Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Anatomy Academy Service-Learning Project: Attacking The Epidemic Of Childhood Obesity, Kelsey Kjer, Rosedaveia Howell, Brennan Kitchen, Francesca Schutte

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The World Health Organization has classified childhood obesity as one of the most serious public health concerns in the world. Obesity is known to have detrimental health consequences and be a risk for comorbidities. On top of the consequences of obesity already seen in young children at school, a lack of health education interventions in many elementary schools remains a significant health disparity. Anatomy Academy (AA) is a seven-week curriculum designed to educate children about their bodies and the importance of gaining and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. The purpose of this service-learning project was to educate elementary school students in …

Localization Of Ipmk, Braden Sio

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

Inositol Polyphosphate Multikinase (IPMK) is a relatively new gene found in mammalian cells. To determine where I should further conduct our research, I localized this gene within HEK-293 cells. For this study, HEK-293 cells are used. These cells are easily cultured and transfected, both of which are needed for this study. IPMK tagged with Green Fluorescent Protein is transfected into our test group. The control group is transfected with only Green Fluorescent Protein. After transfecting the HEK-293 cells, the cells are put under a fluorescent microscope under the GFP setting. In the HEK-293 cells that were transfected with IPMK GFP, …

Chronotype And Social Jetlag Influence Performance And Injury During Reserve Officers’ Training Corps Physical Training, Graham Mcginnis, Shani T. Thompson, Charli D. Aguilar, Michael B. Dial, Richard Tandy, Kara N. Radzak

Kinesiology and Nutrition Sciences Faculty Publications

Sleep and circadian rhythms are critically important for optimal physical performance and maintaining health during training. Chronotype and altered sleep may modulate the response to exercise training, especially when performed at specific times/days, which may contribute to musculoskeletal injury. The purpose of this study was to determine if cadet characteristics (chronotype, sleep duration, and social jetlag) were associated with injury incidence and inflammation during physical training. Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) cadets (n = 42) completed the Morningness/Eveningness Questionnaire to determine chronotype, and 1-week sleep logs to determine sleep duration and social jetlag. Salivary IL-6 was measured before and after …

Clinical Characteristics And Implications Of Bradycardia In Covid‐19 Patients Treated With Remdesivir: A Single‐Center Retrospective Cohort Study, Ariyon Schreiber, Justin S. Bauzon, Kavita Batra, Salman Mohammed, Kevin Lee, Nazanin Houshmand, Uyen Pham, Celica Cosme, Kim Inciong, Omar Al‑Taweel, Keaton Nasser, Jibran Rana, Chris Sossou, Ariel Go, Dalia Hawwass, Jimmy Diep, Chowdhury H. Ahsan

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Background and Objectives: Remdesivir is an antiviral drug used to treat coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) with a relatively obscure cardiac efect profle. Previous studies have reported bradycardia associated with remdesivir, but few have examined its clinical characteristics. The objective of this study was to investigate remdesivir associated bradycardia and its associated clinical characteristics and outcomes. Methods: This is a single-institution retrospective study that investigated bradycardia in 600 patients who received remdesivir for treatment of COVID-19. A total of 375 patients were included in the study after screening for other known causes of bradycardia (atrioventricular [AV] nodal blockers). All patients were …

The Alzheimer’S Disease Drug Development Landscape, Pieter Van Bokhoven, Arno De Wilde, Lisa Vermunt, Prisca S. Leferink, Sasja Heetveld, Jeffrey Cummings, Philip Scheltens, Everard G.B. Vijverberg

Brain Health Faculty Publications

Background: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a devastating neurodegenerative disease leading to dementia. The field has made significant progress over the last 15 years. AD diagnosis has shifted from syndromal, based on signs and symptoms, to a biomarker construct based on the pathological hallmarks of the disease: amyloid β deposition, pathologic tau, and neurodegeneration. Numerous genetic risk factors for sporadic AD have been identified, providing further insight into the molecular underpinnings of the disease. For the last two decades, however, drug development for AD has been proven to be particularly challenging. Here, we provide a unique overview of the drug development …

A Protocol And Novel Tool For Systematically Reviewing The Effects Of Mindful Walking On Mental And Cardiovascular Health, Dustin W. Davis, Bryson Carrier, Brenna Barrios, Kyle Cruz, James W. Navalta

Kinesiology and Nutrition Sciences Faculty Publications

To our knowledge, no published systematic review has described the effects of mindful walking on mental and cardiovascular health. We have aimed to fill this gap by first establishing our systematic review protocol. Our protocol was adapted from the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) and is registered in PROSPERO (Registration Number: CRD42021241180). The protocol is described step-by-step in this paper, which we wrote to achieve three objectives: to adhere to the best practices stated in the PRISMA guidelines, to ensure procedural transparency, and to enable readers to co-opt our protocol for future systematic reviews on mindful …

Resetting Of Auditory And Visual Segregation Occurs After Transient Stimuli Of The Same Modality, Nathan C. Higgins, Ambar G. Monjaras, Breanne D. Yerkes, David F. Little, Jessica E. Nave-Blodgett, Mounya Elhilali, Joel S. Snyder

Psychology Faculty Research

In the presence of a continually changing sensory environment, maintaining stable but flexible awareness is paramount, and requires continual organization of information. Determining which stimulus features belong together, and which are separate is therefore one of the primary tasks of the sensory systems. Unknown is whether there is a global or sensory-specific mechanism that regulates the final perceptual outcome of this streaming process. To test the extent of modality independence in perceptual control, an auditory streaming experiment, and a visual moving-plaid experiment were performed. Both were designed to evoke alternating perception of an integrated or segregated percept. In both experiments, …

The Onset Of Exercise-Associated Hyponatremia And Individual Differences In Inappropriate Arginine Vasopressin Excretion: A Review Of Proposed Mechanisms, Michelle Stehman, Stephen A. Maris

Topics in Exercise Science and Kinesiology

Topics in Exercise Science and Kinesiology Volume 2: Issue 1, Article 10, 2021. Exercise-associated hyponatremia (EAH) has been reported to develop during endurance events such as triathlons and marathons. As these events become more popular, the incidence of developing EAH also increases. The development of EAH is commonly associated with the overconsumption of hypotonic fluids such as water and tends to be more prevalent in females. There is also evidence to suggest the inappropriate secretion of arginine vasopressin (AVP) leading to water retention may predispose an individual for developing EAH, especially when coupled with the overconsumption of fluids. Recent research …

Utilizing Plastinated Head And Neck Dissections For Doctorate Of Dental Medicine (Dmd) Anatomy Laboratories : Observations From The Den 7109 “Guinea Pig” Course, Jessica Immonen

UNLV Best Teaching Practices Expo

This poster documents use of digital dissection tutorials in place of in-person laboratory time for a gross anatomy course in a dental medicine doctorate (DMD) program. Tutorials were developed with a standard digital camera and Camtasia video editing software. Plastinated head and neck specimens prepared by the Von Hagens company in Germany were used in place of standard, embalmed cadaveric donors. Initial student feedback (N=40) indicated that the tutorials were helpful/very helpful (100%), clinically relevant/very clinically relevant (97.5%), were impactful on content retention (100%) and were appropriate/very appropriate with respect to length (3-8 min; 97.5%). After these initial findings were …

Machine Learning Approaches For Fracture Risk Assessment: A Comparative Analysis Of Genomic And Phenotypic Data In 5130 Older Men, Qing Wu, Fatma Nasoz, Jongyun Jung, Bibek Bhattarai, Mira V. Han

Public Health Faculty Publications

The study aims were to develop fracture prediction models by using machine learning approaches and genomic data, as well as to identify the best modeling approach for fracture prediction. The genomic data of Osteoporotic Fractures in Men, cohort Study (n = 5130), were analyzed. After a comprehensive genotype imputation, genetic risk score (GRS) was calculated from 1103 associated Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms for each participant. Data were normalized and split into a training set (80%) and a validation set (20%) for analysis. Random forest, gradient boosting, neural network, and logistic regression were used to develop prediction models for major osteoporotic fractures …

Exogenous Lipoid Pneumonia Complicated By Mineral Oil Asperation In A Patient With Chronic Constipation: A Case Report And Review, Hafiz Muhammad Jeelani, Muhammad Mubbashir Sheikh, Belaal Sheikh, Hafiz Mahboob, Anchit Bharat

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Exogenous lipoid pneumonia is a rare and frequently misdiagnosed lung disease. It occurs as an inflammatory reaction secondary to either aspiration or inhalation of lipids. Our patient had a history significant for recurrent pneumonia and the use of mineral oil for chronic constipation. A chest computed tomography showed multifocal consolidative opacities with areas of low attenuation, highly suspicious of exogenous lipid pneumonia. The diagnosis was confirmed with combined bronchoalveolar lavage and transbronchial lung biopsy that showed lipid-laden macrophages consistent with exogenous lipoid pneumonia. After thorough medication review, apart from mineral oil, no other contributing factors were found. A diagnosis of …

Is Easier, Better? A Reevaluation Of The Use Of Non-Remodeled Bone As A Histological Predictor Of Age-At-Death From The Femoral Midshaft Using Gis Software, Mariah Elaine Moe

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Traditional macroscopic methods for estimating age-at-death from human skeletal remains have been highly successful in practice but are notoriously inadequate when aging individuals over the age of 50 years. Skeletal histology has the potential to overcome these challenges to narrow the gap in age estimation and more accurately address older individuals.

Primary bone is produced during normal growth and development. Once fully matured, individuals undergo the lifelong process of remodeling wherein primary bone is replaced with microstructures called secondary osteons. As individuals age, the amount of primary bone tends to decrease. This study reexamined the use of percentage of primary …

Dietary Fiber Intake And Glycemic Control: Coronary Artery Calcification In Type 1 Diabetes (Cacti) Study, Arpita Basu, Amy C. Alman, Janet K. Snell-Bergeon

Kinesiology and Nutrition Sciences Faculty Publications

Background: Dietary fiber has been recommended for glucose control, and typically low intakes are observed in the general population. The role of fiber in glycemic control in reported literature is inconsistent and few reports are available in populations with type 1 diabetes (T1D). Methods: Using data from the Coronary Artery Calcification in Type 1 Diabetes (CACTI) study [n = 1257; T1D: n = 568; non-diabetic controls: n = 689] collected between March 2000 and April 2002, we examined cross-sectional (baseline) and longitudinal (six-year follow-up in 2006–2008) associations of dietary fiber and HbA1c. Participants completed a validated food frequency questionnaire, and …

Gender And Posture Are Significant Risk Factors To Musculoskeletal Symptoms During Touchscreen Tablet Computer Use, Szu-Ping Lee, Ya-Ting Hsu, Betina Bair, Marissa Toberman, Lung-Chang Chien

Physical Therapy Faculty Publications

[Purpose] To investigate the prevalence of neck and shoulder symptoms during the use of tablet computer, and to identify the risk factors associated with these symptoms. [Subjects and Methods] A cross-sectional survey was conducted to study tablet computer usage, posture during use, and neck and shoulder symptoms in 412 participants in a school setting. Significant risk factors for musculoskeletal symptoms during tablet computer use were identified. [Results] Overall prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms during tablet computer use was 67.9% with greater prevalence of neck symptoms (neck: 84.6%; shoulder/upper extremity: 65.4%). Significant risk factors associated with symptoms during use were: current musculoskeletal …

Regulation Of Cancer Stem Cells By Protein Post-Translational Modifications, Emily Khanh Pham, Hui Zhang

AANAPISI Poster Presentations

Various diseases are caused by defective genes or mutations within the DNA. These mutations can cause cancer cells, which are usually treated through chemotherapy and radiation. However, these methods have not completely effective towards cancer stem cells, a group of cancer cells that possess stem cell properties and are capable of initiating cancer. In order to discover new methods of targeting these specific cells, technology for genome engineering will enable researchers to further study genetic requirements within these cells. The method of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-Cas9 will help cleave and alter genomic sequences to potentially correct the …

Induction Of Differentiation Of Dental Pulp-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells (Dpsc), Aubrey Young

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Mesenchymal stem cells are derived from a variety of human tissues and are being bioengineered and studied for possible uses in the advancement of medicine. Recent efforts are being focused on Dental Pulp Stem Cells (DPSC's) due to the accessibility of this tissue. Many factors influence DPSC quality and quantity, including the specific methods used to isolate, collect, concentrate, and store these isolates once they are removed. Ancillary factors, such as the choice of media, the selection of early versus late passage cells, and cryopreservation techniques may also influence the differentiation potential and proliferative capacity of DPSC isolates.

The objective …

Anterior Cervical Decompression And Fusion On Neck Range Of Motion, Pain And Function: A Prospective Analysis, Kate Addis, Jason Longhurst, Bree-Lyn Vom Steeg

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Summary of background data: Intractable cervical radiculopathy secondary to stenosis or herniated nucleus pulposus is commonly treated with an anterior cervical decompression and fusion procedure (ACDF). However, there is little evidence in the literature that demonstrates the impact such surgery has on long term range of motion outcomes

Study Design: Prospective, non--‐experimental.

Objective: The objective of this study was to compare cervical range of motion and patient reported outcomes in patients before and after a 1, 2 or 3 level ACDF.

Patient Sample: 46 patients.

Methods: Patients undergoing an ACDF for cervical radiculopathy had their cervical range …

Effects Of Cervical Spine Manipulation On Balance And Joint Proprioception In Asymptomatic Individuals: Plausibility And Pilot Study, Kimberly Drayer, Michael Kauwe

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Background: Balance issues are prevalent in all ages of the population and can lead to many debilitating secondary impairments. There are various methods for treating balance problems, one of which is cervical spine manipulation (CSM). It seems to be biologically plausible that CSM would be an effective intervention, as it elicits effects in the same systems that are impaired in people with balance issues: vestibular, visual, and somatosensory.

Objective: The aim of this study is to investigate the immediate differences in balance and proprioception following a CSM in asymptomatic subjects.

Design: An experimental, cross-over study design was used

Methods: …

Cardiovascular Risk Factors Prevalent Among Filipino-Americans: A Cross-Sectional Study, Alona Angosta

Interdisciplinary Research Scholarship Day

Filipino Americans are the 2nd largest Asian subgroup in the United States and their leading cause of death is cardiovascular disease (CVD). Despite this, little is known about their prevalence of CVD risk factors. This study revealed that many Filipino Americans living in Clark County, Nevada are at risk of heart disease because of the presence of CVD risk factors. Intensive lifestyle modification and treatment are recommended to help decrease the prevalence of heart disease in this group and improve their overall health outcomes. Nurses and nurse practitioners are in excellent position to educate their Filipino American clients regarding heart …

Self-Management And Self-Management Support On Chronic Low Back Patients In Primary Care, Jennifer Kawi

Interdisciplinary Research Scholarship Day

• Chronic low back pain (CLBP) afflicts 28.5% of adults costing $100-200 billion dollars.
• In response, the Institute of Medicine (2011) strongly recommended self-management (SM) to engage patients to care for themselves adequately.
• Healthcare professionals are also urged to provide effective self-management support (SMS) to empower patient’s ability to self-manage.
• SM and SMS have shown success in improving other chronic disease outcomes; current knowledge base are insufficient in non-malignant CLBP

Gender Differences In Frontal Plane Lower Extremity Kinetic Variability During Landing, Andrew Nordin

Interdisciplinary Research Scholarship Day

Investigations of human movement variability have been used as a
means of exploring neuromotor functioning, where performance variability is
thought to provide the system with flexibility and a mechanism for adaptation to
movement repetition [1,2,4,6]. Operationally, variability has been considered to
fall within optimal limits (Figure 1), while excessively high or low variability has
been implicated in injury susceptibility [1,2,4,6]. Landing has been explored
due to a high incidence of injury in athletic performance, as well as the ability
to easily control task demands through increases in landing height [3,4].
The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate changes in …

Interactive Video Gaming Maintains Vo2 & Hr At Current Recommended Exercise Intensities For Cardiovascular Fitness, Michael Jarrett, Shaelee Allen, Jacob E. Barkley, Janet Dufek, Paul Hafen, Krystina Moschella, James Navalta, Robert Rietjens, Richard Tandy, Antonio Santo

Interdisciplinary Research Scholarship Day

The purpose of this study was to determine the energy cost of playing select games on the Nintendo Wii for 30 contiguous minutes and whether or not the physical interaction of the participant with the gaming system and subsequent physiologic intensity diminishes with playing time.

Effects Of Footstrike On Low Back Posture, Shock Attenuation, And Comfort In Running, Traci L. Delgado, Emilia Kubera-Shelton, Robert R. Robb, Robbin Hickman, Harvey Wallmann, Janet Dufek

Interdisciplinary Research Scholarship Day

To determine if a change from rearfoot strike (RFS) to forefoot strike (FFS) would change lumbar lordosis, influence shock attenuation, or change comfort levels in healthy recreational/experienced runners.

Immediate Effects Of Neurodynamic Versus Muscle Stretching On Hamstring Flexibility In Subjects With Short Hamstring Syndrome, Yolanda Castellote-Caballero, Marie C. Valenza, Louie Puentedura, Cesar Fernandez-De-Las-Penas, Francisco Albuquerque-Sendin

Interdisciplinary Research Scholarship Day

To compare the effectiveness of an isolated neurodynamic sciatic sliding technique (Neurodynamic group) versus static stretching (Stretching group) in comparison to a Control group receiving a placebo intervention.

A Forensic Identification Utility To Create Facial Approximations Using Cone-Beam Computed Tomography Of 100 Hispanic Females: A Pilot Study, Behzad Nejat

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Introduction:Estimation of facial soft tissue appearance from human skeletal remains is often necessary in forensic identification. This process has been referred to as facial reconstruction or facial approximation and is a branch of forensic facial anthropology. Original methods for facial approximation originated in nineteenth century Europe and consisted of artists shaping clay over skull models using average soft tissue depths measured in cadavers. The last two decades have introduced numerous computerized techniques that have digitized this process while attempting to accurately and objectively define the relationship between a skull and its overlying soft tissue. This pilot study describes a method …

Credentialing Success In Respiratory Therapy Education: Revisiting Bourdieu's Concepts Of Field And Capital, Karen Lightbody Shaw

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The field of Respiratory Therapy (RT) is expected to experience a workforce shortfall over the next decade. The numbers of both program applicants and graduates have declined in recent years, necessitating strategies to improve board exam pass rates for future graduates. In response to the pending employment crisis, the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care has published Programmatic Outcomes Data detailing individual program statistics. A theoretical framework adapted from Pierre Bourdieu's Concepts of Field and Capital was proposed to explain a possible re-stratification of RT programs. It states, in part, that a modification of position-takings within the RT educational field …

T-Scores In African American Women, Catherine Meyer, Brooke L. Griffin, Kathy Komperda, Jill Borchert

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Many older bone densitometer (DXA) machines are programmed to calculate T-scores for African- American patients using peak African-American bone mass as reference standard.

This presents a problem because most data regarding fracture risk has been derived using Caucasian data (Binkley 2002). If the T-score for an African-American woman is calculated using a race-adjusted reference, the same absolute bone density will yield a lower T-score for an African- American than for a Caucasian woman. For this reason, the International Society for Clinical Densitometry has recommended that T-scores for all women, regardless of ethnicity, be calculated from Caucasian reference standards (ISCD 2007).

Pain Threshold, Tolerance And Catastrophization In Women With Dyspareunia, Jennifer Bivens, Hilary Billings, Jenna Dilauro, Lea Thaler, Marta Meana

Festival of Communities: UG Symposium (Posters)

This study examined the impact of pain and sexual stimuli on the experience of experimentally induced pain, as well as pain threshold, tolerance and catastrophization levels in women with dyspareunia compared to control women.

Can Female Genital Mutilation Victims Benefit From Corrective Surgery: To Regain Sexual Pleasure And Be “Whole” Once Again?, Monique Sulls

Festival of Communities: UG Symposium (Posters)

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is defined by the World Health Organization, (WHO), as the removal or cutting of the external female genitalia. WHO estimates between 100 and 140 million girls and women worldwide currently live with the consequences of FGM. The study finds that through corrective surgery, pre/post therapy, counseling, and sexual education victims to FGM can regain sexual pleasure providing them a chance to be “Whole” once again.

Unlv Magazine, Grace Russell, Gian Galassi, Shane Bevell, Karyn S. Hollingsworth, Jennifer Lawson, Lori Bachand, Cate Weeks, Erin O'Donnell, Peter Starkweather

UNLV Magazine

No abstract provided.