Leg Injuries observed in Banded Female Anna’s Humming Birds (Calypte anna) in Central California

  Leg injuries were seen in Anna’s Hummingbirds at multiple sites in central California, affecting 7% to 16% of recaptured females. These injuries happened because nesting material was built under their bands, and their legs naturally grew during breeding. Changing band sizes didn’t stop the injuries. Also, avian pox-like lesions were found on different body parts, which could hurt the hummingbirds permanently. Different banding methods, like steel, aluminum, or plastic bands, have caused leg injuries in other bird species, showing more significant worries about environmental diseases in bird conservation.

 

    This study is related to environmental science because it shows how environmental science connects with wildlife health and conservation. The buildup of nesting material under bands and the need to change band sizes to help the birds show how habitat changes made by humans and wildlife health are closely linked. To add on, the study highlights how human activities can affect bird populations and why managing the environment sustainably is essential. Ultimately, it emphasizes how crucial environmental science is for understanding and dealing with the effects of human activities on wildlife and ecosystems.

Comparison of Air Pollution Exposures and Health Effects Associations Using 11 Different Modeling Approaches in the Women’s Health Initiative Memory Study

This study compares various methods of estimating particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of ≤2.5 μm (PM2.5) concentrations and their associations with health effects, focusing on their impact on environmental disease. Eleven approaches were utilized; some were geostatistical interpolation, satellite-derived methods, and air dispersion and chemical transport models. The results had high similarities among the different approaches used, particularly those near PM2.5 monitors and in certain regions, but showed lower agreement at local spatial scales. However, health effects associations with PM2.5 were similar across the different estimation approaches, which indicates consistency in the impact on health outcomes related to environmental diseases. These findings highlight the importance of considering estimation methods in epidemiologic studies of the health effects of air pollution and the need for further research on other air pollutants.

 

 This study is related to environmental science because it investigates different methodologies for estimating particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations, which happens to be a key component of air pollution. By comparing the different techniques used to measure the matter, it aims to understand their impact on health outcomes associated with environmental diseases. The research highlights the importance of accurate estimation techniques on assessing the health effects of air pollution. It emphasizes the need to balance efficiency and resource funding concerns when selecting estimation methods in epidemiologic studies in environmental health research. Ultimately, this work helps our understanding of the correlations between environmental factors like air pollution and human health.

Traffic-related air pollution and Parkinson’s disease in central California

 In the article, several studies indicate a potential correlation between air pollution exposure and Parkinson’s disease (PD). This research explores the results of traffic-related and multiple sources of particulate air pollution on PD in central California. Results showed that long-term exposure to local traffic-related air pollution (CO) and fine particulates from various sources (PM2.5) at homes and workplaces in central California correlated with an increased risk of PD. The impact of air pollution on the brain, particularly PD, prevalence, and risk, remains underexplored despite its recognition as a significant public health concern. While plausible mechanisms connect air pollutants to PD, epidemiological studies have produced inconsistent results, primarily due to long-term exposure assessment and outcome evaluation challenges. The study aimed to address these challenges by estimating the effect of long-term exposure to CO and PM2.5 on PD risk in a population-based case-control study conducted in central California, a region known for persistently high air pollution levels.

 

  This study relates to environmental science because it examines the relationship between air pollution, which is a primary environmental concern, and the risk of Parkinson’s disease (PD). The study clarifies the environmental elements contributing to neurodegenerative diseases by examining the long-term consequences of traffic-related pollution. The results highlight how important it is to comprehend how environmental exposures, such as CO and PM2.5, affect human health. Furthermore, the study explains the connection between neurological illnesses and environmental contamination, this way contributing to environmental science and public health. Ultimately, it emphasizes how urgent we need to take environmental initiatives to decrease the harmful consequences of air pollution on the population’s health.

Respiratory and nervous system effects of a hydrogen sulfide crisis in Carson, California

   The article describes how residents in Carson, California, experienced a hydrogen sulfide (H2S) crisis, resulting in malodors, headaches, and respiratory symptoms.  The research emphasizes the environmental impact of H2S exposure, particularly in communities near industrial sites emitting this gas. During the crisis, emergency department (ED) visit rates for respiratory and nervous system issues increased, which indicated the health risks associated with environmental pollutants. The analysis shown in the article describes increased ED visits for asthma, upper respiratory infections, dizziness, and headaches in the affected area, emphasizing the need for improved public health responses to mitigate such crises. The article shows the need for response strategies to protect the communities while facing environmental hazards.

 

   This article relates to environmental science because it shows the significant impacts of industrial activities and the gases emitted on human health, specifically in communities around the area. During this time, the increased department visits for respiratory and nervous system issues highlight the correlation between gas and human health. We need to continue studying the gasses so we are more prepared for crises and human health is not profoundly impacted. The article shows the immediate need for more research and preparedness while advocating for environmental justice.

Chronic environmental diseases: burdens, causes, and response

   The article describes how chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes are becoming more connected to environmental variables such as air, soil, and water pollutants. The chapter discusses the consequences, causes, and responses to major chronic environmental diseases, focusing on recent epidemiological evidence demonstrating their significance. Inequality and disparity play essential roles in how these diseases affect various groups, with factors such as pollutant exposure, health practices, access to healthcare, and stress acting as linkages between environments and chronic illnesses. Intervention and preparedness measures are presented throughout the text to reduce California’s and the rest of the world’s chronic environmental diseases, with case studies and critical processes.

 

     This text relates to environmental science because it explores the relationship between human health and pollutants. It explains the connection between diseases like cancer and heart disease and environmental contaminants in the air, soil, and water. It shows the importance of environmental research, which connects elements of public health and ecology, emphasizing the impact of social surroundings on the course of disease. The article explains the different outcomes depending on the socio-cultural levels. Ultimately, environmental science plays a critical role in developing strategies for intervention, which help facilitate and make people aware of the worldwide effects of chronic environmental diseases.

Epidemiological Evidence for the Effect of Environmental Heavy Metal Exposure on the Immune System in Children

 The article covers the widespread presence of heavy metals in everyday life, with environmental pollution producing substantial health problems, particularly in children due to their unique traits. It examines several epidemiological research on the effects of heavy metal exposure on children’s immunological function. The review, which focuses on lead, cadmium, arsenic, mercury, nickel, and manganese, shows negative impacts such as decreased lymphocyte counts, poorer immunological responses, altered cytokine levels, and lower antibody titers. The study emphasizes heavy metals’ link to vaccine failure and immune-related disorders in children while considering how age, gender, nutrition, and co-exposure influence outcomes.

 

    The article is relevant to environmental science since it dives into the serious issue of heavy metal exposure produced by pollution and its negative consequences on children’s immunological function. The study provides insight into the complex interaction between environmental pollutants and human health by studying the effects of heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, arsenic, mercury, nickel, and manganese on immune cells, cytokines, and immunoglobulins. While reading it, I found the critical need to identify and mitigate the environmental conditions contributing to heavy metal contamination, adding to the broader area of environmental science and its consequences for public health.

 

Gene–environment interactions and their impact on human health

Virolainen, S. J., VonHandorf, A., M. F. Viel, K. C., Weirauch, M. T., & Kottyan, L. C. (2023, January 11). Gene–environment interactions and their impact on human health – Genes & Immunity. Nature.   https://doi.org/10.1038/s41435-022-00192-6

    This article explores the complex interplay of heredity and environment in developing human health and disease. It highlights gene-environment (GxE) interactions, which are non-linear interactions between genes and environmental variables. The review covers many situations in which these relationships increase disease risk. It goes from the independent effects of genetics and environment to known GxE interactions involving toxicants, pollutants, viruses, and sex chromosomal composition. The paper discusses the promise and challenges of investigating GxE interactions to illuminate the complicated mechanisms behind human health issues.

 

    The article is relevant to environmental science since it discusses how our genes and the objects in our environment interact to affect our health. It illustrates how pollutants, chemicals, and viruses can work with our DNA to make some people more susceptible to illness. This is significant because it helps us understand how our surroundings can substantially influence illness transmission. It also provides scientists with suggestions on how to keep people healthier by caring for our environment. While reading it, I was confused because it’s like a puzzle where our genes and environmental factors like pollution come together to determine whether we get a disease. Genetics and environment are crucial, yet some aspects are difficult to catch.

Molecular mechanisms of environmental exposures and human disease

Wu, H., Eckhardt, C. M., & Baccarelli, A. A. (2023, January 30). Molecular mechanisms of environmental exposures and human disease – Nature Reviews Genetics. Nature. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41576-022-00569-3

       This article explores how environmental influences and pollutants affect human health, resulting in various chronic disorders. It addresses how pollutants alter genes and their control systems (epigenome), resulting in diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and respiratory issues. The study focuses on the molecular mechanisms underlying these effects, including changes to DNA, proteins, and microscopic cell components. The study also highlighted the difficulties in assessing the long-term impact of the environment (exposome) on health.

 

      The article is relevant to environmental science since it discusses how environmental factors, such as pollution, can cause people to become ill with diseases. It describes how these factors alter our genes and how they function, resulting in problems such as cancer and heart disease. This assists scientists in better understanding how the environment might impact human health and how to keep people safe. The discovery that environmental variables can influence our DNA, potentially leading to chronic health issues such as cancer and cardiovascular disease, is both fascinating and scary at the same time. This study emphasizes the critical need for ongoing research in this field.

Impact of environmental conditions on the ocular surface

FOS Lifestyle Report: Impact of environmental conditions on the ocular surface. (2023, April 14). TFOS Lifestyle Report: Impact of Environmental Conditions on the Ocular Surface – ScienceDirect. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtos.2023.04.007

In-Text Citation: (TFOS Lifestyle Report: Impact of Environmental Conditions on the Ocular Surface, 2023)

 

     The study investigated how environmental elements influence human vision. They looked for relationships based on age, gender, race, and region. Climate components such as temperature and humidity, contaminants in the air outside and within, and even exposure to sunshine are among these factors. These can lead to dry eyes, discomfort, and disease. The study discovered that air and soil pollution is connected to dry eye illness, but not all types of pollution. More research is needed to be specific, considering other variables and following changes over time. In the future, the study proposes segregating outcomes for different eye diseases.

 

     The article is connected to environmental science since it investigates how numerous environmental elements, such as climate and pollution both outside and within, affect the health of the ocular surface. It digs into the links between various environmental risk factors and eye disorders, emphasizing the complex interplay between human health and the environment. As I read the piece, I became concerned about how the environment might affect our health. There is a lack of knowledge regarding these factors. Everyone must understand these various possibilities so that we can take the appropriate steps to ensure our safety and well-being. This study also underlines the need to maintain a clean environment, as it protects our health.

Triclocarban and triclosan exacerbate high-fat diet-induced hepatic lipid accumulation at environmental related levels:

 

Triclocarban and triclosan exacerbate high-fat diet-induced hepatic lipid accumulation at environmental related levels: The potential roles of estrogen-related receptors pathways. (2023, February 01). Triclocarban and Triclosan Exacerbate High-fat Diet-induced Hepatic Lipid Accumulation at Environmental Related Levels: The Potential Roles of Estrogen-related Receptors Pathways – ScienceDirect. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160079

 Pollutants discovered in people’s bodies include triclosan (TCS) and triclocarban (TCC). Previous research looked at how they can cause fat buildup in the liver but needed to explore how our food can amplify their effects. This study investigated what happens when TCS and TCC are combined with a high-fat diet. They discovered in a lab that these pollutants don’t do much on their own, but when combined with fatty foods, they cause the liver to accumulate extra fat. TCC had a more significant impact than TCS. They also discovered that TCC may be more dangerous for people who consume a lot of fatty meals, as it may cause liver and heart problems. 

 

     The paper is relevant to environmental science since it explores the combined influence of environmental contaminants, notably triclosan and triclocarban, on our health when paired with a high-fat diet. The paper is intriguing to me since it reveals how environmental factors, such as pollution, can alter the fat in our bodies. It’s incredible how these things can work together with what we eat to impact our health. This study contributes to my understanding of how our surroundings and what we eat affect how our bodies function.