Diseases Commons^™

Electrochemical Inactivation Of Tobacco Mosaic Virus: A Novel Vaccine Method, Angelica Diaz

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

We tested the effectiveness of using electrochemistry to irreversibly damage Tobacco Mosaic Virus (TMV). Hypothesis: By utilizing the acidic properties of DNA and RNA, viral genetic material can be irreversibly and selectively damaged using electrochemical methods. Technique could assist in development of highly targeted and effective vaccines.

Diabetes-Related Outcomes Following Use Of Basal-Bolus Insulin Vs Premixed Insulin In A Va Population With Type 2 Diabetes: A Retrospective Chart Review., Ravisha Bai, Kavita Batra, Charmaine Yap, Kenneth Izuora

School of Medicine Faculty Presentations

No abstract provided.

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 …

Scaling Up Information Sharing On Hiv-Associated Neurocognitive Disorder: Raising Awareness And Knowledge Among Key Stakeholders, Renato M. Liboro, Paul A. Shuper, Lori E. Ross

Psychology Faculty Research

Although the majority of specialists and researchers in the field of HIV/AIDS are aware and knowledgeable about HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND) as a condition that affects as much as 50% of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWH), research has documented that many health care and service providers who work directly with PLWH are either unaware of HAND or believe they do not know enough information about HAND to effectively support their clients experiencing neurocognitive challenges. Based on the findings of a qualitative study that interviewed 33 health care and service providers in HIV/AIDS services to identify and examine their awareness and …

Intepirdine As Adjunctive Therapy To Donepezil For Mild-To-Moderate Alzheimer’S Disease: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Phase 3 Clinical Trial (Mindset), Frederick M. Lang, Yi Mo, Marwan Sabbagh, Paul Solomon, Merce Boada, Roy W. Jones, Giovanni B. Frisoni, Timo Grimmer, Bruno Dubois, Mark Harnett, Sarah R. Friedhoff, Shari Coslett, Jeffrey L. Cummings

Brain Health Faculty Publications

Introduction: A previous phase 2b study supported the use of the 5-HT6 receptor antagonist intepirdine as adjunctive therapy to donepezil for Alzheimer's disease (AD) dementia. A phase 3 study, MINDSET, was performed to test this hypothesis. Methods: MINDSET was a global, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial in 1315 mild-to-moderate AD dementia patients on stable donepezil. Patients received 35 mg/day intepirdine or placebo for 24 weeks. The co-primary endpoints were change from baseline to week 24 on the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive Subscale (ADAS-Cog) and Alzheimer's Disease Cooperative Study-Activities of Daily Living (ADCS-ADL). Results: There were no statistically significant differences between intepirdine …

Environmentally Marginalized Populations: The "Perfect Storm" For Infectious Disease Pandemics, Including Covid-19, Gabriella Y. Meltzer, Oyemwenosa Avenbuan, Christina Awada, Oluwakemi B. Oyetade, Tricia Blackman, Simona Kwon Drph, Mph, Esther Erdei Phd, Judith T. Zelikoff Phd

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

COVID-19 has exacted a severe toll on the United States population’s physical and mental health and its effects have been felt most severely among people of color and low socioeconomic status. Using illustrative case studies, this commentary argues that in addition to COVID-19 health disparities created by psychosocial stressors such as the inability to socially distance and access quality healthcare, environmental justice communities have the additional burden of disproportionate exposure to toxic contaminants that contribute to their higher risk of COVID-19. Environmental contaminants including heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants found contaminating their nearby environments can alter the immune response, …

A Vicious Cycle Of Fear Of Falling Avoidance Behavior In Parkinson’S Disease: A Path Analysis, Merrill R. Landers, Kameron M. Jacobson, Nicole E. Matsunami, Hannah E. Mccarl, Michelle T. Regis, Jason K. Longhurst

Integrated Health Sciences Faculty Publications

Background: Postural instability (PI) in Parkinson's disease (PD) is associated with several negative downstream consequences. Objective: The purpose was to explore the validity of a theoretical model of these downstream consequences arranged in a vicious cycle wherein PI leads to decreased balance confidence, which in turn leads to increased fear of falling (FOF) avoidance behavior, which in turn leads to decreased physical conditioning, which then feeds back and negatively affects PI. Methods: A path analysis of cross-sectional data from 55 participants with PD was conducted. The four constructs in the model connected in succession were: 1. PI (principal components analysis …

A Lung Cancer Screening Personalized Decision-Aid Improves Knowledge And Reduces Decisional Conflict Among A Diverse Population Of Smokers At An Urban Academic Medical Center, Madeline Kaufman, Nilan Schnure, Andrea Nicholson, Frank Leone, Carmen Guerra

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Introduction: Few lung cancer screening decision aids have been tested in diverse populations. The study objective was to determine whether the online decision aid www.shouldiscreen.com impacts knowledge of and decisional conflict around lung cancer screening in a diverse population.

Methods: Eligible patients had significant smoking histories, were at increased risk for lung cancer (ages 45-80, >20 pack-years, smoking within last 15 years) and had no history of prior lung cancer or screening. Data was collected and analyzed in 2017.

Results: 40 patients were enrolled: 80% were female, 62.5% black, 33% white, and 48% had a high school …

Cognitively Normal Women With Alzheimer’S Disease Proteinopathy Show Relative Preservation Of Memory But Not Of Hippocampal Volume, Jessica Z.K. Caldwell, Jeffrey L. Cummings, Sarah J. Banks, Sebastian Palmqvist, Oskar Hansson

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Background: We examined interactive effects of sex, diagnosis, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) amyloid beta/phosphorylated tau ratio (Aβ/P-tau) on verbal memory and hippocampal volumes. Methods: We assessed 682 participants (350 women) from BioFINDER (250 cognitively normal [CN]; and 432 symptomatic: 186 subjective cognitive decline [SCD], 246 mild cognitive impairment [MCI]). General linear models evaluated effects of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) proteinopathy (CSF Aß/p-tau ratio), diagnosis, and sex on verbal memory (ADAS-cog 10-word recall), semantic fluency (animal naming fluency), visuospatial skills (cube copy), processing speed/attention functions (Symbol Digit Modalities Test and Trail Making Part A), and hippocampal volumes. Results: Amyloid-positive (Aβ/P-tau+) CN women …

The Anti-Sigma Factor Muca Of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa: Dramatic Differences Of A Muca22 Vs. A Δmuca Mutant In Anaerobic Acidified Nitrite Sensitivity Of Planktonic And Biofilm Bacteria In Vitro And During Chronic Murine Lung Infection, Warunya Panmanee, Shengchang Su, Michael J. Schurr, Gee W. Lau, Xiaoting Zhu, Zhaowei Ren, Cameron T. Mcdaniel, Long J. Lu, Dennis E. Ohman, Daniel A. Muruve, Ralph J. Panos, Hongwei D. Yu, Thomas B. Thompson, Boo Shan Tseng, Daniel J. Hassett

Life Sciences Faculty Research

Mucoid mucA22 Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) is an opportunistic lung pathogen of cystic fibrosis (CF) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients that is highly sensitive to acidified nitrite (A-NO2-). In this study, we first screened PA mutant strains for sensitivity or resistance to 20 mM A-NO2- under anaerobic conditions that represent the chronic stages of the aforementioned diseases. Mutants found to be sensitive to A-NO2- included PA0964 (pmpR, PQS biosynthesis), PA4455 (probable ABC transporter permease), katA (major catalase, KatA) and rhlR (quorum sensing regulator). In contrast, mutants lacking PA0450 (a putative phosphate transporter) and PA1505 (moaA2) were A-NO2- resistant. However, …

Cardio-Metabolic Disease Risk Factors Among South Asian Labour Migrants To The Middle East: A Scoping Review And Policy Analysis, Shiva Raj Mishra, Saruna Ghimire, Chandni Joshi, Bishal Gyawali, Archana Shrestha, Dinesh Neupane, Sudesh Raj Sharma, Yashashwi Pokharel, Salim S. Virani

Public Health Faculty Publications

This paper aims to explore the burgeoning burden of cardiovascular and metabolic disease (CMD) risk factors among South Asian labor migrants to the Middle East. We conducted a qualitative synthesis of literature using PubMed/Medline and grey literature searches, supplemented by a policy review of policies from the South Asian countries. We found a high burden of cardio-metabolic risk factors among the migrants as well as among the populations in the home and the host countries. For example, two studies reported the prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) ranging between 9 and 17% among South Asian migrants. Overweight and obesity were highly …

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. …

Justice Served Fresh: Associations Between Food Insecurity, Community Gardening, And Property Value, Micajah Daniels, Courtney Coughenour Ph.D

McNair Poster Presentations

Numerous stakeholders in Nevada have used a variety of efforts to combat the growth of food insecurity facing Nevadans. The purpose of this research project is to understand the association between food insecurity, community gardens, and property value. Following the wealth of scholarship on these topics and data collected from community garden agencies in Southern Nevada, the research questions for this project include: (1) Where are community gardens located in SNV? (2) What efforts community gardens agencies are doing to address food insecurity (most interested in their efforts using community gardens)? (3) What are the perceptions of supports and barriers …

Integrating Students Into Interdisciplinary Health And Health Disparities Research Teams, Tanya M. Coakley, Allyson Kelley, Robin Bartlett, Terri Shelton, Schenita D. Randolph, Debra C. Wallace

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Major initiatives by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as well as the World Health Organization have produced a large and compelling body of evidence on how to reduce health disparities, which entails having a clear understanding of how social factors shape health and healthcare outcomes. Specifically, there is a need for healthcare professionals to understand social determinants of health (e.g., low socioeconomic status, lack of health insurance, and poor education) and how these lead to disparities in health for people of minority racial and ethnic groups. Little is known about how students are developed as health disparities …

Relationship Of Global Dna Methylation With Cardiovascular Fitness And Body Composition, Michael Steele Jarrett

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Background: Global DNA Methylation (GDM), an epigenomic modification has been linked to the development of Cardiovascular Disease and its risk factors. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine if there is a significant correlation between GDM and cardiovascular fitness, as well as, measures of body composition. Methodology: 26 apparently healthy, adults (11 males) completed a physical activity and diet questionnaire, as well as, had a small blood sample (600μL) collected via finger prick for the determination of GDM. Body composition was assessed by means of a Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DEXA) scan, while cardiovascular fitness was evaluated by the …

Health Disparities Experienced By People With Disabilities In The Us: A Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Study, Jennifer Renee Pharr, Timothy J. Bungum

Environmental & Occupational Health Faculty Publications

The Americans with Disabilities Act became law in 1990; since then research has shown that people with disabilities continue to experience barriers to health care. The purpose of this study was to compare utilization of preventive services, chronic disease rates, and engagement in health risk behaviors of participants with differing severities of disabilities to those without disabilities. This study was a secondary analysis of 2010 data collected in the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System national survey in the United States. Rao Chi square test and logistic regression were employed. Participants with disabilities had significantly higher adjusted odds ratios for all …

Immediate Effects Of High Intensity Training In Children With Cerebral Palsy Gmfcs Levels I-Iii: A Pilot Study, Andrea Blahovec, Andrea Kuiken, Jillian Mears, Heather Riggins

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Background: Cerebral Palsy is one of the most common causes of motor disability in the U.S., but there is still a lack of consensus for best intervention strategies to improve function and gait efficiency.

Objective: Determine if ambulatory children with CP, exposed to a brief, high intensity training session, will: 1) experience changes in temporal-spatial gait characteristics 2) demonstrate increased gait speed and 3) demonstrate improved gait kinematics.

Design: Five participants walked at preferred and fast speeds over an instrumented walkway followed by a 15-minute intervention. After a short rest, post-intervention walking was completed.

Results: Ten dependent variables were extracted …

The Acute Effect Of Endurance Exercise On Lipoproteins Measured By Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (Nmr) In Healthy Men, Hanaa Adnan Shaheen

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Background: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) represents a major cause of death in the United States, with abnormal levels of blood lipids and physical inactivity considered as major modifiable risk factors. The conventional lipid profile has been used to assess for CVD risk by directly measuring the concentrations of blood lipids. However, lipoprotein particle size and number obtained from a novel method, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) may also asses for CVD risk with greater sensitivity. Exercise and increased physical activity has been shown to produce favorable effects on blood lipids and consequently reduce CVD risk. To understand this effect, it is important …

Combination Of Virb Binding Site Mutations To Evaluate Collective Impact On Icsp Promoter Activity In Shigella Flexneri, Pashtana Usufuzy, Juan C. Duhart, Maria I. Castellanos, Helen Wing

Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP)

Shigella flexneri is a gram-negative, invasive bacterial pathogen that afflicts the human colonic epithelium, causing shigellosis, an illness triggering severe dysentery. The World Health Organization cites the disease burden of shigellosis near 90 million episodes and 108,000 deaths per year.

The motility and spread of Shigella is modulated by icsP, a virulence gene. The transcription factor VirB positively regulates many virulence genes encoded by the Shigella virulence plasmid. Two distal binding sites of VirB have been shown to regulate the promoter activity of icsP, despite their location of more than 1 kb upstream of the transcription start site. Five VirB …

Defining The Role Of Nras In Melanoma Maintenance, Sravya T. Challa, Sheri L. Holmen

Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP)

The incidence of melanoma has increased 600 percent over the last four decades; it is the most rapidly increasing malignancy among young people in the United States and is currently the leading cause of cancer death in women aged 25- 29. If detected early, the disease is easily treated; however, once the disease has metastasized it is largely refractory to conventional therapies and is associated with a high mortality rate. The development of cancer from a pre-malignant primary tumor to a metastatic cancer that develops at secondary sites is a multi-step process, thought to require many genetic and epigenetic events …

Regulation Of The Shigella Flexneri Icsp Gene And H-Ns Dependent Repression, Rosa Ojeda, Amanda Wigley, Dustin Harrison, Helen Wing

Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP)

The gram negative bacterium Shigella flexneri is known to cause dysentery in humans and primates. In order to help prevent the spread of shigellosis, gene regulation must be understood. Studies show that the virulence genes in S .flexneri are thermo regulated. At 30°C histone-like nucleoid structuring protein (H-NS) represses transcription of virulence genes and at 37°C VirB derepresses virulence genes. One of the genes that contribute to the virulence of S. flexneri is icsP. My project focuses on the regulation of the S. flexneri icsP gene and has two main goals. The first is to identify the sequence of H-NS …

Hivtoolbox, An Integrated Web Application For Investigating Hiv, David P. Sargeant, Sandeep Deverasetty, Yang Luo, Angel Villahoz Baleta, Stephanie Zobrist, Viraj Rathnayake, Jacqueline C. Russo, Jay Vyas, Mark A. Muesing, Martin Schiller

Life Sciences Faculty Research

Many bioinformatic databases and applications focus on a limited domain of knowledge federating links to information in other databases. This segregated data structure likely limits our ability to investigate and understand complex biological systems. To facilitate research, therefore, we have built HIVToolbox, which integrates much of the knowledge about HIV proteins and allows virologists and structural biologists to access sequence, structure, and functional relationships in an intuitive web application. HIV-1 integrase protein was used as a case study to show the utility of this application. We show how data integration facilitates identification of new questions and hypotheses much more rapid …

2011-2012 Unlv Mcnair Journal, Cyndy Anang, Sajar Camara, Pamela Cornejo, Carla Antonieta Farcello, Ilse Anahi Garcia, Natiera Magnuson, William L. Mccurdy, Lorena Munoz, Maxym V. Myroshnychenko, Ricardo Rios, Theodore Waldeck, Barbara Wallen, Ana Zuniga, Brenda M. Aguilar, Tiffany Alexandra Alvarez, Daniel N. Erosa, Paige C. Espinosa, Carla Antonieta Farcello, Julienne Jochel Paraiso, Nathaniel Derek Phillipps, Carmen Vallin, Jacent N. Wamala, Ernesto Zamora-Ramos

McNair Journal

Journal articles based on research conducted by undergraduate students in the McNair Scholars Program

Table of Contents

Biography of Dr. Ronald E. McNair

Statements:

Dr. Neal J. Smatresk, UNLV President

Dr. Juanita P. Fain, Vice President of Student Affairs

Dr. William W. Sullivan, Associate Vice President for Retention and Outreach

Mr. Keith Rogers, Deputy Executive Director of the Center for Academic Enrichment and Outreach

McNair Scholars Institute Staff

Development Of Novel Biomarkers In Cancer: Detection Of Circulating Mir-141 As A Potential Prognostic Marker For Prostate Cancer, Jason Cadaoas Gonzales

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Prostate cancer (CAP) is the most common epithelial malignancy and the second leading cause of cancer deaths in American men. The identification of predictive and prognostic biomarkers in CAP patients is critical for improving clinical outcomes. Although the measurement of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and radiographic studies are clinically approved to predict response to therapy, these tests can oftentimes prove to be inadequate in certain patients. Thus, it is important to discover new biomarkers to improve chances of survivability. We and others have shown that longitudinal measurements of circulating tumor cells (CTC) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) may aid in predicting response …

Vertical Transmission Of West Nile Virus In Culex Spp. Mosquitoes Of Clark County, Nevada, Vivek K. Raman

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

West Nile Virus (WNV) is an RNA arbovirus that cycles between mosquitoes and birds, but also infects and causes disease in humans, horses and other vertebrate species. Although most infections are asymptomatic, WNV has emerged as the most common cause of epidemic meningoencephalitis in North America and the leading cause of arboviral encephalitis in the United States.

Mosquitoes of the genus Culex are the most active vectors of WNV in North America. Approximately 85% of human WNV infections in the United States occur in late summer with a peak number of cases in August and September. Vertical transmission is defined …

The Relationship Of A Long-Term Exercise Program And Selected Coronary Risk Factors, Maryse Wells

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to investigate body composition and blood pressure as potential risk factors for coronary artery disease after 3 years of participation in a structured exercise program. The sample group was comprised of 21 male participants (66%) and 11 (34%) female participants with a mean age of 55 years who attended the exercise program and completed health and fitness testing annually. Participants did cardiovascular, strength, and flexibility training 5 days a week with an average attendance of 70%. After 3 years, BMI, waist circumference, and percent body fat increased significantly (p < .01); blood pressure levels did not change significantly (p > .05). Low control of diet …

Analysis Of Primary Risk Factors For Oral Cancer From Us States With Increasing Rates, Anthony Bunnell, Nathan Pettit, Nicole Reddout, Kanika Sharma, Susan O'Malley, Michelle Chino, Karl Kingsley

Public Health Faculty Publications

Objectives

To examine the primary risk factor for oral cancer in the US, smoking and tobacco use, among the specific US states that experienced short-term increases in oral cancer incidence and mortality.

Methods

Population-based data on oral cancer morbidity and mortality in the US were obtained from the National Cancer Institute's (NCI) Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database for analysis of recent trends. Data were also obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) to measure current and former trends of tobacco usage. To comprehensive measures of previous state tobacco use …

Molecular Epidemiology Of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (Mrsa), Ilene Bautista

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Staphylococcus aureus is a frequent cause of a myriad of infections in hospitals, healthcare facilities and community settings. It is often related to skin and soft tissue infection, but it can also cause other diseases varying from food poisoning to endocarditis and toxic shock syndrome. According to a study by Kuehnert et al. (2006) there has been a strong association between Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) carriage and risk factors for subsequent infections. Subsequent infection from S. aureus , including methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) infection, can be projected by looking at the presence of S. aureus nasal colonization. The purpose of …

2009- 2010 Unlv Mcnair Journal, Kathleen Bell, Danetta Bradley, Vacheral M. Carter, Nydia Diaz, Kathryn E. English, Sarah Harrison, Michelle Israel, Christina Macke, Erica Orozco, Pilar Palos, Sandra Ramos, Soraya A. Silverman, Susan Taylor, Sajar Camara, William Mccurdy, Yvonne C. Morris, Maxym V. Myroshnychenko, Ricardo Rios, Monique Sulls, Bremen Vance, Barbara Wallen

McNair Journal

Journal articles based on research conducted by undergraduate students in the McNair Scholars Program

Table of Contents

Biography of Dr. Ronald E. McNair

Statements:

Dr. Neal J. Smatresk, UNLV President

Dr. Juanita P. Fain, Vice President of Student Affairs

Dr. William W. Sullivan, Associate Vice President for Retention and Outreach

Mr. Keith Rogers, Deputy Executive Director of the Center for Academic Enrichment and Outreach

McNair Scholars Institute Staff

Protection Of Macrophages J774a.1 By Purine Nucleoside Analogues From Bacillus Anthracis Mediated Necrosis, Zadkiel R. Alvarez

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Eight years after the lamentable anthrax attacks, major scientific effort continues to be done, in order to stop imminent acts of bioterrorism. Innovative ways of therapy against the anthrax disease are being investigated. B. anthracis, the etiological agent of the infection, has a dormant stage in its life cycle known as the endospore. When conditions become favorable spores germinate, transforming into vegetative bacteria. In inhalational anthrax, the most fatal manifestation of the disease, spores enter the organism through the respiratory track, and are phagocytosized by alveolar macrophages of the lungs. Spores are able to sense nutrient availability, activating their germination …