Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Phase I Dose-Escalation Trial Of Intravaginal Curcumin In Women For Cervical Dysplasia, Leda Gattoc, Paula M. Frew, Shontell N. Thomas, Kirk A. Easley, Laura Ward, H-H Sherry Chow, Chiemi A. Ura, Lisa Flowers

Environmental & Occupational Health Faculty Publications

Background: This is a Phase I trial demonstrating safety and tolerability of intravaginal curcumin for future use in women with cervical neoplasia. Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of intravaginal curcumin in healthy women. Study design: We conducted a 3+3 dose-escalation Phase I trial in a group of women aged 18–45 years. Thirteen subjects were given one of four doses of curcumin powder (500 mg, 1,000 mg, 1,500 mg, and 2,000 mg) packed in gelatin capsules, which was administered intravaginally daily for 14 days. The primary end point for this study was …

Determining The Effects Of The Think Risk Initiative As Implemented By The Southern Nevada Health District, Karalin Nichole Cronkhite

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

In the United States, someone becomes infected with a foodborne illness every 2 seconds, is hospitalized by a foodborne illness every 4 minutes and dies due to a foodborne illness every 3 hours. Foodborne illness is preventable, yet each year, 1 in 6 Americans is affected by it from contaminated foods or beverages. There are over 250 different foodborne diseases, and in 2015, there were 73 confirmed cases of Salmonella infection in Southern Nevada alone. Since the emergence of public health, food establishment inspections have been an important part of the regulation of food safety. Risk-based inspections were developed by …

Structuring A Risk-Based Bioassay Program For Uranium Usage In University Laboratories, Johnne' Talia Dawson

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Bioassay programs are integral in a radiation safety program. They are used as a method of determining whether individuals working with radioactive material have been exposed and have received a resulting dose. For radionuclides that are not found in nature, determining an exposure is straightforward. However, for a naturally occurring radionuclide like uranium, it is not as straightforward to determine whether a dose is the result of an occupational exposure. The purpose of this project is to address this issue within the University of Nevada, Las Vegas’s (UNLV) bioassay program. This project consisted of two components that studied the effectiveness …

Evaluating The Risk To Ostomy Patients Working With Uranium Using The Icrp Biokinetic Model For The Gastrointestinal Tract, Sara Taylor

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The ICRP has published two biokinetic models providing a basis for radiation dose assessment due toradionuclides incorporated inside the gastrointestinal tract. These models are a sufficient tool to assess the committed dose equivalent for occupational exposures to workers assuming normal anatomy. The colostomy is becoming a more prevalent procedure. A colostomy permanently or temporarily bypasses a portion of colon to allow rest and healing. There are four different colostomies; ascending, transverse, descending and sigmoid and an ileostomy. As a patient’s strength returns, they can return to normal daily activities, including returning to work. Therefore, as an ostomy patient returns to …

Measurement Of Neutron Activation From A High Energy Varian Linear Accelerator, Timothy Thatcher

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Linear accelerators producing photons above 10 MeV may induce photonuclear reactions in high Z components of the accelerator. These liberated neutrons can then activate the structural components of the accelerator and other materials in the beam path through neutron capture reactions. The induced activity within the accelerator may contribute to additional dose to both patients and personnel. This project seeks to determine the total activity and activity per activated isotope following irradiation from a Varian medical linear accelerator at energies above 10 MeV. A Varian 21iX accelerator was used to irradiate a 30 cm x 30 cm x 20 cm …

Research On Problem Gambling Websites, Chang Boon Patrick Lee

International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking

This is a continuation of a series of studies on problem gambling websites. It has been noted in prior studies that one avenue problem gamblers might look for help was to go online to perform a web search. Online help is practical as help can be located immediately and this can help to ease the gamblers’ concerns that they are left alone to handle their own problems. While there are some anecdotal evidences regarding the success of problem gambling websites, there have been few empirical studies that relate directly to the perceptions and usefulness of the websites for the problem …

A Public Health-Based Approach To German Gaming Regulation, Knut Walter, Gerhard Buehringer

International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking

The current situation of the German gambling market can be characterized by an unrelated framework of different legal systems, different regulatory authorities and different control principles, and has led to (1) an increasing number of court decisions and information requests by European Commission questioning parts of that regulatory system, (2) public tolerance of illicit gambling, and consequently (3) a lack of consumer protection.

Taking RENO Model 1.0 and 2.0 seriously, a new and comprehensive regulatory framework based on common consumer protection standards for all types of gambling – land-based and online, state-owned and private operated – has been developed and …

Mandatory Pre-Commitment Loss Limits: Six Years’ Experience Shows It Works, Bjorn H. Hoffmann

International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking

The Norwegian state owned company Norsk Tipping is a pioneer in the gambling indusrty with its secure player identification and mandatory registered play across all channels. Knowing who your player is and having a strong link between the player and his consumption of games across all channels (land based, EGM, web and mobile) is an important premise for having a credible responsible gaming platform.

Norsk Tipping introduced in 2009 EGM’s with both pre commitment tools and maximum loss limits. In 2014 we introduced our Internet casino with probably the best responsible gambling platform in the world, including mandatory loss limits. …

An Empirical Evaluation Of The Clubsnsw (Australia) Multi-Venue Self-Exclusion Program, Dylan A. Pickering, Alexander Blaszczynski, Sally Gainsbury, Rowan Cameron

International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking

Few empirical studies have evaluated the effectiveness of self-exclusion programs. Research is required to identify factors contributing to decisions to enter and/or breach self-exclusion orders, or to self-excluded gamblers to seek additional treatment. Clinical characteristics of self-excluders remain relatively unknown in addition to factors that differentiate gamblers who do or do not breach. Limitations of current programs are that gamblers can self-exclude from only one or a limited number of venues. The Multi-venue Self-exclusion program, developed and implemented by ClubsNSW (Australia), is a centralised web-based system designed to help problem gamblers self exclude from up to 35 venues at a …

Monitoring Gambling Impacts In Massachusetts: Honing Strategies And Preventing Harm, Rachel A. Volberg, Amanda Houpt

International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking

In November 2011, an Act Establishing Expanded Gaming in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts was signed into law (Chapter 194 of the Acts of 2011). This legislation permits casinos and slot parlors in Massachusetts under the regulatory auspices of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC). Section 71 of the Expanded Gaming Act requires the MGC to establish an annual research agenda to assist in understanding the effects of casino gambling in Massachusetts and in minimizing the negative impacts. Research activities launched thus far include a comprehensive study of the social and economic impacts of casino gambling in Massachusetts (SEIGMA), a cohort study …

Best Practices For Self-Exclusion Reinstatement And Renewal, Alex Price

International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking

While many studies have examined self-exclusion few have focused on the processes through which gamblers return at the end of their agreements. In 2014, the RGC Centre for the Advancement of Best Practices examined voluntary self-exclusion reinstatement and renewal in an effort to develop evidence-informed best-practices for both land-based and online gambling operations. The presentation outlines the findings of the study and the recommended best practices for reintegration and ban renewal.

The study examined a range of practices around the world. In the end the study recommended an active reinstatement process in which all participants are required to apply to …

A Behavioural Account Of Mobile Gambling, Richard James, Richard Tunney, Claire O'Malley

International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking

Mobile gambling is an emerging market in which there is evidence that some gamblers are introduced to gambling through their mobile device, and that mobile gambling does not ‘cannibalise’ participation with other forms of gambling. There is a concern that mobile gamblers face distinct risks from other forms of gambling, particularly for harmful behaviours. This paper presentation outlines a behavioural account of mobile gambling that combines both the learned characteristics of problem gambling with how individuals interact with their mobile devices. This hypothesizes that the extended gaps between plays or sessions potentially attracts extended play, even in the face of …

Ready, Set, And Go Back: The Role Of The Judiciary In Brazil’S Bingo Ban, Luiza Jobim Llm, Toni Williams

International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking

Brazil, the host of the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympics, is known for strong competitive traditions in sports and games. It is also one of only three G-20 countries (together with Saudi Arabia and Indonesia) that currently bans non-state provision of gambling products. Bingo was a notable exception to this prohibition, after enabling legislation was enacted in 1993, with the intention that proceeds would help fund national sports development. The game quickly became very popular but there were persistent questions about, and contestations over, the capacity of the regulatory framework to control the dual risks of exploitation of …

Profiling At-Risk Gamblers, Tapio Jaakkola, Kari Vuorinen, Mirka Smolej

International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking

The majority of gambling research has been concentrating on problem gambling and on the association between gambling behavior, game design and gambling harm. Much less attention has been directed at recreational gambling or on players that do not suffer from any gambling related problems. However, when it comes to preventing gambling harm we should also target those at risk as well those who are gambling moderately.

As a part of a project on prevention of adult gambling harm we did a study of at-risk gamblers in order to recognize and to define the socio-economic background of our target group. Prior …

Measuring Market Saturation In The U.S. Casino Industry: An Analytical And Empirical Analysis, Clyde W. Barrow, Alan P. Meister, David R. Borges

International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking

The national and regional economies in the U.S. remain on a slow growth trajectory, while the casino gaming industry has seen a rapid and ongoing expansion. Consequently, states, Native American tribes, and gaming operators have increasingly shifted their attention from gaming expansion to the problems of regional competition, cannibalization, market maturation, and market saturation. The question of “market saturation” has become a salient point of public policy debate and a topic that is now frequently raised in the industry and media. This paper analyzes the concept of saturation in the context of casino gaming markets and compares several metrics for …

Gambling Problems In The General Danish Population: Survey Evidence, Morten Lau, Don Ross

International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking

We develop surveys of gambling problems in the general Danish population. We compare several popular survey instruments of gambling behavior and gambling propensity to assess if they differ in their classification of individuals. We also examine correlations with standard survey instruments for alcohol use, anxiety, depression and impulsiveness. A feature of our design is that nobody was excluded on the basis of their response to a “trigger,” “gateway” or “diagnostic item” question about previous gambling history, allowing us to check for sample selection bias. Our sample consists of 8,405 adult Danes, which is 12.8% of the sample frame of 65,592 …

Generational Differences In Gambling Behavior And Attitudes, Don Feeney, Todd Maki

International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking

The five generations that make up the adult population of North America and Europe differ greatly in their gambling behavior and their beliefs and attitudes towards gambling. This presentation will discuss data that demonstrate the extent of these differences as well as the cultural background and formative experiences that led to them. It will conclude with a discussion of implications for the gambling industry, responsible gambling, public policy, and for those concerned with the prevention and treatment of gambling problems.

Psychiatric Comorbidities In Gambling And The Clubsnsw Chaplaincy Program (Australia), Melanie Hartmann, Alex Blaszczynski, Rowan Cameron

International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking

A recent systematic review of population studies conducted over the last 12 years indicated that 57.5% of individuals meeting criteria for a gambling disorder have a comorbid substance use disorder, 60.1% a nicotine dependence, 57.5% a mood disorder, and 37.4%, any anxiety disorder. In a proportion of these, the comorbid condition predates the onset of gambling disorders suggesting these might represent a vulnerability factor. These findings suggest important implications for gambling prevention and treatments. Instead of promoting only gambling specific interventions and treatments, the emphasis needs to be on a more holistic approach that includes screening for and treating comorbid …

Responsible Gaming Certification Standards, Dietmar Hoscher

International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking

The European Casino Association (ECA) is representing the licensed European Casino industry in Brussels. It represents some 900 casinos form 24 European countires which employ around 70.000 staff.

In 2013 the ECA launched a project among its members concerning Responsible Gaming. A Working Group headed by Prof. Hoscher a Board Mamber of Casinos Austria AG was formed. The members where Resposnible Gaming Experts fom the different companies and associations within the ECA network.

The working group established a Responsible Gaming Framework that represents a collection of measures to presevent gambling addictions and identify vulonerable persons. The collection of measures are …

The Economics Of Lotto, Ian Walker, Robert E. Pryce, Rhys Wheeler, Nick Powdathvee

International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking

No abstract provided.

Differences In Perceived Importance Of Preventative Services And Healthcare Provider Trust Among Hispanics, Jonathan James Gore

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The Hispanic population varies greatly in their risk factors, health outcomes and access to care by country of origin, level of education and language dominance (Vega & Amaro, 1994) (Fiscella, Franks, Doescher, & Saver, 2002b). The differences within the Hispanic population also extend to their knowledge and attitudes toward health choices and maintenance, where they receive their health information, and what they access to meet their health care needs. Subpopulations within the Hispanic community as defined by language dominance and nativity must be understood as separate and distinct so that the health needs of each can be adequately addressed. The …

A Study On Automated Process For Extracting White Blood Cellular Data From Microscopic Digital Injured Skeletal Muscle Images, Bibek Karki

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Skeletal muscle injury is one of the common injuries caused by high-intensity sports activities, military related works, and natural disasters. In order to discover better therapies, it is important to study muscle regeneration process. Muscle regeneration process tracking is the act of monitoring injured tissue section over time, noting white blood cell behavior and cell-fiber relations. A large number of microscopic images are taken for tracking muscle regeneration process over multiple time instances. Currently, manual approach is widely used to analyze a microscopic image of muscle cross section, which is time consuming, tedious and buggy.

Automation of this research methodology …

Creating A Dynamic, Multi-Purpose Correction For Multiple Geometries And Field Sizes To Account For Off-Axis And Asymmetric Backscatter With Varian Portal Dosimetry, Remy Manigold

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Intensity modulated radiation therapy and volumetric modulated arc therapy are increasingly common in radiation therapy due to their benefits of target conformity and normal tissue sparing. Due to the complexities of plan delivery and the precision required, the dose delivered must be accurately measured for quality assurance (QA). One of the most efficient ways to perform patient-specific QA when using clinical linear accelerators (linac) is to use an electronic portal imaging device (EPID). Amorphous silicon (aSi) Electronic Portal Imaging Devices (EPIDs) are attached to the linac and can provide real-time feedback with spatial resolution on the order of sub-millimeter pixel …

Impacts To Phytoplankton After The Establishment Of Quagga Mussels In Lake Mead, Nevada, Warren Bruce Turkett

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Quagga mussels (Dreissena rostriformis bugensis) are an invasive species that were discovered in Lake Mead in January of 2007, and rapidly spread throughout the lake. Quagga mussels are about the size of a fingernail, but are known to clog pipes, damage infrastructure and alter ecosystems. In large numbers, mussels can have a dramatic impact on an ecosystem by reducing the phytoplankton and potentially increasing toxin producing cyanobacteria. This research analyzed data collected from three separate basins in Lake Mead to determine if water quality characteristics that are commonly impacted by invasive mussels have changed. Transparency, chlorophyll-a, phytoplankton and zooplankton samples …