Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Modeling Reveals The Dependence Of Hippocampal Neurogenesis Radiosensitivity On Age And Strain Of Rats, Eliedonna Cacao, Sidath Kapukotuwa, Francis A. Cucinotta

Health Physics & Diagnostic Sciences Faculty Publications

Cognitive dysfunction following radiation treatment for brain cancers in both children and adults have been correlated to impairment of neurogenesis in the hippocampal dentate gyrus. Various species and strains of rodent models have been used to study radiation-induced changes in neurogenesis and these investigations have utilized only a limited number of doses, dose-fractions, age and time after exposures conditions. In this paper, we have extended our previous mathematical model of radiation-induced hippocampal neurogenesis impairment of C57BL/6 mice to delineate the time, age, and dose dependent alterations in neurogenesis of a diverse strain of rats. To the best of our knowledge, …

Serum Nutrient Levels And Aging Effects On Periodontitis, Jeffrey L. Ebersole, Joshua Lambert, Heather Bush, Pinar Emecen Huja, Arpita Basu

Dental Medicine Faculty Publications

Periodontal disease damages tissues as a result of dysregulated host responses against the chronic bacterial biofilm insult and approximately 50% of US adults >30 years old exhibit periodontitis. The association of five blood nutrients and periodontitis were evaluated due to our previous findings regarding a potential protective effect for these nutrients in periodontal disease derived from the US population sampled as part of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1999–2004). Data from over 15,000 subjects was analyzed for blood levels of cis-β-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin, folate, vitamin D, and vitamin E, linked with analysis of the presence and severity of periodontitis. …

Cocoa, Postprandial Lipoproteins, And Inflammation In Type 2 Diabetes: A Secondary Data Analysis, Rickelle Tallent

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Background: Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) is associated with dyslipidemia and chronic low-grade inflammation, which greatly increases the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in this population. Hyperlipidemia and inflammation in the postprandial state substantially contribute to atherosclerosis development and CVD risk, and have shown to be exacerbated by high-fat meals. Dietary cocoa is a rich source of flavanols that is associated with favorable effects on cardiovascular health, such as improvements in the lipid profile and chronic inflammation, in non-diabetic adults.

Objective: To conduct a secondary data analysis using unpublished data from a previously conducted clinical study to determine whether acute cocoa …

Telelactation And Breastfeeding Outcomes Among Low-Income Mothers In Mississippi: A Retrospective Cohort Study, Aaron Thomas Hunt

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

New mothers are recommended to exclusively breastfeed their infants for the first six months to provide optimal health for infant and mother. However, only 13.0% of mothers in Mississippi reached this milestone among infants born in 2015, which was far below the Healthy People 2020 objective of 25.5%. One factor that impacts breastfeeding success is access to certified lactation consultants, but low-income women may lack access due to an inadequate number of providers, unreliable transportation, rural location, or cost. The use of “telelactation” programs, which provide access to lactation consultants via video conferencing on internet connected devices, has been suggested …

Air Pollution Related Asthma Inpatient Hospital Admission In The Las Vegas Valley, Joshua Allen Jensen

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Asthma is a chronic respiratory condition characterized by inflammation in the lungs that causes airflow to be restricted. In Southern Nevada’s Las Vegas Valley, the natural basin geography causes air pollutants to accumulate. Research has linked air pollution with worsening asthma symptoms. The goal of this study was to determine the non-linear lagged relationship between Asthma Related Inpatient Hospital Admissions (ARIHA) and the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) criteria air pollutants in the Las Vegas Valley using hospital and pollution monitoring station data. Overall, a statistically significant increased RR of ARIHA between 7 and 13 days after exposure to PM2.5 24-hour …

Examining Environmental Hazards In Rental Homes And Habitability Laws In Clark County, Nevada, Jorge Luis Bertran

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

It is well established that home conditions are linked to the health outcomes of occupants. There are over 880,000 housing units in Clark County, Nevada; nearly half of those are renter-occupied units (ROUs). Currently, there is limited research on the characteristics of environmental hazards found in Clark County ROUs and the strength of habitability statutes created to protect tenants from substandard housing. Understanding how renters in Clark County are affected by environmental hazards in ROUs and the processes by which landlords and tenants resolve grievances related to those hazards would benefit public health. It would enhance the ability to quickly …

On The Development Of Computational Methods To Help In Performing Medical Physics Tasks Leveragin The Portal Dosimetry Application, Enea Rrokaj

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this project is to build software that can programmatically analyze dosimteric images and reduce the QA time when performing gamma analysis at varying test criteria and evaluating the results of the Winston-Lutz test. The application leverages the Eclipse Scripting API (ESAPI) within the Eclipse Treatment planning system of Varian Medical Systems. The Portal Dosimetry Application of Eclipse is used to collect the image pixels. The pixels are then displayed in a Windows Presentation Foundation using Microsoft Visual Studio and C#.

The purpose of the Gamma Index pass rates software is to benchmark the Portal Dosimetry Application by …

Associations Between Opioid-Related Hospitalizations And Intravenous Drug Users, Jacklynn De Leon

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The opioid epidemic has led to a chain reaction of public health concerns, including an increase in heroin usage, injection drug abuse, incidence of hepatitis C virus (HCV), and HIV transmission. There have been few population-based studies investigating the clinical and socio- demographic data associated with opioid use in Nevada (Feng et al., 2016; Frank, 2000) and few studies investigating the intravenous drug user (IDU) population in Clark County. On February 2017, Clark County’s first syringe exchange program (SEP) opened its doors to the IDU population. This study provides an updated analysis of opioid-related injuries within Nevada and provides a …

Development Of A Step Counting Algorithm Using The Ambulatory Tibia Load Analysis System For Tibia Fracture Patients, Arad Lajevardi-Khosh, Ben Tresco, Ami Stuart, Sarina Sinclair, Matt Ackerman, Erik Kubiak, Tomasz Petelenz, Robert Hitchcock

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Introduction: Ambulation can be used to monitor the healing of lower extremity fractures. However, the ambulatory behavior of tibia fracture patients remains unknown due to an inability to continuously quantify ambulation outside of the clinic. The goal of this study was to design and validate an algorithm to assess ambulation in tibia fracture patients using the ambulatory tibial load analysis system during recovery, outside of the clinic. Methods Data were collected from a cyclic tester, 14 healthy volunteers performing a 2-min walk test on the treadmill, and 10 tibia fracture patients who wore the ambulatory tibial load analysis system during …

Practice And Lived Experience Of Menstrual Exiles (Chhaupadi) Among Adolescent Girls In Far Western Nepal. December 2018, Prabisha Amatya, Saruna Ghimire, Karen E. Callahan, Binaya Kumar Baral, Krishna C. Poudel

Public Health Faculty Publications

Background: Menstrual exile, also known as Chhaupadi, is a tradition of “untouchability” in far-western Nepal. Forbidden from touching other people and objects, women and girls are required to live away from the community, typically in a livestock shed, during menstruation. We assessed the lived experiences of Chhaupadi among Nepalese adolescent girls in the far-western Achham district of Nepal, observed the safety and sanitation of their living spaces during Chhaupadi, and assessed the perceptions of local adult stakeholders towards the practice of Chhaupadi. Methods: We collected data from 107 adolescent girls using a self-administered survey in two local schools in Achham. …

Healthy Food Options At Dollar Discount Stores Are Equivalent In Quality And Lower In Price Compared To Grocery Stores: An Examination In Las Vegas, Nv, Courtney Coughenour, Timothy J. Bungum, M. Nikki Regalado

Public Health Faculty Publications

Food deserts indicate limited access to and affordability of healthy foods. One potential mediator is the availability of healthy food in non-traditional outlets such as dollar-discount stores, stores selling produce at the fixed $1 price. The purpose of this study was to compare availability, quality, price differences in ‘healthier’ versus ‘regular’ food choices, price per each food item, and summary score in dollar-discount stores to grocery stores in Las Vegas using the NEMS-S; a protocol consisting of three subscores—availability, quality, price of healthier versus regular food, and a summary score. [...] see article for full abstract

Pulmonary Mucormycosis In An Adolescent Female With Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus, Erik Pennell, Iris Pecson, Craig Nakamura, Alvaro E. Galvis

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Mucormycosis is a relatively rare, life-threatening and opportunistic infection that affects immunocompromised patients. We present the unusual case of pulmonary mucormycosis in a 13-year-old Caucasian female that had recently been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. Our case serves as an example to healthcare providers treating immunosuppressed patients with pneumonia to have a high clinical suspicion for fungal infections, as delay in diagnosis and treatment can result in disseminated disease and higher patient mortality risk.

Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography In Cirrhosis - A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis Focused On Adverse Events, Harmeet Singh Mashiana, Banreet Dhindsa, Ji Won Yoo, Amaninder Singh Dhaliwal, Shailender Singh, Harlan Sayles, Qing Wu, Ali A. Siddiqui, Gordon Ohning, Mohit Girotra, Douglas A. Adler

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

AIM To investigate indications and outcomes of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) in cirrhotics, especially adverse events. Patients with cirrhosis undergoing ERCP are believed to have increased risk. However, there is a paucity of literature describing the indications and outcomes of ERCP procedures in patients with cirrhosis, especially focusing on adverse events. METHODS We performed a systematic appraisal of major literature databases, including PubMed and EMBASE, with a manual search of literature from their inception until April 2017. RESULTS A total of 6,505 patients from 15 studies were analyzed (male ratio 59%, mean age 59 years), 11% with alcoholic and 89% …

Comparison Of Outcomes For Supine Vs. Prone Position Ercp: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Harmeet Singh Mashiana, Mahendran Jayaraj, Babu Pappu Mohan, Gordon Ohning, Douglas G. Adler

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Background While endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is usually performed in the prone position, some studies have advocated for ERCP in the supine position. Studies comparing the technical success and safety outcomes have shown variable results. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies reporting the comparison between the two positions for ERCP outcomes. Methods We conducted a search of electronic databases and conference proceedings including PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science databases (from inception through October 2016) to identify studies that reported the comparison of technical success and safety outcomes between supine and prone ERCP. The primary outcome was …

The Life She Deserves: Medical Marijuana In The United States, John Hudak, George Burroughs, Maritza Bermudez

Brookings Scholar Lecture Series

Brookings Mountain West offered an event titled, "The Life She Deserves: Medical Marijuana in the United States on Monday, November 5, 2018. This event featured a viewing of the film, and was followed by a panel discussion with John Hudak, George Burroughs, and Maritza Bermudez. “The Life She Deserves” is an intimate portrait of Jennifer Collins and her family’s struggle to find a treatment to control her debilitating epilepsy. Because her legal pharmaceutical treatments cause severe side effects, Jennifer and her mother move across the country to access medical marijuana. The therapy provides Jennifer and her family with the relief …

Cornual Abscess Rupture: A Rare Etiology Of Acute Abdomen, Pooja Patil, Lannah L. Lua, Bobby Brar, Mary Froehlich, Petar Planinic

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Ruptured cornual abscess or pyometra can resemble other more common causes of acute abdomen, including appendicitis, diverticulitis, tubo-ovarian abscess, and perforated viscus. Despite its rarity, the diagnosis of ruptured pyometra should always be considered in females presenting with acute abdominal pain, particularly in the setting of a retained intrauterine device.

Unlv School Of Medicine: Rethinking Governance, Planning, And Economic Impact, The Lincy Institute

Brookings Scholar Lecture Series

The launch of the UNLV School of Medicine presented a unique opportunity for Southern Nevada to address two critical issues: the absence of adequate healthcare services for a region of more than 2.2 million people, and the economic impact of a new medical school resulting in an expanded regional health care economy. A collaborative process that engages local, state, and private sector interests is essential to the development of the UNLV School of Medicine and the expansion of an effective, efficient, and profitable healthcare economy.

In this colloquium The Lincy Institute released new health policy publications prepared with the support …

Evaluation Of Innovative Medical School Facilities And Consultant Recommendations, Tripp Umbach

Lincy Institute Reports and Briefs

In August 2018, The Lincy Institute1 retained Tripp Umbach2 to provide consultation to evaluate and identify best practices for medical school facilities and development models as the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) and the community embarks on the development of a home for the UNLV School of Medicine. To complete this assignment, Tripp Umbach completed a comprehensive process involving secondary data analysis and actively sought and received input from stakeholders including leadership at The Lincy Institute, UNLV School of Medicine, previous Tripp Umbach clients, leading design professionals with experience developing medical schools, and potential donors to the proposed project. …

Vancomycin Delays Clindamycin-Induced Fatality In The Hamster Model Of Clostridioides [Clostridium] Difficile Infection, Amelia E. Fox-King, Chrisabelle Mefferd, Jacqueline R. Phan, Nancy O. Nou, Ernesto Abel-Santos, Brian P. Hedlund

LSAMP Poster Presentations

Antibiotics can leave the host gut microbiome susceptible to Clostridioides [Clostridium] difficile colonization and lethal toxin production. For instance, clindamycin-induced susceptibility to C. difficile infection (CDI) results in rapid fatality in hamster models, yet vancomycin has been shown to offer increased survival in hamsters challenged with C. difficile. We aim to develop an antibiotic treatment that will facilitate CDI susceptibility without prompt fatality in hamster models. An antibiotic regimen starting with a continuous vancomycin treatment along with a single clindamycin dosage is thought to reduce the major disruption in the indigenous gut microbiome and prevent clindamycin-induced death. …

The Privilege Of Healthy Eating: A Qualitative Study Exploring The Local Food Choices Of Low-Income Families From Appalachia, Iryna Sharaievska Dr., Stephanie West Dr., Melissa Weddell Dr.

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Using qualitative semi-structured interviews, 15 low-income women of different ages were asked to discuss their perceptions of healthy eating, local farmers’ markets, as well as their visitation of farmers’ markets. The participants were also asked to share what features of farmers’ markets they found appealing. The results showed that most of the participants had either a deep or moderate understanding of what it means to eat healthy. However, many of them also believed they could improve their own patterns of eating. The data also showed that the low-income women who took part in the study had positive attitudes overall toward …

Tumor Biology And Racial Disparities In Reconstruction After Mastectomy: A Seer Database Analysis, Sarah J. Ullrich, Michael C. Smith, Paul J. Chung, Sara Y. Kim, Gainosuke Sugiyama

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Introduction:

Significant disparities in immediate breast reconstruction after mastectomy have persisted, and may even be increasing, despite large-scale efforts to minimize them, such as the Women’s Health and Cancer Rights Act of 1998. Immediate breast reconstruction has been shown to lead to higher rates of surgical satisfaction, minimize delay in post-operative cancer treatment, and improve the quality of life and overall well-being of mastectomy patients. However only 25-40% of eligible women in the United States receive reconstruction. The rate of reconstruction is even lower in African American and Hispanic women compared to White women. To better understand this disparity, …

Children As Agents Of Change: Parent Perceptions Of Child-Driven Environmental Health Communication In The Apsáalooke (Crow Indian) Community, Jessica Milakovich, Vanessa W. Simonds, Frances L. Kim, Deborah Laveaux, Velma Pickett, Suzanne Held, Christine Martin, Jason Cummins, Lynn Kelting-Gibson

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

While previous research suggests children have successfully acted as health change agents, no studies have examined the role of children in promoting environmental health knowledge and awareness. This study describes parent perceptions of the impact of a five-day water-focused environmental health summer camp on elementary school children in an American Indian community. We interviewed parents about their perception of changes in their child's environmental health knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors. Parents in this study confirmed that their child had shared information related to the camp activities. In addition, parents perceived that their children had increased knowledge and positive changes in attitudes …

An Examination Of Active Commuting By Race/Ethnicity, Income And Location, Dangaia Sims, Melissa Bopp

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Introduction

Active commuting (AC; walking and biking to work) is associated with a number of positive health outcomes, low participation remains low in the USA. Our objective was to examine the multi-level influences on AC considering social determinants of health: race/ethnicity, income level and location.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional survey examining correlates of AC in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. The sample consisted of 1,310 adults over the age of 18 who were employed part- or full-time outside of the home and physically able to walk and bike. One-way ANOVAs, t-tests, and Pearson correlation analyses were run …

Racial Disparities In Breast Cancer Survival: The Mediating Effects Of Macro-Social Context And Social Network Factors, Ganga Vijayasiri, Yamile Molina, Ifeanyi B. Chukwudozie, Silvia Tejeda, Heather Pauls, Garth Rauscher, Richard T. Campbell, Richard B. Warnecke

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

ABSTRACT

This study attempts to clarify the associations between macro-social and social network factors and continuing racial disparities in breast cancer survival. The study improves on prior methodologies by using a neighborhood disadvantage measure that assesses both economic and social disadvantage and an ego-network measurement tool that assesses key social network characteristics. Our population-based sample included 786 breast cancer patients (nHWhite=388; nHBlack=398) diagnosed during 2005-2008 in Chicago, IL. The data included census-derived macro-social context, self-reported social network, self-reported demographic and medically abstracted health measures. Mortality data from the National Death Index (NDI) were used to determine 5-year survival.

Based on …

Tablet-Based Collection Of Patient-Reported Data In Diverse, Low-Income Populations: A Case Study In Breast Cancer Risk Assessment, Cristina O'Donoghue, Celia P. Kaplan, Rebecca Howe, Laura J. Esserman, Eliseo J. Perez-Stable, Elissa M. Ozanne

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Background: Tablets and other technologies are evolving tools to collect personalized health data. However, the quality of data collected by these tools in vulnerable populations is unknown. We explore the acceptability and reliability of a Breast Health Questionnaire app’s use by diverse, low-income women against a pen/paper survey.

Methods: Women who spoke English or Spanish were recruited to complete a tablet and a paper/pen questionnaire prior to their screening mammography. The usability and reliability of the BHQ app were assessed and analyzed.

Results: Of 116 women, 94 (81%) found the app easy to use. Reliability between the app and the …

Food Insecurity And Healthy Behavior Counseling In Primary Care, Andrea Nederveld, Mandy Allison, Elizabeth A. Bayliss, Matthew Cox-Martin, Matthew Haemer

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Objective: While food insecurity (FI) has been associated with obesity in some studies, few have examined the relationship between FI and health attitudes and behaviors. We hypothesized that families who experienced FI would report lower importance of discussing health-related behavior change, report lower physical activity (PA) and have children who were more likely to be obese.

Design/Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of data collected from 2012 - 2015 from three clinics serving primarily low-income, Latino patients. Parents of 6 to 12 year old children presenting for well child care were surveyed about their experience of food insecurity, the importance …

Promoting Community And Population Health In Public Health And Medicine: A Stepwise Guide To Initiating And Conducting Community-Engaged Research, Scott D. Rhodes, Amanda E. Tanner, Lilli Mann-Jackson, Jorge Alonzo, Florence Siman, Eunyoung Y. Song, Jonathan Bell, Megan B. Irby, Aaron T. Vissman, Robert E. Aronson

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Various methods, approaches, and strategies designed to understand and reduce health disparities, increase health equity, and promote community and population health have emerged within public health and medicine. One such approach is community-engaged research. While the literature describing the theory, principles, and rationale underlying community engagement is broad, few models or frameworks exist to guide its implementation. We abstracted, analyzed, and interpreted data from existing project documentation including proposal documents, project-specific logic models, research team and partnership meeting notes, and other materials from 24 funded community-engaged research projects conducted over the past 17 years. We developed a 15-step process designed …

Estimates Of Female Breast Cancer Mortality-To-Incidence Ratio (Mir) Of The Counties And The Senatorial Districts Grouped To County Boundaries (Sdgcs) In Missouri 2008 - 2012, Awatef A. Ben Ramadan, Jeannette Jackson-Thompson, Chester L. Schmaltz

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Purpose: To measure Mortality-to-Incidence Ratios (MIRs) on Senatorial Districts Grouped to County Boundaries (SDGCs) to explore the female breast cancer (FBC) racial and age disparities in Missouri.

Methods: The MIRs and their 95% CI by age and race were calculated for the 20 SDGCs for the period from 2008-2012.

Results: For the 65+ years old FBC cases, the MIRs for whole Missouri and the 20 SDGCs were typically twice the MIR for thewhites.

Conclusions: FBC MIRs can be used as a measure of cancer inequalities in Missouri. These measures might be informative for policy makers to assess the existing policies …

Identification Of Chst9 As A Candidate Gene For Schizophrenia From Whole Genome Sequencing, Christopher Sharp, Jingchun Chen, Marvi Moreno, Mahtab Hamid, Francisco Servin, Bita Bashy, Travis Mize

LSAMP Poster Presentations

Recent results imply that rare variants contribute to the risk of schizophrenia. We conducted whole genome sequencing for 99 subjects from 20 Chinese families (parents and at least two siblings with a schizophrenia diagnosis and one unaffected sibling). Of the 9 frameshift mutations identified in more than 2 families, one was at chromosome 10:125780762 on the Carbohydrate Sulfotransferase 15 (CHST15) gene and another at chromosome 18:24722723 on the Carbohydrate Sulfotransferase 9 (CHST9) gene. We observed these deletions in 4 affected persons of two families from whole. At least two types of mutations (one or three bases insertion) have been identified …

Effect Of The Synthetic Bile Salt Analog Camsa On The Hamster Model Of Clostridium Difficile Infection, Amber Howerton, Cale O. Seymour, Senthil K. Murugapiran, Zhenlin Liao, Jacqueline R. Phan, Alan Estrada, Adam J. Wagner, Chrisabelle C. Mefferd, Brian P. Hedlund, Ernesto Abel-Santos

Life Sciences Faculty Research

Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is the leading cause of antibiotic-associated diarrhea and has gained worldwide notoriety due to emerging hypervirulent strains and the high incidence of recurrence. We previously reported protection of mice from CDI using the antigerminant bile salt analog CamSA. Here we describe the effects of CamSA in the hamster model of CDI. CamSA treatment of hamsters showed no toxicity and did not affect the richness or diversity of gut microbiota; however, minor changes in community composition were observed. Treatment of C. difficile-challenged hamsters with CamSA doubled the mean time to death, compared to control hamsters. However, CamSA …