Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Palliative Care And The Art Of Listening, Elisheva Eisenberg

Quill & Scope

No abstract provided.

For Whom The Bell Tolls, Christopher Liz

Quill & Scope

This poem was written after reflecting on time spent working in hospitals and medical environments both stateside and while deployed. In these spaces, alarms are constant—bells, monitors, and vibrating alerts competing for attention. Over time, the noise becomes familiar, and clinicians often struggle with what is known as alarm fatigue, where the urgency of each signal begins to dull. In that quiet realization, I found myself asking a simple question: who are these alarms for? The poem explores that moment of awareness and the effort to reconnect the sound of the bell with the life behind it.

The Tortoise, Alexa Gail Colinco

Quill & Scope

For my grandfather, Dr. Joel R. Colinco (1928-2017). The first physician in his family. A man who provided free medical care to all and who continues to do so through the Colinco Medical Mission Outreach. The 2009 Senior Poet Laureate of South Carolina. A deacon and choir director in the Philippines. A painter, tennis player, fisherman, crossword addict, gardener, and so much more. Eternally honored to be guided by his legacy and ethics. (Pang, we'll play Scrabble again in heaven, and I promise I'll spell neighbor correctly this time.)

Bearing, Christopher Liz

Quill & Scope

“Bearing” reflects on a moment of moral conflict in a combat environment, where training, survival and duty to care collide. In high-risk settings, medical service members are taught repeatedly that even in chaos, they must remain grounded; the instinct to run toward danger is tempered by the responsibility to preserve life, including their own, as a vital part of the team’s ability to continue care. The poem explores the tension between action and restraint, and the enduring weight carried when outcomes are uncertain and choices are final. In medicine, these moments become part of the cross we carry—quiet, often unseen, …

Compass, P M. Curtin

Quill & Scope

Looking ahead, it can be difficult to enjoy the review of less-than-enjoyable subjects (thinking of you, biochemistry) for STEP. Being without family and friends for what feels like long periods of time, but can really just be 12 hours, in a literal or metaphorical dark basement, is necessary to learn but sometimes dreary. All of this “points to” the final joy (and future trials) of being in-person in the clinic.

Global Genome, Patricia Weinstein

Quill & Scope

No abstract provided.

2026 Program (Pdf), Dept Of Obsttrics And Gynecology

Dept. of Obstetrics & Gynecology Resident Research Day

Program with abstracts for the 38th Annual Dept. of Obstetrics & Gynecology Residents Research Day held May 8, 2026.

Quantifying Patient Positioning Errors And Radiation Dose Variation In Cardiac Computed Tomography Angiography, Yasser H. Hadi, Hassan B. Hawsawi, Niamh Moore, Helle Precht, Andrew England, Mark Mcentee

Journal of the Saudi Heart Association

Objectives: Accurate patient centring at the computed tomography (CT) scanner isocentre is essential for optimising radiation dose. This study aimed to quantify positioning errors, assess their relationship with radiation dose, and estimate the potential dose reduction achievable with optimal centring. Methods: This retrospective observational study included adult patients (≥18 years) who underwent electrocardiography (ECG)-gated cardiac CT angiography between January 2023 and July 2025 at a tertiary hospital. Scans were performed using Siemens SOMATOM Force dual-source CT systems. Vertical and lateral deviations from the scanner isocentre were calculated from scout images using integrated analytics within the institutional dose monitoring platform (Qaelum …

The Influence Of Fermentation Duration And Secondary Fermentation Conditions On The Bioactive Compound Profile Of Kombucha, Jordan Vereen

Honors Theses

Kombucha is a fermented sweet tea produced using a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY) and has gained widespread popularity due to its proposed health benefits. Kombucha has been studied to understand these advantages in cardiovascular support, improved metabolism, increased antioxidant effects, enhanced antimicrobial properties, and even potentially slowing the progression of certain diseases. Despite its increasing popularity, the way in which the specific bioactive compounds responsible for these effects and the fermentation conditions that influence their production remain unclear. The present study, conducted in collaboration with Dr. Budner, focuses on quantifying bioactive compounds in kombucha to better understand …

Orthographic Representations In American Sign Language Fingerspelling, Zed Sehyr, Lauren Fillet, Kiana Billot-Vasquez, Emily Saunders, Karen Emmorey

Communication Sciences and Disorders Faculty Articles and Research

This study examined fingerspelling accuracy and error patterns in deaf American Sign Language (ASL) signers and written spelling in hearing English speakers to investigate how orthographic representations are shaped by phonological, visual, and motor encoding strategies. Deaf participants (n = 39) completed a fingerspelling repetition task, while hearing participants (n = 35) completed a written dictation task using the same word and pseudoword stimuli. While overall accuracy did not differ significantly between groups, deaf participants exhibited qualitatively distinct error patterns, including higher rates of deletions and transpositions, compared to hearing participants who made more substitution errors. Deaf participants also produced …

The Legacy Of Lead: Lead Exposure's Harmful Effects And Its Concentration In Poc Communities, Layla Sophronia Barber

Student Theses 2015-Present

This thesis examines the disproportionate burden of lead exposure carried by low income, POC communities. The systemic nature of this problem is a symptom of a longstanding legacy of environmental injustice in the United States. Decades of federal neglect are reflected in the higher statistics of lead exposure and poisoning in predominantly black communities. While it is understood that lead exposure poses a serious threat to physical health and early cognitive development, there is a discouraging lack of urgency to remove the toxin from non-wealthy communities. The material covered by this thesis aims to identify and correct the discriminatory social …

Vision Remediation And Functional Participation For Individuals With Acquired Brain Injuries, Alina Randall

OTD Capstone Projects

This doctoral capstone project was completed in partnership with Neuro Therapy Nashville (NTN), a privately owned, outpatient neurologic rehabilitation clinic in Brentwood, TN. NTN offers occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech therapy, and counseling services to individuals with acquired brain injuries, with an emphasis on stroke, concussion, and vision remediation. The goal of the project was to increase access and availability of evidence informed resources for vision remediation and occupational therapy for individuals with acquired brain injuries. The outcomes of the project include a pilot research study which will be used to inform future analysis of vision remediation in occupational therapy, …

Bio 340 Final Project: Rural Population Structure And Food Production Interact To Shape Global Undernourishment, Ava Ripanti

Biology Student Scholarship

Ava Ripanti - Environmental Biology '27

Undernourishment remains a major global public health challenge, reflecting the proportion of a population lacking sufficient dietary energy intake. While food availability is central to food security, undernourishment is also shaped by structural and socioeconomic factors such as population distribution and access to resources. Although rural populations are closely tied to agriculture, they often experience higher food insecurity due to limited infrastructure, market access, and healthcare. Prior research emphasizes that broader determinants, particularly inequality and development, are stronger predictors of undernourishment than agricultural output alone, that food insecurity exists in both rural and urban …

A Quality Improvement Initiative Evaluating Factors Influencing Patient Experience With Virtual Reality During Awake​ Interventional Radiology Procedures, Quynh Dao-Payne

Doctoral Projects

Procedural anxiety and pain are common among pediatric patients undergoing awake interventional radiology (IR) procedures and may negatively affect patient comfort, cooperation, and overall patient experience. Virtual reality (VR) has emerged as a promising nonpharmacologic intervention to reduce anxiety and improve patient-centered outcomes. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to evaluate patient-reported experiences and perceived outcomes associated with VR use during awake pediatric IR procedures at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.​ A qualitative descriptive quality improvement design was utilized. Twenty pediatric​ patients ages 10–21 years undergoing awake IR procedures with VR as part of standard clinical​ care completed structured …

Expanding Expanded Access: A Case Of Onc201 And The Ethical Limitations Of Compassionate Use, Ava C. Hutchings

Honors Theses

This study examines the ethical and structural limitations of the Expanded Access program in the United States, with particular focus on its application to terminal pediatric illness. Although the program is intended to provide patients with life-threatening conditions access to investigational therapies outside of clinical trials, its effectiveness in serving critically ill children remains uncertain. This program is analyzed through careful consideration of regulatory review and ethical theory. Key policies governing Expanded Access are examined alongside scholarly discussions of pediatric autonomy and parental authority.

A case study of ONC201, a now-approved investigational drug, is used to illustrate how Expanded Access …

Mental Health Screening For The Military Spouse: Prevention In Practice, Lura Allison Mcgrath

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Translational and Clinical Research Projects

Abstract

In recent years, a focus on mental health has moved to the forefront of healthcare. This is especially true when caring for United States military service members. The military spouses of these service members also struggle and suffer from mental health disorders. However, the mental health needs of military spouses often receive insufficient attention. Research shows military spouses are at an increased risk of developing mental health disorders and/or suffering from mental illness. A large contributor is the impact of the military lifestyle and its challenges for these spouses. However, research also reveals there has been minimal effort put …

Bacteriophage Therapy For Klebsiella Pneumoniae: Phage Screening And Efficacy Assessment In Macrophages/Neutrophils And Mouse Model, Mounika Duggineni

Biotechnology Theses

Klebsiella pneumoniae causes infections such as pneumonia and urinary tract infections, necessitating alternative therapies. As an emerging MDR pathogen, evaluating newer therapeutic strategies is essential. This study utilized bacteriophages and Klebsiella pneumoniae strains kindly provided by Dr. John, who previously isolated and characterized broad-host-range bacteriophages from hospital wastewater targeting diverse clinical K. pneumoniae isolates. Among fifteen lytic bacteriophages identified across multiple genera, bacteriophage #418 was selected and purified using ultrafiltration, yielding higher functional titers than PEG-based methods. In vitro assays showed Bacteriophage #418 nearly killed bacteria after 2 hours of co-incubation. Ex vivo studies using healthy donors human macrophages …

Implementation Of A Planned Extubation Nurse-Led Safety Bundle In A Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Unit, Broderick Sutton

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Project Abstract

Purpose: To implement and evaluate a nurse-led planned extubation safety bundle designed to improve nurse preparedness, interdisciplinary communication, workflow consistency, and confidence during planned extubation events in a pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU).

Background: Planned extubation in critically ill pediatric cardiac patients requires effective interdisciplinary coordination. Variability in nurse preparation, communication, and knowledge of sedation pharmacokinetics contributed to workflow inefficiencies and patient safety concerns. Evidence supports standardized nurse-led protocols to improve extubation readiness and reduce practice variability.

Methodology: A prospective pre-post quality improvement project was conducted over eight weeks in a pediatric CICU. The intervention included a nurse-led planned …

Staff Education To Improve Interpretation And Documentation Of Category Ii Fetal Heart Rate Patterns In Labor And Delivery Nurses, Lizette Girado

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Staff Education To Improve Clinical Task Prioritization Among Outpatient Clinical Staff, Adebayo Arowolo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Improving Diagnostic Accuracy Through Implementation Of An Artificial Intelligence-Enabled Ambient Scribe In Skilled Nursing Psychiatric Practice, Ernest Glenn Gorleski

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Staff Education On The Use Of Music To Alleviate Anxiety In Patients With Dementia Within Long-Term Care Facilities, Anyinkeng Lydia Tazi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

The Implementation Of A Home Blood Pressure Monitoring Program, Michelle Oxendine

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Modeling Individual Self-Protective Behavior During Epidemics, Geonsik Yu, Michael J. Garee, Mario Ventresca, Yuehwern Yih

Faculty Publications

Protecting public health from infectious diseases requires collective action, as individual behaviors—such as vaccination and mask-wearing—directly influence disease dynamics. During the COVID-19 pandemic, unexpected public responses often undermined the effectiveness of interventions, highlighting the need to understand collective behavioral patterns and motivations to design more effective mitigation strategies. This study presents an agent-based simulation model that captures how individuals adjust self-protective behaviors based on evolving opinions about disease risk and examines how these decisions interact with external factors, such as public health interventions, to shape collective outcomes. To improve the representativeness of the simulated population, multiple datasets were integrated to …

Comparative Effectiveness Of Low Versus High Dose Upadacitinib As Maintenance Treatment In Patients With Ulcerative Colitis: A Real-World Cohort Study From The United States, Priya Sehgal, Gursimran S. Kochhar, Harpreet Kaur, Himsikhar Khataniar, Raina Shivashankar, James D. Lewis, Aakash Desai

Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: There is limited real-word data comparing efficacy of low dose upadacitinib (UPA) to high dose UPA as maintenance therapy for ulcerative colitis (UC).

METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study utilizing the U.S. Collaborative Network in adults ≥18 years old with UC who initiated UPA 15 mg compared to 30 mg for maintenance therapy between April 2022 and December 2023. The primary outcome was a composite of intravenous steroid use, oral steroid use, or colectomy from 12 to 60 weeks from the index UPA prescription. Propensity score matching (PSM) was performed for demographics, co-morbid conditions, laboratory, and IBD medication …

Inflammatory Markers In The Emergency Department And Ptsd Symptoms In The Aurora Study: A Longitudinal Cohort Study, Kristen Nishimi, Sarah Linnstaedt, Thomas Neylan, Lauren Mckibben, Liz Marie Albertorio-Sáez, Ying Zhao, Stacey House, Francesca Beaudoin, Xinming An, Jennifer Stevens, Gari Clifford, Tanja Jovanovic, Laura Germine, Scott Rauch, John Haran, Alan Storrow, Paul Musey, Phyllis Hendry, Sophia Sheikh, Brittany Punches, Robert Swor, Jose Pascual, Mark Seamon, Elizabeth M Datner, Claire Pearson, David Peak, Roland Merchant, Robert Domeier, Niels Rathlev, Brian O'Neil, Paulina Sergot, Leon Sanchez, Steven Bruce, Steven Harte, Ronald Kessler, Karestan Koenen, Kerry Ressler, Samuel Mclean, Aoife O'Donovan

Department of Emergency Medicine Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Systemic inflammation is hypothesized to contribute to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) vulnerability. Few studies have examined inflammation shortly after trauma as a predictor of later PTSD symptoms. We examined whether inflammation from the emergency department (ED) post-trauma is associated with PTSD symptom severity over the following 6 months.

METHODS: Our sample included 742 AURORA participants, a longitudinal cohort of patients in 29 EDs across the United States after a traumatic stressor, followed up to 6 months. Plasma cytokines were assessed from a study blood draw in the ED: an inflammatory index (standardized sum of generally pro-inflammatory markers interleukin [IL]-6, …

True North: Full Issue Download

Quill & Scope

Silence is embedded into the life of medical students. Silence pierces the air when you are standing in the back of a patient room observing the conversation, feet aching, wondering if your presence is unnecessary and overwhelming for the patient. We are transient members of the healthcare team. We contribute to patient medical records with out notes and bedside conversations, yet we lack power in the system---the authority to sign orders, be responsible to true coordination of care, the autonomy that residents wield to make healthcare decisions.

It is easy to lose your sense of self in this silence. We …

Staff Education On Lipoprotein (A) Screening And Clinical Follow-Up In Primary Care, Deshawntae Griffin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Improving Postoperative Handoff For Placenta Accreta: Implementing A Structured Handoff Communication Tool, Isabelle L. Gerrard

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Project Abstract

Purpose Implement a standardized postoperative handoff tool to improve interdisciplinary communication during transfer of placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) patients from the operating room to an obstetric intensive care unit at an academic women's hospital.

Background Placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) is a high-risk obstetric condition requiring coordinated multidisciplinary care. At the project site, operating room (OR)-to-obstetric intensive care unit (OB ICU) handoffs lacked a standardized process. This resulted in inconsistent communication and omission of critical information. Nurses reported reduced confidence. Standardized handoff tools can improve communication and promote safer transitions of care.

Methodology This 10-week quality improvement project used Plan-Do-Study-Act methodology …

Values-Based Clinical Ethics: A New Model Of Health And Ethics Consultation For Patients Suffering In Extremis, Adam Trainer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation argues that contemporary clinical ethics is inadequately equipped to support patients suffering in extremis because it relies on an insufficiently discriminating account of health and a constrained model of moral reasoning. Drawing on Bernard Lonergan, it reconceives health as an emergent, multi-layered, heuristic notion shaped by biological, psychological, social, and existential goods. On that basis, it critiques principlism’s global applicability thesis and the undergirding claim that its principles form part of the common morality, arguing that this justificatory structure is philosophically insufficient and practically limited for clinical ethics in cases marked by profound suffering, moral plurality, and normative …