Medical Specialties Commons^™

Beyond Opioids: The Role Of Polysubstance Exposure In Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome Treatment And Hospitalization, Caelyn Harrison

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis explores the impact of prenatal polysubstance exposure, specifically focusing on the need for pharmacological treatment for Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) and the duration of their hospital stay. A retrospective analysis of 462 infants, including 121 exposed to polysubstances during pregnancy, showed significant associations between polysubstance exposure and adverse neonatal outcomes. Infants with prenatal polysubstance exposure were more likely to require pharmacological treatment for NAS (52.8%) compared to non-exposed infants (38.7%), as determined by chi-square analysis (χ²(1, N = 462) = 7.36, p = .007). Additionally, infants exposed to polysubstances experienced longer hospital stays on average (M = 14.88 …

Valproate Use Is Associated With Lower Hepatic And Cardiovascular Outcomes When Compared To Levetiracetam In Patients With Masld/Mash: A Multinationalanalysis, Donghyun Ko, Do Han Kim Md, Wilhelm S. Basegoda Md, Jose A. Porres, Luis M. Nieto Md, Pedro Palacios Argueta Md, Paul T. Kroner Md, Frank J. Lukens Md

Posters

Valproate and levetiracetam are commonly used to manage epilepsy. While valproate is well-documented to significantly affect lipid metabolism, less is known about the effects of levetiracetam. Given this, worse outcomes in MASLD/MASH are anticipated in patients treated with valproate.

The aim of our study is to compare hepatic and cardiovascular outcomes in MASLD/MASH patients treated with valproate versus levetiracetam.

Immune-Related Adverse Events Associated With Pembrolizumab In Dmmr/Msi-H Colorectal Cancer: A Single Arm Safety Meta-Analysis, Joshi Simran, Saman Javid, Gaurav Sharma, Corinne Caissie, Armando Dominguez-Diaz

Posters

Pembrolizumab, a PD-1 checkpoint inhibitor, enhances immune response and has proven effective against various cancers, including melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer, and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Clinical trials have also shown its efficacy in treating various types of cancers with different mismatch-repair statuses. However, the spectrum and frequency of immune-related adverse events (irAEs) in the dMMR (deficient mismatch repair) / MSI-H (microsatellite instability-high) colorectal cancer remain underexplored.

Therefore, this meta-analysis aims to evaluate pembrolizumab's safety profile in this colorectal cancer subset.

Glp1 Ra Reverses The Harmful Association Of Body Weight Variability With Cvd Outcomes Across Different Metabolic Profiles, Sarpong Boateng, Yussif Issaka Md, Basile Njei

Posters

This study aimed to investigate the impact of GLP1 RA on this known negative relationship between BMI variability and cardiovascular (CVD) outcomes across different metabolic profiles.

Glp-1ra Use Is Not Associated With Immediate Worse Outcomes In Patients Undergoing Ercp: A Multinational Analysis, Donghyun Ko, Do Han Kim Md, Wilhelm S. Basegoda Md, Jose A. Porres, Carolos Elizondo Altorre, Luis M. Nieto Md, Miguel Salazar Md, Paul T. Kroner Md, Pedro Palacios Argueta Md, Frank J. Lukens Md

Posters

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is a procedure used to treat biliary and pancreatic conditions with increased therapeutic utilization over recent decades. Limited evidence exists regarding the potential impact of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RA) on post-ERCP pulmonary outcomes. Increasing concern for retention of gastric contents has led to recent recommendations on holding these agents prior to upper endoscopic intervention. The aim of this study is to assess if use of GLP-1RA prior to ERCP leads to worse cardiopulmonary outcomes.

Efficacy Of Neuromuscular Ultrasound In Diagnosing And Treating A Mammogram-Induced Brachial Plexus Injury-A Case Report, Jaime Dougherty, Tyler Pigott, Altamash E Raja

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

A 40-year-old woman presented with chronic left anterior shoulder, upper arm, and axillary pain following a routine mammogram 3 years prior. Despite multiple interventions, her pain persisted significantly affecting her quality of life. Ultrasound examination revealed fascicular edema in the medial brachial cutaneous nerve (MBCN), intercostobrachial cutaneous nerve (ICBN), and a positive sono-Tinel. Ultrasound-guided hydrodissection of these nerves provided complete axillary pain relief and significant improvement in anterior arm pain, sustained for 6 months. This case highlights the diagnostic challenges of cutaneous nerve entrapment syndromes, often overlooked and misdiagnosed, especially without a clear inciting injury. Ultrasound proves superior to electrodiagnostic …

Untreated Subclinical Hypothyroidism Is Associated With Higher Mortality And Hepatic Decompensation In Patients With Masld/Mash: A Multinational Analysis, Do Han Kim Md, Donghyun Ko Md, Jose A. Porres, Wilhelm S. Basegoda Md, Cristina H. Makarian, Luis M. Nieto Md, Pedro Palacios Argueta Md, Paul T. Kroner Md, Frank J. Lukens Md

Posters

This study aims to explore whether subclinical hypothyroidism contributes to the progression of MASLD/MASH, reflected as an increased risk of liver-related outcomes.

Menstruation Cycles And The Impact On A Female Athlete's Performance And Perception Of Performance, Mckenzie Mcaloon

Honors Projects in Biological and Biomedical Sciences

This two-part study investigates the impact of menstrual cycle hormone levels on performances and perception of performance among division I athletes. A survey was given to the captains of all Bryant University female sports teams for the dispersal amongst their teams. Each of the 13 female sports teams participated and contributed. A total of 107 survey responses were collected. Data regarding the perception of menstrual cycle on specific aspects of their athletic lives were collected, as well as whether they were on contraception, their age of menarche and heaviness of flow. The results indicate that 83% of athletes surveyed believe …

Ultrasound-Guided Epidural Placement Vs. Conventional Technique - Evaluating Effectiveness: A Scoping Review, Skylar R. Kuehn, Bsn, Rn, Ccrn-Cmc, Jacob B. Morphis, Bsn, Rn, Sarah D. Price, Bsn, Rn, Katherine E. Pritchard, Msn, Rn, Jordan Isaac Dnp, Crna, Sharon Little Dnp, Aprn, Fnp-Bc, Tracy Mcclinton

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Purpose/Background

Epidural anesthesia is a cornerstone of perioperative pain management, offering effective analgesia and reduced opioid dependency. However, traditional landmark-based epidural placement (EP) techniques often result in variable first-pass success rates (FPSR) and increased risks of complications. Ultrasound-guided (USG) EP has emerged as an alternative, providing real-time anatomical visualization to improve accuracy and safety. This scoping review synthesizes evidence on the comparative efficacy of USG EP and conventional techniques in adult patients undergoing perioperative epidural anesthesia.

Methods

This review commenced September 2023 and included full-access, peer-reviewed journal articles published in English between 2014-2023. Databases searched included PubMed, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, …

A Curious Case Of Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction In A Lupus Patient, Farah Khan Md

Posters

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease with cardiovascular risks, including coronary artery disease (CAD) and typically heart failure (HF) with preserved ejection (HFpEF). We report an SLE patient with ventricular arrhythmias and HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) due to myocarditis, responding positively to Guideline-Directed Medical Therapy (GDMT) for both conditions

Impact Of Post-Operative Radiation Therapy On Survival In Nsclc Patients With Incomplete Surgical Resection, Farrah R. Khan Md

Posters

Postoperative radiation therapy (PORT) has a limited role in the management of resectable non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). A relatively strong indication for its use is in the presence of residual tumor after surgical resection, as PORT has been shown to improve survival in such patients. However, it is unclear how much of the survival detriment of incomplete resection PORT is able to offset compared to negative margins. We aim to answer this question in our study

A Fatal Triad: Concurrent Pulmonary Infections With Candida, Mucorales, And Aspergillus In An Immunocompromised Patient With Underlying Vasculitis And Diabetes, Paridhi Ghai, Kavitha Gopalratnam

Posters

We present a case of disseminated fungal disease involving simultaneous infections with Candida, Mucorales, and Aspergillus.

All Clear For Virtual Simulation In Transition To Practice, Stephanie Barrett Msn, Rn, Onc, Rebecca Riznyk Msn, Rn, Cne, Npd-Bc

Posters

The goal of this innovative project was to increase new graduate nurses’ comfort with emergency management, improve communication with the interdisciplinary team, and provide a valuable and engaging experience in a TTPP at a large health care system

Contamination To Clarity: Reducing Blood Culture Contaminations By Implementing An Initial Specimen Diversion Technique, Giovanna Tiago Bsn, Rn, Jaclyn Godfrey Msn, Rn, Judson Mary, Cj Lucia, Jacqueline Laird, John Brennan, Mason Everlith, Stacey Peace Rn, Anne M. Aquila

Posters

The aims of this initiative were:

• Target a unit with high blood culture contamination rates, with secondarily high central line utilization rates.
• Implement an evidence-based initial specimen diversion technique.
• Determine if technique had an impact on a unit’s blood culture contamination rate.
• Revisit the literature and modify as needed

Key Diagnostic Factors In Steatotic Liver Disease And Their Longitudinal Impact On Overall Mortality, Do Han Kim Md, Donghyun Ko Md, Pojsakorn Danpanichkul, Meena B. Bensal Md, Mazen Noureddin, Karn Wijarnpreecha, Mark Muthiah

Posters

This study evaluates the effect of diagnostic criteria on overall mortality across the SLD spectrum.

Targeting Student Outcomes Through Implementation Of Laboratory Experiences In A First Year Medical Neuroanatomy Course, Grant Boxey

Anatomical Education Dissertations

The pillars of anatomical sciences, including neuroanatomy, have undergone massive shifts in their teaching methodologies in recent years. With the increased enrollment in graduate medical education, as well as the introduction of new technologies, the anatomical sciences have reformed the ways in which future healthcare practitioners learn. Among the challenges to neuroanatomical education have been reliable access to donor specimens, and a decrease in laboratory-based hours. This study evaluated the introduction of voluntary laboratory-based experiences within a first-year medical neuroanatomy course. The first research question evaluated the effect of hands-on laboratory experiences on examination performance between participants and non-participants. There …

The Moderating Effect Of Self-Efficacy On The Interaction Between The Patient-Provider Relationship And Medication Adherence, Jonas M. Manalo

2025 Spring Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

Older adults taking multiple medications are at high risk for experiencing adverse drug events that result in hospitalization. Nurses are one of the first points of contact for patients and serve as patient educators. Many factors influence medication adherence, such as the patient-provider relationship and patient self-efficacy. This study aims to assess what impact patient self-efficacy has on the interaction between the patient-provider relationship and medication adherence.

The sample comprises adults aged 50 or older taking five or more medications. The Medication Understanding and Use Self-Efficacy (MUSE) Scale was used to measure patient self-efficacy and the patient-provider relationship while the …

A New Approach: Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Artificial Intelligence Developments For Trauma Triage In The Emergency Department, William C. Anoka

2025 Spring Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

Triage in emergent situations occurs when patients are assigned to areas of the hospital with different levels of care according to the perceived risks determined by their signs and symptoms. The variability of current triage protocols substantially increases the proportion of lower acuity patients who die unexpectedly due to improper risk stratification. However, recent artificial intelligence (AI) developments have been applied to trauma triage situations to improve accuracy and patient outcomes. To further evaluate the effectiveness of this new tool, this study used various AI models to assess the presenting assessments of multiple situations and determine the appropriate level of …

Comparison Of Graft Patency Between Sta, Ra, And Sv Grafts Of Intracranial Aneurysms Of The Internal Carotid Artery, Nassos Tziviskos, Hallie Tiburzi, Susrut Dube

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Abstract

Background: Patients with intracranial internal carotid artery (ICA) aneurysms that are not amenable to treatments like coiling, stenting, or clipping have limited treatment options. One option is vascular bypass of the aneurysm to introduce a stable route for cerebral perfusion, which can be performed using the superficial temporal artery (STA) or alternatively radial artery (RA) or saphenous vein (SV) grafts, among other vessels.

Methods: The major databases were searched to identify studies that explored graft patency and functional outcome for patients who underwent bypass for intracranial ICA aneurysms with STA, RA, or SV grafts and proportion meta-analysis was performed. …

Establishing The Dose-Response Effect Of Myofascial Release On Muscle Physiology, Sanjana Davuluri, Seth Spicer, Tyler Pigott

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Context: Osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) is often indicated for back pain due to its high tolerability and post-treatment improvement in patients’ self-reported pain and functionality. Specifically, myofascial release (MFR) has been found to yield a significant improvement in both symptoms and quality of life. Until recently, there has not been much data published about the quantifiable effect of MFR and other OMT modalities on muscle physiology, especially taking treatment dose and force into consideration. Therefore, quantifying the changes in muscle characteristics through myotonometry would greatly benefit the field of osteopathic medicine in order to create more personalized treatment plans …

Pd-L1 Testing, Treatment Patterns, And Clinical Outcomes Among Patients With Metastatic Nsclc At An Academic Medical Center, 2017-2021., Mehmet Altan, Dawen Sui, Cai Xu, George R Simon, Saliha T Sulihem, Donna Malveaux, Darcy Ponce, Waree Rinsurongkawong, Vadeerat Rinsurongkawong, J Jack Lee, Jianjun Zhang, Don L Gibbons, Ara A Vaporciyan, John V Heymach, Melissa L Santorelli, Thomas Burke, Loretta A Williams

Oncology Articles

INTRODUCTION: Targeted therapies and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have revolutionized the management of metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) over the past decade.

METHODS: This single-center observational study was conducted to describe programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) testing, choice of therapy, and outcomes for adult patients with stage IV NSCLC initiating first-line therapy from 2017 through 2020, with follow-up through June 2021. Patient characteristics and study assessments were described according to four histomolecular subtypes, defined by histologic characteristics and availability of standard-of-care therapies for molecular subgroups at the time of study conduct.

RESULTS: Of 507 eligible patients with metastatic NSCLC, 85 …

Efficacy Of Platelet Rich Plasma On Thumb Basal Joint Osteoarthritis: A Narrative Review, Vrushank Shah, Alexander King

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has emerged as a potential treatment for carpometacarpal (CMC) joint osteoarthritis, with studies suggesting it may offer more durable symptom relief compared to corticosteroids. A comprehensive review of four studies, including two randomized controlled trials (RCTs), a retrospective study, and a pilot study, revealed that both PRP and corticosteroid injections led to short-term improvements in pain and function. However, PRP demonstrated significantly better long-term outcomes, with VAS scores decreasing from 75 to 20 in the PRP group at 12 months, compared to a modest reduction from 70 to 65 in the corticosteroid group. Additionally, PRP showed a …

Personalizing Intermittent Fasting: The Role Of Microbiome Diversity And Fiber Intake In Shaping Health Outcomes, Jana Gjini, Robin Moore, Venkateswar Venkataraman

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

BACKGROUND: Intermittent fasting (IF) has been linked to improved metabolic health, reduced inflammation, and increased longevity in animal models. These effects are thought to be mediated through changes in the gut microbiome. Murine studies consistently show that IF enhances microbial diversity and promotes beneficial species like Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, improving metabolic profiles and gut barrier function. However, human studies reveal inconsistent results, suggesting that individual-level factors such as baseline microbiome composition and fiber intake may influence response to IF.

HYPOTHESIS: Baseline gut microbiome diversity and habitual dietary fiber intake modulate the metabolic and inflammatory benefits of intermittent fasting in humans. …

Early Celiac Plexus Block In Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer, Brian Fardman, Christina Sheedy, Joshua Raymond

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Both Early and Delayed Celiac Plexus Blocks (CPBs) have been used in pancreatic cancer. Early CPB is completed when criteria for CPB is initially met, whereas Delayed CPB is implemented only after recalcitrant pain persists. We describe the benefit of early CPB in pancreatic cancer management.

Global Results From The Optimize Pro Study: Standardized Tavr Technique And Care Pathway., Kendra J Grubb, Hemal Gada, Douglas Fraser, Josep Rodes-Cabau, Tamim M Nazif, Suneet Mittal, Danny Dvir, Emmanuel Teiger, Lang Lin, Joshua D Rovin, Ramzi F Khalil, Ibrahim Sultan, Matias B Yudi, Blake Gardner, David Lorenz, Stanley Chetcuti, Nainesh C Patel, James Harvey, Paul Mahoney, Deepak Talreja, Carlo Trani, Darren Mylotte, Brian Schwartz, Zubair Jafar, Jan Van Der Heyden, Diego Maffeo, Gerald Yong, Cesar Moris, John Wang, Robert Gooley, Katie Flor, Yu Jung Yeh, Steven J Yakubov

OhioHealth Research Institute Articles

BACKGROUND: The safety and efficacy of utilizing standardized implant protocols and care pathways are limited in large global prospective studies of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), and institutional variability remains. This analysis aims to report 30-day outcomes from the global Optimize PRO study evaluating valve performance and procedural outcomes using an "optimized" TAVR care pathway and the cusp overlap technique (COT) in patients receiving Evolut PRO/PRO+ valves.

METHODS: The Optimize PRO study is a multicenter, postmarket, prospective study conducted in 50 centers in the United States, Canada, Europe, the Middle East, and Australia. Patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis and …

Socio-Medical Factors Associated With Neurodevelopmental Disorders On The Kenyan Coast, Patricia Kipkemoi, Jeanne E. Savage, Joseph Gona, Kenneth Rimba, Martha Kombe, Paul Mwangi, Collins Kipkoech, Beatrice Mkubwa, Amina Abubakar, Charles Newton

Institute for Human Development, East Africa

Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) are a group of conditions with their onset during the early developmental period and include conditions such as autism and intellectual disability. Occurrence of NDDs is thought to be determined by both genetic and environmental factors, but data on the role of environmental factors for NDD in Africa is limited. This study investigates environmental influences on NDDs in children from Kenya. This case-control study compared children with NDDs and typically developing children from two studies on the Kenyan coast. We included 172 study participants from the Kilifi Autism study and 151 from the NeuroDev study who had …

A Rare Case Of Adolescent Epiglottitis Secondary To Streptococcus Dysgalactiae, Kedar Tilak, Mohamed Aashiq Abdul Ghayum, Douglas Swanson, Rana El Feghaly

Posters

Streptococcus dysgalactiae causes pharyngitis, cellulitis, necrotizing soft tissue infections, sepsis, and streptococcal toxic shock syndrome • It can lead to both toxin-mediated and immune-mediated diseases • Mostly seen in adults, rare in pediatric patients • Here we present a 15-year-old with S. dysgalactiae- associated septicemia, and epiglottitis with extensive neck infection

Computational And Functional Prioritization Identifies Genes That Rescue Behavior And Reduce Tau Protein In Fly And Human Cell Models Of Alzheimer Disease, Morgan C Stephens, Jiayang Li, Megan Mair, Justin Moore, Katy Zhu, Akash Tarkunde, Bismark Amoh, Alma M Perez, Arya Bhakare, Fangfei Guo, Joshua M Shulman, Ismael Al-Ramahi, Juan Botas

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) in Alzheimer disease (AD) have uncovered over 70 loci significantly associated with AD risk, but identifying the true causal gene(s) at these loci requires systematic functional validation that is rarely performed due to limitations of time and cost. Here, we integrate transcriptome-wide association study (TWAS) with colocalization analysis, fine-mapping, and additional annotation of AD GWAS variants to identify 123 genes at known and suggestive AD risk loci. A comparison with human AD brain transcriptome data confirmed that many of these candidate genes are dysregulated in human AD and correlate with neuropathology. We then tested all available …

Addressing Glenoid Defects With Distal Clavicle Autograft In Revision Total Shoulder Arthroplasty, Ryan Bialaszewski, Ross Chapel, Frank Gerold

School of Medicine Publications

No abstract provided.

Comfort Behavioral Scale In Picu, Dustin Fontana, Kristie Overby, Jill Kutscherousky

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

No abstract provided.