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Osmosis - Spring 2019

Osmosis Magazine

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

Paula Ferrada, M.D. Facs Trauma And Acute Care Surgery (Interview), Joseph Mceachon

Osmosis Magazine

Interview by Joseph McEachon

Titles at VCU: Professor of Surgery at VCU.

Program Director for the Surgical Critical Care Fellowship.

Medical Director of the Surgical and Trauma Intensive Care Unit.

The Future Of Healthcare Delivery, Ryan Cvelbar

Osmosis Magazine

The advancement of modern technology is a perpetual cycle that enhances the current ways in which we live and our quality of life, while also improving upon older technological conceptions. Just recently, virtual reality (VR), has risen to the top as a result of the media’s fascination with the profound level of sophistication with which the product operates. The first concept of virtual reality was developed in 1968 by Ivan Sutherland. Since then, Sutherland’s rudimentary invention has blossomed, as have its potential applications in life irrespective of the entertainment industry with which it is most commonly associated. Specifically, virtual reality’s …

Pillow Talk: The Science Behind The All-Nighter, Rilyn Mckallip

Osmosis Magazine

It’s that crazy part of the semester. Finals are coming up, and you find yourself staying awake later and later trying to cram for important tests. The night before your toughest final, you decide to pull an all nighter. It’s the only way you’ll be able to learn all those facts. The day of the test, you feel awful, but you make it through, and have a feeling you probably passed. As you go back to your dorm to crash, all seems well. You think to yourself, “that one night of lost sleep probably won’t hurt me at all.”

Cow Conundrum: The Science Behind Lactose Intolerance, Dana Morcillo

Osmosis Magazine

We’ve all heard those words before - lactose intolerant. You, a close friend, or even a random stranger at d-hall mutters those words and with it comes the inability to eat milk, cheese, and ice cream. But what does being lactose intolerant actually mean? Besides special access to that one refrigerator in d-hall you’ve always wondered about, lactose intolerance means that you lack a special enzyme needed to digest lactose - a sugar present in many of your favorite foods.

What Does Science Say About Sexuality?, Anthony Isenhour

Osmosis Magazine

While sexuality is full of cultural variations and subjective definitions used for self-identification, scientists have attempted to investigate the complexity of this topic. There may be benefits and risks involved for many if science rules out specific characteristics that determine one’s sexuality, but there is no simple determining factor for sexuality because of its fluidity.

Law And Order: Zero Gravity, Nathan Dinh

Osmosis Magazine

In August 2019, a woman named Anne McClain logged into her ex-wife’s private bank account, violating privacy laws. While in any other case this would be just another issue of identity theft, this was no ordinary crime. Rather, McClain was 254 miles above the Earth, traveling 17,150 miles per hour aboard the International Space Station when she allegedly used a NASA-registered computer to log onto her estranged wife’s account. Hers was the first crime committed off planet Earth, and it raises the question: how do countries decide who investigates and prosecutes crimes committed in space? As space tourism, interplanetary travel, …

The Gut Microbiome, Lucy Patterson

Osmosis Magazine

The gut microbiome is characterized as living microorganisms, including bacteria and viruses, and genetic material found within the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. These microorganisms aid in the digestion and absorption of nutrients in food, and play an active role in the digestive process. However, recent evidence suggests that the gut microbiome is not only helpful in the digestion of food, but also could be linked to mental health and personality.

Mysterious X Lymphocyte Cure To Type One Diabetes?, George Qiao

Osmosis Magazine

Diabetes, the seventh leading cause of death in the United States, is caused by excessive blood glucose. Type 1 diabetes is a variation of the disease characterized by a deficiency in insulin, a hormone produced in the pancreas that allows cells to take up glucose from the blood and receive energy. Lack of insulin results in accumulation of sugar in the bloodstream, and subsequently dehydration, excessive urination, and tissue damage. The need to prevent the disease is urgent, as over a million children or young adults in the world have type 1 diabetes, and over 100,000 cases of type 1 …

Letter From The Editor, Anthony Isenhour

Osmosis Magazine

Letter from the Editor-in-Chief.

Osmosis - Fall 2019

Osmosis Magazine

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