Currently, there are a number of studies confirming the link between exposure to certain chemicals, notably pesticides (Costello et. al. 2009, Wang et. al 2014), heavy metals such as arsenic (Chen et. al. 2017), ambient air pollution (Chen et. al. 2016), and chemicals specific to certain industrial fields (Nielsen et. al. 2021). However, few papers have attempted to perform a widespread analysis of the factors associated with Parkinson’s disease to identify whether the risk of developing the disease is dependent on different factors regionally. The goal of my thesis project is to complete a meta-analysis of toxins- where exposure may occur in both residential and occupational settings- that are associated with Parkinson’s to determine such regional differences and to identify any gaps in current literature, which may direct the course of future research in the field. As seen in this paper, it appears that occupational exposure to toxins appears to have the greatest impact on the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease, particularly pesticides and industrial toxins. However, there are numerous gaps with regards to data collection, regions studied, and quantification of toxin concentrations. However, this data may be useful in identifying at-risk populations if more extensive incremental and biopsy data regarding these toxins is provided.
The COVID-19 pandemic caused uncertainty and changing public health recommendations across the world as our understanding of the SARS-CoV-2 virus changed. Following a preliminary assessment by the World Health Organization, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs were said to worsen symptoms and should be avoided before the recommendation was subsequently revoked. There also was pain associated with infection, leading to the hypothesis that use of over-the-counter pain medication increases may correlate with increases of SARS-CoV-2 infections. Wastewater samples were collected from two communities in Tempe, AZ from December 2019 to July 2020 (n = 35) and were analyzed by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) to identify levels of acetaminophen, ibuprofen and their metabolites, acetaminophen sulfate and carboxy-ibuprofen. Results showed 100% detection frequency of all analytes in all samples across the duration of the study. Mass loadings of acetaminophen (918.4 g day-1 +/- 354.8 g day-1) were higher than ibuprofen (182.9 g day-1 +/- 49.8 g day-1), potentially driven by flushing behaviors rather than consumption activities. However, ibuprofen was more heavily consumed than acetaminophen across all days of the study period. Comparisons to COVID-19 clinical cases data showed increased use in ibuprofen with increases in clinical cases loads, while acetaminophen showed no change, suggesting ibuprofen was the over the counter (OTC) medication of choice during the first wave of the pandemic.
The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility of a mindfulness-based intervention among pregnant women (12-20 weeks’ gestation) using a mobile meditation app, Calm. This study involved 100 participants who were recruited nationally due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This study was reviewed and approved by the Institutional Review Board of Arizona State University (STUDY STUDY00010467). All participants were provided an informed consent document and provided electronic consent prior to enrollment and participation in this study. This study was a randomized, controlled trial (trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04264910). Participants randomized to the intervention group were asked to participate in a minimum of 10 minutes of daily meditation using a mindfulness meditation mobile app (i.e., Calm) for the duration of their pregnancy. Participants randomized to the standard of care control group were given access to the app after they gave birth. Both the intervention and control groups were administered surveys that measured feasibility outcomes, perceived stress, mindfulness, self-compassion, impact from COVID-19, pregnancy-related anxiety, depression, emotional regulation, sleep, and childbirth experience at four time points: baseline (12-20 weeks gestation), midline (24 weeks gestation), postintervention (36 weeks gestation), and follow-up survey (3-5 weeks postpartum). Data is currently being analyzed for publication.
Phthalates are ubiquitous in the built environment and are used across various fields, despite known endocrine disruptive properties, and other associated health hazards, including abnormalities in reproductive health and development. I investigated the presence of phthalates in the built environment using the Health Product Declaration (HPD) repository to survey for products containing these chemicals, investigated the literature for possible health effects and alternatives to phthalates, and conducted a laboratoy-based feasibility study of urinary biomarkers associated with phthalates using wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) on a US university campus at the building-scale. Of the 5,278 products in the HPD repository, 73 contained phthalates and were most commonly found in windows, doors, flooring, sealants, insulations, and furnishings. Alternative plasticizers (cardanol, epoxidized soybean oil, hydrogenated castor oil) usage were identified in 10 products from HPD repository. The two wastewater samples analyzed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS) showed that dimethyl phthalate (DMP) was detectable, as well as its human metabolite, monomethyl phthalate (MMP), observed at a concentration of 163-202 ng/L. These results indicate low human exposure from the building materials in the limited convenience sample investigated. Future studies of building scale wastewater-based epidemiology are recommended to investigate these and other phthalates commonly found in the built environment, including diisononyl phthalate (DINP) and diisononyl hexahydrophthalate (DINCH).
College students were recruited using fliers on college campus and social media. Eligible participants were randomized to one of two groups: (1) Intervention - meditate using Calm, 10 min/day for eight weeks and (2) Control – no participation in mindfulness practices (received the Calm application after 12-weeks). Stress, mindfulness, and self-compassion and health behaviors (i.e., sleep disturbance, alcohol consumption, physical activity, fruit and vegetable consumption) were measured using self-report. Outcomes were measured at baseline and week eight.
Of the 109 students that enrolled in the study, 41 intervention and 47 control participants were included in analysis. Weekly meditation participation averaged 38 minutes with 54% of participants completing at least half (i.e., 30 minutes) of meditations. Significant changes between groups were found in stress, mindfulness, and self-compassion (all P<0.001) in favor of the intervention group. A significant negative association (p<.001) was found between total mindfulness and sleep disturbance.
An eight-week consumer-based mindfulness meditation mobile application (i.e., Calm) was effective in reducing stress, improving mindfulness and self-compassion among undergraduate college students. Mobile applications may be a feasible, effective, and less burdensome way to reduce stress in college students.
Results: The accelerometer data demonstrated no significant difference in light physical activity or MVPA mean minutes per day between the groups. Few children reported engaging in activities sufficient for meeting the physical activity guidelines outside the AFL program. Of the 119 total distributed child physical activity tracker sheets (7 per family), 55 were returned. Of the 55 returned physical activity tracker sheets, parents reported engaging in physical activity with their children only 7 times outside of the program over seven weeks.
Conclusion: The combined intervention strategies implemented throughout the 12-week study did not appear to be effective at increasing habitual mean minutes per day spent engaging in light and MVPA among children beyond the directed program. Methodological limitations and low adherence to intervention strategies may partially explain these findings. Further research is needed to test successful strategies within community programs to increase habitual light physical activity and MVPA among 6-11 year old children.
