Life Sciences Commons^™

Anxiety: Unraveling The Miconceptions, Annie Ryan

Osmosis Magazine

Since it's addition to the Diagnostic and Statistics Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) in 1980, generalized anxiety disorder has highlighted what could only be described as an epidemic.

You Reap What You Sow: Herbicide Atrazine Linked To Cancer, Mary Burns

Osmosis Magazine

Atrazine is an herbicide that is used on more than 50% of the corn grown in the United States, and it is the second most commonly used herbicide in the country. Over 73 million pounds of atrazine are used every year in the United States. ... The use of atrazine increase s the corn harvest and therefore the country's food and fuel supplies. However, atrazine also poses harmful effects.

Reinventing Drug Delivery: Microneedle Technology, Niamh Sutherburg

Osmosis Magazine

Conventionally, hypodermic needles have been used to administer a wide range of drugs from common vaccines to insulin. There are, however, several downsides to this traditional route of drug delivery, including the pain of injections, storage and temperature requirements , and the potential for infections. Microneedles, an idea initially introduced in the 1970s with recent developments in the past decade, offer a painless alternative to traditional needles.

Shedding Light On Optogenetics, Carew Bartley

Osmosis Magazine

Scientific discoveries are often described as the sudden illumination of a light bulb. This is a particularly apt metaphor when discussing breakthroughs made possible by optogenetics, a research technique that enables neuroscientists to turn brain areas on or off with the flip of a light switch.

Prions: Combatting An Agent Of Death, Justin Airas

Osmosis Magazine

First discovered in 1986, prions are proteins produced naturally by the body's nerve cells that can form multiple folded structures. ... While prions take the form of many diseases such as kuru and scrapie, the most commonly known disease is Bovine spongiform encephalopathy.

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Beyond The Bandage: A Look At The Innovations In Severe Burn Care, Adriana Grimes

Osmosis Magazine

Burns regularly occur in everyday life and minor burns are common while cooking, using household tools, or from sources of heating. Unfortunately, each year 45,000 people receive burns so severe that their treatment requires hospitalization.

Michelle Obama: Moving Towards Childhood Obesity Solutions, Ian Gallagher

Osmosis Magazine

Throughout the Obamas' time in office, approval ratings made it clear the most popular Obama was not the man in the Oval Office. First Lady Michelle Obama consistently received higher approval ratings than her husband during his time in office. This could be attributed to her strong devotion to her family and her appearance as a genuinely good and caring person. During her time in office she drew the attention of the public by shedding light on one of the worst health epidemics currently afflicting the country: childhood obesity.

Letter From The Editors, Alex Long, Nicole D'Ambrosio

Osmosis Magazine

Dear Reader,

It's done: our second edition. Osmosis has officially lived for one year. We have seen a lot happen this past year and one thing is for certain, this publication is important. Now, more than ever, scientific literacy, journalism, and general curiosity are undeniably vital. The writers have created and the Osmosis team has crafted something we are proud of and something that adds to our collective history here at UR. Sure, it's going to be hard to move on and pass over something we have poured so much passion and time into. But we didn't make this for …

Osmosis Magazine, Spring 2017

Osmosis Magazine

Osmosis is a student read, led, and written publication from the University of Richmond, focusing on all aspects of healthcare and science.

Dr. William Myers: A Small Reflection On A Grand Legacy, Alex Long

Osmosis Magazine

No abstract provided.

The Bionic Human: Applications Of Neuroprosthetics, Niamh Sutherburg

Osmosis Magazine

Neuroprosthetics are implanted or exterior devices that support or replace parts of a compromised nervous system. This emerging field has grown significantly over the past two decades, producing innovative technology with the potential to benefit those afflicted by paralysis and amputation as well as Parkinson's disease and epilepsy.

Breaking The Conventions Of Contraception, Adriana Grimes

Osmosis Magazine

Contraception is one of the most important topics for sexually active young adults and adolescents who do not want to reproduce. ... Since access and usage of contraception plays such a major role in teen pregnancy, it is an extremely important topic to discuss.

Use Of Stem Cells In The Treatment Of Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus And Multiple Sclerosis, Danielle Storozynsky

Osmosis Magazine

The use of stem cells in the treatment of primary immunodeficiencies has been studied for the past twenty years and shows a rising potential in the ability to decrease associated symptoms.

The Affordable Care Act 6 Years Later, Ian Gallagher

Osmosis Magazine

On March 23rd, 2010, President Obama sat in front of a packed crowd in the East Room of the White House. As he signed a new law into place, he remarked to the crowd that this bill would "set in motion reforms that generations of Americans have fought for and marched for and hungered to see." President Obama was referring to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (commonly known as Obamacare), which was the most significant piece of healthcare reform in the country since the introduction of Medicare and Medicaid in 1965. At its inception, it was one of …

Ehr Interoperability: A Necessary Tool Within Accountable Care Organizations, Miriam Mcbride

Osmosis Magazine

One of the most obvious tools to improve population health management and reduce costs is through advanced electronic health records (EHR). Electronic Health Records are presumed to cut down costs by decreasing paperwork, and reducing medical test repetition.

The Emergence Of Schizophrenia In Young Adulthood: Is There A Cure?, Colette Buser

Osmosis Magazine

Schizophrenia can have both positive (psychotic behavior) and negative (abnormal emotion and behavior) symptoms. Positive symptoms include hallucinations, delusions, thought disorders, and movement disorders. Negative symptoms include a flat affect (reduction in emotional expressiveness), reduced pleasure, and a difficulty sustaining previous activities.

Richmond's Mysterious Heroin Epidemic And What It Means For Cities Across America, Helene Kerins

Osmosis Magazine

Heroin has become one of America's fastest growing addictions over the last decade and a half. According to the American Society of Addiction Medicine, since 1999 the heroin overdose rate has quadrupled. Richmond has not avoided this problem. The city of Richmond has the most overdose deaths in the state of Virginia, amounting to 18 fatal and 99 non -fatal heroin overdoses this year. Richmond 's problems reflect the obstacles that are being faced around the country.

The Growing Field Of Genetic Counseling, Arianna Guillard

Osmosis Magazine

Genetic counselors aid patients in their decision making, with regards to their genetic predispositions and corresponding risk, by gathering family health history information, informing patients about genetic testing benefits and discussing results and options after test results arrive. Genetic counselors work in a variety of fields including pediatrics, cancer, cardiovascular, neurology, prenatal and preconception.

The Past Present And Future Of Crispr, Maggie Michel

Osmosis Magazine

Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) is a system that originated from the prokaryotic immune system but has been shown to have the capacity to be used in the editing of human genomes. In prokaryotes, CRISPR works by recognizing pathogens that the bacterium has previously encountered, therefore providing it with adaptive immunity.

Curretn State Of Alzheimer's Research And An Exciting Breakthrough, Carew Bartley

Osmosis Magazine

Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is a health condition primarily found in aging populations. The disease is characterized by the gradual onset of dementia, or a general decline in cognitive function, particularly in areas related to learning, language, decision-making, visuo-spatial abilities, and mood control.

The Science Behind Alternative Medicine: Using Natural Compounds To Battle Cancer, Amanda Focht

Osmosis Magazine

In the middle ages essential oils were valued for their various Medicinal properties as well as their potent fragrances. Recent years have demonstrated a renewed interest in these compounds and their potential uses in modern medecine.

The Role Of Chemistry In The Prevention And Containment Of The Zika Virus, Joe Ortolani

Osmosis Magazine

Similar to West Nile and yellow fever, Zika is a mosquito-born e dis ease th at has gained quite a bit of attention since its recent arrival in Latin America for its possible link to a string of fetal brain defects. The Zika virus was first identified in Uganda in 1947, but for much of the late 20th century, very little was known about the virus.

Deadly Corona Virus Rips Through Middle East, Annie Ryan

Osmosis Magazine

SARS is a coronavirus famous for its contagiousness. Its main source of transmission is through the droplets formed from the respiratory secretion s of infected individuals.

Letter From The Editor, Alex Long

Osmosis Magazine

No abstract provided.

Osmosis Magazine, Fall 2016, Alex Long, Kristen Rubenstein, Tony Da Lomba, Mary Burns, Liana Saleh, Nicole D'Ambrosio, Maron Tarekegn, Adrianna Guillard, Maggie Michel, Cassie Gilboy, Annie Scalet, Carew Bartley, Colette Buser, Amanda Focht, Ian Gallagher, Adriana Grimes, Helene Keirns, Miriam Mcbride, Joe Ortolani, Annie Ryan, Danielle Storozynsky, Niamh Sutherburg

Osmosis Magazine

Osmosis is a student read, led, and written publication from the University of Richmond, focusing on all aspects of healthcare and science.

The Role Of The Female Reproductive Cycle In Social Communication And Relevance To Mental Health, Julissa Amaro Castillo, Fernando Dominguez, Ariana Hinojosa, Giselle Padilla, Mario Gil

Research Symposium

The female reproductive cycle is characterized by fluctuating hormones, including estrogens and progesterone, that are involved in reproductive health; however, they have also been linked to disorders like Premenstrual syndrome (PMS), Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD), mood swings, depression and others. The goal of this study is to use the Syrian hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) as an animal model to examine the influence of the reproductive cycle and hormones on behavior. Scent-marking activity known as flank marking is exhibited by territorial or sociable animals. In essence, animals mark their territory or convey information such as reproductive status by rubbing their flanks or …

Effects Of Arginine-Vasopressin In The Brain On Cardiovascular Function In A Psychosocial Stress Animal Model, Esmeralda Lopez-Garcia, Ariana V. Hinojosa, Esperanza I. Alaniz, Fernando Dominguez, Giselle Padilla, Mario Gil

Research Symposium

Background: Psychosocial stress impacts cardiovascular health, increasing the risk of events like myocardial infarction (MI), stress cardiomyopathy, and neuropsychiatric disorders, including Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and Anxiety. However, our understanding of the biological mechanisms that connect psychosocial stress with negative cardiovascular and psychological outcomes remains incomplete. Arginine-vasopressin (AVP) is linked to both mental and physical health by regulating social behavior, blood pressure, and anxiety-related behaviors. This study investigates the potential cardioprotective effects of the neuropeptide AVP, in an effort to generate evidence that it may strengthen heart function and lessen the severity of adverse cardiovascular events caused by stress, brain …

Biocomposite Adsorbent Of Grafted Chitosan-Benzaldehyde/Lactobacillus Casei Bacteria For Removal Of Acid Red 88 Dye: Box-Benken Design Optimization And Mechanism Approach, Hasan M. Aghaa, Salis A. Musa, Ahmad Hapiz, Ruihong Wu, Khansaa Al-Essa, Ali Mohammed Saleh, Abdallah Reghioua

AUIQ Complementary Biological System

Herein, biohybrid biosorbent material was produced from grafting chitosan benzaldehyde/Lactobacillus casei (CHS-BZ/LAC) for the removal of anionic dye acid red 88 (AR88). CHS-BZ/LAC was fabricated using a hydrothermal process under the condition of 100 °C in an oven for 6 h. The optimization of AR88 dye adsorption by CHS-BZ/LAC was conducted by employing Box Bahnken design (BBD). The code and value of parameters used in this study were CHS-BZ/LAC dosage (A: 0.02-0.1 g/L), dye solution pH (B: 4-10), and contact time (C: 10-40 min). The BBD design shows that the highest removal of …

Nucleoredoxin Regulates Wnt Signaling During Pituitary Stem Cell Differentiation, Michelle L. Brinkmeier, Leonard Y M Cheung, Sean P. O'Connell, Diana K. Gutierrez, Eve C. Rhoads, Sally A. Camper, Shannon W. Davis

Faculty Publications

Nucleoredoxin (Nxn) encodes a multi-functional enzyme with oxidoreductase activity that regulates many different signaling pathways and cellular processes in a redox-dependent manner. Rare NXN mutations are reported in individuals with recessive Robinow syndrome, which involves mesomelic skeletal dysplasia, short stature, craniofacial dysmorphisms, and incompletely penetrant heart and palate defects. Here we report that Nxn is expressed in the ventral diencephalon and developing pituitary gland, and that Nxn deficient mice have pituitary dysmorphology and craniofacial abnormalities that include defects in the skull base and cleft palate. Nxn mutant mice exhibit reduced WNT signaling and reduced differentiation of pituitary stem …

Carm1 Regulates Tubulin Autoregulation Through Pi3kc2Α R175 Methylation, Yena Cho, Jee Won Hwang, Mark T Bedford, Dae-Geun Song, Su-Nam Kim, Yong Kee Kim

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Tubulin is crucial in several cellular processes, including intracellular organization, organelle transport, motility, and chromosome segregation. Intracellular tubulin concentration is tightly regulated by an autoregulation mechanism, in which excess free tubulin promotes tubulin mRNA degradation. However, the details of how changes in free tubulin levels initiate this autoregulation remain unclear. In this study, we identified coactivator-associated arginine methyltransferase 1 (CARM1)-phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase class 2α (PI3KC2α) axis as a novel regulator of tubulin autoregulation. CARM1 stabilizes PI3KC2α by methylating its R175 residue. Once PI3KC2α is not methylated, it becomes unstable, leading to decreased cellular levels. Loss of PI3KC2α results in the release …