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This study explores the combined effect of lead (Pb) exposure and an index of chronic physiological stress on cardiovascular disease mortality using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999–2008 linked to 1999–2014 National Death Index data. Chronic physiological stress was measured using the allostatic load (AL) index, which was formed by analyzing markers from the cardiovascular, inflammatory, and metabolic systems, with Pb levels, assessed using blood lead levels (BLL). The dataset was analyzed with statistical techniques to explore (a) the relationship between Pb exposure and AL, and (b) the combined role of Pb and AL on cardiovascular disease mortality. Results indicated that AL was more elevated in those with BLLs above the 50th percentile in the US population and that those with elevated AL were more likely to have high BLL. Finally, the interaction of AL and BLL significantly increased the likelihood of cardiovascular disease mortality. These findings highlight the need for considering the totality of exposures experienced by populations to build holistic programs to prevent Pb exposure and reduce stressors to promote optimal health outcomes and reduce cardiovascular mortality risk.
Emmanuel Obeng-Gyasi; Alesia Ferguson; Katherine Stamatakis; Michael Province. Combined Effect of Lead Exposure and Allostatic Load on Cardiovascular Disease Mortality—A Preliminary Study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 2021, 18, 6879 .
AMA StyleEmmanuel Obeng-Gyasi, Alesia Ferguson, Katherine Stamatakis, Michael Province. Combined Effect of Lead Exposure and Allostatic Load on Cardiovascular Disease Mortality—A Preliminary Study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2021; 18 (13):6879.
Chicago/Turabian StyleEmmanuel Obeng-Gyasi; Alesia Ferguson; Katherine Stamatakis; Michael Province. 2021. "Combined Effect of Lead Exposure and Allostatic Load on Cardiovascular Disease Mortality—A Preliminary Study." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 18, no. 13: 6879.
Lead and other toxic and potentially toxic metals and metalloids are significant contributors to the global burden of disease and disability. Studies characterizing blood metal/metalloid levels and potential sources of environmental exposures are limited for populations living in the major urban centers of Andean-area countries. We used ICP-MS to quantify blood levels of lead (PbB), cadmium (CdB), manganese (MnB), total arsenic (AsB), and total mercury (HgB) in school-age children (n = 47) and their reproductive-age mothers (n = 49) from low-resource households in Quito, Ecuador. These were compared to published 95th percentile reference values (RV95) and for PbB, also to CDC reference values. We used a detailed environmental questionnaire to examine the contribution of residential and neighborhood environmental exposure sources with participant blood metal/metalloid levels. We used ICP-MS to measure Pb levels in residential windowsill dust, floor dust, and drinking water samples and used XRF for paint samples. Forty-five percent of the mothers had PbBs ≥ 5 μg/dL; 14.3% had PbBs ≥10 μg/dL. Maternal blood levels exceeded RV95s for PbB (76%), CdB (41%), MnB (88%), HgB (57%), and AsB (90%). Of children, 68% had PbBs ≥ 5 μg/dL, and 21.3% had PbB ≥10 μg/dL. Most child blood levels exceeded the RV95s for PbB (100%), CdB (100%), MnB (94%), and total HgB (94%) and AsB (98%). Most mothers (97%) and all children had blood levels indicating exposure to multiple metal/metalloid mixtures. Maternal and child PbBs were moderately correlated with each other but the other four metals/metalloids were not. Factors associated with maternal blood metal/metalloid levels were residence in a home with an earthen floor (PbB) or bare cement block walls (MnB), living near a dirt-paved or cobblestone street (PbB), <50 m from a heavily trafficked major roadway (PbB, HgB), living in the Los Chillos (PbB) or Cotocollao neighborhoods (PbB, HgB), or in areas where street vendors grilled food using charcoal (MnB). Factors associated with child blood metal/metalloid levels were residence in a dirt floor home (PbB, CdB, AsB), living near a dirt-paved or cobblestone street (PbB), living in the El Camal or Cotocollao neighborhoods (AsB), or in local neighborhoods where scrap metal smelters (MnB) and LPG gas depositories (PbB) were present. The elevated blood levels of PbB, other metal/metalloids, and metal/metalloid mixtures identified mothers and children in this exploratory study is an urgent public health and clinical concern. The exposure patterns suggest that traffic-related exposures, especially the resuspension of legacy Pb in dust, as well as other anthropogenic and geogenic sources may be important environmental contributors to metal/metalloid exposures in urban Ecuadorian mothers and children. Future studies are needed to confirm these findings and explore other potential exposure sources. Biomonitoring is also needed in order to formulate effective intervention strategies to reduce population exposure to toxic levels of environmental metals/metalloids.
Rodrigo X. Armijos; M. Margaret Weigel; Emmanuel Obeng-Gyasi; Marcia Racines-Orbe. Elevated blood lead and metal/metalloid levels and environmental exposure sources in urban Ecuadorian school-age children and mothers. International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health 2021, 235, 113770 .
AMA StyleRodrigo X. Armijos, M. Margaret Weigel, Emmanuel Obeng-Gyasi, Marcia Racines-Orbe. Elevated blood lead and metal/metalloid levels and environmental exposure sources in urban Ecuadorian school-age children and mothers. International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health. 2021; 235 ():113770.
Chicago/Turabian StyleRodrigo X. Armijos; M. Margaret Weigel; Emmanuel Obeng-Gyasi; Marcia Racines-Orbe. 2021. "Elevated blood lead and metal/metalloid levels and environmental exposure sources in urban Ecuadorian school-age children and mothers." International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health 235, no. : 113770.
Background: Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is a protozoan parasite with high prevalence worldwide. More than 40 million individuals in the United States carry this parasite. T. gondii infection causes toxoplasmosis, which is the leading cause of death associated with foodborne diseases in the United States. T. gondii infects humans through different routes, and it is capable of invading a wide range of tissues in the human body following the infection. Methods: The main objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence of T. gondii among adults in the United States and its association with cardiovascular health using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES 2009–2010). Considering the limitation of studies investigating the relationship between T. gondii and cardiovascular biomarkers, this study was focused on assessing the association of T. gondii to nine cardiovascular biomarkers. First, those biomarkers were investigated individually using several statistical tests and models. Second, we developed an overall cardiovascular biomarker index (OCBI) from eight critical biomarkers to better explain the T. gondii potential cumulative effect on the cardiovascular system. These analyses were adjusted for demographic, behavioral, and anthropometric factors. Results: T. gondii IgG antibody-positive participants had significantly higher systolic blood pressure (p = 0.0022), triglycerides (p = 0.0399), C-reactive protein (p = 0.0422), gamma glutamyl transferase (p = 0.0400), and fasting glucose (p = 0.0213) than the negative participants. In addition, the positive participants had significantly lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (p = 0.0431) than the negative participants. Adjusting for age, T. gondii positive had a significant negative association with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (p = 0.0026) and a significant positive association with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (p = 0.0179), triglycerides (p = 0.0154), and gamma glutamyl transferase (p = 0.0026). With the exception of the low-density lipoprotein, these associations remained statistically significant when adjusting for demographic, behavioral, and anthropometric factors. These results potentially indicate the role of T. gondii in driving cardiovascular-related biomarkers toward dysfunction. The analysis also revealed a significant difference in the OCBI among positive and negative participants (p = 0.0020), with the (cumulative) odds of positive participants having a higher level of OCBI being 0.71 times lower than the odds for negative participants (OR = 0.29). Conclusions: Positive T. gondii IgG antibody was significantly associated with adverse effects on cardiovascular-related biomarkers, including systolic blood pressure, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, and gamma glutamyl transferase. T. gondii-positive individuals were more likely to have a lower cardiovascular biomarkers index than the negative individuals. Finally, the prevalence of toxoplasmosis among U.S. adults was associated with demographic characteristics including age, ethnicity, country of birth, and occupation.
Amani Babekir; Sayed Mostafa; Emmanuel Obeng-Gyasi. The Association of Toxoplasma gondii IgG and Cardiovascular Biomarkers. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 2021, 18, 4908 .
AMA StyleAmani Babekir, Sayed Mostafa, Emmanuel Obeng-Gyasi. The Association of Toxoplasma gondii IgG and Cardiovascular Biomarkers. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2021; 18 (9):4908.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAmani Babekir; Sayed Mostafa; Emmanuel Obeng-Gyasi. 2021. "The Association of Toxoplasma gondii IgG and Cardiovascular Biomarkers." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 18, no. 9: 4908.
In a study to evaluate beach play activities, 120 children were videotaped to observe and quantify factors that could influence their exposure to contaminants in the beach environment. Children aged 1 to 6 years were followed by researchers with video cameras at beaches (two in Miami, Florida and two in Galveston, Texas) for approximately one hour each. Factors evaluated included time spent in various beach locations, various activities engaged in, and various surfaces contacted (including contacts by hand and mouth). Activities recorded in the videos were transcribed to text files to allow for quantitative analyses. Across all sexes, age groups, and beaches, Wading was the most common activity and Seawater was the most common location where children played. The left hand was found to not be in contact with objects most of the time, while the right hand, considered the most dominant hand in most cases, contacted Plastic-Toys the most. Although activity patterns collection through videotaping and videotranslation can be labor-intensive, once collected, they can be widely useful for estimates of exposures to all contaminants in the beach environment (e.g., microorganisms and chemicals) as well as UV exposure, with considerations for whether the contaminants are found in water, sand or both. These activity patterns were collected to potentially look at exposures following the Deepwater Horizon 2010 Spill.
Alesia Ferguson; Ashok Dwivedi; Foluke Adelabu; Esther Ehindero; Mehdi Lamssali; Emmanuel Obeng-Gyasi; Kristina Mena; Helena Solo-Gabriele. Quantified Activity Patterns for Young Children in Beach Environments Relevant for Exposure to Contaminants. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 2021, 18, 3274 .
AMA StyleAlesia Ferguson, Ashok Dwivedi, Foluke Adelabu, Esther Ehindero, Mehdi Lamssali, Emmanuel Obeng-Gyasi, Kristina Mena, Helena Solo-Gabriele. Quantified Activity Patterns for Young Children in Beach Environments Relevant for Exposure to Contaminants. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2021; 18 (6):3274.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAlesia Ferguson; Ashok Dwivedi; Foluke Adelabu; Esther Ehindero; Mehdi Lamssali; Emmanuel Obeng-Gyasi; Kristina Mena; Helena Solo-Gabriele. 2021. "Quantified Activity Patterns for Young Children in Beach Environments Relevant for Exposure to Contaminants." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 18, no. 6: 3274.
This study characterizes potential soil lead (Pb) exposure risk at the household scale in Greensboro, North Carolina, using an innovative combination of field sampling, statistical analysis, and machine-learning techniques. Soil samples were collected at the dripline, yard, and street side at 462 households (total sample size = 2310). Samples were analyzed for Pb and then combined with publicly available data on potential historic Pb sources, soil properties, and household and neighborhood demographic characteristics. This curated data set was then analyzed with statistical and machine-learning techniques to identify the drivers of potential soil Pb exposure risks and to build predictive models. Among all samples, 43% exceeded current guidelines for Pb in residential gardens. There were significant racial disparities in potential soil Pb exposure risk; soil Pb at the dripline increased by 19% for every 25% increase in the neighborhood population identifying as Black. A machine-learned Bayesian network model was able to classify residential parcels by risk of exceeding residential gardening standards with excellent reproducibility in cross validation. These findings underscore the need for targeted outreach programs to prevent Pb exposure in residential areas and demonstrate an approach for prioritizing outreach locations.
Emmanuel Obeng-Gyasi; Javad Roostaei; Jacqueline MacDonald Gibson. Lead Distribution in Urban Soil in a Medium-Sized City: Household-Scale Analysis. Environmental Science & Technology 2021, 55, 3696 -3705.
AMA StyleEmmanuel Obeng-Gyasi, Javad Roostaei, Jacqueline MacDonald Gibson. Lead Distribution in Urban Soil in a Medium-Sized City: Household-Scale Analysis. Environmental Science & Technology. 2021; 55 (6):3696-3705.
Chicago/Turabian StyleEmmanuel Obeng-Gyasi; Javad Roostaei; Jacqueline MacDonald Gibson. 2021. "Lead Distribution in Urban Soil in a Medium-Sized City: Household-Scale Analysis." Environmental Science & Technology 55, no. 6: 3696-3705.
Chronic physiological stress and hepatic injury were explored in this cross-sectional study using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2007–2010. Lead exposure was measured using Blood Lead Levels (BLL), which were divided into quartiles of exposure based on the distribution within the database. Allostatic load (AL), a variable representing chronic physiological stress, was operationalized using ten clinical markers. The geometric mean values for markers of liver injury of interest (a) Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST), (b) Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT), (c) Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP), and (d) Gamma glutamyl-transferase (GGT) were explored in quartiles of lead exposure. Associations between AL and AST, ALT, ALP, and GGT among those exposed to lead were analyzed using linear regression models. In examining lead exposure in increasing quartiles, the geometric mean of the liver injury markers showed significant elevations as lead exposure levels increased. Simple linear regression revealed AL was positively associated with several markers of hepatic injury in all degrees of lead exposure. This study demonstrates the potential dangers of social and environmental exposures to liver health.
Emmanuel Obeng-Gyasi. Cumulative Effects of Low-Level Lead Exposure and Chronic Physiological Stress on Hepatic Dysfunction—A Preliminary Study. Medical Sciences 2020, 8, 30 .
AMA StyleEmmanuel Obeng-Gyasi. Cumulative Effects of Low-Level Lead Exposure and Chronic Physiological Stress on Hepatic Dysfunction—A Preliminary Study. Medical Sciences. 2020; 8 (3):30.
Chicago/Turabian StyleEmmanuel Obeng-Gyasi. 2020. "Cumulative Effects of Low-Level Lead Exposure and Chronic Physiological Stress on Hepatic Dysfunction—A Preliminary Study." Medical Sciences 8, no. 3: 30.
Chronic stress and cardiovascular disease risk were explored in a predominately middle-aged adult population exposed to elevated lead levels in this cross-sectional study using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from the period 2007-2010. Elevated lead exposure was defined using the epidemiological threshold of a blood lead level (BLL) > 5 μg/dL as defined by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Allostatic load (AL), a measure of chronic stress, was operationalized using 10 clinical markers. The geometric mean values for clinical cardiovascular disease risk markers of interest (a) Gamma glutamyl-transferase (GGT) (a marker of oxidative stress), and (b) non-HDL cholesterol (non-HDL-c) (a marker of cardiovascular disease risk) were explored among lead-exposed and less lead-exposed individuals with differential chronic stress (AL) levels. Associations between AL and GGT/non-HDL-C were analyzed using linear regression models. The likelihood of increased clinical markers in lead-exposed individuals with high compared to low AL was explored using binary logistic regression models. In analyzing lead-exposed as compared to less lead-exposed populations, the geometric mean of the variables of interest showed significant elevations among lead-exposed individuals as compared to less lead-exposed individuals. Simple linear regression revealed that AL was positively associated with the variables of interest among the lead-exposed. In binary logistic regression among the lead-exposed, those with high AL, as compared to those with low AL, had significantly higher odds of having elevated non-HDL-C. This study submits that those exposed to lead with increasing AL may experience adverse cardiovascular health outcomes.
Emmanuel Obeng-Gyasi; Barnabas Obeng-Gyasi. Chronic Stress and Cardiovascular Disease among Individuals Exposed to Lead: A Pilot Study. Diseases 2020, 8, 7 .
AMA StyleEmmanuel Obeng-Gyasi, Barnabas Obeng-Gyasi. Chronic Stress and Cardiovascular Disease among Individuals Exposed to Lead: A Pilot Study. Diseases. 2020; 8 (1):7.
Chicago/Turabian StyleEmmanuel Obeng-Gyasi; Barnabas Obeng-Gyasi. 2020. "Chronic Stress and Cardiovascular Disease among Individuals Exposed to Lead: A Pilot Study." Diseases 8, no. 1: 7.
Chronic cadmium exposure and its effect on cardiovascular-related markers were explored in the cross-sectional study of U.S. adults using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2007–2010 data. Cardiovascular-related markers, such as LDL cholesterol mg/dL (LDL-C), non-HDL cholesterol mg/dL (non-HDL-C), triglycerides mg/dL (TG), c-reactive protein mg/dL (CRP), and gamma-glutamyl transferase U/L (GGT) were explored in relation to urine cadmium level µg/L (UCL). The variables and their relation to UCL µg/L were explored both as continuous and categorical variables using linear and logistic regression models and basic descriptive statistics. Geometric Mean values of the markers of interest were statistically significantly more elevated in middle-aged adults (45–65 years) as compared to younger adults (18–44 years). In linear regression analysis, CRP mg/dL, LDL-C mg/dL, non-HDL-C mg/dL, and GGT U/L levels were significantly associated with UCLs mg/dL after adjusting for confounding variables. In binary logistic regression models, young and middle-aged adults chronically exposed to cadmium were significantly more likely to have elevated CRP mg/dL levels. This study suggests that chronic exposure to cadmium alters cardiovascular-related markers in middle-aged adults more so than younger adults, which calls for early public health intervention to limit cadmium exposure in the U.S.
Emmanuel Obeng-Gyasi. Chronic cadmium exposure and cardiovascular disease in adults. Journal of Environmental Science and Health, Part A 2020, 55, 726 -729.
AMA StyleEmmanuel Obeng-Gyasi. Chronic cadmium exposure and cardiovascular disease in adults. Journal of Environmental Science and Health, Part A. 2020; 55 (6):726-729.
Chicago/Turabian StyleEmmanuel Obeng-Gyasi. 2020. "Chronic cadmium exposure and cardiovascular disease in adults." Journal of Environmental Science and Health, Part A 55, no. 6: 726-729.
Children spend most of their day hours in school, so the dietary choices they make during school days are important for their childhood development and later life. This research examined food choices among immigrant families with school-age children in Indiana, USA. Open-ended questions were answered by 52 immigrant parents in 2017. Parents who answered the questions had children in classes ranging from kindergarten to grade 12. NVivo 11 was used for the initial analysis of the dataset, and several themes were identified. After the initial analysis, the data were categorized into major themes to condense the themes. Thirty-eight (73%) of the respondents indicated that their children ate school lunch, 14 (27%) indicated that they prepared lunch for their children to eat at school, and 39 (75%), mostly from non-industrialized countries, indicated that their children ate their home-country staple foods for dinner and on non-school days. Parents indicated that schools are serving the needs of immigrant children by serving varieties of foods during lunchtime.
Emmanuel Obeng-Gyasi; Godfred Antwi; Cecilia Obeng; Obeng- Gyasi. “Food is Environmentally and Culturally Specific!”: A Preliminary Qualitative Study on U.S. Immigrant Parents’ Perceptions of School Lunch. European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education 2019, 10, 240 -249.
AMA StyleEmmanuel Obeng-Gyasi, Godfred Antwi, Cecilia Obeng, Obeng- Gyasi. “Food is Environmentally and Culturally Specific!”: A Preliminary Qualitative Study on U.S. Immigrant Parents’ Perceptions of School Lunch. European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education. 2019; 10 (1):240-249.
Chicago/Turabian StyleEmmanuel Obeng-Gyasi; Godfred Antwi; Cecilia Obeng; Obeng- Gyasi. 2019. "“Food is Environmentally and Culturally Specific!”: A Preliminary Qualitative Study on U.S. Immigrant Parents’ Perceptions of School Lunch." European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education 10, no. 1: 240-249.
Lead and its effects on cardiovascular-related markers were explored in this cross-sectional study of young adults (18–44 years) and middle-aged adults (45–65 years) from the United States using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), 2009–2016. Degrees of exposure were created using blood lead level (BLL) as the biomarker of exposure based on the epidemiologically relevant threshold of BLL > 5 μg/dL. The mean values, in addition to the percentages of people represented for the markers of interest (systolic blood pressure [SBP], diastolic blood pressure [DBP], gamma-glutamyl transferase [GGT], non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol [non-HDL-C]) were explored. Among those exposed to lead, the likelihood of elevated clinical markers (as defined by clinically relevant thresholds of above normal) were examined using binary logistic regression. In exploring exposure at the 5 μg/dL levels, there were significant differences in all the mean variables of interest between young and middle-aged adults. The binary logistic regression showed young and middle-aged adults exposed to lead were significantly more likely to have elevated markers (apart from DBP). In all, lead affects cardiovascular-related markers in young and middle-aged U.S. adults and thus we must continue to monitor lead exposure to promote health.
Emmanuel Obeng-Gyasi. Lead Exposure and Cardiovascular Disease among Young and Middle-Aged Adults. Medical Sciences 2019, 7, 103 .
AMA StyleEmmanuel Obeng-Gyasi. Lead Exposure and Cardiovascular Disease among Young and Middle-Aged Adults. Medical Sciences. 2019; 7 (11):103.
Chicago/Turabian StyleEmmanuel Obeng-Gyasi. 2019. "Lead Exposure and Cardiovascular Disease among Young and Middle-Aged Adults." Medical Sciences 7, no. 11: 103.
Oil spill chemicals (OSCs) result not only from the crude oil components but also from dispersants used in the clean-up activities, where some may result in adverse health effects under certain exposure and dosage conditions. One of the main populations of concern for exposure to OSCs are children, who are frequent beach users. Activities such as ingestion of and digging in sand can increase dermal and ingestion exposure. Longer times spent at the beach can also increase exposures for all routes. The Beach Exposure and Child Health Study (BEaCHeS) was initiated to evaluate the risk of exposure to children from oil contaminants. Reported here are results for surveys collected, as a part of the project, to address exposure-related behavior patterns and risk perception for parents or guardians who visit the beach. Over 400 parental surveys were collected at four beaches, two in Miami and two in Texas, to evaluate children's exposure related activities. Surveys consisted of three general sections: demographics, exposure, and risk perception. Surveys were analyzed in REDcap and Stata to evaluate demographic and regional differences on activities related to beach behavior and potential exposures to oil contaminants (e.g., how much time spent on beach, cleaning habits following beach activities). The statistical analysis included the mean and standard errors, along with regressions to evaluate associations between parameters. Overall, the data showed high variability in how children play on the beach, influenced more by age and less by gender. Variations were also seen in certain variables by beach region (e.g., hygiene practices). By race, variations were seen in income, distance of travel to beach, and preferred method of communication for beach warning. Other important findings are reflected in the article. The data presented here may prove useful for those evaluating children exposures to a variety of contaminants, chemical, or bacterial in origin. In addition, coastal managers may find the risk perception and general behaviors useful for planning and maintenance of beach areas.
Alesia Ferguson; Courtney Del Donno; Emmanuel Obeng-Gyasi; Kristina Mena; Tanu Kaur Altomare; Rosalía Guerrero; Maribeth Gidley; Larissa Montas; Helena M. Solo-Gabriele. Children Exposure-Related Behavior Patterns and Risk Perception Associated with Recreational Beach Use. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 2019, 16, 2783 .
AMA StyleAlesia Ferguson, Courtney Del Donno, Emmanuel Obeng-Gyasi, Kristina Mena, Tanu Kaur Altomare, Rosalía Guerrero, Maribeth Gidley, Larissa Montas, Helena M. Solo-Gabriele. Children Exposure-Related Behavior Patterns and Risk Perception Associated with Recreational Beach Use. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2019; 16 (15):2783.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAlesia Ferguson; Courtney Del Donno; Emmanuel Obeng-Gyasi; Kristina Mena; Tanu Kaur Altomare; Rosalía Guerrero; Maribeth Gidley; Larissa Montas; Helena M. Solo-Gabriele. 2019. "Children Exposure-Related Behavior Patterns and Risk Perception Associated with Recreational Beach Use." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 16, no. 15: 2783.
Lead exposure among pregnant U.S. women was examined via the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2009⁻2016 data to examine its role in bad cholesterol and oxidative stress. Mean values of the clinical markers non-high density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-c) and gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), a marker of oxidative stress, were explored. In four quartiles of lead exposure, clinical makers were compared. Binary logistic regression predicted the likelihood of elevated clinical markers in pregnant compared to non-pregnant women, while linear regression was used to examine associations between blood lead levels (BLL) and the clinical markers of interest. Mean non-HDL-c was statistically significantly more elevated in pregnant women than non-pregnant women. Mean GGT levels were more statistically significantly elevated in the highest quartile of BLL exposure among pregnant women than in the lower quartiles. In binary logistic regression models, pregnant women were statistically significantly more likely to have elevated non-HDL-c, while in linear regression BLL was statistically significantly associated with GGT levels in pregnant women. Lead exposure in pregnant women is an issue of public health concern that must continue to be studied.
Emmanuel Obeng-Gyasi. Cholesterol and Oxidative Stress in U.S. Pregnant Women Exposed to Lead. Medical Sciences 2019, 7, 42 .
AMA StyleEmmanuel Obeng-Gyasi. Cholesterol and Oxidative Stress in U.S. Pregnant Women Exposed to Lead. Medical Sciences. 2019; 7 (3):42.
Chicago/Turabian StyleEmmanuel Obeng-Gyasi. 2019. "Cholesterol and Oxidative Stress in U.S. Pregnant Women Exposed to Lead." Medical Sciences 7, no. 3: 42.
This review evaluates the sources of lead exposure worldwide. Studies from searches relating to sources of lead exposure in various countries within different regional zones were reviewed. Results indicated that in Nigeria, exposure sources include electronic waste, paint and batteries. In Mexico exposure sources include glazed ceramics, lead contaminated utensils and lead contaminated water, for India lead sources include cosmetics and traditional medicines. Sources of lead exposure in China include e-waste, traditional medicines and industrial emissions. In France, exposure sources included lead paint from older homes, imported ceramics and cosmetics and industrial emissions. Australia’s exposure sources include paint, dust, imported toys and traditional medicines. Finally, in the United States exposure sources included paint, the industrial legacy of lead exposure and batteries. In high-income countries (HICs) the legacy of lead exposure keeps populations continuously exposed. In lower- and middle-income countries (LMICs), in addition to the legacy of lead exposure, lack of regulations or the inability to enforce regulations keeps populations exposed. In all, evidence suggests that lead exposure remains an issue of public health significance in both HIC and LMIC.
Emmanuel Obeng-Gyasi. Sources of lead exposure in various countries. Reviews on Environmental Health 2019, 34, 25 -34.
AMA StyleEmmanuel Obeng-Gyasi. Sources of lead exposure in various countries. Reviews on Environmental Health. 2019; 34 (1):25-34.
Chicago/Turabian StyleEmmanuel Obeng-Gyasi. 2019. "Sources of lead exposure in various countries." Reviews on Environmental Health 34, no. 1: 25-34.
In this cross-sectional study, lead exposure among those with a history in military environments was examined. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) are clinical markers of blood pressure, while gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) is a marker of oxidative stress. These markers and their effects on those exposed to military environments were explored using National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data from 2009 to 2016. Mean SBP and GGT were significantly elevated in those exposed to military environments, with a moderately significant association existing between blood lead levels (BLLs) and SBP. More attention must be given to lead exposure in military environments to mitigate the risk of exposure.
Emmanuel Obeng-Gyasi; Barnabas Obeng-Gyasi. Blood Pressure and Oxidative Stress among U.S. Adults Exposed to Lead in Military Environments—A Preliminary Study. Diseases 2018, 6, 97 .
AMA StyleEmmanuel Obeng-Gyasi, Barnabas Obeng-Gyasi. Blood Pressure and Oxidative Stress among U.S. Adults Exposed to Lead in Military Environments—A Preliminary Study. Diseases. 2018; 6 (4):97.
Chicago/Turabian StyleEmmanuel Obeng-Gyasi; Barnabas Obeng-Gyasi. 2018. "Blood Pressure and Oxidative Stress among U.S. Adults Exposed to Lead in Military Environments—A Preliminary Study." Diseases 6, no. 4: 97.
Scholarship on child health indicates that the early years of life are vital for all aspects of health and development. In particular, a solid health foundation predicts good life outcomes; therefore, systematic strategies for combating diseases are needed to ensure optimal health of young children in early care environments. This study examined strategies used by 48 preschool teachers from 10 pre-schools in the US Midwest in order to combat diseases. The following results emerged: Participants noted that children should not attend childcare if they are vomiting, have a fever or have diarrhea. They should be symptom-free for at least one day before returning to school. It is recommended that children be sent home if they have any disease deemed to have adverse effects on their health during the school day. Participants noted further that children must not share hats in their childcare environments to avoid transfer of head lice. Since no strategies were mentioned to help children cope with emotional distress and illness, it is recommended that teachers develop strategies that will address emotional childhood diseases in order to help all children.
Emmanuel Obeng-Gyasi; Melissa A. Weinstein; Jessica R. Hauser; Cecilia S. Obeng. Teachers’ Strategies in Combating Diseases in Preschools’ Environments. Children 2018, 5, 117 .
AMA StyleEmmanuel Obeng-Gyasi, Melissa A. Weinstein, Jessica R. Hauser, Cecilia S. Obeng. Teachers’ Strategies in Combating Diseases in Preschools’ Environments. Children. 2018; 5 (9):117.
Chicago/Turabian StyleEmmanuel Obeng-Gyasi; Melissa A. Weinstein; Jessica R. Hauser; Cecilia S. Obeng. 2018. "Teachers’ Strategies in Combating Diseases in Preschools’ Environments." Children 5, no. 9: 117.
Lead exposure and a marker of oxidative stress (gamma-glutamyl transferase—GGT), and their effects on life course variables (age, country of birth, education levels, gender, ethnicity, income, and occupation) were explored in this cross-sectional study of United States (U.S.) adults’ ≥ 20 years of age via the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2007–2010 datasets. Country of birth, education levels, gender, ethnicity, income, and occupation showed significant differences depending on the degree of lead exposure, with higher levels of exposure resulting in worse outcomes. Age and GGT were significantly associated with lead exposure. More must be done to mitigate sources of lead exposure, to prevent it from altering the life course of at-risk populations.
Emmanuel Obeng-Gyasi. Lead Exposure and Oxidative Stress—A Life Course Approach in U.S. Adults. Toxics 2018, 6, 42 .
AMA StyleEmmanuel Obeng-Gyasi. Lead Exposure and Oxidative Stress—A Life Course Approach in U.S. Adults. Toxics. 2018; 6 (3):42.
Chicago/Turabian StyleEmmanuel Obeng-Gyasi. 2018. "Lead Exposure and Oxidative Stress—A Life Course Approach in U.S. Adults." Toxics 6, no. 3: 42.
Cardiovascular-related clinical markers were evaluated in this cross-sectional study of United States adults (aged ≥ 20) exposed to lead via the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007–2008 and the 2009–2010 datasets. In four quartiles of exposure—0–2 μg/dL, 2–5 μg/dL, 5–10 μg/dL, and 10 μg/dL and over, clinical and anthropometric markers were evaluated—to examine how the markers manifested in the quartiles. Associations were determined via linear regression. Finally, clinical makers, and how they manifested between exposed and less-exposed occupations, were explored in addition to how duration of exposure altered these clinical markers. In regression analysis, Diastolic Blood Pressure (DBP) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, were significantly associated with blood lead level (BLL). In the occupational analysis, Systolic Blood Pressure (SBP), DBP, C-reactive protein (CRP), triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, showed differences between populations in the exposed and less-exposed occupations. Regarding Agriculture, Forestry & Fishing, the duration of exposure altered SBP, CRP, and LDL cholesterol. With mining, the duration of exposure altered SBP, DBP, triglycerides, and HDL cholesterol, whereas in construction, the duration in occupation altered SBP, triglycerides, and CRP. In conclusion, lead exposure has a profound effect on the cardiovascular system, with potentially adverse outcomes existing at all exposure levels.
Emmanuel Obeng-Gyasi; Rodrigo X. Armijos; M. Margaret Weigel; Gabriel M. Filippelli; M. Aaron Sayegh. Cardiovascular-Related Outcomes in U.S. Adults Exposed to Lead. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 2018, 15, 759 .
AMA StyleEmmanuel Obeng-Gyasi, Rodrigo X. Armijos, M. Margaret Weigel, Gabriel M. Filippelli, M. Aaron Sayegh. Cardiovascular-Related Outcomes in U.S. Adults Exposed to Lead. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2018; 15 (4):759.
Chicago/Turabian StyleEmmanuel Obeng-Gyasi; Rodrigo X. Armijos; M. Margaret Weigel; Gabriel M. Filippelli; M. Aaron Sayegh. 2018. "Cardiovascular-Related Outcomes in U.S. Adults Exposed to Lead." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 15, no. 4: 759.
The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to investigate hepatobiliary-related clinical markers in Unites States adults (aged ≥ 20) exposed to lead using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2007–2008 and 2009–2010 datasets. Clinical markers and occupation were evaluated in 4 quartiles of exposure—0–2 μg/dL, 2–5 μg/dL, 5–10 μg/dL, and 10 μg/dL and over—to examine how the markers and various occupations manifested in the quartiles. Linear regression determined associations, and binary logistic regression predicted the likelihood of elevated clinical makers using binary degrees of exposure set at (2 μg/dL, 5 μg/dL, and 10 μg/dL). Clinical makers, and how they manifested between exposed and less-exposed occupations, were explored in addition to how duration of exposure altered these clinical markers. In regression analysis, Gamma-Glutamyl Transferase (GGT), total bilirubin, and Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) were positively and significantly associated with Blood lead level (BLL). Using binary logistic regression models, at the binary 2 μg/dL level ALP, and GGT were more likely to be elevated in those exposed. At 5 μg/dL level, it was ALP and GGT that were more likely to be elevated in those exposed whereas at 10 μg/dL level, it was GGT that were more likely to be elevated in those exposed. In the occupational analysis, Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST), Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT), GGT, and ALP showed differences between populations in the exposed and less-exposed occupations. Regarding Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing, duration of exposure altered AST, ALP, and total bilirubin significantly (p < 0.05) while ALT and GGT were altered moderately significantly (p < 0.10). With mining, duration of exposure altered AST and GGT moderately significantly, whereas in construction duration in occupation altered AST, and GGT significantly, and total bilirubin moderately significantly. The study findings are evidence of occupational exposure to lead playing a significant role in initiating and promoting adverse hepatobiliary clinical outcomes in United States adults.
Emmanuel Obeng-Gyasi; Rodrigo X. Armijos; M. Margaret Weigel; Gabriel Filippelli; M. Aaron Sayegh. Hepatobiliary-Related Outcomes in US Adults Exposed to Lead. Environments 2018, 5, 46 .
AMA StyleEmmanuel Obeng-Gyasi, Rodrigo X. Armijos, M. Margaret Weigel, Gabriel Filippelli, M. Aaron Sayegh. Hepatobiliary-Related Outcomes in US Adults Exposed to Lead. Environments. 2018; 5 (4):46.
Chicago/Turabian StyleEmmanuel Obeng-Gyasi; Rodrigo X. Armijos; M. Margaret Weigel; Gabriel Filippelli; M. Aaron Sayegh. 2018. "Hepatobiliary-Related Outcomes in US Adults Exposed to Lead." Environments 5, no. 4: 46.
Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) causes unsightly lesions and can cause permanent disfigurement. The gold standard CL treatment is a toxic antimonial drug. Our study examined the traditional and conventional treatment knowledge, beliefs, and practices (KAP) of an endemic rainforest population in Ecuador and compared the findings with those we published two decades ago in the same area.
E. Obeng-Gyasi; M. Weigel; R. Armijos; W. Cevallos; X. Sanchez; E. Puebla. Traditional and Conventional Treatment for Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in an Endemic Rainforest Area of Northern Ecuador. Annals of Global Health 2017, 83, 160 .
AMA StyleE. Obeng-Gyasi, M. Weigel, R. Armijos, W. Cevallos, X. Sanchez, E. Puebla. Traditional and Conventional Treatment for Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in an Endemic Rainforest Area of Northern Ecuador. Annals of Global Health. 2017; 83 (1):160.
Chicago/Turabian StyleE. Obeng-Gyasi; M. Weigel; R. Armijos; W. Cevallos; X. Sanchez; E. Puebla. 2017. "Traditional and Conventional Treatment for Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in an Endemic Rainforest Area of Northern Ecuador." Annals of Global Health 83, no. 1: 160.