Division (HEASD) conducts research in support of EPA mission to protect human health and the environment. HEASD research program supports Goal 1 (Clean Air) and Goal 4 (Healthy People) of EP...

20171003 - Exposure Research in EPA’s Chemical Safety for Sustainability Research Program (ACC LRI SST Science Discussion)

EPA Science Inventory

Estimates of human and ecological exposures are required as critical input to risk-based prioritization and screening of chemicals. This project seeks to develop the data, tools, and evaluation approaches required to generate rapid and scientifically-defensible exposure predictio...

78 FR 7860 - Initial Research on the Long-Term Health Consequences of Exposure to Burn Pits in Iraq and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-04

... design features. Existing research studies, such as the Million Veteran Program, the Cooperative Studies..., study designs, research and evaluation protocols, and results from burn pit emissions research. VA has... DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS Initial Research on the Long-Term Health Consequences of Exposure...

The Imagination Library Program: Increasing Parental Reading through Book Distribution

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ridzi, Frank; Sylvia, Monica R.; Singh, Sunita

2014-01-01

Research has established a connection between print exposure and reading skills. The authors examined the impact of book access on print exposure via a monthly book distribution program. At 10 months of implementation, 170 families enrolled in the Imagination Library Program in Syracuse, New York responded to a survey. Results indicated that…

Comparing biomarker measurements to a normal range: when ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This commentary is the second of a series outlining one specific concept in interpreting biomarkers data. In the first, an observational method was presented for assessing the distribution of measurements before making parametric calculations. Here, the discussion revolves around the next step, the choice of using standard error of the mean or the calculated standard deviation to compare or predict measurement results. The National Exposure Research Laboratory’s (NERL’s) Human Exposure and Atmospheric Sciences Division (HEASD) conducts research in support of EPA’s mission to protect human health and the environment. HEASD’s research program supports Goal 1 (Clean Air) and Goal 4 (Healthy People) of EPA’s strategic plan. More specifically, our division conducts research to characterize the movement of pollutants from the source to contact with humans. Our multidisciplinary research program produces Methods, Measurements, and Models to identify relationships between and characterize processes that link source emissions, environmental concentrations, human exposures, and target-tissue dose. The impact of these tools is improved regulatory programs and policies for EPA.

Photon-Weighted Midpoint Exposure Meter for Keck/HIRES Extrasolar Planet Research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

NASA Grant was received for research involving the construction of a photon-weighting midpoint exposure meter for the Keck HIRES spectrometer, and for support of our NASA/Keck-based planet research with this instrumentation. The research funds were also to be used to make our iodine cell calibration system and exposure meter available to the NASA Keck observing community. Progress this past year, the second of the 3-year granting period, involved work in 4 areas: 1) Further construction of the midpoint exposure meter. 2) Assisting observers with use of the Iodine system. 3) Acquisition of precision radial velocity data on our program star sample with continued monitoring to proceed in subsequent years as available telescope time permits. 4) Reduction and analysis of incoming precision radial velocity data to reject problematic and uninteresting program stars, and to identify promising planet candidates.

OVERVIEW OF EPA'S LANDSCAPE SCIENCE PROGRAM

EPA Science Inventory

Over the past 10 years, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Research and Development's National Exposure Research Laboratory has expanded it's ecological research program to include the development of landscape metrics and indicators to assess ecological risk and...

OVERVIEW OF EPA'S LANDSCAPE SCIENCES PROGRAM

EPA Science Inventory

Over the past 10 years, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Research and Development's National Exposure Research Laboratory has expanded it's ecological research program to include the development of landscape metrics and indicators to assess ecological risk and...

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE RUSSIAN HEALTH STUDIES PROGRAM AND UPDATED RESEARCH FINDINGS

PubMed Central

Fountos, Barrett N.

2017-01-01

Abstract Recognized for conducting cutting-edge science in the field of radiation health effects research, the Department of Energy's (DOE) Russian Health Studies Program has continued to generate excitement and enthusiasm throughout its 23-year mission to assess worker and public health risks from radiation exposure resulting from nuclear weapons production activities in the former Soviet Union. The three goals of the Program are to: (1) clarify the relationship between health effects and chronic, low-to-medium dose radiation exposure; (2) estimate the cancer risks from exposure to gamma, neutron, and alpha radiation; and (3) provide information to the national and international organizations that determine radiation protection standards and practices. Research sponsored by DOE's Russian Health Studies Program is conducted under the authority of the Joint Coordinating Committee for Radiation Effects Research (JCCRER), a bi-national committee representing Federal agencies in the United States and the Russian Federation. Signed in 1994, the JCCRER Agreement established the legal basis for the collaborative research between USA and Russian scientists to determine the risks associated with working at or living near Russian former nuclear weapons production sites. The products of the Program are peer-reviewed publications on cancer risk estimates from worker and community exposure to ionizing radiation following the production of nuclear weapons in Russia. The scientific return on investment has been substantial. Through 31 December 2015, JCCRER researchers have published 299 peer-reviewed publications. To date, the research has focused on the Mayak Production Association (Mayak) in Ozersk, Russia, which is the site of the first Soviet nuclear weapons production facility, and people in surrounding communities along the Techa River. There are five current projects in the Russian Health Studies Program: two radiation epidemiology studies; two historical dose reconstruction studies and a worker biorepository. National and international standard-setting organizations use cancer risk estimates computed from epidemiological and historical dose reconstruction studies to validate or revise radiation protection standards. An overview of the most important research results will be presented. PMID:27885077

Spatiotemporally-Resolved Air Exchange Rate as a Modifier of Acute Air Pollution-Related Morbidity

EPA Science Inventory

The National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL) Human Exposure and Atmospheric Sciences Division (HEASD) conducts research in support of EPA mission to protect human health and the environment. HEASD research program supports Goal 1 (Clean Air) and Goal 4 (Healthy People) of EP...

Overview of aerosolized Florida red tide toxins: exposures and effects.

PubMed

Fleming, Lora E; Backer, Lorraine C; Baden, Daniel G

2005-05-01

Florida red tide is caused by Karenia brevis, a dinoflagellate that periodically blooms, releasing its potent neurotoxin, brevetoxin, into the surrounding waters and air along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. Exposure to Florida red tide toxins has been associated with adverse human health effects and massive fish and marine mammal deaths. The articles in this mini-monograph describe the ongoing interdisciplinary and interagency research program that characterizes the exposures and health effects of aerosolized Florida red tide toxins (brevetoxins). The interdisciplinary research program uses animal models and laboratory studies to develop hypotheses and apply these findings to in situ human exposures. Our ultimate goal is to develop appropriate prevention measures and medical interventions to mitigate or prevent adverse health effects from exposure to complex mixtures of aerosolized red tide toxins.

UV RADIATION MEASUREMENTS/ATMOSPHERIC CHARACTERIZATION

EPA Science Inventory

Because exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation is an ecosystem stressor and poses a human health risk, the National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL) has undertaken a research program to measure the intensity of UV-B radiation at various locations throughout the U.S. In Septem...

California's program: Indoor air problems aren't amenable to regulation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wesolowski, J.

In 1982, California's legislature established an Indoor Air Quality Program (CIAQP) in the Department of Health Services to carry out research on the nature and extent of the indoor air problem (excluding industrial worksites), to find appropriate mitigation measures, and to promote and coordinate the efforts of other state agencies. Since indoor air problems usually are not amenable to regulatory solutions, regulatory authority was not included in the mandate. The program conducts research into a wide range of contaminants--radon, asbestos, formaldehyde, carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds, environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), as well as into biological aerosols that cause such diseasesmore » as Legionnaires disease, tuberculosis, allergies, and asthma. Studies are also carried out to better understand the Sick Building Syndrome. The research includes field surveys to determine the exposure of the population to specific contaminants and experiments in the laboratory to develop protocols for reducing exposures. The research emphasizes measurement of exposure--concentration multiplied by the time a person is exposed--as opposed to measurement of concentration only.« less

Effects of a Parent-Child Interactive Program for Families on Reducing the Exposure of School-Aged Children to Household Smoking.

PubMed

Chen, Yu-Ting; Hsiao, Fei-Hsiu; Lee, Ching-Mei; Wang, Ruey-Hsia; Chen, Ping-Ling

2016-03-01

Parental smoking has been identified as the major source of children's exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS). Therefore, parental involvement is critical in ETS exposure prevention programs. This study examined the effects of a parent-child interactive program on reducing children's exposure to ETS at home and enhancing parents' and children's prevention strategies. A clustered randomized controlled trial was administered to 75 families of school-aged children from six primary schools in New Taipei City, Taiwan. Families in the intervention group received a parent-child interactive intervention, and parents in the control group received written materials on tobacco hazards. Data on children's exposure and the prevention of children's exposure to ETS at home were obtained at baseline, 8-week, and 20-week or 6-month assessments. The percentage of children with urine cotinine levels greater than or equal to 6 ng/ml was significantly lower in the intervention group than it was in the control group at both the 8-week and 6-month assessments. The intervention significantly reduced parental smoking in the presence of children and increased parents' prevention of children's ETS exposure and children's ETS avoidance behavior from the baseline to the 20-week assessment. This is a preliminary study design aimed at creating a program for reducing children's ETS exposure at home. Further research to produce evidence supporting the application of the parent-child interactive program in primary schools is suggested. The theoretical basis of the intervention design can serve as a reference for nursing education and the design of health education programs. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The Impact of Select Pollutant Sources on Air Quality and the Moravian-Silesian Metropolitan Region by the Positive Matrix Factorization Model

EPA Science Inventory

The National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL) Human Exposure and Atmospheric Sciences Division (HEASD) conducts research in support of EPA mission to protect human health and the environment. HEASD research program supports Goal 1 (Clean Air) and Goal 4 (Healthy People) of EP...

PESTICIDE EXPOSURE AND POTENTIAL HEALTH EFFECTS IN YOUNG CHILDREN ALONG THE U.S.-MEXICO BORDER

EPA Science Inventory

The purpose of the Pesticides in Young Children - Border States Program is to assess the relationship of health outcomes in children living along the United States and Mexico border to repeated pesticide exposures via multiple sources and pathways. The present research program ...

Breast Cancer and the Environment Research Program

Cancer.gov

The Breast Cancer and the Environment Research Program supports a multidisciplinary network of scientists, clinicians, and community partners to examine the effects of environmental exposures that may predispose a woman to breast cancer throughout her life.

Engineered Solutions to Reduce Occupational Noise Exposure at the NASA Glenn Research Center: A Five-Year Progress Summary (1994-1999)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cooper, Beth A.; Hange, Donald W.; Mikulic, John J.

1999-01-01

At the NASA John H. Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field (formerly the Lewis Research Center), experimental research in aircraft and space propulsion systems is conducted in more than 100 test cells and laboratories. These facilities are supported by a central process air system that supplies high-volume, high-pressure compressed air and vacuum at various conditions that simulate altitude flight. Nearly 100,000 square feet of metalworking and specialized fabrication shops located on-site produce prototypes, models, and test hardware in support of experimental research operations. These activities, comprising numerous individual noise sources and operational scenarios, result in a varied and complex noise exposure environment, which is the responsibility of the Glenn Research Center Noise Exposure Management Program. Hearing conservation, community noise complaint response and noise control engineering services are included under the umbrella of this Program, which encompasses the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standard on occupational noise exposure, Sec. 29CFR 1910.95, as well as the more stringent NASA Health Standard on Hearing Conservation. Prior to 1994, in the absence of feasible engineering controls, strong emphasis had been placed on personal hearing protection as the primary mechanism for assuring compliance with Sec. 29CFR 1910.95 as well as NASA's more conservative policy, which prohibits unprotected exposure to noise levels above 85 dB(A). Center policy and prudent engineering practice required, however, that these efforts be extended to engineered noise controls in order to bring existing work areas into compliance with Sec. 29CFR 1910.95 and NASA's own policies and to ensure compliance for new installations. Coincident with the establishment in 1995 of a NASA wide multi-year commitment of funding for environmental abatement projects, the Noise Exposure Management Program was established, with its focus on engineering approaches to reducing occupational and community noise exposure. The organization and mission of this Program were documented shortly after its inception, and individual programmatic components have been the subject of subsequent papers. This paper summarizes the status and accomplishments of the engineering aspects of the Program from a five-year retrospective viewpoint and includes a review of retrofit noise control solution strategies, which have not been previously documented.

The Impact of Community Violence on School-Based Research.

PubMed

Velsor-Friedrich, Barbara; Richards, Maryse; Militello, Lisa K; Dean, Kyle C; Scott, Darrick; Gross, Israel M; Romeo, Edna

2015-12-01

Research conducted on youth exposure to violence has generally focused on documenting the prevalence of community violence and its emotional and behavioral implications. However, there is a dearth of information related to the impact of violence on the implementation and evaluation of community and school-based programs. This commentary examines the impact of community violence on a school-based research program. It is also a brief summary of the detrimental effects of exposure to community violence on psychological and academic functioning and health outcomes. An example of the impact of community violence on the implementation of a school-based asthma program will be addressed. Implications for school nurses will be discussed. © The Author(s) 2015.

An Undergraduate Research Fellowship Program to Prepare Nursing Students for Future Workforce Roles

PubMed Central

Slattery, Mary Jo; Logan, Bridget; Mudge, Bridget; Secore, Karen; Von Reyn, LInda J.; Maue, Robert A.

2016-01-01

It is important for nurses today and for those joining the workforce in the future to have familiarity and training with respect to interprofessional research, evidence-based practice, and quality improvement. In an effort to address this need, we describe a 10-week summer research program that immerses undergraduate nursing students in a broad spectrum of clinical and translational research projects as part of their exposure to advanced nursing roles. In doing so, the program increases the ability of the students to participate in research, effectively interact with academic medical center researchers, and incorporate elements of evidence-based practice into future nursing interventions. Their mentors are nurses practicing in roles as nurse researcher, advanced practice nurses involved in evidence-based practice or quality improvement, and clinical trials research nurses. Each student is matched with 3 of these mentors and involved in 3 different projects. Through this exposure, the students benefit from observing multiple nursing roles, taking an active role in research-related activities participating in interdisciplinary learning experiences. Overall, the program provides benefits to the students, who demonstrate measured improvement with respect to the program objectives, and to their mentors and each of the participating organizations. PMID:27964811

Operation HARDTACK 1, 1958

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-12-01

parts of the weapon development and ef fects studies each had particular features that led to the possibility of radiation exposure. RADIOLOGICAL...exposures of DOD personnel for interested former partici- pants and for use In public health research and Federal policy studies . Information from...StriActu(𔃾 ard Equipment 128 Program 4 Bif(,4#crical Studies 133 Program 5 -- Aircrdft Structures 133 Program 6 Test of Service fqipmont and Materials 137

Overview of Aerosolized Florida Red Tide Toxins: Exposures and Effects

PubMed Central

Fleming, Lora E.; Backer, Lorraine C.; Baden, Daniel G.

2005-01-01

Florida red tide is caused by Karenia brevis, a dinoflagellate that periodically blooms, releasing its potent neurotoxin, brevetoxin, into the surrounding waters and air along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. Exposure to Florida red tide toxins has been associated with adverse human health effects and massive fish and marine mammal deaths. The articles in this mini-monograph describe the ongoing interdisciplinary and interagency research program that characterizes the exposures and health effects of aerosolized Florida red tide toxins (brevetoxins). The interdisciplinary research program uses animal models and laboratory studies to develop hypotheses and apply these findings to in situ human exposures. Our ultimate goal is to develop appropriate prevention measures and medical interventions to mitigate or prevent adverse health effects from exposure to complex mixtures of aerosolized red tide toxins. PMID:15866773

High-Throughput Dietary Exposure Predictions for Chemical Migrants from Food Packaging Materials

EPA Science Inventory

United States Environmental Protection Agency researchers have developed a Stochastic Human Exposure and Dose Simulation High -Throughput (SHEDS-HT) model for use in prioritization of chemicals under the ExpoCast program. In this research, new methods were implemented in SHEDS-HT...

Human exposure monitoring and evaluation in the Arctic: the importance of understanding exposures to the development of public health policy.

PubMed Central

Suk, William A; Avakian, Maureen D; Carpenter, David; Groopman, John D; Scammell, Madeleine; Wild, Christopher P

2004-01-01

Arctic indigenous peoples face significant challenges resulting from the contamination of Arctic air, water, and soil by persistent organic pollutants, heavy metals, and radionuclides. International cooperative efforts among governments and research institutions are under way to collect the information needed by environmental health scientists and public health officials to address environmental contamination in the Arctic. However, the climatic, political, and cultural conditions of the land and its native populations combine to present a unique set of scientific and logistic challenges to addressing this important public health issue. Public health officials have the responsibility to respect the cultural traditions of indigenous communities, while simultaneously designing strategies that will reduce their exposure to environmental contaminants and rates of disease and dysfunction. Researchers can better understand the link between environmental exposures and disease through monitoring programs for both the subsistence diets and health status of the indigenous populations. We suggest that the incorporation of community-based participatory research methods into programs designed to assess biomarkers of contaminant exposure in children and adults may be a valuable addition to ongoing and newly developed research programs. This approach could serve as a model for international environmental health initiatives, because it involves the participation of the local communities and seeks to builds trust between all stakeholders. PMID:14757538

Epigenomics in Environmental Health

PubMed Central

Christensen, Brock C.; Marsit, Carmen J.

2011-01-01

This review considers the emerging relationships between environmental factors and epigenetic alterations and the application of genome-wide assessments to better define these relationships. First we will briefly cover epigenetic programming in development, one-carbon metabolism, and exposures that may disrupt normal developmental programming of epigenetic states. In addition, because a large portion of epigenetic research has focused on cancer, we discuss exposures associated with carcinogenesis including asbestos, alcohol, radiation, arsenic, and air pollution. Research on other exposures that may affect epigenetic states such as endocrine disruptors is also described, and we also review the evidence for epigenetic alterations associated with aging that may reflect cumulative effects of exposures. From this evidence, we posit potential mechanisms by which exposures modify epigenetic states, noting that understanding the true effect of environmental exposures on the human epigenome will require additional research with appropriate epidemiologic studies and application of novel technologies. With a more comprehensive understanding of the affects of exposures on the epigenome, including consideration of genetic background, the prediction of the toxic potential of new compounds may be more readily achieved, and may lead to the development of more personalized disease prevention and treatment strategies. PMID:22303378

78 FR 17219 - National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences; Notice of Closed Meeting Pursuant to section...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-03-20

... Health Sciences Special Emphasis Panel, Assessment of Adverse Genetic Effects From Exposure to Compounds... Program Nos. 93.115, Biometry and Risk Estimation--Health Risks from Environmental Exposures; 93.142... Research and Testing, National Institutes of Health, HHS) Dated: March 14, 2013. Carolyn Baum, Program...

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE RUSSIAN HEALTH STUDIES PROGRAM AND UPDATED RESEARCH FINDINGS.

PubMed

Fountos, Barrett N

2017-04-01

Recognized for conducting cutting-edge science in the field of radiation health effects research, the Department of Energy's (DOE) Russian Health Studies Program has continued to generate excitement and enthusiasm throughout its 23-year mission to assess worker and public health risks from radiation exposure resulting from nuclear weapons production activities in the former Soviet Union. The three goals of the Program are to: (1) clarify the relationship between health effects and chronic, low-to-medium dose radiation exposure; (2) estimate the cancer risks from exposure to gamma, neutron, and alpha radiation; and (3) provide information to the national and international organizations that determine radiation protection standards and practices. Research sponsored by DOE's Russian Health Studies Program is conducted under the authority of the Joint Coordinating Committee for Radiation Effects Research (JCCRER), a bi-national committee representing Federal agencies in the United States and the Russian Federation. Signed in 1994, the JCCRER Agreement established the legal basis for the collaborative research between USA and Russian scientists to determine the risks associated with working at or living near Russian former nuclear weapons production sites. The products of the Program are peer-reviewed publications on cancer risk estimates from worker and community exposure to ionizing radiation following the production of nuclear weapons in Russia. The scientific return on investment has been substantial. Through 31 December 2015, JCCRER researchers have published 299 peer-reviewed publications. To date, the research has focused on the Mayak Production Association (Mayak) in Ozersk, Russia, which is the site of the first Soviet nuclear weapons production facility, and people in surrounding communities along the Techa River. There are five current projects in the Russian Health Studies Program: two radiation epidemiology studies; two historical dose reconstruction studies and a worker biorepository. National and international standard-setting organizations use cancer risk estimates computed from epidemiological and historical dose reconstruction studies to validate or revise radiation protection standards. An overview of the most important research results will be presented. Published by Oxford University Press 2016. This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US.

Human Exposure Model (HEM): A modular, web-based application to characterize near-field chemical exposures and releases

EPA Science Inventory

The U.S. EPA’s Chemical Safety and Sustainability research program is developing the Human Exposure Model (HEM) to assess near-field exposures to chemicals that occur in various populations over the entire life cycle of a consumer product. The model will be implemented as a...

The NASA Space Radiation Health Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schimmerling, W.; Sulzman, F. M.

1994-01-01

The NASA Space Radiation Health Program is a part of the Life Sciences Division in the Office of Space Science and Applications (OSSA). The goal of the Space Radiation Health Program is development of scientific bases for assuring adequate radiation protection in space. A proposed research program will determine long-term health risks from exposure to cosmic rays and other radiation. Ground-based animal models will be used to predict risk of exposures at varying levels from various sources and the safe levels for manned space flight.

Overview of EPA Superfund human health research program.

PubMed

Kowalski, Lorelei; Denne, Jane; Dyer, Robert; Garrahan, Kevin; Wentsel, Randall S

2002-03-01

This paper presents major research needs for the Superfund program, and provides an overview of the EPA Office of Research and Development's (ORDs) current human health research program designed to fill some of those data gaps. Research is presented in terms of the risk paradigm and covers exposure, effects, and assessment activities directly funded by Superfund, as well as research not funded by Superfund but directly applicable to Superfund research needs. Research on risk management is not covered. Current research activities conducted by the Superfund program office are also included to provide a full picture of Superfund human health research activities being conducted by EPA.

Factors influencing indoor air quality in an urban high rise apartment building (retitled as "Air Pollution and air exchange in an urban high rise apartment building")

EPA Science Inventory

The National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL) Human Exposure and Atmospheric Sciences Division (HEASD) conducts research in support of EPA mission to protect human health and the environment. HEASD research program supports Goal 1 (Clean Air) and Goal 4 (Healthy People) of EP...

ASSESSING RESIDENTIAL EXPOSURE USING THE STOCHASTIC HUMAN EXPOSURE AND DOSE SIMULATION (SHEDS) MODEL

EPA Science Inventory

As part of a workshop sponsored by the Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Research and Development and Office of Pesticide Programs, the Aggregate Stochastic Human Exposure and Dose Simulation (SHEDS) Model was used to assess potential aggregate residential pesticide e...

DETERMINATION OF METALS IN COMPOSITE DIET SAMPLES BY ICP-MS

EPA Science Inventory

In order to assess an individual's toal exposure to contaminants in the environment, it is essential that the contribution of dietary exposure be quantified. As a result, USEPA's National Exposure Research Laboratory has initiated a program to develop methods to measure chemical...

DETERMINATION OF METALS IN COMPOSITE DIET SAMPLES BY ICP-MS

EPA Science Inventory

In order to assess an individual's total exposure to contaminants in the environment, it is essential that the contribution of dietary exposure be quantified. As a result, USEPA's National Exposure Research Laboratory has initiated a program to develop methods to measure chemica...

Early Exposure to Research: Outcomes of the ASTER Certification Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Griffard, Phyllis Baudoin; Golkowska, Krystyna

2013-01-01

This paper discusses a novel structure for providing a high-impact, first year experience for science students. ASTER (Access to Science Through Experience in Research) is an extracurricular certification program designed to introduce our students to the research culture via seminar attendance, journal clubs, book clubs, and lab visits.…

Use of fictional medical television in health sciences education: a systematic review.

PubMed

Hoffman, Beth L; Hoffman, Robert; Wessel, Charles B; Shensa, Ariel; Woods, Michelle S; Primack, Brian A

2018-03-01

While medical television programs are popular among health profession trainees, it is not clear to what extent these programs affect their knowledge, perceptions, and/or behaviors. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review of research evaluating associations between program exposure and outcomes. We conducted systematic literature searches in Pubmed, CINAHL, and PsycINFO. Selected studies were required to be scholarly research, involve exposure to fictionalized medical television programming by health professional students, and assess associations between exposure and outcomes. Studies were classified according to quality and factors related to population, exposure, and outcomes. Of 3541 studies identified, 13 met selection criteria. Six studies involved undergraduate medical students, one involved nursing students, two involved both medical and nursing students, two involved medical residents, one involved medical students, residents and attending physicians, and one involved graduate epidemiology students. Mean study quality according to the MERSQI was 8.27. The most commonly assessed television programs were ER and Grey's Anatomy (six each). Five studies assessed regular viewing habits, and found that fictional medical programs are popular among students and that students recall health topics from episodes. The eight studies that assessed the association with outcomes when using clips as educational tools reported high satisfaction and increased knowledge of the presented health topics. While relatively few published studies have explored influences of fictional medical television on health professional students, those conducted suggest that students often view these television programs independently and that integration of this programming into medical education is feasible and acceptable.

SHEDS-HT: An Integrated Probabilistic Exposure Model for Prioritizing Exposures to Chemicals with Near-Field and Dietary Sources

EPA Science Inventory

United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) researchers are developing a strategy for highthroughput (HT) exposure-based prioritization of chemicals under the ExpoCast program. These novel modeling approaches for evaluating chemicals based on their potential for biologi...

The role of conservation programs in drought risk adaptation

Treesearch

Steven Wallander; Marcel Aillery; Daniel Hellerstein; Michael Hand

2013-01-01

This report evaluates the extent to which farms facing higher levels of drought risk are more likely to participate in conservation programs, and fi nds a strong link between drought risk and program participation. Prior research has shown that climate-related risk exposure infl uences production decisions such as crop choice; our research shows that adaptation also...

Review and Design of Low-Dose Bacillus anthracis Inhalation ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Report In July 2011, EPA NHSRC sponsored a Review and Design of Low-Dose Bacillus anthracis Inhalation Exposures meeting to review the research done to date and to identify gaps that future research should address regarding low-dose exposures. This effort brought together many organizations across the country, including EPA’s program offices, federal government agencies and laboratories, academia, and the private sector. Participants of the conference shared knowledge, explored differing opinions, and expanded understanding of the current state of research for low-dose exposure and future research needs. This report represents a summary of the presentations and discussions during the meeting.

Cari Kitahara Explores Medical Radiation Exposures and Thyroid Cancer Etiology

Cancer.gov

Dr. Cari Kitahara has built a multidisciplinary research program to explore cancer risks from occupational and medical radiation exposures, and to investigate the etiology of radiosensitive tumors, including thyroid cancer.

Military Exposures

MedlinePlus

... burn pit registry, research findings, joint VA and Department of Defense programs, and more. Learn more » 4 Ways to Find Exposures Related Health Concerns Agent Orange Related Diseases Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses Radiation Related Diseases Vaccinations & Medications More ...

Assessing exposures to household air pollution in public health research and program evaluation.

PubMed

Northcross, Amanda L; Hwang, Nina; Balakrishnan, Kalpana; Mehta, Sumi

2015-03-01

Exposure to smoke from the use of solid fuels and inefficient stoves for cooking and heating is responsible for approximately 4 million premature deaths yearly. As increasing investments are made to tackle this important public health issue, there is a need for identifying and providing guidance on best practices for exposure and stove performance monitoring, particularly for public health research and evaluation studies. This paper, which builds upon the discussion at an expert consultation on exposure assessment convened by the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and PATH in late 2012, aims to provide general guidance on what to monitor, who and where to monitor, and how to monitor household air pollution exposures. In addition, we summarize information about commercially available monitoring equipment and the technical properties of these monitors most important for household air pollution exposure assessment. The target audience includes epidemiologists conducting health studies and program evaluators aiming to quantify changes in exposures to estimate the potential health benefits of cookstoves intervention projects.

NIEHS/FDA CLARITY-BPA research program update.

PubMed

Heindel, Jerrold J; Newbold, Retha R; Bucher, John R; Camacho, Luísa; Delclos, K Barry; Lewis, Sherry M; Vanlandingham, Michelle; Churchwell, Mona I; Twaddle, Nathan C; McLellen, Michelle; Chidambaram, Mani; Bryant, Matthew; Woodling, Kellie; Gamboa da Costa, Gonçalo; Ferguson, Sherry A; Flaws, Jodi; Howard, Paul C; Walker, Nigel J; Zoeller, R Thomas; Fostel, Jennifer; Favaro, Carolyn; Schug, Thaddeus T

2015-12-01

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical used in the production of numerous consumer products resulting in potential daily human exposure to this chemical. The FDA previously evaluated the body of BPA toxicology data and determined that BPA is safe at current exposure levels. Although consistent with the assessment of some other regulatory agencies around the world, this determination of BPA safety continues to be debated in scientific and popular publications, resulting in conflicting messages to the public. Thus, the National Toxicology Program (NTP), National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), and U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) developed a consortium-based research program to link more effectively a variety of hypothesis-based research investigations and guideline-compliant safety testing with BPA. This collaboration is known as the Consortium Linking Academic and Regulatory Insights on BPA Toxicity (CLARITY-BPA). This paper provides a detailed description of the conduct of the study and a midterm update on progress of the CLARITY-BPA research program. Published by Elsevier Inc.

NIEHS/FDA CLARITY-BPA research program update

PubMed Central

Heindel, Jerrold J.; Newbold, Retha R.; Bucher, John R.; Camacho, Luísa; Delclos, K. Barry; Lewis, Sherry M.; Vanlandingham, Michelle; Churchwell, Mona I.; Twaddle, Nathan C.; McLellen, Michelle; Chidambaram, Mani; Bryant, Matthew; Woodling, Kellie; Gamboa da Costa, Gonçalo; Ferguson, Sherry A.; Flaws, Jodi; Howard, Paul C.; Walker, Nigel J.; Zoeller, R. Thomas; Fostel, Jennifer; Favaro, Carolyn; Schug, Thaddeus T.

2016-01-01

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical used in the production of numerous consumer products resulting in potential daily human exposure to this chemical. The FDA previously evaluated the body of BPA toxicology data and determined that BPA is safe at current exposure levels. Although consistent with the assessment of some other regulatory agencies around the world, this determination of BPA safety continues to be debated in scientific and popular publications, resulting in conflicting messages to the public. Thus, the National Toxicology Program (NTP), National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), and U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) developed a consortium-based research program to link more effectively a variety of hypothesis-based research investigations and guideline-compliant safety testing with BPA. This collaboration is known as the Consortium Linking Academic and Regulatory Insights on BPA Toxicity (CLARITY-BPA). This paper provides a detailed description of the conduct of the study and a midterm update on progress of the CLARITY-BPA research program. PMID:26232693

Early life programming as a target for prevention of child and adolescent mental disorders

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

This paper concerns future policy development and programs of research for the prevention of mental disorders based on research emerging from fetal and early life programming. The current review offers an overview of findings on pregnancy exposures such as maternal mental health, lifestyle factors, and potential teratogenic and neurotoxic exposures on child outcomes. Outcomes of interest are common child and adolescent mental disorders including hyperactive, behavioral and emotional disorders. This literature suggests that the preconception and perinatal periods offer important opportunities for the prevention of deleterious fetal exposures. As such, the perinatal period is a critical period where future mental health prevention efforts should be focused and prevention models developed. Interventions grounded in evidence-based recommendations for the perinatal period could take the form of public health, universal and more targeted interventions. If successful, such interventions are likely to have lifelong effects on (mental) health. PMID:24559477

COMPARISON OF GC-FPD AND GC/AED FOR DETERMINATION OF ORGANOPHOSPHATE PESTICIDES IN COMPOSITE DIET SAMPLES

EPA Science Inventory

In order to assess an individual's total exposure to contaminants in the environment, it is essential that the contribution of dietary exposure be quantified. As a result, USEPA's National Exposure Research Laboratory has initiated a program to develop methods to measure chemical...

THE US EPA'S DERMAL EXPOSURE RESEARCH PROGRAM IN SUPPORT OF THE FOOD QUALITY PROTECTION ACT

EPA Science Inventory

The Food Quality Protection Act of 1996 (FQPA) requires that children's risks to pesticide exposures be considered during the tolerance-setting process. FQPA requires exposure assessments to be conducted for all pesticides sources, not just food sources. It also requires tha...

Progress in High Throughput Exposure Assessment for Prioritizing Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals (SRA)

EPA Science Inventory

For thousands of chemicals in commerce, there is little or no information about exposure or health and ecological effects. The US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) has ongoing research programs to develop and evaluate models that use the often minimal chemical information a...

Metal Pollutant Exposure and Behavior Disorders: Implications for School Practices.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marlowe, Mike

1986-01-01

The article summarizes research on relationships between low (below metal poisoning) metal exposure and childhood behavior disorders. Symptoms, assessment techniques (hair analysis), and environmental and dietary factors that may increase the risk of metal pollutant exposure are described. School programs emphasizing education and the role of…

The Lifetime Surveillance of Astronaut Health Newsletter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Lesley

2011-01-01

The June 2010 LSAH newsletter introduced the change from the Longitudinal Study of Astronaut Health research study to the new Lifetime Surveillance of Astronaut Health program (An Overview of the New Occupational Surveillance Program for the Astronaut Corps). Instead of performing research-focused retrospective analyses of astronaut medical data compared to a JSC civil servant control population, the new program is focused on prevention of disease and prospective identification and mitigation of health risks in each astronaut due to individual exposure history and the unique occupational exposures experienced by the astronaut corps. The new LSAH program has 5 primary goals: (1) Provide a comprehensive medical exam for each LSAH participant; (2) Conduct occupational surveillance; (3) Improve communication, data accessibility, integrity and storage; (4) Support operational and healthcare analyses; and (5) Support NASA research objectives. This article will focus primarily on the first goal, the comprehensive medical exam. Future newsletters will outline in detail the plans and processes for addressing the remaining program goals.

Overview of Atmospheric Ionizing Radiation (AIR)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilson, J. W.; Maiden, D. L.; Goldhagen, P.; Tai, H.; Shinn, J. L.

2003-01-01

The SuperSonic Transport (SST) development program within the US was based at the Langley Research Center as was the Apollo radiation testing facility (Space Radiation Effects Laboratory) with associated radiation research groups. It was natural for the issues of the SST to be first recognized by this unique combination of research programs. With a re-examination of the technologies for commercial supersonic flight and the possible development of a High Speed Civil Transport (HSCT), the remaining issues of the SST required resolution. It was the progress of SST radiation exposure research program founded by T. Foelsche at the Langley Research Center and the identified remaining issues after that project over twenty-five years ago which became the launch point of the current atmospheric ionizing radiation (AIR) research project. Added emphasis to the need for reassessment of atmospheric radiation resulted from the major lowering of the recommended occupational exposure limits, the inclusion of aircrew as radiation workers, and the recognition of civil aircrew as a major source of occupational exposures. Furthermore, the work of Ferenc Hajnal of the Environmental Measurements Laboratory brought greater focus to the uncertainties in the neutron flux at high altitudes. A re-examination of the issues involved was committed at the Langley Research Center and by the National Council on Radiation Protection (NCRP). As a result of the NCRP review, a new flight package was assembled and flown during solar minimum at which time the galactic cosmic radiation is at a maximum (June 1997). The present workshop is the initial analysis of the new data from that flight. The present paper is an overview of the status of knowledge of atmospheric ionizing radiations. We will re-examine the exposures of the world population and examine the context of aircrew exposures with implications for the results of the present research. A condensed version of this report was given at the 1998 Annual Meeting of the NCRP with proceedings published in the journal of Health Physics.

Early exposure to geriatric nursing through an externship program.

PubMed

Souder, Elaine; Beverly, Claudia J; Kitch, Stephanie; Lubin, Sandie A

2012-01-01

The Summer Geriatric Extern Program was developed in 2004 to provide nursing students between the junior and senior year an opportunity to learn more about careers in geriatric nursing.This full-time, eight-week commitment provides students with a stipend and a faculty mentor in their area of interest. Of the 24 externs since the inception of the program, seven have enrolled in graduate programs. The findings suggest that the summer geriatric externship program is effective in developing interest in a geriatric nursing career and providing exposure to nursing research and other aspects of the faculty role.

Ground-Based Measurement of Solar Ultraviolet Radiation

EPA Science Inventory

The National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL) of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency implemented a research program between 1996 and 2004 to measure UV at 21 unique locations through out the U.S. The program conducted long-term monitoring of UV to detect trends due to ch...

Solvents, Ethanol, Car Crashes and Tolerance: How Risky is Inhalation of Organic Solvents?

EPA Science Inventory

A research program in the National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory of the U.S. EPA has led to some surprising considerations regarding the potential hazard of exposure to low concentrations of solvent vapors. This program involved conducting experiments to ch...

About the Exposure Factors Program | Science Inventory | US ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The development of the latest version of the Exposure Factors Handbook (EFH): 2011 Edition (EPA/600/R-09/052F) has maintained the need for a more comprehensive program that addresses issues related to exposure factors. Since the first version of the EFH was released in 1997, the need for the most up-to-date and accurate data on exposure factors used in assessing exposure to contaminants in the environment is of high priority to exposure assessors throughout the U.S. The completion of the 2011 edition of the Exposure Factors Handbook has only been the first step in fulfilling this need. Many data needs have been identified and follow up research is underway to address some of the data gaps. This web page is intended to provide a

FIELD COLLECTION METHODS USED IN THE EPA NATIONAL EXPOSURE RESEARCH LABORATORY HUMAN EXPOSURE MEASUREMENT PROGRAM TO EVALUATE CHILDREN'S AGGREGATE EXPOSURE TO PESTICIDES: A TUTORIAL

EPA Science Inventory

A tutorial on the field sampling equipment used to collect multimedia samples.

We conduct observational human exposure measurement studies in order to understand what chemicals people come into contact with, at what levels, what the sources of those chemicals are, and wher...

Developmental Programming: Priming Disease Susceptibility for Subsequent Generations.

PubMed

Messer, L C; Boone-Heinonen, J; Mponwane, L; Wallack, L; Thornburg, K L

2015-03-01

Racial and/or ethnic minorities carry the highest burden of many adverse health outcomes intergenerationally We propose a paradigm in which developmental programming exacerbates the effects of racial patterning of adverse environmental conditions, thereby contributing to health disparity persistence. Evidence that developmental programming induces a heightened response to adverse exposures ("second hits") encountered later in life is considered. We evaluated the evidence for the second hit phenomenon reported in animal and human studies from three domains (air, stress, nutrition). Original research including a gestational exposure and a childhood or adulthood second hit exposure was reviewed. Evidence from animal studies suggest that prenatal exposure to air pollutants is associated with an exaggerated reaction to postnatal air pollution exposure, which results in worse health outcomes. It also indicates offspring exposed to prenatal maternal stress produce an exaggerated response to subsequent stressors, including anxiety and hyper-responsiveness of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Similarly, prenatal and postnatal Western-style diets induce synergistic effects on weight gain, metabolic dysfunction, and atherosclerotic risk. Cross-domain second hits (e.g., gestational air pollution followed by childhood stressor) were also considered. Suboptimal gestational environments induce exaggerated offspring responses to subsequent environmental and social exposures. These developmental programming effects may result in enhanced sensitivity of ongoing, racially patterned, adverse exposures in race/ethnic minorities, thereby exacerbating health disparities from one generation to the next. Empirical assessment of the hypothesized role of priming processes in the propagation of health disparities is needed. Future social epidemiology research must explicitly consider synergistic relationships among social environmental conditions to which gestating females are exposed and offspring exposures when assessing causes for persistent health disparities.

Developmental Programming: Priming Disease Susceptibility for Subsequent Generations

PubMed Central

Boone-Heinonen, J.; Mponwane, L.; Wallack, L.; Thornburg, K. L.

2015-01-01

Racial and/or ethnic minorities carry the highest burden of many adverse health outcomes intergenerationally We propose a paradigm in which developmental programming exacerbates the effects of racial patterning of adverse environmental conditions, thereby contributing to health disparity persistence. Evidence that developmental programming induces a heightened response to adverse exposures (“second hits”) encountered later in life is considered. We evaluated the evidence for the second hit phenomenon reported in animal and human studies from three domains (air, stress, nutrition). Original research including a gestational exposure and a childhood or adulthood second hit exposure was reviewed. Evidence from animal studies suggest that prenatal exposure to air pollutants is associated with an exaggerated reaction to postnatal air pollution exposure, which results in worse health outcomes. It also indicates offspring exposed to prenatal maternal stress produce an exaggerated response to subsequent stressors, including anxiety and hyper-responsiveness of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis. Similarly, prenatal and postnatal Western-style diets induce synergistic effects on weight gain, metabolic dysfunction, and atherosclerotic risk. Cross-domain second hits (e.g., gestational air pollution followed by childhood stressor) were also considered. Suboptimal gestational environments induce exaggerated offspring responses to subsequent environmental and social exposures. These developmental programming effects may result in enhanced sensitivity of ongoing, racially patterned, adverse exposures in race/ethnic minorities, thereby exacerbating health disparities from one generation to the next. Empirical assessment of the hypothesized role of priming processes in the propagation of health disparities is needed. Future social epidemiology research must explicitly consider synergistic relationships among social environmental conditions to which gestating females are exposed and offspring exposures when assessing causes for persistent health disparities. PMID:26366336

Epidemiological Study of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Sequelae Caused by Blast Exposure During Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-11-01

Emily Lynn, BA Research Assistant April, 2010. (Departed program: July, 2012) Jasmine Smith, BA Research Assistant June, 2010 (Departed Program...final diagnostic algorithm represents the study clinicians’ collective interpretation of 10 the interview data. In essence , it provides a clinician

LINKAGES ACROSS PM POLICY AND RESEARCH: EXAMINING THE POLICY RELEVANT FINDINGS FROM THE PM2.5 SUPERSITES PROGRAM

EPA Science Inventory

The PM2.5 Supersites program was designed to complement routinely operating PM2.5 networks by providing enhanced temporal and chemical/physical composition data in addressing three overarching objectives: supporting health effects and exposure research, advanced monitoring meth...

Air Sensor Guidebook | Science Inventory | US EPA

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This Air Sensor Guidebook has been developed by the U.S. EPA to assist those interested in potentially using lower cost air quality sensor technologies for air quality measurements. Its development was in direct response to a request for such a document following a recent scientific conference (Apps and Sensors for Air Pollution-2012). Low cost air quality sensors ($100-$2500) are now commercially available in a wide variety of designs and capabilities. This is an emerging technology area and one that is quickly evolving. Even so, their availability has resulted in questions from many as to how they might be used appropriately. This document attempts to provide useful information concerning some of those questions. The National Exposure Research Laboratory’s (NERL’s) Human Exposure and Atmospheric Sciences Division (HEASD) conducts research in support of EPA’s mission to protect human health and the environment. HEASD’s research program supports Goal 1 (Clean Air) and Goal 4 (Healthy People) of EPA’s strategic plan. More specifically, our division conducts research to characterize the movement of pollutants from the source to contact with humans. Our multidisciplinary research program produces Methods, Measurements, and Models to identify relationships between and characterize processes that link source emissions, environmental concentrations, human exposures, and target-tissue dose. The impact of these tools is improved regulatory programs and pol

Approaches to systematic assessment of environmental exposures posed at hazardous waste sites in the developing world: the Toxic Sites Identification Program.

PubMed

Ericson, Bret; Caravanos, Jack; Chatham-Stephens, Kevin; Landrigan, Philip; Fuller, Richard

2013-02-01

In the developing world, environmental chemical exposures due to hazardous waste sites are poorly documented. We describe the approach taken by the Blacksmith Institute's Toxic Sites Identification Program in documenting environmental chemical exposures due to hazardous waste sites globally, identifying sites of concern and quantifying pathways, populations, and severity of exposure. A network of local environmental investigators was identified and trained to conduct hazardous waste site investigations and assessments. To date, 2,095 contaminated sites have been identified within 47 countries having an estimated population at risk of 71,500,000. Trained researchers and investigators have visited 1,400 of those sites. Heavy metals are the leading primary exposures, with water supply and ambient air being the primary routes of exposure. Even though chemical production has occurred largely in the developed world to date, many hazardous waste sites in the developing world pose significant hazards to the health of large portions of the population. Further research is needed to quantify potential health and economic consequences and identify cost-effective approaches to remediation.

Desert Research and Technology Studies Exposure of Lotus Coated Electrodynamic Shield Samples

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rodriquez, Marcello; Peters, Wanda C.; Straka, Sharon A.; Jones, Craig B.

2011-01-01

The Lotus dust mitigation coating and the electrodynamic shield (EDS) are two new technologies currently being developed by NASA as countermeasures for addressing dust accumulation for long-duration human space exploration. These combined technologies were chosen by the Habitation Demonstration Unit (HDU) program for desert dust exposure at the Desert Research and Technologies Studies (D-RaTS) test site in Arizona. Characterization of these samples was performed prior to, during and post D-RaTS exposure.

The EPA's Human Exposure Research Program for Assessing Cumulative Risk in Communities

EPA Science Inventory

Communities are faced with challenges in identifying and prioritizing environmental issues, taking actions to reduce their exposures, and determining their effectiveness for reducing human health risks. Additional challenges include determining what scientific tools are available...

Review of HIV Pre exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and example of HIV PrEP Toolkit

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-08-28

Research Division may pay for your basic journal publishing charges (to include costs for tables and black and white photos). We cannot pay for...USAF, BSC Director, Clinical Investigations & Research Support Warrior Medics - Mission Ready Patient Focused PROCESSING OF PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL...SGS O&M); SGS R&D: Tri-Service Nursing Research Program (TSNRP); Defense Medical Research & Development Program (DMRDP); NIH; Congressionally

A Randomized, Controlled Trial of Meditation Compared to Exposure Therapy and Education Control on PTSD in Veterans

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-10-01

alternative therapy for PTSD. Our collaborative group (Maharishi University of Management Research Institute, VA San Diego Healthcare System, University of...Prolonged Exposure, and PTSD Health Education, and are supervised by the research team for quality control . No study-related adverse events have...by the research team for quality control . For home practice, over 70% of subjects have indicated compliance with their home practice program (at

Measuring Perceived Educational Impact of a Resident-Led Research Newsletter.

PubMed

Aftab, Awais; Lackamp, Jeanne; Cerny, Cathleen

2017-06-01

To determine the perceived educational impact of a resident-led psychiatry research newsletter ('Research Watch') on the psychiatry residents at the authors' residency program. An anonymous, voluntary paper questionnaire was distributed to all psychiatry residents at the program. The survey inquired about the degree of exposure (quantified as 'exposure index') and contribution to the newsletter. A set of questions asked residents to estimate how much of the improvement they attributed to the influence of the newsletter, rating the attribution between 0 and 100%, in the areas of interest in scholarly activities/research, knowledge of current psychiatric research, and participation in scholarly activities/research. The survey also inquired if the newsletter had any impact on their clinical practice. Of 29 residents in the program who received the survey, 27 (93%) responded. The percentage of residents reporting perceived non-zero impact of the newsletter on specific areas of improvement was as follows: interest in scholarly activities/research (44%), knowledge of current psychiatric research (48%), participation in scholarly activities/research (40%), and clinical practice (40%). Exposure index significantly and positively correlated with self-reported percentage attribution for knowledge (correlation coefficient 0.422, p value 0.028) and self-reported impact on clinical practice (correlation coefficient 0.660, p value 0.000), and degree of contribution significantly and positively correlated with self-reported percentage attribution for knowledge (correlation coefficient 0.488, p value 0.010). A resident-led research newsletter can have a positive perceived impact on the residents' interest, knowledge, and participation in research, as well as a positive perceived impact on clinical practice.

Computational Exposure Science: An Emerging Discipline to ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Background: Computational exposure science represents a frontier of environmental science that is emerging and quickly evolving.Objectives: In this commentary, we define this burgeoning discipline, describe a framework for implementation, and review some key ongoing research elements that are advancing the science with respect to exposure to chemicals in consumer products.Discussion: The fundamental elements of computational exposure science include the development of reliable, computationally efficient predictive exposure models; the identification, acquisition, and application of data to support and evaluate these models; and generation of improved methods for extrapolating across chemicals. We describe our efforts in each of these areas and provide examples that demonstrate both progress and potential.Conclusions: Computational exposure science, linked with comparable efforts in toxicology, is ushering in a new era of risk assessment that greatly expands our ability to evaluate chemical safety and sustainability and to protect public health. The National Exposure Research Laboratory’s (NERL’s) Human Exposure and Atmospheric Sciences Division (HEASD) conducts research in support of EPA’s mission to protect human health and the environment. HEASD’s research program supports Goal 1 (Clean Air) and Goal 4 (Healthy People) of EPA’s strategic plan. More specifically, our division conducts research to characterize the movement of pollutants from the source

Nuclear, biological, and chemical combined injuries and countermeasures on the battlefield.

PubMed

Knudson, Gregory B; Elliott, Thomas B; Brook, Itzhak; Shoemaker, Michael O; Pastel, Ross H; Lowy, Robert J; King, Gregory L; Herzig, Thomas C; Landauer, Michael R; Wilson, Scott A; Peacock, Susan J; Bouhaouala, S Samy; Jackson, William E; Ledney, G David

2002-02-01

The Armed Forces Radiobiological Research Institute (AFRRI) has developed a research program to determine the major health risks from exposure to ionizing radiation in combination with biological and chemical warfare agents and to assess the extent to which exposure to ionizing radiation compromises the effectiveness of protective drugs, vaccines, and other biological and chemical warfare prophylactic and treatment strategies. AFRRI's Defense Technology Objective MD22 supports the development of treatment modalities and studies to assess the mortality rates for combined injuries from exposure to ionizing radiation and Bacillus anthracis, and research to provide data for casualty prediction models that assess the health consequences of combined exposures. In conjunction with the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, our research data are contributing to the development of casualty prediction models that estimate mortality and incapacitation in an environment of radiation exposure plus other weapons of mass destruction. Specifically, the AFFRI research program assesses the effects of ionizing radiation exposure in combination with B. anthracis, Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis virus, Shigella sonnei, nerve agents, and mustard as well as their associated treatments and vaccines. In addition, the long-term psychological effects of radiation combined with nuclear, biological, and chemical (NBC) injuries are being evaluated. We are also assessing the effectiveness of gamma photons and high-speed neutrons and electrons for neutralizing biological and chemical warfare agents. New protocols based on our NBC bioeffects experiments will enable U.S. armed forces to accomplish military operations in NBC environments while optimizing both survival and military performance. Preserving combatants' health in an NBC environment will improve warfighting operations and mission capabilities.

Gulf War Illness Research Program

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-01-01

will be exposed to pyridostigmine bromide , an antinerve agent drug, and the pesticides DEET and per- methrin, thought to be significant contribu...animal model further by combined exposure of DFP and stress hormone with chronic exposure to pyridostigmine bromide and DEET, two agents widely

Meeting Report: Methylmercury in Marine Ecosystems—From Sources to Seafood Consumers

PubMed Central

Chen, Celia Y.; Serrell, Nancy; Evers, David C.; Fleishman, Bethany J.; Lambert, Kathleen F.; Weiss, Jeri; Mason, Robert P.; Bank, Michael S.

2008-01-01

Mercury and other contaminants in coastal and open-ocean ecosystems are an issue of great concern globally and in the United States, where consumption of marine fish and shellfish is a major route of human exposure to methylmercury (MeHg). A recent National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences–Superfund Basic Research Program workshop titled “Fate and Bioavailability of Mercury in Aquatic Ecosystems and Effects on Human Exposure,” convened by the Dartmouth Toxic Metals Research Program on 15–16 November 2006 in Durham, New Hampshire, brought together human health experts, marine scientists, and ecotoxicologists to encourage cross-disciplinary discussion between ecosystem and human health scientists and to articulate research and monitoring priorities to better understand how marine food webs have become contaminated with MeHg. Although human health effects of Hg contamination were a major theme, the workshop also explored effects on marine biota. The workgroup focused on three major topics: a) the biogeochemical cycling of Hg in marine ecosystems, b) the trophic transfer and bioaccumulation of MeHg in marine food webs, and c) human exposure to Hg from marine fish and shellfish consumption. The group concluded that current understanding of Hg in marine ecosystems across a range of habitats, chemical conditions, and ocean basins is severely data limited. An integrated research and monitoring program is needed to link the processes and mechanisms of MeHg production, bioaccumulation, and transfer with MeHg exposure in humans. PMID:19079724

Prenatal programming of childhood overweight and obesity.

PubMed

Huang, Jennifer S; Lee, Tiffany A; Lu, Michael C

2007-09-01

To review the scientific evidence for prenatal programming of childhood overweight and obesity, and discuss its implications for MCH research, practice, and policy. A systematic review of observational studies examining the relationship between prenatal exposures and childhood overweight and obesity was conducted using MOOSE guidelines. The review included literature posted on PubMed and MDConsult and published between January 1975 and December 2005. Prenatal exposures to maternal diabetes, malnutrition, and cigarette smoking were examined, and primary study outcome was childhood overweight or obesity as measured by body mass index (BMI) for children ages 5 to 21. Four of six included studies of prenatal exposure to maternal diabetes found higher prevalence of childhood overweight or obesity among offspring of diabetic mothers, with the highest quality study reporting an odds ratio of adolescent overweight of 1.4 (95% CI 1.0-1.9). The Dutch famine study found that exposure to maternal malnutrition in early, but not late, gestation was associated with increased odds of childhood obesity (OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.5-2.4). All eight included studies of prenatal exposure to maternal smoking showed significantly increased odds of childhood overweight and obesity, with most odds ratios clustering around 1.5 to 2.0. The biological mechanisms mediating these relationships are unknown but may be partially related to programming of insulin, leptin, and glucocorticoid resistance in utero. Our review supports prenatal programming of childhood overweight and obesity. MCH research, practice, and policy need to consider the prenatal period a window of opportunity for obesity prevention.

EXPOSURES AND HEALTH OF FARM WORKER CHILDREN IN CALIFORNIA

EPA Science Inventory

The EPA STAR Program Center of Excellence in Children's Environmental Health and Disease Prevention Research at the University of California at Berkeley is currently conducting exposure and health studies for children of farm workers in the Salinas Valley of California. The Exp...

#2) Sensor Technology-State of the Science | Science ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Establish market surveys of commercially-available air quality sensorsConduct an extensive literature survey describing the state of sensor technologiesInvestigate emerging technologies and their potential to meet future air quality monitoring needs for the Agency as well as other partners/stakeholders Develop sensor user guidesEducate sensor developers/sensors users on the state of low cost censorsFacilitate knowledge transfer to Federal/Regional/State air quality associatesWork directly with sensor developers to dramatically speed up the development of next generation air monitoring Support ORD’s Sensor Roadmap by focusing on areas of highest priority (NAAQS, Air Toxics, Citizen Science)Establish highly integrated research efforts across ORD and its partners (internal/external) to ensure consistent The National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL) Human Exposure and Atmospheric Sciences Division (HEASD) conducts research in support of EPA mission to protect human health and the environment. HEASD research program supports Goal 1 (Clean Air) and Goal 4 (Healthy People) of EPA strategic plan. More specifically, our division conducts research to characterize the movement of pollutants from the source to contact with humans. Our multidisciplinary research program produces Methods, Measurements, and Models to identify relationships between and characterize processes that link source emissions, environmental concentrations, human exposures, and target-tissue dose.

How Exposure Science can be Integrated into the Assessment ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The presentation describes ongoing research in the Rapid Exposure and Dosimetry project funded under the Chemical Safety for Sustainability Research Program of the Office of Research and Development. There is a well known need for information on human exposure to thousands of chemicals, especially with respect to route of exposure. A combination of curation of legacy data, new data collection activities, and mathematical models based both upon statistics (empirical) and mechanism are allowing chemicals to be prioritized for further exposure study. This presentation pays special attention to the opportunities presented by non-targeted screening using mass spectrometry. This is a presentation to the American College of Toxicology annual meeting in Baltimore, Maryland on November 7, 2016. This half hour presentation is part of a session on 21st Century Approaches to Assessing Food Ingredient Safety.

ACCELERATED EXTRACTION OF ORGANIC POLLUTANTS USING MICROWAVE ENERGY

EPA Science Inventory

This study is part of an ongoing U.S. Environmental Protection Agency research program, carried out by the National Exposure Research Laboratory, Characterization Research Division-Las Vegas (formerly Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory-Las Vegas), addresses new sample pr...

Management of Occupational Exposure to Engineered Nanoparticles Through a Chance-Constrained Nonlinear Programming Approach

PubMed Central

Chen, Zhi; Yuan, Yuan; Zhang, Shu-Shen; Chen, Yu; Yang, Feng-Lin

2013-01-01

Critical environmental and human health concerns are associated with the rapidly growing fields of nanotechnology and manufactured nanomaterials (MNMs). The main risk arises from occupational exposure via chronic inhalation of nanoparticles. This research presents a chance-constrained nonlinear programming (CCNLP) optimization approach, which is developed to maximize the nanaomaterial production and minimize the risks of workplace exposure to MNMs. The CCNLP method integrates nonlinear programming (NLP) and chance-constrained programming (CCP), and handles uncertainties associated with both the nanomaterial production and workplace exposure control. The CCNLP method was examined through a single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) manufacturing process. The study results provide optimal production strategies and alternatives. It reveal that a high control measure guarantees that environmental health and safety (EHS) standards regulations are met, while a lower control level leads to increased risk of violating EHS regulations. The CCNLP optimization approach is a decision support tool for the optimization of the increasing MNMS manufacturing with workplace safety constraints under uncertainties. PMID:23531490

Management of occupational exposure to engineered nanoparticles through a chance-constrained nonlinear programming approach.

PubMed

Chen, Zhi; Yuan, Yuan; Zhang, Shu-Shen; Chen, Yu; Yang, Feng-Lin

2013-03-26

Critical environmental and human health concerns are associated with the rapidly growing fields of nanotechnology and manufactured nanomaterials (MNMs). The main risk arises from occupational exposure via chronic inhalation of nanoparticles. This research presents a chance-constrained nonlinear programming (CCNLP) optimization approach, which is developed to maximize the nanaomaterial production and minimize the risks of workplace exposure to MNMs. The CCNLP method integrates nonlinear programming (NLP) and chance-constrained programming (CCP), and handles uncertainties associated with both the nanomaterial production and workplace exposure control. The CCNLP method was examined through a single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) manufacturing process. The study results provide optimal production strategies and alternatives. It reveal that a high control measure guarantees that environmental health and safety (EHS) standards regulations are met, while a lower control level leads to increased risk of violating EHS regulations. The CCNLP optimization approach is a decision support tool for the optimization of the increasing MNMS manufacturing with workplace safety constraints under uncertainties.

NASA Human Research Program Space Radiation Program Element

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chappell, Lori; Huff, Janice; Patel, Janapriya; Wang, Minli; Hu, Shaowwen; Kidane, Yared; Myung-Hee, Kim; Li, Yongfeng; Nounu, Hatem; Plante, Ianik;

76 FR 53882 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Trade Fair Certification Program Application

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-08-30

... agents or distributors; market research and exposure; and joint venture and licensing opportunities for...-sector firms. The TFC Program seeks to broaden the base of U.S. firms, particularly new-to-market...

Five year ground exposure of composite materials used on the Bell Model 206L flight service evaluation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baker, Donald J.

1989-01-01

Part of the results of a U.S. Army/NASA-Langley sponsored research program to establish the long term-term effects of realistic ground based exposure on advanced composite materials is presented. Residual strengths and moisture absorption as a function of exposure time and exposure location are reported for four different composite material systems that were exposed for five years on the North American Continent.

Development and Evaluation of an ADME-informed High Throughput Exposure Estimation Tool

EPA Science Inventory

EPA’s Chemical Safety for Sustainability (CSS) research program has been developing new ways to prioritize chemicals used in consumer products and articles. Using a risk-based methodology to account for both toxicity and exposure offers a comprehensive and systematic approa...

Linkage Of Exposure And Effects Using Genomics, Proteomics, And Metabolomics In Small Fish Models

EPA Science Inventory

Poster for the BOSC Computational Toxicology Research Program review. Knowledge of possible toxic mechanisms/modes of action (MOA) of chemicals can provide valuable insights as to appropriate methods for assessing exposure and effects, thereby reducing uncertainties related to e...

ENVIRONMENTAL IMMUNOCHEMISTRY AT THE U.S. EPA, NATIONAL EXPOSURE RESEARCH LABORATORY'S HUMAN EXPOSURE BRANCH

EPA Science Inventory

Immunoehemical methods are responding to the changing needs of regulatory and monitoring programs and are meeting new analytical challenges as they arise. Recent advances in environmental immunoehemistry have expanded the role of immunoassays from field screening methods to hig...

DERMAL EXPOSURE ASSESSMENT: A SUMMARY OF EPA APPROACHES

EPA Science Inventory

This final report presents a concise description and evaluation of the approaches used in the Agency for dermal exposure assessment including a discussion about harmonization and research needs in this area. The report is intended to be used by EPA program offices in their effort...

Knowledge Engineering for Young Scholars. Evaluation Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nye, Gloria T.

The Knowledge Engineering for Young Scholars (KEYS) Program was a National Science Foundation (NSF) program conducted at Louisiana State University during 1989 and 1990. The program's goals were to increase 8th-12th grade students' exposure to science, acquaint them with university research, stimulate interest in science, and build their…

Use of Fictional Medical Television in Health Sciences Education: A Systematic Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoffman, Beth L.; Hoffman, Robert; Wessel, Charles B.; Shensa, Ariel; Woods, Michelle S.; Primack, Brian A.

2018-01-01

While medical television programs are popular among health profession trainees, it is not clear to what extent these programs affect their knowledge, perceptions, and/or behaviors. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review of research evaluating associations between program exposure and outcomes. We conducted systematic literature searches in…

Identification and Prediction of Fish Assemblages in Streams of the Albemarle-Pamlico Basin, USA

EPA Science Inventory

Set within the Ecological Services Research Program (ESRP) of USEPA’s Office of Research and Development, a multi-disciplinary research collaborative (MEERT –Multimedia Ecological Exposure Research Team) has taken on a challenge to develop a regional assessment of several ecosyst...

The Value of Collaborative Research before Independent Research in Undergraduate Music Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harney, Kristin

2017-01-01

Increasing evidence points to the importance of undergraduate research in teacher education programs. Before undertaking independent research, it is essential that music education students gain exposure to a range of research skills and develop basic research competencies. In this study, I explored the influence of a semester-long collaborative…

Urban adolescent mothers exposed to community, family, and partner violence: is cumulative violence exposure a barrier to school performance and participation?

PubMed

Kennedy, Angie C; Bennett, Larry

2006-06-01

Using a risk and resilience perspective, the authors assessed urban adolescent mothers' exposure to community, family, and partner violence and analyzed the relationships between cumulative violence exposure and multiple school outcomes, within the context of welfare reforms. Positive attitude toward school and social support were examined as moderators of violence exposure on school outcomes. The authors pilot tested the questionnaire with 10 participants, then surveyed 120 adolescent mothers regarding their violence exposure, school performance and participation, positive attitude toward school, and social support. Results indicate very high rates of lifetime exposure to violence; intercorrelations and regression analyses indicate that as violence exposure increases, school outcomes tend to worsen, with positive attitude toward school found to be a significant moderator of the effects of exposure to community violence on behavior problems in school. Implications for researchers, practitioners, school policies and programs, and welfare policies and programs conclude the article.

Implementation of a volunteer university student research assistant program in an emergency department: the nuts and bolts for success.

PubMed

Steadman, Patrick E; Crudden, Johanna; Boutis, Kathy

2015-09-01

Prospective research studies often advance clinical practice in the emergency department (ED), but they can be costly and difficult to perform. In this report, we describe the implementation of a volunteer university student research assistant program that provides students exposure to medicine and clinical research while simultaneously increasing the capacity of an ED's research program. This type of program provides 15 hours per day of research assistant coverage for patient screening and enrolment for minimal risk research studies, and screening for higher risk studies. The latter is true without the added burden or costs of co-administering university course credit or pay for service, which are common features of most of these types of programs currently in operation. We have shown that our volunteer-based program is effective for an ED's research success as well as for its student participants. For other EDs interested in adopting similar programs, we provide the details on how to get such a program started and highlight the structure and non-monetary incentives that facilitate a program's ongoing success.

High-throughput dietary exposure predictions for chemical migrants from food contact substances for use in chemical prioritization

EPA Science Inventory

Under the ExpoCast program, United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) researchers have developed a high-throughput (HT) framework for estimating aggregate exposures to chemicals from multiple pathways to support rapid prioritization of chemicals. Here, we present method...

Prevalence and Effects of Child Exposure to Domestic Violence.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fantuzzo, John W.; Mohr, Wanda K.

1999-01-01

Discusses the limitations of current databases documenting the prevalence and effects of child exposure to domestic violence and describes a model for the collection of reliable and valid prevalence data, the Spousal Assault Replication Program, which uses data collected by the police and university researchers. (SLD)

APPLICATION OF METABOLOMICS FOR IMPROVING ECOLOGICAL EXPOSURE AND RISK ASSESSMENTS

EPA Science Inventory

We have developed a research program in metabolomics that involves numerous partners across EPA, other federal labs, academia, and the private sector. A primary goal is to develop metabolite-based markers that can be used by EPA in ecological exposure and risk assessments. We are...

EPA’s Non-Targeted Analysis Research Program: Expanding public data resources in support of exposure science

EPA Science Inventory

Suspect screening (SSA) and non-targeted analysis (NTA) methods using high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) offer new approaches to efficiently generate exposure data for chemicals in a variety of environmental and biological media. These techniques aid characterization of the...

Development of an exposure model for diesel locomotive emissions near the Alameda Corridor.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2008-02-01

The present investigation is part of a program of study at the Center for Energy and Environmental Research and Services (CEERS) at CSULB to assess the exposure risks of the particulate matter (PM) in the outdoor environment related to the seaport op...

Methods for Measuring Occurrence and Exposure From Viruses in Drinking and Recreational Water

EPA Science Inventory

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has an active research program to develop and improve methods for detecting human enteric viruses in recreational, source, and drinking waters. EPA is also developing methods to measure exposure to waterborne viruses and ap...

ENVIRONMENTAL PHOTOGRAPHIC INTERPRETATION CENTER (EPIC)

EPA Science Inventory

The Environmental Sciences Division (ESD) in the National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL) of the Office of Research and Development provides remote sensing technical support including aerial photograph acquisition and interpretation to the EPA Program Offices, ORD Laboratorie...

Completing the Link between Exposure Science and ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Driven by major scientific advances in analytical methods, biomonitoring, computation, and a newly articulated vision for a greater impact in public health, the field of exposure science is undergoing a rapid transition from a field of observation to a field of prediction. Deployment of an organizational and predictive framework for exposure science analogous to the “systems approaches” used in the biological sciences is a necessary step in this evolution. Here we propose the aggregate exposure pathway (AEP) concept as the natural and complementary companion in the exposure sciences to the adverse outcome pathway (AOP) concept in the toxicological sciences. Aggregate exposure pathways offer an intuitive framework to organize exposure data within individual units of prediction common to the field, setting the stage for exposure forecasting. Looking farther ahead, we envision direct linkages between aggregate exposure pathways and adverse outcome pathways, completing the source to outcome continuum for more meaningful integration of exposure assessment and hazard identification. Together, the two frameworks form and inform a decision-making framework with the flexibility for risk-based, hazard-based, or exposure-based decision making. The National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL) Human Exposure and Atmospheric Sciences Division (HEASD) conducts research in support of EPA mission to protect human health and the environment. HEASD research program supports G

Medication Exposure in Pregnancy Risk Evaluation Program

PubMed Central

Andrade, Susan E.; Davis, Robert L.; Cheetham, T. Craig; Cooper, William O.; Li, De-Kun; Amini, Thushi; Beaton, Sarah J.; Dublin, Sascha; Hammad, Tarek A.; Pawloski, Pamala A.; Raebel, Marsha A.; Smith, David H.; Staffa, Judy A.; Toh, Sengwee; Dashevsky, Inna; Haffenreffer, Katherine; Lane, Kimberly; Platt, Richard; Scott, Pamela E.

2011-01-01

To describe a program to study medication safety in pregnancy, the Medication Exposure in Pregnancy Risk Evaluation Program (MEPREP). MEPREP is a multi-site collaborative research program developed to enable the conduct of studies of medication use and outcomes in pregnancy. Collaborators include the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and researchers at the HMO Research Network, Kaiser Permanente Northern and Southern California, and Vanderbilt University. Datasets have been created at each site linking healthcare data for women delivering an infant between January 1, 2001 and December 31, 2008 and infants born to these women. Standardized data files include maternal and infant characteristics, medication use, and medical care at 11 health plans within 9 states; birth certificate data were obtained from the state departments of public health. MEPREP currently involves more than 20 medication safety researchers and includes data for 1,221,156 children delivered to 933,917 mothers. Current studies include evaluations of the prevalence and patterns of use of specific medications and a validation study of data elements in the administrative and birth certificate data files. MEPREP can support multiple studies by providing information on a large, ethnically and geographically diverse population. This partnership combines clinical and research expertise and data resources to enable the evaluation of outcomes associated with medication use during pregnancy. PMID:22002179

Medication Exposure in Pregnancy Risk Evaluation Program.

PubMed

Andrade, Susan E; Davis, Robert L; Cheetham, T Craig; Cooper, William O; Li, De-Kun; Amini, Thushi; Beaton, Sarah J; Dublin, Sascha; Hammad, Tarek A; Pawloski, Pamala A; Raebel, Marsha A; Smith, David H; Staffa, Judy A; Toh, Sengwee; Dashevsky, Inna; Haffenreffer, Katherine; Lane, Kimberly; Platt, Richard; Scott, Pamela E

2012-10-01

To describe a program to study medication safety in pregnancy, the Medication Exposure in Pregnancy Risk Evaluation Program (MEPREP). MEPREP is a multi-site collaborative research program developed to enable the conduct of studies of medication use and outcomes in pregnancy. Collaborators include the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and researchers at the HMO Research Network, Kaiser Permanente Northern and Southern California, and Vanderbilt University. Datasets have been created at each site linking healthcare data for women delivering an infant between January 1, 2001 and December 31, 2008 and infants born to these women. Standardized data files include maternal and infant characteristics, medication use, and medical care at 11 health plans within 9 states; birth certificate data were obtained from the state departments of public health. MEPREP currently involves more than 20 medication safety researchers and includes data for 1,221,156 children delivered to 933,917 mothers. Current studies include evaluations of the prevalence and patterns of use of specific medications and a validation study of data elements in the administrative and birth certificate data files. MEPREP can support multiple studies by providing information on a large, ethnically and geographically diverse population. This partnership combines clinical and research expertise and data resources to enable the evaluation of outcomes associated with medication use during pregnancy.

A survey of residents' experience with patient safety and quality improvement concepts in radiation oncology.

PubMed

Spraker, Matthew B; Nyflot, Matthew; Hendrickson, Kristi; Ford, Eric; Kane, Gabrielle; Zeng, Jing

The safety and quality of radiation therapy have recently garnered increased attention in radiation oncology (RO). Although patient safety guidelines expect physicians and physicists to lead clinical safety and quality improvement (QI) programs, trainees' level of exposure to patient safety concepts during training is unknown. We surveyed active medical and physics RO residents in North America in February 2016. Survey questions involved demographics and program characteristics, exposure to patient safety topics, and residents' attitude regarding their safety education. Responses were collected from 139 of 690 (20%) medical and 56 of 248 (23%) physics RO residents. More than 60% of residents had no exposure or only informal exposure to incident learning systems (ILS), root cause analysis, failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA), and the concepts of human factors engineering. Medical residents had less exposure to FMEA than physics residents, and fewer medical than physics residents felt confident in leading FMEA in clinic. Only 27% of residents felt that patient safety training was adequate in their program. Experiential learning through practical workshops was the most desired educational modality, preferred over web-based learning. Residents training in departments with ILS had greater exposure to patient safety concepts and felt more confident leading clinical patient safety and QI programs than residents training in departments without an ILS. The survey results show that most residents have no or only informal exposure to important patient safety and QI concepts and do not feel confident leading clinical safety programs. This represents a gaping need in RO resident education. Educational programs such as these can be naturally developed as part of an incident learning program that focuses on near-miss events. Future research should assess the needs of RO program directors to develop effective RO patient safety and QI training programs. Copyright © 2016 American Society of Radiation Oncology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

BIOSENSORS RESEARCH FOR DEVELOPMENT OF INNOVATIVE MONITORING TECHNIQUES THAT SUPPORT EXPOSURE ASSESSMENT RELATED TO THE SUPERFUND PROGRAM

EPA Science Inventory

One of the approaches for reducing uncertainties in the assessment of human exposure is to better characterize the hazardous wastes that contaminate our environment. A significant limitation to this approach, however, is that sampling and laboratory analysis of contaminated envi...

Reduce Toxic Exposures: Get Involved and Take Action!

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Exceptional Parent, 2006

2006-01-01

There is a growing concern about the connection between many chemical exposures and learning and other developmental disabilities (LDD). National and local groups are developing new programs around the country that are making this connection--and taking action with regard to policy, education and research efforts. They are working towards reducing…

Parental tobacco smoke exposure: Epigenetics and the developmental origins of health and disease

EPA Science Inventory

Epigenetic programming is an important mechanism underlying the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD). Much of the research in this area has focused on maternal nutrition. Parental smoking has emerged as a prime example of how exposure to environmental toxicants dur...

Providing Experiential Business and Management Training for Biomedical Research Trainees

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Petrie, Kimberly A.; Carnahan, Robert H.; Brown, Abigail M.; Gould, Kathleen L.

2017-01-01

Many biomedical PhD trainees lack exposure to business principles, which limits their competitiveness and effectiveness in academic and industry careers. To fill this training gap, we developed Business and Management Principles for Scientists, a semester-long program that combined didactic exposure to business fundamentals with practical…

20180311 - EPA’s Non-Targeted Analysis Research Program: Expanding public data resources in support of exposure science (SOT)

EPA Science Inventory

Suspect screening (SSA) and non-targeted analysis (NTA) methods using high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) offer new approaches to efficiently generate exposure data for chemicals in a variety of environmental and biological media. These techniques aid characterization of the...

EXPERIENCES WITH USING PROBABILISTIC EXPOSURE ANALYSIS METHODS IN THE U.S. EPA

EPA Science Inventory

Over the past decade various Offices and Programs within the U.S. EPA have either initiated or increased the development and application of probabilistic exposure analysis models. These models have been applied to a broad range of research or regulatory problems in EPA, such as e...

Efficacy of a School-Based Primary Prevention Program for Coping with Exposure to Political Violence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Slone, Michelle; Shoshani, Anat

2008-01-01

A paradigm conceptualizing resilience as factors moderating between political violence exposure and psychological distress administered in a 7-year research project yielded a profile of factors promoting Israeli children's coping in conflict conditions. Three factors--social support mobilization, self-efficacy, and meaning attribution--were…

Selected methods for quantification of community exposure to aircraft noise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Edge, P. M., Jr.; Cawthorn, J. M.

1976-01-01

A review of the state-of-the-art for the quantification of community exposure to aircraft noise is presented. Physical aspects, people response considerations, and practicalities of useful application of scales of measure are included. Historical background up through the current technology is briefly presented. The developments of both single-event and multiple-event scales are covered. Selective choice is made of scales currently in the forefront of interest and recommended methodology is presented for use in computer programing to translate aircraft noise data into predictions of community noise exposure. Brief consideration is given to future programing developments and to supportive research needs.

Children and violence: the role of children's regulation in the marital aggression-child adjustment link.

PubMed

Cummings, E Mark; El-Sheikh, Mona; Kouros, Chrystyna D; Buckhalt, Joseph A

2009-03-01

Exposure to marital psychological and physical abuse has been established as a risk factor for children's socio-emotional, behavioral, and cognitive problems. Understanding the processes by which children develop symptoms of psychopathology and deficits in cognitive functioning in the context of marital aggression is imperative for developing efficient and effective treatment programs for children and families, and has far-reaching mental health implications. The present paper outlines our research program, Child Regulation and Exposure to Marital Aggression, which focuses on children's emotional and physiological reactivity and regulation as pathways in the marital aggression-child development link. Findings from our research program, which highlight the importance of children's regulatory processes for understanding children's adjustment in contexts of intimate partner violence, are presented, and future directions in this line of inquiry are outlined.

Effect of short-term research training programs on medical students' attitudes toward aging.

PubMed

Jeste, Dilip V; Avanzino, Julie; Depp, Colin A; Gawronska, Maja; Tu, Xin; Sewell, Daniel D; Huege, Steven F

2018-01-01

Strategies to build a larger workforce of physicians dedicated to research on aging are needed. One method to address this shortage of physician scientists in geriatrics is short-term training in aging research for early-stage medical students. The authors examined the effects of two summer research training programs, funded by the National Institutes of Health, on medical students' attitudes toward aging, using the Carolina Opinions on Care of Older Adults (COCOA). The programs combined mentored research, didactics, and some clinical exposure. In a sample of 134 participants, COCOA scores improved significantly after completion of the research training program. There was a significant interaction of gender, such that female students had higher baseline scores than males, but this gender difference in COCOA scores was attenuated following the program. Four of the six COCOA subscales showed significant improvement from baseline: early interest in geriatrics, empathy/compassion, attitudes toward geriatrics careers, and ageism.

2014 Space Radiation Standing Review Panel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Steinberg, Susan

2015-01-01

The 2014 Space Radiation Standing Review Panel (from here on referred to as the SRP) participated in a WebEx/teleconference with members of the Space Radiation Program Element, representatives from the Human Research Program (HRP), the National Space Biomedical Research Institute (NSBRI), and NASA Headquarters on November 21, 2014 (list of participants is in Section XI of this report). The SRP reviewed the updated Research Plan for the Risk of Cardiovascular Disease and Other Degenerative Tissue Effects from Radiation Exposure (Degen Risk). The SRP also received a status update on the Risk of Acute and Late Central Nervous System Effects from Radiation Exposure (CNS Risk), the Risk of Acute Radiation Syndromes Due to Solar Particle Events (ARS Risk), and the Risk of Radiation Carcinogenesis (Cancer Risk). The SRP thought the teleconference was very informative and that the Space Radiation Program Element did a great job of outlining where the Element is with respect to our state of knowledge on the risks of carcinogenesis, central nervous system effects, and the risk of cardiovascular disease and other degenerative tissue effects from exposure to space radiation. The SRP was impressed with the quality of research that is being conducted and the progress the Space Radiation Program Element has made in the past year. While much work has been done, the SRP had a few remaining questions regarding the broad applicability of these findings to a manned deep space mission (in terms of cognitive function, the paradigms were still hippocampal based and also using Alzheimer disease models). The SRP believes that NASA should consider developing an approach to follow astronauts long-term (beyond retirement) for potential side-effects/risks of space exposure that may be unknown. Radiation toxicities often occur decades after exposure, and potential consequences would be missed if intensified exams stop after retirement of the astronauts. In addition, while cancer is one consequence of radiation exposure that is monitored, potential other side effects (CNS, Alzheimer Disease, loss of cognitive function, etc.) are not included in long-term studies and would be missed. Inclusion of long-term data would be of benefit to the astronauts themselves who have given their service to the corps but also to future astronauts and the future of space exploration.

The Manganese Health Research Program (MHRP): status report and future research needs and directions.

PubMed

Aschner, M; Lukey, B; Tremblay, A

2006-09-01

The manganese (Mn) research health program (MHRP) symposium was a full day session at the 22nd International Neurotoxicology Conference. Mn is a critical metal in many defense and defense-related private sector applications including steel making and fabrication, improved fuel efficiency, and welding, and a vital and large component in portable power sources (batteries). At the current time, there is much debate concerning the potential adverse health effects of the use of manganese in these and other applications. Due to the significant use of manganese by the Department of Defense, its contractors and its suppliers, the Manganese Health Research Program (MHRP) seeks to use the resources of the federal government, in tandem with manganese researchers, as well as those industries that are involved with manganese, to determine the exact health effects of manganese, as well as to devise proper safeguard measures for both public and private sector workers. Humans require manganese as an essential element; however, exposure to high levels of this metal is sometimes associated with adverse health effects, most notably within the central nervous system. Exposure scenarios vary extensively in relation to geographical location, urban versus rural environment, lifestyles, diet, and occupational setting. Furthermore, exposure may be brief or chronic, it may be to different types of manganese compounds (aerosols or salts of manganese with different physical and/or chemical properties), and it may occur at different life-stages (e.g., in utero, neonatal life, puberty, adult life, or senescence). These factors along with diverse genetic composition that imposes both a background and disease occurrence likely reflect on differential sensitivity of individuals to manganese exposure. Unraveling these complexities requires a multi-pronged research approach to address multiple questions about the role of manganese as an essential metal as well as its modulation of disease processes and dysfunction. A symposium on the Health Effects of Manganese (Mn) was held on Wednesday, September 14, 1005, to discuss advances in the understanding on role of Mn both in health and disease. The symposium was sponsored by the Manganese Health Research Program (MHRP). This summary provides background on the MHRP, identifies the speakers and topics discussed at the symposium, and identifies research needs and anticipated progress in understanding Mn health- and disease-related issues.

Health and household air pollution from solid fuel use: the need for improved exposure assessment.

PubMed

Clark, Maggie L; Peel, Jennifer L; Balakrishnan, Kalpana; Breysse, Patrick N; Chillrud, Steven N; Naeher, Luke P; Rodes, Charles E; Vette, Alan F; Balbus, John M

2013-10-01

Nearly 3 billion people worldwide rely on solid fuel combustion to meet basic household energy needs. The resulting exposure to air pollution causes an estimated 4.5% of the global burden of disease. Large variability and a lack of resources for research and development have resulted in highly uncertain exposure estimates. We sought to identify research priorities for exposure assessment that will more accurately and precisely define exposure-response relationships of household air pollution necessary to inform future cleaner-burning cookstove dissemination programs. As part of an international workshop in May 2011, an expert group characterized the state of the science and developed recommendations for exposure assessment of household air pollution. The following priority research areas were identified to explain variability and reduce uncertainty of household air pollution exposure measurements: improved characterization of spatial and temporal variability for studies examining both short- and long-term health effects; development and validation of measurement technology and approaches to conduct complex exposure assessments in resource-limited settings with a large range of pollutant concentrations; and development and validation of biomarkers for estimating dose. Addressing these priority research areas, which will inherently require an increased allocation of resources for cookstove research, will lead to better characterization of exposure-response relationships. Although the type and extent of exposure assessment will necessarily depend on the goal and design of the cookstove study, without improved understanding of exposure-response relationships, the level of air pollution reduction necessary to meet the health targets of cookstove interventions will remain uncertain.

Agricultural Exposures, Multiple Myeloma Etiology: Profile of Jonathan Hofmann

Cancer.gov

Tenure-track investigator Jonathan Hofmann, Ph.D., M.P.H., has established a research program in the Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch focused on the role of agricultural exposures in the etiology of multiple myeloma and other cancers, and on understanding the biological mechanisms that influence the development and progression of multiple myeloma.

SHEDS-Multimedia Model Version 3 (a) Technical Manual; (b) User Guide; and (c) Executable File to Launch SAS Program and Install Model

EPA Science Inventory

Reliable models for assessing human exposures are important for understanding health risks from chemicals. The Stochastic Human Exposure and Dose Simulation model for multimedia, multi-route/pathway chemicals (SHEDS-Multimedia), developed by EPA’s Office of Research and Developm...

Does early mentorship in child and adolescent psychiatry make a difference? The Klingenstein Third-Generation Foundation Medical Student Fellowship Program.

PubMed

Stein, Joshua A; Althoff, Robert; Anders, Thomas; Davison, Yoshie; Edwards, Sarah; Frosch, Emily; Horst, Robert; Hudziak, James J; Hunt, Jeffrey; Joshi, Shashank V; Kitts, Robert Li; Larson, Justine; Leckman, James; O'Brien, John; Lowenhaupt, Elizabeth; Pruitt, David; Malloy, Erin; Martin, Andres; Partner, Ashley; Sarles, Richard; Sikich, Linmarie; Wells, Lloyd; Kolevzon, Alexander

2013-09-01

There is a critical shortage of child and adolescent psychiatrists in the United States. Increased exposure, through mentorship, clinical experiences, and research opportunities, may increase the number of medical students selecting child and adolescent psychiatry (CAP) as a career choice. Between 2008 and 2011, 241 first-year participants of a program to increase exposure to CAP, funded by the Klingenstein Third-Generation Foundation (KTGF) at 10 medical schools completed baseline surveys assessing their opinions of and experiences in CAP, and 115 second-year participants completed follow-up surveys to reflect 1 year of experience in the KTGF Program. Students reported significantly increased positive perception of mentorship for career and research guidance, along with perceived increased knowledge and understanding of CAP. Results suggest that the KTGF Program positively influenced participating medical students, although future studies are needed to determine whether these changes will translate into more medical students entering the field of CAP.

REGIONAL ASSESSMENT OF FISH HEALTH: A PROTOTYPE METHODOLOGY AND CASE STUDY FOR THE ALBEMARLE-PAMLICO RIVER BASIN, NORTH CAROLINA

EPA Science Inventory

BASE (Basin-Scale Assessments for Sustainable Ecosystems) is a research program developed by the Ecosystems Research Division of the National Exposure Research Laboratory to explore and formulate approaches for assessing the sustainability of ecological resources within watershed...

U.S. EPA/ORD LARGE BUILDINGS STUDY: RESULTS OF THE INITIAL SURVEY OF RANDOMLY SELECTED GSA BUILDINGS

EPA Science Inventory

The Atmospheric Research and Exposure Assessment Laboratory (AREAL), Office of Research and Development (ORD), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), is initiating a research program to connect fundamental information on the key parameters and factors that influence indoor a...

Trying Out Genes for Size: Experiential Learning in the High School Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blazek, Joshua D.; Cooper, Gary L.; Judd, Mariah V.; Roper, Randall J.; Marrs, Kathleen A.

2013-01-01

The National Science Foundation's GK-12 program provides a unique opportunity for STEM collaboration between the K-12 classroom and university research. This partnership benefits students through experiential learning, exposure to research, exceptional mentorship, and preparation for postsecondary education. Additionally, researchers gain…

Children and Violence: The Role of Children’s Regulation in the Marital Aggression–Child Adjustment Link

PubMed Central

Cummings, E. Mark; El-Sheikh, Mona; Kouros, Chrystyna D.; Buckhalt, Joseph A.

2010-01-01

Exposure to marital psychological and physical abuse has been established as a risk factor for children’s socio-emotional, behavioral, and cognitive problems. Understanding the processes by which children develop symptoms of psychopathology and deficits in cognitive functioning in the context of marital aggression is imperative for developing efficient and effective treatment programs for children and families, and has far-reaching mental health implications. The present paper outlines our research program, Child Regulation and Exposure to Marital Aggression, which focuses on children’s emotional and physiological reactivity and regulation as pathways in the marital aggression–child development link. Findings from our research program, which highlight the importance of children’s regulatory processes for understanding children’s adjustment in contexts of intimate partner violence, are presented, and future directions in this line of inquiry are outlined. PMID:19247833

A Systems Approach to Small Fish Ecotoxicogenomics

EPA Science Inventory

At present, the largest and most integrated effort in the area of ecotoxicogenomics within US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Office of Research and Development is a research program titled Linkage of exposure and effects using genomics, proteomics, and metabolomics in sma...

AGING AND THE ENVIRONMENT: A RESEARCH FRAMEWORK.

EPA Science Inventory

This manuscript discusses the development of a research program on health effects and environmental exposures to older adults. It summarizes input to this process from experts and the public, and outlines the critical elements necessary to fully address issues of environmental p...

40 CFR 26.1102 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY GENERAL PROTECTION OF HUMAN SUBJECTS Basic Ethical Requirements for Third-Party Human Research for Pesticides Involving Intentional Exposure of Non-pregnant, Non... service programs may include research activities. (e) Human subject means a living individual about whom...

Minority University Research and Education Division (MURED) Update

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Malone, John

2000-01-01

Program priorities include: (1) Expand and advance NASA's scientific and technological base by building on prior year's efforts in research and academic infrastructure; (2) Increase exposure to NASA's unique mission and facilities by developing closer relationships with NASA Strategic Enterprises; (3) Increase involvement in competitive peer review and merit selection processes; (4) Contribute significantly to the Agency's strategic goals and objectives; (5) Create systemic and sustainable change through partnerships and programs that enhance research and education programs; (6) Prepare faculty and students at HBCU's for NASA-related fields and increase number of students that enter and successfully complete degrees in NASA-related fields; (7) Establish measurable program goals and objectives; and (8) Improve financial management performance.

MPL’s Research Program in Navy Related Technologies

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-01-01

cracking. Strain gage recordings during sea operations and towing provide a quantitative measurement of stress cycling. After the equivalent of a normal...years exposure to cyclic stresses , FLIP is drydocked for inspection and maintenance. These platforms have been used in a wide variety of tasks, mostly...Various MPL Sponsor Research Activities Date of Program Principal Modification Sponsor Title Investigator Mod 03 NAVOCEANO Crane Support Bishop Mod 05,08

Assessing the effect of food exposure on children's identification and acceptance of fruit and vegetables.

PubMed

Schindler, Jennifer M; Corbett, Denise; Forestell, Catherine A

2013-01-01

Currently, fewer than 15% of children between the ages of 4-8 years consume the recommended levels of fruit and vegetables. In order to address this serious public health issue, a variety of nutrition programs have been implemented across the United States which have varied in their success. The present research analyzed the effectiveness of providing fruit and vegetable exposure as part of a school nutrition program. Kindergarten students at two schools (N=59) were exposed to interactive activities about healthy eating and physical activity. In addition, those at one school (n=29) were exposed to a variety of fruits and vegetables as part of this program. Assessment of children's ability to identify and their willingness to try fruit and vegetables before and after the program indicated that while all children were better able to identify a range of fruit, only those who received exposure to healthful foods were more willing to try fruit after the program. There were no changes in their identification or willingness to eat vegetables. These results suggest that schools should provide exposure to a variety of healthy foods as part of their nutrition programs. Such programs should focus specifically on exposing children to vegetables because increasing children's willingness to try foods that are typically considered unpalatable may be especially challenging. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Summer Research Training for Medical Students: Impact on Research Self‐Efficacy

PubMed Central

Black, Michelle L.; Curran, Maureen C.; Golshan, Shahrokh; Daly, Rebecca; Depp, Colin; Kelly, Carolyn

2013-01-01

Abstract There is a well‐documented shortage of physician researchers, and numerous training programs have been launched to facilitate development of new physician scientists. Short‐term research training programs are the most practical form of research exposure for most medical students, and the summer between their first and second years of medical school is generally the longest period they can devote solely to research. The goal of short‐term training programs is to whet the students’ appetite for research and spark their interest in the field. Relatively little research has been done to test the effectiveness of short‐term research training programs. In an effort to examine short‐term effects of three different NIH‐funded summer research training programs for medical students, we assessed the trainees’ (N = 75) research self‐efficacy prior to and after the programs using an 11‐item scale. These hands‐on training programs combined experiential, didactic, and mentoring elements. The students demonstrated a significant increase in their self‐efficacy for research. Trainees’ gender, ranking of their school, type of research, and specific content of research project did not predict improvement. Effect sizes for different types of items on the scale varied, with the largest gain seen in research methodology and communication of study findings. PMID:24330695

A Systems Biology Approach to Small Fish Ecotoxicogenomics

EPA Science Inventory

At present, a large and integrated effort in the area of ecotoxicogenomics within USEPA's Office of Research and Development is a research program titled "Linkage of exposure and effects using genomics, proteomics, and metabolomics in small fish models." The effort involves coll...

NERL MICROBIAL PROGRAM WITH EMPHASIS ON PROTOZOAN METHODS

EPA Science Inventory

The National Exposure Research Laboratory's facility in Cincinnati is engated in a variety of microbiological research projects that include studies on bacteria, viruses, fungi and protozoa. One of these was a protzoology project to determine the best way to evaluate methods rep...

The Information Book Flood: Is Additional Exposure Enough to Support Early Literacy Development?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neuman, Susan B.

2017-01-01

The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to examine the influence of a book distribution program targeted at enhancing children's exposure to information books. The research examined whether a flood of information books in early childhood settings, placing libraries in a central role, could affect growth in language, content-related…

Role of Environmental Chemicals in Diabetes and Obesity: A National Toxicology Program Workshop Review

PubMed Central

Heindel, Jerrold J.; Bucher, John R.; Gallo, Michael A.

2012-01-01

Background: There has been increasing interest in the concept that exposures to environmental chemicals may be contributing factors to the epidemics of diabetes and obesity. On 11–13 January 2011, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) Division of the National Toxicology Program (NTP) organized a workshop to evaluate the current state of the science on these topics of increasing public health concern. Objective: The main objective of the workshop was to develop recommendations for a research agenda after completing a critical analysis of the literature for humans and experimental animals exposed to certain environmental chemicals. The environmental exposures considered at the workshop were arsenic, persistent organic pollutants, maternal smoking/nicotine, organotins, phthalates, bisphenol A, and pesticides. High-throughput screening data from Toxicology in the 21st Century (Tox21) were also considered as a way to evaluate potential cellular pathways and generate -hypotheses for testing which and how certain chemicals might perturb biological processes related to diabetes and obesity. Conclusions: Overall, the review of the existing literature identified linkages between several of the environmental exposures and type 2 diabetes. There was also support for the “developmental obesogen” hypothesis, which suggests that chemical exposures may increase the risk of obesity by altering the differentiation of adipocytes or the development of neural circuits that regulate feeding behavior. The effects may be most apparent when the developmental exposure is combined with consumption of a high-calorie, high-carbohydrate, or high-fat diet later in life. Research on environmental chemical exposures and type 1 diabetes was very limited. This lack of research was considered a critical data gap. In this workshop review, we outline the major themes that emerged from the workshop and discuss activities that NIEHS/NTP is undertaking to address research recommendations. This review also serves as an introduction to an upcoming series of articles that review the literature regarding specific exposures and outcomes in more detail. PMID:22296744

Workshop 3.5: Closing the gap between exposure and effects in monitoring studies

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tillitt, Donald E.; Papoulias, Diana M.

2003-01-01

A major challenge to contaminant monitoring programs is the selection of an appropriate suite of measurements for assessing exposure and effects. Early monitoring programs relied solely on residue analysis to detect the organochlorine compounds that were in use at that time. A shift to the use of more transient, less persistent chemicals required that a new set of tools be developed to determine if an organism had been exposed. This led to the development of cellular and biochemical assays that could indicate the presence of these types of chemicals in biota and the environment. However, it was recognized that measures of contaminant presence alone were insufficient to assess the health of biota. As a result, considerable research began to be directed toward development of diagnostic tools for measuring chemical effects in fish and wildlife. Today, contaminant monitoring programs follow a paradigm for study design that emphasizes not only the use of measures of exposure, but also measures of effect. Using data from our monitoring and research studies for hormonally active substances, we discuss a variety of metrics of exposure and effects and their application to specific chemicals, and the current information gaps. We conclude that although several bioindicators of exposure and effect have been promoted and used, to date there continues to be a poor association between cause and effect for endocrine active substances. In part, this is due to the limited number of diagnostic tools that are available and to a lack of basic toxicological information concerning toxicokinetics and mechanisms of action of hormonally active chemicals in fish and wildlife species. In the foreseeable future, both tissue and environmental residue data, despite the many limitations, will continue to be an important component of monitoring programs for hormonally active chemicals as we continue to develop and validate more specific bioindicators of exposure and effects.

Collaborating With an Urban Community to Develop an HIV and AIDS Prevention Program for Black Youth and Families

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baptiste, Donna R.; Paikoff, Roberta L.; McKay, Mary McKernan; Madison-Boyd, Sybil; Coleman, Doris; Bell, Carl

2005-01-01

This article describes a collaboration between academic researchers and residents of a low-income, inner-city community to develop and deliver an HIV and AIDS prevention program for Black youth. The Chicago HIV Prevention and Adolescent Mental Health Project (CHAMP) Program was developed and implemented to decrease HIV and AIDS risk exposure among…

Physical Disability on Children's Television Programming: A Content Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bond, Bradley J.

2013-01-01

Research Findings: Media representations of physical disability can influence the attitudes of child audiences. In the current study, the depiction of physical disability was analyzed in more than 400 episodes of children's television programming to better understand how media depict physical disability to children and, in turn, how exposure may…

Tablet and Face-to-Face Hybrid Professional Development: Providing Earth Systems Science Educators Authentic Research Opportunities through The GLOBE Program at Purdue University

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wegner, K.; Branch, B. D.; Smith, S. C.

2013-12-01

The Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) program is a worldwide hands-on, primary and secondary school-based science and education program (www.globe.gov). GLOBE's vision promotes and supports students, teachers and scientists to collaborate on inquiry-based authentic science investigations of the environment and the Earth system working in close partnership with NASA, NOAA and NSF Earth System Science Projects (ESSP's) in study and research about the dynamics of Earth's environment. GLOBE Partners conduct face-to-face Professional Development in more than 110 countries, providing authentic scientific research experience in five investigation areas: atmosphere, earth as a system, hydrology, land cover, and soil. This presentation will provide a sample for a new framework of Professional Development that was implemented in July 2013 at Purdue University lead by Mr. Steven Smith who has tested GLOBE training materials for future training. The presentation will demonstrate how institutions can provide educators authentic scientific research opportunities through various components, including: - Carrying out authentic research investigations - Learning how to enter their authentic research data into the GLOBE database and visualize it on the GLOBE website - Learn how to access to NASA's Earth System Science resources via GLOBE's new online 'e-Training Program' - Exploring the connections of their soil protocol measurements and the history of the soil in their area through iPad soils app - LIDAR data exposure, Hydrology data exposure

Medication Exposure in Pregnancy Risk Evaluation Program (MEPREP).

PubMed

Davis, Robert L

2010-01-01

Knowledge about safe medication use during pregnancy is limited, yet about two of every three women take at least one prescription medication during pregnancy, furthermore, there is a lack of rigorous studies evaluating birth outcomes associated with in utero exposure to medications. The Medication Exposure in Pregnancy Risk Evaluation Program (MEPREP) is intended to provide a mechanism for collaborative pharmacoepidemiological research to address the safety of pharmaceutical product exposure during pregnancy, through the development of standardized data requirements and of the necessary data linkages of mother-infant pairs to conduct multi-site investigations. This presentation will describe the program, the types of data collected, and progress to date. The current MEPREP population includes female health plan members of 11 distinct health management entities within three research centres who have delivered an infant between January 1, 2001 and December 31, 2007, along with the administrative and birth certificate data on over one million children linked to mothers. There is information on all the medications those mothers took, as well as most of the outcomes of the babies. One of the benefits of this dataset is the information that could be investigated, such as birth weight, fetal growth, congenital anomalies, perinatal conditions, etc., against various demographics of the women in the dataset. The population size within the dataset suggests that various parameters could be studied with at least a modest degree of power.

The use of VR in the treatment of panic disorders and agoraphobia.

PubMed

Botella, Cristina; Villa, Helena; García Palacios, Azucena; Quero, Soledad; Baños, Rosa M; Alcaniz, Mariano

2004-01-01

Panic disorder with agoraphobia (PDA) is considered an important public health problem. The efficacy of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for PDA has been widely demonstrated. The American National Institute of Health recommended Cognitive-Behavioral programs as the treatment of choice for this disorder. This institution also recommended that researchers develop treatments whose mode of delivery increases the availability of these programs. Virtual Reality based treatments can help to achieve this goal. VR has several advantages compared with conventional techniques. One of the essential components to treat these disorders is exposure. In VR the therapist can control the feared situations at will and with a high degree of safety for the patient, as it is easier to grade the feared situations. Another advantage is that VR is more confidential because treatment takes place in the therapist's office. It is also less time consuming as it takes place in the therapist's office. Considering the wide number of situations and activities that agoraphobic patients use to avoid, VR can save time and money significantly. Another advantage in treating PDA using VR is the possibility of doing VR interoceptive. VR could be a more natural setting for interoceptive exposure than the consultation room because we can elicit bodily sensations while the patient is immerse in VR agoraphobic situations. Finally, we think that VR exposure can be a useful intermediate step for those patients who refuse in vivo exposure because the idea of facing the real agoraphobic situations is too aversive for them. In this chapter we offer the work done by our research team at the VEPSY-UPDATED project. We describe the VR program we have developed for the treatment of PDA and we summarize the efficacy and effectiveness data of a study where we compare a cognitive-behavioral program including VR for the exposure component with a standard cognitive-behavioral program including in vivo exposure and with a waiting list control condition. Our findings support the efficacy and effectiveness of VR for the treatment of PDA.

Origins of Montessori Programming for Dementia

PubMed Central

Camp, Cameron J.

2011-01-01

The focus of this article is on the evolution of the use of Montessori educational methods as the basis for creating interventions for persons with dementia. The account of this evolution is autobiographical, as the development of Montessori Programming for Dementia (MPD) initially was through the efforts of myself and my research associates. My initial exposure to Maria Montessori’s work came as a result of my involvement with my own children’s education. This exposure influenced ongoing research on development of cognitive interventions for persons with dementia. A brief description of Montessori’s work with children and the educational methods she developed is followed by a description of how this approach can be translated into development of activities for persons with dementia. Assessment tools to document effects of MPD were created, focusing on observational tools to measure engagement and affect during individual and group activities programming for persons with dementia. Examples of the use of MPD by researchers, staff members, and family members are given, as well as examples of how persons with dementia can provide MPD to other persons with dementia or to children. Finally, examples of MPD’s dissemination internationally and future directions for research are presented. PMID:23515663

Origins of Montessori Programming for Dementia.

PubMed

Camp, Cameron J

2010-01-01

The focus of this article is on the evolution of the use of Montessori educational methods as the basis for creating interventions for persons with dementia. The account of this evolution is autobiographical, as the development of Montessori Programming for Dementia (MPD) initially was through the efforts of myself and my research associates. My initial exposure to Maria Montessori's work came as a result of my involvement with my own children's education. This exposure influenced ongoing research on development of cognitive interventions for persons with dementia. A brief description of Montessori's work with children and the educational methods she developed is followed by a description of how this approach can be translated into development of activities for persons with dementia. Assessment tools to document effects of MPD were created, focusing on observational tools to measure engagement and affect during individual and group activities programming for persons with dementia. Examples of the use of MPD by researchers, staff members, and family members are given, as well as examples of how persons with dementia can provide MPD to other persons with dementia or to children. Finally, examples of MPD's dissemination internationally and future directions for research are presented.

Do open youth unemployment and youth programs leave the same mental health scars?--Evidence from a Swedish 27-year cohort study.

PubMed

Strandh, Mattias; Nilsson, Karina; Nordlund, Madelene; Hammarström, Anne

2015-11-20

Recent findings suggest that the mental health costs of unemployment are related to both short- and long-term mental health scars. The main policy tools for dealing with young people at risk of labor market exclusion are Active Labor Market Policy programs for youths (youth programs). There has been little research on the potential effects of participation in youth programs on mental health and even less on whether participation in such programs alleviates the long-term mental health scarring caused by unemployment. This study compares exposure to open youth unemployment and exposure to youth program participation between ages 18 and 21 in relation to adult internalized mental health immediately after the end of the exposure period at age 21 and two decades later at age 43. The study uses a five wave Swedish 27-year prospective cohort study consisting of all graduates from compulsory school in an industrial town in Sweden initiated in 1981. Of the original 1083 participants 94.3% of those alive were still participating at the 27-year follow up. Exposure to open unemployment and youth programs were measured between ages 18-21. Mental health, indicated through an ordinal level three item composite index of internalized mental health symptoms (IMHS), was measured pre-exposure at age 16 and post exposure at ages 21 and 42. Ordinal regressions of internalized mental health at ages 21 and 43 were performed using the Polytomous Universal Model (PLUM). Models were controlled for pre-exposure internalized mental health as well as other available confounders. Results show strong and significant relationships between exposure to open youth unemployment and IMHS at age 21 (OR = 2.48, CI = 1.57-3.60) as well as at age 43 (OR = 1.71, CI = 1.20-2.43). No such significant relationship is observed for exposure to youth programs at age 21 (OR = 0.95, CI = 0.72-1.26) or at age 43 (OR = 1.23, CI = 0.93-1.63). A considered and consistent active labor market policy directed at youths could potentially reduce the short- and long-term mental health costs of youth unemployment.

Subsidized childcare and child development in Colombia: effects of Hogares Comunitarios de Bienestar as a function of timing and length of exposure.

PubMed

Bernal, Raquel; Fernández, Camila

2013-11-01

Rigorous evidence regarding the impact of early care and education on children's development comes primarily from high-income nations. A few studies from Latin America and the Caribbean have identified benefits of conditional cash transfer and home visiting programs on children's development. However, there is still controversy around the impact and cost-effectiveness of childcare approaches. Further research is needed to understand how scaled-up childcare settings may support the development of low-income children in Latin America. To that end, the present study sought to identify the effects of exposure to a subsidized childcare program in Colombia on children's nutritional status, cognitive and socioemotional development. This community-based program, known as Hogares Comunitarios de Bienestar (HCB), serves 800 thousand low-income children under age 6, delivering home-based childcare, supplementary nutrition, and psychosocial stimulation. We analyzed data on 10,173 program beneficiary children (ages 3-6) collected in 2007. We compared beneficiary children who had been in the program for a long time with beneficiary children who had been in the program for a month or less, by age group, to estimate program exposure effects. We used a matching estimator to correct for self-selection into different exposure levels. Results indicated that cognitive development improved 0.15 to 0.3 of a standard deviation (SD) after at least 15 months of exposure for children between 3 and 6 years of age. Socioemotional skills improved 0.12 to 0.3 SD for children older than 3 after at least 15 months of program exposure. No significant gains were found for nutritional status. The estimated benefit-cost ratio ranged from 1.0 to 2.7, depending upon varying discount rates. Findings lend support for a potentially effective strategy to promote the development of low-income children in Colombia and other developing nations. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Risk Assessment Training Experience (RATE) – University of Iowa Superfund Research Center.

EPA Science Inventory

These modules will offer hands-on training in the primary areas of risk assessment (i.e., legal background, hazard identification, dose-response assessment, exposure assessment, and risk characterization) at the University of Iowa Superfund Research Program on October 2, 2017. An...

Developing Healthy Food Preferences in Preschool Children Through Taste Exposure, Sensory Learning, and Nutrition Education.

PubMed

Nekitsing, Chandani; Hetherington, Marion M; Blundell-Birtill, Pam

2018-03-01

The present review was undertaken in order to summarize and evaluate recent research investigating taste exposure, sensory learning, and nutrition education interventions for promoting vegetable intake in preschool children. Overall, taste exposure interventions yielded the best outcomes for increasing vegetable intake in early childhood. Evidence from sensory learning strategies such as visual exposure and experiential learning also show some success. While nutrition education remains the most common approach used in preschool settings, additional elements are needed to strengthen the educational program for increasing vegetable intake. There is a substantial gap in the evidence base to promote vegetable intake in food fussy children. The present review reveals the relative importance of different intervention strategies for promoting vegetable intake. To strengthen intervention effects for improving vegetable intake in preschool children, future research could consider integrating taste exposure and sensory learning strategies with nutrition education within the preschool curriculum.

Influence of Exposure to Sexually Explicit Films on the Sexual Behavior of Secondary School Students in Ibadan, Nigeria.

PubMed

Odeleye, Olubunmi; Ajuwon, Ademola J

2015-01-01

Young people in secondary schools who are prone to engage in risky sexual behaviors spend considerable time watching Television (TV) which often presents sex scenes. The influence of exposure to sex scenes on TV (SSTV) has been little researched in Nigeria. This study was therefore designed to determine the perceived influence of exposure to SSTV on the sexual behavior of secondary school students in Ibadan North Local Government Area. A total of 489 randomly selected students were surveyed. Mean age of respondents was 14.1 ± 1.9 years and 53.8% were females. About 91% had ever been exposed to sex scenes. The type of TV program from which most respondents reported exposure to sexual scenes was movies (86.9%). Majority reported exposure to all forms of SSTV from secondary storage devices. Students whose TV watching behavior was not monitored had heavier exposures to SSTV compared with those who were. About 56.3% of females and 26.5% of males affirmed that watching SSTV had affected their sexual behavior. Predictor of sex-related activities was exposure to heavy sex scenes. Peer education and school-based programs should include topics to teach young people on how to evaluate presentations of TV programs. © The Author(s) 2015 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

USEPA’s Ecological Exposure Modeling Science: Frameworks, Components and the Emerging Community of Practice for Reuse

EPA Science Inventory

The Ecosystem Services Research Program of the EPA Office of Research and Development envisions a comprehensive theory and practice for characterizing, quantifying and valuing ecosystem services and their relationship to human well-being. This vision of future environmental deci...

Overview of the ToxCast Research Program: Applications to Predictive Toxicology and Chemical Prioritization (SETAC)

EPA Science Inventory

Understanding the potential health risks posed by environmental chemicals is a significant challenge driven by the large number of diverse chemicals with generally uncharacterized exposures, mechanisms and toxicities. The U.S. EPA’s ToxCast chemical prioritization research projec...

Methods for evaluating temporal trends in noise exposure

PubMed Central

Neitzel, RL; Galusha, D; Dixon-Ernst, C; Rabinowitz, PM

2014-01-01

Objective Hearing conservation programs have been mandatory in many US industries since 1983. Since then, three program elements (audiometric testing, hearing protection, and training) have been the focus of much research. By comparison, little has been done on noise exposure evaluation. Design and study sample Utilizing a large dataset (>10,000 measurements over 20 years) from eight facilities operated by a multinational aluminum manufacturing company, we evaluated several approaches to assessing temporal trends in Time Weighted Average (TWA) exposures and the fraction of measurements exceeding 85 dBA by facility, by exposure group within facility, and by individual worker within facility. Results Overall, exposures declined across locations over the study period. Several facilities demonstrated substantial reductions in exposure, and the results of mean noise levels and exceedance fractions generally showed good agreement. The results of analyses at the individual level diverged with analyses by facility and exposure group within facility, suggesting that individual-level analyses, while challenging, may provide important information not available from coarser levels of analysis. Conclusions Validated metrics are needed to allow for assessment of temporal trends in noise exposure. Such metrics will improve our ability to characterize, in a standardized manner, efforts to reduce noise-induced hearing loss. PMID:24564696

Methods for evaluating temporal trends in noise exposure.

PubMed

Neitzel, R L; Galusha, D; Dixon-Ernst, C; Rabinowitz, P M

2014-03-01

Hearing conservation programs have been mandatory in many US industries since 1983. Since then, three program elements (audiometric testing, hearing protection, and training) have been the focus of much research. By comparison, little has been done on noise exposure evaluation. Temporal trends in time weighted average (TWA) exposures and the fraction of measurements exceeding 85 dBA were evaluated by facility, by exposure group within facility, and by individual worker within facility. A large dataset (> 10 000 measurements over 20 years) from eight facilities operated by a multinational aluminum manufacturing company was studied. Overall, exposures declined across locations over the study period. Several facilities demonstrated substantial reductions in exposure, and the results of mean noise levels and exceedance fractions generally showed good agreement. The results of analyses at the individual level diverged with analyses by facility and exposure group within facility, suggesting that individual-level analyses, while challenging, may provide important information not available from coarser levels of analysis. Validated metrics are needed to allow for assessment of temporal trends in noise exposure. Such metrics will improve our ability to characterize, in a standardized manner, efforts to reduce noise-induced hearing loss.

Arsenic and Environmental Health: State of the Science and ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Background: Exposure to inorganic and organic arsenic compounds is a major public health problem that affects hundreds of millions of people worldwide. Exposure to arsenic is associated with cancer and noncancer effects in nearly every organ in the body, and evidence is mounting for health effects at lower levels of arsenic exposure than previously thought. Building from a tremendous knowledge base with > 1,000 scientific papers published annually with “arsenic” in the title, the question becomes, what questions would best drive future research directions? Objectives: The objective is to discuss emerging issues in arsenic research and identify data gaps across disciplines. Methods: The National Institutes of Health’s National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Superfund Research Program convened a workshop to identify emerging issues and research needs to address the multi-faceted challenges related to arsenic and environmental health. This review summarizes information captured during the workshop. Discussion: More information about aggregate exposure to arsenic is needed, including the amount and forms of arsenic found in foods. New strategies for mitigating arsenic exposures and related health effects range from engineered filtering systems to phytogenetics and nutritional interventions. Furthermore, integration of omics data with mechanistic and epidemiological data is a key step toward the goal of linking biomarkers of exposure and suscepti

Exposure to Metal Pollutants and Behavioral Disorders in Children: A Review of the Evidence.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marlowe, Mike

The paper reviews research on effects of metal pollutants on behavioral disorders in children. Methodological programs of studies conducted in the 1970's are described. Research since 1980 is then addressed in terms of general population studies and studies of behaviorally disordered populations. Findings of research on the latter subject group…

2013 Space Radiation Standing Review Panel Status Review for: The Risk of Acute and Late Central Nervous System Effects from Radiation Exposure, The Risk of Acute Radiation Syndromes Due to Solar Particle Events (SPEs), The Risk Of Degenerative Tissue Or Other Health Effects From Radiation Exposure, and The Risk of Radiation Carcinogenesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2014-01-01

The Space Radiation Standing Review Panel (from here on referred to as the SRP) was impressed with the strong research program presented by the scientists and staff associated with NASA's Space Radiation Program Element and National Space Biomedical Research Institute (NSBRI). The presentations given on-site and the reports of ongoing research that were provided in advance indicated the potential Risk of Acute and Late Central Nervous System Effects from Radiation Exposure (CNS) and were extensively discussed by the SRP. This new data leads the SRP to recommend that a higher priority should be placed on research designed to identify and understand these risks at the mechanistic level. To support this effort the SRP feels that a shift of emphasis from Acute Radiation Syndromes (ARS) and carcinogenesis to CNS-related endpoints is justified at this point. However, these research efforts need to focus on mechanisms, should follow pace with advances in the field of CNS in general and should consider the specific comments and suggestions made by the SRP as outlined below. The SRP further recommends that the Space Radiation Program Element continue with its efforts to fill the vacant positions (Element Scientist, CNS Risk Discipline Lead) as soon as possible. The SRP also strongly recommends that NASA should continue the NASA Space Radiation Summer School. In addition to these broad recommendations, there are specific comments/recommendations noted for each risk, described in detail below.

Radiation and Health Technology Laboratory Capabilities

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bihl, Donald E.; Lynch, Timothy P.; Murphy, Mark K.

2005-07-09

The Radiological Standards and Calibrations Laboratory, a part of Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL)(a) performs calibrations and upholds reference standards necessary to maintain traceability to national standards. The facility supports U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) programs at the Hanford Site, programs sponsored by DOE Headquarters and other federal agencies, radiological protection programs at other DOE and commercial nuclear sites and research and characterization programs sponsored through the commercial sector. The laboratory is located in the 318 Building of the Hanford Site's 300 Area. The facility contains five major exposure rooms and several laboratories used for exposure work preparation, low-activity instrumentmore » calibrations, instrument performance evaluations, instrument maintenance, instrument design and fabrication work, thermoluminescent and radiochromic Dosimetry, and calibration of measurement and test equipment (M&TE). The major exposure facilities are a low-scatter room used for neutron and photon exposures, a source well room used for high-volume instrument calibration work, an x-ray facility used for energy response studies, a high-exposure facility used for high-rate photon calibration work, a beta standards laboratory used for beta energy response studies and beta reference calibrations and M&TE laboratories. Calibrations are routinely performed for personnel dosimeters, health physics instrumentation, photon and neutron transfer standards alpha, beta, and gamma field sources used throughout the Hanford Site, and a wide variety of M&TE. This report describes the standards and calibrations laboratory.« less

Earlier Violent Television Exposure and Later Drug Dependence

PubMed Central

Brook, David W.; Katten, Naomi S.; Ning, Yuming; Brook, Judith S.

2013-01-01

This research examined the longitudinal pathways from earlier violent television exposure to later drug dependence. African American and Puerto Rican adolescents were interviewed during three points in time (N = 463). Violent television exposure in late adolescence predicted violent television exposure in young adulthood, which in turn was related to tobacco/marijuana use, nicotine dependence, and later drug dependence. Some policy and clinical implications suggest: a) regulating the times when violent television is broadcast; b) creating developmentally targeted prevention/treatment programs; and c) recognizing that watching violent television may serve as a cue regarding increased susceptibility to nicotine and drug dependence. PMID:18612881

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

West, C.R.

This paper describes the way in which the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection uses risk assessment to implement the state`s environmental laws. It focuses on the Office of Research and Standards, which was created to provide information on adverse health effects of environmental contaminants, to recommend exposure levels, and to direct and manage research programs.

MODIFYING EPA METHOD 314.0 FOR ANALYSIS OF PERCHLORATE IN AQUEOUS SAMPLES CONTAINING HIGH TOTAL DISSOLVED SOLIDS

EPA Science Inventory

Through the Regional Applied Research Effort (RARE) program, the Chemical Exposure Research Branch and Region 9 personnel in San Francisco, California are collaborating on a project to explore sample pretreatment and preconcentration techniques to lower the method detection limit...

Consumer Product Data for Exposure Screening, Modeling and Prioritization, and Risk-based Decision Making

EPA Science Inventory

This presentation will provide an overview of the research efforts underway in EPA ORD's Chemicals for Safety and Sustainability research program which relate to providing information to prioritize chemicals in consumer products based on risk. It also describes effort to make dat...

The Impact of Community Violence on School-Based Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Velsor-Friedrich, Barbara; Richards, Maryse; Militello, Lisa K.; Dean, Kyle C.; Scott, Darrick; Gross, Israel M.; Romeo, Edna

2015-01-01

Research conducted on youth exposure to violence has generally focused on documenting the prevalence of community violence and its emotional and behavioral implications. However, there is a dearth of information related to the impact of violence on the implementation and evaluation of community and school-based programs. This commentary examines…

Poverty and Program Participation among Immigrant Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Borjas, George J.

2011-01-01

Researchers have long known that poverty in childhood is linked with a range of negative adult socioeconomic outcomes, from lower educational achievement and behavioral problems to lower earnings in the labor market. But few researchers have explored whether exposure to a disadvantaged background affects immigrant children and native children…

INTEGRATED LABORATORY AND FIELD CHARACTERIZATION OF ORGANIC CARBON IN PM 2.5 FORMED THROUGH CHEMICAL REACTIONS

EPA Science Inventory

An integrated laboratory and field research program is underway at the National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL) to characterize organic carbon in PM_2.5 (particulate matter) formed through chemical reactions. Information from this study will provide critical data ne...

Culture and sun exposure in immigrant East Asian women living in Australia.

PubMed

Jang, Haeyoung; Koo, Fung Kuen; Ke, Liang; Clemson, Lindy; Cant, Rosemary; Fraser, David R; Seibel, Marcus J; Tseng, Marilyn; Mpofu, Elias; Mason, Rebecca S; Brock, Kaye

2013-01-01

In this qualitative study, researchers examined cultural and attitudinal factors that might be related to sun-exposure behaviors among East Asian women living in Australia. Researchers asked Chinese (n = 20) and Korean (n = 16) immigrant women who participated in a larger cross-sectional quantitative study of vitamin D blood levels to volunteer to participate in an in-depth interview in 2010. These women reported a number of cultural factors related to their attitudes and behaviors with regard to sun exposure. They expressed preference for fair skin, a tradition of covering skin when outdoors, and no sunbathing culture. They believed that fair skin was more beautiful than tanned skin. They reported that beauty was the reason for active avoidance of sunlight exposure. Although they reported knowledge of the need for sun avoidance due to skin cancer risk, few reported knowledge about the benefits of sun exposure for adequate vitamin D levels. These findings may provide some reasons for vitamin D deficiency previously reported in these populations. Thus, researchers recommend that these attitudes of excessive sun protection and limiting sun exposure be further investigated as they may have implications for planning and delivery of health promotion programs to this growing population of immigrants in Australia.

Radiation exposure and lung disease in today's nuclear world.

PubMed

Deas, Steven D; Huprikar, Nikhil; Skabelund, Andrew

2017-03-01

Ionizing radiation poses important health risks. The per capita annual dose rate has increased in the United States and there is increasing concern for the risks posed by low-dose occupational exposure among workers in nuclear industries and healthcare. Recent nuclear accidents and concern for terrorism have heightened concern for catastrophic, high-dose ionizing radiation exposure. This review will highlight recent research into the risks to lung health posed by ionizing radiation exposure and into potential treatments. Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and some antioxidants have shown promise as mitigators, to decrease pneumonitis and fibrosis when given after exposure. Studies of survivors of nuclear catastrophes have shown increased risk for lung cancer, especially in nonsmokers. There is evidence for increased lung cancer risk in industrial radiation workers, especially those who process plutonium and may inhale radioactive particles. There does not seem to be an increased risk of lung cancer in healthcare workers who perform fluoroscopic procedures. High-dose ionizing radiation exposure causes pneumonitis and fibrosis, and more research is needed to develop mitigators to improve outcomes in nuclear catastrophes. Long-term, low-dose occupational radiation may increase lung cancer risk. More research to better define this risk could lead to improved safety protocols and screening programs.

Interdisciplinary research training in substance abuse and addictions.

PubMed

Thompson, Elaine Adams

2013-01-01

Considerable evidence shows that the management of complex problems of and related to substance abuse and addictions require comprehensive approaches based on solid research. Nonetheless, timely and widespread dissemination of research findings remains uncommon, hindering nursing practice, impeding the health of individuals and families, and imposing untoward costs for society. Shifts in science paradigms underscore the need for efficient and effective interdisciplinary research teams to carry out innovative research within a translational science framework. This means that early career investigators will need the knowledge and skills to conduct research as part of an interdisciplinary team and to contribute systematically to translational research in the area of substance abuse and addictions. This brief report describes a nursing research training program sponsored by the National Institute on Drug Abuse that evolved into an interdisciplinary program administrated within a school of nursing. Factors conducive to program development are described, along with the structure and elements of the program and examples of the scholars' projects and accomplishments. The common benefits of interdisciplinary research training for both predoctoral and postdoctoral research scholars include consistent exposure to new and alternative scientific models and methodological approaches as well as endurance of cross-discipline network connections. Benefits and challenges of this program carry implications for the design of future nursing research training programs in the field of substance abuse and addictions.

Building a co-created citizen science program with gardeners neighboring a superfund site: The Gardenroots case study

PubMed Central

Ramirez-Andreotta, Monica D; Brusseau, Mark L; Artiola, Janick; Maier, Raina M; Gandolfi, A Jay

2014-01-01

A research project that is only expert-driven may ignore the role of local knowledge in research, give low priority to the development of a comprehensive communication strategy to engage the community, and may not deliver the results of the study to the community in an effective way. Objective To demonstrate how a research program can respond to a community research need, establish a community-academic partnership, and build a co-created citizen science program. Methods A place-based, community-driven project was designed where academics and community members maintained a reciprocal dialogue, and together, we: 1) defined the question for study, 2) gathered information, 3) developed hypotheses, 3) designed data collection methodologies, 4) collected environmental samples (soil, irrigation water, and vegetables), 5) interpreted data, 6) disseminated results and translated results into action, and 7) discussed results and asked new questions. Results The co-created environmental research project produced new data and addressed an additional exposure route (consumption of vegetables grown in soils with elevated arsenic levels). Public participation in scientific research improved environmental health assessment, information transfer, and risk communication efforts. Furthermore, incorporating the community in the scientific process produced both individual learning outcomes and community-level outcomes. Conclusions This approach illustrates the benefits of a community-academic co-created citizen-science program in addressing the complex problems that arise in communities neighboring a contaminated site. Such a project can increase the community's involvement in risk communication and decision-making, which ultimately has the potential to help mitigate exposure and thereby reduce associated risk. PMID:25954473

Building a co-created citizen science program with gardeners neighboring a superfund site: The Gardenroots case study.

PubMed

Ramirez-Andreotta, Monica D; Brusseau, Mark L; Artiola, Janick; Maier, Raina M; Gandolfi, A Jay

2015-01-01

A research project that is only expert-driven may ignore the role of local knowledge in research, give low priority to the development of a comprehensive communication strategy to engage the community, and may not deliver the results of the study to the community in an effective way. To demonstrate how a research program can respond to a community research need, establish a community-academic partnership, and build a co-created citizen science program. A place-based, community-driven project was designed where academics and community members maintained a reciprocal dialogue, and together, we: 1) defined the question for study, 2) gathered information, 3) developed hypotheses, 3) designed data collection methodologies, 4) collected environmental samples (soil, irrigation water, and vegetables), 5) interpreted data, 6) disseminated results and translated results into action, and 7) discussed results and asked new questions. The co-created environmental research project produced new data and addressed an additional exposure route (consumption of vegetables grown in soils with elevated arsenic levels). Public participation in scientific research improved environmental health assessment, information transfer, and risk communication efforts. Furthermore, incorporating the community in the scientific process produced both individual learning outcomes and community-level outcomes. This approach illustrates the benefits of a community-academic co-created citizen-science program in addressing the complex problems that arise in communities neighboring a contaminated site. Such a project can increase the community's involvement in risk communication and decision-making, which ultimately has the potential to help mitigate exposure and thereby reduce associated risk.

Multidisciplinary European Low Dose Initiative (MELODI): strategic research agenda for low dose radiation risk research.

PubMed

Kreuzer, M; Auvinen, A; Cardis, E; Durante, M; Harms-Ringdahl, M; Jourdain, J R; Madas, B G; Ottolenghi, A; Pazzaglia, S; Prise, K M; Quintens, R; Sabatier, L; Bouffler, S

2018-03-01

MELODI (Multidisciplinary European Low Dose Initiative) is a European radiation protection research platform with focus on research on health risks after exposure to low-dose ionising radiation. It was founded in 2010 and currently includes 44 members from 18 countries. A major activity of MELODI is the continuous development of a long-term European Strategic Research Agenda (SRA) on low-dose risk for radiation protection. The SRA is intended to identify priorities for national and European radiation protection research programs as a basis for the preparation of competitive calls at the European level. Among those key priorities is the improvement of health risk estimates for exposures close to the dose limits for workers and to reference levels for the population in emergency situations. Another activity of MELODI is to ensure the availability of European key infrastructures for research activities, and the long-term maintenance of competences in radiation research via an integrated European approach for training and education. The MELODI SRA identifies three key research topics in low dose or low dose-rate radiation risk research: (1) dose and dose rate dependence of cancer risk, (2) radiation-induced non-cancer effects and (3) individual radiation sensitivity. The research required to improve the evidence base for each of the three key topics relates to three research lines: (1) research to improve understanding of the mechanisms contributing to radiogenic diseases, (2) epidemiological research to improve health risk evaluation of radiation exposure and (3) research to address the effects and risks associated with internal exposures, differing radiation qualities and inhomogeneous exposures. The full SRA and associated documents can be downloaded from the MELODI website ( http://www.melodi-online.eu/sra.html ).

Chemical exposures in the workplace: effect on breast cancer risk among women.

PubMed

Snedeker, Suzanne M

2006-06-01

Occupational health nurses need to be aware of the current science on breast cancer risks in the workplace because they are risk communicators for employees and their families. Occupational health nurses can serve as advocates for necessary research ultimately leading to risk reduction and prevention strategies in the workplace. Current research suggests exposure to organic solvents, metals, acid mists, sterilizing agents (ethylene oxide), some pesticides, light at night (shift work), and tobacco smoke increases breast cancer risk among women in occupational settings. Animal cancer bioassays conducted by the National Toxicology Program indicate more than 40 chemicals can induce mammary tumors, and most of these are still in production. A variety of occupations worldwide, including health care providers and metal, textile, dye, rubber, and plastic manufacturing workers, have been identified as having some evidence of higher breast cancer risk. Although some chemical exposures are suspected to affect breast cancer risk, estimates of or actual exposures to these chemicals in the workplace often have not been determined. Research needed to better identify breast cancer risks in occupational settings includes monitoring breast cancer incidence in occupations with exposures to suspected carcinogens, characterizing chemical exposures by job type and task, determining whether potential gender differences affect chemical exposures, and using molecular approaches to identify gene-environment interactions.

The 2003 NASA Faculty Fellowship Program Research Reports

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nash-Stevenson, S. K.; Karr, G.; Freeman, L. M.; Bland, J. (Editor)

2004-01-01

For the 39th consecutive year, the NASA Faculty Fellowship Program (NFFP) was conducted at Marshall Space Flight Center. The program was sponsored by NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC, and operated under contract by The University of Alabama in Huntsville. In addition, promotion and applications are managed by the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) and assessment is completed by Universities Space Research Association (USRA). The nominal starting and finishing dates for the 10-week program were May 27 through August 1, 2003. The primary objectives of the NASA Faculty Fellowship Program are to: (1) Increase the quality and quantity of research collaborations between NASA and the academic community that contribute to NASA s research objectives; (2) provide research opportunities for college and university faculty that serve to enrich their knowledge base; (3) involve students in cutting-edge science and engineering challenges related to NASA s strategic enterprises, while providing exposure to the methods and practices of real-world research; (4) enhance faculty pedagogy and facilitate interdisciplinary networking; (5) encourage collaborative research and technology transfer with other Government agencies and the private sector; and (6) establish an effective education and outreach activity to foster greater awareness of this program.

Prevention of laboratory animal allergy.

PubMed

Fisher, R; Saunders, W B; Murray, S J; Stave, G M

1998-07-01

Laboratory animal allergy (LAA) is a significant occupational hazard for workers in a number of research settings, including the pharmaceutical industry. Prevention of allergy and asthma is important because the illness can affect health and career. In a major pharmaceutical company, in an effort to prevent LAA, a comprehensive program to reduce exposure to environmental allergens was developed. The program included education, engineering controls, administrative controls, use of personal protective equipment, and medical surveillance. A prospective survey of five years of data was completed to determine the effect of the program on the prevalence and incidence of LAA. After instituting this program, we found that the prevalence of LAA ranged from 12%-22% and that the incidence was reduced to zero during the last two years of observation. We concluded that LAA is preventable through the implementation of a comprehensive effort to reduce exposure to allergens.

Project Synopsis for High School/High Tech

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1997-01-01

To help increase the diversity of workers at NASA centers it is necessary to provide students with disabilities the opportunities to explore careers in high technology. HIGH SCHOOL/HIGH TECH, an enrichment program, pioneered at Goddard Space Flight Center, successfully introduces students with disabilities to high tech careers. This community-based partnership serves as a model for three additional NASA sites-Ames Research Center, Johnson Space Flight Center, and Lewis Research Center. For a three year period beginning August 15, 1995, provide financial and technical support to a local agency in each NASA center area which serves persons with disabilities to enable a High School/High Tech program to develop and stand alone. Each project will develop a basis of cooperation with Ames, Johnson, and Lewis as well as a variety of community groups including the public schools, high tech employers, post-secondary education and training programs, rehabilitation agencies, and community economic development organizations. Throughout the startup period and thereafter, local youths with disabilities will have early exposure to professions in mathematics, science, and technology-related fields. This exposure will be multifaceted to insure adequate opportunity for realistic career exploration so these youths have an opportunity to test their interests and abilities. The exposure will be presented in the most supportive environment that is feasible.

A comparative assessment of major international disasters: the need for exposure assessment, systematic emergency preparedness, and lifetime health care.

PubMed

Lucchini, Roberto G; Hashim, Dana; Acquilla, Sushma; Basanets, Angela; Bertazzi, Pier Alberto; Bushmanov, Andrey; Crane, Michael; Harrison, Denise J; Holden, William; Landrigan, Philip J; Luft, Benjamin J; Mocarelli, Paolo; Mazitova, Nailya; Melius, James; Moline, Jacqueline M; Mori, Koji; Prezant, David; Reibman, Joan; Reissman, Dori B; Stazharau, Alexander; Takahashi, Ken; Udasin, Iris G; Todd, Andrew C

2017-01-07

The disasters at Seveso, Three Mile Island, Bhopal, Chernobyl, the World Trade Center (WTC) and Fukushima had historic health and economic sequelae for large populations of workers, responders and community members. Comparative data from these events were collected to derive indications for future preparedness. Information from the primary sources and a literature review addressed: i) exposure assessment; ii) exposed populations; iii) health surveillance; iv) follow-up and research outputs; v) observed physical and mental health effects; vi) treatment and benefits; and vii) outreach activities. Exposure assessment was conducted in Seveso, Chernobyl and Fukushima, although none benefited from a timely or systematic strategy, yielding immediate and sequential measurements after the disaster. Identification of exposed subjects was overall underestimated. Health surveillance, treatment and follow-up research were implemented in Seveso, Chernobyl, Fukushima, and at the WTC, mostly focusing on the workers and responders, and to a lesser extent on residents. Exposure-related physical and mental health consequences were identified, indicating the need for a long-term health care of the affected populations. Fukushima has generated the largest scientific output so far, followed by the WTCHP and Chernobyl. Benefits programs and active outreach figured prominently in only the WTC Health Program. The analysis of these programs yielded the following lessons: 1) Know who was there; 2) Have public health input to the disaster response; 3) Collect health and needs data rapidly; 4) Take care of the affected; 5) Emergency preparedness; 6) Data driven, needs assessment, advocacy. Given the long-lasting health consequences of natural and man-made disasters, health surveillance and treatment programs are critical for management of health conditions, and emergency preparedness plans are needed to prevent or minimize the impact of future threats.

In-Service Infant Teachers Re-Envision Their Practice through a Professional Development Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Loizou, Eleni; Recchia, Susan L.

2018-01-01

Research Findings: Most infant teachers have been prepared to be early childhood educators with minimal theoretical or practical exposure to infancy. This study highlights the outcomes of a professional development program (PDP) designed to support a group of infant teachers who lacked specific infancy preparation to re-envision their roles. Data…

A Master of Science Degree in (Clinical) Pharmacology at the University of the Pacific

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shirachi, Donald Y.; Jones, Judith K.

1976-01-01

A prototype program leading to a clinically-oriented Master of Science degree in pharmacology is described. It differs from a clinical residency program, does not give a wide clinical medicine exposure, and is heavily oriented towards pharmacology and research, thereby developing students with scientific perspectives who can work as consultants.…

Youth exposure to alcohol advertising on television--25 markets, United States, 2010.

PubMed

2013-11-08

Excessive alcohol consumption accounted for an estimated 4,700 deaths and 280,000 years of potential life lost among youths aged <21 years each year during 2001-2005. Exposure to alcohol marketing increases the likelihood to varying degrees that youths will initiate drinking and drink at higher levels. By 2003, the alcohol industry voluntarily agreed not to advertise on television programs where >30% of the audience is reasonably expected to be aged <21 years. However, the National Research Council/Institute of Medicine (NRC/IOM) proposed in 2003 that "the industry standard should move toward a 15% threshold for television advertising". Because local media markets might have different age distributions, the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, evaluated the proportion of advertisements that appeared on television programs in 25 local television markets* and resulting youth exposure that exceeded the industry standard (i.e., >30% aged 2-20 years) or the proposed NRC/IOM standard (i.e., >15% aged 12-20 years). Among national television programs with alcohol advertising, placements were assessed for the 10 programs with the largest number of youth viewers within each of four program categories: network sports, network nonsports, cable sports, and cable nonsports (40 total). Of the 196,494 alcohol advertisements that aired on television programs with the largest number of youth viewers in these local markets, placement of 23.7% exceeded the industry threshold and 35.4% exceeded the NRC/IOM threshold. These results indicate that the alcohol industry's self-regulation of its advertising could be improved, and youth exposure to alcohol advertising could be further reduced by adopting and complying with the NRC/IOM standard. In addition, continued public health surveillance would allow for sustained assessment of youth exposure to alcohol advertising and inform future interventions.

Population-Based Assessment of Exposure to Risk Behaviors in Motion Pictures.

PubMed

Sargent, James D; Worth, Keilah A; Beach, Michael; Gerrard, Meg; Heatherton, Todd F

2008-01-01

The aim of most population-based studies of media is to relate a specific exposure to an outcome of interest. A research program has been developed that evaluates exposure to different components of movies in an attempt of assess the association of such exposure with the adoption of substance use during adolescence. To assess exposure to movie substance use, one must measure both viewing time and content. In developing the exposure measure, the study team was interested in circumventing a common problem in exposure measurement, where measures often conflate exposure to media with attention to media. Our aim in this paper is to present a validated measure of exposure to entertainment media, the Beach method, which combines recognition of a movie title with content analysis of the movie for substance use, to generate population based measures of exposure to substance use in this form of entertainment.

Population-Based Assessment of Exposure to Risk Behaviors in Motion Pictures

PubMed Central

Sargent, James D.; Worth, Keilah A.; Beach, Michael; Gerrard, Meg; Heatherton, Todd F.

2008-01-01

The aim of most population-based studies of media is to relate a specific exposure to an outcome of interest. A research program has been developed that evaluates exposure to different components of movies in an attempt of assess the association of such exposure with the adoption of substance use during adolescence. To assess exposure to movie substance use, one must measure both viewing time and content. In developing the exposure measure, the study team was interested in circumventing a common problem in exposure measurement, where measures often conflate exposure to media with attention to media. Our aim in this paper is to present a validated measure of exposure to entertainment media, the Beach method, which combines recognition of a movie title with content analysis of the movie for substance use, to generate population based measures of exposure to substance use in this form of entertainment. PMID:19122801

Overview of atmospheric ionizing radiation (AIR) research: SST-present

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilson, J. W.; Goldhagen, P.; Rafnsson, V.; Clem, J. M.; De Angelis, G.; Friedberg, W.

2003-01-01

The Supersonic Transport (SST) program, proposed in 1961, first raised concern for the exposure of pregnant occupants by solar energetic particles (SEP), and neutrons were suspected to have a main role in particle propagation deep into the atmosphere. An eight-year flight program confirmed the role of SEP as a significant hazard and of the neutrons as contributing over half of the galactic cosmic ray exposures, with the largest contribution from neutrons above 10 MeV. The FAA Advisory Committee on the Radiobiological Aspects of the SST provided operational requirements. The more recent lowering of ICRP-recommended exposure limits (1990) with the classification of aircrew as "radiation workers" renewed interest in GCR background exposures at commercial flight altitudes and stimulated epidemiological studies in Europe, Japan, Canada and the USA. The proposed development of a High Speed Civil Transport (HSCT) required validation of the role of high-energy neutrons, and this resulted in ER-2 flights at solar minimum (June 1997) and studies on effects of aircraft materials on interior exposures. Recent evaluation of health outcomes of DOE nuclear workers resulted in legislation for health compensation in year 2000 and recent European aircrew epidemiological studies of health outcomes bring renewed interest in aircraft radiation exposures. As improved radiation models become available, it is imperative that a corresponding epidemiological program of US aircrew be implemented. Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of COSPAR.

Summary of Atmospheric Ionizing AIR Research: SST-Present

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilson, J. W.; Goldhagen, P.; Rafnsson, V.; deAngelis, G.; Friedberg, W.; Clem, J. M.

2003-01-01

The Supersonic Transport (SST) program, proposed in 1961, first raised concern for the exposure of pregnant occupants by solar energetic particles (SEP), and neutrons were suspected to have a main role in particle propagation deep into the atmosphere. An eight-year flight program confirmed the role of SEP as a significant hazard and of the neutrons as contributing over half of the galactic cosmic ray (GCR) exposures, with the largest contribution from neutrons above 10 MeV. The FAA Advisory Committee on the Radiobiological Aspects of the SST provided operational requirements. The more recent lowering of the radiation exposure limits by the International Commission on Radiological Protection with the classification of aircrew as radiation workers renewed interest in GCR background exposures at commercial flight altitudes and stimulated epidemiological studies in Europe, Japan, Canada and the USA. The proposed development of a High Speed Civil Transport (HSCT) required validation of the role of high-energy neutrons, and this resulted in ER-2 flights at solar minimum (June 1997) and studies on effects of aircraft materials on interior exposures. Recent evaluation of health outcomes of DOE nuclear workers resulted in legislation for health compensation in year 2000 and recent European aircrew epidemiological studies of health outcomes bring renewed interest in aircraft radiation exposures. As improved radiation models become available, it is imperative that a corresponding epidemiological program of US aircrew be implemented.

Overview of Atmospheric Ionizing Radiation (AIR) Research: SST - Present

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilson, J. W.; Goldhagen, P.; Rafnsson, V.; Clem, J. M.; DeAngelis, G.; Friedberg, W.

2002-01-01

The Supersonic Transport (SST) program, proposed in 1961, first raised concern for the exposure of pregnant occupants by solar energetic particles (SEP), and neutrons were suspected to have a main role in particle propagation deep into the atmosphere. An eight-year flight program confirmed the role of SEP as a significant hazard and of the neutrons as contributing over half of the galactic cosmic ray (GCR) exposures, with the largest contribution from neutrons above 10 MeV. The FAA Advisory Committee on the Radiobiological Aspects of the SST provided operational requirements. The more recent (1990) lowering of recommended exposure limits by the International Commission on Radiological Protection with the classification of aircrew as "radiation workers" renewed interest in GCR background exposures at commercial flight altitudes and stimulated epidemiological studies in Europe, Japan, Canada and the USA. The proposed development of a High Speed Civil Transport (HSCT) required validation of the role of high-energy neutrons, and this resulted in ER-2 flights at solar minimum (June 1997) and studies on effects of aircraft materials on interior exposures. Recent evaluation of health outcomes of DOE nuclear workers resulted in legislation for health compensation in year 2000 and recent European aircrew epidemiological studies of health outcomes bring renewed interest in aircraft radiation exposures. As improved radiation models become available, it is imperative that a corresponding epidemiological program of US aircrew be implemented.

Overview of atmospheric ionizing radiation (AIR) research: SST-present.

PubMed

Wilson, J W; Goldhagen, P; Rafnsson, V; Clem, J M; De Angelis, G; Friedberg, W

2003-01-01

The Supersonic Transport (SST) program, proposed in 1961, first raised concern for the exposure of pregnant occupants by solar energetic particles (SEP), and neutrons were suspected to have a main role in particle propagation deep into the atmosphere. An eight-year flight program confirmed the role of SEP as a significant hazard and of the neutrons as contributing over half of the galactic cosmic ray exposures, with the largest contribution from neutrons above 10 MeV. The FAA Advisory Committee on the Radiobiological Aspects of the SST provided operational requirements. The more recent lowering of ICRP-recommended exposure limits (1990) with the classification of aircrew as "radiation workers" renewed interest in GCR background exposures at commercial flight altitudes and stimulated epidemiological studies in Europe, Japan, Canada and the USA. The proposed development of a High Speed Civil Transport (HSCT) required validation of the role of high-energy neutrons, and this resulted in ER-2 flights at solar minimum (June 1997) and studies on effects of aircraft materials on interior exposures. Recent evaluation of health outcomes of DOE nuclear workers resulted in legislation for health compensation in year 2000 and recent European aircrew epidemiological studies of health outcomes bring renewed interest in aircraft radiation exposures. As improved radiation models become available, it is imperative that a corresponding epidemiological program of US aircrew be implemented. Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of COSPAR.

Alcohol-Induced Developmental Origins of Adult-Onset Diseases.

PubMed

Lunde, Emilie R; Washburn, Shannon E; Golding, Michael C; Bake, Shameena; Miranda, Rajesh C; Ramadoss, Jayanth

2016-07-01

Fetal alcohol exposure may impair growth, development, and function of multiple organ systems and is encompassed by the term fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). Research has so far focused on the mechanisms, prevention, and diagnosis of FASD, while the risk for adult-onset chronic diseases in individuals exposed to alcohol in utero is not well explored. David Barker's hypothesis on Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) suggests that insults to the milieu of the developing fetus program it for adult development of chronic diseases. In the 25 years since the introduction of this hypothesis, epidemiological and animal model studies have made significant advancements in identifying in utero developmental origins of chronic adult-onset diseases affecting cardiovascular, endocrine, musculoskeletal, and psychobehavioral systems. Teratogen exposure is an established programming agent for adult diseases, and recent studies suggest that prenatal alcohol exposure correlates with adult onset of neurobehavioral deficits, cardiovascular disease, endocrine dysfunction, and nutrient homeostasis instability, warranting additional investigation of alcohol-induced DOHaD, as well as patient follow-up well into adulthood for affected individuals. In utero epigenetic alterations during critical periods of methylation are a key potential mechanism for programming and susceptibility of adult-onset chronic diseases, with imprinted genes affecting metabolism being critical targets. Additional studies in epidemiology, phenotypic characterization in response to timing, dose, and duration of exposure, as well as elucidation of mechanisms underlying FASD-DOHaD inter relation, are thus needed to clinically define chronic disease associated with prenatal alcohol exposure. These studies are critical to establish interventional strategies that decrease incidence of these adult-onset diseases and promote healthier aging among individuals affected with FASD. Copyright © 2016 by the Research Society on Alcoholism.

Green money

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carlowicz, Michael

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is currently requesting proposals for its first round of science research grants for 1997. The program is designed to promote interdisciplinary research in ecosystem indicators; exploratory research; complex exposures and human variability in risk assessment; endocrine disrupters; ambient air quality; health effects of particulate matter; and drinking water and contaminated sediments. Application dates vary by topic between January 15 and February 15, 1997. Further information about the grants program can be obtained on the EPA web page at http://www.epa.gov/ncerqa, or by calling the EPA grants and fellowship hotline at 1-800-490-9194.

Prevention effects on trajectories of African American adolescents' exposure to interparental conflict and depressive symptoms.

PubMed

Barton, Allen W; Beach, Steven R H; Kogan, Steven M; Stanley, Scott M; Fincham, Frank D; Hurt, Tera R; Brody, Gene H

2015-04-01

The present study investigates the trajectory of children's exposure to interparental conflict during adolescence, its effects on adolescents' psychological adjustment, as well as the ability of a family-centered prevention program to alter this trajectory. A total of 331 African American couples with an adolescent or preadolescent child participated in a randomized control trial of the Promoting Strong African American Families program, a newly developed program targeting couple and cocaregiving processes. Using a multi-informant, latent growth curve approach, child exposure to interparental conflict during adolescence was found to be stable over a period of 2 years among families in the control group, but significantly declined among families in the treatment condition. Rates of change were significantly different between intervention and control groups based on parents' report of youth exposure to interparental conflict, but not for child's report. Structural equation models found trajectory parameters of interparental conflict predicted changes in adolescent depressive symptoms, with increasing rates of changes in conflict associated with increases in adolescent internalizing symptoms over the 2-year duration of the study. Finally, a significant indirect effect was identified linking treatment, changes in parents' reports of child exposure to interparental conflict, and adolescent depressive symptoms. The implications for research and intervention are discussed. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Prevention effects on trajectories of African American adolescents' exposure to interparental conflict and depressive symptoms

PubMed Central

Barton, Allen W.; Beach, Steven R. H.; Kogan, Steven M.; Stanley, Scott M.; Fincham, Frank D.; Hurt, Tera R.; Brody, Gene H.

2015-01-01

The present study investigates the trajectory of children's exposure to interparental conflict during adolescence, its effects on adolescents' psychological adjustment, as well as the ability of a family-centered prevention program to alter this trajectory. A total of 331 African American couples with an adolescent or pre-adolescent child participated in a randomized control trial of the Promoting Strong African American Families (ProSAAF) program, a newly-developed program targeting couple and co-caregiving processes. Using a multi-informant, latent growth curve approach, child exposure to interparental conflict during adolescence was found to be stable over a period of two years among families in the control group, but significantly declined among families in the treatment condition. Rates of change were significantly different between intervention and control groups based on parents' report of youth exposure to interparental conflict, but not for child's report. Structural equation models found trajectory parameters of interparental conflict predicted changes in adolescent depressive symptoms, with increasing rates of changes in conflict associated with increases in adolescent internalizing symptoms over the 2-year duration of the study. Finally, a significant indirect effect was identified linking treatment, changes in parents' reports of child exposure to interparental conflict, and adolescent depressive symptoms. The implications for research and intervention are discussed. PMID:25844492

Prenatal Alcohol Exposure and Cellular Differentiation

PubMed Central

Veazey, Kylee J.; Muller, Daria; Golding, Michael C.

2013-01-01

Exposure to alcohol significantly alters the developmental trajectory of progenitor cells and fundamentally compromises tissue formation (i.e., histogenesis). Emerging research suggests that ethanol can impair mammalian development by interfering with the execution of molecular programs governing differentiation. For example, ethanol exposure disrupts cellular migration, changes cell–cell interactions, and alters growth factor signaling pathways. Additionally, ethanol can alter epigenetic mechanisms controlling gene expression. Normally, lineage-specific regulatory factors (i.e., transcription factors) establish the transcriptional networks of each new cell type; the cell’s identity then is maintained through epigenetic alterations in the way in which the DNA encoding each gene becomes packaged within the chromatin. Ethanol exposure can induce epigenetic changes that do not induce genetic mutations but nonetheless alter the course of fetal development and result in a large array of patterning defects. Two crucial enzyme complexes—the Polycomb and Trithorax proteins—are central to the epigenetic programs controlling the intricate balance between self-renewal and the execution of cellular differentiation, with diametrically opposed functions. Prenatal ethanol exposure may disrupt the functions of these two enzyme complexes, altering a crucial aspect of mammalian differentiation. Characterizing the involvement of Polycomb and Trithorax group complexes in the etiology of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders will undoubtedly enhance understanding of the role that epigenetic programming plays in this complex disorder. PMID:24313167

Finalizing the Libby Action Plan Research Program | Science ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Libby, Montana is the location of a former vermiculite mine that operated from 1923 to 1990. The vermiculite ore from the mine co-existed with amphibole asbestos, referred to as Libby Amphibole Asbestos (LAA). Combined with the cessation of the asbestos mining and processing operations, there has been significant progress in reducing the exposure to LAA in Libby, Montana. In 2009, the U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) jointly with the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) declared a public health emergency in Libby due to observed asbestos-related health effects in the region. As part of this effort, the EPA led a cross-agency research program that conducted analytical, toxicological, and epidemiological research on the health effects of asbestos at the Libby Asbestos Superfund Site (Libby Site) in Libby, Montana. The Libby Action Plan (LAP) was initiated in 2007 to support the site-specific risk assessment for the Libby Site. The goal of the LAP research program was to explore the health effects of LAA, and determine toxicity information specific to LAA in order to accurately inform a human health risk assessment at the Libby Site. LAP research informed data gaps related to the health effects of exposure to LAA, particularly related to specific mechanisms of fiber dosimetry and toxicity (e.g., inflammatory responses), as well as investigated disease progression in exposed populations and advanced asbestos analytical techniques. This work incl

Clinician scientist training program: a proposal for training medical students in clinical research.

PubMed

Mark, A L; Kelch, R P

2001-11-01

There is national alarm about a decline in the number of clinician scientists. Most of the proposed solutions have focused on housestaff and junior faculty. We propose a new national program for training medical students in clinical research. This program, coined "Clinician Scientist Training Program" (CSTP), would consist of a combined degree program in medicine (MD) and clinical research (eg, masters in translational research or masters in clinical epidemiology). Students could enroll in the program at any stage during medical school. After 3 years of medical school, students would spend at least 2 years in a combined didactic and mentored clinical research training program and then complete medical school. Students could elect to pursue more prolonged clinical research training toward a combined PhD and MD. The CSTP is designed to meet six critical challenges: 1) engage students early in clinical research training; 2) provide a didactic clinical research curriculum; 3) expose students to several years of mentored clinical research training; 4) promote debt prevention by providing tuition payments during medical education and a stipend during clinical research training; 5) facilitate prolonged exposure to a community of peers and mentors in a program with national and institutional identity and respect; and 6) permit enrollment in the program as students enter medical school or at any stage during medical school. If the success of the Medical Scientist Training Program in training medical students in basic research is a guide, the CSTP could become a linchpin for training future generations of clinician scientists.

MODEL EVALUATION SCIENCE TO MEET TODAY'S QUALITY ASSURANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR REGULATORY USE: ADDRESSING UNCERTAINTY, SENSITIVITY, AND PARAMETERIZATION

EPA Science Inventory

The EPA/ORD National Exposure Research Lab's (NERL) UA/SA/PE research program addresses both tactical and strategic needs in direct support of ORD's client base. The design represents an integrated approach in achieving the highest levels of quality assurance in environmental de...

MEETING IN TUCSON: MODEL EVALUATION SCIENCE TO MEET TODAY'S QUALITY ASSURANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR REGULATORY USE: ADDRESSING UNCERTAINTY, SENSITIVITY, AND PARAMETERIZATION

EPA Science Inventory

The EPA/ORD National Exposure Research Lab's (NERL) UA/SA/PE research program addresses both tactical and strategic needs in direct support of ORD's client base. The design represents an integrated approach in achieving the highest levels of quality assurance in environmental dec...

Predictive Models and Computational Toxicology

EPA Science Inventory

Understanding the potential health risks posed by environmental chemicals is a significant challenge elevated by the large number of diverse chemicals with generally uncharacterized exposures, mechanisms, and toxicities. The ToxCast computational toxicology research program was l...

Computational Modeling and Simulation of Developmental Toxicity (EuroTox 2016)

EPA Science Inventory

Standard practice for assessing developmental toxicity is the observation of apical endpoints (intrauterine death, fetal growth retardation, structural malformations) in pregnant rats/rabbits following exposure during organogenesis. EPA’s computational toxicology research program...

Environment, susceptibility windows, development and child health

PubMed Central

Wright, Robert O

2017-01-01

Purpose To illustrate the role of the exposome in child health while highlighting unique aspects of this research pertinent to children, such as the time dependency of environmental exposures on fetal programming, as well as the time dependent nature of child behavior, diet, and motor function, which alter the probability of exposure to different compounds. Future environmental health research will be more hypothesis generating but will also need to heed lessons learned from other “omic” sciences. The NIH Child Health Environmental Analysis Resource (CHEAR) is a major step towards providing the infrastructure needed to study the exposome and child health. Recent Findings Environmental exposures have overlapping mechanisms such as endocrine disruption and oxidative stress among others. The nature of the long term health impact of an exposure is dependent not only on dose, but also on the timing of exposure. Advances in exposure science, toxicology and biostatistics will create new opportunities to identify and better define windows of susceptibility to environmental exposures. Summary As exposure science matures, we will better understand the role of environment on health. Linking the exposome with genomics will unlock the root origins of multiple complex diseases. PMID:28107208

GPS-based Microenvironment Tracker (MicroTrac) Model to ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

A critical aspect of air pollution exposure assessment is the estimation of the time spent by individuals in various microenvironments (ME). Accounting for the time spent in different ME with different pollutant concentrations can reduce exposure misclassifications, while failure to do so can add uncertainty and bias to risk estimates. In this study, a classification model, called MicroTrac, was developed to estimate time of day and duration spent in eight ME (indoors and outdoors at home, work, school; inside vehicles; other locations) from global positioning system (GPS) data and geocoded building boundaries. Based on a panel study, MicroTrac estimates were compared to 24 h diary data from 7 participants on workdays and 2 participants on nonworkdays, with corresponding GPS data and building boundaries of home, school, and work. MicroTrac correctly classified the ME for 99.5% of the daily time spent by the participants. The capability of MicroTrac could help to reduce the time-location uncertainty in air pollution exposure models and exposure metrics for individuals in health studies. The National Exposure Research Laboratory’s (NERL’s) Human Exposure and Atmospheric Sciences Division (HEASD) conducts research in support of EPA’s mission to protect human health and the environment. HEASD’s research program supports Goal 1 (Clean Air) and Goal 4 (Healthy People) of EPA’s strategic plan. More specifically, our division conducts research to characterize

Review of exposure therapy: a gold standard for PTSD treatment.

PubMed

Rauch, Sheila A M; Eftekhari, Afsoon; Ruzek, Josef I

2012-01-01

Prolonged exposure (PE) is an effective first-line treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), regardless of the type of trauma, for Veterans and military personnel. Extensive research and clinical practice guidelines from various organizations support this conclusion. PE is effective in reducing PTSD symptoms and has also demonstrated efficacy in reducing comorbid issues such as anger, guilt, negative health perceptions, and depression. PE has demonstrated efficacy in diagnostically complex populations and survivors of single- and multiple-incident traumas. The PE protocol includes four main therapeutic components (i.e., psychoeducation, in vivo exposure, imaginal exposure, and emotional processing). In light of PE's efficacy, the Veterans Health Administration designed and supported a PE training program for mental health professionals that has trained over 1,300 providers. Research examining the mechanisms involved in PE and working to improve its acceptability, efficacy, and efficiency is underway with promising results.

Assessment of Electromagnetic Fields at NASA Langley Research Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ficklen, Carter B.

1995-01-01

This report presents the results of an assessment of ElectroMagnetic Fields (EMF) completed at NASA Langley Research Center as part of the Langley Aerospace Research Summer Scholars Program. This project was performed to determine levels of electromagnetic fields, determine the significance of the levels present, and determine a plan to reduce electromagnetic field exposure, if necessary. This report also describes the properties of electromagnetic fields and their interaction with humans. The results of three major occupational epidemiological studies is presented to determine risks posed to humans by EMF exposure. The data for this report came from peer-reviewed journal articles and government publications pertaining to the health effects of electromagnetic fields.

Engaging diverse community college students in the geosciences through a year-round career mentoring and research workforce program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sloan, V.; Barge, L. M.; Smith, M.

2017-12-01

Student attrition from STEM majors most often occurs in the first or second year of college. To retain underrepresented minority students who are largely enrolled in community colleges in STEM pathways, it is critical to provide hands-on experiences and exposure to STEM occupations in a supportive community, before the students transfer to four-year colleges. The goal of the Bridge to the Geosciences is to provide community college students with year-round career mentoring, exposure to different fields and organizations in the geosciences through small field or research experiences, and community-building within the cohort and in connection with a broader community of scientists. Each year, 20 students from Citrus College in Glendora, California participate in research "geomodules" organized around the planetary, atmospheric, ocean, and environmental science subfields of the geosciences at: (1) the Oak Crest Institute of Science, a chemistry research and diversity-oriented education organization in Monrovia, CA; (2) the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), a NASA center in Pasadena, CA; (3) the University of Southern California's (USC) Wrigley Institute for Environmental Studies, a research center on Catalina Island; and (4) the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) in Boulder, CO. A peak experience of the program is a ten-day mini-internship at UCAR in Colorado where the students are immersed in atmospheric research, training, fieldwork, and presenting at a premier facility. Professional development, mentoring, science communication and cohort-development are woven across all four geomodules and throughout the year. This program is funded by the National Science Foundation's Improving Undergraduate STEM Education or IUSE program. Preliminary results indicate that the students' interest in the geosciences, confidence in their skills and identify as a scientist, and their sense of belonging to a cohort are increased by participation in this program.

Pacific Northwest Laboratory annual report for 1993 to the DOE Office of Energy Research. Part 1: Biomedical Sciences

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lumetta, C.C.; Park, J.F.

1994-03-01

This report summarizes FY 1993 progress in biological and general life sciences research programs conducted for the Department of Energy`s Office of Health and Environmental REsearch (OHER) at Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL). This research provides knowledge of fundamental principles necessary to identify, understand, and anticipate the long-term health consequences of exposure to energy-related radiation and chemicals. The Biological Research section contains reports of studies using laboratory animals, in vitro cell systems, and molecular biological systems. This research includes studies of the impact of radiation, radionuclides, and chemicals on biological responses at all levels of biological organization. The General Life Sciencesmore » Research section reports research conducted for the OHER human genome program.« less

School-based programs to reduce sexual risk behaviors: a review of effectiveness.

PubMed Central

Kirby, D; Short, L; Collins, J; Rugg, D; Kolbe, L; Howard, M; Miller, B; Sonenstein, F; Zabin, L S

1994-01-01

This review was undertaken in recognition of the mounting public health and social problems associated with adolescent sexual behavior and the importance of basing school-affiliated programs designed to reduce sexual risk-taking behavior on sound research. The authors were commissioned by the Division of Adolescent and School Health within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Public Health Service, to review carefully the research on these programs and to assess their impact on behavior. The authors identified 23 studies of school-based programs that were published in professional journals and measured program impact on behavior. They then summarized the results of those studies, identifying the distinguishing characteristics of effective programs, and citing important research questions to be addressed in the future. Not all sex and AIDS education programs had significant effects on adolescent sexual risk-taking behavior, but specific programs did delay the initiation of intercourse, reduce the frequency of intercourse, reduce the number of sexual partners, or increase the use of condoms or other contraceptives. These effective programs have the potential to reduce exposure to unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease, including HIV infection. These programs should be replicated widely in U.S. schools. Additional research is needed to improve the effectiveness of programs and to clarify the most important characteristics of effective programs. PMID:8190857

A Study of the Effectiveness of Music Appreciation TV Programs for Young Children in Hong Kong

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yim, Hoi-Yin Bonnie

2005-01-01

This paper provides a preliminary report of a small-scale research examining the effectiveness of a series of Music Appreciation segments of "Pre-school: Learn to Fly"--a locally designed and produced early childhood TV program in Hong Kong. Four aspects of young children's musical development were studied: 1) musical exposure; 2)…

Computational toxicology as implemented by the U.S. EPA: providing high throughput decision support tools for screening and assessing chemical exposure, hazard and risk.

PubMed

Kavlock, Robert; Dix, David

2010-02-01

Computational toxicology is the application of mathematical and computer models to help assess chemical hazards and risks to human health and the environment. Supported by advances in informatics, high-throughput screening (HTS) technologies, and systems biology, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency EPA is developing robust and flexible computational tools that can be applied to the thousands of chemicals in commerce, and contaminant mixtures found in air, water, and hazardous-waste sites. The Office of Research and Development (ORD) Computational Toxicology Research Program (CTRP) is composed of three main elements. The largest component is the National Center for Computational Toxicology (NCCT), which was established in 2005 to coordinate research on chemical screening and prioritization, informatics, and systems modeling. The second element consists of related activities in the National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory (NHEERL) and the National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL). The third and final component consists of academic centers working on various aspects of computational toxicology and funded by the U.S. EPA Science to Achieve Results (STAR) program. Together these elements form the key components in the implementation of both the initial strategy, A Framework for a Computational Toxicology Research Program (U.S. EPA, 2003), and the newly released The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Strategic Plan for Evaluating the Toxicity of Chemicals (U.S. EPA, 2009a). Key intramural projects of the CTRP include digitizing legacy toxicity testing information toxicity reference database (ToxRefDB), predicting toxicity (ToxCast) and exposure (ExpoCast), and creating virtual liver (v-Liver) and virtual embryo (v-Embryo) systems models. U.S. EPA-funded STAR centers are also providing bioinformatics, computational toxicology data and models, and developmental toxicity data and models. The models and underlying data are being made publicly available through the Aggregated Computational Toxicology Resource (ACToR), the Distributed Structure-Searchable Toxicity (DSSTox) Database Network, and other U.S. EPA websites. While initially focused on improving the hazard identification process, the CTRP is placing increasing emphasis on using high-throughput bioactivity profiling data in systems modeling to support quantitative risk assessments, and in developing complementary higher throughput exposure models. This integrated approach will enable analysis of life-stage susceptibility, and understanding of the exposures, pathways, and key events by which chemicals exert their toxicity in developing systems (e.g., endocrine-related pathways). The CTRP will be a critical component in next-generation risk assessments utilizing quantitative high-throughput data and providing a much higher capacity for assessing chemical toxicity than is currently available.

REGIONAL RESEARCH, METHODS, AND SUPPORT

EPA Science Inventory

The Human Exposure and Atmospheric Sciences Division (HEASD) has several collaborations with regional partners through the Regional Science Program (RSP) managed by ORD's Office of Science Policy (OSP). These projects resulted from common interests outlined in the Regional Appli...

MERCURY MEASUREMENTS USING DIRECT-ANALYZER METHODOLOGY

EPA Science Inventory

Under EPA's Water Quality Research Program, exposure studies are needed to determine how well control strategies and guidance are working. Consequently, reliable and convenient techniques that minimize waste production are of special interest. While traditional methods for determ...

An Overview of NASA's Risk of Cardiovascular Disease from Radiation Exposure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Patel, Zarana S.; Huff, Janice L.; Simonsen, Lisa C.

2015-01-01

The association between high doses of radiation exposure and cardiovascular damage is well established. Patients that have undergone radiotherapy for primary cancers of the head and neck and mediastinal regions have shown increased risk of heart and vascular damage and long-term development of radiation-induced heart disease [1]. In addition, recent meta-analyses of epidemiological data from atomic bomb survivors and nuclear industry workers has also shown that acute and chronic radiation exposures is strongly correlated with an increased risk of circulatory disease at doses above 0.5 Sv [2]. However, these analyses are confounded for lower doses by lifestyle factors, such as drinking, smoking, and obesity. The types of radiation found in the space environment are significantly more damaging than those found on Earth and include galactic cosmic radiation (GCR), solar particle events (SPEs), and trapped protons and electrons. In addition to the low-LET data, only a few studies have examined the effects of heavy ion radiation on atherosclerosis, and at lower, space-relevant doses, the association between exposure and cardiovascular pathology is more varied and unclear. Understanding the qualitative differences in biological responses produced by GCR compared to Earth-based radiation is a major focus of space radiation research and is imperative for accurate risk assessment for long duration space missions. Other knowledge gaps for the risk of radiation-induced cardiovascular disease include the existence of a dose threshold, low dose rate effects, and potential synergies with other spaceflight stressors. The Space Radiation Program Element within NASA's Human Research Program (HRP) is managing the research and risk mitigation strategies for these knowledge gaps. In this presentation, we will review the evidence and present an overview of the HRP Risk of Cardiovascular Disease and Other Degenerative Tissue Effects from Radiation Exposure.

25-year analysis of a dental undergraduate research training program (BSc Dent) at the University of Manitoba Faculty of Dentistry.

PubMed

Scott, J E; de Vries, J; Iacopino, A M

2008-12-01

Research in the context of the dental school has traditionally been focused on institutional/faculty accomplishments and generating new knowledge to benefit the profession. Only recently have significant efforts been made to expand the overall research programming into the formal dental curriculum, to provide students with a baseline exposure to the research and critical thinking processes, encourage evidence-based decision-making, and stimulate interest in academic/research careers. Various approaches to curriculum reform and the establishment of multiple levels of student research opportunities are now part of the educational fabric of many dental schools worldwide. Many of the preliminary reports regarding the success and vitality of these programs have used outcomes measures and metrics that emphasize cultural changes within institutions, student research productivity, and student career preferences after graduation. However, there have not been any reports from long-standing programs (a minimum of 25 years of cumulative data) that describe dental school graduates who have had the benefit of research/training experiences during their dental education. The University of Manitoba Faculty of Dentistry initiated a BSc Dent program in 1980 that awarded a formal degree for significant research experiences taking place within the laboratories of the Faculty-based researchers and has continued to develop and expand this program. The success of the program has been demonstrated by the continued and increasing demands for entry, the academic achievements of the graduates, and the numbers of graduates who have completed advanced education/training programs or returned to the Faculty as instructors. Analysis of our long-term data validates many recent hypotheses and short-term observations regarding the benefits of dental student research programs. This information may be useful in the design and implementation of dental student research programs at other dental schools.

Impact of the media on adolescent sexual attitudes and behaviors.

PubMed

Escobar-Chaves, S Liliana; Tortolero, Susan R; Markham, Christine M; Low, Barbara J; Eitel, Patricia; Thickstun, Patricia

2005-07-01

Adolescents in the United States are engaging in sexual activity at early ages and with multiple partners. The mass media have been shown to affect a broad range of adolescent health-related attitudes and behaviors including violence, eating disorders, and tobacco and alcohol use. One largely unexplored factor that may contribute to adolescents' sexual activity is their exposure to mass media. We sought to determine of what is and is not known on a scientific basis of the effects of mass media on adolescent sexual attitudes and behaviors. Method. We performed an extensive, systematic review of the relevant biomedical and social science literature and other sources on the sexual content of various mass media, the exposure of adolescents to that media, the effects of that exposure on the adolescents' sexual attitudes and behaviors, and ways to mitigate those effects. Inclusion criteria were: published in 1983-2004, inclusive; published in English; peer-reviewed (for effects) or otherwise authoritative (for content and exposure); and a study population of American adolescents 11 to 19 years old or comparable groups in other postindustrial English-speaking countries. Excluded from the study were populations drawn from college students. Although television is subject to ongoing tracking of its sexual content, other media are terra incognita. Data regarding adolescent exposure to various media are, for the most part, severely dated. Few studies have examined the effects of mass media on adolescent sexual attitudes and behaviors: only 12 of 2522 research-related documents (<1%) involving media and youth addressed effects, 10 of which were peer reviewed. None can serve as the grounding for evidence-based public policy. These studies are limited in their generalizability by their cross-sectional study designs, limited sampling designs, and small sample sizes. In addition, we do not know the long-term effectiveness of various social-cultural, technologic, and media approaches to minimizing that exposure (eg, V-Chips on television, Internet-filtering-software, parental supervision, rating systems) or minimizing the effects of that exposure (eg, media-literacy programs). Research needs to include development of well-specified and robust research measures and methodologies; ongoing national surveillance of the sexual content of media and the exposure of various demographic subgroups of adolescents to that content; and longitudinal studies of the effects of that exposure on the sexual decision-making, attitudes, and behaviors of those subgroups. Additional specific research foci involve the success of various types of controls in limiting exposure and the mitigative effects of, for example, parental influence and best-practice media-literacy programs.

Arsenic and Environmental Health: State of the Science and Future Research Opportunities

PubMed Central

Carlin, Danielle J.; Naujokas, Marisa F.; Bradham, Karen D.; Cowden, John; Heacock, Michelle; Henry, Heather F.; Lee, Janice S.; Thomas, David J.; Thompson, Claudia; Tokar, Erik J.; Waalkes, Michael P.; Birnbaum, Linda S.; Suk, William A.

2015-01-01

Background: Exposure to inorganic and organic arsenic compounds is a major public health problem that affects hundreds of millions of people worldwide. Exposure to arsenic is associated with cancer and noncancer effects in nearly every organ in the body, and evidence is mounting for health effects at lower levels of arsenic exposure than previously thought. Building from a tremendous knowledge base with > 1,000 scientific papers published annually with “arsenic” in the title, the question becomes, what questions would best drive future research directions? Objectives: The objective is to discuss emerging issues in arsenic research and identify data gaps across disciplines. Methods: The National Institutes of Health’s National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Superfund Research Program convened a workshop to identify emerging issues and research needs to address the multi-faceted challenges related to arsenic and environmental health. This review summarizes information captured during the workshop. Discussion: More information about aggregate exposure to arsenic is needed, including the amount and forms of arsenic found in foods. New strategies for mitigating arsenic exposures and related health effects range from engineered filtering systems to phytogenetics and nutritional interventions. Furthermore, integration of omics data with mechanistic and epidemiological data is a key step toward the goal of linking biomarkers of exposure and susceptibility to disease mechanisms and outcomes. Conclusions: Promising research strategies and technologies for arsenic exposure and adverse health effect mitigation are being pursued, and future research is moving toward deeper collaborations and integration of information across disciplines to address data gaps. Citation: Carlin DJ, Naujokas MF, Bradham KD, Cowden J, Heacock M, Henry HF, Lee JS, Thomas DJ, Thompson C, Tokar EJ, Waalkes MP, Birnbaum LS, Suk WA. 2016. Arsenic and environmental health: state of the science and future research opportunities. Environ Health Perspect 124:890–899; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1510209 PMID:26587579

Evaluation of the utility of a standard history questionnaire in assessing the neurological effects of solvents.

PubMed

Bukowski, J A; Sargent, E V; Pena, B M

1992-01-01

Using a standard battery of medical surveillance questions, a study was undertaken to determine if an increase in reported neurologic symptoms was resulting from solvent exposure at a pharmaceutical research, development, and manufacturing site. The prevalence of positive responses to 13 interval history questions pertaining to neurological symptoms was compared between those enrolled in exposed surveillance programs (n = 840) and those enrolled in other, non-solvent exposed surveillance programs (n = 1,042). The ratio of positive responders between the exposed and unexposed groups was used to generate a relative prevalence ratio (RPR). No significantly elevated RPRs were seen when the analysis was adjusted for the confounding factors of age, sex, smoking, alcohol use, noise exposure, and number of interval histories. These results suggest that workplace solvent exposures in the employees studied did not appear to result in obvious neurologic symptoms. However, low-level neurotoxic exposures can cause asymptomatic or sub-clinical disorders. Therefore, more sensitive neurotoxic surveillance systems need to be developed.

Conformal Membrane Reflectors for Deployable Optics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hood, Patrick J.; Keys, Andrew S. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

This presentation reports the Phase I results on NASA's Gossamer Spacecraft Exploratory Research and Technology Program. Cornerstone Research Group, Inc., the University of Rochester, and International Photonics Consultants collaborated to investigate the feasibility of free-standing, liquid-crystal-polymer (LCP) reflectors for integration into space-based optical systems. The goal of the program was to achieve large-diameter, broadband. reflective membranes that are resistant to the effects of space, specifically cryogenic environments and gamma-ray irradiation. Additionally, we assessed the applicability of utilizing the technology as tight sails, since, by their very nature, these films offer high-reflectivity at specified wavelengths. Previous research programs have demonstrated all-polymer, narrow-band Specular reflectors and diffuse membrane reflectors. The feasibility of fabricating an all-polymer broadband specular reflector and a narrow-band specular membrane reflector was assessed in the Phase I Gossamer program. In addition, preliminary gamma irradiation studies were conducted to determine the stability of the polymer reflectors to radiation. Materials and process technology were developed to fabricate coupon-scale reflectors of both broad- and narrow-band specular reflectors in Phase 1. This presentation will report the results of these studies, including, the performance of a narrow-band specular membrane. Gamma irradiation exposures indicate limited impact on the optical performance although additional exposure studies are warranted. Plans to scale up the membrane fabrication process will be presented.

Research Reports: 1984 NASA/ASEE Summer Faculty Fellowship Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Freeman, L. M. (Editor); Osborn, T. L. (Editor); Dozier, J. B. (Editor); Karr, G. R. (Editor)

1985-01-01

A NASA/ASEE Summer Faulty Fellowship Program was conducted at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). The basic objectives of the programs are: (1) to further the professional knowledge of qualified engineering and science faculty members; (2) to stimulate an exchange of ideas between participants and NASA; (3) to enrich and refresh the research and teaching activities of the participants' institutions; and (4) to contribute to the research objectives of the NASA Centers. The Faculty Fellows spent ten weeks at MSFC engaged in a research project compatible with their interests and background and worked in collaboration with a NASA/MSFC colleague. This document is a compilation of Fellows' reports on their research during the summer of 1984. Topics covered include: (1) data base management; (2) computational fluid dynamics; (3) space debris; (4) X-ray gratings; (5) atomic oxygen exposure; (6) protective coatings for SSME; (7) cryogenics; (8) thermal analysis measurements; (9) solar wind modelling; and (10) binary systems.

Personalized Exposure Assessment: Promising Approaches for Human Environmental Health Research

PubMed Central

Weis, Brenda K.; Balshaw, David; Barr, John R.; Brown, David; Ellisman, Mark; Lioy, Paul; Omenn, Gilbert; Potter, John D.; Smith, Martyn T.; Sohn, Lydia; Suk, William A.; Sumner, Susan; Swenberg, James; Walt, David R.; Watkins, Simon; Thompson, Claudia; Wilson, Samuel H.

2005-01-01

New technologies and methods for assessing human exposure to chemicals, dietary and lifestyle factors, infectious agents, and other stressors provide an opportunity to extend the range of human health investigations and advance our understanding of the relationship between environmental exposure and disease. An ad hoc Committee on Environmental Exposure Technology Development was convened to identify new technologies and methods for deriving personalized exposure measurements for application to environmental health studies. The committee identified a “toolbox” of methods for measuring external (environmental) and internal (biologic) exposure and assessing human behaviors that influence the likelihood of exposure to environmental agents. The methods use environmental sensors, geographic information systems, biologic sensors, toxicogenomics, and body burden (biologic) measurements. We discuss each of the methods in relation to current use in human health research; specific gaps in the development, validation, and application of the methods are highlighted. We also present a conceptual framework for moving these technologies into use and acceptance by the scientific community. The framework focuses on understanding complex human diseases using an integrated approach to exposure assessment to define particular exposure–disease relationships and the interaction of genetic and environmental factors in disease occurrence. Improved methods for exposure assessment will result in better means of monitoring and targeting intervention and prevention programs. PMID:16002370

[Screening of diseases associated with asbestos. On-going activities, synthesis].

PubMed

Frimat, P; Paris, C; Letourneux, M; Catilina, P; Sobaszek, A

1999-12-01

Medical screening requires always assessment. On the basis of ongoing studies on occupational health asbestos programs, we suggest some recommendations for asbestos screening after occupational exposure. The proposal for asbestos workers post-exposure surveillance should take into account the medical but also the social aspects of the problem. Post-exposure screening of asbestos workers includes an evaluation of occupational exposure, compulsory basis medical check-up, the characteristics of the radiological investigations and schedule of the medical surveillance. In conclusion, we suggest some general recommendations for asbestos screening after occupational exposure, particularly the necessity to obtain a concerted approach of asbestos screening with regional and national networks, the concern of their assessment and the implementation of specific research studies.

Can Higher Education Meet the Needs of an Increasingly Diverse and Global Society? Campus Diversity and Cross-Cultural Workforce Competencies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jayakumar, Uma M.

2008-01-01

In this article, Uma Jayakumar investigates the relationship between white individuals' exposure to racial diversity during college and their postcollege cross-cultural workforce competencies. Using survey data from the Cooperative Institutional Research Program, housed in the Higher Education Research Institute at the University of California at…

Tobacco use and secondhand smoke exposure during pregnancy in low- and middle-income countries: the need for social and cultural research.

PubMed

Nichter, Mimi; Greaves, Lorraine; Bloch, Michele; Paglia, Michael; Scarinci, Isabel; Tolosa, Jorge E; Novotny, Thomas E

2010-01-01

Tobacco use is a leading cause of death and of poor pregnancy outcome in many countries. While tobacco use is decreasing in many high-income countries, it is increasing in many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where by the year 2030, 80% of deaths caused by tobacco use are expected to occur. In many LMICs, few women smoke tobacco, but strong evidence indicates this is changing; increased tobacco smoking by pregnant women will worsen pregnancy outcomes, especially in resource-poor settings, and threatens to undermine or reverse hard-won gains in maternal and child health. To date, little research has focused on preventing pregnant women's tobacco use and secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure in LMICs. Research on social and cultural influences on pregnant women's tobacco use will greatly facilitate the design and implementation of effective prevention programs and policies, including the adaptation of successful strategies used in high-income countries. This paper describes pregnant women's tobacco use and SHS exposure and the social and cultural influences on pregnant women's tobacco exposure; it also presents a research agenda put forward by an international workgroup convened to make recommendations in this area.

Development of a Renewable Hydrogen Production and Fuel Cell Education Program

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mann, Michael D.

2011-11-20

This report presents the results of a program designed to develop an education program to 1) Provide exposure to the basics of hydrogen-based technologies to a large number of students. This exposure will provide a level of training that will allow students to converse and work with other scientists and engineers in this field. It will also serve to spark a level of interest in a subset of students who will then continue with more advanced coursework and/or research; 2) Provide a “mid-level” training to a moderate level of students. More detailed and directed education will provide students with themore » ability to work to support industry and government development of hydrogen technologies. This level of training would be sufficient to work in the industry, but not be a leader in research and development; and 3) Provide detailed training to a smaller subset of students with a strong interest and propensity to make significant contributions to the technology development. These individuals will have extensive hands-on experience through internships that will play a major role in industry, government, and academia.« less

Comparing the effects of entertainment and educational television programming on risky sexual behavior.

PubMed

Moyer-Gusé, Emily; Nabi, Robin L

2011-01-01

Entertainment-education (E-E) may offer an effective way to reduce risky behavior by modeling healthy behaviors. Although there is some empirical evidence to support the effectiveness of the E-E strategy, much of this research has been conducted in countries with different media landscapes than that of the United States and controlled experiments in this context are rare. Moreover, empirical tests of the relative effectiveness of E-E messages and other message formats are needed. In this study, 437 undergraduates participated in a three-wave panel experiment in which they viewed one of three programs (E-E, education, or entertainment). Safer sex intentions and behaviors were measured several days before, immediately following, and 2 weeks after exposure. Results demonstrate that effects of exposure to this E-E program vary depending on gender and past experience with sexual intercourse. In particular, females and those who had not initiated sexual intercourse showed the strongest effects. Discussion of theoretical implications and suggestions for future research are provided. Copyright © Taylor & Francis Group, LLC

Analysis of Noise Exposure Measurements Made Onboard the International Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Limardo, Jose G.; Allen, Christopher S.

2011-01-01

The International Space Station (ISS) is a unique workplace environment for U.S. astronauts and Russian cosmonauts to conduct research and live for a period of six months or more. Noise has been an enduring environmental physical hazard that has been a challenge for the U.S. space program since before the Apollo era. Noise exposure in ISS poses significant risks to the crewmembers, such as; hearing loss (temporary or permanent), possible disruptions of crew sleep, interference with speech intelligibility and communication, possible interference with crew task performance, and possible reduction in alarm audibility. Acoustic measurements are made aboard ISS and compared to requirements in order to assess the acoustic environment to which the crewmembers are exposed. The purpose of this paper is to describe in detail the noise exposure monitoring program as well as an assessment of the acoustic dosimeter data collected to date. The hardware currently being used for monitoring the noise exposure onboard ISS will be discussed. Acoustic data onboard ISS has been collected since the beginning of ISS (Increment 1, November 2000). Noise exposure data analysis will include acoustic dosimetry logged data from crew-worn during work and sleep periods and also fixed-location measurements from Increment 1 to present day. Noise exposure levels (8-, 16- and 24-hr), LEQ, will also be provided and discussed in this paper. Discussions related to hearing protection will also be included. Future directions and recommendations for the noise exposure monitoring program will be highlighted. This acoustic data is used to ensure a safe and healthy working and living environment for the crewmembers aboard the ISS.

Analysis of Noise Exposure Measurements Acquired Onboard the International Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Limardo, Jose G.; Allen, Christopher S.

2011-01-01

The International Space Station (ISS) is a unique workplace environment for U.S. astronauts and Russian cosmonauts to conduct research and live for a period of six months or more. Noise has been an enduring environmental physical hazard that has been a challenge for the U.S. space program since before the Apollo era. Noise exposure in ISS poses significant risks to the crewmembers, such as; hearing loss (temporary or permanent), possible disruptions of crew sleep, interference with speech intelligibility and communication, possible interference with crew task performance, and possible reduction in alarm audibility. Acoustic measurements were made onboard ISS and compared to requirements in order to assess the acoustic environment to which the crewmembers are exposed. The purpose of this paper is to describe in detail the noise exposure monitoring program as well as an assessment of the acoustic dosimeter data collected to date. The hardware currently being used for monitoring the noise exposure onboard ISS will be discussed. Acoustic data onboard ISS has been collected since the beginning of ISS (Increment 1, November 2001). Noise exposure data analysis will include acoustic dosimetry logged data from crew-worn dosimeters during work and sleep periods and also fixed-location measurements from Increment 1 to present day. Noise exposure levels (8-, 16- and 24-hr), LEQ, will also be provided and discussed in this paper. Future directions and recommendations for the noise exposure monitoring program will be highlighted. This acoustic data is used to ensure a safe and healthy working and living environment for the crewmembers onboard the ISS.

Human Health Risk Assessment Strategic Research Action Plan 2016-2019

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA has designed the HHRA program to develop and apply state-of-the-science risk assessment methods to estimate risks from exposures to individual chemicals, chemical mixtures, and mixtures of chemical of chemicals and non-chemical stressors.

Helmet Integrated Nanosensors, Signal Processing and Wireless Real Time Data Communication for Monitoring Blast Exposure to Battlefield Personnel

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-12-01

of the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) # PT073804 II. BACKGROUND Unlike the painfully obvious losses seen in Alzheimer ...Medical Research and Materiel Command Fort Detrick, Maryland 21702-5012 DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT: Approved for...AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 10. SPONSOR/MONITOR’S ACRONYM(S) U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command Fort Detrick, Maryland 21702

Health and Household Air Pollution from Solid Fuel Use: The Need for Improved Exposure Assessment

PubMed Central

Peel, Jennifer L.; Balakrishnan, Kalpana; Breysse, Patrick N.; Chillrud, Steven N.; Naeher, Luke P.; Rodes, Charles E.; Vette, Alan F.; Balbus, John M.

2013-01-01

Background: Nearly 3 billion people worldwide rely on solid fuel combustion to meet basic household energy needs. The resulting exposure to air pollution causes an estimated 4.5% of the global burden of disease. Large variability and a lack of resources for research and development have resulted in highly uncertain exposure estimates. Objective: We sought to identify research priorities for exposure assessment that will more accurately and precisely define exposure–response relationships of household air pollution necessary to inform future cleaner-burning cookstove dissemination programs. Data Sources: As part of an international workshop in May 2011, an expert group characterized the state of the science and developed recommendations for exposure assessment of household air pollution. Synthesis: The following priority research areas were identified to explain variability and reduce uncertainty of household air pollution exposure measurements: improved characterization of spatial and temporal variability for studies examining both short- and long-term health effects; development and validation of measurement technology and approaches to conduct complex exposure assessments in resource-limited settings with a large range of pollutant concentrations; and development and validation of biomarkers for estimating dose. Addressing these priority research areas, which will inherently require an increased allocation of resources for cookstove research, will lead to better characterization of exposure–response relationships. Conclusions: Although the type and extent of exposure assessment will necessarily depend on the goal and design of the cookstove study, without improved understanding of exposure–response relationships, the level of air pollution reduction necessary to meet the health targets of cookstove interventions will remain uncertain. Citation: Clark ML, Peel JL, Balakrishnan K, Breysse PN, Chillrud SN, Naeher LP, Rodes CE, Vette AF, Balbus JM. 2013. Health and household air pollution from solid fuel use: the need for improved exposure assessment. Environ Health Perspect 121:1120–1128; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1206429 PMID:23872398

Bridging the Gap: Supporting Translational Research Careers Through an Integrated Research Track Within Residency Training

PubMed Central

Arbuckle, Melissa R.; Gordon, Joshua A.; Pincus, Harold A.; Oquendo, Maria A.

2013-01-01

In the setting of traditional residency training programs, physician–scientists are often limited in their ability to pursue research training goals while meeting clinical training requirements. This creates a gap in research training at a critical developmental stage. In response, Columbia University Medical Center’s Department of Psychiatry, in partnership with the New York State Psychiatric Institute, has created a formal Research Track Program (RTP) for psychiatry residents so that interested individuals can maintain their attention on research training during formative residency years. Clinical and research training are integrated through core clinical rotations on research units. With protected research time and clear developmental milestones for each year of training, the RTP allows research track residents to meet both clinical and research training goals while maintaining a healthy work–life balance. In coordination with existing postdoctoral research fellowship programs, research track residents can effectively jump-start fellowship training with advanced course work and consistent, continuous mentorship bridging residency and fellowship years. A key element of the program is its provision of core training in research literacy and extensive research opportunities for all residents, stimulating research interest across the whole residency program. Supported by the National Institutes of Health and a private foundation, this RTP capitalizes on a unique academic–private partnership to address many of the challenges facing physician–scientists. By integrating clinical and research exposures and offering protected research time, careful mentoring, and financial resources, the program aims to further the development of those most poised to establish careers in translational research. PMID:23619070

Teaching braille letters, numerals, punctuation, and contractions to sighted individuals.

PubMed

Putnam, Brittany C; Tiger, Jeffrey H

2015-01-01

Braille-character recognition is one of the foundational skills required for teachers of braille. Prior research has evaluated computer programming for teaching braille-to-print letter relations (e.g., Scheithauer & Tiger, 2012). In the current study, we developed a program (the Visual Braille Trainer) to teach not only letters but also numerals, punctuation, symbols, and contractions; we evaluated this program with 4 sighted undergraduate participants. Exposure to this program resulted in mastery of all braille-to-print relations for each participant. © Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.

Prenatal alcohol exposure and cellular differentiation: a role for Polycomb and Trithorax group proteins in FAS phenotypes?

PubMed

Veazey, Kylee J; Muller, Daria; Golding, Michael C

2013-01-01

Exposure to alcohol significantly alters the developmental trajectory of progenitor cells and fundamentally compromises tissue formation (i.e., histogenesis). Emerging research suggests that ethanol can impair mammalian development by interfering with the execution of molecular programs governing differentiation. For example, ethanol exposure disrupts cellular migration, changes cell-cell interactions, and alters growth factor signaling pathways. Additionally, ethanol can alter epigenetic mechanisms controlling gene expression. Normally, lineage-specific regulatory factors (i.e., transcription factors) establish the transcriptional networks of each new cell type; the cell's identity then is maintained through epigenetic alterations in the way in which the DNA encoding each gene becomes packaged within the chromatin. Ethanol exposure can induce epigenetic changes that do not induce genetic mutations but nonetheless alter the course of fetal development and result in a large array of patterning defects. Two crucial enzyme complexes--the Polycomb and Trithorax proteins--are central to the epigenetic programs controlling the intricate balance between self-renewal and the execution of cellular differentiation, with diametrically opposed functions. Prenatal ethanol exposure may disrupt the functions of these two enzyme complexes, altering a crucial aspect of mammalian differentiation. Characterizing the involvement of Polycomb and Trithorax group complexes in the etiology of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders will undoubtedly enhance understanding of the role that epigenetic programming plays in this complex disorder.

Photographic consulting services to the Earth Resources program. [using aerial photography as a tool for scientific measurement

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1976-01-01

The recommendations, procedures, and techniques are summarized which provided by the Kodak Apparatus Division to the Ames Research Center to support the Earth Resources Aircraft Program at that facility. Recommendations, procedures, and calibration data are included for sensitometry, densitometry, laboratory cleanliness, and determination of camera exposure. Additional comments are made regarding process control procedures and general laboratory operations.

A conceptual framework for transferring research to practice.

PubMed

Simpson, D Dwayne

2002-06-01

Systematic evaluations of efforts to transfer research-based interventions and procedures into general practice at community drug treatment programs have been limited. However, practical experiences as well as results from studies of technology transfer and organizational behavior in related fields provide a basis for proposing a heuristic model of key factors that influence this process. The successful completion of four stages of activity typically involved in program change (exposure, adoption, implementation, and practice of new interventions) appears to be influenced by several organizational considerations (e.g., institutional readiness for change, resources, and climate) as well as staff attributes. Assessment instruments for measuring organizational functioning (based on ratings aggregated for staff and patients in a program) are introduced, along with preliminary evidence for their validity. A better conceptual understanding of the process of program change and common barriers that may be encountered is needed for effectively transferring research to practice.

Programs for attracting under-represented minority students to graduate school and research careers in computational science. Final report for period October 1, 1995 - September 30, 1997

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Turner, James C. Jr.; Mason, Thomas; Guerrieri, Bruno

1997-10-01

Programs have been established at Florida A & M University to attract minority students to research careers in mathematics and computational science. The primary goal of the program was to increase the number of such students studying computational science via an interactive multimedia learning environment One mechanism used for meeting this goal was the development of educational modules. This academic year program established within the mathematics department at Florida A&M University, introduced students to computational science projects using high-performance computers. Additional activities were conducted during the summer, these included workshops, meetings, and lectures. Through the exposure provided by this programmore » to scientific ideas and research in computational science, it is likely that their successful applications of tools from this interdisciplinary field will be high.« less

Promoting healthy computer use among middle school students: a pilot school-based health promotion program.

PubMed

Ciccarelli, Marina; Portsmouth, Linda; Harris, Courtenay; Jacobs, Karen

2012-01-01

Introduction of notebook computers in many schools has become integral to learning. This has increased students' screen-based exposure and the potential risks to physical and visual health. Unhealthy computing behaviours include frequent and long durations of exposure; awkward postures due to inappropriate furniture and workstation layout, and ignoring computer-related discomfort. Describe the framework for a planned school-based health promotion program to encourage healthy computing behaviours among middle school students. This planned program uses a community- based participatory research approach. Students in Year 7 in 2011 at a co-educational middle school, their parents, and teachers have been recruited. Baseline data was collected on students' knowledge of computer ergonomics, current notebook exposure, and attitudes towards healthy computing behaviours; and teachers' and self-perceived competence to promote healthy notebook use among students, and what education they wanted. The health promotion program is being developed by an inter-professional team in collaboration with students, teachers and parents to embed concepts of ergonomics education in relevant school activities and school culture. End of year changes in reported and observed student computing behaviours will be used to determine the effectiveness of the program. Building a body of evidence regarding physical health benefits to students from this school-based ergonomics program can guide policy development on the healthy use of computers within children's educational environments.

Balanced program plan. Analysis for biomedical and environmental research

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1976-06-01

Major issues associated with the use of nuclear power are health hazards of exposure to radioactive materials; sources of radiation exposure; reactor accidents; sabotage of nuclear facilities; diversion of fissile material and its use for extortion; and the presence of plutonium in the environment. Fission fuel cycle technology is discussed with regard to milling, UF/sub 6/ production, uranium enrichment, plutonium fuel fabrication, power production, fuel processing, waste management, and fuel and waste transportation. The following problem areas of fuel cycle technology are briefly discussed: characterization, measurement, and monitoring; transport processes; health effects; ecological processes and effects; and integrated assessment. Estimatedmore » program unit costs are summarized by King-Muir Category. (HLW)« less

Health research needed to resolve scientific issues surrounding drinking water disinfection

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kleffman, D.

Disinfection of drinking water will most likely continue in the United States in order to prevent exposure to microbial pathogens that can cause infectious disease. However, the emergence of concerns over possible toxicological effects, including cancer, mutagenicity, cardiovascular disease, and reproductive effects, may require that the disinfection techniques used in this country be altered or changed. First, the spectrum of possible health effects and the level of risk posed by exposure to chemicals in drinking water must be determined. This will require a continuing research program to develop the scientific data necessary to resolve these issues. In this paper, themore » authors discusses the microbiological, chemical, toxicological, and epidemiological research that is needed to address these issues.« less

Occupational cancer in the European part of the Commonwealth of Independent States.

PubMed Central

Bulbulyan, M A; Boffetta, P

1999-01-01

Precise information on the number of workers currently exposed to carcinogens in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) is lacking. However, the large number of workers employed in high-risk industries such as the chemical and metal industries suggests that the number of workers potentially exposed to carcinogens may be large. In the CIS, women account for almost 50% of the industrial work force. Although no precise data are available on the number of cancers caused by occupational exposures, indirect evidence suggests that the magnitude of the problem is comparable to that observed in Western Europe, representing some 20,000 cases per year. The large number of women employed in the past and at present in industries that create potential exposure to carcinogens is a special characteristic of the CIS. In recent years an increasing amount of high-quality research has been conducted on occupational cancer in the CIS; there is, however, room for further improvement. International training programs should be established, and funds from international research and development programs should be devoted to this area. In recent years, following privatization of many large-scale industries, access to employment and exposure data is becoming increasingly difficult. PMID:10350512

SITE CHARACTERIZATION LIBRARY: VOLUMN 1 (RELEASE 2.5)

EPA Science Inventory

This CD-ROM, Volume 1, Release 2.5, of EPA's National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL - Las Vegas) Site Characterization Library, contains additional electronic documents and computer programs related to the characterization of hazardous waste sites. EPA has produced this libr...

Indirect exposure to a family planning mass media campaign in Nepal.

PubMed

Boulay, Marc; Storey, J Douglas; Sood, Suruchi

2002-01-01

It is often noted that some individuals become aware of a mass media program's messages through discussions with other individuals. However, the extent to which indirect exposure occurs, and its influence on behavior, are somewhat unclear. This study examines the role of indirect exposure in extending the reach of a family planning mass media campaign in Nepal. Sociometric data, gathered from nearly all women between the ages of 15 and 49 years living in six villages in Dang District, Nepal (N = 667), assessed indirect exposure to the radio program. Indirect exposure was extensive; half of all respondents were indirectly exposed to the program's messages and the overall reach of the program increased from 50% to 75% when indirect exposure was considered. Members of community groups had higher levels of direct exposure to the radio program and more extensive and diverse social networks, allowing them to serve as a conduit for these messages into the wider community. While direct exposure to the radio program appeared to influence family planning knowledge, indirect exposure was more strongly associated with contraceptive use. These findings suggest that program evaluations that ignore indirect exposure underestimate the impact of a mass media program on behavior.

A Commentary on: "A History of the United States Department of Energy (DOE) Low Dose Radiation Research Program: 1998-2008".

PubMed

Brooks, Antone L

2015-04-01

This commentary provides a very brief overview of the book "A History of the United States Department of Energy (DOE) Low Dose Radiation Research Program: 1998-2008" ( http://lowdose.energy.gov ). The book summarizes and evaluates the research progress, publications and impact of the U.S. Department of Energy Low Dose Radiation Research Program over its first 10 years. The purpose of this book was to summarize the impact of the program's research on the current thinking and low-dose paradigms associated with the radiation biology field and to help stimulate research on the potential adverse and/or protective health effects of low doses of ionizing radiation. In addition, this book provides a summary of the data generated in the low dose program and a scientific background for anyone interested in conducting future research on the effects of low-dose or low-dose-rate radiation exposure. This book's exhaustive list of publications coupled with discussions of major observations should provide a significant resource for future research in the low-dose and dose-rate region. However, because of space limitations, only a limited number of critical references are mentioned. Finally, this history book provides a list of major advancements that were accomplished by the program in the field of radiation biology, and these bulleted highlights can be found in last part of chapters 4-10.

Recommendations for Guidelines for Environment-Specific Magnetic-Field Measurements, Rapid Program Engineering Project #2

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Electric Research and Management, Inc.; IIT Research Institute; Magnetic Measurements

1997-03-11

The purpose of this project was to document widely applicable methods for characterizing the magnetic fields in a given environment, recognizing the many sources co-existing within that space. The guidelines are designed to allow the reader to follow an efficient process to (1) plan the goals and requirements of a magnetic-field study, (2) develop a study structure and protocol, and (3) document and carry out the plan. These guidelines take the reader first through the process of developing a basic study strategy, then through planning and performing the data collection. Last, the critical factors of data management, analysis reporting, andmore » quality assurance are discussed. The guidelines are structured to allow the researcher to develop a protocol that responds to specific site and project needs. The Research and Public Information Dissemination Program (RAPID) is based on exposure to magnetic fields and the potential health effects. Therefore, the most important focus for these magnetic-field measurement guidelines is relevance to exposure. The assumed objective of an environment-specific measurement is to characterize the environment (given a set of occupants and magnetic-field sources) so that information about the exposure of the occupants may be inferred. Ideally, the researcher seeks to obtain complete or "perfect" information about these magnetic fields, so that personal exposure might also be modeled perfectly. However, complete data collection is not feasible. In fact, it has been made more difficult as the research field has moved to expand the list of field parameters measured, increasing the cost and complexity of performing a measurement and analyzing the data. The guidelines address this issue by guiding the user to design a measurement protocol that will gather the most exposure-relevant information based on the locations of people in relation to the sources. We suggest that the "microenvironment" become the base unit of area in a study, with boundaries defined by the occupant's activity patterns and the field variation from the sources affecting the area. Such a stratification allows the researcher to determine which microenvironment are of most interest, and to methodically focus the areas, in order to gather the most relevant set of data.« less

Effects of Acute and Subacute Oral Methylnitroguanidine (MeNQ) Exposure to Rats (Rattus norvegicus)

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-04-20

Proving Ground, MD 21005 The U.S. Army is engaged in an effort to develop industrial processes that have less impact upon human health and the environment...Oral Methylnitroguanidine (MeNQ) Exposure to Rats (Rattus norvegicus) Prepared by: Emily N. Reinke Toxicology Portfolio Health Effects Research...Program Army Public Health Center (Provisional) Use of trademarked name(s) does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Army but is intended only to

Beyond individual war trauma: domestic violence against children in Afghanistan and Sri Lanka.

PubMed

Catani, Claudia; Schauer, Elisabeth; Neuner, Frank

2008-04-01

To date, research on the psychosocial consequences of mass trauma resulting from war and organized violence on children has primarily focused on the individual as the unit of treatment and analysis with particular focus on mental disorders caused by traumatic stress. This body of research has stimulated the development of promising individual-level treatment approaches for addressing psychological trauma. In contrast, there is virtually no literature addressing the effects of mass trauma on the family and community systems. Research conducted in Sri Lanka and Afghanistan, two long-standing war-torn societies, found that in addition to multiple exposure to war or disaster-related traumatic events children also indicated high levels of exposure to family violence. These findings point to the need for conjoint family- and community-based programs of prevention and intervention that are specifically tailored for the context of the affected society. In particular, programs should take issues such as poverty, child labor, and parental alcohol use into account in assessing and treating children in the aftermath of mass trauma.

Challenges to Superfund Community Nutrition Programs in Kentucky

PubMed Central

Gaetke, Lisa; Gaetke, Kara; Bowen, Christa

2008-01-01

Since 2000, the University of Kentucky's (UK's) Superfund Basic Research Program (SBRP) Community Outreach Core has provided support and guidance through Superfund Community Action through Nutrition (SCAN) programs, which meet the needs of individuals and communities affected by environmental contaminants. It has been shown that nutrition may modulate the toxicity of Superfund chemicals. SCAN programs integrate nutrition education, nutrition science research, and health communication to increase understanding of health risks associated with residing near Superfund sites. Two critical tasks must be accomplished. SCAN personnel must identify and recruit affected community members, and then, offer meaningful programs. Certain quantitative outcome measures and legal issues presented both challenges and opportunities. Community members preferred qualitative evaluation discussions, which showed increased knowledge and improved attitudes following SCAN programs. SCAN, in full partnership with affected communities, translates safe, effective nutrition information to reduce health risks associated with exposure to Superfund pollutants. PMID:18443657

Challenges to superfund community nutrition programs in kentucky.

PubMed

Gaetke, Lisa; Gaetke, Kara; Bowen, Christa

2008-03-01

Since 2000, the University of Kentucky's (UK's) Superfund Basic Research Program (SBRP) Community Outreach Core has provided support and guidance through Superfund Community Action through Nutrition (SCAN) programs, which meet the needs of individuals and communities affected by environmental contaminants. It has been shown that nutrition may modulate the toxicity of Superfund chemicals. SCAN programs integrate nutrition education, nutrition science research, and health communication to increase understanding of health risks associated with residing near Superfund sites. Two critical tasks must be accomplished. SCAN personnel must identify and recruit affected community members, and then, offer meaningful programs. Certain quantitative outcome measures and legal issues presented both challenges and opportunities. Community members preferred qualitative evaluation discussions, which showed increased knowledge and improved attitudes following SCAN programs. SCAN, in full partnership with affected communities, translates safe, effective nutrition information to reduce health risks associated with exposure to Superfund pollutants.

Overview of clinical research design.

PubMed

Hartung, Daniel M; Touchette, Daniel

2009-02-15

Basic concepts and terminology of clinical research design are presented for new clinical investigators. Clinical research, research involving human subjects, can be described as either observational or experimental. The findings of all clinical research can be threatened by issues of bias and confounding. Biases are systematic errors in how study subjects are selected or measured, which result in false inferences. Confounding is a distortion in findings that is attributable to mixing variable effects. Uncontrolled observation research is generally more prone to bias and confounding than experimental research. Observational research includes designs such as the cohort study, case-control study, and cross-sectional study, while experimental research typically involves a randomized controlled trial (RCT). The cohort study, which includes the RCT, defines subject allocation on the basis of exposure interest (e.g., drug, disease-management program) and follows the patients to assess the outcomes. The case-control study uses the primary outcome of interest (e.g., adverse event) to define subject allocation, and different exposures are assessed in a retrospective manner. Cross-sectional research evaluates both exposure and outcome concurrently. Each of these design methods possesses different strengths and weaknesses in answering research questions, as well as underlying many study subtypes. While experimental research is the strongest method for establishing causality, it can be difficult to accomplish under many scenarios. Observational clinical research offers many design alternatives that may be appropriate if planned and executed carefully.

School Environmental Intervention Programs.

PubMed

Permaul, Perdita; Phipatanakul, Wanda

Exposure to indoor allergens and pollutants plays a significant part in the development of asthma and its associated morbidity. Inner-city children with asthma are disproportionately affected by these exposures with increased asthma morbidity. Although years of previous research have linked exposures in the urban home environment with significant childhood asthma disease, many of these allergens are also present in inner-city school environments. Therefore, evaluation of the school environment of patients with asthma is also essential. School-based environmental interventions may offer benefit for this problem and has the potential to help many children with asthma at once in a cost-effective manner. It is important that environmental health researchers continue to assess which interventions are most practical and result in the greatest measurable improvements. Copyright © 2017 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The effect of intimate exposure to alcohol abuse on the acquisition of knowledge about drinking.

PubMed

Rainer, J P

1994-01-01

This study explored how an alcohol education program might be structured to effectively educate college students about the consequences of alcohol use. The primary hypothesis tested stated that individuals would vary significantly in the amount of knowledge learned from a structured alcohol education workshop, based on the degree of familial or social exposure s/he has had to alcohol abuse. Social learning variables of locus of control, dogmatism, and expectancy for risk were tested for interaction with degree of exposure, to determine their influence on learning. A pretest-posttest control group was employed with a sample of 66 undergraduate college students. A four hour alcohol education program was administered to teach cognitive information and fact about alcohol, with a goal of facilitating responsible use/nonuse of alcohol. The Student Drinking Questionnaire measured acquisition of knowledge. The Adult Nowicki-Strickland Internal/External Scale measured locus of control, and Schultze's Short Dogmatism Scale measured dogmatism. The researcher developed an instrument for expectancy for risk. Multiple regression analyses yielded prediction equations for the variables under study. For the sample group, results demonstrated that a significant portion of the variance in the residualized posttest scores was accounted for by level of exposure and dogmatism. When the sample was blocked according to intimate or social exposure, dogmatism was the only construct entering the regression equation at a significant level for the intimate exposure group. None of the constructs were able to predict any of the residualized posttest scores for the social exposure group. It was concluded that: (1) Students in the sample learned differentially based on the degree of intimate exposure of alcohol; (2) Dogmatism is a moderating variable with acquisition of knowledge for those intimately exposed to alcohol abuse, but locus of control and expectancy for risk are not; and (3) Further research is needed to study the effects of differential learning goals set for different populations.

2015 Dust Risk Standing Review Panel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Steinberg, Susan

2015-01-01

The 2015 Dust Risk Standing Review Panel (SRP) participated in a WebEx/teleconference with members of the Space Human Factors and Habitability (SHFH) Element, representatives from the Human Research Program (HRP), NASA Headquarters, and the NASA Research Education and Support Services on November 12, 2015. The SRP reviewed the updated Evidence Report for The Risk of Adverse Health and Performance Effects of Celestial Dust Exposure, as well as the Research Plan for this Risk.

The Oregon migrant farmworker community: an evolving model for participatory research.

PubMed Central

McCauley, L A; Beltran, M; Phillips, J; Lasarev, M; Sticker, D

2001-01-01

Migrant farmworker communities present distinct challenges that require new approaches for community participation in research. In the State of Oregon an agency that advocates for the migrant farmworker community has collaborated successfully with university researchers to implement a research program directed to reducing pesticide exposures among the children of migrant farmworkers. The research process has included both qualitative research methods with members of the community and quantitative approaches to measure pesticide dust residues in homes, biomarkers of pesticide exposure, and effects on health. A committee of university and community stakeholders advises the research. Evaluative processes have been initiated to assess the effectiveness of the participatory model used in this project. The components of the preliminary process evaluation and results are presented. Evaluative data show that researchers and community members differ on perceptions of community involvement and the extent to which communication problems have been resolved between the two groups. Suggestions for improved community involvement and communication are given. PMID:11427395

The women in science and engineering scholars program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Falconer, Etta Z.; Guy, Lori Ann

1989-01-01

The Women in Science and Engineering Scholars Program provides scientifically talented women students, including those from groups underrepresented in the scientific and technical work force, with the opportunity to pursue undergraduate studies in science and engineering in the highly motivating and supportive environment of Spelman College. It also exposes students to research training at NASA Centers during the summer. The program provides an opportunity for students to increase their knowledge of career opportunities at NASA and to strengthen their motivation through exposure to NASA women scientists and engineers as role models. An extensive counseling and academic support component to maximize academic performance supplements the instructional and research components. The program is designed to increase the number of women scientists and engineers with graduate degrees, particularly those with an interest in a career with NASA.

The development of an intervention programme to reduce whole-body vibration exposure at work induced by a change in behaviour: a study protocol

PubMed Central

Tiemessen, Ivo JH; Hulshof, Carel TJ; Frings-Dresen, Monique HW

2007-01-01

Background Whole body vibration (WBV) exposure at work is common and studies found evidence that this exposure might cause low back pain (LBP). A recent review concluded there is a lack of evidence of effective strategies to reduce WBV exposure. Most research in this field is focussed on the technical implications, although changing behaviour towards WBV exposure might be promising as well. Therefore, we developed an intervention programme to reduce WBV exposure in a population of drivers with the emphasis on a change in behaviour of driver and employer. The hypothesis is that an effective reduction in WBV exposure, in time, will lead to a reduction in LBP as WBV exposure is a proxy for an increased risk of LBP. Methods/Design The intervention programme was developed specifically for the drivers of vibrating vehicles and their employers. The intervention programme will be based on the most important determinants of WBV exposure as track conditions, driving speed, quality of the seat, etc. By increasing knowledge and skills towards changing these determinants, the attitude, social influence and self-efficacy (ASE) of both drivers and employers will be affected having an effect on the level of exposure. We used the well-known ASE model to develop an intervention programme aiming at a change or the intention to change behaviour towards WBV exposure. The developed programme consists of: individual health surveillance, an information brochure, an informative presentation and a report of the performed field measurements. Discussion The study protocol described is advantageous as the intervention program actively tries to change behaviour towards WBV exposure. The near future will show if this intervention program is effective by showing a decrease in WBV exposure. PMID:18005400

Military deployment toxicology: a program manager's perspective.

PubMed

Knechtges, P L

2000-02-01

The Persian Gulf War drew attention to the potential hazards of chemicals that personnel may encounter during military operations and deployments overseas. During the War, the oil well fires of Kuwait highlighted the military threat of industrial chemicals in the area of operations. Following the War, the occurrence of Gulf War Illnesses brought home concerns and suspicions regarding "low level" and "mixed" exposures to chemicals. The public's concern and attention resulted in numerous institutional responses to the real and perceived problems of health risks during military deployments. These institutional responses ranged in scope from a Presidential Review Directive to the initiative known as the Deployment Toxicology Research, Development, Testing and Evaluation (RDT&E) Program. Most institutions, however, seem to agree that additional research is needed to assess the health risks from chemical exposures during military deployments. Establishing and managing an effective RDT&E program in risk assessment for deployed forces is a challenging enterprise. The Deployment Toxicology RDT&E Program was conceived utilizing the military's acquisition framework, an effective methodology with a proven record of fielding of new technologies. Based on a series of structured meetings with military representatives that would utilize new risk assessment tools, a hierarchical set of plans was developed to identify and prioritize end products. The challenge ahead for the Deployment Toxicology RDT&E Program is to execute these plans, provide the necessary oversight, and transition the results into successful product development.

Public health and chronic low chlordecone exposures in Guadeloupe; Part 2: Health impacts, and benefits of prevention.

PubMed

Nedellec, Vincent; Rabl, Ari; Dab, William

2016-07-19

Inhabitants of Guadeloupe are chronically exposed to low doses of chlordecone via local food due to its past use in banana plantations. The corresponding health impacts have not been quantified. We develop a quantitative method and present the results in two articles: 1. Hazard identification, exposure-response functions, and exposure, 2. Health impacts, and benefits of a program to reduce the exposure of the population. Here is the second article. The exposure-response functions derived in Part 1 (for liver and prostate cancer, renal dysfunction and cognitive development) are combined with the exposure data to calculate the impacts. The corresponding costs are calculated via DALY's and VOLY. A no-effect threshold is included via the marginal fraction of the collective exposure above the reference dose. The health benefits are the impacts in 2002 (before the exposure reduction program) minus the impacts in 2006 (since the program). They are compared to the costs, namely the public annual expenditures for reducing the population exposure. Without threshold, estimated annual cases of liver cancer, prostate cancer and renal dysfunction are respectively 5.4, 2.8, 0.10 in 2002; and 2.0, 1.0, 0.04 in 2006. Annual IQ points lost (cognitive development) are respectively: 1 173 and 1 003. The annual cost of total impacts is 38.3 Million Euros (M€) in 2002 and 23.7 M€ in 2006. Comparing the benefit of 14.6 M€ with the 3.25 M€ spent for prevention, the program appears well justified. With threshold, the costs of the impacts are lower, respectively: 26.5 M€ in 2002 and 12.8 M€ in 2006, but the benefit is not very different: 13.7 M€. This is the first study that quantified chronic non genotoxic effects of chlordecone exposures in Guadeloupe. According to our results, preventive actions should be focused on pregnant women because of the high social cost of development impairment and also because their exposures decreased less rapidly than others. Prevention effort should be sustained as long as chlordecone remains in soils. Additional toxicological and epidemiological research would also be required for health endpoints that could not be taken into account (neurotoxicity of adults, autoimmune diseases and other developmental effects).

Use of personal protective equipment for respiratory protection.

PubMed

Sargent, Edward V; Gallo, Frank

2003-01-01

Management of hazards in biomedical research facilities requires the application of the traditional industrial hygiene responsibilities of anticipation, recognition, evaluation, and control to characterize the work environment, evaluate tasks and equipment, identify hazards, define exposure groups, and recommend controls. Generally, the diversity and unique characteristics of hazards faced by laboratory and animal facility employees and the short-term and low-level nature of the exposures factor into the selection of proper exposure control measures in the laboratory. The proper selection of control measures is based on a hierarchy of elimination and minimization by engineering controls, followed last by personal protective equipment when exposures cannot be eliminated. Once it is decided that personal protective equipment is needed, specific regulations and guidelines define safety standards for research facilities, including the elements of a sound respiratory protection program. These elements include respirator selection (including appropriate protection factors), medical evaluation, fit testing, training, inspection, maintenance and care, quality, quantity and flow of breathing air, and routine and emergency use procedures.

The child health exposure analysis resource as a vehicle to measure environment in the environmental influences on child health outcomes program.

PubMed

Wright, Robert O; Teitelbaum, Susan; Thompson, Claudia; Balshaw, David

2018-04-01

Demonstrate the role of environment as a predictor of child health. The children's health exposure analysis resource (CHEAR) assists the Environmental influences on child health outcomes (ECHO) program in understanding the time sensitive and dynamic nature of perinatal and childhood environment on developmental trajectories by providing a central infrastructure for the analysis of biological samples from the ECHO cohort awards. CHEAR will assist ECHO cohorts in defining the critical or sensitive period for effects associated with environmental exposures. Effective incorporation of these principles into multiple existing cohorts requires extensive multidisciplinary expertise, creativity, and flexibility. The pursuit of life course - informed research within the CHEAR/ECHO structure represents a shift in focus from single exposure inquiries to one that addresses multiple environmental risk factors linked through shared vulnerabilities. CHEAR provides ECHO both targeted analyses of inorganic and organic toxicants, nutrients, and social-stress markers and untargeted analyses to assess the exposome and discovery of exposure-outcome relationships. Utilization of CHEAR as a single site for characterization of environmental exposures within the ECHO cohorts will not only support the investigation of the influence of environment on children's health but also support the harmonization of data across the disparate cohorts that comprise ECHO.

The Lifetime Surveillance of Astronaut Health (LSAH) Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bopp, Eugenia; Wear, Mary L.; Lee, Lesley R.; VanBaalen, Mary

2013-01-01

From 1989-2010 NASA conducted a research study, the Longitudinal Study of Astronaut Health, to investigate the incidence of acute and chronic morbidity and mortality in astronauts and to determine whether their occupational exposures were associated with increased risk of death or disability. In 2004, the Institute of Medicine recommended that NASA convert the longitudinal study into an occupational health surveillance program and in 2010, NASA initiated the Lifetime Surveillance of Astronaut Health project. The new program collects data on astronaut workplace exposures, especially those occurring in the training and space flight environments, and conducts operational and health care analyses to look for trends in exposure and health outcomes. Astronaut selection and retention medical standards are rigorous, requiring an extensive clinical testing regimen. As a result, this employee population has contributed to a large set of health data available for analyses. Astronauts represent a special population with occupational exposures not typically experienced by other employee populations. Additionally, astronauts are different from the general population in terms of demographic and physiologic characteristics. The challenges and benefits of conducting health surveillance for an employee population with unique occupational exposures will be discussed. Several occupational surveillance projects currently underway to examine associations between astronaut workplace exposures and medical outcomes will be described.

ExpoCast: Exposure Science for Prioritization and Toxicity Testing (S)

EPA Science Inventory

The US EPA is completing the Phase I pilot for a chemical prioritization research program, called ToxCast. Here EPA is developing methods for using computational chemistry, high-throughput screening, and toxicogenomic technologies to predict potential toxicity and prioritize limi...

ExpoCast: Exposure Science for Prioritization and Toxicity Testing

EPA Science Inventory

The US EPA is completing the Phase I pilot for a chemical prioritization research program, called ToxCastTM. Here EPA is developing methods for using computational chemistry, high-throughput screening, and toxicogenomic technologies to predict potential toxicity and prioritize l...

Proactive strategy for long-term biological research aimed at low-dose radiation risk in Korea.

PubMed

Seong, Ki Moon; Kwon, TaeWoo; Park, Jina; Youn, BuHyun; Cha, Hyuk-Jin; Kim, Yonghwan; Moon, Changjong; Lee, Seung-Sook; Jin, Young Woo

2018-06-19

Since the 2011 Fukushima nuclear power plant accident, Korean radiation experts have agreed that reliable data on health risks of low-dose radiation (LDR) are needed to ease the anxiety of lay people. The intent of this study was to devise a sustainable biological program suited for the research environment in Korea and aimed at the health effects of radiation exposures <100 millisieverts (mSv). To address pressing public concerns over LDR risk, we investigated the current understanding of LDR effects by analyzing the previous reports of international authorities for radiation protection and research publications that appeared after the Chernobyl accident. A research program appropriate for societal and scientific inclinations of Korea was then devised based on input from Korean radiation scientists. After review by our advisory committee, program priorities were set, calling for an agenda that focused on dose-response relationships in carcinogenesis, health span responses to lifestyle variations, and systemic metabolic changes. Our long-term biological research program may contribute scientific evidence to reduce the uncertainties of LDR health risks and help stakeholders formulate policies for radiation protection.

Projected 2050 Model Simulations for the Chesapeake Bay ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Chesapeake Bay Program as has been tasked with assessing how changes in climate systems are expected to alter key variables and processes within the Watershed in concurrence with land use changes. EPA’s Office of Research and Development will be conducting historic and future, 2050, Weather Research and Forecast (WRF) metrological and Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) chemical transport model simulations to provide meteorological and nutrient deposition estimates for inclusion of the Chesapeake Bay Program’s assessment of how climate and land use change may impact water quality and ecosystem health. This presentation will present the timeline and research updates. The National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL) Computational Exposure Division (CED) develops and evaluates data, decision-support tools, and models to be applied to media-specific or receptor-specific problem areas. CED uses modeling-based approaches to characterize exposures, evaluate fate and transport, and support environmental diagnostics/forensics with input from multiple data sources. It also develops media- and receptor-specific models, process models, and decision support tools for use both within and outside of EPA.

Collaboration in Action: Office of Research and Development ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The "Collaboration in Action: US EPA's Office of Research and Develop - Current Wildfire Research Program" was invited by the USDA's US Forest Service's Scientific Executive Committee to provide USFS scientific leadership active and potential future opportunities for cooperation/collaboration. Health impacts of wildfire smoke merit the attention and action of the US EPA and current research is supported in the ACE and SHC Research Programs. Wildland fire smoke research has taken on greater importance because the 1) contribution of wildland fire PM emissions relative to total US PM emissions is increasing, 2) the population health impacts are measurable and costly, 3) vulnerable and sensitive populations at-risk are increasing attendant to our aging U.S. population and the increasing area of the wildland-urban interface, and 4) health impacts of smoke could be minimized by identifying at-risk individuals and reducing their exposures. Examples are provided. The "Collaboration in Action: US EPA's Office of Research and Develop - Current Wildfire Research Program" was invited by the USDA's US Forest Service's Scientific Executive Committee to provide USFS scientific leadership active and potential future opportunities for cooperation/collaboration.

Mechanisms Underpinning Degradation of Protective Oxides and Thermal Barrier Coatings in High Hydrogen Content (HHC) - Fueled Turbines

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mumm, Daniel

2013-08-31

The overarching goal of this research program has been to evaluate the potential impacts of coal-derived syngas and high-hydrogen content fuels on the degradation of turbine hot-section components through attack of protective oxides and thermal barrier coatings. The primary focus of this research program has been to explore mechanisms underpinning the observed degradation processes, and connections to the combustion environments and characteristic non-combustible constituents. Based on the mechanistic understanding of how these emerging fuel streams affect materials degradation, the ultimate goal of the program is to advance the goals of the Advanced Turbine Program by developing materials design protocols leadingmore » to turbine hot-section components with improved resistance to service lifetime degradation under advanced fuels exposures. This research program has been focused on studying how: (1) differing combustion environments – relative to traditional natural gas fired systems – affect both the growth rate of thermally grown oxide (TGO) layers and the stability of these oxides and of protective thermal barrier coatings (TBCs); and (2) how low levels of fuel impurities and characteristic non-combustibles interact with surface oxides, for instance through the development of molten deposits that lead to hot corrosion of protective TBC coatings. The overall program has been comprised of six inter-related themes, each comprising a research thrust over the program period, including: (i) evaluating the role of syngas and high hydrogen content (HHC) combustion environments in modifying component surface temperatures, heat transfer to the TBC coatings, and thermal gradients within these coatings; (ii) understanding the instability of TBC coatings in the syngas and high hydrogen environment with regards to decomposition, phase changes and sintering; (iii) characterizing ash deposition, molten phase development and infiltration, and associated corrosive/thermo-chemical attack mechanisms; (iv) developing a mechanics-based analysis of the driving forces for crack growth and delamination, based on molten phase infiltration, misfit upon cooling, and loss of compliance; (v) understanding changes in TGO growth mechanisms associated with these emerging combustion product streams; and (vi) identifying degradation resistant alternative materials (including new compositions or bi-layer concepts) for use in mitigating the observed degradation modes. To address the materials stability concerns, this program integrated research thrusts aimed at: (1) Conducting tests in simulated syngas and HHC environments to evaluate materials evolution and degradation mechanisms; assessing thermally grown oxide development unique to HHC environmental exposures; carrying out high-resolution imaging and microanalysis to elucidate the evolution of surface deposits (molten phase formation and infiltration); exploring thermo-chemical instabilities; assessing thermo-mechanical drivers and thermal gradient effects on degradation; and quantitatively measuring stress evolution due to enhanced sintering and thermo-chemical instabilities induced in the coating. (2) Executing experiments to study the melting and infiltration of simulated ash deposits, and identifying reaction products and evolving phases associated with molten phase corrosion mechanisms; utilizing thermal spray techniques to fabricate test coupons with controlled microstructures to study mechanisms of instability and degradation; facilitating thermal gradient testing; and developing new materials systems for laboratory testing; (3) Correlating information on the resulting combustion environments to properly assess materials exposure conditions and guide the development of lab-scale simulations of material exposures; specification of representative syngas and high-hydrogen fuels with realistic levels of impurities and contaminants, to explore differences in heat transfer, surface degradation, and deposit formation; and facilitating combustion rig testing of materials test coupons.« less

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders: gene-environment interactions, predictive biomarkers, and the relationship between structural alterations in the brain and functional outcomes.

PubMed

Reynolds, James N; Weinberg, Joanne; Clarren, Sterling; Beaulieu, Christian; Rasmussen, Carmen; Kobor, Michael; Dube, Marie-Pierre; Goldowitz, Daniel

2011-03-01

Prenatal alcohol exposure is a major, preventable cause of behavioral and cognitive deficits in children. Despite extensive research, a unique neurobehavioral profile for children affected by prenatal alcohol exposure remains elusive. A fundamental question that must be addressed is how genetic and environmental factors interact with gestational alcohol exposure to produce neurobehavioral and neurobiological deficits in children. The core objectives of the NeuroDevNet team in fetal alcohol spectrum disorders is to create an integrated research program of basic and clinical investigations that will (1) identify genetic and epigenetic modifications that may be predictive of the neurobehavioral and neurobiological dysfunctions in offspring induced by gestational alcohol exposure and (2) determine the relationship between structural alterations in the brain induced by gestational alcohol exposure and functional outcomes in offspring. The overarching hypothesis to be tested is that neurobehavioral and neurobiological dysfunctions induced by gestational alcohol exposure are correlated with the genetic background of the affected child and/or epigenetic modifications in gene expression. The identification of genetic and/or epigenetic markers that are predictive of the severity of behavioral and cognitive deficits in children affected by gestational alcohol exposure will have a profound impact on our ability to identify children at risk. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders: Gene-Environment Interactions, Predictive Biomarkers, and the Relationship Between Structural Alterations in the Brain and Functional Outcomes

PubMed Central

Reynolds, James N.; Weinberg, Joanne; Clarren, Sterling; Beaulieu, Christian; Rasmussen, Carmen; Kobor, Michael; Dube, Marie-Pierre; Goldowitz, Daniel

2016-01-01

Prenatal alcohol exposure is a major, preventable cause of behavioral and cognitive deficits in children. Despite extensive research, a unique neurobehavioral profile for children affected by prenatal alcohol exposure remains elusive. A fundamental question that must be addressed is how genetic and environmental factors interact with gestational alcohol exposure to produce neurobehavioral and neurobiological deficits in children. The core objectives of the NeuroDevNet team in fetal alcohol spectrum disorders is to create an integrated research program of basic and clinical investigations that will (1) identify genetic and epigenetic modifications that may be predictive of the neurobehavioral and neurobiological dysfunctions in offspring induced by gestational alcohol exposure and (2) determine the relationship between structural alterations in the brain induced by gestational alcohol exposure and functional outcomes in offspring. The overarching hypothesis to be tested is that neurobehavioral and neurobiological dysfunctions induced by gestational alcohol exposure are correlated with the genetic background of the affected child and/or epigenetic modifications in gene expression. The identification of genetic and/or epigenetic markers that are predictive of the severity of behavioral and cognitive deficits in children affected by gestational alcohol exposure will have a profound impact on our ability to identify children at risk. PMID:21575841

PR2EPS: Preparation, Recruitment, Retention and Excellence in the Physical Sciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gallagher, Hugh

2005-04-01

PR2EPS, is an NSF-DUE sponsored program at SUNY Oneonta designed to attract students to pursue physics, chemistry and related physical science degrees in college. For those students who choose to study at SUNY Oneonta, the program also seeks to increase the retention rate of all students in the physical sciences by providing specialized skills and professional development courses, an evening tutoring center, and exposure to research and professional activities early in their undergraduate careers. A key focus of the project is drawing students from the five, primarily rural and agricultural, counties surrounding Oneonta, NY. Their first direct exposure to the program will be in recruiting visits to local high schools where promising candidates will be invited to participate in a weeklong summer camp designed to demonstrate to them that they possess the requisite skills and potential to succeed in these technically demanding disciplines. We will provide a brief description of the program and discuss outcomes of the first year including the inaugural summer camp.

PROVIDING A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE SCIENCE UNDERLYING THE EFFECTS, EXPOSURE, ASSESSMENT, AND MANAGEMENT OF EDCS: DOES MILD HYPOTHYROIDISM INDUCED BY ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINANTS IRREVERSIBLY ALTER CNS FUNCTION IN THE JUVENILE AND ADULT ANIMAL?

EPA Science Inventory

SUMMARY: The NTD research project on Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals (EDC) is focused on the effects of thyroid hormone (TH) deficiencies on the developing brain and is one component of a larger NHEERL research program evaluating androgen, estrogen, and thyroid-disrupting chemical...

SUMMARY OF THE 1994 EPA/AWMA INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM

EPA Science Inventory

A joint conference cosponsored for the ninth year by the Atmospheric Research & Exposure Assessment Laboratory of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Air & Waste Management Association was held in Durham, North Carolina, May 3-6, 1994. he 4-day technical program cons...

An Exposure Assessment of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (External Review Draft)

EPA Science Inventory

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) has formed a working group comprised of individuals from several program offices including the Offices of Pesticides, Prevention, and Toxic Substances, the Office of Water, and the Office of Research and Development, Of...

78 FR 25436 - SFIREG Environmental Quality Issues Committee; Notice of Public Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-01

... human health, environmental exposure to pesticides, and insight into EPA's decision-making process. You.... SUMMARY: The Association of American Pesticide Control Officials (AAPCO)/State FIFRA Issues Research and... External Affairs Division (7506P), Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200...

PERFORMANCE AUDITING OF A HUMAN AIR POLLUTION EXPOSURE CHAMBER FOR PM2.5

EPA Science Inventory

Databases derived from human health effects research play a vital role in setting environmental standards. An underlying assumption in using these databases for standard setting purposes is that they are of adequate quality. The performance auditing program described provides n...

One Head Start Classroom's Experience: Computers and Young Children's Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fischer, Melissa Anne; Gillespie, Catherine Wilson

2003-01-01

Contends that early childhood educators need to understand how exposure to computers and constructive computer programs affects the development of children. Specifically examines: (1) research on children's technology experiences; (2) determining best practices; and (3) addressing educators' concerns about computers replacing other developmentally…

THE BARKER HYPOTHESIS: IMPLICATIONS FOR FUTURE DIRECTIONS IN TOXICOLOGY RESEARCH

EPA Science Inventory

This review covers the past year’s papers germane to the Barker hypothesis. While much of the literature has centered on maternal and developmental nutrition, new findings have emerged on the ability of toxic exposures during development to impact fetal/developmental programming....

Infant Television and Video Exposure Associated With Limited Parent-Child Verbal Interactions in Low Socioeconomic Status Households

PubMed Central

Mendelsohn, Alan L.; Berkule, Samantha B.; Tomopoulos, Suzy; Tamis-LeMonda, Catherine S.; Huberman, Harris S.; Alvir, Jose; Dreyer, Benard P.

2011-01-01

Objective To assess verbal interactions related to television and other electronic media exposure among mothers and 6 month-old-infants. Design Cross-sectional analysis of 154 mother-infant dyads participating in a long-term study related to early child development. Setting Urban public hospital. Participants Low socioeconomic status mothers of 6-month-old infants. Main Exposure Media exposure and content. Main Outcome Measures Mother-infant verbal interaction associated with media exposure and maternal coviewing. Results Of 154 low socioeconomic status mothers, 149 (96.8%) reported daily media exposure in their infants, with median exposure of 120 (interquartile range, 60-210) minutes in a 24-hour period. Among 426 program exposures, mother-infant interactions were reported during 101 (23.7%). Interactions were reported most frequently with educational young child–oriented media (42.8% of programs), compared with 21.3% of noneducational young child–oriented programs (adjusted odds ratio, 0.4; 95% confidence interval, 0.1-0.98) and 14.7% of school-age/teenage/adult–oriented programs (adjusted odds ratio, 0.2; 95% confidence interval, 0.1-0.3). Among coviewed programs with educational content, mothers reported interactions during 62.7% of exposures. Coviewing was not reported more frequently for educational young child–oriented programs. Conclusions We found limited verbal interactions during television exposure in infancy, with interactions reported for less than one-quarter of exposures. Although interactions were most commonly reported among programs with educational content that had been coviewed, programs with educational content were not more likely to be coviewed than were other programs. Our findings do not support development of infant-directed educational programming in the absence of strategies to increase coviewing and interactions. PMID:18458186

Infant television and video exposure associated with limited parent-child verbal interactions in low socioeconomic status households.

PubMed

Mendelsohn, Alan L; Berkule, Samantha B; Tomopoulos, Suzy; Tamis-LeMonda, Catherine S; Huberman, Harris S; Alvir, Jose; Dreyer, Benard P

2008-05-01

To assess verbal interactions related to television and other electronic media exposure among mothers and 6 month-old-infants. Cross-sectional analysis of 154 mother-infant dyads participating in a long-term study related to early child development. Urban public hospital. Low socioeconomic status mothers of 6-month-old infants. Main Exposure Media exposure and content. Mother-infant verbal interaction associated with media exposure and maternal coviewing. Of 154 low socioeconomic status mothers, 149 (96.8%) reported daily media exposure in their infants, with median exposure of 120 (interquartile range, 60-210) minutes in a 24-hour period. Among 426 program exposures, mother-infant interactions were reported during 101 (23.7%). Interactions were reported most frequently with educational young child-oriented media (42.8% of programs), compared with 21.3% of noneducational young child-oriented programs (adjusted odds ratio, 0.4; 95% confidence interval, 0.1-0.98) and 14.7% of school-age/teenage/adult-oriented programs (adjusted odds ratio, 0.2; 95% confidence interval, 0.1-0.3). Among coviewed programs with educational content, mothers reported interactions during 62.7% of exposures. Coviewing was not reported more frequently for educational young child-oriented programs. We found limited verbal interactions during television exposure in infancy, with interactions reported for less than one-quarter of exposures. Although interactions were most commonly reported among programs with educational content that had been coviewed, programs with educational content were not more likely to be coviewed than were other programs. Our findings do not support development of infant-directed educational programming in the absence of strategies to increase coviewing and interactions.

Training the Translational Research Teams of the Future: UC Davis—HHMI Integrating Medicine into Basic Science Program

PubMed Central

Rainwater, Julie A.; Chiamvimonvat, Nipavan; Bonham, Ann C.; Robbins, John A.; Henderson, Stuart; Meyers, Frederick J.

2013-01-01

Abstract There is a need for successful models of how to recruit, train, and retain bench scientists at the earliest stages of their careers into translational research. One recent, promising model is the University of California Davis Howard Hughes Medical Institute Integrating Medicine into Basic Science (HHMI‐IMBS) program, part of the HHMI Med into Grad initiative. This paper outlines the HHMI‐IMBS program's logic, design, and curriculum that guide the goal of research that moves from bedside to bench. That is, a curriculum that provides graduate students with guided translational training, clinical exposure, team science competencies, and mentors from diverse disciplines that will advance the students careers in clinical translational research and re‐focusing of research to answer clinical dilemmas. The authors have collected data on 55 HHMI‐IMBS students to date. Many of these students are still completing their graduate work. In the current study the authors compare the initial two cohorts (15 students) with a group of 29 control students to examine the program success and outcomes. The data indicate that this training program provides an effective, adaptable model for training future translational researchers. HHMI‐IMBS students showed improved confidence in conducting translational research, greater interest in a future translational career, and higher levels of research productivity and collaborations than a comparable group of predoctoral students. PMID:24127920

Does Doing Scientific Research in High School Correlate with Students Staying in Science? A Half-Century Retrospective Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roberts, Lesley F.; Wassersug, Richard J.

2009-03-01

The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) has declared in an advertising campaign that “you can’t start young enough” in science. However, there is no long-term data evaluating the effect of early exposure to original scientific research on producing career scientists. To address this issue, we examined a hands-on summer science research program for high school students that ran from 1958 to 1972. We compared participants in that program with science students that only began their hands-on research experience once in university. Our data indicate that students who are interested in science and have an opportunity to participate in original scientific research while in high school are significantly more likely ( p < .005) to both enter and maintain a career in science compared to students whose first research experience didn’t occur until university. Our data suggest that more hands-on high school science research programs could help increase the number of students entering and maintaining scientific careers, relieving the growing concern that North America is losing its leadership status in the international scientific community.

Programming research: where are we and where do we go from here?

PubMed

Koletzko, Berthold; Symonds, Michael E; Olsen, Sjurdur F

2011-12-01

Convincing evidence has accumulated to show that both pre- and postnatal nutrition preprogram long-term health, well-being, and performance until adulthood and old age. There is a very large potential in the application of this knowledge to promote public health. One of the prerequisites for translational application is to strengthen the scientific evidence. More extensive knowledge is needed (eg, on effect sizes of early life programming in contemporary populations, on specific nutritional exposures, on sensitive time periods in early life, on precise underlying mechanisms, and on potential effect differences in subgroups characterized by, eg, genetic predisposition or sex). Future programming research should aim at filling the existing gaps in scientific knowledge, consider the entire lifespan, address socioeconomic issues, and foster innovation. Research should aim at results suitable for translational application (eg, by leading to health-promoting policies and evidence-based dietary recommendations in the perinatal period). International collaboration and a close research partnership of academia, industry, and small and medium enterprises may strengthen research and innovative potential enhancing the likelihood of translational application. The scientific know-how and methodology available today allow us to take major steps forward in the near future; hence, research on nutritional programming deserves high priority.

Physiologic bases of G-induced loss of consciousness (G-LOC).

PubMed

Werchan, P M

1991-07-01

Exposure of pilots to high sustained +Gz (head to feet) or rapid onset of +Gz can produce a variety of pathophysiologic effects ranging from the loss of peripheral vision to total blackout and, finally, G-induced loss of consciousness (G-LOC). A G-LOC research program divided into four phases has been organized at USAFSAM/Crew Technology Division. In contrast to previous studies in acceleration, this program will focus exclusively on the ultimate problem in G-LOC; namely, inadequate cerebral perfusion leading to impaired brain energy metabolism, structure and function. The primary objective of this research program is to identify and arrange chronologically the numerous physiological and biochemical alterations in the brain that comprise the mechanism of G-LOC.

How does investment in research training affect the development of research networks and collaborations?

PubMed

Paina, Ligia; Ssengooba, Freddie; Waswa, Douglas; M'imunya, James M; Bennett, Sara

2013-05-20

Whether and how research training programs contribute to research network development is underexplored. The Fogarty International Center (FIC) has supported overseas research training programs for over two decades. FIC programs could provide an entry point in the development of research networks and collaborations. We examine whether FIC's investment in research training contributed to the development of networks and collaborations in two countries with longstanding FIC investments - Uganda and Kenya - and the factors which facilitated this process. As part of two case studies at Uganda's Makerere University and Kenya's University of Nairobi, we conducted 53 semi-structured in-depth interviews and nine focus group discussions. To expand on our case study findings, we conducted a focused bibliometric analysis on two purposively selected topic areas to examine scientific productivity and used online network illustration tools to examine the resulting network structures. FIC support made important contributions to network development. Respondents from both Uganda and Kenya confirmed that FIC programs consistently provided trainees with networking skills and exposure to research collaborations, primarily within the institutions implementing FIC programs. In both countries, networks struggled with inclusiveness, particularly in HIV/AIDS research. Ugandan respondents perceived their networks to be more cohesive than Kenyan respondents did. Network cohesiveness was positively correlated with the magnitude and longevity of FIC's programs. Support from FIC grants to local and regional research network development and networking opportunities, such as conferences, was rare. Synergies between FIC programs and research grants helped to solidify and maintain research collaborations. Networks developed where FIC's programs focused on a particular institution, there was a critical mass of trainees with similar interests, and investments for network development were available from early implementation. Networks were less likely to emerge where FIC efforts were thinly scattered across multiple institutions. The availability of complementary research grants created opportunities for researchers to collaborate in grant writing, research implementation, and publications. FIC experiences in Uganda and Kenya showcase the important role of research training programs in creating and sustaining research networks. FIC programs should consider including support to research networks more systematically in their capacity development agenda.

3500-hour durability testing of ceramic materials for automotive gas turbine engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carruthers, W. D.; Richerson, D. W.; Benn, K. W.

1980-01-01

A two-year durability program was performed by AiResearch Phoenix to evaluate four commercially available ceramic materials under simulated automotive gas turbine combustor discharge conditions. These conditions included extended cyclic thermal exposures up to 2500 F and 3500 hr. The four materials selected for evaluation were Norton NCX-34 hot pressed silicon nitride, AiResearch RBN 101 reaction bonded silicon nitride, Carborundum pressureless sintered alpha-SiC and Pure Carbon Co. (British Nuclear Fuels, Ltd.) Refel reaction sintered silicon carbide. These materials were initially exposed to 350 hr/1750 cycles at 1200 and 1370 C. Subsequent exposures to 1050, 2100 and 3500 hr were performed on those materials maintaining 50% of baseline strength after the initial exposure. Additional evaluations of exposed bars included dimensional and weight changes, dye penetrant, specific damping capacity changes, SEM fractography, and X-ray diffraction.

Expanding the Classroom: Benefits of Field Classes for Interdisciplinary Courses.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schwarzschild, A.

2014-12-01

Ecological Research stations are often used to house field trips and short courses for science classes. These facilities, however, can also provide unique benefits when used for interdisciplinary courses and Professional Development programs not directly tied to field research. Located near the southern tip of the Delmarva Peninsula, the University of Virginia's Anheuser-Busch Coastal Research Center (ABCRC) serves as the field station for the Virginia Coast Reserve Long Term Ecological Research Program (VCR-LTER). Along with hosting field trips and short course for subjects like Marine Biology, Aquatic Ecology and Coastal Geology, the ABCRC has recently hosted Professional Development programs for public school Art teachers and a Nature Writing class for college students. These interdisciplinary programs are part of the ABCRC's participation in the Ecological Reflections Program (http://www.ecologicalreflections.com/) sponsored by The National Science Foundation and the LTER Network, with a goal of tying VCR-LTER data with the Humanities to increase appreciation of coastal environments and the ecosystem services they provide. Participants in these interdisciplinary programs are exposed to cutting edge field research and immersed (often quite literally) in coastal environments while they practice their art forms. The resulting paintings, drawings, nature essays and short stories demonstrate the impacts exposure to natural environments can have on program participants and how these experiences may shape their future works. Public exhibitions and readings allow these experiences to be shared with a larger audience.

Issues Surrounding the Evaluation of Teacher Internship Programs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barrett, D.

2006-12-01

Georgia Intern-Fellowships for Teachers (GIFT) is a collaborative effort designed to enhance mathematics and science experiences of Georgia teachers and their students through summer research internships for teachers. By offering business, industry, public science institute and research summer fellowships to teachers, GIFT provides educators with first-hand exposure to the skills and knowledge necessary for the preparation of our future workforce. Since 1991, GIFT has placed middle and high school math, science and technology teachers in over 1100 positions throughout the state. In these fellowships, teachers are involved in cutting edge scientific and engineering research, data analysis, curriculum development and real-world inquiry and problem solving, and create Action Plans to assist them in translating the experience into changed classroom practice. Since 2004, an increasing number of high school students have worked with their teachers in research laboratories. The GIFT program has an advisory board composed of university researchers, business and education leaders. The board members work in various subcommittees assisting the program with areas such as sponsor recruitment, evaluation and long term planning. The evaluation subcommittee has been actively involved in providing direction regarding the evaluation of the GIFT program's impact on teachers and their students. The program recently conducted a survey of its former participants. This presentation will discuss the results of the survey and the challenges associated with program evaluation of teacher internship programs.

NASA's Space Science Programming Possibilities for Planetaria

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adams, M. L.

2003-01-01

The relationship between NASA and the planetarium community is an important one. Indeed, NASA's Office of Space Science has invested in a study of the Space Science Media Needs of Science Center Professionals. Some of the findings indicate a need for exposure to space science researchers, workshops for museum educators, 'canned' programs, and access to a speakers bureau. We will discuss some of the programs of NASA's Sun-Earth Connection Education Forum, distribute sample multimedia products, explain the role of NASA's Educator Resource Center, and review our contributions to NASA's Education and Public Outreach effort.

High-Throughput Exposure Potential Prioritization for ToxCast Chemicals

EPA Science Inventory

The U.S. EPA must consider lists of hundreds to thousands of chemicals when prioritizing research resources in order to identify risk to human populations and the environment. High-throughput assays to identify biological activity in vitro have allowed the ToxCastTM program to i...

COMPREHENSIVE PBPK MODELING APPROACH USING THE EXPOSURE RELATED DOSE ESTIMATING MODEL (ERDEM)

EPA Science Inventory

ERDEM, a complex PBPK modeling system, is the result of the implementation of a comprehensive PBPK modeling approach. ERDEM provides a scalable and user-friendly environment that enables researchers to focus on data input values rather than writing program code. It efficiently ...

National Evaluation of Safe Start Promising Approaches: Assessing Program Implementation. Technical Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schultz, Dana; Jaycox, Lisa H.; Hickman, Laura J.; Chandra, Anita; Barnes-Proby, Dionne; Acosta, Joie; Beckman, Alice; Francois, Taria; Honess-Morreale, Lauren

2010-01-01

Children's exposure to violence (CEV)--including direct child maltreatment, witnessing domestic violence, and witnessing community and school violence--can have serious consequences, including a variety of psychiatric disorders and behavioral problems, such as posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety. Fortunately, research has shown…

PERFORMANCE AUDITING OF A HUMAN AIR POLLUTION EXPOSURE SYSTEM FOR PM2.5

EPA Science Inventory

Databases derived from human health effects research play a vital role in setting environmental standards. An underlying assumption in using these databases for standard setting purposes is that they are of adequate quality. The performance auditing program described in this ma...

Space Station program status and research capabilities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holt, Alan C.

1995-01-01

Space Station will be a permanent orbiting laboratory in space which will provide researchers with unprecedented opportunities for access to the space environment. Space Station is designed to provide essential resources of volume, crew, power, data handling and communications to accommodate experiments for long-duration studies in technology, materials and the life sciences. Materials and coatings for exposure research will be supported by Space Station, providing new knowledge for applications in Earthbased technology and future space missions. Space Station has been redesigned at the direction of the President. The redesign was performed to significantly reduce development, operations and utilization costs while achieving many of the original goals for long duration scientific research. An overview of the Space Station Program and capabilities for research following the redesign is presented below. Accommodations for pressurized and external payloads are described.

Food and beverage TV advertising to young children: Measuring exposure and potential impact.

PubMed

Harris, Jennifer L; Kalnova, Svetlana S

2018-04-01

Children of all ages are vulnerable to influence from exposure to unhealthy food advertisements, but experts raise additional concerns about children under 6 due to their more limited cognitive abilities. Most companies in the U.S. Children's Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative (CFBAI) industry self-regulatory program pledge to not direct any advertising to children under 6. However, young children also watch programming primarily directed to older children and thus may view food-related advertising despite companies' pledges. Research is required to understand the amount and potential impact of this exposure on preschool-age children. Study 1 uses Nielsen advertising exposure data to compare preschoolers' (2-5 years) and older children's (6-11 years) exposure to food advertising in 2015. Preschoolers viewed on average 3.2 food ads daily on children's programming, just 6% fewer compared to 6- to 11-year-olds; over 60% were placed by CFBAI-participating companies. Study 2 exposed young children (N = 49) in a child-care setting to child-directed food ads, measured their attitudes about the ads and advertised brands, and compared responses by 4- to 5-year-olds and 6- to 7-year olds. Most children indicated that they liked the child-directed ads, with media experience associated with greater liking for both age groups. Ad liking and previous consumption independently predicted brand liking for both age groups, although previous consumption was a stronger predictor for older children. Despite pledges by food companies to not direct advertising to children under age 6, preschoolers continue to view advertisements placed by these companies daily, including on children's programming. This advertising likely increases children's preferences for nutritionally poor advertised brands. Food companies and media companies airing children's programming should do more to protect young children from advertising that takes advantage of their vulnerabilities. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

NASA Space Radiation Protection Strategies: Risk Assessment and Permissible Exposure Limits

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Huff, J. L.; Patel, Z. S.; Simonsen, L. C.

2017-01-01

Permissible exposure limits (PELs) for short-term and career astronaut exposures to space radiation have been set and approved by NASA with the goal of protecting astronauts against health risks associated with ionizing radiation exposure. Short term PELs are intended to prevent clinically significant deterministic health effects, including performance decrements, which could threaten astronaut health and jeopardize mission success. Career PELs are implemented to control late occurring health effects, including a 3% risk of exposure induced death (REID) from cancer, and dose limits are used to prevent cardiovascular and central nervous system diseases. For radiation protection, meeting the cancer PEL is currently the design driver for galactic cosmic ray and solar particle event shielding, mission duration, and crew certification (e.g., 1-year ISS missions). The risk of cancer development is the largest known long-term health consequence following radiation exposure, and current estimates for long-term health risks due to cardiovascular diseases are approximately 30% to 40% of the cancer risk for exposures above an estimated threshold (Deep Space one-year and Mars missions). Large uncertainties currently exist in estimating the health risks of space radiation exposure. Improved understanding through radiobiology and physics research allows increased accuracy in risk estimation and is essential for ensuring astronaut health as well as for controlling mission costs, optimization of mission operations, vehicle design, and countermeasure assessment. We will review the Space Radiation Program Element's research strategies to increase accuracy in risk models and to inform development and validation of the permissible exposure limits.

Teaching qualitative research to BSW students through exposure to aging.

PubMed

Sidell, Nancy L

2007-01-01

This article describes one rural program's efforts to expose students to gerontology through teaching qualitative research methodology. A collaborative research pilot project was developed with a local nursing home. BSW students worked in two groups to conduct and present qualitative research projects by the course's completion. This article describes the research project and evaluates the project's success from student and instructor viewpoints. Significant differences were found in self-reported student knowledge of key concepts at the project's completion, compared with pre-test knowledge. Student comments revealed value in this teaching approach. Implications for further engaging students in gerontological research are discussed.

Nebraska Prostate Cancer Research Program

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-05-01

Powell. (2012). Dioxin exposure enhances nuclear localization of androgen receptor. The 8th Annual National Symposium on Prostate Cancer by CCRTD...cholesterol. Mol . Cellu. Endo. 295:115-120. 2. Siegel, R., Naishadham, D., and Jemal, A. (2012). Cancer Statistics, 2012. CA Cancer J Clin 62: 10-29...Ul DIOXIN J!1XPOSURE EN CES NUCLEAR LOCALIZATION OF ANDROGEN RECEPTOR\\~f..aTayia Aaron, nd Joann Powell, Center for Cancer Research and Therapeutic

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lee Cadwallader

The safety of personnel at existing fusion experiments is an important concern that requires diligence. Looking to the future, fusion experiments will continue to increase in power and operating time until steady state power plants are achieved; this causes increased concern for personnel safety. This paper addresses four important aspects of personnel safety in the present and extrapolates these aspects to future power plants. The four aspects are personnel exposure to ionizing radiation, chemicals, magnetic fields, and radiofrequency (RF) energy. Ionizing radiation safety is treated well for present and near-term experiments by the use of proven techniques from other nuclearmore » endeavors. There is documentation that suggests decreasing the annual ionizing radiation exposure limits that have remained constant for several decades. Many chemicals are used in fusion research, for parts cleaning, as use as coolants, cooling water cleanliness control, lubrication, and other needs. In present fusion experiments, a typical chemical laboratory safety program, such as those instituted in most industrialized countries, is effective in protecting personnel from chemical exposures. As fusion facilities grow in complexity, the chemical safety program must transition from a laboratory scale to an industrial scale program that addresses chemical use in larger quantity. It is also noted that allowable chemical exposure concentrations for workers have decreased over time and, in some cases, now pose more stringent exposure limits than those for ionizing radiation. Allowable chemical exposure concentrations have been the fastest changing occupational exposure values in the last thirty years. The trend of more restrictive chemical exposure regulations is expected to continue into the future. Other issues of safety importance are magnetic field exposure and RF energy exposure. Magnetic field exposure limits are consensus values adopted as best practices for worker safety; a typical exposure value is ~1000 times the Earth’s magnetic field, but the Earth’s field is a very low value. Allowable static magnetic field exposure limits have remained constant over the recent past and would appear to remain constant for the foreseeable future. Some existing fusion experiments have suffered from RF energy leakage from waveguides, the typical practice to protect personnel is establishing personnel exclusion areas when systems are operating. RF exposure limits have remained fairly constant for overall body exposures, but have become more specific in the exposure frequency values. This paper describes the occupational limits for those types of exposure, how these exposures are managed, and also discusses the likelihood of more restrictive regulations being promulgated that will affect the design of future fusion power plants and safety of their personnel.« less

Computational Toxicology at the US EPA | Science Inventory ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Computational toxicology is the application of mathematical and computer models to help assess chemical hazards and risks to human health and the environment. Supported by advances in informatics, high-throughput screening (HTS) technologies, and systems biology, EPA is developing robust and flexible computational tools that can be applied to the thousands of chemicals in commerce, and contaminant mixtures found in America’s air, water, and hazardous-waste sites. The ORD Computational Toxicology Research Program (CTRP) is composed of three main elements. The largest component is the National Center for Computational Toxicology (NCCT), which was established in 2005 to coordinate research on chemical screening and prioritization, informatics, and systems modeling. The second element consists of related activities in the National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory (NHEERL) and the National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL). The third and final component consists of academic centers working on various aspects of computational toxicology and funded by the EPA Science to Achieve Results (STAR) program. Key intramural projects of the CTRP include digitizing legacy toxicity testing information toxicity reference database (ToxRefDB), predicting toxicity (ToxCast™) and exposure (ExpoCast™), and creating virtual liver (v-Liver™) and virtual embryo (v-Embryo™) systems models. The models and underlying data are being made publicly available t

Adolescent development, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal function, and programming of adult learning and memory.

PubMed

McCormick, Cheryl M; Mathews, Iva Z

2010-06-30

Chronic exposure to stress is known to affect learning and memory in adults through the release of glucocorticoid hormones by the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. In adults, glucocorticoids alter synaptic structure and function in brain regions that express high levels of glucocorticoid receptors and that mediate goal-directed behaviour and learning and memory. In contrast to relatively transient effects of stress on cognitive function in adulthood, exposure to high levels of glucocorticoids in early life can produce enduring changes through substantial remodeling of the developing nervous system. Adolescence is another time of significant brain development and maturation of the HPA axis, thereby providing another opportunity for glucocorticoids to exert programming effects on neurocircuitry involved in learning and memory. These topics are reviewed, as is the emerging research evidence in rodent models highlighting that adolescence may be a period of increased vulnerability compared to adulthood in which exposure to high levels of glucocorticoids results in enduring changes in adult cognitive function. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Future human health research directions for the Canadian Northern Contaminants Program.

PubMed

Donaldson, Shawn G; Curren, Meredith S; Adlard, Bryan; Provost, Jonathan; Leech, Tara; Tikhonov, Constantine; Feeley, Mark; Tomlinson, Scott; Shearer, Russel

2013-01-01

Studies conducted in the mid-1980s and early 1990s demonstrated that persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and metals were reaching the Arctic ecosystem at unexpectedly high levels, many of which had no Arctic or Canadian sources. Epidemiological and toxicological studies in Canada and in other countries have found that these contaminants may pose a risk to human health. The objective of this paper is to provide the foundation for the discussion on future northern human health research under the Northern Contaminants Program (NCP) in Canada. This short discussion of human health priorities will help guide a path forward for future northern human health research in Canada to address on-going and new health concerns related to contaminants exposure in the Canadian Arctic.

The development of composite materials for spacecraft precision reflector panels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tompkins, Stephen S.; Bowles, David E.; Funk, Joan G.; Towell, Timothy W.; Lavoie, J. A.

1990-01-01

One of the critical technology needs for large precision reflectors required for future astrophysics and optical communications is in the area of structural materials. Therefore, a major area of the Precision Segmented Reflector Program at NASA is to develop lightweight composite reflector panels with durable, space environmentally stable materials which maintain both surface figure and required surface accuracy necessary for space telescope applications. Results from the materials research and development program at NASA Langley Research Center are discussed. Advanced materials that meet the reflector panel requirements are identified. Thermal, mechanical and durability properties of candidate materials after exposure to simulated space environments are compared to the baseline material.

Pharmaceuticals in the environment--exposure, effects and risks to humans and ecosystems: what we think we know, and what we need to know

EPA Science Inventory

U.S., European and Korean environmental monitoring and research programs have confirmed the occurrence of low levels of pharmaceuticals in stream waters, in soils and streambed sediments, in ground water, in estuaries, and in drinking water.

A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH FOR PHYSIOLOGICALLY BASED PHARMACOKINETIC (PBPK) MODELS USING THE EXPOSURE RELATED DOSE ESTIMATING MODEL (ERDEM) SYSTEM

EPA Science Inventory

The implementation of a comprehensive PBPK modeling approach resulted in ERDEM, a complex PBPK modeling system. ERDEM provides a scalable and user-friendly environment that enables researchers to focus on data input values rather than writing program code. ERDEM efficiently m...

SUMMARY OF THE EPA/A&WMA INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM: MEASUREMENT OF TOXIC & RELATED AIR POLLUTANTS

EPA Science Inventory

A joint conference co-sponsored by the Atmospheric Research and Exposure Assessment Laboratory of the U.S Environmental Protection Agency and the Air & Waste Management Association was held at Raleigh, North Carolina, May 1-4, 1990. he technical program consisted of 187 presentat...

The Identification and Role of Non-Chemical Stressors as Modifiers of Chemical Exposures that Lead to Changes in Health and Well-Being in Children

EPA Science Inventory

Describe the Sustainable and Health Communities (SHC) Research Program at the U.S. EPA Discuss non-chemical stressors found in the social environment, What are they? Why are they important? Summarize current and planned work

77 FR 6822 - Second Hearing of the Attorney General's National Task Force on Children Exposed to Violence

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-09

...; comprehensive research; and extensive input from experts, advocates, and impacted families and communities... Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention, Office of Justice Programs, 810 7th Street NW., Washington, DC... the impact of children's exposure to violence. The afternoon session will likely include presentations...

42 CFR 65a.1 - To what programs do these regulations apply?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... Section 65a.1 Public Health PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES FELLOWSHIPS... understanding, assessing, and attenuating the adverse effects on human health resulting from exposure to...-biomedical research project in the fields of ecology, hydrogeology, and/or engineering, and including the...

42 CFR 65a.1 - To what programs do these regulations apply?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... Section 65a.1 Public Health PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES FELLOWSHIPS... understanding, assessing, and attenuating the adverse effects on human health resulting from exposure to...-biomedical research project in the fields of ecology, hydrogeology, and/or engineering, and including the...

PERFORMANCE AUDITING OF A HUMAN AIR POLLUTION EXPOSURE SYSTEM FOR COARSE PARTICULATE MATTER (PM2.5-10)

EPA Science Inventory

Databases derived from human health effects research play a vital role in setting environmental standards. An underlying assumption in using these databases for standard setting purposes is that they are of adequate quality. The performance auditing program described in this ma...

Comptox Chemistry Dashboard: Web-Based Data Integration Hub for Environmental Chemistry and Toxicology Data (ACS Fall meeting 4 of 12)

EPA Science Inventory

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Computational Toxicology Program integrate advances in biology, chemistry, exposure and computer science to help prioritize chemicals for further research based on potential human health risks. This work involves computational and da...

75 FR 76982 - Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS); Announcement of Availability of Literature Searches...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-12-10

... quantitative and qualitative risk information on effects that may result from exposure to specific chemical...), Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC 20460; telephone... human health assessment program that evaluates quantitative and qualitative risk information on effects...

77 FR 20817 - Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS); Announcement of Availability of Literature Searches...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-06

... quantitative and qualitative risk information on effects that may result from exposure to specific chemical... Deputy Director, National Center for Environmental Assessment, (mail code: 8601D), Office of Research and... program that evaluates quantitative and qualitative risk information on effects that may result from...

77 FR 41784 - Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS); Announcement of Availability of Literature Searches...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-16

... health assessment program that evaluates quantitative and qualitative risk information on effects that..., National Center for Environmental Assessment, (mail code: 8601P), Office of Research and Development, U.S... quantitative and qualitative risk information on effects that may result from exposure to specific chemical...

Unusual Reactivity of the Martian Soil: Oxygen Release Upon Humidification

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yen, A. S.

2002-01-01

Recent lab results show that oxygen evolves from superoxide-coated mineral grains upon exposure to water vapor. This observation is additional support of the hypothesis that UV-generated O2 is responsible for the reactivity of the martian soil. Discussion of current NASA research opportunities, status of various programs within the Solar System Exploration Division, and employment opportunities within NASA Headquarters to support these programs. Additional information is contained in the original extended abstract.

Gas and aerosol carbon in California: comparison of ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Co-located measurements of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) organic carbon (OC), elemental carbon, radiocarbon (14C), speciated volatile organic compounds (VOCs),and OH radicals during the CalNex field campaign provide a unique opportunity to evaluate the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model's representation of organic species from VOCs to particles. Episode average daily 23 h average 14C analysis indicates PM2.5 carbon at Pasadena and Bakersfield during the CalNex field campaign was evenly split between contemporary and fossil origins. CMAQ predicts a higher contemporary carbon fraction than indicated by the 14C analysis at both locations. The model underestimates measured PM2.5 organic carbon at both sites with very little (7% in Pasadena) of the modeled mass represented by secondary production, which contrasts with the ambient-based SOC/OC fraction of 63% at Pasadena. The National Exposure Research Laboratory’s (NERL’s) Human Exposure and Atmospheric Sciences Division (HEASD) conducts research in support of EPA’s mission to protect human health and the environment. HEASD’s research program supports Goal 1 (Clean Air) and Goal 4 (Healthy People) of EPA’s strategic plan. More specifically, our division conducts research to characterize the movement of pollutants from the source to contact with humans. Our multidisciplinary research program produces Methods, Measurements, and Models to identify relationships between and characterize processe

Retrievable payload carrier, next generation Long Duration Exposure Facility: Update 1992

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Perry, A. T.; Cagle, J. A.; Newman, S. C.

1993-01-01

Access to space and cost have been two major inhibitors of low Earth orbit research. The Retrievable Payload Carrier (RPC) Program is a commercial space program which strives to overcome these two barriers to space experimentation. The RPC Program's fleet of spacecraft, ground communications station, payload processing facility, and experienced integration and operations team will provide a convenient 'one-stop shop' for investigators seeking to use the unique vantage point and environment of low Earth orbit for research. The RPC is a regularly launched and retrieved, free-flying spacecraft providing resources adequate to meet modest payload/experiment requirements, and presenting ample surface area, volume, mass, and growth capacity for investigator usage. Enhanced capabilities of ground communications, solar-array-supplied electrical power, central computing, and on-board data storage pick up on the path where NASA's Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF) blazed the original technology trail. Mission lengths of 6-18 months, or longer, are envisioned. The year 1992 was designated as the 'International Space Year' and coincides with the 500th anniversary of Christopher Columbus's voyage to the New World. This is a fitting year in which to launch the full scale development of our unique shop of discovery whose intent is to facilitate retrieving technological rewards from another new world: space. Presented is an update on progress made on the RPC Program's development since the November 1991 LDEF Materials Workshop.

Nature and Impact of Alcohol Messages in a Youth-Oriented Television Series

PubMed Central

Russell, Cristel Antonia; Russell, Dale W.; Grube, Joel W.

2008-01-01

This research contributes to the extant literature on television influence by pairing a stimulus-side approach documenting how information is presented within a TV series with a response-side assessment of whether connectedness and exposure to a series influence the processing of that information differently depending on its format. The inquiry focuses on the nature and impact of messages about alcohol contained within a youth oriented TV program. The findings indicate that the recall and perception of the more overt negative messages increase with exposure and that receptiveness to the subtle and less remembered positive messages increases with levels of program connectedness. Highly connected viewers are both more receptive to and in greater agreement with the underlying positive alcohol message communicated in the series. PMID:21113396

Nature and Impact of Alcohol Messages in a Youth-Oriented Television Series.

PubMed

Russell, Cristel Antonia; Russell, Dale W; Grube, Joel W

2009-01-01

This research contributes to the extant literature on television influence by pairing a stimulus-side approach documenting how information is presented within a TV series with a response-side assessment of whether connectedness and exposure to a series influence the processing of that information differently depending on its format. The inquiry focuses on the nature and impact of messages about alcohol contained within a youth oriented TV program. The findings indicate that the recall and perception of the more overt negative messages increase with exposure and that receptiveness to the subtle and less remembered positive messages increases with levels of program connectedness. Highly connected viewers are both more receptive to and in greater agreement with the underlying positive alcohol message communicated in the series.

From Brochures to Videos to Counseling: Exposure to HIV-Prevention Programs

PubMed Central

Albarracín, Dolores; Leeper, Joshua; Earl, Allison; Durantini, Marta R.

2013-01-01

This research tested the prediction that reading a preventive brochure leads people to watch a preventive video, and that watching this video in turn leads to an increase in the likelihood of participating in a preventive counseling session. A sample of men and women from a southeastern community in the United States was recruited for a general health survey with the objective of examining participation in HIV-prevention interventions. Unobtrusive measures of exposure to HIV-prevention brochures, an HIV-prevention video, and an HIV-prevention counseling session were obtained. Findings indicated that reading the brochures increased watching the video and that watching the video increased participation in the counseling session. The association between exposure to the video and exposure to the counseling was mediated by expectations that the counseling would be useful. Findings are discussed in terms of the need to ensure exposure to interventions to achieve intervention effectiveness. PMID:17985230

Homeless Children and Their Families' Perspectives of Agency Services.

PubMed

Lorelle, Sonya; Grothaus, Tim

2015-10-01

While numerous programs aim to mediate the risks for children experiencing homelessness, there is a lack of research representing the children's and parents' perspectives in supportive housing programs. With this phenomenological qualitative study, the authors share the voices of 22 participants, including children and their families, regarding their experiences while receiving services from a homeless agency. Participating parents perceived that the program provided resources to the children that they could not provide themselves, opportunities for exposure to positive new experiences, and improved psychosocial outcomes for their children. Participants also discussed desired program changes and the responsiveness of agency staff regarding unmet needs of the children. Implications for policies and programs are discussed.

Tennessee State University (TSU) Research Project For Increasing The Pool of Minority Engineers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rogers, Decatur B.; Merritt, Sylvia (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

The NASA Glenn Research Center funded the 1998-1999 Tennessee State University (TSU) Research Project for Increasing the Pool of Minority Engineers. The NASA/GRC-TSU Research Project developed a cadre of engineers who have academic and research expertise in technical areas of interest to NASA, in addition to having some familiarity with the mission of the NASA/Glenn Research Center. Increased minority participation in engineering was accomplished by: (1) introducing and exposing minority youth to engineering careers and to the required high school preparation necessary to access engineering through two campus based precollege programs: Minority Introduction to Engineering (MITE), and Engineering and Technology Previews; (2) providing financial support through the Research Scholars Program for minority youth majoring in engineering disciplines of interest to NASA; (3) familiarization with the engineering profession and with NASA through field trips and summer internships at the Space and Rocket Center, and (4) with practical research exposure and experiences through research internships at NASA/GRC and at TSU.

Medical Research Volunteer Program (MRVP): innovative program promoting undergraduate research in the medical field.

PubMed

Dagher, Michael M; Atieh, Jessica A; Soubra, Marwa K; Khoury, Samia J; Tamim, Hani; Kaafarani, Bilal R

2016-06-06

Most educational institutions lack a structured system that provides undergraduate students with research exposure in the medical field. The objective of this paper is to describe the structure of the Medical Research Volunteer Program (MRVP) which was established at the American University of Beirut, Lebanon, as well as to assess the success of the program. The MRVP is a program that targets undergraduate students interested in becoming involved in the medical research field early on in their academic career. It provides students with an active experience and the opportunity to learn from and support physicians, clinical researchers, basic science researchers and other health professionals. Through this program, students are assigned to researchers and become part of a research team where they observe and aid on a volunteer basis. This paper presents the MRVP's four major pillars: the students, the faculty members, the MRVP committee, and the online portal. Moreover, details of the MRVP process are provided. The success of the program was assessed by carrying out analyses using information gathered from the MRVP participants (both students and faculty). Satisfaction with the program was assessed using a set of questions rated on a Likert scale, ranging from 1 (lowest satisfaction) to 5 (highest satisfaction). A total of 211 students applied to the program with a total of 164 matches being completed. Since the beginning of the program, three students have each co-authored a publication in peer-reviewed journals with their respective faculty members. The majority of the students rated the program positively. Of the total number of students who completed the program period, 35.1 % rated the effectiveness of the program with a 5, 54.8 % rated 4, and 8.6 % rated 3. A small number of students gave lower ratings of 2 and 1 (1.1 % and 0.4 %, respectively). The MRVP is a program that provides undergraduate students with the opportunity to learn about research firsthand as they volunteer and aid in different research projects. This program also provides faculty members with the help to conduct their research projects and opportunity to influence future generations. It was shown that so far the MRVP has been successful in reaching its goals, for both students and faculty.

Review of carcinogenicity of hexavalent chrome and proposal of revising approval standards for an occupational cancers in Korea.

PubMed

Kim, Jungwon; Seo, Sangyun; Kim, Yangho; Kim, Dae Hwan

2018-01-01

The objective of this study is to suggest revised recognition standards for occupational disease due to chromium (VI) by reflecting recent domestic and international research works and considering domestic exposure status with respect to target organs, exposure period, and cumulative exposure dose in relation to the chromium (VI)-induced occupational disease compensation. In this study, the reports published by major international institutions such as World Health Organization (WHO) International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) (2012), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) (2006), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) (2013), American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) (2004), National Toxicology Program (NTP) (2014), and Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ASTDR) (2012) were reviewed and the recent research works searched by PubMed were summarized. Considering the recent research works and the domestic situation, only lung cancer is conserved in the legislative bill in relation to chromium (VI), and the exposure period is not included in the bill. Nasal and paranasal sinus cancer was excluded from the list of cancers that are compensated as the chromium (VI)- induced occupational disease, while lung cancer remains in the list. In the view of legislative unity, considering the fact that only the cancers having sufficient evidence are included in the conventional list of cancers compensated as occupational disease, nasal and paranasal sinus cancer having limited evidence were excluded from the list.The exposure period was also removed from the legislative bill due to the insufficient evidence. Recent advices in connection with cumulative exposure dose were proposed, and other considerable points were provided with respect to individual occupational relevance. It is suggested that the current recognition standard which is "Lung cancer or nasal and paranasal sinus cancer caused by exposure to chromium (VI) or compounds thereof (exposure for two years or longer), or nickel compounds" should be changed to "Lung cancer caused by exposure to chromium (VI) or compounds thereof, and lung cancer or nasal and paranasal sinus cancer caused by exposure to nickel compounds".

Advancing Translational Space Research Through Biospecimen Sharing: Amplifying the Impact of Ground-Based Studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ronca, A.; Lewis, L.; Staten, B.; Moyer, E.; Vizir, V.; Gompf, H.; Hoban-Higgins, T.; Fuller, C. A.

2017-01-01

Biospecimen Sharing Programs (BSPs) have been organized by NASA Ames Research Center since the 1960s with the goal of maximizing utilization and scientific return from rare, complex and costly spaceflight experiments. BSPs involve acquiring otherwise unused biological specimens from primary space research experiments for distribution to secondary experiments. Here we describe a collaboration leveraging Ames expertise in biospecimen sharing to magnify the scientific impact of research informing astronaut health funded by the NASA Human Research Program (HRP) Human Health Countermeasures (HHC) Element. The concept expands biospecimen sharing to one-off ground-based studies utilizing analogue space platforms (e.g., Hind limb Unloading (HLU), Artificial Gravity) for rodent experiments, thereby significantly broadening the range of research opportunities with translational relevance for protecting human health in space and on Earth. In this presentation, we will report on biospecimens currently being acquired from HHC Award Head-Down Tilt as a Model for Intracranial and Intraocular Pressures, and Retinal Changes during Spaceflight, and their availability. The BSP add-on to the project described herein has already yielded for HHC-funded investigators more than 4,700 additional tissues that would otherwise have been discarded as waste, with additional tissues available for analysis. Young (3-mo old) male and female rats and Older (9-mo old) male rats are being exposed to HLU for either 7, 14, 28, or 90 days. Additional groups are exposed to 90 days of unloading followed by either 7, 14, 28 days or 90 days of recovery (normal loading). Comparisons are made with non-suspended controls. Unused tissues are: Skin, Lungs, Thymus, Adrenals, Kidneys, Spleen, Hindlimb Muscles (Soleus, Extensor Digitorum Longus, Tibialis Anterior, Plantaris Gastrocnemius), Fat Pads, Reproductive Organs, and Intestines. Tissues are harvested, weighed, preserved then archived (with metadata) using a sample tracking system (CryoTrack). Preservation techniques include snap-freezing and RNALatersnap-freezing. Specimens were weighed at the time of dissection, and organ mass: body mass ratios analyzed to determine unloading effects across conditions and durations. The results corroborate previously reported effects of short-term exposure to microgravity or unloading exposure on various organs, and provide new insights into adaptation to long-duration unloading relevant to sustained spaceflight exposures on ISS. Supported by the Human Research Program (HRP) Human Health Countermeasures (HHC) Element and NASA Grant NNX13AD94G (CAF).

Amount of Televised Alcohol Advertising Exposure and the Quantity of Alcohol Consumed by Youth.

PubMed

Naimi, Timothy S; Ross, Craig S; Siegel, Michael B; DeJong, William; Jernigan, David H

2016-09-01

Although studies demonstrate that exposure to brand-specific alcohol advertising is associated with an increased likelihood of youth consuming particular brands, the relationship between quantity of brand-specific advertising exposure and quantity of brand-specific consumption has not been firmly established. Using the Alcohol Brand Research Among Underage Drinkers (ABRAND) national sample of 1,031 young drinkers (ages 13-20), this study examined the relationship between their aggregated past-year exposure to advertising (in adstock units, a measure based on gross rating points) for 61 alcohol brands that advertised on the 20 most popular nonsports television programs viewed by underage youth and their aggregated total consumption of those same brands during the past 30 days. Predictive models adjusted for other media exposure, predictors of youth's alcohol consumption, and the consumption of brands not advertised on the 20 shows. For the fully adjusted models, each 100 adstock unit increase in exposure (about 1 SD) was associated with an increase of 5.9 drinks (95% CI [0.9, 11.0 drinks]) consumed during the past 30 days among those with less than 300 units of advertising exposure, and an increase of 55.7 drinks (95% CI [13.9, 97.4 drinks]) among those with 300 or more adstock units of exposure. Among underage youth, the quantity of brand-specific advertising exposure is positively associated with the total quantity of consumption of those advertised brands, even after controlling for the consumption of non-advertised brands. Future research should examine exposure-consumption relationships longitudinally and in other media.

Partnerships for Environmental and Occupational Justice: Contributions to Research, Capacity and Public Health

PubMed Central

Sinclair, Raymond; Payne-Sturges, Devon; Phelps, Jerry; Zenick, Harold; Collman, Gwen W.; O'Fallon, Liam R.

2009-01-01

In 1994, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) initiated a program to address communication gaps between community residents, researchers and health care providers in the context of disproportionate environmental exposures. Over 13 years, together with the Environmental Protection Agency and National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety, NIEHS funded 54 environmental justice projects. Here we examine the methods used and outcomes produced based on data gathered from summaries submitted for annual grantees' meetings. Data highlight how projects fulfilled program objectives of improving community awareness and capacity and the positive public health and public policy outcomes achieved. Our findings underscore the importance of community participation in developing effective, culturally sensitive interventions and emphasize the importance of systematic program planning and evaluation. PMID:19890151

The Impact of Early Medical School Surgical Exposure on Interest in Neurosurgery.

PubMed

Zuccato, Jeffrey A; Kulkarni, Abhaya V

2016-05-01

Medical student interest in neurosurgery is decreasing and resident attrition is trending upwards in favor of more lifestyle-friendly specialties that receive greater exposure during medical school. The University of Toronto began offering an annual two week comprehensive, focused surgical experience (Surgical Exploration and Discovery (SEAD) program) to 20 first year medical students increasing exposure to surgical careers. This study determines how SEAD affects students' views of a career in neurosurgery. Surveys were administered to 38 SEAD participants over two program cycles. Information was obtained regarding demographics, impacts of SEAD, and factors affecting career decision making. Subgroup analyses assessed for factors predicting pre- and post-intervention interest in neurosurgery. Ninety-seven percent (n=37) of students completed the survey. Before SEAD, 25% were interested in neurosurgery but this decreased to 10% post-SEAD (p=0.001). However, post-SEAD interest increased from 10% to 38% if lifestyle factors were theoretically controlled across surgical specialties (p<0.005). A majority (81%) felt SEAD improved their understanding of neurosurgery, 62.2% felt that exposure to other surgical specialties reduced their interest in neurosurgery, and 21% felt SEAD increased their interest in neurosurgery. Nineteen percent intended to explore neurosurgery further with observerships and one student planned to organize neurosurgical research. This surgical exposure intervention increased understanding about neurosurgery and reduced overall interest in neurosurgery as a career. However, those remaining interested were motivated to plan further neurosurgical clinical experiences. The SEAD program may, therefore, aid in early selection of students motivated to satisfy the demands of a neurosurgical career.

Valuing Professional Development Components for Emerging Undergraduate Researchers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheung, I.

2015-12-01

In 2004 the Hatfield Marine Science Center (HMSC) at Oregon State University (OSU) established a Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program to engage undergraduate students in hands-on research training in the marine sciences. The program offers students the opportunity to conduct research focused on biological and ecological topics, chemical and physical oceanography, marine geology, and atmospheric science. In partnership with state and federal government agencies, this ten-week summer program has grown to include 20+ students annually. Participants obtain a background in the academic discipline, professional development training, and research experience to make informed decisions about careers and advanced degrees in marine and earth system sciences. Professional development components of the program are designed to support students in their research experience, explore career goals and develop skills necessary to becoming a successful young marine scientist. These components generally include seminars, discussions, workshops, lab tours, and standards of conduct. These componentscontribute to achieving the following professional development objectives for the overall success of new emerging undergraduate researchers: Forming a fellowship of undergraduate students pursuing marine research Stimulating student interest and understanding of marine research science Learning about research opportunities at Oregon State University "Cross-Training" - broadening the hands-on research experience Exploring and learning about marine science careers and pathways Developing science communication and presentation skills Cultivating a sense of belonging in the sciences Exposure to federal and state agencies in marine and estuarine science Academic and career planning Retention of talented students in the marine science Standards of conduct in science Details of this program's components, objectives and best practices will be discussed.

Mercury Surveillance Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1993-01-01

Background on mercury exposure is presented including forms, sources, permissible exposure limits, and physiological effects. The purpose of the Mercury Surveillance Program at LeRC is outlined, and the specifics of the Medical Surveillance Program for Mercury Exposure at LeRC are discussed.

The implementation of medical monitoring programs following potentially hazardous exposures: a medico-legal perspective.

PubMed

Vearrier, David; Greenberg, Michael I

2017-11-01

Clinical toxicologists may be called upon to determine the appropriateness of medical monitoring following documented or purported exposures to toxicants in the occupational, environmental, and medical settings. We searched the MEDLINE database using the Ovid ® search engine for the following terms cross-referenced to the MeSH database: ("occupational exposures" OR "environmental exposures") AND ("physiologic monitoring" OR "population surveillance"). The titles and abstracts of the resulted articles were reviewed for relevance. We expanded our search to include non-peer-reviewed publications and gray literature and resources using the same terms as utilized in the MEDLINE search. There were a total of 48 relevant peer-reviewed and non-peer-reviewed publications. Publications excluded contained no information relevant to medical monitoring following potentially harmful toxicologic exposures, discussed only worker screening/surveillance and/or population biomonitoring, contained redundant information, or were superseded by more recent information. Approaches to medical monitoring: A consensus exists in the peer-reviewed medical literature, legal literature, and government publications that for medical monitoring to be a beneficial public health activity, careful consideration must be given to potential benefits and harms of the program. Characteristics of the exposure, the adverse human health effect, the screening test, and the natural history of the disease are important in determining whether an exposed population will reap a net benefit or harm from a proposed monitoring program. Broader interpretations of medical monitoring: Some have argued that medical monitoring programs should not be limited to exposure-related outcomes but should duplicate general preventive medicine efforts to improve public health outcomes although an overall reduction of morbidity, mortality and disability by modifying correctable risk factors and disease conditions. This broader approach is inconsistent with the targeted approach advocated by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry and the United States Preventive Services Task Force and the bulk of the peer-reviewed medical literature. Medical monitoring in legal contexts: Numerous medical monitoring actions have been litigated. Legal rationales for allowing medical monitoring claims often incorporate some of the scientific criteria for the appropriateness of monitoring programs. In the majority of cases in which plaintiffs were awarded medical monitoring relief, plaintiffs were required to demonstrate both that the condition for which medical monitoring was sought could be detected early, and that early detection and treatment will improve morbidity and mortality. However, the treatment of medical monitoring claims varies significantly depending upon jurisdiction. Examples of large-scale, comprehensive medical monitoring programs: Large-scale, comprehensive medical monitoring programs have been implemented, such as the Fernald Medical Monitoring Program and the World Trade Center Health Program, both of which exceeded the scope of medical monitoring typically recommended in the peer-reviewed medical literature and the courts. The Fernald program sought to prevent death and disability due to non-exposure-related conditions in a manner similar to general preventive medicine. The World Trade Center Health Program provides comprehensive medical care for World Trade Center responders and may be viewed as a large-scale, federally--funded research effort, which distinguishes it from medical monitoring in a medico-legal context. Synthesis of public health approaches to medical monitoring: Medical monitoring may be indicated following a hazardous exposure in limited circumstances. General causation for a specific adverse health effect must be either established by scientific consensus through a formal causal analysis using a framework such as the Bradford-Hill criteria. The exposure must be characterized and must be of sufficient severity that the exposed population has a significantly elevated risk of an adverse health effect. Monitoring must result in earlier detection of the condition than would otherwise occur and must confer a benefit in the form of primary, secondary or tertiary prevention. Outcome tables may be of use in describing the potential benefits and harms of a proposed monitoring program. In the context of litigation, plaintiffs may seek medical monitoring programs after documented or putative exposures. The role of the clinical toxicologist, in this setting, is to evaluate the scientific justifications and medical risks and assist the courts in determining whether monitoring would be expected to result in a net public health benefit.

PR2EPS: Preparation, Recruitment, Retention and Excellence in the Physical Sciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schaumloffel, John; Gallagher, Hugh; Miller, Jeremy; Labroo, Sunil; Bischoff, Paul

2004-03-01

PR2EPS, is an NSF-DUE sponsored program at SUNY Oneonta designed to attract students to study physics, chemistry and related physical science disciplines at SUNY Oneonta. The program also seeks to increase the retention rate for all students in these disciplines by providing specialized skill-building and professional development courses, an evening tutoring center, and exposure to research and professional activities during the students first three-years of undergraduate study. A key focus of the project is drawing students from the five, primarily rural and agricultural, counties surrounding Oneonta, NY. Their first direct exposure to the program will be in recruiting visits to local high schools where promising candidates will be invited to participate in a weeklong summer camp designed to demonstrate to them that they possess the requisite skills and potential to succeed in these technically demanding disciplines. A description of the program, including the collaboration of faculty from the Departments of Physics & Astronomy, Chemistry & Biochemistry, Education and as well as the initial outcomes of the tutoring center and local outreach will be presented.

Role of non-government organizations in engaging medical students in research.

PubMed

Manoranjan, Branavan; Dey, Ayan K; Wang, Xin; Kuzyk, Alexandra; Petticrew, Karen; Carruthers, Chris; Arnold, Ian

2017-03-01

The continued decline in medical trainees entering the workforce as clinician-scientists has elevated the need to engage medical students in research. While past studies have shown early exposure to generate interest among medical students for research and academic careers, financial constraints have limited the number of such formal research training programs. In light of recent government budget cuts to support research training for medical students, non-government organizations (NGOs) may play a progressively larger role in supporting the development of clinician-scientists. Since 2005, the Mach-Gaensslen Foundation has sponsored 621 Canadian medical student research projects, which represents the largest longitudinal data set of Canadian medical students engaged in research. We present the results of the pre- and post-research studentship questionnaires, program evaluation survey and the 5-year and 10-year follow-up questionnaires of past recipients. This paper provides insight into the role of NGOs as stakeholders in the training of clinician-scientists and evaluates the impact of such programs on the attitudes and career trajectory of medical students. While the problem of too few physicians entering academic and research-oriented careers continues to grow, alternative-funding strategies from NGOs may prove to be an effective approach in developing and maintaining medical student interest in research. Copyright © 2017 American Federation for Medical Research.

Development, design, and conceptual issues of project zero exposure: A program to protect young children from tobacco smoke exposure.

PubMed

Rosen, Laura J; Guttman, Nurit; Hovell, Melbourne F; Noach, Michal Ben; Winickoff, Jonathan P; Tchernokovski, Shosh; Rosenblum, Joseph K; Rubenstein, Uri; Seidmann, Vered; Vardavas, Constantine I; Klepeis, Neil E; Zucker, David M

2011-06-28

Tobacco smoke exposure (TSE) is a serious threat to child health. Roughly 40% of children worldwide are exposed to tobacco smoke, and the very young are often "captive smokers" in homes in which others smoke.The goal of this research project is to develop and evaluate an intervention to reduce young child tobacco smoke exposure. The objective of this paper is to document our approach to building the intervention, to describe the planned intervention, and to explore the conceptual issues regarding the intervention and its evaluation. This project is being developed using an iterative approach. We are currently in the middle of Stage 1. In this first stage, Intervention Development, we have already conducted a comprehensive search of the professional literature and internet resources, consulted with experts in the field, and conducted several Design Workshops. The planned intervention consists of parental group support therapy, a website to allow use of an "online/offline" approach, involvement of pediatricians, use of a video simulation game ("Dr. Cruz") to teach parents about child TSE, and personalized biochemical feedback on exposure levels. As part of this stage we will draw on a social marketing approach. We plan to use in-depth interviews and focus groups in order to identify barriers for behavior change, and to test the acceptability of program components.In Stage II, we plan to pilot the planned intervention with 5-10 groups of 10 parents each.In Stage III, we plan to implement and evaluate the intervention using a cluster randomized controlled trial with an estimated 540 participants. The major challenges in this research are twofold: building an effective intervention and measuring the effects of the intervention. Creation of an effective intervention to protect children from TSE is a challenging but sorely needed public health endeavor. We hope that our approach will contribute to building a stronger evidence base for control of child exposure to tobacco smoke.

Sustainable exposure prevention through innovative detection and remediation technologies from the NIEHS Superfund Research Program.

PubMed

Henry, Heather F; Suk, William A

2017-03-01

Innovative devices and tools for exposure assessment and remediation play an integral role in preventing exposure to hazardous substances. New solutions for detecting and remediating organic, inorganic, and mixtures of contaminants can improve public health as a means of primary prevention. Using a public health prevention model, detection and remediation technologies contribute to primary prevention as tools to identify areas of high risk (e.g. contamination hotspots), to recognize hazards (bioassay tests), and to prevent exposure through contaminant cleanups. Primary prevention success is ultimately governed by the widespread acceptance of the prevention tool. And, in like fashion, detection and remediation technologies must convey technical and sustainability advantages to be adopted for use. Hence, sustainability - economic, environmental, and societal - drives innovation in detection and remediation technology. The National Institute of Health (NIH) National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) Superfund Research Program (SRP) is mandated to advance innovative detection, remediation, and toxicity screening technology development through grants to universities and small businesses. SRP recognizes the importance of fast, accurate, robust, and advanced detection technologies that allow for portable real-time, on-site characterization, monitoring, and assessment of contaminant concentration and/or toxicity. Advances in non-targeted screening, biological-based assays, passive sampling devices (PSDs), sophisticated modeling approaches, and precision-based analytical tools are making it easier to quickly identify hazardous "hotspots" and, therefore, prevent exposures. Innovation in sustainable remediation uses a variety of approaches: in situ remediation; harnessing the natural catalytic properties of biological processes (such as bioremediation and phytotechnologies); and application of novel materials science (such as nanotechnology, advanced membranes, new carbon materials, and materials reuse). Collectively, the investment in new technologies shows promise to reduce the amount and toxicity of hazardous substances in the environment. This manuscript highlights SRP funded innovative devices and tools for exposure assessment and remediation of organic, inorganic, and mixtures of contaminants with a particular focus on sustainable technologies.

The 2004 NASA Faculty Fellowship Program Research Reports

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pruitt, J. R.; Karr, G.; Freeman, L. M.; Hassan, R.; Day, J. B. (Compiler)

2005-01-01

This is the administrative report for the 2004 NASA Faculty Fellowship Program (NFFP) held at the George C. Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) for the 40th consecutive year. The NFFP offers science and engineering faculty at U.S. colleges and universities hands-on exposure to NASA s research challenges through summer research residencies and extended research opportunities at participating NASA research Centers. During this program, fellows work closely with NASA colleagues on research challenges important to NASA's strategic enterprises that are of mutual interest to the fellow and the Center. The nominal starting and .nishing dates for the 10-week program were June 1 through August 6, 2004. The program was sponsored by NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC, and operated under contract by The University of Alabama, The University of Alabama in Huntsville, and Alabama A&M University. In addition, promotion and applications are managed by the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) and assessment is completed by Universities Space Research Association (USRA). The primary objectives of the NFFP are to: Increase the quality and quantity of research collaborations between NASA and the academic community that contribute to the Agency s space aeronautics and space science mission. Engage faculty from colleges, universities, and community colleges in current NASA research and development. Foster a greater public awareness of NASA science and technology, and therefore facilitate academic and workforce literacy in these areas. Strengthen faculty capabilities to enhance the STEM workforce, advance competition, and infuse mission-related research and technology content into classroom teaching. Increase participation of underrepresented and underserved faculty and institutions in NASA science and technology.

Motivators and Barriers to Participation of Ethnic Minority Families in a Family-Based HIV Prevention Program

PubMed Central

Pinto, Rogério M.; McKay, Mary M.; Baptiste, Donna; Bell, Carl C.; Madison-Boyd, Sybil; Paikoff, Roberta; Wilson, Marla; Phillips, Daisy

2010-01-01

SUMMARY Involving low-income, ethnic minority families in lengthy HIV prevention programs can be challenging. Understanding the motivators and barriers to involvement may help researchers and practitioners design programs that can be used by populations most at risk for HIV exposure. The present study discusses motivators and barriers to involvement in the Collaborative HIV Prevention and Adolescent Mental Health Project (CHAMP), using data from a sample of 118 families that participated at varying levels in the twelve sessions of the program. Most participants chose motivators that reflect their perceptions of individual and/or family needs (“CHAMP might help me, mine, and other families”), and of characteristics of the program, such as CHAMP staff were friendly, CHAMP was fun. Among barriers to involvement, respondents expressed concerns about confidentiality, and about being judged by program staff. Respondents also reported experiencing many stressful events in their families (e.g., death and violence in the family) that may have been barriers to their involvement. Knowing these motivators and barriers, researchers and practitioners can enhance involvement in HIV prevention programs. PMID:20686648

Motivators and Barriers to Participation of Ethnic Minority Families in a Family-Based HIV Prevention Program.

PubMed

Pinto, Rogério M; McKay, Mary M; Baptiste, Donna; Bell, Carl C; Madison-Boyd, Sybil; Paikoff, Roberta; Wilson, Marla; Phillips, Daisy

2007-05-01

Involving low-income, ethnic minority families in lengthy HIV prevention programs can be challenging. Understanding the motivators and barriers to involvement may help researchers and practitioners design programs that can be used by populations most at risk for HIV exposure. The present study discusses motivators and barriers to involvement in the Collaborative HIV Prevention and Adolescent Mental Health Project (CHAMP), using data from a sample of 118 families that participated at varying levels in the twelve sessions of the program. Most participants chose motivators that reflect their perceptions of individual and/or family needs ("CHAMP might help me, mine, and other families"), and of characteristics of the program, such as CHAMP staff were friendly, CHAMP was fun. Among barriers to involvement, respondents expressed concerns about confidentiality, and about being judged by program staff. Respondents also reported experiencing many stressful events in their families (e.g., death and violence in the family) that may have been barriers to their involvement. Knowing these motivators and barriers, researchers and practitioners can enhance involvement in HIV prevention programs.

Amount of Televised Alcohol Advertising Exposure and the Quantity of Alcohol Consumed by Youth

PubMed Central

Naimi, Timothy S.; Ross, Craig S.; Siegel, Michael B.; DeJong, William; Jernigan, David H.

2016-01-01

Objective: Although studies demonstrate that exposure to brand-specific alcohol advertising is associated with an increased likelihood of youth consuming particular brands, the relationship between quantity of brand-specific advertising exposure and quantity of brand-specific consumption has not been firmly established. Method: Using the Alcohol Brand Research Among Underage Drinkers (ABRAND) national sample of 1,031 young drinkers (ages 13–20), this study examined the relationship between their aggregated past-year exposure to advertising (in adstock units, a measure based on gross rating points) for 61 alcohol brands that advertised on the 20 most popular nonsports television programs viewed by underage youth and their aggregated total consumption of those same brands during the past 30 days. Predictive models adjusted for other media exposure, predictors of youth’s alcohol consumption, and the consumption of brands not advertised on the 20 shows. Results: For the fully adjusted models, each 100 adstock unit increase in exposure (about 1 SD) was associated with an increase of 5.9 drinks (95% CI [0.9, 11.0 drinks]) consumed during the past 30 days among those with less than 300 units of advertising exposure, and an increase of 55.7 drinks (95% CI [13.9, 97.4 drinks]) among those with 300 or more adstock units of exposure. Conclusions: Among underage youth, the quantity of brand-specific advertising exposure is positively associated with the total quantity of consumption of those advertised brands, even after controlling for the consumption of non-advertised brands. Future research should examine exposure–consumption relationships longitudinally and in other media. PMID:27588530

Undergraduate Psychology Students' Knowledge and Exposure to School Psychology: Suggestions for Diversifying the Field

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bocanegra, Joel O.; Gubi, Aaron A.; Fan, Chung-Hau; Hansmann, Paul R.

2015-01-01

Trainers within school psychology have struggled to recruit racial/ethnic minority graduate students, with a recent demographic survey suggesting that racial/ethnic minorities comprise 9.3% of school-based practitioners (Curtis, Castillo, & Gelley, 2012). Furthermore, research has suggested that school psychology training programs have also…

An Integrated In Vitro and Computational Approach to Define the Exposure-Dose-Toxicity Relationships In High-Throughput Screens

EPA Science Inventory

Research efforts by the US Environmental Protection Agency have set out to develop alternative testing programs to prioritize limited testing resources toward chemicals that likely represent the greatest hazard to human health and the environment. Efforts such as EPA’s ToxCast r...

Methylmercury in Marine Ecosystems: From Sources to Seafood Consumers -- A Work Group Report

EPA Science Inventory

Consumption of marine fish and shellfish is a major route of human exposure to methyl mercury. This paper is the result of a workshop by the Dartmouth Toxic Metals Research Program in November 2006 on "Fate and Bioavailability of Mercury in Aquatic Ecosystems and Effects on Human...

77 FR 22000 - Hearing of the Attorney General's National Task Force on Children Exposed to Violence

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-12

...; comprehensive research; and extensive input from experts, advocates, and impacted families and communities... & Delinquency Prevention, Office of Justice Programs, 810 7th Street NW., Washington, DC 20531. Phone: (202) 305..., introductions, and panel presentations from invited guests on the impact of children's exposure to violence. The...

Neighborhood and Family Environment of Expectans Mothers May Influence Prenatal Programming of Adult Cancer Risk: Discussion and an Illustrative DNA Methylation Example

EPA Science Inventory

Childhood stressors including physical abuse predict adult cancer risk. Prior research portrays this finding as an indirect mechanism that operates through coping behaviors, including adult smoking, or through increased toxic exposures during childhood. Little is known about pote...

76 FR 60825 - Draft Toxicological Review of Vanadium Pentoxide: In Support of Summary Information on the...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-30

...) within the EPA Office of Research and Development (ORD). EPA is releasing this draft assessment solely... quantitative and qualitative risk information on effects that may result from exposure to chemical substances found in the environment. Through the IRIS Program, EPA provides the highest quality science- based...

Future human health research directions for the Canadian Northern Contaminants Program

PubMed Central

Donaldson, Shawn G.; Curren, Meredith S.; Adlard, Bryan; Provost, Jonathan; Leech, Tara; Tikhonov, Constantine; Feeley, Mark; Tomlinson, Scott; Shearer, Russel

2013-01-01

Studies conducted in the mid-1980s and early 1990s demonstrated that persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and metals were reaching the Arctic ecosystem at unexpectedly high levels, many of which had no Arctic or Canadian sources. Epidemiological and toxicological studies in Canada and in other countries have found that these contaminants may pose a risk to human health. The objective of this paper is to provide the foundation for the discussion on future northern human health research under the Northern Contaminants Program (NCP) in Canada. This short discussion of human health priorities will help guide a path forward for future northern human health research in Canada to address on-going and new health concerns related to contaminants exposure in the Canadian Arctic. PMID:24282784

Community violence exposure and post-traumatic stress reactions among Gambian youth: the moderating role of positive school climate.

PubMed

O'Donnell, Deborah A; Roberts, William C; Schwab-Stone, Mary E

2011-01-01

Community violence exposure among youth can lead to various negative outcomes, including post-traumatic stress symptoms. Research in the Western world indicates that a number of social support factors may moderate the relation between violence exposure and internalizing symptoms. Little research has been carried out in non-Western countries. This study aimed to fill this gap by exploring the relations among violence exposure, parental warmth, positive school climate, and post-traumatic stress reactions among youth in The Republic of The Gambia, Africa. A school-based survey of youth behaviors, feelings, attitudes, and perceptions was administered to 653 students at senior secondary schools in four Gambian communities. Students reported high levels of exposure to violence. Over half of students reported witnessing someone threatened with serious physical harm, beaten up or mugged, attacked or stabbed with a knife/piece of glass, or seriously wounded in an incident of violence. Nearly half of students reported being beaten up or mugged during the past year, and nearly a quarter reported being threatened with serious physical harm. There were no sex differences in levels of exposure. Traumatic stress symptoms were common, especially among females. Both violence witnessing and violent victimization significantly predicted post-traumatic stress symptoms, and positive school climate moderated the relationship. Among youth victimized by violence, positive school climate was most strongly correlated with lower levels of post-traumatic stress at low levels of exposure. Among youth who had witnessed violence, positive school climate was most strongly correlated with lower levels of post-traumatic stress at high levels of exposure. Community-based programs that bring together parents, schools, and youth may play an important role in combating the negative effects of some types of violence exposure among Gambian youth. Youth experiencing high levels of violent victimization represent a sample of particular concern and merit special research and clinical attention.

Gaps in exposure to essential competencies in hand surgery fellowship training: a national survey of program directors.

PubMed

Sears, Erika Davis; Larson, Bradley P; Chung, Kevin C

2013-03-01

Graduate medical education has moved towards competency-based training. The aim of this study was to assess hand surgery program directors' opinions of exposure gaps in core competencies rated as essential for hand surgery training. We surveyed the 74 ACGME hand surgery fellowship program directors. Respondents rated their opinion of 9 general areas of practice, 97 knowledge topics, and 172 procedures into one of three categories: essential, exposure needed, or unnecessary. Program directors also rated trainee exposure of each component at their respective program. Moderate and large exposure gaps were respectively defined as presence of at least 25 and 50 % of programs rating trainees as not having proficiency in the component at the end of training. Sixty-two of 74 program directors (84 %) responded to the survey. For the 76 knowledge topics and 98 procedures rated as essential, a majority of the knowledge topics (61 %; n = 46) and procedures (72 %; n = 71) had at least a moderate exposure gap. In addition, 22 % (n = 17) of the essential knowledge topics and 26 % (n = 25) of the essential procedures had a large exposure gap. This study illuminates the discrepancies between what is believed to be important for practicing hand surgeons and graduates' proficiency as perceived by program directors. The field of hand surgery must work to determine if program directors have unrealistic expectations for what is essential for practicing hand surgeons or if reforms are needed to improve exposure to essential skills in hand surgery training.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Grahn, D.; Wright, B.J.; Carnes, B.A.

A research reactor for exclusive use in experimental radiobiology was designed and built at Argonne National Laboratory in the 1960`s. It was located in a special addition to Building 202, which housed the Division of Biological and Medical Research. Its location assured easy access for all users to the animal facilities, and it was also near the existing gamma-irradiation facilities. The water-cooled, heterogeneous 200-kW(th) reactor, named JANUS, became the focal point for a range of radiobiological studies gathered under the rubic of {open_quotes}the JANUS program{close_quotes}. The program ran from about 1969 to 1992 and included research at all levels ofmore » biological organization, from subcellular to organism. More than a dozen moderate- to large-scale studies with the B6CF{sub 1} mouse were carried out; these focused on the late effects of whole-body exposure to gamma rays or fission neutrons, in matching exposure regimes. In broad terms, these studies collected data on survival and on the pathology observed at death. A deliberate effort was made to establish the cause of death. This archieve describes these late-effects studies and their general findings. The database includes exposure parameters, time of death, and the gross pathology and histopathology in codified form. A series of appendices describes all pathology procedures and codes, treatment or irradiation codes, and the manner in which the data can be accessed in the ORACLE database management system. A series of tables also presents summaries of the individual experiments in terms of radiation quality, sample sizes at entry, mean survival times by sex, and number of gross pathology and histopathology records.« less

Facebook photo activity associated with body image disturbance in adolescent girls.

PubMed

Meier, Evelyn P; Gray, James

2014-04-01

The present study examined the relationship between body image and adolescent girls' activity on the social networking site (SNS) Facebook (FB). Research has shown that elevated Internet "appearance exposure" is positively correlated with increased body image disturbance among adolescent girls, and there is a particularly strong association with FB use. The present study sought to replicate and extend upon these findings by identifying the specific FB features that correlate with body image disturbance in adolescent girls. A total of 103 middle and high school females completed questionnaire measures of total FB use, specific FB feature use, weight dissatisfaction, drive for thinness, thin ideal internalization, appearance comparison, and self-objectification. An appearance exposure score was calculated based on subjects' use of FB photo applications relative to total FB use. Elevated appearance exposure, but not overall FB usage, was significantly correlated with weight dissatisfaction, drive for thinness, thin ideal internalization, and self-objectification. Implications for eating disorder prevention programs and best practices in researching SNSs are discussed.

Research on radiation exposure from CT part of hybrid camera and diagnostic CT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Solný, Pavel; Zimák, Jaroslav

2014-11-01

Research on radiation exposure from CT part of hybrid camera in seven different Departments of Nuclear Medicine (DNM) was conducted. Processed data and effective dose (E) estimations led to the idea of phantom verification and comparison of absorbed doses and software estimation. Anonymous data from about 100 examinations from each DNM was gathered. Acquired data was processed and utilized by dose estimation programs (ExPACT, ImPACT, ImpactDose) with respect to the type of examination and examination procedures. Individual effective doses were calculated using enlisted programs. Preserving the same procedure in dose estimation process allows us to compare the resulting E. Some differences and disproportions during dose estimation led to the idea of estimated E verification. Consequently, two different sets of about 100 of TLD 100H detectors were calibrated for measurement inside the Aldersnon RANDO Anthropomorphic Phantom. Standard examination protocols were examined using a 2 Slice CT- part of hybrid SPECT/CT. Moreover, phantom exposure from body examining protocol for 32 Slice and 64 Slice diagnostic CT scanner was also verified. Absorbed dose (DT,R) measured using TLD detectors was compared with software estimation of equivalent dose HT values, computed by E estimation software. Though, only limited number of cavities for detectors enabled measurement within the regions of lung, liver, thyroid and spleen-pancreas region, some basic comparison is possible.

Evaluation of an Education and Training Program to Prevent and Manage Patients' Violence in a Mental Health Setting: A Pretest-Posttest Intervention Study.

PubMed

Guay, Stéphane; Goncalves, Jane; Boyer, Richard

2016-08-01

Workplace violence can lead to serious consequences for victims, organizations, and society. Most workplace violence prevention programs aim to train staff to better recognize and safely manage at-risk situations. The Omega education and training program was developed in Canada in 1999, and has since been used to teach healthcare and mental health workers the skills needed to effectively intervene in situations of aggression. The present study was designed to assess the impact of Omega on employee psychological distress, confidence in coping, and perceived exposure to violence. This program was offered to 105 employees in a psychiatric hospital in Montreal, Canada. Eighty-nine of them accepted to participate. Questionnaires were completed before the training, after a short period of time (M = 109 days) and at follow-up (M = 441 days). Repeated-measures ANOVAs and Cohen's d effect sizes were calculated. Results demonstrated statistically significant improvements in short-term and follow-up posttest scores of psychological distress, confidence in coping, and in levels of exposure to violence. This study is one of very few to demonstrate the positive impact of this training program. Further research is needed to understand how to improve the effectiveness of the program, especially among participants resistant to change.

Choosing Psychiatry as a Career: Motivators and Deterrents at a Critical Decision-Making Juncture

PubMed Central

Wiesenfeld, Lesley; Abbey, Susan; Takahashi, Sue Glover; Abrahams, Caroline

2014-01-01

Objective To examine factors influencing the choice of psychiatry as a career between residency program application and ranking decision making. Methods: Using an online questionnaire, applicants to the largest Canadian psychiatry residency program were surveyed about the impact of various factors on their ultimate decision to enter psychiatry residency training. Results: Applicants reported that patient-related stigma was a motivator in considering psychiatry as a career, but that negative comments from colleagues, friends, and family about choosing psychiatry was a deterrent. Training program length, limited treatments, and insufficient clerkship exposure were noted as deterrents to choosing psychiatry, though future job prospects, the growing role of neuroscience, and diagnostic complexity positively influenced choosing psychiatry as a specialty. Research and elective time away opportunities were deemed relatively unimportant to ranking decisions, compared with more highly weighted factors, such as program flexibility, emphasis on psychotherapy, service– training balance, and training program location. Most applicants also reported continuing to fine tune ranking decisions between the application and ranking submission deadline. Conclusions: Stigma, exposure to psychiatry, diagnostic complexity, and an encouraging job market were highlighted as positive influences on the choice to enter psychiatry residency. Interview and information days represent opportunities for continued targeted recruitment activity for psychiatry residency programs. PMID:25161070

Evaluation of an Education and Training Program to Prevent and Manage Patients’ Violence in a Mental Health Setting: A Pretest-Posttest Intervention Study

PubMed Central

Guay, Stéphane; Goncalves, Jane; Boyer, Richard

2016-01-01

Workplace violence can lead to serious consequences for victims, organizations, and society. Most workplace violence prevention programs aim to train staff to better recognize and safely manage at-risk situations. The Omega education and training program was developed in Canada in 1999, and has since been used to teach healthcare and mental health workers the skills needed to effectively intervene in situations of aggression. The present study was designed to assess the impact of Omega on employee psychological distress, confidence in coping, and perceived exposure to violence. This program was offered to 105 employees in a psychiatric hospital in Montreal, Canada. Eighty-nine of them accepted to participate. Questionnaires were completed before the training, after a short period of time (M = 109 days) and at follow-up (M = 441 days). Repeated-measures ANOVAs and Cohen’s d effect sizes were calculated. Results demonstrated statistically significant improvements in short-term and follow-up posttest scores of psychological distress, confidence in coping, and in levels of exposure to violence. This study is one of very few to demonstrate the positive impact of this training program. Further research is needed to understand how to improve the effectiveness of the program, especially among participants resistant to change. PMID:27490582

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stayner, L.T.; Meinhardt, T.; Hardin, B.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health, and Mine Safety and Health Acts, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is charged with development of recommended occupational safety and health standards, and with conducting research to support the development of these standards. Thus, NIOSH has been actively involved in the analysis of risk associated with occupational exposures, and in the development of research information that is critical for the risk assessment process. NIOSH research programs and other information resources relevant to the risk assessment process are described in this paper. Future needs for information resources are also discussed.

Intimate Partner Violence Survivors' Reports of Their Children's Exposure to Companion Animal Maltreatment: A Qualitative Study.

PubMed

McDonald, Shelby Elaine; Collins, Elizabeth A; Maternick, Anna; Nicotera, Nicole; Graham-Bermann, Sandra; Ascione, Frank R; Williams, James Herbert

2017-01-01

Children living in households where intimate partner violence (IPV) is present are at increased risk of being exposed to concomitant maltreatment of companion animals. Recent research suggests that childhood exposure to maltreatment of companion animals is associated with compromised socioemotional well-being in childhood and adulthood. To date, there is a dearth of qualitative research examining how children experience animal maltreatment in the context of IPV. The current qualitative study explored the following research question in an ethnically diverse sample of IPV survivors: How do maternal caregivers convey the ways in which their children experience animal maltreatment in IPV-affected households? Sixty-five women with at least one child (age 7-12 years) were recruited from domestic violence agencies and described their child(ren)'s experiences of animal maltreatment in the home. Template analysis was used to analyze interview data (KALPHA = .90). Three themes emerged related to children's experiences of animal maltreatment: (a) direct exposure to animal maltreatment and related threats, (b) emotional and behavioral responses to animal maltreatment exposure, and (c) animal maltreatment as coercive control of the child. Results suggest that children's exposure to animal maltreatment is multifaceted and may exacerbate children's risk of negative psychosocial outcomes in the context of co-occurring IPV. Intervention programs designed to assist children exposed to IPV should consider the extent of children's awareness of the abuse of their pets and their strong and deleterious reactions to it.

EVALUATING COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE DERMAL ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

As the Human Exposure Program focuses on the exposure of children to pesticides, there are concerns about the effect, or perceived effect, of components of the sampling procedure on the health and well-being of the infant and the ability to collect pesticide residues. One concern involves the materials in wipes used to collect pesticide residues or other contact materials on the skin. In recent studies (e.g., National Human Exposure Assessment Survey; NHEXAS), isopropyl alcohol has been used as a solvent in conjunction with a cloth wipe to obtain samples from the hands of adults and children. Although isopropyl alcohol is generally considered innocuous, the use of commercially available products could eliminate concerns about exposure to alcohol. A few studies have evaluated the potential of commercially available baby wipes to collect personal exposure samples for metals research, but not for the area of pesticide research (Millson et al., 1994; Campbell et al., 1993; Lichtenwalner et al., 1993). Therefore, there is a need to evaluate the potential for using commercially available baby wipes for collecting pesticide samples from skin and other surfaces. Another concern involves establishing a convenient and safe method for assessing overall dermal exposure for children, especially for those in crawling stage. One route that the U .S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) would like to investigate is the use of cotton body suits (infant sleepers) as an indicator

Comparative Study in Laboratory Rats to Validate Sperm Quality Methods and Endpoints

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Price, W. A.; Briggs, G. B.; Alexander, W. K.; Still, K. R.; Grasman, K. A.

2000-01-01

Abstract The Naval Health Research Center, Detachment (Toxicology) performs toxicity studies in laboratory animals to characterize the risk of exposure to chemicals of Navy interest. Research was conducted at the Toxicology Detachment at WPAFB, OH in collaboration with Wright State University, Department of Biological Sciences for the validation of new bioassay methods for evaluating reproductive toxicity. The Hamilton Thorne sperm analyzer was used to evaluate sperm damage produced by exposure to a known testicular toxic agent, methoxyacetic acid and by inhalation exposure to JP-8 and JP-5 in laboratory rats. Sperm quality parameters were evaluated (sperm concentration, motility, and morphology) to provide evidence of sperm damage. The Hamilton Thorne sperm analyzer utilizes a DNA specific fluorescent stain (similar to flow cytometry) and digitized optical computer analysis to detect sperm cell damage. The computer assisted sperm analysis (CASA) is a more rapid, robust, predictive and sensitive method for characterizing reproductive toxicity. The results presented in this poster report validation information showing exposure to methoxyacetic acid causes reproductive toxicity and inhalation exposure to JP-8 and JP-5 had no significant effects. The CASA method detects early changes that result in reproductive deficits and these data will be used in a continuing program to characterize the toxicity of chemicals, and combinations of chemicals, of military interest to formulate permissible exposure limits.

Limits on light WIMPs with a 1 kg-scale germanium detector at 160 eVee physics threshold at the China Jinping Underground Laboratory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Li-Tao; Li, Hau-Bin; Yue, Qian; Kang, Ke-Jun; Cheng, Jian-Ping; Li, Yuan-Jing; Tsz-King Wong, Henry; Aǧartioǧlu, M.; An, Hai-Peng; Chang, Jian-Ping; Chen, Jing-Han; Chen, Yun-Hua; Deng, Zhi; Du, Qiang; Gong, Hui; He, Li; Hu, Jin-Wei; Hu, Qing-Dong; Huang, Han-Xiong; Jia, Li-Ping; Jiang, Hao; Li, Hong; Li, Jian-Min; Li, Jin; Li, Xia; Li, Xue-Qian; Li, Yu-Lan; Lin, Fong-Kay; Lin, Shin-Ted; Liu, Shu-Kui; Liu, Zhong-Zhi; Ma, Hao; Ma, Jing-Lu; Pan, Hui; Ren, Jie; Ruan, Xi-Chao; Sevda, B.; Sharma, Vivek; Shen, Man-Bin; Singh, Lakhwinder; Singh, Manoj Kumar; Tang, Chang-Jian; Tang, Wei-You; Tian, Yang; Wang, Ji-Min; Wang, Li; Wang, Qing; Wang, Yi; Wu, Shi-Yong; Wu, Yu-Cheng; Xing, Hao-Yang; Xu, Yin; Xue, Tao; Yang, Song-Wei; Yi, Nan; Yu, Chun-Xu; Yu, Hai-Jun; Yue, Jian-Feng; Zeng, Xiong-Hui; Zeng, Ming; Zeng, Zhi; Zhang, Yun-Hua; Zhao, Ming-Gang; Zhao, Wei; Zhou, Ji-Fang; Zhou, Zu-Ying; Zhu, Jing-Jun; Zhu, Zhong-Hua; CDEX Collaboration

2018-01-01

We report results of a search for light weakly interacting massive particle (WIMP) dark matter from the CDEX-1 experiment at the China Jinping Underground Laboratory (CJPL). Constraints on WIMP-nucleon spin-independent (SI) and spin-dependent (SD) couplings are derived with a physics threshold of 160 eVee, from an exposure of 737.1 kg-days. The SI and SD limits extend the lower reach of light WIMPs to 2 GeV and improve over our earlier bounds at WIMP mass less than 6 GeV. Supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2017YFA0402200, 2017YFA0402201), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (11175099, 11275107, 11475117, 11475099, 11475092, 11675088), the National Basic Research Program of China (973 Program) (2010CB833006). We thank the support of grants from the Tsinghua University Initiative Scientific Research Program (20121088494, 20151080354) and the Academia Sinica Investigator Award 2011-15, contracts 103-2112-M-001-024 and 104-2112-M-001-038-MY3 from the Ministry of Science and Technology of Taiwan.

Case-based Long-term Professional Development of Science Teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dori, Yehudit J.; Herscovitz, Orit

2005-10-01

Reform efforts are often unsuccessful because they failed to understand that teachers play a key role in making educational reforms successful. This paper describes a long-term teacher professional development (PD) program aimed at educating and training teachers to teach interdisciplinary topics using case-based method in science. The research objective was to identify, follow and document the processes that science teachers went through as they assimilated the interdisciplinary, case-based science teaching approach. The research accompanied the PD program throughout its 3-year period. About 50 teachers, who took part in the PD program, were exposed to an interdisciplinary case-based teaching method. The research instruments included teacher portfolios, which contained projects and reflection questionnaires, classroom observations, teacher interviews, and student feedback questionnaires. The portfolios contained the projects that the teachers had carried out during the PD program, which included case studies and accompanying student activities. We found that the teachers gradually moved from exposure to new teaching methods and subject matter, through active learning and preparing case-based team projects, to interdisciplinary, active classroom teaching using the case studies they developed.

Mixtures Research at NIEHS: An Evolving Program

PubMed Central

Rider, Cynthia V; Carlin, Danielle J; DeVito, Micheal J; Thompson, Claudia L; Walker, Nigel J

2014-01-01

The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) has a rich history in evaluating the toxicity of mixtures. The types of mixtures assessed by the Division of the National Toxicology Program (DNTP) and the extramural community (through the Division of Extramural Research and Training (DERT)) have included a broad range of chemicals and toxicants, with each study having a unique set of questions and design considerations. Some examples of the types of mixtures studied include: groundwater contaminants, pesticides/fertilizers, dioxin-like chemicals (assessing the toxic equivalency approach), drug combinations, air pollution, metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, technical mixtures (e.g. pentachlorophenol, flame retardants), and mixed entities (e.g. herbals, asbestos). These endeavors have provided excellent data on the toxicity of specific mixtures and have been informative to the human health risk assessment process in general (e.g. providing data on low dose exposures to environmental chemicals). However, the mixtures research effort at NIEHS, to date, has been driven by test article nominations to the DNTP or by investigator-initiated research through DERT. Recently, the NIEHS has embarked upon an effort to coordinate mixtures research across both intramural and extramural divisions in order to maximize mixtures research results. A path forward for NIEHS mixtures research will be based on feedback from a Request for Information (RFI) designed to gather up-to-date views on the knowledge gaps and roadblocks to evaluating mixtures and performing cumulative risk assessment, and a workshop organized to bring together mixtures experts from risk assessment, exposure science, biology, epidemiology, and statistics. The future of mixtures research at NIEHS will include projects from nominations to DNTP, studies by extramural investigators, and collaborations across government agencies that address high-priority questions in the field of mixtures research. PMID:23146757

Sequim Marine Research Laboratory routine environmental measurements during CY-1976

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fix, J.J.; Blumer, P.J.

1977-05-01

Beginning in 1976, a routine environmental program was established at the Marine Research Laboratory (MRL) at Sequim, Washington. The program is designed, primarily, to determine levels of radioactivity present in selected biota in Sequim Bay. The biota were selected because of their presence near the laboratory and their capacity to concentrate trace elements. Other samples were obtained to determine the radionuclides in Sequim Bay and laboratory drinking water, as well as the ambient radiation exposure levels and surface deposition of fallout radionuclides for the laboratory area. A summary of the analytical methods used is included. The present document includes datamore » obtained during CY 1976, the first year of the program. Radionuclides present in samples are attributed to fallout. Data are included on content of oil and Cu in seawater samples.« less

Exposure to Hazardous Chemical Substances--A Major Campus Environmental Health & Safety Concern.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robinson, Donald A.; Sorensen, Alfred J.

1980-01-01

A broad spectrum of potentially hazardous chemicals offers serious exposure risks to members of college and university communities. A formal program is needed to minimize exposure to these substances and maintain a prevention oriented protective program. The University of Massachusetts has developed such a program. (JN)

46 CFR 197.545 - Program to reduce personal exposure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 46 Shipping 7 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Program to reduce personal exposure. 197.545 Section 197.545 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) MARINE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDS GENERAL PROVISIONS Benzene § 197.545 Program to reduce personal exposure. (a) When...

46 CFR 197.545 - Program to reduce personal exposure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 7 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Program to reduce personal exposure. 197.545 Section 197.545 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) MARINE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDS GENERAL PROVISIONS Benzene § 197.545 Program to reduce personal exposure. (a) When...

46 CFR 197.545 - Program to reduce personal exposure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 46 Shipping 7 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Program to reduce personal exposure. 197.545 Section 197.545 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) MARINE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDS GENERAL PROVISIONS Benzene § 197.545 Program to reduce personal exposure. (a) When...

46 CFR 197.545 - Program to reduce personal exposure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 46 Shipping 7 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Program to reduce personal exposure. 197.545 Section 197.545 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) MARINE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDS GENERAL PROVISIONS Benzene § 197.545 Program to reduce personal exposure. (a) When...

46 CFR 197.545 - Program to reduce personal exposure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 46 Shipping 7 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Program to reduce personal exposure. 197.545 Section 197.545 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) MARINE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDS GENERAL PROVISIONS Benzene § 197.545 Program to reduce personal exposure. (a) When...

Building a Co-Created Citizen Science Program with Community Members Neighboring a Hazardous Waste Site

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramirez-Andreotta, M.; Brusseau, M. L. L.; Artiola, J. F.; Maier, R. M.; Gandolfi, A. J.

2015-12-01

A research project that is only expert-driven may ignore the role of local knowledge in research, often gives low priority to the development of a comprehensive strategy to engage the community, and may not deliver the results of the study to the community in an effective way. To date, only a limited number of co-created citizen science projects, where community members are involved in most or all steps of the scientific process, have been initiated at contaminated sites and even less in conjunction with risk communication. Gardenroots: The Dewey-Humboldt AZ Garden Project was a place-based, co-created citizen science project where community members and researchers together: defined the question for study, developed hypotheses, collected environmental samples, disseminated results broadly, translated the results into action, and posed new research questions. This co-created environmental research project produced new data and addressed an additional exposure route (consumption of vegetables grown in soils with elevated arsenic levels) that was not being evaluated in the current site assessment. Furthermore, co-producing science led to both individual learning and social-ecological outcomes. This approach illustrates the benefits of a co-created citizen-science program in addressing the complex problems that arise in communities neighboring a hazardous waste sites. Such a project increased the community's involvement in regional environmental assessment and decision-making, which has the potential to help mitigate environmental exposures and thereby reduce associated risks.

Reconstruction of the Earthquake History of Limestone Fault Scarps in Knidos Fault Zone Using in-situ Chlorine-36 Exposure Dating and "R" Programming Language

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sahin, Sefa; Yildirim, Cengiz; Akif Sarikaya, Mehmet; Tuysuz, Okan; Genc, S. Can; Ersen Aksoy, Murat; Ertekin Doksanalti, Mustafa

2016-04-01

Cosmogenic surface exposure dating is based on the production of rare nuclides in exposed rocks, which interact with cosmic rays. Through modelling of measured 36Cl concentrations, we might obtain information of the history of the earthquake activity. Yet, there are several factors which may impact production of rare nuclides such as geometry of the fault, topography, geographic location of the study area, temporal variations of the Earth's magnetic field, self-cover and denudation rate on the scarp. Recently developed models provides a method to infer timing of earthquakes and slip rates on limited scales by taking into account these parameters. Our study area, the Knidos Fault Zone, is located on the Datça Peninsula in Southwestern Anatolia and contains several normal fault scarps formed within the limestone, which are appropriate to generate cosmogenic chlorine-36 (36Cl) dating models. Since it has a well-preserved scarp, we have focused on the Mezarlık Segment of the fault zone, which has an average length of 300 m and height 12-15 m. 128 continuous samples from top to bottom of the fault scarp were collected to carry out analysis of cosmic 36Cl isotopes concentrations. The main purpose of this study is to analyze factors affecting the production rates and amount of cosmogenic 36Cl nuclides concentration. Concentration of Cl36 isotopes are measured by AMS laboratories. Through the local production rates and concentration of the cosmic isotopes, we can calculate exposure ages of the samples. Recent research elucidated each step of the application of this method by the Matlab programming language (e.g. Schlagenhauf et al., 2010). It is vitally helpful to generate models of Quaternary activity of the normal faults. We, however, wanted to build a user-friendly program through an open source programing language "R" (GNU Project) that might be able to help those without knowledge of complex math programming, making calculations as easy and understandable as possible. Through our codes, physical parameters, statistical analysis and graphics production of the fault models can be generated for each platform. This project is supported by the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK, Grant number: 113Y436) This study was conducted with the Decision of the Council of Ministers with No. 2013/5387 on the date 30.09.2013 and was done with the permission of Knidos Presidency of excavation in accordance with the scope of Knidos Excavation and Research carried out on behalf of Selcuk University and Ministry of Culture and Tourism. Keywords: Knidos, geomorphology, modelling, cosmogenic surface exposure dating, chlorine36

Developmental Programming: State-of-the-Science and Future Directions

PubMed Central

Sutton, Elizabeth F.; Gilmore, L. Anne; Dunger, David B.; Heijmans, Bas T.; Hivert, Marie-France; Ling, Charlotte; Martinez, J. Alfredo; Ozanne, Susan E.; Simmons, Rebecca A.; Szyf, Moshe; Waterland, Robert A.; Redman, Leanne M.; Ravussin, Eric

2016-01-01

Objective On December 8–9, 2014, the Pennington Biomedical Research Center convened a scientific symposium to review the state-of-the-science and future directions for the study of developmental programming of obesity and chronic disease. The objectives of the symposium were to discuss: (i) past and current scientific advances in animal models, population-based cohort studies and human clinical trials, (ii) the state-of-the-science of epigenetic-based research, and (iii) considerations for future studies. Results The overarching goal was to provide a comprehensive assessment of the state of the scientific field, to identify research gaps and opportunities for future research in order to identify and understand the mechanisms contributing to the developmental programming of health and disease. Conclusions Identifying the mechanisms which cause or contribute to developmental programming of future generations will be invaluable to the scientific and medical community. The ability to intervene during critical periods of prenatal and early postnatal life to promote lifelong health is the ultimate goal. Considerations for future research including the use of animal models, the study design in human cohorts with considerations about the timing of the intrauterine exposure and the resulting tissue specific epigenetic signature were extensively discussed and are presented in this meeting summary. PMID:27037645

Engaging College Students at Two-year Campuses in Aerospace Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dirienzo, William

2018-01-01

College students at two-year campuses have unique challenges to their learning and are often "nontraditional" students, including first-generation and/or returning adult students. They have little or no exposure to research, related to science and aerospace or otherwise, and so they do not think of these fields as possible careers or understand how the disciplines operate. Exposing these students to real research projects, especially ones that include rocket payloads, have a dramatic effect on the interests and academic success of students. Projects such as these can be quite large and expensive, perhaps prohibitively so for small institutions. We engaged a group of these students through the RockOn and RockSat programs lead by the Colorado Space Grant Consortium, which are programs for postsecondary students to access space with relatively easy access and low cost. The student team designed, built, and flew a scientific payload on a suborbital sounding rocket launched at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. The experiment sent E. coli DNA samples into space to assess the damage and measured the radiation exposure with and without radiation shielding, and assessed the samples for DNA damage upon their return. We report on the process and the effects on the students as part of their experience.

Alcohol-Induced Developmental Origins of Adult-Onset Diseases

PubMed Central

Lunde, Emilie R.; Washburn, Shannon E.; Golding, Michael C.; Bake, Shameena; Miranda, Rajesh C.; Ramadoss, Jayanth

2016-01-01

Fetal alcohol exposure may impair growth, development, and function of multiple organ systems, and is encompassed by the term Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD). Research has so far focused on the mechanisms, prevention, and diagnosis of FASD, while the risk for adult-onset chronic diseases in individuals exposed to alcohol in utero is not well explored. David Barker’s hypothesis on Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) suggests that insults to the milieu of the developing fetus program it for adult-development of chronic diseases. In the 25 years since the introduction of this hypothesis, epidemiological and animal model studies have made significant advancements in identifying in utero developmental origins of chronic adult-onset diseases affecting cardiovascular, endocrine, musculoskeletal, and psycho-behavioral systems. Teratogen exposure is an established programming agent for adult diseases, and recent studies suggest that prenatal alcohol exposure correlates with adult-onset of neuro-behavioral deficits, cardiovascular disease, endocrine dysfunction, nutrient homeostasis instability, warranting additional investigation of alcohol-induced DOHaD, as well as patient follow-up well into adulthood for affected individuals. In utero epigenetic alterations during critical periods of methylation is a key potential mechanism for programming and susceptibility of adult-onset chronic diseases, with imprinted genes affecting metabolism being critical targets. Additional studies in epidemiology, phenotypic characterization in response to timing, dose and duration of exposure, as well as elucidation of mechanisms underlying FASD-DOHaD inter-relation are thus needed to clinically define chronic disease associated with prenatal alcohol exposure. These studies are critical to establish interventional strategies that decrease incidence of these adult-onset diseases and promote healthier aging among individuals affected with FASD. PMID:27254466

Media and children's aggression, fear, and altruism.

PubMed

Wilson, Barbara J

2008-01-01

Noting that the social and emotional experiences of American children today often heavily involve electronic media, Barbara Wilson takes a close look at how exposure to screen media affects children's well-being and development. She concludes that media influence on children depends more on the type of content that children find attractive than on the sheer amount of time they spend in front of the screen. Wilson begins by reviewing evidence on the link between media and children's emotions. She points out that children can learn about the nature and causes of different emotions from watching the emotional experiences of media characters and that they often experience empathy with those characters. Although research on the long-term effects of media exposure on children's emotional skill development is limited, a good deal of evidence shows that media exposure can contribute to children's fears and anxieties. Both fictional and news programming can cause lasting emotional upset, though the themes that upset children differ according to a child's age. Wilson also explores how media exposure affects children's social development. Strong evidence shows that violent television programming contributes to children's aggressive behavior. And a growing body of work indicates that playing violent video games can have the same harmful effect. Yet if children spend time with educational programs and situation comedies targeted to youth, media exposure can have more prosocial effects by increasing children's altruism, cooperation, and even tolerance for others. Wilson also shows that children's susceptibility to media influence can vary according to their gender, their age, how realistic they perceive the media to be, and how much they identify with characters and people on the screen. She concludes with guidelines to help parents enhance the positive effects of the media while minimizing the risks associated with certain types of content.

Evaluation of an open-access CBT-based Internet program for social anxiety: Patterns of use, retention, and outcomes.

PubMed

Dryman, M Taylor; McTeague, Lisa M; Olino, Thomas M; Heimberg, Richard G

2017-10-01

Internet-delivered cognitive-behavioral therapy (ICBT) has been established as both efficacious and effective in reducing symptoms of social anxiety. However, most research has been conducted in controlled settings, and little is known regarding the utility of such programs in an open-access format. The present study examined the use, adherence, and effectiveness of Joyable, an open-access, Internet-delivered, coach-supported CBT-based intervention for social anxiety. Participants were 3,384 registered users (Mage [SD] = 29.82 [7.89]; 54% male) that created an account between 2014 and 2016. Characteristics of use, factors related to attrition and adherence, and within-group outcomes were examined. The primary outcome measure was the Social Phobia Inventory. On average, participants remained in the program for 81.02 days (SD = 60.50), during which they completed 12.14 activities (SD = 11.09) and 1.53 exposures (SD = 3.18). About half (57%) had contact with a coach. Full adherence to the program was achieved by 16% of participants, a rate higher than previously published open-access studies of ICBT. Social anxiety symptoms were significantly reduced for participants that engaged in the program, with medium within-group effects from baseline through the cognitive restructuring module (d = 0.63-0.76) and large effects from baseline through the exposure module (d = 1.40-1.83). Response rates were high (72%). Exposures and coach contact were significant predictors of retention and outcome. This open-access online CBT-based program is effective in reducing social anxiety symptoms and has the potential to extend Internet-based mental health services to socially anxious individuals unwilling or unable to seek face-to-face evidence-based therapy. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Reducing oral and maxillofacial surgery resident risk exposure: lessons from graduate medical education reform.

PubMed

Buhrow, Suzanne Morse; Buhrow, Jack A

2013-12-01

It is estimated that, in the United States, more than 40,000 patients are injured each day because of preventable medical errors. Although numerous studies examine the causes of medical trainee errors and efforts to mitigate patient injuries in this population, little research exists on adverse events experienced by oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMFS) residents or strategies to improve patient safety awareness in OMFS residency programs. The authors conducted a retrospective literature review of contemporary studies on medical trainees' reported risk exposure and the impact of integrating evidence-based patient safety training into residency curricula. A review of the literature suggests that OMFS residents face similar risks as medical trainees in medical, surgical, and anesthesia residency programs and may benefit from integrating competency-based safety training in the OMFS residency curriculum. OMFS trainees face particular challenges when transitioning from dental student to surgical resident, particularly related to their limited clinical exposure to high-reliability organizations, which may place them at higher risk than other medical trainees. OMFS educators should establish resident competence in patient safety principles and system improvement strategies throughout the training period.

Environmental Justice Research: Contemporary Issues and Emerging Topics

PubMed Central

Chakraborty, Jayajit; Collins, Timothy W.; Grineski, Sara E.

2016-01-01

Environmental justice (EJ) research seeks to document and redress the disproportionate environmental burdens and benefits associated with social inequalities. Although its initial focus was on disparities in exposure to anthropogenic pollution, the scope of EJ research has expanded. In the context of intensifying social inequalities and environmental problems, there is a need to further strengthen the EJ research framework and diversify its application. This Special Issue of the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IJERPH) incorporates 19 articles that broaden EJ research by considering emerging topics such as energy, food, drinking water, flooding, sustainability, and gender dynamics, including issues in Canada, the UK, and Eastern Europe. Additionally, the articles contribute to three research themes: (1) documenting connections between unjust environmental exposures and health impacts by examining unsafe infrastructure, substance use, and children’s obesity and academic performance; (2) promoting and achieving EJ by implementing interventions to improve environmental knowledge and health, identifying avenues for sustainable community change, and incorporating EJ metrics in government programs; and (3) clarifying stakeholder perceptions of EJ issues to extend research beyond the documentation of unjust conditions and processes. Collectively, the articles highlight potentially compounding injustices and an array of approaches being employed to achieve EJ. PMID:27809294

Environmental Justice Research: Contemporary Issues and Emerging Topics.

PubMed

Chakraborty, Jayajit; Collins, Timothy W; Grineski, Sara E

2016-11-01

Environmental justice (EJ) research seeks to document and redress the disproportionate environmental burdens and benefits associated with social inequalities. Although its initial focus was on disparities in exposure to anthropogenic pollution, the scope of EJ research has expanded. In the context of intensifying social inequalities and environmental problems, there is a need to further strengthen the EJ research framework and diversify its application. This Special Issue of the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IJERPH) incorporates 19 articles that broaden EJ research by considering emerging topics such as energy, food, drinking water, flooding, sustainability, and gender dynamics, including issues in Canada, the UK, and Eastern Europe. Additionally, the articles contribute to three research themes: (1) documenting connections between unjust environmental exposures and health impacts by examining unsafe infrastructure, substance use, and children's obesity and academic performance; (2) promoting and achieving EJ by implementing interventions to improve environmental knowledge and health, identifying avenues for sustainable community change, and incorporating EJ metrics in government programs; and (3) clarifying stakeholder perceptions of EJ issues to extend research beyond the documentation of unjust conditions and processes. Collectively, the articles highlight potentially compounding injustices and an array of approaches being employed to achieve EJ.

Personal Protective Equipment in Animal Research

PubMed Central

Villano, Jason S; Follo, Janet M; Chappell, Mark G; Jr, Morris T Collins

2017-01-01

The occupational health and safety program is an integral component of a comprehensive animal care and use program. It is important to mitigate the risk of exposures of animal care and research personnel to allergens and physical, chemical, radiologic, and biologic hazards during the conduct of various tasks. This need is especially true in infectious disease and biocontainment research. One aspect of the program is the provision of personal protective equipment (PPE). Commercially available PPE should be carefully evaluated based on their material composition and performance according to manufacturer data. To help institutions and end users by providing them guidance on choosing appropriate PPE, we here discuss the regulatory framework, device standards, and materials engineering for various PPE, including gloves, shoe covers, head caps, gowns, aprons, masks, hearing and eye protection devices, and respirators. Ultimately, the choice of appropriate PPE is based on the risk assessment, which should include consideration for personnel comfort, correct device fitting, and the containment level for the hazard used. PMID:28662749

A standardized non-instrumental tool for characterizing workstations concerned with exposure to engineered nanomaterials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Canu I, Guseva; C, Ducros; S, Ducamp; L, Delabre; S, Audignon-Durand; C, Durand; Y, Iwatsubo; D, Jezewski-Serra; Bihan O, Le; S, Malard; A, Radauceanu; M, Reynier; M, Ricaud; O, Witschger

2015-05-01

The French national epidemiological surveillance program EpiNano aims at surveying mid- and long-term health effects possibly related with occupational exposure to either carbon nanotubes or titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2). EpiNano is limited to workers potentially exposed to these nanomaterials including their aggregates and agglomerates. In order to identify those workers during the in-field industrial hygiene visits, a standardized non-instrumental method is necessary especially for epidemiologists and occupational physicians unfamiliar with nanoparticle and nanomaterial exposure metrology. A working group, Quintet ExpoNano, including national experts in nanomaterial metrology and occupational hygiene reviewed available methods, resources and their practice in order to develop a standardized tool for conducting company industrial hygiene visits and collecting necessary information. This tool, entitled “Onsite technical logbook”, includes 3 parts: company, workplace, and workstation allowing a detailed description of each task, process and exposure surrounding conditions. This logbook is intended to be completed during the company industrial hygiene visit. Each visit is conducted jointly by an industrial hygienist and an epidemiologist of the program and lasts one or two days depending on the company size. When all collected information is computerized using friendly-using software, it is possible to classify workstations with respect to their potential direct and/or indirect exposure. Workers appointed to workstations classified as concerned with exposure are considered as eligible for EpiNano program and invited to participate. Since January 2014, the Onsite technical logbook has been used in ten company visits. The companies visited were mostly involved in research and development. A total of 53 workstations with potential exposure to nanomaterials were pre-selected and observed: 5 with TiO2, 16 with single-walled carbon nanotubes, 27 multiwalled carbon nanotubes. Among the tasks observed there were: nanomaterial characterisation analysis (8), weighing (7), synthesis (6), functionalization (5), and transfer (5). The manipulated quantities were usually very small. After analysis of the data gathered in logbooks, 30 workstations have been classified as concerned with exposure to carbon nanotubes or TiO2. Additional tool validity as well as inter-and intra-evaluator reproducibility studies are ongoing. The first results are promising.

Accelerated Learning: Undergraduate Research Experiences at the Texas A&M Cyclotron Institute

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yennello, S. J.

The Texas A&M Cyclotron Institute (TAMU CI) has had an NSF funded Research Experiences for Undergraduates program since 2004. Each summer about a dozen students from across the country join us for the 10-week program. They are each imbedded in one of the research groups of the TAMU CI and given their own research project. While the main focus of their effort is their individual research project, we also have other activities to broaden their experience. For instance, one of those activities has been involvement in a dedicated group experiment. Because not every experimental group will run during those 10 weeks and the fact that some of the students are in theory research groups, a group research experience allows everyone to actually be involved in an experiment using the accelerator. In stark contrast to the REU students' very focused experience during the summer, Texas A&M undergraduates can be involved in research projects at the Cyclotron throughout the year, often for multiple years. This extended exposure enables Texas A&M students to have a learning experience that cannot be duplicated without a local accelerator. The motivation for the REU program was to share this accelerator experience with students who do not have that opportunity at their home institution.

Metals in the Human Environment Strategic Network (MITHE-SN): the interface of risk assessment, public policy, and advocacy.

PubMed

Hale, Beverley; Ritter, Len; Warner, Donna

2010-01-01

A 5-year strategic research network with a diverse base of industry, government, and academic partners was approved for support by National Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) on January 3, 2005. This Metals in the Human Environment Strategic Network (MITHE-SN) builds on, and further extends, science knowledge developed by the NSERC-sponsored Metals in the Environment Research Network (MITE-RN, 1999-2004). In addition to the initial award, the MITHE-SN received an additional 2-year grant specifically targeted to (1) enhance training opportunities for internships with international organizations, (2) increase international networking and linkages, and (3) optimize knowledge dissemination and technology transfer. The research program is comprised of three themes and represents a cascade of effects along food webs, from the lowest trophic levels to the highest consumers. Each of the themes addresses issues related to distinguishing the magnitudes and roles of natural background and anthropogenic metal inputs in biotic exposure to metals; estimating the bioavailable fraction of metals in the exposure media, thus better quantifying the true exposure concentration; and determining the factors that influence bioavailability of metals in media, so that predictive models can be developed for use in the development of site-specific metals criteria.

The impact of the new biology on radiation risks in space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dicello, John F.

2003-01-01

Radiation is considered to be one of three or four major hazards for personnel in space and has emerged as the most critical issue to be resolved for long-term missions, both orbital and interplanetary. Space habitats are stressful and dangerous environments. Health and medical consequences arising from microgravity, stress, and trauma include weakened immune systems, increased viral activity, and loss of bone mass. The greatest risks from radiation are generally assumed to be cancers and possibly damage to the central nervous system. Synergistic effects arising from the other environmental hazards along with abscopal and exogenic factors are likely. Space programs represent an exceptional opportunity for examining the biological consequences of low-dose exposures of humans to radiation at every level of progression. Although astronauts are a relatively small population, they are healthy, physically active volunteers who undergo extensive testing and medical examinations before, during, and after protracted exposures with periodic follow-up examinations. The radiation environments along with other hazards are likewise monitored and documented. Extensive international research programs are in progress. Seven years ago the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration established the National Space Biomedical Research Institute through a cooperative agreement with a consortium of research and academic institutions in order to address radiation issues through a concerted, programmatic effort. Advanced technologies are rapidly being incorporated into these programs to determine the significance of new biological data and to evaluate the interplay among the different medical hazards. Programmatic in vivo and in vitro studies of the processes leading to carcinogenesis are in progress. Drugs and dietary supplements are being examined at the cellular and in vivo levels to assess their potential as dose-modifying agents. The infrastructure of this new approach, recent results, and research in progress are reviewed and discussed.

Audiovisual News, Cartoons, and Films as Sources of Authentic Language Input and Language Proficiency Enhancement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bahrani, Taher; Sim, Tam Shu

2012-01-01

In today's audiovisually driven world, various audiovisual programs can be incorporated as authentic sources of potential language input for second language acquisition. In line with this view, the present research aimed at discovering the effectiveness of exposure to news, cartoons, and films as three different types of authentic audiovisual…

Predicting dermal penetration for Expocast chemicals using in silico approaches – should dermal metabolism be considered?

EPA Science Inventory

There are thousands of consumer product chemicals to which humans may be exposed to via direct (e.g. product use) or indirect (e.g. contact with contaminated media) pathways. The US EPA has developed a research program known as ExpoCast to predict exposures to give real-world con...

The National Shipbuilding Research Program. Impact of Recent and Anticipated Changes in Airborne Emission Exposure Limits on Shipyard Workers

DTIC Science & Technology

1996-03-01

shipyard welders performing GTAW of stainless steels and high chromium nickel alloys are above 0.25 µg/m3 without use of local exhaust ventilation. Local...Manganese, Chromium , and Hexavalent Chromium May Be Encountered...66 5.1 Reduction of Nickel and Hexavalent Chromium Emissions Through

FIELD ANALYTICAL METHODS: ADVANCED FIELD MONITORING METHODS DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION OF NEW AND INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES THAT SUPPORT THE SITE CHARACTERIZATION AND MONITORING REQUIREMENTS OF THE SUPERFUND PROGRAM.

EPA Science Inventory

The overall goal of this task is to help reduce the uncertainties in the assessment of environmental health and human exposure by better characterizing hazardous wastes through cost-effective analytical methods. Research projects are directed towards the applied development and ...

Changes in Men's Physical Activity and Healthy Eating Knowledge and Behavior as a Result of Program Exposure: Findings From the Workplace POWERPLAY Program.

PubMed

Caperchione, Cristina M; Stolp, Sean; Bottorff, Joan L; Oliffe, John L; Johnson, Steven T; Seaton, Cherisse; Sharp, Paul; Jones-Bricker, Margaret; Lamont, Sonia; Errey, Sally; Healy, Theresa; Medhurst, Kerensa; Christian, Holly; Klitch, Megan

2016-12-01

The purpose of this study was to examine changes in physical activity and healthy eating knowledge and behaviors associated with the level of exposure to POWERPLAY, a men-centered workplace health promotion program. This study is based on a quasi-experimental prepost design. Using a computer assisted telephone interview survey, data regarding program exposure and physical activity and health eating knowledge and behaviors were collected from men (N = 103) in 4 workplaces. Exposure scores were calculated and participants were categorized as having low (n = 54) or high exposure (n = 49) to POWERPLAY. Compared with the low exposure group, those reporting high exposure scored significantly higher on physical activity knowledge (F (1, 99) =14.17, P < .001, eta2 = .125) and health eating knowledge (F (1, 99) =14.37, P = .001, eta2 = .111). The high exposure group also reported significantly more minutes walked place to place (F (2, 206) = 3.91, P = .022, eta 2 = .037) and on minutes walked for leisure (F (2, 230) = 3.08, P = .048, eta 2 = .026). POWERPLAY shows significant promise as a workplace health promotion approach and may have an even greater impact when program exposure is augmented with environmental and policy changes.

Poverty and program participation among immigrant children.

PubMed

Borjas, George J

2011-01-01

Researchers have long known that poverty in childhood is linked with a range of negative adult socioeconomic outcomes, from lower educational achievement and behavioral problems to lower earnings in the labor market. But few researchers have explored whether exposure to a disadvantaged background affects immigrant children and native children differently. George Borjas uses Current Population Survey (CPS) data on two specific indicators of poverty-the poverty rate and the rate of participation in public assistance programs-to begin answering that question. He finds that immigrant children have significantly higher rates both of poverty and of program participation than do native children. Nearly half of immigrant children are being raised in households that receive some type of public assistance, compared with roughly one-third of native children. Although the shares of immigrant and native children living in poverty are lower, the rate for immigrant children is nonetheless about 15 percentage points higher than that for native children-about the same as the gap in public assistance. Poverty and program participation rates among different groups of immigrant children also vary widely, depending in part on place of birth (foreign- or U.S.-born), parents (immigrant or native), and national origin. According to the CPS data, these native-immigrant differences persist into young adulthood. In particular, the program participation and poverty status of immigrant children is strongly correlated with their program participation and poverty status when they become young adults. But it is not possible, says Borjas, to tell whether the link results from a set of permanent factors associated with specific individuals or groups that tends to lead to "good" or "bad" outcomes systematically over time or from exposure during childhood to adverse socioeconomic outcomes, such as poverty or welfare dependency. Future research must explore the causal impact of childhood poverty on immigrant adult outcomes and why it might differ between immigrant and native families. Developing successful policies to address problems caused by the intergenerational breeding of poverty and program participation in the immigrant population depends on understanding this causal mechanism.

[Exposure to biological agents used in Polish enterprises: analysis of data derived from the National Register of Biological Agent].

PubMed

Kozajda, Anna; Szadkowska-Stańczyk, Irena

2011-01-01

The National Register of Biological Agents at Work and the National Information Centre for Biological Agents Present at Workplaces were established in the Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine in 2005. The National Information Centre carries out consultation and education activities concerning occupational exposure and risk assessment, development and implementation of preventive programs and accurate registration of reliable information about the use of biological agents. Educational materials on biological exposure are published on the website. The National Register of Biological Agents (database) collects and periodically analyzes the information obtained from employers about the use of biological agents for research, diagnostic or industrial purposes. As of 10 December 2010 there were 240 notifications from companies, which use biological agents for the following purposes: research--69, industrial--30 and diagnostic--321. Near 75% of all notifications were obtained from different diagnostic laboratories (public and private). In total, 3226 workers, including 2967 (92%) women and 256 (8%) men were exposed to biological agents. In general, occupational exposure to 209 biological agents (186 of risk group 2 and 23 of risk group 3, of which 16 are additionally marked by 3**) were registered in the data base.

The status of childhood lead poisoning and prevention in Nevada, USA.

PubMed

Rothweiler, Anne M; Cabb, Elena E; Gerstenberger, Shawn L

2007-03-30

One of the first steps in addressing the problem of childhood lead poisoning is to identify the possible sources of exposure in specific communities and target high-risk populations with appropriate interventions. Due to several factors, such as lack of funding and lack of blood lead reporting, little information exists regarding the occurrence of childhood lead poisoning and the prevalence of potential exposure sources in the state of Nevada. Following the recent establishment of a Nevada-based Lead Poisoning Program, we compiled the most current information available on Nevadans, and use this knowledge to suggest future research objectives and outreach activities for the state. Accordingly, we identify the characteristics of the vulnerable Nevada populations, explore possible sources of lead exposure unique to Nevada, and summarize the existing data on childhood lead poisoning. Emerging data indicates that Nevada is an area of rapid population growth, characterized by increasing immigration from Latin America, increasing numbers of children from low-income families with no health insurance. Also, childhood lead poisoning may arise from exposure to non-paint sources of lead. After presenting the Nevada statistics, we propose and recommend a set of research and outreach strategies that best suit the needs of Nevada residents.

Occupational physical activity assessment for chronic disease prevention and management: A review of methods for both occupational health practitioners and researchers.

PubMed

Scott, Kenneth A; Browning, Raymond C

2016-01-01

Occupational physical activity (OPA) is an occupational exposure that impacts worker health. OPA is amenable to measurement and modification through the hierarchy of controls. Occupational exposure scientists have roles in addressing inadequate physical activity, as well as excessive or harmful physical activity. Occupational health researchers can contribute to the development of novel OPA exposure assessment techniques and to epidemiologic studies examining the health impacts of physical activity at work. Occupational health practitioners stand to benefit from understanding the strengths and limitations of physical activity measurement approaches, such as accelerometers in smartphones, which are already ubiquitous in many workplaces and in some worksite health programs. This comprehensive review of the literature provides an overview of physical activity monitoring for occupational exposure scientists. This article summarizes data on the public health implications of physical activity at work, highlighting complex relationships with common chronic diseases. This article includes descriptions of several techniques that have been used to measure physical activity at work and elsewhere, focusing in detail on pedometers, accelerometers, and Global Positioning System technology. Additional subjective and objective measurement strategies are described as well.

Children’s Environmental Health in the Digital Era: Understanding Early Screen Exposure as a Preventable Risk Factor for Obesity and Sleep Disorders

PubMed Central

Wolf, Candice; Wolf, Seth; Weiss, Miriam; Nino, Gustavo

2018-01-01

The quantity, accessibility and focus on child-targeted programming has exponentially increased since it entered American households in the early 1900s. It may have started with the television (TV), but technology has evolved and now fits in our pockets; as of 2017, 95% of American families own a smartphone. Availability and child-tailored content has subsequently led to a decrease in the age at initial screen exposure. The negative effects that accompany the current culture of early screen exposure are extensive and need to be considered as technology continues to enter the home and inundate social interactions. Increased levels of early screen exposure have been associated with decreased cognitive abilities, decreased growth, addictive behavior, poor school performance, poor sleep patterns, and increased levels of obesity. Research on the adverse effects of early screen exposure is mounting, but further epidemiological studies are still needed to inform prevention and regulation policies. PMID:29473855

Children's Environmental Health in the Digital Era: Understanding Early Screen Exposure as a Preventable Risk Factor for Obesity and Sleep Disorders.

PubMed

Wolf, Candice; Wolf, Seth; Weiss, Miriam; Nino, Gustavo

2018-02-23

The quantity, accessibility and focus on child-targeted programming has exponentially increased since it entered American households in the early 1900s. It may have started with the television (TV), but technology has evolved and now fits in our pockets; as of 2017, 95% of American families own a smartphone. Availability and child-tailored content has subsequently led to a decrease in the age at initial screen exposure. The negative effects that accompany the current culture of early screen exposure are extensive and need to be considered as technology continues to enter the home and inundate social interactions. Increased levels of early screen exposure have been associated with decreased cognitive abilities, decreased growth, addictive behavior, poor school performance, poor sleep patterns, and increased levels of obesity. Research on the adverse effects of early screen exposure is mounting, but further epidemiological studies are still needed to inform prevention and regulation policies.

New High Throughput Methods to Estimate Chemical ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA has made many recent advances in high throughput bioactivity testing. However, concurrent advances in rapid, quantitative prediction of human and ecological exposures have been lacking, despite the clear importance of both measures for a risk-based approach to prioritizing and screening chemicals. A recent report by the National Research Council of the National Academies, Exposure Science in the 21st Century: A Vision and a Strategy (NRC 2012) laid out a number of applications in chemical evaluation of both toxicity and risk in critical need of quantitative exposure predictions, including screening and prioritization of chemicals for targeted toxicity testing, focused exposure assessments or monitoring studies, and quantification of population vulnerability. Despite these significant needs, for the majority of chemicals (e.g. non-pesticide environmental compounds) there are no or limited estimates of exposure. For example, exposure estimates exist for only 7% of the ToxCast Phase II chemical list. In addition, the data required for generating exposure estimates for large numbers of chemicals is severely lacking (Egeghy et al. 2012). This SAP reviewed the use of EPA's ExpoCast model to rapidly estimate potential chemical exposures for prioritization and screening purposes. The focus was on bounded chemical exposure values for people and the environment for the Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program (EDSP) Universe of Chemicals. In addition to exposure, the SAP

Parental tobacco smoke exposure: Epigenetics and the ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Epigenetic programming is an important mechanism underlying the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD). Much of the research in this area has focused on maternal nutrition. Parental smoking has emerged as a prime example of how exposure to environmental toxicants during the preconceptional and in utero periods can have long-term effects on offspring health, and the role of the epigenome in these effects. Maternal smoking and exposure to second-hand smoke during pregnancy result in lower birth weight of offspring, and there is now clear evidence that these offspring are at elevated risk for overweight/obesity, type-2 diabetes, respiratory effects during adolescence and adulthood, and may be programmed for increased risk of nicotine addiction. Epigenetic analyses of placenta, cord blood and offspring buccal cells have consistently revealed altered DNA methylation of genes involved in developmental processes and xenobiotic metabolism, and these epigenetic changes are persistent. Animal studies with cigarette smoke and nicotine support these findings. Paternal preconceptional smoking has been positively related to childhood cancers, potentially linked to changes in the sperm epigenome. Germ cell specification and preimplantation development are periods of widespread erasure and reprogramming of DNA methylation, and as such are likely to be sensitive periods for environmental effects on the epigenome. Exposure to tobacco smoke during gametogenesis and in

Modeling of Army Research Laboratory EMP simulators

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Miletta, J.R.; Chase, R.J.; Luu, B.B.

1993-12-01

Models are required that permit the estimation of emitted field signatures from EMP simulators to design the simulator antenna structure, to establish the usable test volumes, and to estimate human exposure risk. This paper presents the capabilities and limitations of a variety of EMP simulator models useful to the Army's EMP survivability programs. Comparisons among frequency and time-domain models are provided for two powerful US Army Research Laboratory EMP simulators: AESOP (Army EMP Simulator Operations) and VEMPS II (Vertical EMP Simulator II).

Antimicrobial Exposure Assessment Task Force II (AEATF II) Volume 5: Governing Document for a Multi-Year Antimicrobial Chemical Exposure Monitoring Program (interim draft document)

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Describes the overall scope of the AEATF II program, demonstrates the need for additional human exposure monitoring data and explains the proposed methodology for the exposure monitoring studies proposed for conduct by the AEATF II.

Introducing leprosy post-exposure prophylaxis into the health systems of India, Nepal and Indonesia: a case study.

PubMed

Tiwari, A; Mieras, L; Dhakal, K; Arif, M; Dandel, S; Richardus, J H

2017-09-29

Leprosy has a wide range of clinical and socio-economic consequences. India, Indonesia and Nepal contribute significantly to the global leprosy burden. After integration, the health systems are pivotal in leprosy service delivery. The Leprosy Post Exposure Prophylaxis (LPEP) program is ongoing to investigate the feasibility of providing single dose rifampicin (SDR) as post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) to the contacts of leprosy cases in various health systems. We aim to compare national leprosy control programs, and adapted LPEP strategies in India, Nepal and Indonesia. The purpose is to establish a baseline of the health system's situation and document the subsequent adjustment of LPEP, which will provide the context for interpreting the LPEP results in future. The study followed the multiple-case study design with single units of analysis. The data collection methods were direct observation, in-depth interviews and desk review. The study was divided into two phases, i.e. review of national leprosy programs and description of the LPEP program. The comparative analysis was performed using the WHO health system frameworks (2007). In all countries leprosy services including contact tracing is integrated into the health systems. The LPEP program is fully integrated into the established national leprosy programs, with SDR and increased documentation, which need major additions to standard procedures. PEP administration was widely perceived as well manageable, but the additional LPEP data collection was reported to increase workload in the first year. The findings of our study led to the recommendation that field-based leprosy research programs should keep health systems in focus. The national leprosy programs are diverse in terms of organizational hierarchy, human resource quantity and capacity. We conclude that PEP can be integrated into different health systems without major structural and personal changes, but provisions are necessary for the additional monitoring requirements.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Paul, I.R.

A pilot study in two states led to the establishment of the Dental Exposure Normalization Technique (DENT) program. This, in brief, is an exposure reduction and quality assurance program for radiological health agencies. The health agency sends X-ray exposure cards to dental X-ray facilities. These are exposed by the dentist and returned for analysis. Facilities which show excessive exposure are then visited to demonstrate the changes in exposure and processing necessary to produce diagnostic quality radiographs with minimum patient exposure.

Oral Chromium Exposure and Toxicity

PubMed Central

Sun, Hong; Brocato, Jason

2015-01-01

Hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] is a known carcinogen when inhaled. However, inhalational exposure to Cr(VI) affects only a small portion of the population, mainly by occupational exposures. In contrast, oral exposure to Cr(VI) is widespread and affects many people throughout the globe. In 2008, the National Toxicology Program (NTP) released a 2-year study demonstrating that ingested Cr(VI) was carcinogenic in rats and mice. The effects of Cr(VI) oral exposure is mitigated by reduction in the gut, however a portion evades the reductive detoxification and reaches target tissues. Once Cr(VI) enters the cell, it ultimately gets reduced to Cr(III), which mediates its toxicity via induction of oxidative stress during the reduction while Cr intermediates react with protein and DNA. Cr(III) can form adducts with DNA that may lead to mutations. This review will discuss the potential adverse effects of oral exposure to Cr(VI) by presenting up-to-date human and animal studies, examining the underlying mechanisms that mediate Cr(VI) toxicity, as well as highlighting opportunities for future research. PMID:26231506

The Myriad Influences of Alcohol Advertising on Adolescent Drinking

PubMed Central

Berey, Benjamin L.; Loparco, Cassidy; Leeman, Robert F.; Grube, Joel W.

2017-01-01

Purpose of Review This review investigates effects of alcohol advertising on adolescent drinking. Prior reviews focused on behavioral outcomes and long-term effects. In contrast, the present review focuses on subgroups with greater exposure to alcohol advertising, research methods to study alcohol advertising, potential mechanisms underlying relationships between adolescent exposure to alcohol advertising and increased drinking and points to prevention/intervention strategies that may reduce effects of alcohol advertising. Recent Findings Alcohol advertising influences current and future drinking. Further, evidence suggests adolescents may be targeted specifically. Alcohol advertisements may influence behavior by shifting alcohol expectancies, norms regarding alcohol use, and positive attitudes. Media literacy programs may be an effective intervention strategy. Summary Adolescents are exposed to large quantities of alcohol advertisements, which violates guidelines set by the alcohol industry. However, media literacy programs may be a promising strategy for adolescents to increase critical thinking and create more realistic expectations regarding alcohol. PMID:29242767

Optical properties monitor: Experiment definition phase

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilkes, Donald R.; Bennett, Jean M.; Hummer, Leigh L.; Chipman, Russell A.; Hadaway, James B.; Pezzaniti, Larry

1990-01-01

The stability of materials used in the space environment will continue to be a limiting technology for space missions. The Optical Properties Monitor (OPM) Experiment provides a comprehensive space research program to study the effects of the space environment (both natural and induced) on optical, thermal and space power materials. The OPM Experiment was selected for definition under the NASA/OAST In-Space Technology Experiment Program. The results of the OPM Definition Phase are presented. The OPM experiment will expose selected materials to the space environment and measure the effects with in-space optical measurements. In-space measurements include total hemispherical reflectance total integrated scatter and VUV reflectance/transmittance. The in-space measurements will be augmented with extensive pre- and post-flight sample measurements to determine other optical, mechanical, electrical, chemical or surface effects of space exposure. Environmental monitors will provide the amount and time history of the sample exposure to solar irradiation, atomic oxygen and molecular contamination.

Optical properties monitor: Experiment definition phase

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilkes, Donald R.; Bennett, Jean M.; Hummer, Leigh L.; Chipman, Russell A.; Hadaway, James B.; Pezzaniti, Larry

1989-01-01

The stability of materials used in the space environment will continue to be a limiting technology for space missions. The Optical Properties Monitor (OPM) Experiment provides a comprehensive space research program to study the effects of the space environment-both natural and induced-on optical, thermal and space power materials. The OPM Experiment was selected for definition under the NASA/OAST In-Space Technology Experiment Program. The results of the OPM Definition Phase are presented. The OPM Experiment will expose selected materials to the space environment and measure the effects with in-space optical measurements. In-space measurements include total hemispherical reflectance total integrated scatter and VUV reflectance/transmittance. The in-space measurements will be augmented with extensive pre- and post-flight sample measurements to determine other optical, mechanical, electrical, chemical or surface effects of space exposure. Environmental monitors will provide the amount and time history of the sample exposure to solar irradiation, atomic oxygen and molecular contamination.

The Myriad Influences of Alcohol Advertising on Adolescent Drinking.

PubMed

Berey, Benjamin L; Loparco, Cassidy; Leeman, Robert F; Grube, Joel W

2017-06-01

This review investigates effects of alcohol advertising on adolescent drinking. Prior reviews focused on behavioral outcomes and long-term effects. In contrast, the present review focuses on subgroups with greater exposure to alcohol advertising, research methods to study alcohol advertising, potential mechanisms underlying relationships between adolescent exposure to alcohol advertising and increased drinking and points to prevention/intervention strategies that may reduce effects of alcohol advertising. Alcohol advertising influences current and future drinking. Further, evidence suggests adolescents may be targeted specifically. Alcohol advertisements may influence behavior by shifting alcohol expectancies, norms regarding alcohol use, and positive attitudes. Media literacy programs may be an effective intervention strategy. Adolescents are exposed to large quantities of alcohol advertisements, which violates guidelines set by the alcohol industry. However, media literacy programs may be a promising strategy for adolescents to increase critical thinking and create more realistic expectations regarding alcohol.

The Joint Space Operations Center Mission System and the Advanced Research, Collaboration, and Application Development Environment Status Update 2016

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murray-Krezan, Jeremy; Howard, Samantha; Sabol, Chris; Kim, Richard; Echeverry, Juan

2016-05-01

The Joint Space Operations Center (JSpOC) Mission System (JMS) is a service-oriented architecture (SOA) infrastructure with increased process automation and improved tools to enhance Space Situational Awareness (SSA) performed at the US-led JSpOC. The Advanced Research, Collaboration, and Application Development Environment (ARCADE) is a test-bed maintained and operated by the Air Force to (1) serve as a centralized test-bed for all research and development activities related to JMS applications, including algorithm development, data source exposure, service orchestration, and software services, and provide developers reciprocal access to relevant tools and data to accelerate technology development, (2) allow the JMS program to communicate user capability priorities and requirements to developers, (3) provide the JMS program with access to state-of-the-art research, development, and computing capabilities, and (4) support JMS Program Office-led market research efforts by identifying outstanding performers that are available to shepherd into the formal transition process. In this paper we will share with the international remote sensing community some of the recent JMS and ARCADE developments that may contribute to greater SSA at the JSpOC in the future, and share technical areas still in great need.

Quantitative dose-response assessment of inhalation exposures to toxic air pollutants

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jarabek, A.M.; Foureman, G.L.; Gift, J.S.

1997-12-31

Implementation of the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments, including evaluation of residual risks. requires accurate human health risk estimates of both acute and chronic inhalation exposures to toxic air pollutants. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency`s National Center for Environmental Assessment, Research Triangle Park, NC, has a research program that addresses several key issues for development of improved quantitative approaches for dose-response assessment. This paper describes three projects underway in the program. Project A describes a Bayesian approach that was developed to base dose-response estimates on combined data sets and that expresses these estimates as probability density functions. A categorical regressionmore » model has been developed that allows for the combination of all available acute data, with toxicity expressed as severity categories (e.g., mild, moderate, severe), and with both duration and concentration as governing factors. Project C encompasses two refinements to uncertainty factors (UFs) often applied to extrapolate dose-response estimates from laboratory animal data to human equivalent concentrations. Traditional UFs have been based on analyses of oral administration and may not be appropriate for extrapolation of inhalation exposures. Refinement of the UF applied to account for the use of subchronic rather than chronic data was based on an analysis of data from inhalation exposures (Project C-1). Mathematical modeling using the BMD approach was used to calculate the dose-response estimates for comparison between the subchronic and chronic data so that the estimates were not subject to dose-spacing or sample size variability. The second UF that was refined for extrapolation of inhalation data was the adjustment for the use of a LOAEL rather than a NOAEL (Project C-2).« less

Summary of the National Toxicology Program benzidine dye initiative.

PubMed Central

Morgan, D L; Dunnick, J K; Goehl, T; Jokinen, M P; Matthews, H B; Zeiger, E; Mennear, J H

1994-01-01

The benzidine dye initiative is a research program established by the National Toxicology Program to generate an integrated body of scientific information regarding the potential health risks associated with exposure to benzidine- and benzidine-congener-derived dyes. Because an in-depth evaluation of each of the hundreds of benzidine-congener-derived dyes was considered impractical, the research program was designed to study the metabolism and disposition, genetic toxicity, and in vivo toxicity and carcinogenicity of two primary benzidine congeners, 3,3'-dimethylbenzidine and 3,3'-dimethoxybenzidine, and a select group of prototypical dyes derived from those amines. It was anticipated that by applying the basic information generated in these extensive studies, it would be possible to make regulatory decisions about other dyes after conducting only a minimal number of experiments such as studies of disposition and metabolism, and in vitro mutagenicity. This paper summarizes the results of studies conducted to evaluate the metabolism, disposition, mutagenicity, toxicity, and carcinogenicity of representative benzidine congeners and derived dyes. PMID:7925189

Household pesticide contamination from indoor pest control applications in urban low-income public housing dwellings: a community-based participatory research.

PubMed

Lu, Chensheng; Adamkiewicz, Gary; Attfield, Kathleen R; Kapp, Michaela; Spengler, John D; Tao, Lin; Xie, Shao Hua

2013-02-19

We designed this community-based participatory research (CBPR) project aiming to generate evidence-based research results to encourage residents living in urban low-income public housing dwellings engaging in a community-wide integrated pest management (IPM) program with the intention to improve their health and quality of life, as well as household conditions. We enrolled 20 families and their children in this study in which we utilized environmental exposure assessment (surface wipe and indoor air) tools to quantitatively assessing residential pesticide exposure in young children before the implementation of an IPM program. We analyzed those samples for 19 organophosphate (OP) and pyrethroid pesticides. The most commonly detected pesticides were pyrethroids, particularly permethrin and cypermethrin with average concentrations of 2.47 and 3.87 μg/m(2), respectively. In many dwellings, we detected OPs, which are no longer available on the market; however, their levels are significantly lower than those of pyrethroids. None of the 20 families was free from pesticide contamination in their households, and pesticides were commonly detected in living room and children's bedroom. The correlation among household hygienic conditions, the sighting of live pests/pest debris, and the degree of indoor pesticide contamination highlights the failure of conventional chemical-based applications for pest controls. The results from the current study, as well as other recent studies, conducted in low-income public housing, child care centers, and randomly selected homes in the U.S. should accentuate the need for alternative pest management programs that incorporate safer and more sustainable protocols for pest controls.

HOUSEHOLD PESTICIDE CONTAMINATION FROM INDOOR PEST CONTROL APPLICATIONS IN URBAN LOW-INCOME PUBLIC HOUSING DWELLINGS: A COMMUNITY-BASED PARTICIPATORY RESEARCH

PubMed Central

Adamkiewicz, Gary; Attfield, Kathleen; Kapp, Michaela; Spengler, John D; Tao, Lin; Xie, Shao Hua

2013-01-01

We designed this community-based participatory research (CBPR) project aiming to generate evidence-based research results in order to encourage residents living in urban low-income public housing dwellings engaging in a community-wide integrated pest management (IPM) program with the intention to improve their health and quality of life, as well as household conditions. We enrolled 20 families and their children in this study in which we utilized environmental exposure assessment (surface wipe and indoor air) tools to quantitatively assessing residential pesticide exposure in young children before the implementation of an IPM program. We analyzed those samples for 19 organophosphate (OP) and pyrethroid pesticides. The most commonly detected pesticides were pyrethroids, particularly permethrin and cypermethrin with average concentrations of 2.47 and 3.87 µg/m2, respectively. In many dwellings, we detected OPs, which are no longer available on the market, however, their levels are significantly lower than those of pyrethroids. None of the 20 families was free from pesticide contamination in their households, and pesticides were commonly detected in living room and children’s bedroom. The correlation among household hygienic conditions, the sighting of live pests/pest debris, and the degree of indoor pesticide contamination highlights the failure of conventional chemical-based applications for pest controls. The results from the current study, as well as other recent studies, conducted in low-income public housing, child care centers, and randomly selected homes in the U.S. should accentuate the need for alternative pest management programs that incorporate safer and more sustainable protocols for pest controls. PMID:23363037

Improving Latino Youths' Environmental Health Literacy and Leadership Skills Through Participatory Research on Chemical Exposures in Cosmetics: The HERMOSA Study.

PubMed

Madrigal, Daniel S; Minkler, Meredith; Parra, Kimberly L; Mundo, Carolina; Gonzalez, Jesus Enrique Cardenas; Jimenez, Ramon; Vera, Carlos; Harley, Kim G

2016-07-18

To increase environmental health literacy (EHL) and leadership skills in Latino youth in Salinas, CA., we worked from 2012-2015 with 15 members of the CHAMACOS Youth Community Council (YCC), an outreach arm of a longitudinal study of impacts of environmental chemicals on children's health. The YCC program provided hands-on research experiences related to Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs) in cosmetics and their possible health effects. We use participatory research principles and Bloom's Taxonomy of Educational Objectives to describe the development of EHC and leadership in the youth co-researchers. Using data from multiple qualitative sources, we explore the youths' engagement in a wide range of research and action processes. Promising outcomes, including perceptions of improved youth self-esteem, EHL, leadership, and career orientation are discussed, as are challenges, such as time constraints and high priority youth concerns not addressed by the study. Implications for other youth-engaged participatory science and leadership programs are presented. © The Author(s) 2016.

Applying mathematical modeling to create job rotation schedules for minimizing occupational noise exposure.

PubMed

Tharmmaphornphilas, Wipawee; Green, Benjamin; Carnahan, Brian J; Norman, Bryan A

2003-01-01

This research developed worker schedules by using administrative controls and a computer programming model to reduce the likelihood of worker hearing loss. By rotating the workers through different jobs during the day it was possible to reduce their exposure to hazardous noise levels. Computer simulations were made based on data collected in a real setting. Worker schedules currently used at the site are compared with proposed worker schedules from the computer simulations. For the worker assignment plans found by the computer model, the authors calculate a significant decrease in time-weighted average (TWA) sound level exposure. The maximum daily dose that any worker is exposed to is reduced by 58.8%, and the maximum TWA value for the workers is reduced by 3.8 dB from the current schedule.

Real Talk: Developing a Computer-Delivered Sexual Health Program for Black Men Who Have Sex With Men.

PubMed

Klein, Charles; Lomonaco, Carmela

2016-12-01

HIV disproportionately affects Black men who have sex with men (MSM), yet there are few evidence-based programs that respond to the diverse realities of Black MSM communities. This article examines the development of Real Talk, a new harm reduction-based, sexual health intervention for Black MSM. We first analyze the key themes from our formative research: (1) stigma, discrimination, and intersectionalities in the lives of Black MSM, (2) the importance of safe spaces and community provided by health promotion programs, and (3) moving beyond condoms in sexual health messaging. We then describe our agile design product development process and present an overview of the intervention's components and how they respond to the issues identified in the formative research. In conclusion, we discuss dissemination opportunities and challenges in an age of decreased prevention funding, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), and the increased use of e-health promotion modalities.

Teaching residents practice-management knowledge and skills: an in vivo experience.

PubMed

Williams, Laurel Lyn

2009-01-01

This article explores the relevant data regarding teaching psychiatric residents practice management knowledge and skills. This article also introduces a unique program for teaching practice management to residents. A literature search was conducted through PubMed and Academic Psychiatry. Additionally residents involved in the training program for practice management were given an anonymous survey to complete. There were no randomized, controlled trials in the academic psychiatric field concerning the topic of practice management. The responses to the resident survey (n=10) indicated a modest improvement in residents' perception of receiving adequate training and exposure to practice management knowledge and skills. The available research suggests that many residents and faculty believe that practice management knowledge and skills are still not adequately addressed. The Baylor Clinic practice management program may be one possible solution for integrating the teaching of practice management knowledge and skills. More research on this topic is needed.

High Altitude Radiations Relevant to the High Speed Civil Transport (HSCT)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilson, J. W.; Goldhagan, P.; Maiden, D. L.; Tai, H.

2004-01-01

The Langley Research Center (LaRC) performed atmospheric radiation studies under the SST development program in which important ionizing radiation components were measured and extended by calculations to develop the existing atmospheric ionizing radiation (AIR) model. In that program the measured neutron spectrum was limited to less than 10 MeV by the available 1960-1970 instrumentation. Extension of the neutron spectrum to high energies was made using the LaRC PROPER-3C monte carlo code. It was found that the atmospheric neutrons contributed about half of the dose equivalent and approximately half of the neutron contribution was from high energy neutrons above 10 MeV. Furthermore, monte carlo calculations of solar particle events showed that potential exposures as large as 10-100 mSv/hr may occur on important high latitude routes but acceptable levels of exposure could be obtained if timely descent to subsonic altitudes could be made. The principal concern was for pregnant occupants onboard the aircraft. As a result of these studies the FAA Advisory Committee on the Radiobiological Aspects of the SST recommended: 1. Crew members will have to be informed of their exposure levels 2. Maximum exposures on any flight to be limited to 5 mSv 3. Airborne radiation detection devices for total exposure and exposure rates 4. Satellite monitoring system to provide SST aircraft real-time information on atmospheric radiation levels for exposure mitigation 5. A solar forecasting system to warn flight operations of an impending solar event for flight scheduling and alert status. These recommendations are a reasonable starting point to requirements for the HSCT with some modification reflecting new standards of protection as a result of changing risk coefficients.

Research into mercury exposure and health education in subsistence fish-eating communities of the Amazon basin: potential effects on public health policy.

PubMed

Dórea, José G

2010-09-01

The neurotoxic effects of fish-methylmercury (meHg) consumed regularly are considered hazardous to fetuses and newborn infants; as a result fish consumption advisories are an important asset to control meHg exposure in affluent societies. These concerns are now part of health promotion programs for Amazon subsistence villagers. While urban dwellers in affluent societies can choose an alternative nutritious diet, traditional and subsistence communities are caught up in controversial issues and lifestyle changes with unintended health consequences. Traditional fish-eating populations of industrialized and non-industrialized regions may be exposed to different neurotoxic substances: man-made pollutants and environmentally occurring meHg. Additionally, in non-industrialized countries, pregnant women and infants are still being immunized with thimerosal-containing vaccines (TCVs) which degrade to ethylmercury (etHg). Therefore, the complexity involving fish-meHg associated with wild-fish choices and Hg exposure derived from TCVs is difficult to disentangle and evaluate: are villagers able to distinguish exposure to differently hazardous chemical forms of Hg (inorganic, fish-meHg, and injected etHg)? Is it possible that instead of helping to prevent a plausible (unperceived) fish-meHg associated neurocognitive delay we may inadvertently arouse panic surrounding Hg exposure and disrupt subsistence fish-eating habits (necessary for survival) and life-saving vaccination programs (required by public health authorities)? These questions characterize the incompleteness of information related on the various chemical forms of Hg exposure and the need to convey messages that do not disrupt nutritional balance and disease prevention policies directed at Amazonian subsistence communities.

Antimicrobial Exposure Assessment Task Force II (AEATF II) Volume 5: Governing Document for a Multi-Year Antimicrobial Chemical Exposure Monitoring Program (interim draft document with changes)

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This document describes the overall scope of the AEATF II program, demonstrates the need for additional human exposure monitoring data and explains the proposed methodology for the exposure monitoring studies proposed for conduct by the AEATF II.

Using a modified Learning Potential Assessment Device and Mediated Learning Experiences to Assess Minority Student Progress and Program Goals in an Undergraduate Research Based Geoscience Program Serving American Indians

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mitchell, L. W.

2002-12-01

During the initiation of a new program at the University of North Dakota designed to promote American Indians to engage in geoscience research and complete geoscience related degrees, an evaluation procedure utilizing a modified Learning Potential Assessment Device (LPAD) and Mediated Learning Experiences (MLE) to assess minority student progress was implemented. The program, called Indians Into Geosciences (INGEOS), utilized a modified form of the Learning Potential Assessment Device first to assess cultural factors, determination, and other baseline information, and second, utilized a series of Mediated Learning Experiences to enhance minority students' opportunities in a culturally appropriate, culturally diverse, and scientifically challenging manner in an effort to prepare students for competitive research careers in the geosciences. All of the LPADs and MLEs corresponded directly to the three goals or eight objectives of INGEOS. The three goals of the INGEOS program are: 1) increasing the number of American Indians earning degrees at all levels, 2) engaging American Indians in challenging and technically based scientific research, and 3) preparing American Indians for successful geoscience careers through multicultural community involvement. The eight objectives of the INGEOS program, called the Eight Points of Success, are: 1) spiritual health, 2) social health, 3) physical health, 4) mental health, 5) financial management, 6) research involvement, 7) technical exposure, and 8) multicultural community education. The INGEOS program goals were evaluated strictly quantitatively utilizing a variety of data sources such as grade point averages, number of credits earned, research project information, and developed products. The INGEOS Program goals reflected a combined quantitative score of all participants, whereas the objectives reflected qualitative measures and are specific for each INGEOS participant. Initial results indicate that those participants which show progress through Mediated Learning Experiences within all of the Eight Points of Success, have a higher likelihood of contributing to all three of the INGEOS programs goals.

Geographic approaches to quantifying the risk environment: a focus on syringe exchange program site access and drug-related law enforcement activities

PubMed Central

Cooper, Hannah LF; Bossak, Brian; Tempalski, Barbara; Des Jarlais, Don C.; Friedman, Samuel R.

2009-01-01

The concept of the “risk environment” – defined as the “space … [where] factors exogenous to the individual interact to increase the chances of HIV transmission” – draws together the disciplines of public health and geography. Researchers have increasingly turned to geographic methods to quantify dimensions of the risk environment that are both structural and spatial (e.g., local poverty rates). The scientific power of the intersection between public health and geography, however, has yet to be fully mined. In particular, research on the risk environment has rarely applied geographic methods to create neighbourhood-based measures of syringe exchange programs (SEPs) or of drug-related law enforcement activities, despite the fact that these interventions are widely conceptualized as structural and spatial in nature and are two of the most well-established dimensions of the risk environment. To strengthen research on the risk environment, this paper presents a way of using geographic methods to create neighbourhood-based measures of (1) access to SEP sites and (2) exposure to drug-related arrests, and then applies these methods to one setting (New York City). NYC-based results identified substantial cross-neighbourhood variation in SEP site access and in exposure to drug-related arrest rates (even within the subset of neighbourhoods nominally experiencing the same drug-related police strategy). These geographic measures – grounded as they are in conceptualizations of SEPs and drug-related law enforcement strategies – can help develop new arenas of inquiry regarding the impact of these two dimensions of the risk environment on injectors’ health, including exploring whether and how neighbourhood-level access to SEP sites and exposure to drug-related arrests shape a range of outcomes among local injectors. PMID:18963907

Hearing conservation and noise management practices in professional orchestras.

PubMed

O'Brien, Ian; Driscoll, Tim; Ackermann, Bronwen

2012-01-01

Hearing conservation and noise exposure management for professional orchestras is a difficult issue resistant to standard control measures as used in other industries with excessive noise problems. Although there has been a great deal of research into this area in terms of the audiological status of musicians and their exposure to noise, there are relatively few industry-specific strategies that can be adopted by an orchestra looking to address these issues. Australia does not have a uniform approach to hearing conservation management in its orchestras; however, each orchestra actively grapples with the challenges of balancing legal, practical, and artistic concerns. This study systematically investigated hearing conservation practices, noise exposure management, and audiological screening protocols in eight professional orchestras. The research involved personal interviews with staff at each orchestra, including inspection of venues and facilities. While all these orchestras were aware of the risks and were actively taking significant steps to reduce noise exposure, a range of approaches, with varying degrees of effectiveness and understanding of the issue, were found across the sector. There was limited evidence of educational programs for either the musicians at risk of excessive noise exposure or the staff responsible for devising and implementing control measures. In addition, the reported use of adequate personal hearing protection by musicians was poor. As Australia has recently introduced a national approach to workplace health and safety, a similar approach to noise and audiological management across the country's orchestral sector is proposed, drawn from existing research and practice. This will enable both consistent procedures and meaningful dialogue between the orchestras on the topics of hearing conservation, audiological monitoring, and educational practices.

Exposures to quartz, diesel, dust, and welding fumes during heavy and highway construction.

PubMed

Woskie, Susan R; Kalil, Andrew; Bello, Dhimiter; Virji, M Abbas

2002-01-01

Personal samples for exposure to dust, diesel exhaust, quartz, and welding fume were collected on heavy and highway construction workers. The respirable, thoracic, and inhalable fractions of dust and quartz exposures were estimated from 260 personal impactor samples. Respirable quartz exposures exceeded the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recommended exposure limit (REL) in 7-31% of cases for the trades sampled. More than 50% of the samples in the installation of drop ceilings and wall tiles and concrete finish operations exceeded the NIOSH REL for quartz. Thoracic exposures to quartz and dust exceeded respirable exposures by a factor of 4.5 and 2.8, respectively. Inhalable exposures to quartz and dust exceeded respirable exposures by a factor of 25.6 and 9.3, respectively. These findings are important due to the identification of quartz as a carcinogen by the National Toxicology Program and the International Agency for Research on Cancer. Fourteen percent of the personal samples for EC (n = 261), collected as a marker for diesel exhaust, exceeded the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) threshold limit value (TLV) for diesel exhaust. Seventeen of the 22 (77%) samples taken during a partially enclosed welding operation reached or exceeded the ACGIH TLV of 5 mg/m3 for welding fume.

SHEDS-HT: An Integrated Probabilistic Exposure Model for ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) researchers are developing a strategy for highthroughput (HT) exposure-based prioritization of chemicals under the ExpoCast program. These novel modeling approaches for evaluating chemicals based on their potential for biologically relevant human exposures will inform toxicity testing and prioritization for chemical risk assessment. Based on probabilistic methods and algorithms developed for The Stochastic Human Exposure and Dose Simulation Model for Multimedia, Multipathway Chemicals (SHEDS-MM), a new mechanistic modeling approach has been developed to accommodate high-throughput (HT) assessment of exposure potential. In this SHEDS-HT model, the residential and dietary modules of SHEDS-MM have been operationally modified to reduce the user burden, input data demands, and run times of the higher-tier model, while maintaining critical features and inputs that influence exposure. The model has been implemented in R; the modeling framework links chemicals to consumer product categories or food groups (and thus exposure scenarios) to predict HT exposures and intake doses. Initially, SHEDS-HT has been applied to 2507 organic chemicals associated with consumer products and agricultural pesticides. These evaluations employ data from recent USEPA efforts to characterize usage (prevalence, frequency, and magnitude), chemical composition, and exposure scenarios for a wide range of consumer products. In modeling indirec

Regimented research: a recipe for success?

PubMed

Yu, Eric H C

2003-04-01

Cardiology trainees at the University of Toronto participate annually in a mandatory research competition. Its purpose is to promote creative thinking, help develop a greater understanding of the scientific method and encourage them to pursue research as a career. Since its inception, this research competition's outcomes have not been assessed. This study set out to determine which components of a cardiology training program are important in the development of a career in cardiovascular research and addressed whether participation in this mandatory research competition was considered important to the development of a career in cardiovascular research. This study found that both faculty and trainees considered the following factors to be important in the development of a research career: (1) a mentor to provide support and guidance; (2) regular attendance at national and international meetings; (3) a fixed block of time within the training program dedicated solely to research activity; and (4) an academic environment that provides exposure to clinicians with varied research interests and ability. Neither trainees nor faculty believed that mandatory participation in a research competition was of significant benefit in the development of a research career, although faculty's perception of such a benefit was greater than the trainees'.

The Role of Mindfulness in Reducing the Adverse Effects of Childhood Stress and Trauma

PubMed Central

Ortiz, Robin; Sibinga, Erica M.

2017-01-01

Research suggests that many children are exposed to adverse experiences in childhood. Such adverse childhood exposures may result in stress and trauma, which are associated with increased morbidity and mortality into adulthood. In general populations and trauma-exposed adults, mindfulness interventions have demonstrated reduced depression and anxiety, reduced trauma-related symptoms, enhanced coping and mood, and improved quality of life. Studies in children and youth also demonstrate that mindfulness interventions improve mental, behavioral, and physical outcomes. Taken together, this research suggests that high-quality, structured mindfulness instruction may mitigate the negative effects of stress and trauma related to adverse childhood exposures, improving short- and long-term outcomes, and potentially reducing poor health outcomes in adulthood. Future work is needed to optimize implementation of youth-based mindfulness programs and to study long-term outcomes into adulthood. PMID:28264496

Tides, Krill, Penguins, Oh My!: Scientists and Teachers Partner in Project CONVERGE to Bring Collaborative Antarctic Research, Authentic Data, and Scientific Inquiry into the Hands of NJ and NY Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hunter-thomson, K. I.; Kohut, J. T.; Florio, K.; McDonnell, J. D.; Ferraro, C.; Clark, H.; Gardner, K.; Oliver, M. J.

2016-02-01

How do you get middle and high school students excited about scientific inquiry? Have them join a collaborative research team in Antarctica! A comprehensive education program brought ocean science, marine ecology, and climate change impact research to more than 950 students in 2014-15 to increase their exposure to and excitement of current research. The program was integrated into a collaborative research project, involving five universities, that worked to characterize the connection between ocean circulation, plankton distribution, penguin foraging behavior, and climate change around Palmer Station, Antarctica. The scientists and education team co-led a weeklong workshop to expose 22 teachers to the research science, build relationships among the teachers and scientists, and refine the program to most effectively communicate the research to their students. In the fall, teachers taught NGSS-aligned, hands-on, data-focused classroom lessons to provide their students the necessary content to understand the project hypotheses using multiple science practices. Through a professional science blog and live video calls from Antarctica, students followed and discussed the science teams work while they were in the field. To apply the science practices the students had learned about, they designed, conducted, and analyzed their own ocean-related, inquiry-based research investigation as the culminating component of the program (results were presented at a Student Research Symposium attended by the science team). Of their own choosing, roughly half of the students used raw data from the CONVERGE research (including krill, CODAR, penguin, and glider data) for their investigations. This presentation will focus on the evaluation results of the education program to identify the aspects that successfully engaged teachers and students with scientific inquiry, science practices, and authentic data as well as the replicability of this integrated scientist-teacher partnership and education program.

Sequim Marine Research Laboratory routine environmental measurements during CY-1977

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fix, J.J.; Blumer, P.J.

1978-06-01

Beginning in 1976, a routine environmental program was established at the Marine Research Laboratory (MRL) at Sequim, Washington. The program is intended to demonstrate the negligible impact of current MRL operations on the surrounding environs and to provide baseline data through which any cumulative impact could be detected. The sampling frequency is greater during the first 2 years of the program to provide sufficient initial information to allow reliable estimates of observed radionuclide concentrations and to construct a long-term sampling program. The program is designed, primarily, to determine levels of radioactivity present in selected biota in Sequim Bay. The biotamore » were selected because of their presence near the laboratory and their capacity to concentrate trace elements. Other samples were obtained to determine the radionuclides in Sequim Bay and laboratory drinking water, as well as the ambient radiation exposure levels and surface deposition of fallout radionuclides for the laboratory area. Appendix A provides a summary of the analytical methods used. The present document includes data obtained during CY 1977 in addition to CY-1976 data published previously.« less

Proceedings of the 2010 AFMS Medical Research Symposium. Volume 2. Operational and Medical Track: Abstracts and Presentations.

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-03-15

2  Impact of Alternating Days of Intermittent Hypoxic Exposure (IHE) on Physical and Cognitive Performance...60  Management and Treatment of Pediatric Obesity in a Military Outpatient Setting ................................. 71  Budget Impact Analysis of...Bariatric Surgery for Morbid Obesity ........................................................... 78  Pilot Study of A Diabetes Prevention Program in A

Reduced Psychological Distress in Racial and Ethnic Minority Students Practicing the Transcendental Meditation Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elder, Charles; Nidich, Sanford; Colbert, Robert; Hagelin, John; Grayshield, Lisa; Oviedo-Lim, Dynah; Nidich, Randi; Rainforth, Maxwell; Jones, Chris; Gerace, Denise

2011-01-01

There is a growing literature describing the stressful nature of students' school experience. Previous research has found that racial and ethnic minority groups are particularly subject to high levels of stress due to exposure to violence, pressures due to acculturation, and the schooling process. This is the first study to evaluate effects of the…

PCBs Alter Dopamine Mediated Function in Aging Workers

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-01-01

in Aging Workers PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Richard F. Seegal, Ph.D. CONTRACTING ORGANIZATION: Health Research Incorporated... Health Perspectives, describes the associations between serum PCB concentrations and occupational exposure as well as fish consumption; the senior author...Alter Dopamine Mediated Function in Aging Workers 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER DAMD17-02-1-0173 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR

Water-quality requirements, tolerances, and preferences of pallid sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus albus) in the lower Missouri River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Blevins, Dale W.

2011-01-01

Additional research could be used to characterize and quantify the requirements, tolerance, and preferences of pallid sturgeon to these water-quality characteristics, especially during the egg and larval life stages. Enhancements to existing water-sampling programs are needed to quantify the exposure of pallid sturgeon to many of these water-quality stressors.

U.S.-MEXICO BORDER PROGRAM ARIZONA BORDER STUDY--QUALITY SYSTEMS AND IMPLEMENTATION PLAN (QSIP) FOR TOTAL HUMAN EXPOSURE IN ARIZONA: A COMPARISON OF THE BORDER COMMUNITIES AND THE STATE

EPA Science Inventory

Prior to initiation of the Arizona Border Survey, a quality systems implementation plan (QSIP) addressing all aspects of the project was developed by the investigating consortium composed of researchers from The University of Arizona (UA), Battelle Memorial Institute (BMI), and t...

Providing Experiential Business and Management Training for Biomedical Research Trainees

PubMed Central

Petrie, Kimberly A.; Carnahan, Robert H.; Brown, Abigail M.; Gould, Kathleen L.

2017-01-01

Many biomedical PhD trainees lack exposure to business principles, which limits their competitiveness and effectiveness in academic and industry careers. To fill this training gap, we developed Business and Management Principles for Scientists, a semester-long program that combined didactic exposure to business fundamentals with practical team-based projects aimed at solving real business problems encountered by institutional shared-­resource core facilities. The program also included a retreat featuring presentations by and networking with local life science entrepreneurs and final team presentations to expert judges. Quantitative and qualitative metrics were used to evaluate the program’s impact on trainees. A pretest–posttest approach was used to assess trainees’ baseline knowledge and mastery of module concepts, and each individual’s pretest and posttest responses were compared. The mean score improved by more than 17 percentage points. Trainees also took an online survey to provide feedback about the module. Nearly all participants agreed or strongly agreed that the module was a valuable use of their time and will help guide their career decisions and that project work helped drive home module concepts. More than 75% of trainees reported discussing the module with their research advisors, and all of these participants reported supportive or neutral responses. Collectively, the trainee feedback about the module, improvement in test scores, and trainee perception of advisor support suggest that this short module is an effective method of providing scientists with efficient and meaningful exposure to business concepts. PMID:28798213

Neuroimaging is a novel tool to understand the impact of environmental chemicals on neurodevelopment.

PubMed

Horton, Megan K; Margolis, Amy E; Tang, Cheuk; Wright, Robert

2014-04-01

The prevalence of childhood neurodevelopmental disorders has been increasing over the last several decades. Prenatal and early childhood exposure to environmental toxicants is increasingly recognized as contributing to the growing rate of neurodevelopmental disorders. Very little information is known about the mechanistic processes by which environmental chemicals alter brain development. We review the recent advances in brain imaging modalities and discuss their application in epidemiologic studies of prenatal and early childhood exposure to environmental toxicants. Neuroimaging techniques (volumetric and functional MRI, diffusor tensor imaging, and magnetic resonance spectroscopy) have opened unprecedented access to study the developing human brain. These techniques are noninvasive and free of ionization radiation making them suitable for research applications in children. Using these techniques, we now understand much about structural and functional patterns in the typically developing brain. This knowledge allows us to investigate how prenatal exposure to environmental toxicants may alter the typical developmental trajectory. MRI is a powerful tool that allows in-vivo visualization of brain structure and function. Used in epidemiologic studies of environmental exposure, it offers the promise to causally link exposure with behavioral and cognitive manifestations and ultimately to inform programs to reduce exposure and mitigate adverse effects of exposure.

Social Science Collaboration with Environmental Health.

PubMed

Hoover, Elizabeth; Renauld, Mia; Edelstein, Michael R; Brown, Phil

2015-11-01

Social science research has been central in documenting and analyzing community discovery of environmental exposure and consequential processes. Collaboration with environmental health science through team projects has advanced and improved our understanding of environmental health and justice. We sought to identify diverse methods and topics in which social scientists have expanded environmental health understandings at multiple levels, to examine how transdisciplinary environmental health research fosters better science, and to learn how these partnerships have been able to flourish because of the support from National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS). We analyzed various types of social science research to investigate how social science contributes to environmental health. We also examined NIEHS programs that foster social science. In addition, we developed a case study of a community-based participation research project in Akwesasne in order to demonstrate how social science has enhanced environmental health science. Social science has informed environmental health science through ethnographic studies of contaminated communities, analysis of spatial distribution of environmental injustice, psychological experience of contamination, social construction of risk and risk perception, and social impacts of disasters. Social science-environmental health team science has altered the way scientists traditionally explore exposure by pressing for cumulative exposure approaches and providing research data for policy applications. A transdisciplinary approach for environmental health practice has emerged that engages the social sciences to paint a full picture of the consequences of contamination so that policy makers, regulators, public health officials, and other stakeholders can better ameliorate impacts and prevent future exposure. Hoover E, Renauld M, Edelstein MR, Brown P. 2015. Social science collaboration with environmental health. Environ Health Perspect 123:1100-1106; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1409283.

Social Science Collaboration with Environmental Health

PubMed Central

Hoover, Elizabeth; Renauld, Mia; Edelstein, Michael R.

2015-01-01

Background Social science research has been central in documenting and analyzing community discovery of environmental exposure and consequential processes. Collaboration with environmental health science through team projects has advanced and improved our understanding of environmental health and justice. Objective We sought to identify diverse methods and topics in which social scientists have expanded environmental health understandings at multiple levels, to examine how transdisciplinary environmental health research fosters better science, and to learn how these partnerships have been able to flourish because of the support from National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS). Methods We analyzed various types of social science research to investigate how social science contributes to environmental health. We also examined NIEHS programs that foster social science. In addition, we developed a case study of a community-based participation research project in Akwesasne in order to demonstrate how social science has enhanced environmental health science. Results Social science has informed environmental health science through ethnographic studies of contaminated communities, analysis of spatial distribution of environmental injustice, psychological experience of contamination, social construction of risk and risk perception, and social impacts of disasters. Social science–environmental health team science has altered the way scientists traditionally explore exposure by pressing for cumulative exposure approaches and providing research data for policy applications. Conclusions A transdisciplinary approach for environmental health practice has emerged that engages the social sciences to paint a full picture of the consequences of contamination so that policy makers, regulators, public health officials, and other stakeholders can better ameliorate impacts and prevent future exposure. Citation Hoover E, Renauld M, Edelstein MR, Brown P. 2015. Social science collaboration with environmental health. Environ Health Perspect 123:1100–1106; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1409283 PMID:25966491

International Test Program for Synergistic Atomic Oxygen and Vacuum Ultraviolet Radiation Exposure of Spacecraft Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, Sharon K.

2001-01-01

The components and materials of spacecraft in low Earth orbit can degrade in thermal and optical performance through interaction with atomic oxygen and vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) radiation, which are predominant in low Earth orbit. Because of the importance of low Earth orbit durability and performance to manufacturers and users, an international test program for assessing the durability of spacecraft materials and components was initiated. Initial tests at the NASA Glenn Research Center consisted of exposure of samples representing a variety of thermal control paints, multilayer insulation materials, and Sun sensors that have been used in space. Materials donated from various international sources were tested alongside materials whose performance is well known, such as Teflon FEP, Kapton H, or Z-93-P white paint. The optical, thermal, or mass loss data generated during the tests were then provided to the participating material suppliers. Data were not published unless the participant donating the material consented to publication. The test program is intended to give spacecraft builders and users a better understanding of degradation processes and effects so that they can improve their predictions of spacecraft performance.

CAMPARE and Cal-Bridge: Two Institutional Networks Increasing Diversity in Astronomy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rudolph, Alexander L.; Impey, Chris David; Smecker-Hane, Tammy A.

2016-01-01

We describe two programs, CAMPARE and Cal-Bridge, with the common mission of increasing participation of groups traditionally underrepresented in astronomy, through summer research opportunities, in the case of CAMPARE, scholarships in the case of Cal-Bridge, and significant mentoring in both programs, leading to an increase in their numbers successfully pursuing a PhD in the field.In 6 years, the CAMPARE program has sent 62 students, >85% from underrepresented groups, to conduct summer research at one of twelve major research institutions in California, Arizona, and Wyoming. The graduation rate among CAMPARE scholars is 97%, and of the 37 CAMPARE scholars who have graduated with a Bachelor's degree, almost 60% (21) have completed or are pursuing graduate education in astronomy or a related field, at institutions including UCLA, USC, UC Riverside, Stanford, Univ. of Rochester, Georgia Tech, Kent State, Indiana Univ., Univ. of Oregon, Syracuse, and the Fisk-Vanderbilt Master's-to-PhD program. The Cal-Bridge program is a CSU-UC Bridge program comprised of faculty form 5 University of California (UC), 8 California State University (CSU), and 8 California Community College (CCC) campuses in Southern California. Cal-Bridge provides much deeper mentoring and professional development experiences over the last two years of undergraduate and first year of graduate school to students from this diverse network of higher education institutions. Cal-Bridge Scholars benefit from financial support, intensive, joint mentoring by CSU and UC faculty, professional development workshops, and exposure to research opportunities at the participating UC campuses.

Methamphetamine exposure and chronic illness in police officers

PubMed Central

Ross, Gerald H; Sternquist, Marie C

2012-01-01

Background: The medical literature reports health hazards for law enforcement personnel from repeated exposure to methamphetamine and related chemical compounds. Most effects appear transitory, but some Utah police officers with employment-related methamphetamine exposures developed chronic symptoms, some leading to disability. This report is of an uncontrolled retrospective medical chart evaluation of symptomatic officers treated with a sauna detoxification protocol designed to reduce the chronic symptoms and improve the quality of life. Methods: Sixty-nine officers consecutively entering the Utah Meth Cops Project were assessed before and after a treatment program involving gradual exercise, comprehensive nutritional support and physical sauna therapy. Evaluations included pre- and post-treatment scores of the Research and Development Corporation (RAND) 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) in comparison with RAND population norms, pre- and post-treatment symptom score intensities, neurotoxicity scores, Mini-Mental Status Examination, presenting symptom frequencies and a structured evaluation of treatment program safety. Results: Statistically significant health improvements were seen in the SF-36 evaluations, symptom scores and neurotoxicity scores. The detoxification protocol was well tolerated, with a 92.8% completion rate. Conclusions: This investigation strongly suggests that utilizing sauna and nutritional therapy may alleviate chronic symptoms appearing after chemical exposures associated with methamphetamine-related law enforcement activities. This report also has relevance to addressing the apparent ill effects of other complex chemical exposures. In view of the positive clinical outcomes in this group, broader investigation of this sauna-based treatment regimen appears warranted. PMID:22089658

Electrochemical Sensors for the Detection of Lead and Other Toxic Heavy Metals: The Next Generation of Personal Exposure Biomonitors

PubMed Central

Yantasee, Wassana; Lin, Yuehe; Hongsirikarn, Kitiya; Fryxell, Glen E.; Addleman, Raymond; Timchalk, Charles

2007-01-01

To support the development and implementation of biological monitoring programs, we need quantitative technologies for measuring xenobiotic exposure. Microanalytical based sensors that work with complex biomatrices such as blood, urine, or saliva are being developed and validated and will improve our ability to make definitive associations between chemical exposures and disease. Among toxic metals, lead continues to be one of the most problematic. Despite considerable efforts to identify and eliminate Pb exposure sources, this metal remains a significant health concern, particularly for young children. Ongoing research focuses on the development of portable metal analyzers that have many advantages over current available technologies, thus potentially representing the next generation of toxic metal analyzers. In this article, we highlight the development and validation of two classes of metal analyzers for the voltammetric detection of Pb, including: a) an analyzer based on flow injection analysis and anodic stripping voltammetry at a mercury-film electrode, and b) Hg-free metal analyzers employing adsorptive stripping voltammetry and novel nanostructure materials that include the self-assembled monolayers on mesoporous supports and carbon nanotubes. These sensors have been optimized to detect Pb in urine, blood, and saliva as accurately as the state-of-the-art inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry with high reproducibility, and sensitivity allows. These improved and portable analytical sensor platforms will facilitate our ability to conduct biological monitoring programs to understand the relationship between chemical exposure assessment and disease outcomes. PMID:18087583

Early-Life Exposure to Non-Nutritive Sweeteners and the Developmental Origins of Childhood Obesity: Global Evidence from Human and Rodent Studies.

PubMed

Archibald, Alyssa J; Dolinsky, Vernon W; Azad, Meghan B

2018-02-10

Non-nutritive sweeteners (NNS) are increasingly consumed by children and pregnant women around the world, yet their long-term health impact is unclear. Here, we review an emerging body of evidence suggesting that early-life exposure to NNS may adversely affect body composition and cardio-metabolic health. Some observational studies suggest that children consuming NNS are at increased risk for obesity-related outcomes; however, others find no association or provide evidence of confounding. Fewer studies have examined prenatal NNS exposure, with mixed results from different analytical approaches. There is a paucity of RCTs evaluating NNS in children, yielding inconsistent results that can be difficult to interpret due to study design limitations (e.g., choice of comparator, multifaceted interventions). The majority of this research has been conducted in high-income countries. Some rodent studies demonstrate adverse metabolic effects from NNS, but most have used extreme doses that are not relevant to humans, and few have distinguished prenatal from postnatal exposure. Most studies focus on synthetic NNS in beverages, with few examining plant-derived NNS or NNS in foods. Overall, there is limited and inconsistent evidence regarding the impact of early-life NNS exposure on the developmental programming of obesity and cardio-metabolic health. Further research and mechanistic studies are needed to elucidate these effects and inform dietary recommendations for expectant mothers and children worldwide.

A motivational interviewing intervention to PREvent PAssive Smoke Exposure (PREPASE) in children with a high risk of asthma: design of a randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Hutchinson, Sasha G; Mesters, Ilse; van Breukelen, Gerard; Muris, Jean Wm; Feron, Frans Jm; Hammond, S Katharine; van Schayck, Constant P; Dompeling, Edward

2013-02-27

Especially children at risk for asthma are sensitive to the detrimental health effects of passive smoke (PS) exposure, like respiratory complaints and allergic sensitisation. Therefore, effective prevention of PS exposure in this group of vulnerable children is important. Based on previous studies, we hypothesized that an effective intervention program to prevent PS exposure in children is possible by means of a motivational interviewing tailored program with repeated contacts focussing on awareness, knowledge, beliefs (pros/cons), perceived barriers and needs of parents, in combination with feedback about urine cotinine levels of the children. The aim of the PREPASE study is to test the effectiveness of such an intervention program towards eliminating or reducing of PS exposure in children at risk for asthma. This article describes the protocol of the PREPASE study. The study is a one-year follow-up randomized controlled trial. Families with children (0-13 years of age) having an asthma predisposition who experience PS exposure at home are randomized into an intervention group receiving an intervention or a control group receiving care as usual. The intervention is given by trained research assistants. The intervention starts one month after a baseline measurement and takes place once per month for an hour during six home based counselling sessions. The primary outcome measure is the percentage of families curtailing PS exposure in children (parental report verified with the urine cotinine concentrations of the children) after 6 months. The secondary outcome measures include: household nicotine level, the child's lung function, airway inflammation and oxidative stress, presence of wheezing and questionnaires on respiratory symptoms, and quality of life. A process evaluation is included. Most of the measurements take place every 3 months (baseline and after 3, 6, 9 and 12 months of study). The PREPASE study incorporates successful elements of previous interventions and may therefore be very promising. If proven effective, the intervention will benefit the health of children at risk for asthma and may also create opportunity to be tested in other population. NTR2632.

A motivational interviewing intervention to PREvent PAssive Smoke Exposure (PREPASE) in children with a high risk of asthma: design of a randomised controlled trial

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Especially children at risk for asthma are sensitive to the detrimental health effects of passive smoke (PS) exposure, like respiratory complaints and allergic sensitisation. Therefore, effective prevention of PS exposure in this group of vulnerable children is important. Based on previous studies, we hypothesized that an effective intervention program to prevent PS exposure in children is possible by means of a motivational interviewing tailored program with repeated contacts focussing on awareness, knowledge, beliefs (pros/cons), perceived barriers and needs of parents, in combination with feedback about urine cotinine levels of the children. The aim of the PREPASE study is to test the effectiveness of such an intervention program towards eliminating or reducing of PS exposure in children at risk for asthma. This article describes the protocol of the PREPASE study. Methods The study is a one-year follow-up randomized controlled trial. Families with children (0–13 years of age) having an asthma predisposition who experience PS exposure at home are randomized into an intervention group receiving an intervention or a control group receiving care as usual. The intervention is given by trained research assistants. The intervention starts one month after a baseline measurement and takes place once per month for an hour during six home based counselling sessions. The primary outcome measure is the percentage of families curtailing PS exposure in children (parental report verified with the urine cotinine concentrations of the children) after 6 months. The secondary outcome measures include: household nicotine level, the child’s lung function, airway inflammation and oxidative stress, presence of wheezing and questionnaires on respiratory symptoms, and quality of life. A process evaluation is included. Most of the measurements take place every 3 months (baseline and after 3, 6, 9 and 12 months of study). Conclusion The PREPASE study incorporates successful elements of previous interventions and may therefore be very promising. If proven effective, the intervention will benefit the health of children at risk for asthma and may also create opportunity to be tested in other population. Trial registration number NTR2632 PMID:23442389

Early-life exposure to substance abuse and risk of type 2 diabetes in adulthood.

PubMed

Vaiserman, A M

2015-08-01

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a chronic non-communicable disease that is driven by insulin resistance as a result of increasing obesity and decreasing activity levels that occur with increasing age. This disease generally develops after the age of 40, but it is now increasingly diagnosed in children and young adults. Increasing evidence, however, suggests that T2D can originate during early development. It has been repeatedly found that malnutrition during the gestational period can result in intrauterine growth restriction and low birth weight, which in combination with postnatal catch-up growth may subsequently lead to the development of T2D. There is ample evidence that T2D may also be programmed by maternal substance abuse (the harmful use of psychoactive substances such as illicit drugs or alcohol) during pregnancy and/or lactation. The research activity in this field is currently mainly focused on the childhood health problems following prenatal exposures to substance abuse. The delayed programming effects on adult-onset disorders, including metabolic syndrome and T2D, however, have been reported only rarely. This review provides animal and human evidence that early-life exposure to substance abuse, including alcohol, nicotine, and cocaine, may program not only childhood health outcomes but also life-long metabolic health status, including risk of T2D and related conditions.

Hospital-based, Multidisciplinary, youth mentoring and medical exposure program positively influences and reinforces health care career choice: "The Reach One Each One Program early Experience".

PubMed

Danner, Omar K; Lokko, Carl; Mobley, Felicia; Dansby, Montreka; Maze, Michael; Bradley, Brene'; Williams, Elizabeth; Matthews, Leslie Ray; Harrington, Emma; Mack, Lisa; Clark, Clarence; Wilson, Ken; Beech, Derrick; Heron, Sheryl; Childs, Ed

2017-04-01

According to the National Center for Educational Statistics, underrepresented minorities (URMs) are more likely to leave science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields at higher rates than their peers during undergraduate studies. Many institutions of higher learning have implemented pipeline programs aimed at preparing and inspiring high school and college aged students in select careers in health sciences with varying levels of success. Research has shown that a health care workforce that mirrors the community they serve is more effective in reducing health disparities and increasing positive health outcomes. We hypothesize that a hospital-based, multidisciplinary youth mentoring and medical exposure program will enhance the decision of URM high school students to choose healthcare careers. A retrospective analysis of the Reach One Each One Program (ROEO) was performed. ROEO is a hospital based, 11-week multidisciplinary youth mentoring and medical exposure program for inner-city high school students. The analysis was based on a phone survey of the twenty-six (26) seniors who completed the program and subsequently graduated from high school between May 2013 and May 2015 to assess the following: 1) College enrollment/attendance, 2) Health profession majors, and 3) Pre-med status. The study was approved by the Morehouse School of Medicine Institutional Review Board. Of the twenty-six students, 23 were female and 3 were male; 25 (96%) of the students were African American and one student was a Caucasian female. Twenty-four (92.3%) of the students were enrolled in college and 2 (7.7%) were scheduled to begin in the spring semester of 2016. Twenty-one of the 24 attending college at the time of the survey (87.5%) were enrolled in a health science degree program and 16 (66.7%) confirmed that they were enrolled in pre-medical (Pre-med) curriculum. Hospital-based, multidisciplinary medical mentoring programs can have a positive impact on the lives and health care career decisions of aspiring URM high school students. Further study will be necessary to validate the most influential components needed for the success of such programs. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Computational Toxicology as Implemented by the US EPA ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Computational toxicology is the application of mathematical and computer models to help assess chemical hazards and risks to human health and the environment. Supported by advances in informatics, high-throughput screening (HTS) technologies, and systems biology, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency EPA is developing robust and flexible computational tools that can be applied to the thousands of chemicals in commerce, and contaminant mixtures found in air, water, and hazardous-waste sites. The Office of Research and Development (ORD) Computational Toxicology Research Program (CTRP) is composed of three main elements. The largest component is the National Center for Computational Toxicology (NCCT), which was established in 2005 to coordinate research on chemical screening and prioritization, informatics, and systems modeling. The second element consists of related activities in the National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory (NHEERL) and the National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL). The third and final component consists of academic centers working on various aspects of computational toxicology and funded by the U.S. EPA Science to Achieve Results (STAR) program. Together these elements form the key components in the implementation of both the initial strategy, A Framework for a Computational Toxicology Research Program (U.S. EPA, 2003), and the newly released The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Strategic Plan for Evaluating the T

Development, design, and conceptual issues of project zero exposure: A program to protect young children from tobacco smoke exposure

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Tobacco smoke exposure (TSE) is a serious threat to child health. Roughly 40% of children worldwide are exposed to tobacco smoke, and the very young are often "captive smokers" in homes in which others smoke. The goal of this research project is to develop and evaluate an intervention to reduce young child tobacco smoke exposure. The objective of this paper is to document our approach to building the intervention, to describe the planned intervention, and to explore the conceptual issues regarding the intervention and its evaluation. Methods/Design This project is being developed using an iterative approach. We are currently in the middle of Stage 1. In this first stage, Intervention Development, we have already conducted a comprehensive search of the professional literature and internet resources, consulted with experts in the field, and conducted several Design Workshops. The planned intervention consists of parental group support therapy, a website to allow use of an "online/offline" approach, involvement of pediatricians, use of a video simulation game ("Dr. Cruz") to teach parents about child TSE, and personalized biochemical feedback on exposure levels. As part of this stage we will draw on a social marketing approach. We plan to use in-depth interviews and focus groups in order to identify barriers for behavior change, and to test the acceptability of program components. In Stage II, we plan to pilot the planned intervention with 5-10 groups of 10 parents each. In Stage III, we plan to implement and evaluate the intervention using a cluster randomized controlled trial with an estimated 540 participants. Discussion The major challenges in this research are twofold: building an effective intervention and measuring the effects of the intervention. Creation of an effective intervention to protect children from TSE is a challenging but sorely needed public health endeavor. We hope that our approach will contribute to building a stronger evidence base for control of child exposure to tobacco smoke. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01335178 PMID:21711530

Life sciences research in space: The requirement for animal models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fuller, C. A.; Philips, R. W.; Ballard, R. W.

1987-01-01

Use of animals in NASA space programs is reviewed. Animals are needed because life science experimentation frequently requires long-term controlled exposure to environments, statistical validation, invasive instrumentation or biological tissue sampling, tissue destruction, exposure to dangerous or unknown agents, or sacrifice of the subject. The availability and use of human subjects inflight is complicated by the multiple needs and demands upon crew time. Because only living organisms can sense, integrate and respond to the environment around them, the sole use of tissue culture and computer models is insufficient for understanding the influence of the space environment on intact organisms. Equipment for spaceborne experiments with animals is described.

The Arctic Visiting Speakers Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wiggins, H. V.; Fahnestock, J.

2013-12-01

The Arctic Visiting Speakers Program (AVS) is a program of the Arctic Research Consortium of the U.S. (ARCUS) and funded by the National Science Foundation. AVS provides small grants to researchers and other Arctic experts to travel and share their knowledge in communities where they might not otherwise connect. The program aims to: initiate and encourage arctic science education in communities with little exposure to arctic research; increase collaboration among the arctic research community; nurture communication between arctic researchers and community residents; and foster arctic science education at the local level. Individuals, community organizations, and academic organizations can apply to host a speaker. Speakers cover a wide range of arctic topics and can address a variety of audiences including K-12 students, graduate and undergraduate students, and the general public. Preference is given to tours that reach broad and varied audiences, especially those targeted to underserved populations. Between October 2000 and July 2013, AVS supported 114 tours spanning 9 different countries, including tours in 23 U.S. states. Tours over the past three and a half years have connected Arctic experts with over 6,600 audience members. Post-tour evaluations show that AVS consistently rates high for broadening interest and understanding of arctic issues. AVS provides a case study for how face-to-face interactions between arctic scientists and general audiences can produce high-impact results. Further information can be found at: http://www.arcus.org/arctic-visiting-speakers.

Community violence and youth: affect, behavior, substance use, and academics.

PubMed

Cooley-Strickland, Michele; Quille, Tanya J; Griffin, Robert S; Stuart, Elizabeth A; Bradshaw, Catherine P; Furr-Holden, Debra

2009-06-01

Community violence is recognized as a major public health problem (WHO, World Report on Violence and Health, 2002) that Americans increasingly understand has adverse implications beyond inner-cities. However, the majority of research on chronic community violence exposure focuses on ethnic minority, impoverished, and/or crime-ridden communities while treatment and prevention focuses on the perpetrators of the violence, not on the youth who are its direct or indirect victims. School-based treatment and preventive interventions are needed for children at elevated risk for exposure to community violence. In preparation, a longitudinal, community epidemiological study, The Multiple Opportunities to Reach Excellence (MORE) Project, is being fielded to address some of the methodological weaknesses presented in previous studies. This study was designed to better understand the impact of children's chronic exposure to community violence on their emotional, behavioral, substance use, and academic functioning with an overarching goal to identify malleable risk and protective factors which can be targeted in preventive and intervention programs. This paper describes the MORE Project, its conceptual underpinnings, goals, and methodology, as well as implications for treatment and preventive interventions and future research.

75 FR 68200 - Medical Devices; Radiology Devices; Reclassification of Full-Field Digital Mammography System

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-05

... exposure control, image processing and reconstruction programs, patient and equipment supports, component..., acquisition workstation, automatic exposure control, image processing and reconstruction programs, patient and... may include was revised by adding automatic exposure control, image processing and reconstruction...

The OBELIX project: early life exposure to endocrine disruptors and obesity.

PubMed

Legler, Juliette; Hamers, Timo; van Eck van der Sluijs-van de Bor, Margot; Schoeters, Greet; van der Ven, Leo; Eggesbo, Merete; Koppe, Janna; Feinberg, Max; Trnovec, Tomas

2011-12-01

The hypothesis of whether early life exposure (both pre- and early postnatal) to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) may be a risk factor for obesity and related metabolic diseases later in life will be tested in the European research project OBELIX (OBesogenic Endocrine disrupting chemicals: LInking prenatal eXposure to the development of obesity later in life). OBELIX is a 4-y project that started in May 2009 and which has the following 5 main objectives: 1) to assess early life exposure in humans to major classes of EDCs identified as potential inducers of obesity (ie, dioxin-like compounds, non-dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls, organochlorine pesticides, brominated flame retardants, phthalates, and perfluorinated compounds) by using mother-child cohorts from 4 European regions with different food-contaminant exposure patterns; 2) to relate early life exposure to EDCs with clinical markers, novel biomarkers, and health-effect data related to obesity; 3) to perform hazard characterization of early life exposure to EDCs for the development of obesity later in life by using a mouse model; 4) to determine mechanisms of action of obesogenic EDCs on developmental programming with in vivo and in vitro genomics and epigenetic analyses; and 5) to perform risk assessments of prenatal exposure to obesogenic EDCs in food by integrating maternal exposure through food-contaminant exposure and health-effect data in children and hazard data in animal studies.

Summer Research Experiences for Science and Art Teachers to Explore Astrobiology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cola, J.; Gaucher, E.; Snell, T.; Greenwood, J.; Angra, A.; Zimmerman, C.; Williams, L. D.

2012-12-01

The Georgia Tech Center for Ribosomal Origins and Evolution, a center funded by the NASA Astrobiology Institute, developed an educational program titled, "Life on the Edge: Astrobiology." The purpose of the program was to provide high school educators with the exposure, materials, and skills necessary to prepare our future workforce and to foster student interest in scientific discovery on Earth and throughout the universe. In an effort to promote and encourage entry into teaching careers, Georgia Tech paired teachers in the Georgia Intern-Fellowship for Teachers (GIFT) program with undergraduate students interested in becoming a teacher through the NSF Pre-Teaching REU program. The GIFT and Pre-Teaching fellows investigated extremophiles, which became the focus of a week-long, "Life on the Edge: Astrobiology " summer program developed by three high school educators, two undergraduate students and faculty in the Schools of Biology, and Chemistry and Biochemistry at Georgia Tech. Twenty high school students were introduced to hands-on activities, such as astrobiology inspired art and techniques such as genomic DNA purification, gel electrophoresis, and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). The impact of the Astrobiology program on the GIFT researchers, Pre-Teaching REU students, high school students, and faculty are discussed.

High-Throughput Models for Exposure-Based Chemical ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) must characterize potential risks to human health and the environment associated with manufacture and use of thousands of chemicals. High-throughput screening (HTS) for biological activity allows the ToxCast research program to prioritize chemical inventories for potential hazard. Similar capabilities for estimating exposure potential would support rapid risk-based prioritization for chemicals with limited information; here, we propose a framework for high-throughput exposure assessment. To demonstrate application, an analysis was conducted that predicts human exposure potential for chemicals and estimates uncertainty in these predictions by comparison to biomonitoring data. We evaluated 1936 chemicals using far-field mass balance human exposure models (USEtox and RAIDAR) and an indicator for indoor and/or consumer use. These predictions were compared to exposures inferred by Bayesian analysis from urine concentrations for 82 chemicals reported in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Joint regression on all factors provided a calibrated consensus prediction, the variance of which serves as an empirical determination of uncertainty for prioritization on absolute exposure potential. Information on use was found to be most predictive; generally, chemicals above the limit of detection in NHANES had consumer/indoor use. Coupled with hazard HTS, exposure HTS can place risk earlie

CARL: a LabVIEW 3 computer program for conducting exposure therapy for the treatment of dental injection fear.

PubMed

Coldwell, S E; Getz, T; Milgrom, P; Prall, C W; Spadafora, A; Ramsay, D S

1998-04-01

This paper describes CARL (Computer Assisted Relaxation Learning), a computerized, exposure-based therapy program for the treatment of dental injection fear. The CARL program operates primarily in two different modes; in vitro, which presents a video-taped exposure hierarchy, and in vivo, which presents scripts for a dentist or hygienist to use while working with a subject. Two additional modes are used to train subjects to use the program and to administer behavioral assessment tests. The program contains five different modules, which function to register a subject, train subjects to use physical and cognitive relaxation techniques, deliver an exposure hierarchy, question subjects about the helpfulness of each of the therapy components, and test for memory effects of anxiolytic medication. Nine subjects have completed the CARL therapy program and 1-yr follow-up as participants in a placebo-controlled clinical trial examining the effects of alprazolam on exposure therapy for dental injection phobia. All nine subjects were able to receive two dental injections, and all reduced their general fear of dental injections. Initial results therefore indicate that the CARL program successfully reduces dental injection fear.

The Influence of User Characteristics and a Periodic Email Prompt on Exposure to an Internet-Delivered Computer-Tailored Lifestyle Program

PubMed Central

van Osch, Liesbeth; Schulz, Daniela N; Kremers, Stef PJ; de Vries, Hein

2012-01-01

Background The Internet is a promising medium in the field of health promotion for offering tailored and targeted lifestyle interventions applying computer-tailored (CT) techniques to the general public. Actual exposure to CT interventions is not living up to its high expectations, as only a (limited) proportion of the target group is actually using these programs. Objective To investigate exposure to an Internet-delivered, CT lifestyle intervention, targeting physical activity, fruit and vegetable intake, smoking behavior, and alcohol intake, we focused on three processes: first use, prolonged use, and sustained use. The first objectives were to identify user characteristics that predict initiation of an online CT lifestyle program (first use) and completion of this program (prolonged use). Furthermore, we studied the effect of using a proactive strategy, consisting of periodic email prompts, on program revisits (sustained use). Methods The research population for this study consisted of Dutch adults participating in the Adult Health Monitor, offered by the regional public health services. We used a randomized controlled trial design to assess predictors of first use, prolonged use, and sustained use. Demographics and behavioral characteristics, as well as the strategy used for revisiting, were included as predictors in the model. Results A total of 9169 participants indicated their interest in the new program and 5168 actually logged in to the program. Participants significantly more likely to initiate one of the CT modules were male, older, and employed, and had a lower income, higher body mass index, and relatively unhealthy lifestyle. Participants significantly more likely to complete one of the CT modules were older and had a higher income and a relatively healthier lifestyle. Finally, using a proactive strategy influenced sustained use, with people from the prompting condition being more likely to revisit the program (odds ratio 28.92, 95% confidence interval 10.65–78.52; P < .001). Conclusions Older, male, and employed participants, and those with a lower income, higher body mass index, and a relatively unhealthy lifestyle were more likely to initiate a CT module. Module completers predominantly had a higher income and age. The current program therefore succeeded in reaching those people who benefit most from online lifestyle interventions. However, these people tended to disengage from the program. This underlines the importance of additional research into program adjustments and strategies that can be used to stimulate prolonged program use. Furthermore, sending periodic email prompts significantly increased revisits to the program. Though promising, this effect was modest and needs to be further examined, in order to maximize the potential of periodic email prompting. Trial Registration Nederlands Trial Register (NTR: 1786) and Medical Ethics Committee of Maastricht University and the University Hospital Maastricht (NL2723506809/MEC0903016); http://www.trialregister.nl/trialreg/admin/rctview.asp?TC=1786 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/65hBXA6V7) PMID:22382037

Effectiveness of an occupational health intervention program to reduce whole body vibration exposure: an evaluation study with a controlled pretest-post-test design.

PubMed

Tiemessen, Ivo J H; Hulshof, Carel T J; Frings-Dresen, Monique H W

2009-12-01

An effective intervention program aiming to reduce whole body vibration (WBV) exposure at work will reduce the number of low back complaints in the near future. An evaluation study with a controlled pretest-post-test design. Nine companies and 126 drivers were included in the study. Cluster randomization on company level divided the drivers and their employers in an intervention group and a "care-as-usual" group. At baseline (T0) and intervention program was implemented and evaluated after 7 months (T1). The main outcome measure was WBV exposure. Process measures included knowledge, attitude, and (intended) behavior towards reduction of WBV exposure for the drivers and knowledge and WBV policy for the employers. At T1, no significant reduction was found in WBV exposure within both groups compared with T0. Probably due to poor to moderate compliance, the intervention program was not effective in reducing the WBV exposure on group level but small reductions in WBV exposure are possible when intervention compliance is high. Copyright 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Early-Life Nutritional Programming of Type 2 Diabetes: Experimental and Quasi-Experimental Evidence.

PubMed

Vaiserman, Alexander M

2017-03-05

Consistent evidence from both experimental and human studies suggest that inadequate nutrition in early life can contribute to risk of developing metabolic disorders including type 2 diabetes (T2D) in adult life. In human populations, most findings supporting a causative relationship between early-life malnutrition and subsequent risk of T2D were obtained from quasi-experimental studies ('natural experiments'). Prenatal and/or early postnatal exposures to famine were demonstrated to be associated with higher risk of T2D in many cohorts around the world. Recent studies have highlighted the importance of epigenetic regulation of gene expression as a possible major contributor to the link between the early-life famine exposure and T2D in adulthood. Findings from these studies suggest that prenatal exposure to the famine may result in induction of persistent epigenetic changes that have adaptive significance in postnatal development but can predispose to metabolic disorders including T2D at the late stages of life. In this review, quasi-experimental data on the developmental programming of T2D are summarized and recent research findings on changes in DNA methylation that mediate these effects are discussed.

Early-Life Nutritional Programming of Type 2 Diabetes: Experimental and Quasi-Experimental Evidence

PubMed Central

Vaiserman, Alexander M.

2017-01-01

Consistent evidence from both experimental and human studies suggest that inadequate nutrition in early life can contribute to risk of developing metabolic disorders including type 2 diabetes (T2D) in adult life. In human populations, most findings supporting a causative relationship between early-life malnutrition and subsequent risk of T2D were obtained from quasi-experimental studies (‘natural experiments’). Prenatal and/or early postnatal exposures to famine were demonstrated to be associated with higher risk of T2D in many cohorts around the world. Recent studies have highlighted the importance of epigenetic regulation of gene expression as a possible major contributor to the link between the early-life famine exposure and T2D in adulthood. Findings from these studies suggest that prenatal exposure to the famine may result in induction of persistent epigenetic changes that have adaptive significance in postnatal development but can predispose to metabolic disorders including T2D at the late stages of life. In this review, quasi-experimental data on the developmental programming of T2D are summarized and recent research findings on changes in DNA methylation that mediate these effects are discussed. PMID:28273874

Obesity coverage gap: Consumers perceive low coverage for obesity treatments even when workplace wellness programs target BMI.

PubMed

Wilson, Elizabeth Ruth; Kyle, Theodore K; Nadglowski, Joseph F; Stanford, Fatima Cody

2017-02-01

Evidence-based obesity treatments, such as bariatric surgery, are not considered essential health benefits under the Affordable Care Act. Employer-sponsored wellness programs with incentives based on biometric outcomes are allowed and often used despite mixed evidence regarding their effectiveness. This study examines consumers' perceptions of their coverage for obesity treatments and exposure to workplace wellness programs. A total of 7,378 participants completed an online survey during 2015-2016. Respondents answered questions regarding their health coverage for seven medical services and exposure to employer wellness programs that target weight or body mass index (BMI). Using χ 2 tests, associations between perceptions of exposure to employer wellness programs and coverage for medical services were examined. Differences between survey years were also assessed. Most respondents reported they did not have health coverage for obesity treatments, but more of the respondents with employer wellness programs reported having coverage. Neither the perception of coverage for obesity treatments nor exposure to wellness programs increased between 2015 and 2016. Even when consumers have exposure to employer wellness programs that target BMI, their health insurance often excludes obesity treatments. Given the clinical and cost-effectiveness of such treatments, reducing that coverage gap may mitigate obesity's individual- and population-level effects. © 2017 The Obesity Society.

Life-Long Implications of Developmental Exposure to Environmental Stressors: New Perspectives.

PubMed

Grandjean, Philippe; Barouki, Robert; Bellinger, David C; Casteleyn, Ludwine; Chadwick, Lisa H; Cordier, Sylvaine; Etzel, Ruth A; Gray, Kimberly A; Ha, Eun-Hee; Junien, Claudine; Karagas, Margaret; Kawamoto, Toshihiro; Paige Lawrence, B; Perera, Frederica P; Prins, Gail S; Puga, Alvaro; Rosenfeld, Cheryl S; Sherr, David H; Sly, Peter D; Suk, William; Sun, Qi; Toppari, Jorma; van den Hazel, Peter; Walker, Cheryl L; Heindel, Jerrold J

2015-10-01

The Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) paradigm is one of the most rapidly expanding areas of biomedical research. Environmental stressors that can impact on DOHaD encompass a variety of environmental and occupational hazards as well as deficiency and oversupply of nutrients and energy. They can disrupt early developmental processes and lead to increased susceptibility to disease/dysfunctions later in life. Presentations at the fourth Conference on Prenatal Programming and Toxicity in Boston, in October 2014, provided important insights and led to new recommendations for research and public health action. The conference highlighted vulnerable exposure windows that can occur as early as the preconception period and epigenetics as a major mechanism than can lead to disadvantageous "reprogramming" of the genome, thereby potentially resulting in transgenerational effects. Stem cells can also be targets of environmental stressors, thus paving another way for effects that may last a lifetime. Current testing paradigms do not allow proper characterization of risk factors and their interactions. Thus, relevant exposure levels and combinations for testing must be identified from human exposure situations and outcome assessments. Testing of potential underpinning mechanisms and biomarker development require laboratory animal models and in vitro approaches. Only few large-scale birth cohorts exist, and collaboration between birth cohorts on a global scale should be facilitated. DOHaD-based research has a crucial role in establishing factors leading to detrimental outcomes and developing early preventative/remediation strategies to combat these risks.

Computer program for diagnostic X-ray exposure conversion.

PubMed

Lewis, S

1984-01-01

Presented is a computer program designed to convert any given set of exposure factors sequentially into another, yielding either an equivalent photographic density or one increased or decreased by a specifiable proportion. In addition to containing the wherewithal with which to manipulate a set of exposure factors, the facility to print hard (paper) copy is included enabling the results to be pasted into a notebook and used at any time. This program was originally written as an investigative exercise into examining the potential use of computers for practical radiographic purposes as conventionally encountered. At the same time, its possible use as an educational tool was borne in mind. To these ends, the current version of this program may be used as a means whereby exposure factors used in a diagnostic department may be altered to suit a particular requirement or may be used in the school as a mathematical model to describe the behaviour of exposure factors under manipulation without patient exposure.

Arsenic surveillance program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1993-01-01

Background information about arsenic is presented including forms, common sources, and clinical symptoms of arsenic exposure. The purpose of the Arsenic Surveillance Program and LeRC is outlined, and the specifics of the Medical Surveillance Program for Arsenic Exposure at LeRC are discussed.

Digital Game-Based Learning to Encourage Secondary Students to Purse STEM Related Careers Using Arecibo Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ortiz-Correa, Z. M.; Lautenbach, J.; Franco-Diaz, E.; Raizada, S.; Ghosh, T.; Rivera-Valentín, E.; Ortiz, A.

2017-12-01

This project was developed to encourage secondary students to pursue STEM related careers through exposure to the interdisciplinary nature of the Arecibo Observatory (AO) in Puerto Rico. The idea for this project was initiated due to the NSF-funded Research Experience for Teachers (RET) Summer Program. The AO RET summer program allows teaching faculty from public schools to collaborate with scientist on their ongoing research or instrument development projects at the AO for five weeks. Subsequently, the research is disseminated among secondary students through several workshops and hands-on activities. Through the workshops and hands-on activities underrepresented secondary students will learn about the research conducted at the AO to study Earth's upper atmosphere, asteroids and other Solar System bodies, as well as stars and galaxies beyond. Afterwards, students will develop virtual worlds simulating the different AO facilities (Lidar Laboratory, Radio Telescope, Planetary Radar System, HF Facility, Visitor Center, among others) and showing their functions using digital game-based learning.

Low functional programming of renal AT{sub 2}R mediates the developmental origin of glomerulosclerosis in adult offspring induced by prenatal caffeine exposure

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ao, Ying; Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory of Developmentally Originated Disorder, Wuhan 430071; Sun, Zhaoxia

Our previous study has indicated that prenatal caffeine exposure (PCE) could induce intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) of offspring. Recent research suggested that IUGR is a risk factor for glomerulosclerosis. However, whether PCE could induce glomerulosclerosis and its underlying mechanisms remain unknown. This study aimed to demonstrate the induction to glomerulosclerosis in adult offspring by PCE and its intrauterine programming mechanisms. A rat model of IUGR was established by PCE, male fetuses and adult offspring at the age of postnatal week 24 were euthanized. The results revealed that the adult offspring kidneys in the PCE group exhibited glomerulosclerosis as well asmore » interstitial fibrosis, accompanied by elevated levels of serum creatinine and urine protein. Renal angiotensin II receptor type 2 (AT{sub 2}R) gene expression in adult offspring was reduced by PCE, whereas the renal angiotensin II receptor type 1a (AT{sub 1a}R)/AT{sub 2}R expression ratio was increased. The fetal kidneys in the PCE group displayed an enlarged Bowman's space and a shrunken glomerular tuft, accompanied by a reduced cortex width and an increase in the nephrogenic zone/cortical zone ratio. Observation by electronic microscope revealed structural damage of podocytes; the reduced expression level of podocyte marker genes, nephrin and podocin, was also detected by q-PCR. Moreover, AT{sub 2}R gene and protein expressions in fetal kidneys were inhibited by PCE, associated with the repression of the gene expression of glial-cell-line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF)/tyrosine kinase receptor (c-Ret) signaling pathway. These results demonstrated that PCE could induce dysplasia of fetal kidneys as well as glomerulosclerosis of adult offspring, and the low functional programming of renal AT{sub 2}R might mediate the developmental origin of adult glomerulosclerosis. - Highlights: • Prenatal caffeine exposure induces glomerulosclerosis in adult offspring. • Prenatal caffeine exposure inhibits fetal kidney development. • Prenatal caffeine exposure causes low functional programming of renal AT{sub 2}R.« less

Effectiveness of a combination prevention strategy for HIV risk reduction with men who have sex with men in Central America: a mid-term evaluation.

PubMed

Firestone, Rebecca; Rivas, Jorge; Lungo, Susana; Cabrera, Alejandra; Ruether, Susan; Wheeler, Jennifer; Vu, Lung

2014-12-04

Despite over a decade of research and programming, little evidence is available on effective strategies to reduce HIV risks among Central American men who have sex with men (MSM). The Pan-American Social Marketing Organization (PASMO) and partners are implementing a HIV Combination Prevention Program to provide key populations with an essential package of prevention interventions and services: 1) behavioral, including interpersonal communications, and online outreach; 2) biomedical services including HIV testing and counseling and screening for STIs; and 3) complementary support, including legal support and treatment for substance abuse. Two years into implementation, we evaluated this program's effectiveness for MSM by testing whether exposure to any or a combination of program components could reduce HIV risks. PASMO surveyed MSM in 10 cities across Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama in 2012 using respondent-driven sampling. We used coarsened exact matching to create statistically equivalent groups of men exposed and non-exposed to the program, matching on education, measures of social interaction, and exposure to other HIV prevention programs. We estimated average treatment effects of each component and all combined to assess HIV testing and condom use outcomes, using multivariable logistic regression. We also linked survey data to routine service data to assess program coverage. Exposure to any program component was 32% in the study area (n = 3531). Only 2.8% of men received all components. Men exposed to both behavioral and biomedical components were more likely to use condoms and lubricant at last sex (AOR 3.05, 95% CI 1.08, 8.64), and those exposed to behavioral interventions were more likely to have tested for HIV in the past year (AOR 1.76, 95% CI 1.01, 3.10). PASMO's strategies to reach MSM with HIV prevention programming are still achieving low levels of population coverage, and few men are receiving the complete essential package. However, those reached are able to practice HIV prevention. Combination prevention is a promising approach in Central America, requiring expansion in coverage and intensity.

Space Station accommodation of life sciences in support of a manned Mars mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meredith, Barry D.; Willshire, Kelli F.; Hagaman, Jane A.; Seddon, Rhea M.

1989-01-01

Results of a life science impact analysis for accommodation to the Space Station of a manned Mars mission are discussed. In addition to addressing such issues as on-orbit vehicle assembly and checkout, the study also assessed the impact of a life science research program on the station. A better understanding of the effects on the crew of long duration exposure to the hostile space environment and to develop controls for adverse effects was the objective. Elements and products of the life science accommodation include: the identification of critical research areas; the outline of a research program consistent with the mission timeframe; the quantification of resource requirements; the allocation of functions to station facilities; and a determination of the impact on the Space Station program and of the baseline configuration. Results indicate the need at the Space Station for two dedicated life science lab modules; a pocket lab to support a 4-meter centrifuge; a quarantine module for the Mars Sample Return Mission; 3.9 man-years of average crew time; and 20 kilowatts of electrical power.

NASA-UVA Light Aerospace Alloy and Structures Technology Program (LA2ST)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gangloff, Richard P.; Scully, John R.; Stoner, Glenn E.; Thornton, Earl A.; Wawner, Franklin E., Jr.; Wert, John A.

1993-01-01

The NASA-UVA Light Aerospace Alloy and Structures Technology (LA2ST) Program continues a high level of activity. Progress achieved between 1 Jan. and 30 Jun. 1993 is reported. The objective of the LA2ST Program is to conduct interdisciplinary graduate student research on the performance of next generation, light weight aerospace alloys, composites, and thermal gradient structures in collaboration with NASA-Langley researchers. The following projects are addressed: environmental fatigue of Al-Li-Cu alloys; mechanisms of localized corrosion and environmental fracture in Al-Cu-Li-Mg-Ag alloy X2095 and compositional variations; the effect of zinc additions on the precipitation and stress corrosion cracking behavior of alloy 8090; hydrogen interactions with Al-Li-Cu alloy 2090 and model alloys; metastable pitting of aluminum alloys; cryogenic fracture toughness of Al-Cu-Li + In alloys; the fracture toughness of Weldalite (TM); elevated temperature cracking of advanced I/M aluminum alloys; response of Ti-1100/SCS-6 composites to thermal exposure; superplastic forming of Weldalite (TM); research to incorporate environmental effects into fracture mechanics fatigue life prediction codes such as NASA FLAGRO; and thermoviscoplastic behavior.

Payload Safety: Risk and Characteristic-Based Control of Engineered Nanomaterials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abou, Seraphin Chally; Saad, Maarouf

2013-09-01

In the last decade progress has been made to assist organizations that are developing payloads intended for flight on the International Space Station (ISS) and/or Space Shuttle. Collaboration programs for comprehensive risk assessment have been initiated between the U.S. and the European Union to generate requirements and data needed to comply with payloads safety and to perform risk assessment and controls guidance. Yet, substantial research gaps remain, as do challenges in the translation of these research findings to control for exposure to nanoscale material payloads, and the health effects. Since nanomaterial structures are different from traditional molecules, some standard material properties can change at size of 50nm or less. Changes in material properties at this scale challenge our understanding of hazards posed by nanomaterial payloads in the ISS realistic exposure conditions, and our ability to anticipate, evaluate, and control potential health issues, and safety. The research question addressed in this framework is: what kind of descriptors can be developed for nanomaterial payloads risks assessment? Methods proposed incorporate elements of characteristic- based risk an alysis: (1) to enable characterization of anthropogenic nanomaterials which can result in incidental from natural nanoparticles; and (2) to better understand safety attributes in terms of human health impacts from exposure to varying types of engineered nanomaterials.

RARE PROJECT: QUANTIFYING THE IMPACT OF AN AUTOBODY SHOP COMPLIANCE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM IN LAWRENCE, MA ON SHOP EMISSIONS AND RESIDENTIAL EXPOSURES TO HDI AND OTHER ISOCYANTES

EPA Science Inventory

This is an ORD Regional Applied Research Effort (RARE) study with EPA Region 1. For the past several years Region 1 has been managing an EPA grant for an auto body shop compliance assistance project in Lawrence, MA to address residents' concerns about auto body shops as a source...

'It Was about Claiming Space': Exposure to Asian American Studies, Ethnic Organization Participation, and the Negotiation of Self among Southeast Asian Americans

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trieu, Monica M.

2018-01-01

Despite the growing number of Asian American Studies (AAS) programs and Asian ethnic organizations across colleges and universities since the 1970s, surprisingly little empirical research examines the role of these aspects of higher education on Asian American identity. How do the roles of AAS curriculum and Asian American student organizations…

Efforts and Programs of the Department of Defense Relating to the Prevention, Mitigation, and Treatment of Blast Injuries

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-10-01

Neurodynamics in Shanghai, and a related paper was published in the journal Cognitive Neurodynamics . New Discoveries Will be Used to Create Treatments...the First International Conference on Cognitive Neurodynamics . Contributions of Blast and Impact Exposure to Military TBI Researchers at the...particulate collection, and atmospheric readings. To identify potential health deficits, cognitive , hearing, balance, neurologic, and magnetic

Session 6: Infant nutrition: future research developments in Europe EARNEST, the early nutrition programming project: EARly Nutrition programming - long-term Efficacy and Safety Trials and integrated epidemiological, genetic, animal, consumer and economic research.

PubMed

Fewtrell, M S

2007-08-01

Increasing evidence from lifetime experimental studies in animals and observational and experimental studies in human subjects suggests that pre- and postnatal nutrition programme long-term health. However, key unanswered questions remain on the extent of early-life programming in contemporary European populations, relevant nutritional exposures, critical time periods, mechanisms and the effectiveness of interventions to prevent or reverse programming effects. The EARly Nutrition programming - long-term Efficacy and Safety Trials and integrated epidemiological, genetic, animal, consumer and economic research (EARNEST) consortium brings together a multi-disciplinary team of scientists from European research institutions in an integrated programme of work that includes experimental studies in human subjects, modern prospective observational studies and mechanistic animal work including physiological studies, cell-culture models and molecular techniques. Theme 1 tests early nutritional programming of disease in human subjects, measuring disease markers in childhood and early adulthood in nineteen randomised controlled trials of nutritional interventions in pregnancy and infancy. Theme 2 examines associations between early nutrition and later outcomes in large modern European population-based prospective studies, with detailed measures of diet in pregnancy and early life. Theme 3 uses animal, cellular and molecular techniques to study lifetime effects of early nutrition. Biomedical studies are complemented by studies of the social and economic importance of programming (themes 4 and 5), and themes encouraging integration, communication, training and wealth creation. The project aims to: help formulate policies on the composition and testing of infant foods; improve the nutritional value of infant formulas; identify interventions to prevent and reverse adverse early nutritional programming. In addition, it has the potential to develop new products through industrial partnerships, generate information on the social and economic cost of programming in Europe and help maintain Europe's lead in this critical area of research.

Astronaut George Nelson working on Comet Halley Active monitoring program

NASA Image and Video Library

1986-01-14

61C-05-026 (14 Jan. 1986) --- Astronaut George D. Nelson smiles for a fellow crew man's 35mm camera exposure while participating in the Comet Halley active monitoring program (CHAMP). Camera equipment and a protective shroud used to eliminate all cabin light interference surround the mission specialist. This is the first of three 1986 missions which are scheduled to monitor the rare visit by the comet. The principal investigators for CHAMP are S. Alan Stern of the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics at the University of Colorado; and Dr. Stephen Mende of Lockheed Palo Alto Research Laboratory.