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About the Collection
The Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) provides students with the opportunity to present their research at three annual undergraduate research symposia. This collection contains student posters.
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The Relationship Between Gender and Experienes of Weight Stigma From Healthcare Providers
Isabella J. Aceituno and Shannon Sagert
11-22-2024Healthcare providers are a common source of weight stigma, which is associated with lower physician trust, poorer patient outcomes, and the avoidance of healthcare services. Currently, there is a lack of consensus in research on whether women and men are equally likely to experience weight stigma from healthcare providers. The present study examined whether gender differences exist in weight stigma received from healthcare providers in childhood or adulthood, comfort seeking medical care, and healthcare avoidance. Adult participants (N = 196) reported the frequency at which they experienced stigmatizing experiences in healthcare environments in the past 12 months and during childhood using the Stigma Situations in Health Care (SSHC) Scale. The Measure of Healthcare Avoidance (MHA) was used to investigate reasons participants might avoid seeing a doctor, and two additional survey questions gauged participants’ comfort seeking medical care in the past 12 months. Logistic regressions showed no gender differences in past experiences of weight stigma (X2 = .072, 1 df, p =.789) or current experiences of weight stigma (X2 = 2.112, 1 df, p = .146). Furthermore, point-biserial correlations showed no association between gender and comfort seeking care (rpb = .051, p =.480) or healthcare avoidance (rpb =.005, p =.941). These findings suggest that men are as likely as women to experience weight stigma from healthcare providers in both childhood and adulthood, and exhibit comparable levels of healthcare avoidance and comfort seeking medical care. Future research should further examine the frequency and nuances of weight stigma in men, women, and gender-diverse individuals.
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"Screen Time" and the Perception of It Among Different Social Classes
Jasmine Ayon
11-22-2024“Screen Time” and the subsequent demonization of it is a phenomenon that is not as analyzed through a social and comparative lens as much as psychological and health ones. To address this gap in research, we performed a content analysis on articles concerning families and “screen time” use that were published on two well-known parenting websites SheKnows and Parents.com from 2019 - 2022 (n = 220). In this paper, we address how these articles talk about screen time use among different social classes. In our analysis, we found what appears to be a double standard in the way screen time use is perceived among different classes. Families of higher income are less demonized for screen time use, and have easier access to exercise familial activities that do not rely on a device. It is important to recognize these biases in the popular discourse in order to understand the nuances present within it and to navigate future discussion on it.
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Repurposing Non-toxic and Cost-effective Organic Ligancds to Enhance the Removal of Uranium and Thorium From Wastewater
Will Campbell
11-22-2024Cheap, effective and industrially practical remediation methods for uranium and thorium are of utmost importance. Electrocoagulation is a cheap but only mildly effective method for the remediation of these elements. It was recently shown that chelating ligands enhance this process. Unfortunately, few ligands have been tested for this enhancement. Of these, the most effective, Alizarin Red S, had a 99.2% uranium removal efficiency but was expensive ($3.6 / g), toxic to humans and environmentally harmful. Therefore, ligands that avoid these downsides are needed before any industrial application can occur. Potential ligands were found via exhaustive searches of MilliporeSigma’s database. Over 3000 ligands were examined ranging from the histological stains (486 potentials) to organic building blocks (>3000 potentials). From these ligands, it was narrowed down on four criteria. The price must be below $2 / 1 gram, non-toxic to humans, environmentally friendly and selectively chelate to uranium or thorium. Four potential ligands were found from the over 3000 which fit all four qualities well. The differences however included the solubility in water, charge and price. Pamoic acid ($1.33 / g) and quercetin ($1.88 / g) are neutral molecules with low water solubility. Acid blue 40 ($1.6 / g) contains a single negative charge and Acid blue 80 ($1.5 / g) and contains two negative charges. Both have excellent water solubility due to their ionic charges. Herein, we effectively found four potential ligands for use in the removal of uranium or thorium from water via ligand enhanced electrocoagulation.
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Parental Failure and the Double Standards of Screen Time Discourse on Popular Parenting Blogs
Christian Casarez and Annaliese Grant
11-22-2024Understanding screen time discourse is vital in grasping people’s relationship with media comprehensively. This research seeks to add to this body of knowledge by highlighting the double standards present within parenting blogs’ narratives on screen time. Utilizing a qualitative analysis conducted on a dataset of over 200 coded articles (n=220) from parenting blog giants such as Parents.com and SheKnows.com, I argue that popular parenting blogs simultaneously platform content that pushes parents to constantly manage and mitigate their children’s screen time use, while at the same time implicitly encouraging parents to utilize apps, audio, content, and devices to do so. In supporting this claim, I explore the state of screen discourse on parenting blogs, various policing tactics encouraged by parenting blog content, as well as what this paper calls “narratives of parental failure,” which refers to the content & narratives depicting where parents deviated from the perceived idealized norms around screen time management and usage that were established by said platformed parenting content. I then conclude this piece by discussing the implications of these findings to our broader understanding of media, parenting, and socialization, as well as avenues future research in this area should explore.
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Factors Related to Racial Trauma Distress Among BIPOC College Students
Miguel Castano, Richard Chang, and Giezel Guevarra
11-22-2024Racial trauma distress is when post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms occur due to repeated and cumulative experiences of racism and can negatively impacted Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC). Consensus in research findings strongly suggest that BIPOC students are more likely to experience racism on university campuses than non-BIPOC students. To mitigate some of these negative outcomes, existing research has shown that psychological safety, resilience, and intraminority solidarity are protective factors for BIPOC students experiencing race-related distress. However, little is known about the frequency of racial trauma distress among BIPOC college students and how these variables may protect against racial trauma distress. Therefore, we examined whether psychological safety, resilience, and intraminority solidarity significantly predicted more or less racial trauma distress among BIPOC college students. Data were collected from 254 BIPOC college students (Mage = 19.45, SD = 3.00) who completed an online survey. A multiple regression model was used to examine whether the predictors significantly predicted racial trauma distress. Results suggest that psychological safety and resilience were significant negative predictors of racial trauma distress. However, intraminority solidarity was a significant positive predictor of racial trauma distress. This research contributes valuable insights into the interaction between psychological safety, resilience, intraminority solidarity, and racial trauma distress and the roles these variables play as potential mitigators against the race-based stress of racial trauma. Understanding the link between these factors and racial trauma distress is crucial for developing effective interventions to address the negative effects of racial trauma distress among BIPOC college students.
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The Impact of Intimate Partner Violence on Young Mother's Mental Health
Claudia Chavez and Clariana Vitória Ramos De Oliveira
11-22-2024Intimate partner violence (IPV) rates are notably higher among adolescents who are pregnant or have experienced a pregnancy, with physical IPV reaching up to 62%, and psychological abuse being even more common. IPV has serious mental health consequences for adolescent mothers, leading to increased rates of depression and anxiety which can impair caregiving. IPV negatively affects children, increasing the risks of poor maternal bonding, and low birth weight. This study investigates how IPV contributes to adverse mental health outcomes in Brazilian adolescent mothers. A cross-sectional approach was used with data collected between August 2023 to 2024. The study participants were adolescent mothers under 20 years old, with children aged 0 to 5 years, residing in southern Brazil. Research assistants collected data following approval from the Institutional Review Boards (IRB) of UNLV and a partner university in Brazil. The study utilized Fisher's exact test to analyze correlations between mothers' responses to IPV-related questions and their mental health symptoms, as measured by the DASS-21 screening tool. 55.45% of participants who reported experiencing emotional IPV also exhibited moderate to severe depressive symptoms, with a significant correlation between the variables (P < 0.001). Physical IPV was correlated with depressive symptoms (P = 0.01), with 50% of young mothers reporting both experiences. Experiencing IPV at a young age can deteriorate the physical health of an adolescent mother but also increase the likelihood of developing a mental illness. It is important to provide screenings for IPV and mental health to improve the well-being of all mothers.
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Examining Emotion and Ease of Recall for Life Story Memories in Young Adults
Roxanna E. Chavez, Erin L. Murphy, and David E. Copeland
11-22-2024Life stories are narratives that use autobiographical memories to shape personal identity. This study investigated how emotional valence and ease of recall may change over time. Participants were asked to recall ten life story memories in two interviews held three weeks apart. Participants provided ratings of emotional valence and ease of recall for each memory. A significant difference was found in emotional valence between Session 1 (M = 3.159, SD = .772) and Session 2 (M = 2.905, SD = .788), t(68) = 2.734, p < .01, with Session 1 memories rated as significantly more negative (M = 1.812, SD = 1.427) than those in Session 2 (M = 1.275, SD = 1.316), t(68) = 3.232, p < .01. Furthermore, negative memories were more frequent in the last five Session 1 memories (M = 0.986, SD = 0.866) than in all of Session 2 memories (First Five: M = 0.652, SD = .783; Last Five: M = 0.623, SD = .892), F(3, 204) = 3.663, p < .05. For ease of recall, the first five memories in both sessions (Session 1: M = 5.684, SD = 0.806; Session 2: M = 5.612, SD = 0.963) were significantly easier to recall than the last five in both sessions (Session 1: M = .214, SD = 1.128; Session 2: M = 5.136, SD = 1.080), F(2.498, 169.864) = 7.369, p < .001. Overall, these findings suggest participants recalled more accessible memories first, with negative memories being harder to retrieve as sessions progressed.
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Effects of Low Dose Exposure to Radiation and Sleep Fragmentation on Discrimination in String-Pulling Behavior with Female Rats
Jonathan F. Cortez, Diana Lloyd, T. L. Garcia, A. Adhikari, N. M. Attallah, N. Moges, D. H. Rodgers, K. S. Dhede, K. D. Omengan, and A. A. Blackwell
11-22-2024Astronauts will face harmful stressors, such as galactic cosmic radiation (GCR) and sleep fragmentation (SF), on a three-year space flight mission to Mars and back. Astronauts perform skilled reach-to-grasp behaviors on these missions, including interacting with controls to navigate the spacecraft. Recent work has shown that GCR and SF disrupt skilled reach-to-grasp behavior in rodent models; however, the underlying nature of these deficits is unknown. To determine if tactile sensation and proprioceptive feedback contribute to these impairments, this study evaluated the effects of radiation and SF exposure on memory and sensorimotor discrimination in a rodent model. Twenty-one outbred Wistar, retired breeder, female rats were food restricted, habituated in a string-pulling task to a single thick (0.2 cm diameter, 162 cm length) string, and then half were irradiated with 10 centi-grays of 250 MeV/n Helium (single ion in GCR). After irradiation, rats were reassessed with a single thick string and then tested with side-by-side thick and thin strings (0.1 cm) pre- and post-SF (12h session where a mechanical bar swept across the floor every two minutes). Thus far, findings show that rats took significantly fewer trials to reach criterion after one session of SF regardless of radiation status; one session of SF and irradiation did not impair memory in a simple discrimination task using string-pulling behavior which may be attributed to practice effects. Ongoing analyses of cognitive and fine motor skill performance measures may contribute to understanding spared versus impaired performance aspects after SF and when irradiated.
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Investigating the Impact of Psychological Interventions on Autoimmune Disease Progression in Women
Nicole Datastanyan
11-22-2024Autoimmune disease arises when an individual's immune system mistakenly attacks and damages the body’s tissues. Autoimmune disease disproportionately affects women, with eighty percent of diagnosed patients being female. This research proposal aims to explore the relationship between psychological factors (e.g., stress, anxiety, depression) and the progression of autoimmune diseases. This poster will propose a detailed study to assess whether reducing psychological distress through cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can slow disease progression. Cognitive behavioral therapy is a form of talk therapy to relieve symptoms of mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, stress, or grief. Two hundred female patients diagnosed with an autoimmune disease (e.g., lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis) will participate in the study and be randomly assigned to either an experimental or a control group. The experimental group will receive medical care for their autoimmune disease as well as psychological support through a twelve-week CBT program, consisting of two sessions a week for one hour. The control group will only receive medical care. Clinicians who are conducting CBT will track psychological progress through session notes. Physicians for all participants will monitor disease progression through medical tests including blood work, x-rays, and imaging. To track disease progression, initial tests ordered by physicians will be completed before the twelve-week CBT program begins and follow-up tests will be completed after completion of the CBT program. This study will evaluate if psychological improvements from CBT are associated with slower autoimmune progression in women.
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Comparing Forgetting Rates Between Item and Relational Memories
Lex de Asis, Rhiannon N. Soriano Smith, and Colleen M. Parks
11-22-2024Forgetting is an everyday occurrence where an idea that could be recalled successfully is no longer able to be retrieved (Tulving, 1974). Multiple theories suggest how forgetting occurs, such as the decay theory, which suggests that memories are gradually forgotten over time, and the interference theory, in which forgetting occurs because of competing information. Additionally, there are two newer theories which both predict that item representations should be forgotten because of interference and mnemonic discrimination should be forgotten due to decay: the memory system-dependent forgetting hypothesis (Hardt, Nader, & Nadel, 2013), and the representation theory of forgetting (Sadeh et al., 2014). The present study examined these theories by comparing the rate of forgetting for mnemonic discrimination and item recognition over five days. Using the Mnemonic Similarity Task (MST) (Stark & Kirwan, 2019), participants completed memory tasks over a five-day period, allowing for an assessment of both decay and interference effects. Results show that mnemonic discrimination is more prone to decay, while item recognition is more prone to interference-based forgetting. These results supported the present hypothesis, supporting both the memory-system dependent forgetting hypothesis and the representation theory of forgetting. Furthermore, these findings supported Wickelgren’s (1975) model, a quantitative model of forgetting that has been overlooked for decades and predicts that interference and decay contribute to forgetting independently. Overall, this study contributes to the growing understanding of the distinct mechanisms underlying memory decay and interference in the forgetting process.
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Characterizing the Mechanical and Visoelastic Properties of Sodium Alginate
Vesper Evereux
11-22-2024A crucial part of tissue engineering lies in understanding and characterizing the mechanical and viscoelastic properties of various types of biomaterials. Understanding these properties allows better biomaterials to be produced with characteristics more similar to those of the human body and with better biocompatability. In this study, sodium alginate was chemically crosslinked with calcium chloride and subsequently tested for it's instantaneous Elastic Modulus, instantaneous Shear Modulus, and equivalent viscosity using indentation testing methods consisting of a stress-relaxation test and nonlinear curve-fitting analysis. Two and three millimeter indentation tests were performed using a low-cost and portable device built in-lab that resulted in five viscoelastic parameters of G_Inf, G_1, G_2, Tau_1, and Tau_2. These values resulted in an average instantaneous Elastic Modulus of 5044 Pascals, an average instantaneous Shear Modulus of 1681 Pascals, and an equivalent viscosity of 4710 Pascal-seconds for an indentation depth of 2 millimeters. Moreover, these values also resulted in an average instantaneous Elastic Modulus of 8553 Pascals, an average instantaneous Shear Modulus of 2851 Pascals, and an equivalent viscosity of 7317 Pascal-seconds for an indentation depth of 3 millimeters. Overall, these findings suggest an increase in viscoelastic and mechanical properties relative to their displacement distance. Understanding the viscoelastic and mechanical behavior of these biomaterials holds clinical significance for designing better implantable prostheses, drug-deliverable medical devices, and wound healing scaffolds.
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A Simple and Low-Cost Method for Generating Short Laser Pulses
Daniel Fisher
11-22-2024A simple, portable method is described and demonstrated for generating short optical pulses (~ 1 μsec) from a continuous wave (CW) source using a rotating pinhole. A CW 633nm HeNe beam was focused onto a 225 μm diameter stainless steel pinhole, which was rotated up to 1000 Hz using an optical chopper wheel. The pulsed light was then focused onto a silicon photodetector and read by an oscilloscope. This novel setup aims to bridge the gap between pulsed laser performance and price for wide application in spectroscopy methods, industrial laser peening, and medical treatments. This will be the first publication of the described pulsed laser method and its techniques and limits. The peak voltage, integral, and width of photodetector pulses of were compared to lend credence to the validity and utility of the experimental setup. The peak of gaussian fits ranging from 2.08 V to 3.67 V was higher than the previous study's basepoint value of 0.0743 V. The integral of pulses increased from the basepoint data of 0.1 V ⋅ μs to a range of 296.8 V ⋅ μs at 1000 Hz to 2698.3 V ⋅ μs at 50 Hz. The average pulse width was longer at a range of 47 μs to 326 μs, compared to the basepoint pulse width of 0.735 μs. Buckingham Pi theorem dimensionless approximations were developed as a versatile method for computing photovoltaic pulse parameters under similar experimental conditions. Finally, a Fisher-Pravica number was derived using non-dimensional analysis.
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The Characterization of Cooperative String-pullung Behavior in Rats After Exposure to Space Flight Stressors
Teresa L. Garcia, Nuhamine A. Moges, Sierra Ordonez, Nicole M. Attallah, D. H. Rodgers, A. Adhikari, K. D. Omengan, D. Lloyd, S. L. Gleed, and A. A. Blackwell
11-22-2024Astronauts work cooperatively to complete tasks on missions through deep space where they will experience stressors, including radiation and sleep fragmentation, that may impair performance. Animals work together to achieve a common goal during cooperative tasks using string-pulling behaviors. While string-pulling behavior has revealed deficits in rat sensorimotor function after exposure to space flight stressors, it has yet to be determined if rats will engage in cooperative string-pulling or if these stressors will influence cooperation. Thus, to explore how space flight stressors impact cooperative behavior, female Wistar rats were exposed to either sham (n = 8) or 10 centi-grays of 250 MeV/n Helium (n = 8) and sleep fragmentation at ~6 months of age. During testing, rats were placed in two separate apparati sharing one string (0.2 cm diameter, 162 cm length, 100% cotton) and were required to pull in the string to retrieve Cheerio rewards simultaneously. Twelve trials/day were provided, and behavior was video recorded for offline analyses of cooperative performance, motivation, and sensorimotor function between groups. Irradiated rats took more days to reach criterion (cooperation on 8/12 trials) than sham rats. Criterion percentage was similar between groups once met; yet the amount of pulling between rat pairs during cooperative trials was greater for the sham group. These results suggest that a low dose exposure to Helium negatively impacts cooperation between female rats. If astronauts display similar disruptions after exposure to space flight stressors, then deleterious effects on team dynamics may arise and compromise mission success.
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Latina Maternal Anxiety and Early Child Development: a Scoping Review
Micaela Gigena
11-22-2024Latina mothers' mental health struggles, particularly anxiety, can significantly impact their children's development. In Latino culture, stigma and shame surrounding mental health discussions often prevent individuals from seeking help, which can exacerbate effects. This scoping review aims to examine currently available research on the impact of maternal anxiety on early child development in Latina populations across North America, South America, and the Caribbean. A literature search was performed to find relevant peer-reviewed and grey literature through five electronic databases. Out of 469 results, 33 relevant studies were identified for full-text screening. Data will be extracted to explore the association between maternal anxiety and various aspects of early child development, including language, socioemotional, fine and gross motor, and cognitive development. We expect to find the extent of maternal anxiety’s impact on child development and the unique barriers faced by this population, such as limited access to mental health services, language barriers, and stigma. Identifying gaps in the literature could assist in developing targeted interventions tailored to the unique needs of Latina mothers, ultimately promoting both maternal well-being and optimal child development.
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Utilizing a Hybrid Apprach to Link Maternal and Neonatal Records
Vidhani S. Goel, Ana Reyes, Bertille Assoumou, Dodds P. Simangan, Farooq Abdulla, Megumi Akiyama, Deborah A. Kuhls, and Kavita Batra
11-22-2024Linkage of independent datasets allows comprehensive and robust analysis. This study aims to utilize a hybrid strategy to link maternal records with neonatal data with an overarching goal of investigating correlates of adverse birth outcomes.
To link 126,757 records from Nevada Medicaid with 249,181 maternal records from Birth Registry, a hybrid linkage approach was utilized. Data normalization was first performed for the standardization of linkage keys. First, a deterministic approach was used to link these records using a unique identifier followed by a fuzzy or probabilistic algorithm using a set of block variables. These block variables included date of birth, gender, zip code of birth place, and first/last name of the neonates. For this matching, a minimum threshold of 40 out of 50 was deemed appropriate (10 points for each block variable). After the linkage, data were de-identified to adhere with the ethical guidelines. All linkage procedures were performed via PROC SQL functionality (left join) in SAS 9.4 software.
In the first deterministic phase, 63% of the records (n= 80,107 of 126,757 records) were linked (true positives). From remaining 46,650 records, 26,095 were matched through the probabilistic linkage which sum up to 106,202 records in total. Further, 538 records were identified as false positives, which were removed from the dataset. This results in an 83.4% linkage efficiency with a total number of 105,664 linked records.
The hybrid linkage offers a viable strategy to improve the linkage efficiency and numerous benefits to population-based research.
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Potential Cell Preservation in Mars-relevant Clay Minerals
Hanford Gerille Gonzales, Leena M. Cycil, and Elisabeth Hausrath
11-22-2024This study investigates the potential of Fe-nontronite, a clay mineral found on Mars, to preserve biological cells and retain biosignatures such as trace metals. The research explores the preservation potential of nontronite by reacting it with cells under the following conditions: 1) reacting cells with nontronite precursors at low temperature and 2) reacting cells with the already synthesized nontronite made at high temperature. Microbial species Shewanella oneidensis and Geobacter metallireducens, known for their relevance to iron-rich environments, were introduced in intact and lysed forms to assess their interactions with each condition of nontronite. Preliminary results from scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that the synthesized nontronite samples exhibit crystallinity typical of nontronite clay minerals. In existing literature, enhanced crystallinity in clay minerals is associated with better preservation of trace metals as the structured mineral environment can protect cells from degradation. We hope to observe similar protective qualities in our nontronite samples. As the research continues, we are working on imaging the remaining samples and completing the setup of additional experimental conditions. Further mineralogical analysis and structural evaluation using techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) will be conducted. This research aims to contribute to astrobiology by exploring how nontronite can preserve biosignatures, helping to identify materials and conditions on Mars that may protect evidence of past life. This study hopes to provide valuable insights into the role of Martian analog minerals in preserving biological materials.
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Investigating a Mediterranean Dietary Pattern With White Potatoes on Cardiometabolic Health in Adults With Pre-diabetes From Diverse Racial and Ethnic Backgrounds
Sedona Gronna, Neda S. Akhavan, Sara K. Rosenkranz, and Richard R. Rosenkranz
11-22-2024In the United States, one in three adults has pre-diabetes, and 80% are unaware that they are at risk of developing type-2 diabetes (T2D). Elevated blood glucose levels are associated with an increased risk of heart disease, obesity, dyslipidemia, and hypertension. African-American and Hispanic individuals are disproportionately affected by pre-diabetes and its complications, such as arterial stiffness and obesity, compared to Caucasians. Approximately 70% of those with pre-diabetes may develop T2D, therefore it is crucial to find effective ways to manage and reverse these conditions. Potatoes, which contain a good source of resistant starch, potassium, and other beneficial nutrients, might help improve blood glucose control and heart health. Studies have shown that potatoes, especially with their skin, can improve insulin sensitivity, satiety, and cholesterol levels. However, minority groups in the U.S. tend to eat fewer potatoes compared to Caucasians. Combining potatoes with nutrition education focusing on the Mediterranean diet, could be a practical approach to improving blood glucose levels, heart health, and overall diet quality in people with pre-diabetes. This study aims to explore the effects of incorporating baked potatoes with skin, alongside nutrition education focusing on the Mediterranean Dietary Pattern, in diverse racial and ethnic groups with pre-diabetes.
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Beyond the Waterfall: a Review of Project Management Methodologies in Stem
Yessenia Henriquez
11-22-2024Project management has been exercised from history's early stages to concurrent practices today. It has evolved from the early stages of the Gantt chart and five primary principles to well-renowned project management methodologies such as Waterfall and Agile. This literature review focuses on comprehending four project management methodologies (Waterfall, Agile, Kanban, and Scrum), learning their criteria and frameworks, and their application in a specific STEM environment when applicable. This work reviews the recent research literature about these four methods. An overview of project management certificates and guidelines is covered as well. Waterfall is known to be a traditional method, having linear and sequential phases to complete a project. Agile, on the other hand, focuses on an iterative cycle while prioritizing customer involvement. Kanban and Scrum, being derivatives of the Agile methodology, focus on visualization as a main communication platform and Sprint meetings, respectively. The results from this study show that the project’s environment is significant alongside the execution of the project management methodology. Further research hopes to focus more on differing STEM environments such as electrical engineering and biological sciences.
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Maltreatment and Resilience: Examining the Unique Roles of Threat and Deprivation
Priscilla Herrera
4-26-2024Background and objectives: This study aimed to investigate the involvement that maltreatment type, specifically threat and deprivation, play in a child’s life. We examine how threat uniquely contributes to resilience and how deprivation impacts resilience. Literature has highlighted differences in the effects of deprivation and threat in recent research that shows the impact on various neurological systems.
Methods and approach: Participants included youth aged 11-17 years in the Department of Family Services (DFS) custody following removal from their home after substantiated child maltreatment and were assessed. 90 of the youth in the sample reported that they have experienced threat-based maltreatment, and 62 reported that they had experienced deprivation based maltreatment. Maltreatment history was gathered using the DSM-5 Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Reaction Index (PTSD-RI)4. Interpersonal functioning was measured using the Sense of Relatedness subscale of the Resiliency Scales for Children and Adolescents (RSCA)5.
Results: In the sample of maltreated youth, those who had experienced neglect compared to those who had not experienced neglect demonstrated no differences across variables of the resiliency scales. This suggests that despite differences in neurological effects, among multiple scales of the RSCA assessment, nothing significant was found in the maltreatment type of neglect, however, significance was found among maltreated youth. For youth with a history of abuse, there are lower relatedness scores compared to youth without a history of abuse but had experienced some form of maltreatment. This suggests that threat-based maltreatment has a greater impact on relatedness factors than deprivation-based maltreatment.
Conclusion & broader implications: Deprivation-based maltreatment has an impact on relatedness factors that goes above and beyond the effects observed in maltreated youth as a whole whereas threat-based maltreatment has a direct impact on resiliency scales as a whole. The neurological effects of maltreatment have been found to mediate the relationship between maltreatment and resilience factors. However, limited research has investigated the unique impacts of threat and deprivation based treatment on resilience. Understanding these differences is crucial for tailoring interventions and support services to address the unique needs of children who have experienced different forms of adversity.
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Examining the Effects of Food Insecurity and Socioeconomic Status on Breastfeeding Duration Among Latina Mothers in Las Vegas
Nika Jenabi
11-22-2024Background: This study aims to investigate breastfeeding duration among Latina mothers in Clark County. We hypothesize that Latina mothers who experience significant health disparities, including low food security and limited economic resources, are likely to have shorter breastfeeding durations.
Methods: This study employed a cross-sectional design. The preliminary sample included 54 mothers who met the following inclusion criteria: aged 18 or older, self-identifying as Latina, having at least one child under 5 years old, and residing within Clark County. The survey included questions related to experiencing food insecurity, socioeconomic factors, and breastfeeding duration. Data analysis was performed using STATA 17 and applying Fisher's exact test to studied variables.
Results: This preliminary analysis found no statistically significant correlation between social inequality factors, such as concerns regarding food shortages, enrollment in food assistance programs, and income level, and breastfeeding duration. However, specific trends were observed. Notably, mothers who participated in food assistance programs, experienced food shortages within the last year, or had an annual income under $30,000 demonstrated a higher likelihood of breastfeeding for less than 24 weeks.
Conclusions: Initiative needs to be taken to increase funding and accessibility for food assistance programs. Efforts should be made to integrate culturally sensitive breastfeeding education and accessible lactation support within community clinics, along with offering subsidized breastfeeding supplies.
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Evaluating Human Plasma Biomakers for Alzheimer's Disease; Phosphorylated-tau 217, Phosphorylated-tau 181, and Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein
Mason Jonah, MayaRae N. Mugosa, Bella Hou, Emma-Nikole Krilchev, Zhengshi Yang, Dietmar Cordes, Aaron Ritter, and Jefferson W. Kinney
11-22-2024Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that is primarily identifiable by amyloid-beta (Aβ) neuronal plaques, neurofibrillary tangles (NFT) that form as aggregates of hyperphosphorylated tau (ptau) proteins clump together, and the presence of neuroinflammation; all of which are otherwise known as the hallmarks of AD pathology. Recent emerging research has discovered striking similarities between AD and diabetes mellitus pathology, illustrating how insulin deficiency and insulin resistance–both of which result in the chronic hyperglycemic state seen in the diabetic–are involved in an increase in the phosphorylation of tau. This leads to and intensifies the formation of intracellular NFTs serving to disrupt microtubule assembly and the intracellular trafficking of proteins. The focus of this study surrounds the analysis of ptau-217, a blood biomarker that has been found in our previous research to be indicative of progressing cognitive decline. The data has been collected using diagnostic tools such as the Lumipulse G1200, positron emission tomography (PET), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Ptau-217 protein concentrations were monitored between disease states of AD in order to gain insight into the causality of brain amyloid status and were then compared to levels observed in diabetic subjects. The trends analyzed through this methodology were obtained with the intention of bridging the gap between what is known of AD and diabetes mellitus pathology as well as to further strengthen our understanding in the role the promising blood biomarker ptau-217 has in these varying disease states.
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Association Between Polygenic Scores for Brain Structure and Alzheimer's Disease
Eunjae Lee, Faria Tavacoli, Tingwei Liu, Brittany Diaz Ruiz, Hayley Ho, Alice Lee, and Jingchun Chen
11-22-2024Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative condition and the most common type of dementia. Research has shown that volumetric changes in subcortical brain structures, which make up roughly 25% of the brain's total volume and affect many physiological functions. This research project aims to investigate the genetic association between brain structures and AD. GWAS data of eight different brain structures (ICV, accumbens, amygdala, caudate, hippocampus, pallidum, putamen, and thalamus) were used to create polygenic scores (PGSs) in a discovery (cases/controls = 2,651/2,768) and replication dataset (cases/controls = 553/644). We utilized PRSice-2 software to generate PGSs and assess genetic correlations using two models: one adjusted for principal components (PC1 and PC2), and another incorporating sex, age, and APOE e4 allele count. Meta-analyses were conducted for discovery and replication samples using random and fixed-effect models with p<0.05 being significant. Mendelian Randomization (MR) analyses were conducted between brain structures and AD. The PGSs of three brain structures–amygdala, hippocampus, and pallidum–were significantly associated (p<0.0133) with AD in the fixed effects model, showing that a higher volume of these structures is inversely correlated with AD. However, the association did not remain significant for the hippocampus after being adjusted for covariates, suggesting that the association between the hippocampus and AD may depend on these covariates. MR analysis indicated hippocampal volume had an inverse causal effect on the development of AD, underscoring the critical role of the hippocampus in the disease's progression.
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Effects of Fire Temperatures on Mojave Desert Native and Nonnative Seeds
Sophia Lorenzana and Lindsay Chiquoine
11-22-2024Large-scale wildfires have been historically rare in hot deserts like the Mojave, largely due to the scarcity or uneven distribution of native plant biomass as fuel. Thus, native plants in these regions are ill-adapted to withstand spreading wildfire, resulting in slow post-fire recovery. Here, I test the hypothesis that nonnative grasses respond better to heat cues than native plant species. Seeds from 3 invasive and 13 native plant species were collected from research sites located in the eastern Mojave Desert, near surrounding Clark County Flood Control District weather stations. Seeds were buried in an artificial substrate mimicking field soil conditions and subjected to five different heat treatments. Seeds were grown in a greenhouse and germination rates were measured. Germination rates were not significantly different under treatments compared to controls, with some exceptions. Species with the greatest increase in germination compared to controls were Ambrosia dumosa, Salvia dorrii, and Xylorhiza tortifolia, all of which exhibited increased germination rates under a low extended heat treatment (thirty minutes at 100°C). Brassica tournefortii, an invasive winter annual displayed a 53% germination rate in response to the low extended heat treatment. Physaria tenella, a native annual species, did not germinate under any treatments. Temperatures mimicking fire conditions have a significant impact on the germination rates of some native and invasive plant species of the Mojave Desert. Invasive grasses had lower germination under heat treatments compared to native species. Future directions include testing seeds at different temperatures and durations and implementing these findings in field studies.
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Inter-rater Reliablility of Sharp Wave Ripple Detection in Recently Trained Experts
Orlando Montiel, Gage Pompa, Yader Gomez, and Talha Soluoko
11-22-2024Sharp wave ripples (SWR) are a brain phenomenon that originate in the hippocampus, a region crucial for memory and learning. These events occur during periods of rest or slow-wave sleep and are characterized by fast oscillatory bursts (150-250Hz) and are thought to be important for the brain to consolidate memory. SWR are believed to facilitate the transfer of information from the hippocampus to the cortex, strengthening synaptic connections & enabling long-term memory storage. Accurate detection & assessment of SWRs is essential for advancing how the brain processes and stores information.
This study examines the accuracy/consistency of SWR image selection and assessment among three recently trained technicians, using a combination of open-source tools to assist in SWR identification, reducing novice technicians' learning curve. These tools included automated detection algorithms and interactive interfaces, provided immediate feedback and improved technician proficiency. In this study, technicians identified SWRs from neural recordings, utilizing both manual inspection & software-assisted techniques.
Results demonstrate that using open-source software enhances accuracy in ripple detection and also standardizes the identification process across users, decreasing inter-rater variability. By integrating these open-source resources, laboratories can train novice technicians more efficiently, ensuring consistency in SWR detection. Reducing the learning curve for ripple detection
This study highlights the increasing demand for accurate, rapid, & reproducible SWR analysis and the growing potential of open-source tools to democratize neurophysiological research, as a tool that can be deployed to train undergraduate volunteers and research assistants, and making advanced neural analysis accessible to more researchers and institutions.
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Impact of Young Biocrust on Dryland Surface Albedo
Rhynhardt Mudde, Rebekah Magness, Raul Roman, and Nicole Pietrasiak
11-22-2024More than 40% of the Earth’s surface is covered by drylands. Due to limited availability of water, less surface area is covered by vascular plants. Instead, this space is occupied by microbial communities that exist in close contact with mineral soil, creating a living aggregate on the upper soil layer and are known collectively as biological soil crusts or “biocrusts”. Biocrusts play a vital role in ecosystem functioning in drylands specifically through their influence on hydrological processes (e.g., water retention, infiltration). However, the impact of biocrusts on evaporation is not well understood. Biocrusts have been reported to either increase or decrease evaporation. One mechanism by which biocrusts can affect evaporation is through changes in surface albedo. Mature biocrusts are known to decrease the surface albedo via microbial sunscreen pigments, leading to higher surface temperatures and evaporation rates. To further explore this under-researched topic, we measured albedo at two lysimeter facilities: Landscape Evolution Observatory at Biosphere 2 in Oracle, AZ, operated by the University of Arizona, and SEPHAS weighing lysimeters in Boulder City, NV, operated by the Desert Research Institute. At both locations, the soil surface is partially covered by young (order of 10 years) biocrust. We measured the albedo of the lysimeter soil surfaces at locations with and without biocrust. Preliminary analysis of data from both facilities indicates higher surface albedo in the presence of young biocrust compared to soil surfaces without biocrusts, which contrasts with the expected lower albedo found for mature biocrusts compared to soil surfaces without biocrust.