Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

The Science Behind Covid Testing, Zion Kim

Osmosis Magazine

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) officially declared a COVID-19 pandemic (“CDC…”, 2024). We all remember the days we had to wear masks, shove cotton swabs into our noses and mouths, and quarantine ourselves from others after being infected by the COVID-19 virus. We take this test all the time and trust their accuracy, but we never stop to ask how they work. We all know that a double line indicates an infection of COVID-19, but why?

Arsenic & The Princess Bride: How Your Body Handles Poison, Martin Jara

Osmosis Magazine

It’s a simply iconic scene from a simply iconic movie; in the cult classic film The Princess Bride, the protagonist Westley faces off against the scoundrel Vizzini in a battle of wits to rescue his true love. The challenge is simple: each man is given a chalice, one of them containing poisonous iocane powder. Colorless, odorless, tasteless, and soluble in water, Vizzini must choose the unpoisoned chalice off wits alone. However, he chooses wrong, dying instantly.

Not Human Enough: The Origins Of The Uncanny Valley, Franklin Young

Osmosis Magazine

Why do we feel creeped out when we see something almost human—like a lifelike robot or a bad CGI character? This phenomenon, known as the uncanny valley, describes the uncomfortable emotional response humans experience when encountering entities that appear nearly, but not quite, human. First introduced by Japanese robotics professor Masahiro Mori in 1970, the concept suggests that as objects become more humanlike in appearance, our emotional response to them becomes increasingly positive —until reaching a point where subtle imperfections trigger strong feelings of revulsion.

The Neurobiology Of Schizophrenia: Reduced Brain Volume And Its Implications, Erlinda Sali

Osmosis Magazine

Schizophrenia is a neurological disorder that is highly complex and often misunderstood. Characterized by hallucinations and delusions, disorders of thought and speech, behavior, and emotions, schizophrenia is more complex than how the media portrays it.

Falling Out Of Balance: How Chemical Disequilibrium In Thebrain Leads To Alcohol Addiction, Zack Ruighaver

Osmosis Magazine

This article will explain how imbalances in two neurotransmitter systems in the brain –namely, glutamate and GABA – account for alcoholism at the molecular level.

Does Adhd Make You Smoke? Exploring Emerging Theories, Sam Chanenson

Osmosis Magazine

Here’s a troubling statistic: children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are 2.5 times more likely than their non-ADHD peers to develop substance use disorder (SUD) and nicotine dependency. What’s more, people with ADHD are generally more likely to start smoking earlier in life, smoke more per day, and experience more significant withdrawal symptoms.

Letter From The Editor, Sam Chanenson

Osmosis Magazine

Letter from Sam Chanenson, Editor in Chief, Osmosis Science Magazine.

Osmosis Magazine - Science Magazine

Osmosis Magazine

• Explore the latest stories in STEM.
• Discover cutting-edge innovations shaping today & tomorrow
• Faculty Interview & UR Research Highlights

The Way To A Mother’S Heart: A Risk Assessment Tool For The Early Detection Of Peripartum Cardiomyopathies, Leighton Terrell

Steeplechase: An ORCA Student Journal

Abstract

Background

Peripartum cardiomyopathies are a rare, but deadly occurrence among pregnant and postpartum women. Maternal mortality rates have risen over the last few years proving a large problem with the focus on maternal health.

Objective

The objective of this intervention was to aid providers in diagnosing peripartum cardiomyopathies early before detrimental damage could be done to the hearts of these women.

Methods

In this quality improvement project, the need for a peripartum cardiomyopathy risk assessment survey among patients in small, rural area of Western Kentucky was determined.

Results

Using the 22 surveys that were collected, 36.4% of patients were …

Intervention To Increase Uptake Of Cervical Screening In Norfolk City, Frederick Kankam Adu

Graduate Student Government Association Research Conference

The Objective is to determine the impact free screening and education to females between the ages 21 to 64 years, or under 21 years who are sexually active and unvaccinated against HPV virus have on uptake of cervical screening. In this study we use Before and After study design. The Outcomes for cervical screening are categorized as negative, atypical squamous cells undetermined significance( ASCUS), low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion( LGSIL), high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion(HGSIL), unsatisfactory samples, and HPV positive. Colposcopy will be performed if abnormal pap-smear is found. And outcomes of colposcopies, after abnormal Pap tests will be classified as negative( …

Interventional Education Program Improves Family Nurse Practitioner Students' Knowledge Of Heart Disease Prevention Practices: Lead With The Heart Dnp Project, Ava Hatfield-Lomache

Steeplechase: An ORCA Student Journal

Heart disease is a major clinical problem in the U.S. today, and it continues to be costly to American lives, healthcare expenditures, and the U.S. economy. Heart disease prevention is key to affecting positive change. The Doctor of Nursing Practice project was designed to create awareness and an education-based platform for heart disease prevention. The heart disease interventional educational program was delivered to students enrolled in a university’s family nurse practitioner program. The project included a pre-test survey, a podcast series, a post-test survey, and a handout. The project focused on heart disease prevention methods, causes, and disease processes associated …

Exploring Occupational Identity And Cultural Belongingness Of Chinese Transracial Intercountry Adoptees: A Qualitative Study, Kenzie Butts, Karen Park

Spring 2025 OTD Capstone Symposium

Chinese transracial intercountry adoptees may experience discrimination, microaggressions, and stereotyping by not feeling like they fit in with White American or traditional Chinese cultures due to an upbringing of a different race and ethnicity. These barriers may result in a lack of engagement in cultural experiences further impacting their sense of identity and cultural belongingness. A qualitative phenomenological research approach was used to understand how seven Chinese transracial adoptees identity development and sense of cultural belongingness relate to their occupational participation during their early adulthood years. Data was collected through a 45-minute, audio-recorded virtual semi-structured interview via Microsoft Teams and …

2025 April 22 - Medical Student Education Committee Minutes, Medical Student Education Committee, East Tennessee State University

Medical Student Education Committee Minutes

No abstract provided.

Sensory Strategies For Trainees At Autism Career Training (Act), Emily A. Kay

OTD Capstone Projects

This doctoral capstone project was completed in partnership with Autism Career Training (ACT) who’s mission is to provide vocational training for adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to bridge the gap between completion of high school level education and entering the workforce. The purpose of this project is to introduce sensory regulation activities to ACT students using Ayer’s Sensory Integration Theory. Additionally, it is to provide education for ACT staff on sensory regulation techniques, and introduction of resources for the ASD population in Middle Tennessee. The primary goal of this project is to increase participation in daily vocational tasks and …

Sleep Hygiene Programs In Adults With Parkinson’S Disease, Alexia R. Scott

OTD Capstone Projects

This doctoral capstone project was completed in collaboration with Bridges for Parkinson’s (B4PD), an associate of Rock Steady Boxing. B4PD is a wellness organization that offers fitness classes tailored to the needs of adults with Parkinson’s Disease (PD). Sleep disturbance is one of the most common non-motor symptoms of PD and was an identified need of the population at B4PD. This project aimed to address sleep needs through comprehensive individualized sleep hygiene programs based on a series of consultations. A sleep diary, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and a semi structured interview were used to assess sleep disturbances. The …

Improving Accessibility And Inclusion At Belmont University, Grace Apigian

OTD Capstone Projects

This capstone project utilized the collaboration with various departments and schools at Belmont University to improve the accessibility and inclusion in physical, social and academic contexts. The focus of this project was to pinpoint areas of campus that are inaccessible through student-reported survey data and measure these areas with use of the ADA checklist for existing facilities and hands on observation. This project also sought to develop educational resources and inclusive aids for various departments across campus to improve their inclusion and accessibility efforts. The findings of this project were summarized into a narrative needs assessment to distribute to all …

Expanding Therapy Services For The Infant & Pediatric Population In An Acute Setting, Hallie A. Long

OTD Capstone Projects

This doctoral capstone project was completed through a partnership with Med Center Health, located in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Med Center Health is a non-profit health system with a mission to care for people and improve the quality of life in the communities they serve. Med Center Health – Bowling Green (MCBG) provides a broad range of services for the Southcentral Kentucky community including a level III NICU and acute pediatric unit. The purpose of this project was to enhance current therapy services and resources provided in the NICU as well as initiate development of a rehabilitation program on the pediatric …

Program Development For Veterans With Disabilities In Conjunction With The Metro Parks Disabilities Program, Rylee E. Rohler

OTD Capstone Projects

This doctoral capstone project was completed in partnership with the Metro Parks disABILITIES Program. This agency provides day programming and inclusive sports leagues with a goal to create equal opportunity for safe recreational and cultural activities for as many Nashville citizens with intellectual and developmental disABILITIES as possible. Metro Parks offers a variety of age and ability-appropriate activities that highlight the ABILIITIES of all members. The primary objective of this capstone project was to create a manual for a branch program that would fill a notable gap in services available in middle Tennessee for veterans with disabilities. Roughly 24,500 working-age …

4-Strand Hamstring Versus Single-Bundle Quadriceps Tendon Grafts In Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction At 2 Years: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis Of Randomised Controlled Trials, Jonathan Elias, Mitchell Kaplan, Kunal Shah, Michael Bickford, Chelsea Mcnamara, Elizabeth Ford, Sean Mcmillan

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

PURPOSE: To compare the 2-year postoperative outcomes of hamstring tendon (HT) grafts to quadriceps tendon (QT) grafts in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. We hypothesised no significant differences between the two methods.

METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted following the 2020 PRISMA guidelines. Five online databases (Cochrane, Embase, PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science) were screened for prospective randomised controlled trials (RCT). IKDC, Lysholm, Tegner, side-to-side KT-1000 scores and ages were collected. Statistical analysis was conducted with SPSS v29. Between the two groups, a test of between-subgroup homogeneity

RESULTS: Five RCTs were included in the final analysis. The …

Impact Of Hypertension Education On The Self-Efficacy Of Patients With Uncontrolled Hypertension, Sharita Thompson

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Self-efficacy is an essential aspect of patients being able to manage their uncontrolled hypertension. While it is important to give patients medications for their hypertension, it is just as important to educate the patients about their disease process. Teaching patients risk factors, acceptable blood pressure readings, and signs/symptoms of the disease process can help with decreasing further harm that the disease can cause to the body. This quality improvement project aimed to close the knowledge gap and increase self-efficacy among adult individuals, ages 18-75, who have uncontrolled hypertension by generating data that shows that education on the disease process will …

Program Development & Implementation Of Mindfulness Practices For Adults With Down Syndrome At Gigi’S Playhouse, Kelly Nydahl

OTD Capstone Projects

This doctoral capstone project was completed through partnership with GiGi’s Playhouse Nashville, a non-profit that offers free educational and therapeutic programming to individuals of all ages with Down syndrome. The focus of this project was to create and implement an entire semester worth of curriculum for two adult education classes, GiGi Prep and U. The goal of GiGi Prep was to enhance various career readiness skills, while GiGi U builds upon these skills to prepare an individual for real-world settings like independent living, college, and/or working a job. Topics such as communication skills, emotional regulation, money management, coping strategies, self-advocacy, …

Daily Living Curriculum For Adults With Disabilities, Paige E. Meyers

OTD Capstone Projects

This doctoral capstone project was completed in partnership with BrightStone, with the shared objective of increasing independence for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). In alignment with BrightStone’s values to empower the quality of life for adults with IDD where their choices and their voices matter, this project addressed the growing need to support their adults at all stages of life. Key outcomes included a daily living curriculum, adaptations to involve students in meal preparation and cleanup, staff training on fall prevention and recovery, and a functional skills progress tracker for residential home use.

Enhancing Holistic Patient Care Of Black Individuals Diagnosed With Hiv And Comorbid Chronic Conditions, Marc Fleming, Saharnaz Nejdat, Jon C. Schommer, Crystal K. Hodge

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Background

Pharmacists can play a crucial role in delivering the holistic care model. Research suggests that HIV-positive African American patients particularly benefit from this approach compared to other communities. Typically, pharmacists in community pharmacy settings are limited in their access to a patient's medical record, preventing holistic care delivery.

Objectives

This study addressed the impact of access to medical records on a holistic patient care approach among pharmacists engaged in medication therapy management.

Methods

This was a sub-analysis of a randomized controlled trial of the impact of community pharmacist access to medical records during MTM for African Americans diagnosed with …

Phytochemistry, Antioxidant And Cytotoxic Activities Of Hibiscus (Hibiscus Rosa-Sinensis) Extract On Mcf-7 Breast Cancer Cells, Ade Arsianti, Isma Zahira Suhaima, Steven Gill, Ajeng Megawati Fajrin, Lince Dameria Nadapdap, Norma Nur Azizah, Hiroki Tanimoto, Shun Hirota

Indonesian Journal of Medical Chemistry and Bioinformatics

Background: Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in women with a very high mortality rate. This cancer is caused by uncontrolled growth of breast cells. Treatments for this malignancy are surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy, however those methods can cause adverse effects and quite expensive. Complementary and alternative medicines (CAMs) are also used to support those main treatments, one of them is herbal medicine. Hibiscus rosa-sinensis is known to have various phytochemical components with antioxidant, antibacterial, anticancer, and analgesic activities. This study is aimed to determine the phytochemical composition, antioxidant activity and cytotoxicity of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis extract towards …

Impact Of Age On Biology, Presentation And Outcomes In Marginal Zone Lymphoma: Results From A Multicenter Cohort Study, Pallawi Torka, Natalie S. Grover, Timothy J. Voorhees, Reem Karmali, Kaitlin Annunzio, Marcus P. Watkins, Andrea Anampa-Guzmán, Heather Reves, Montreh Tavakkoli, Beth Christian, Colin Thomas, Stefan K. Barta, Praveen Ramakrishnan Geethakumari, Nancy L. Bartlett, Geoffrey Shouse, Adam J. Olszewski, Narendranath Epperla

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

Given the paucity of age-specific data about biology, presentation, and treatment outcomes in adults with MZL, we sought to evaluate differences between younger (≤ 70 years) and older (> 70 years) patients with MZL in a large retrospective cohort treated in the contemporary era (2010 onwards). The primary objective was progression-free survival (PFS), while secondary objectives included the evaluation of overall survival (OS) and the cumulative incidence of transformation between the 2 groups. A total of 598 patients were included in the analysis and among these 32% were > 70 years of age. There were no age-based differences in the prevalence …

Moderate Exercise And Tirzepatide Versus Tirzepatide Alone For Long-Term Weight Loss Maintenance, Edward Amoah Acheampong

Nursing Capstones

Background: Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist (RA) drugs have been transformative when managing obesity in the clinical setting. Though these medications are effective for weight loss, questions regarding their efficacy for long-term weight loss or maintenance remain unanswered.

Purpose: The purpose of this scoping review was to answer the following clinical question: Can overweight or obese patients (P) who use tirzepatide without exercise (I) as compared to those incorporating 150 minutes a week of moderate aerobic exercise (C) sustain a ≥5% weight loss (O) one-year post-treatment (T)?

Methods: Five electronic article databases were searched to locate articles …

Nature's Relief: Efficacy Of Plant-Based Therapies Vs. Placebo In Easing Vasomotor Menopausal Symptoms, Megan N. Schneider

Nursing Capstones

Background: Vasomotor symptoms (VMS) impact the lives of menopausal women. Plant-based therapies are frequently used as alternatives to hormonal therapy, warranting evaluation of their effectiveness.

Purpose: This literature review evaluates the efficacy of plant-based therapies in alleviating VMS during menopause and compares their effectiveness to placebo treatment.

Methods: A literature review was conducted utilizing PubMed and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL).

Results: The review includes a synthesis of 16 primary studies, highlighting five therapies: black cohosh, soy, red clover, evening primrose, and combination therapy in managing VMS. Soy consistently reduces VMS. Black cohosh, red clover, evening …

Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Therapy And Substance Use Disorders, Rachel J. Brunsell

Nursing Capstones

Background: Treatment options for SUDs fail to address the neurobiological underpinnings of addiction. Recent studies suggest that GLP-1s, including semaglutide, liraglutide, and exenatide, offer therapeutic benefits by reducing cravings, improving treatment adherence, and decreasing relapse rates across a range of SUDs, including alcohol, cannabis, cocaine, nicotine, and opioid use disorders.

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to explore studies that highlight the potential benefits of GLP-1 receptor agonists in reducing substance cravings, improving treatment adherence, and decreasing relapse rates for patients with various SUDs.

Methods: A comprehensive review of recent studies examining the effects of GLP-1 receptor agonists, including …

The Effect Of Breastfeeding On Maternal Mental Health, Quinn Packineau

Nursing Capstones

Postpartum depression (PPD) is a significant public health issue impacting maternal and infant well-being, and though breastfeeding benefits both mother and baby, its effect on PPD is uncertain. This scoping literature review explores whether breastfeeding versus bottle feeding reduces PPD risk within six months postpartum using CINAHL and PubMed search of studies from the last five years on breastfeeding, bottle feeding, and PPD correlations. From 17 qualifying studies, results display exclusive and prolonged breastfeeding linked to lower PPD rates. However, the relationship is bidirectional because PPD can also prompt early breastfeeding cessation. Maternal self-efficacy, lactation support, and socioeconomic- demographic factors …

Uta Datathon 2025 Challenges (Archive), Rubab Shahzad, Srinivasa Sai Abhijit Challapalli, Ghanbarian Behzad, Mei Yang, Clivin Geju, Zecil Yogeshkumar Jain, Jay Mahavirkumar Shah, Sai Nikhitha Chandana

2025 Datathon Challenges-Archive

Timed and Model Challenges from the UTA Datathon 2025