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Incidence of Achilles Tendon Ruptures and Associated Factors in Women\u27s Artistic Gymnastics
No full textTopics in Exercise Science and Kinesiology Volume 5: Issue 1, Article 10, 2024.
Achilles tendon rupture risk appears to be higher in women\u27s artistic gymnastics compared to other collegiate sports, however little is understood about personal, training, and performance factors potentially associated with this elevated risk. Previous research has only examined gymnasts who have sustained Achilles tendon ruptures while in an NCAA environment. The overall incidence of Achilles tendon ruptures among gymnasts has not been assessed. This study aims to identify injury factors, Achilles rupture incidence and training habits related to Achilles tendon ruptures in current and former women’s artistic gymnastics. A cross-sectional study design was performed using current and former competitive women’s artistic gymnasts aged 18-40 years were recruited via snowball sampling to voluntarily complete an anonymous online survey. Information was collected about participant demographics, past Achilles injury, injury prevention strategies, and training habits. In this study, there was an increased incidence of reported Achilles tendon ruptures over the past fifteen years. Female competitive gymnasts were more likely to report an Achilles tendon rupture if they performed difficult skills, engaged in plyometric exercises 2-3 days/week, tumbled on the floor 2-3 days/week, and did not get their ankles taped consistently before activity. Most Achilles tendon ruptures happened during the competitive season, floor exercise, and the back tumbling punch. Clinicians working with gymnastics should consider implementing a way to monitor time spent performing difficult skills and plyometric exercise load to recognize gymnasts who may need prophylactic intervention or strategies to mitigate the risk of Achilles tendon rupture.
KEY WORDS: ATHLETICS, TENDON INJURY, GYMNASTICS TRAININ
Quaternary Ammonium Compound Resistance of Klebsiella Pneumoniae and Klebsiella Quasipneumoniae Strains Isolated from the International Space Station
No full textThe International Space Station (ISS) has been continuously inhabited for twenty-three years and harbors a diverse population of microorganisms under conditions of microgravity, elevated radiation, and relative isolation, including Biosafety Level 2 (BSL-2) opportunistic pathogens. To sanitize surfaces on the ISS, astronauts use a combination of four antimicrobial quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs). As the stresses of space flight are known to stimulate virulence and antimicrobial resistance in bacteria, the frequent use of QAC disinfectants on the ISS is of concern to NASA. This not only poses risks to astronauts during future long-term space travel, but there is also a concern that these hypervirulent and multidrug-resistant strains will be returned to Earth by astronauts.
For my master’s thesis, I studied strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae and Klebsiella quasipneumoniae, opportunistic BSL-2 pathogens that were isolated from the interior surface microbiome of the ISS, with particular emphasis on how these ISS-adapted strains differ from an Earth-origin type strain when exposed to QACs. This thesis consists of four chapters: Chapter 1, an introduction and literature review; Chapter 2, a description of the complete genome of a strain of Klebsiella quasipneumoniae isolated from the ISS, which was published in 2022 in Microbial Resource Announcements; Chapter 3, a study of the responses of both ISS- and Earth-origin strains of Klebsiella to QAC exposure; and Chapter 4, a conclusion.
The first research chapter (Chapter 2) consists primarily of in silico work to complete the genome of Klebsiella quasipneumoniae subsp. similipneumoniae strain IF3SW-P1, isolated from the ISS; this included assembly and annotation of the genome based on long-read Oxford Nanopore Technology sequencing data. The completed genome was then analyzed for the presence of putative virulence and antimicrobial resistance genes. The second research chapter (Chapter 3) consists of experimental approaches to study the responses to QAC disinfectants by both ISS- and Earth-origin strains of Klebsiella. This work included determining the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of QACs for each strain before conducting viability assays at both sub-lethal and standard QAC concentrations. These viability assays included viability qPCR using the viability dye PMAxx, and fluorescence microscopy conducted using LIVE/DEAD BacLight viability dyes. This work showed significant differences in the response of the two ISS-origin strains of Klebsiella, as well as differences between the ISS-origin strains and the Earth-origin type strain, in both the amount of QACs required to inhibit growth of the strains and in the responses of the strains after exposure to lethal QAC concentrations. This suggests the ISS-origin strains, which are frequently exposed to QACs in the ISS environment, may be less susceptible to QACs
Influence of Acute High-Intensity Resistance Exercise on Cognitive Performance and Prefrontal Cortex Oxygenation in Recreational Weightlifters
No full textAcute exercise has been shown to be effective in improving post-exercise cognitive performance, including executive function. In addition, changes in prefrontal cortex (PFC) activation have been linked to any such improvements. Since resistance and higher intensity exercise is much less studied, the aim of this study was to examine the effect of high-intensity resistance exercise on cognitive performance and to determine if PFC activation was related to this cognitive performance in recreationally trained weightlifters. Ten (M = 5, F = 5) college aged (22 ± 2 years) recreationally trained weightlifters completed the Stroop task prior to and 15- and 30-min following a single high-intensity resistance exercise session. Left and right PFC oxyhemoglobin (O2Hb) changes were recorded during all Stroop assessments (pre-exercise, 15- and 30-min post-exercise) via functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Reaction times for congruent and incongruent Stroop tasks were significantly reduced at both post-exercise testing time points but accuracy did not significantly change. Both left and right PFC O2Hb were also not significantly different but there was a trend toward a significant negative relationship between LPFC O2Hb and congruent response times (p = 0.06). The results of this study show improved cognitive performance (via improved reaction times and no change in accuracy) but no significant change in PFC activation. That said, there was a trend toward greater left PFC O2Hb and reduced response times (improved performance). Future research is warranted to explore these cognitive changes following longitudinal exercise interventions in both healthy and clinical populations
Alternatives to Screen Time Given in Parenting Advice
No full textScreen time within the last decade is an area of rising interest, especially in a Post-Covid world. Despite a diversity of opinions being written and research being done on screen time, what is being presented as an alternative is lesser known. In this research, the aim is to identify types of activities that are presented to parents as alternatives\u27 to screen time in parenting websites and blogs. This study uses qualitative content analysis of over 240 articles from 2019-2023 mentioning media use or screen time from two regularly consumed and popular parenting websites, Sheknows.com and Parents.com. The data so far shows three main types of alternatives are being presented. Productivity which includes chores, mediation and brain-teasers. Physical, this being activities like biking, hiking, sports, and physical games like tag. The last being enrichment, including hobby skills like painting and sewing but also DIY science projects and recycling. The popularity and frequencies of some suggestions over others hint at bigger inaccessibility for parents within online communities and highlight struggles in the lack of options for poor and disabled parents. It also raises implications and distinctions of off and online activities and their overall contributions to children\u27s wellbeing. This paper hopes to further the understanding of online parental advice on topics of screen time and media use, in tandem with the off-line alternatives that websites suggest.https://oasis.library.unlv.edu/durep_lightning/1038/thumbnail.jp
Assessing Ectomycorrhizal Advantage on Tree Species Within Differing Soil Materials in Spring Mountains, Nevada
No full textEctomycorrhizal fungi (ECM) form symbiotic relationships with their partner plant, creating root systems which allow for the exchange of nutrients among connected plants. The Spring Mountains National Recreation Area (NRA) in Southern Nevada is the study site for examining ECMs due to its diverse ecosystem with numerous inhabiting species. To assess the effects of ECMs on the tree composition, literature review was conducted to outline previous methods. Through data analysis and observations of the sample sites, it is concluded that ECMs are highly likely to have an effect on tree composition of the Spring Mountains NRA. The purpose of this research is to assess the presence of the ECM community in the Spring Mountains and determine a data collection process for future exploration. Due to research limitations, sampling for DNA extraction was not conducted, but future instructions were listed for further study.https://oasis.library.unlv.edu/durep_posters/1221/thumbnail.jp
Immigration: Ancient Counterparts and Processes
No full textThis project sought to inspect parallels between modern and ancient societies, and the commonality of certain events and political markers. This project makes mentions of power dynamics, the position of immigrants as a source of labor, and their commodification as a force. Research used a \u27compilation of materials\u27 method. In which, is performed the examination and studying of different materials in relation to the question, compiling findings, and crafting commentary based on the discoveries of the medias. The experiences of immigrants in the United States are strongly comparable to the experiences of metic (immigrant) women in ancient Athens. A small link is also drawn on the commodification of immigrants as a laboring force. In this sense, the convenience of migrant labor and the emphasis of their role in society greatly impacted the manner in which native residents felt about their existence. Modern immigrants from the Global South to the US share a commonality to male metics. Public opinion on metics changed when their labor became necessary (such as in war, or in a shortage of labor). The difference of this historical incident to modern times in the United States is that migrant labor already makes up 18.6% of all labor; 4.6% above 2004\u27s (first year statistic was measured and recorded) 14% total foreign-born workers to the general labor force. Most of this labor is concentrated in industries of great importance to the American economy. Analyzing the difference in economical and political atmospheres will reveal more about this.https://oasis.library.unlv.edu/durep_posters/1230/thumbnail.jp
Pathway-based Polygenic Risk Score Analysis of Brain Glial Indicates Cell-type-specific Roles in Alzheimer\u27s Disease
No full textBackground: Alzheimer\u27s disease (AD) is a complex neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive cognitive decline and extensive brain pathology, including amyloid plaques, neurofibrillary tangles, and neuroinflammation. This study aims to identify any glial cell type-specific pathways associated with AD.
Methods: We first investigated the correlation between AD and the genetic risk of glia-specific pathways using pathway-based polygenic risk score (PRS) with PRSet software in the discovery data (ADc1234ADA) adjusted by the top two principal components (PC1, PC2) (Model 1), followed by additional adjustment with sex, age, and APOE ε4 count in Model 2. Further PRSet analyses were replicated in independent data (ADNI) if a nominal association (p \u3c 0.05) was found in the discovery data. Tentative associations were determined via meta-analyses of both discovery and replication datasets with Bonferroni correction. Finally, a competitive p-value test was used to determine the significance of each pathway within each glial cell type.
Results: In model 1, we identified six pathways significantly associated with astrocytes with the immune system on the top, six pathways associated with microglia with antigen processing on the top, and five pathways associated with oligodendrocytes with transport & trafficking on the top. In model 2, five pathways in astrocytes and four pathways in oligodendrocytes were found to be significant. However, none of the pathways in microglia remained significant.
Conclusion: Our findings demonstrate a glia-specific polygenic contribution to AD risk, especially in the immune system, highlighting the significance of PRSet analysis in uncovering cell-type specific and pathway-specific biological mechanisms for diseases.https://oasis.library.unlv.edu/durep_posters/1245/thumbnail.jp
Biochar/hydrochar Applications in Disinfection Byproduct Removal for Drinking Water
No full textThis project aims to investigate the process of disinfection byproduct (DBP) removal in drinking water, looking into the applications of biochar and hydrochar, which are low cost and environmentally sustainable adsorbents. These carbon-based adsorbents are derived from agricultural waste biomass, such as walnut shells. These adsorbents will be used to capture and remove contaminants in water, such as DBPs. DBPs are formed when chemical disinfectants react with organic and inorganic substances naturally present in water. The targeted DBPs for adsorption include trihalomethanes, haloacetic acids, haloacetonitriles, and nitrosamines. An example of high concentration DBP formation is during emergency chlorination, where excess chlorine is added to drinking water to remove pathogens including viruses, bacteria, and parasites. Exposure to DBPs can occur through ingestion, inhalation of contaminated air, or absorption through skin during bathing or swimming. Their ties to cancer, central nervous system complications, and liver damage emphasizes the importance of mitigating exposure. The methodology involves batch adsorption experiments, which are used to determine the mass ratio of contaminant to adsorbent (i.e., adsorption capacity). The research has been built on utilizing drinking water rather than DI water, to show its efficacy on what it’s intended for. The parameters within this experiment include adsorbent dose and type of adsorbent. After reaching the designated contact times for each sample, the solutions are filtered to remove the adsorbent and quantify the removal of DBPs. The objective of this project is to pose an eco-friendly and more cost effective solution for removing DBPs in drinking water.https://oasis.library.unlv.edu/durep_posters/1248/thumbnail.jp
Tracking Joint Movement Using Optical Flow
No full textWe developed an algorithm that aims to move us closer to detecting early signs of arthritis. The program processes and analyzes X-ray videos using coyote and dog cadavers as models to examine the range of motion around the hip and connecting joints using optical flow techniques that track motion and velocity. We focus on how optical flow techniques track embedded metal markers and verify accuracy through comparisons with XMALab (X-ray motion analysis lab). Once proven as an accurate alternative, the focus will switch to markerless tracking and become a proof-of-concept for optical flow to be used in place of XMALab, which requires markers to detect the motion of the hip joint. In the future, this algorithm may be developed further into a predictive model using machine learning that would be able to detect arthritis in animals, including humans, before outward signs of arthritis arise. This method aims to enhance diagnosis accuracy and efficiency as well as allow experts in the field more time for intervention and prevention to improve the patient’s outcome regarding arthritis