College of Southern Idaho

Microplastic exposure in healthcare workers is a growing concern, yet it remains underexplored, especially in the context of their multifaceted exposure pathways. This study aims to quantify the exposure of healthcare workers to microplastics through three primary pathways: occupational, environmental, and dietary. By adopting a One-Health approach, which integrates human, animal, and environmental health sectors, this research assesses microplastic levels across hospital settings, comparing clinical and non-clinical staff. The study found that healthcare workers, particularly those working in clinical departments like laboratories and physiotherapy, had a 35% higher exposure rate to microplastics compared to non-clinical staff. Occupational exposure was linked to direct contact with medical disposables and contaminated surfaces, while environmental exposure primarily occurred through airborne particles and dust. Dietary exposure, especially from seafood and plastic-packaged foods, contributed significantly to the overall exposure. The findings highlight the importance of considering multiple pathways when assessing microplastic risks and suggest that microplastics are an emerging health hazard for healthcare workers. Potential health risks include respiratory issues, gastrointestinal disturbances, endocrine disruption, and chronic conditions such as neurotoxicity and cancer. This study underscores the need for policy changes, including the reduction of single-use plastics in healthcare environments, improvements in ventilation, and the development of dietary guidelines to limit microplastic intake. Future research should focus on the long-term health impacts of chronic microplastic exposure in healthcare workers and evaluate the effectiveness of interventions designed to mitigate these risks.

A significant amount of construction and demolition waste is generated in India every year. The proper management of this waste has become a crucial concern due to fast urban growth, building projects, and increased construction work. The volume of this waste is substantial, which can harm the environment, deplete resources, and pose health risks if not handled well. This study presents an innovative method for biodiesel synthesis, addressing the challenges of construction and demolition (C&D) waste management and renewable energy integration. The research introduces a novel catalyst derived from C&D waste through a calcination process, offering an eco-friendly solution for waste repurposing. This catalyst demonstrates potential for sustainable biodiesel production, marking a significant advancement in waste management practices. Furthermore, a pioneering solar-powered reactor is utilized for biodiesel synthesis, achieving an impressive 92.2% conversion rate under specific conditions. The system's energy efficiency, calculated as 2.39 × 10 − 4 g / J , surpasses conventional methods, highlighting its potential for reducing energy consumption and environmental impact. Moreover, the produced biodiesel meets ASTM D6751 standards, ensuring quality and compatibility with industry requirements.

The 1960s and 1970s excavations at Owl Cave (10BV30) recovered mammoth bone and Folsom-like points from the same strata, suggesting evidence for a post-Clovis mammoth kill. However, a synthesis of the excavation data was never published, and the locality has since been purged from the roster of sites with human/extinct megafauna associations. Here, we present dates on bone from the oldest stratum, review provenience data, conduct a bone-surface modification study, and present the results of a protein-residue analysis. Our study fails to make the case for mammoth hunting by Folsom peoples. Although two of the point fragments tested positive for horse or elephant protein, recent AMS dates indicate that all of the mammoth remains predate Folsom, and horse remains are absent from the Owl Cave collection. Further, no unambiguously cultural surface modifications were identified on any of the mammoth remains. Given the available data, the Owl Cave deposits are most parsimoniously read as containing a Folsom-age occupation in a buried context, the first of its kind in the desert West, but one nonetheless part of a palimpsest of terminal Pleistocene materials.

In 2010 the Research Committee for the American Association of Children's Residential Centers (AACRC) embarked upon a project to repeat the survey that was originally sent out in 1999, hoping to learn how agencies have adapted as well as what was new in the residential treatment environment. The committee was interested in population changes, length of stay, diagnosis, gender, and race, and whether there had been changes in sources of funding and services funded. The committee was particularly interested in the role of data collection and analysis, and how agencies use data to improve process and evaluate outcomes. The growth and sustainability of residential treatment as a viable service option may depend upon the field's willingness to track results, partner with families and the youth they serve, and to make themselves accountable to all stakeholders in the children's services system.

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) tuber yield and quality are impacted by irrigation and nitrogen (N) management. This study was conducted in the Pacific Northwest (PNW) region of United States to evaluate the effects of deficit irrigation (DI) and rates of pre-plant and in-season N applications on Ranger Russet and Umatilla Russet cultivars. In 2004, with Ranger Russet only, DI with 20% lower total irrigation for the entire growing period resulted in 28% tuber yield reduction compared to that of plants irrigated to replenishment full evapotranspiration (ET), i.e., full irrigation (FI). A subsequent study in 2006 and 2007 with DI (14% to 17% deficit) resulted in tuber yield reduction of 7% to 10% in both cultivars compared to full ET irrigation. Yield reduction in DI was generally attributed to reduction in large weight tubers, >0.227 kg/tuber, in both cultivars across three years. Petiole NO3-N concentrations were greater in plants grown under DI as compared to those of plants in full ET irrigation across all years and cultivars, particularly during tuber maturation stage. This is an important consideration as increased N availability during the late growing season adversely affects tuber quality. Petiole NO3-N concentrations increased with increased in-season N rates. In 2007, 112 kg·ha−1 in-season N resulted in petiole NO3-N concentrations below desirable concentrations across most of the growing season in both cultivars. This, in turn, contributed to a significant reduction in tuber yield as compared to the 224 kg·ha−1 in-season N rate. Continuous DI with 14% to 20% reduction in water as compared to irrigation to replenish full ET, begun three to four weeks after seedling emergence, had significant negative effects on tuber yields of both cultivars in high-production irrigated growing conditions. Application of N up to 112 kg ha−1 as pre-plant soil applied plus 224 kg ha−1 of in-season fertigation in five applications at two-week intervals beginning four weeks after seedling emergence appears to be adequate to support high yields of high-quality tubers.

Rangelands are among the most important agricultural ecosystems in the United States and the world. The rangelands of the western United States are fundamental to the rural economy. In order to maintain the quality of these rangelands, they must be monitored over time and space. The ecological condition of rangelands is a major factor in their environmental quality, in their overall performance as watersheds, and in wildlife and livestock production. The monitoring system must be science-based and take into account topography, climate, soils, plant communities, and animal populations that go to make up the western range. An information storage, processing, interpretation, and retrieval system must be included if the monitoring data are to be assessed in a timely manner. This report outlines a research program for the development of a new approach to monitoring rangelands. It includes the principle variables (climate, soils, plants, and grazing animals) involved in determining rangeland condition and trend as an indication of rangeland health.