Latest news with #Parkhurst
NDTV
3 days ago
- Health
- NDTV
Study Shows How Plastic Particles In Food, Beverages Can Harm Your Liver
New Delhi: Microscopic plastic particles found in food and beverages may affect glucose metabolism and harm organs such as the liver, according to a new animal study. The findings raise concerns about potential health risks in people who consume microplastics (less than 5 millimetre) and nanoplastics (less than 100 nanometre), which can enter the food chain and end up in seafood and other foods people eat. Previous estimates show that a person may ingest around 40,000 to 50,000 microplastic particles a year through food and beverages, with some estimating exposure to be as high as 10 million particles per year. "Our observations that oral ingestion of polystyrene nanoplastics contributes to glucose intolerance and signs of liver injury, confirm and extend what has been recently reported on the effects of nanoplastics in animal models," said Amy Parkhurst, a doctoral candidate at the University of California, Davis, US. For the study, the researchers focused on exposure via oral consumption to mimic nanoparticles found in food and drink. They gave 12-week-old male mice a standard rodent diet with a daily oral dose of polystyrene nanoparticles. Polystyrene is a widely used plastic commonly found in food packaging and products. The researchers chose a daily nanoparticle dose of 60 mg per kilogram of body weight, based on human exposure levels and earlier mouse studies that showed health effects at similar amounts. "We can't control for all the plastics the mice are exposed to," said Parkhurst. "However, our study design allowed us to see dose-correlated changes since the nanoplastics-dosed group would have a higher exposure." Compared to the control group receiving no polystyrene, the mice consuming nanoplastics exhibited systemic glucose intolerance and elevated alanine aminotransferase, which indicates liver injury. In the mice consuming polystyrene, the researchers also observed an increase in gut permeability and elevated levels of endotoxin, which contribute to liver dysfunction. "Our findings warrant further studies to help inform policy around micro and nanoplastics," said Parkhurst. "Robust scientific evidence plays a key role in shaping monitoring efforts and guiding regulations." The findings will be presented at the ongoing NUTRITION 2025, the flagship annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition in Orlando.
New York Post
4 days ago
- Health
- New York Post
Microplastics in your food are contributing to these two health issues: study
You know microplastics are showing up in your take out containers and your junk food. But alarming fresh research indicates they're present in pretty much anything you consume — and the effects of these tiny particles are from far teeny. 3 New research raises red flags about what all that invisible plastic might be doing to the human body. molenira – Advertisement A new study in mice suggests that microplastics found in food and drink could be interfering with blood sugar levels and damaging the liver. Researchers at the University of California, Davis, found that animals who consumed polystyrene nanoplastics — the kind of plastic used in food packaging — developed glucose intolerance and signs of liver injury, two serious health issues that may have long-term consequences. Advertisement The findings — which were presented at the annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition on Sunday — raise red flags about what all that invisible plastic might be doing to the human body. 'With the growing concern around micro- and nanoplastic exposure, we wanted to evaluate the impact of this exposure on health,' lead author Amy Parkhurst, a doctoral candidate at UC Davis, said in a press release. Parkhurst and her team fed mice a standard diet spiked with a daily dose of polystyrene nanoparticles, mimicking the way people are exposed through food and drinks. 3 The study suggests that microplastics found in food and drink could be interfering with blood sugar levels and damaging the liver. – Advertisement The dose was chosen to reflect real-world human exposures — which could range from tens of thousands to millions of particles per year, according to previous estimates. Compared to their plastic-free peers, the mice that ate nanoplastics had trouble regulating blood sugar — a condition known as glucose intolerance, which can be a warning sign for diabetes. The plastic-dosed mice also had higher levels of a liver enzyme called ALT — a common marker for liver injury. 3 On top of that, the study found that the plastics made the gut more 'leaky,' allowing harmful substances to enter the bloodstream and potentially stress the liver even more. Crystal light – Advertisement On top of that, the study found that the plastics made the gut more 'leaky,' allowing harmful substances to enter the bloodstream and potentially stress the liver even more. While the findings come from mice, not humans, they add to a growing pile of research raising questions about how microplastics — which are now found everywhere from bottled water to seafood — might be affecting our health. 'We can't control for all the plastics the mice are exposed to,' Parkhurst noted, 'However, our study design allowed us to see dose-correlated changes since the nanoplastics-dosed group would have a higher exposure.' Parkhurst emphasized that more research is needed to understand how these particles affect people and whether they pose similar risks in the long term. Still, the message is clear: what's too small to see might not be too small to hurt.
Calgary Herald
15-05-2025
- Calgary Herald
'Heat of the moment': Edmonton police officer reprimanded for shoving car chase suspect's head into wall
Article content Nearly six years after the arrest was caught on video, an Edmonton police officer has been reprimanded for shoving a handcuffed man's head into a wall. Article content Article content The Edmonton Police Service released a disciplinary decision Wednesday in the case of Const. Dylan Awid, whose arrest of car-chase suspect Kyle Parkhurst prompted an investigation by Alberta's police watchdog. Article content Article content Awid was criminally charged with assault, though charges were stayed by the Crown a short time later. Article content Article content During an internal Police Act investigation, Awid admitted he used excessive force in an 'emotionally charged situation.' Article content 'I let the emotions get too much of me,' the officer told an EPS Professional Standards Branch investigator. 'It was a screw up and you own it.' Article content Parkhurst led police on a high-speed chase through Downtown Edmonton in a stolen pickup June 11, 2019. Police vehicles surrounded the stolen truck in a parking lot at 9830 106 Street, blocks from the Alberta legislature. Parkhurst backed into one of the police vehicles in a bid to escape, then slammed the truck into a second cruiser. He later tried to escape on foot. Article content Video from the police helicopter and bystanders captured the arrest. Police are seen swarming the suspect, after which Awid jumped from the box of the truck, landing on Parkhurst's leg, then kicked him three times in the torso. Article content Article content After Parkhurst was in handcuffs, Awid shoved his head into what appears to be a concrete wall. Awid also admitted to shoving Parkhurst into the side of a police cruiser. According to the disciplinary decision, Parkhurst suffered two minor cuts to the side of his head, leg and muscle pain, and 'emotional trauma from his interaction with EPS members.' Article content Article content The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) investigated and charged Awid with assault on Oct. 7, 2021, more than two years after the arrest. The Crown, however, stayed the charges just over a month later. Article content Parkhurst was charged with nine counts including assaulting a police officer, though he eventually pleaded to just four: dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, failing to stop after an accident and two breaches of recognizance. He was sentenced to 3 1/2 years with pretrial credit of one year.
Boston Globe
09-05-2025
- Business
- Boston Globe
Rhode Island FC aims one day to give deep-pocketed Revolution a run for its MLS money
There is no comparison in roster depth as the Revolution rested 11 starters, including Gil, from last Saturday's game, a 2-0 win over Toronto FC, their fourth successive shutout victory in MLS play. Along with a seasoned lineup of domestic and international players, the Revolution boast extensive support staff, and they are financed by billionaire owners, the Kraft family. Advertisement Meanwhile, RIFC, which has been competing for less than 14 months, has a sparkling new home; what appears to be a solid fan base; and a rich investor of its own. For the May 3 home opener, while workers were putting finishing touches on Centreville Bank Stadium, the team attracted a sellout crowd of 10,700. RIFC is filling a sporting void left not only by the Pawtucket Red Sox, who moved to Worcester in 2021, leading to the demise of McCoy Stadium; but several soccer teams, as well. Advertisement Local soccer history dates to the late 1800s, when the Pawtucket Free Wanderers, Olympics, Howard & Bullough FC, et al., were going at it. The Lonsdale Avenue Grounds played host to the first US Open Cup final in 1914 and seven more through to 1942. J&P Coats AAFC, which called Lonsdale Avenue home, captured the 1922-23 American Soccer League championship, and as the textile industry declined, the 'Threadmen' were replaced by the Pawtucket Rangers, who won the 1941 US Open Cup and fielded a team at least into the 1970s. Providence picked up the ball with the ASL Rhode Island Oceaneers performing at Pierce Memorial Field, succeeded by minor league teams such as the Rhode Island Stingrays. The inaugural US Open Cup final, a 2-1 victory for Brooklyn FC over Brooklyn Celtic, banged out Lonsdale as 10,000 'New England soccer lovers poured into Pawtucket,' according to Spalding's Soccer Football Guide. Judging from photos, many spectators stood throughout the 90-minute contest and the overflow included some perched on fences and the scoreboard. Unlike their Lonsdale predecessors, the 9,539 spectators arriving on Wednesday enjoyed comfortable seating and extensive concessions. They included a supporter group, called Defiance 1636, complete with drums and smoke bombs. 'We wouldn't have built it if we didn't think it was a soccer haven in Rhode Island,' said Michael Parkhurst, an RIFC co-founder along with venture capitalist Brett Johnson, a Brown University graduate. 'You see the television numbers in Providence for European games and national team games, and they are consistently high. We knew they were there and we were excited for [the crowd] Week 1, and now we are doing everything we can to keep interest strong.' Advertisement Parkhurst, 41, a Providence native, attended the Revolution's inaugural game as a fan in 1996 and became one of the team's all-time best players as a defender from 2005-08. 'It's a melting pot in Rhode Island, a lot of nationalities,' Parkhurst said. 'Because there's not a ton of professional opportunities in Rhode Island, it's an opportunity to grab casual sports fans, who like being around friends at a game. Also, there's a ton of students, a lot of colleges, and we know the younger generation likes watching and playing soccer, and that level is growing nationwide.' The potential for a rivalry between RIFC and the Revolution is limited by the teams' competitive levels. 'I don't want to lose any game, I especially don't want to lose to a team 30 minutes down the street that plays in the USL,' Revolution coach Caleb Porter said. 'We needed to make sure that everybody knows who's the MLS team, at the end of it.' Said RIFC coach/general manager Khano Smith: 'He's right. How many million dollar players did they have on pitch and how many did we have?' Smith, 43, a former Parkhurst teammate who also competed at Maine Central Institute and Champlain Junior College, guided RIFC to last year's USL title game, a 3-0 loss to the Colorado Springs Switchbacks. 'They should beat us, but sports doesn't work like that, especially soccer,'' Smith said. 'Unlucky to lose the game but that's football. So, obviously disappointed but no reason to hang your head at all. 'Big picture, you couldn't ask for a better opponent to play our second game in our stadium. Unfortunately, we only play them one time a year, unless we play them in a friendly.' Advertisement In fact, RIFC does not aspire to challenge the Revolution's regional hegemony. Stadium plans allow for expansion to 15,000, below MLS requirements. And, lacking promotion/relegation, future matchups will be rare. 'We're very happy with the USL and the league's growth and building a niche in Rhode Island with our fan base,' Parkhurst said. 'The only way I ever see it happening would be with [promotion/relegation], if MLS would ever entertain it. There is a possibility that maybe it will happen but probably not in our lifetime.'
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
South Dakota JAG program continues expansion, welcomes record number of students, schools to program
Mar. 11—MITCHELL — It may be spring break at Dakota Wesleyan University, but campus was alive Tuesday with the sights and sounds of students and teachers from around South Dakota. That's because the annual South Dakota Jobs for America's Graduates Career Development Conference was taking place in classrooms and meeting spaces at the school, again drawing hundreds of students and advisers associated with the program. In fact, the program and participation in it has never been higher. "We have over 560," Beth Schneider, state director for South Dakota JAG, told the Mitchell Republic in reference to the number of students taking part in the organization across the state this year. "We focus on increasing schools, but also increasing the number of students in the programs, too." Schneider clarified that the actual number was 566 participating students across 18 school districts in South Dakota. That's a significant increase from a year ago, when she reported about 400 students active in the organization, which helps high school students develop skills for career success and graduation. South Dakota JAG is a state-based program that's supervised by the South Dakota Department of Education. In addition, the organization is boasting three new school district additions for the 2024-25 school year — Vermillion, Brookings and Wilmot. There were also a record number of high schoolers taking part in the JAG conference, which was being held on the DWU campus for the fourth time. With 230 students in attendance, the School of Business and Innovation was as lively as any day when college classes are in session. As part of the day, JAG students participate in various activities, including competitions in employability skills, career exploration and financial literacy. Among those students was Mariska Parkhurst, a junior from Todd County High School in Mission. Parkhurst has been involved in the program since her freshman year, and was chosen to be a part of it by her JAG specialist, a school-based adviser who essentially acts as a dedicated career advisor and support system for participants. The specialist spotted her social anxiety and thought the program could be useful in helping her overcome it. She was hesitant at first, but she soon found goals within the program along with a strong desire to meet them. "From my eighth grade year, from everything that happened during quarantine I have really bad social anxiety, and I would miss out on school because of it. So I just didn't want to go," Parkhurst said. "(But since joining JAG my attendance) has been good now because of my sophomore year, because that's when I realized I wanted to run for president of JAG. I had to bring up my attendance so it would show them that I could do this." Parkhurst now serves as president of her JAG chapter and was taking part in her second JAG conference Tuesday, serving in a leadership role that not long ago would have seemed unattainable. Before JAG, Parkhurst said she didn't really enjoy talking to people. That has changed over the years, she said. "Now I like communicating with people and being able to help people who have anxiety. And I give a lot of advice to our new JAG members," Parkhurst said. Serving as president of her local JAG chapter is just one way she is lending a hand to the organization's cause. She successfully encouraged a friend of hers to join JAG by explaining how it helped her communication and job-seeking skills. Those skills helped her land a part-time job in Mission. She knew the program could help her friend, just as it helped her with interview and job application skills. "I got my friend into JAG by telling her how it helped me and how it has helped me get my job and helped me communicate with my teachers, because she was also having a hard time with that," Parkhurst said. "I told her that JAG can help you find what's good for you, and how to dress professionally and how to talk to people professionally. How to make them know that you're good for this position." April Hollingsworth has been a familiar face around JAG and its activities for several years now. A senior at Wagner High School, she has been involved with JAG for six years, having started with the program in middle school. As a senior who has experienced all four state conferences, she has grown into a leadership role among her fellow participants. As she takes in her last conference as a high school student, she is savoring an environment that has benefitted her in many ways as well as reflecting on her journey through the program. "I like seeing all of the new and recurring faces. My last three years, I've either been interviewed or competing. So this year, now that I can kind of just oversee what other kids are doing, it's nice to see what everybody is doing," Hollingsworth said. "I just like seeing people thrive and pursue what they want to do, and how happy they are after they come back from their competitive event. I love that aspect of it." Hollingsworth had ambitions of running for national JAG office, but unforeseen circumstances meant that was not to be. Still, she has participated in several national-level events, and will again this year with a trip to the National Career Development Conference in Indianapolis, Indiana. That event will take place April 24 to 26. But she's also heading to Black Hills State University in the fall, where she will major in business or biology. A future as a pharmacist or business manager could be in her future, something she said she could not have foreseen when she first joined JAG. The leadership skills she gained paved a path for her college dreams and helped her overcome communication issues and even suicidal thoughts, she said. "That's something JAG has taught me. When I started, I had no plans for my life. I mean, not a lot of middle schoolers do, but I didn't really want to have a plan," Hollingsworth said. "I was pretty suicidal. I didn't want to live. But JAG has helped me build my future because now I want to do stuff and now I want to live a life that middle school me didn't want to live." Schneider oversees hundreds of students as part of the program, and she said Parkhurst and Hollingsworth are great examples of students taking the lessons of JAG and applying them to their real-world life. Parkhurst now has a job and continues to work on her social anxiety, and Hollingsworth is currently serving as secretary for South Dakota JAG, and then it will be off to college. The state JAG program continues to grow thanks in part to the success of students like Parkhurst and Hollingsworth. She also credits specialists who work on-site at participating schools and program managers who work in an intermediary role between Schneider and the school programs. The organization has grown considerably since its inception with a pilot program during the 2009-10 school year, and so has the size of "JAG family." Many of those who have worked through the program have gone on to achieve life goals and successes, but they never fully move on from the program. Schneider said she and program officials will continue to provide that all-important support to their extended family. "JAG has some supports. Even if it's not your specialist because they're busy, then they know they can reach out to me. They can reach out to their program manager. Maybe there's a program that they can connect with because they've met that specialist at some of the statewide events," Schneider said. "So it's really a big network of support. The group stays with you, even if they're not right next to you." More information on South Dakota JAG can be found at
