Osteopathic Medicine and Osteopathy Commons^™

Prevalence Of Hypertension Among Unhoused And Temporarily Housed Individuals Receiving Street Medicine In Knoxville, Tennessee, Emily Wyatt, Andrew Tenaglia, Danielle Darter

DO Research Day

Background: Individuals experiencing housing instability are disproportionately affected by chronic diseases, including hypertension, yet often face significant barriers to preventive healthcare and longitudinal disease management. Street medicine programs provide healthcare directly to medically underserved populations, but limited data exist describing the prevalence of hypertension among patients receiving these services.

Objectives: To characterize the prevalence of hypertension among patients receiving care through Knoxville Street Medicine Outreach (KSMO) and describe the demographic characteristics and housing status of this population.

Method: A retrospective observational study was conducted using de-identified electronic medical records from KSMO. Patient encounters between June 2024 and July 2026 were …

Improving Medical Student Confidence And Preparedness: The Role Of Simulation-Based Education In Substance Use Disorder Care, Patricia Archambault, David Crabtree

DO Research Day

Substance use disorders (SUDs) remain a major public-health concern. In 2024, approximately 48.4 million Americans aged 12 years or older met criteria for a past-year SUD, yet only 12.3% received substance-use treatment.¹ Although addiction medicine education has expanded, undergraduate medical curricula remain variable, and medical students frequently report limited confidence in screening, counseling, and treating patients with SUDs. Traditional didactic instruction provides foundational knowledge but may offer insufficient opportunities to practice patient centered communication, trauma-informed care, and evidence-based treatment. Simulation-based education (including standardized patients) may help bridge this knowledge-to-practice gap by allowing students to apply clinical knowledge, practice communication, and …

Enhancing Brachial Plexus Education Through An Interactive, Coded Three-Dimensional Learning Model, Ambika Siddabathula, Erick Moberg, Ph.D

DO Research Day

The brachial plexus presents a persistent instructional challenge in anatomy education because students must integrate its branching organization with its three-dimensional relationships to surrounding structures.[1,2] Understanding the plexus requires learners to trace neural contributions through roots, trunks, divisions, cords, and terminal branches while recognizing their spatial relationships to the axillary artery.[2] Conventional diagrams can clarify connections between named structures, but translating these schematics into an anatomically coherent spatial representation remains a recognized teaching challenge.[1,2] These difficulties occur within a broader pattern of challenges in learning neuroanatomy. In a national survey of 2,877 medical students across 25 UK medical schools, respondents …

Effects Of Creatine Monohydrate On Il-6 And Nfκb Expression In Tnf-𝑎 Treated Lymphatic Endothelial Cells, Nima Patel, Christian Pearson, Anastasia Kovalshyin, Helen Sowder, Lindsey Miller

DO Research Day

Background: Lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs) are important for fluid homeostasis and inflammatory regulation, but excessive inflammation can disrupt lymphatic function. Creatine monohydrate (CrM) has potential anti-inflammatory properties, though its effects on inflammatory responses in LECs are not well understood. Objective: To determine whether CrM attenuates Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (TNF- α) induced inflammation in LECs by assessing Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and Nuclear factor kappa B (NFκB) expression. Methods: LECs were divided into four groups: control, CrM, TNF-α, and CrM + TNF-α. Treatment groups were exposed for 48 hours, with TNF-α and CrM administered simultaneously in the co-treatment group. IL-6 and NFκB protein …

Carceral Geographies Of Disinvestment: Mapping Police Surveillance And Food Insecurity In Tennessee, Lina Habba, Ridha Nazir, Natalie E. Freeman Phd

DO Research Day

Research Aims: •Examine the association between county-level jail incarceration (a proxy for police surveillance) and food insecurity, limited access to healthy foods, and overall food environment quality across Tennessee counties.   •Determine whether this association persists after adjustment for median household income, high school completion, and racial composition.

Dietary Magnesium, Potassium And Sodium Intake Patterns In Night-Shift Nurses And Implications For Cardiovascular Risk, Thao Nguyen, Lindsey Miller Phd, Teresa Rangel Phd

DO Research Day

Background: Night-shift nurses are at increased risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) due to circadian disruption, poor sleep quality, and unhealthy dietary patterns. Inadequate intake of potassium and magnesium, combined with excessive sodium consumption, may contribute to elevated cardiovascular risk in this population.

Objective: To compare dietary intake of magnesium, potassium, and sodium between day-shift and night-shift nurses during workdays and days off and evaluate nutrient intake relative to current dietary recommendations and cardiovascular risk.

Methods: A secondary data analysis was conducted using dietary records from 21 nurses working rotating schedules (3 workdays and 3 days off). Daily magnesium, potassium, and …

Factors Contributing To Low Birth Outcomes In Rural Versus Urban Tennessee, Adiva Haq, Hena Shah, Judy King Phd

DO Research Day

Background: Tennessee has been associated with having poorer birth outcomes compared to other states in America. Current data suggest that rural communities face greater barriers in accessing maternity care than urban areas, which can lead to adverse outcomes for these populations. Identifying factors that may contribute to low birth outcomes between rural and urban counties of Tennessee is essential to improve infant health outcomes. Objective: To examine the factors associated with adverse birth outcomes, comparing rural versus urban Tennessee counties. Method: The population size of all 95 Tennessee counties was obtained from the Data Commons. Birth outcomes and socioeconomic data …

Initiating The Development Of An In Vitro Model To Elucidate The Therapeutic Potential Of Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment, Mahmoud Ajjaoui, Christopher Root, Alex Wiser, Michael Operti, Christian Greer, Debasis Mondal

DO Research Day

• OMT is a technique used by DOs to treat a wide range of musculoskeletal dysfunctions. • An OMT technique commonly utilized in patients with musculoskeletal pain is Myofascial Release (MFR), which involves the stretching, holding and releasing of myofascial tissue to provide localized pain relief. • Despite patient attestation of the therapeutic benefits of MFR, in vitro studies to understand the molecular mechanism(s) is currently lacking. • In vitro algorithm that mimics high intensity exercise (HIE): Previously published studies using myofascial stem cells (MSCs) have documented that multiple cycles of rapid stretch and release can alter the proliferation and …

Association Between Melanoma Tumor Thickness And Risk Of Metastasis: A Seer Database Retrospective Analysis, Raya Marashdeh, Hunter Brady, Natalie Freeman, Amanda Mccoy

DO Research Day

Cutaneous melanoma is one of the most aggressive forms of skin cancer and remains responsible for most skin cancer–related deaths because of its ability to metastasize to regional lymph nodes and distant organs.1 Breslow thickness has consistently been identified as the most important prognostic factor in melanoma. It measures the vertical depth of invasion from the upper portion of the epidermis to the deepest invasive melanoma cell and is incorporated into the AJCC staging system.2 Although conventional staging relies on categorical thickness thresholds, tumor thickness represents a continuous biological variable. Categorizing patients into discrete thickness groups may obscure important differences …

Pcom Doctor Of Osteopathic Medicine Class Of 2030 White Coat Ceremony, Philadelphia College Of Osteopathic Medicine

White Coat Ceremony

Program of PCOM Philadelphia Campus 2026 White Coat Ceremony Program for the Class of 2030.

Guest Speaker: Michael A. Becker, DO '87, Senior Associate Dean of Clinical Education, Professor, Department of Family Medicine.

Correlation Of Buccolingual Angulation Of Posterior Teeth And Transverse Skeletal Width In Adult Orthodontic Patients: A Retrospective Cbct Study, Anya T. Hatfield

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Objective:

Accurate evaluation of transverse skeletal relationships is essential for orthodontic diagnosis and treatment planning. Dentition may compensate for skeletal discrepancies through buccolingual tipping of posterior teeth, potentially masking underlying transverse imbalance. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between transverse skeletal width and posterior tooth angulation using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT).

Methods:

Sixty-six pre-orthodontic adult CBCT scans were analyzed. Maxillary and mandibular transverse skeletal widths were measured at the level of the first molar furcation using buccal cortical plate– to–buccal cortical plate landmarks. Buccolingual angulation of the first and second premolars and first and second molars …

Correlation Between Maxillary Transverse Width, Alveolar Housing Width And Palatal Bone Thickness: A Cbct Retrospective Study, Eric G. Hollensbe

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Background:

Accurate assessment of transverse maxillary dimensions and surrounding bone morphology is critical for safe orthodontic treatment planning. Orthodontic expansion should remain within the biological limits of the alveolar housing and palatal bone to prevent adverse periodontal outcomes, including dehiscence, fenestration, and gingival recession. Standard diagnostic methods, such as dental casts and two-dimensional radiographs, offer limited information about the three-dimensional anatomy that restricts orthodontic tooth movement. Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) provides detailed evaluation of skeletal dimensions and cortical bone boundaries. This study aimed to examine the relationships among maxillary transverse width, alveolar housing thickness, and palatal thickness using CBCT imaging. …

Personalized Treatment Of Chronic Tendinopathy Using Ultrasound And Neuroimmune Markers: A Narrative Review, Rohan Phadke, Samer Salman, Kirtan Patel, Jad Wardeh, Akhil Marupudi, Rahul Kumar, Arbaz A. Momin, Alireza Tavakkoli

Department of Neurosurgery Faculty Papers

Introduction: : Chronic tendinopathy affects approximately 30% of musculoskeletal consultations, yet treatment outcomes remain inconsistent despite numerous available interventions. This variability stems from the absence of validated frameworks to match individual patients to optimal treatments based on underlying pathophysiology. To synthesize current evidence on ultrasound imaging biomarkers, neuroimmune mechanisms, and interventional therapies in chronic tendinopathy, and propose a clinically applicable framework integrating ultrasound phenotyping with neuroimmune assessment to guide personalized treatment selection. Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted across PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science through December 2025. Studies examining ultrasound/elastography imaging, neuroimmune mechanisms, or treatment interventions in chronic …

Severe Autoimmune Digital Vasculopathy In Systemic Sclerosis With Lupus- And Antiphospholipid-Spectrum Serologic Positivity And Libman–Sacks Endocarditis: A Case Report, Mayada F. Bawayan, Thekra A. Alwafi, Abdulaziz F. Samandar, Abdulaziz M. Gari

Saudi Toxicology Journal

Background: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune connective tissue disease characterized by prominent vasculopathy, which may lead to severe digital ischemia and ulceration. The coexistence of SSc-related vasculopathy with lupus- and antiphospholipid-spectrum manifestations, including Libman–Sacks endocarditis, is uncommon and poses diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. Case Presentation: We report a 37-year-old female with a systemic sclerosis phenotype and overlapping lupus- and antiphospholipid-spectrum features, who presented with severe bilateral digital ischemia and ulceration. Investigations revealed active autoimmune disease with inflammatory, immunologic, and vascular involvement, along with Libman–Sacks endocarditis. Imaging excluded large-vessel occlusive disease. The patient was treated with targeted vasodilator therapy and …

Review Of The Hemodynamic Effects Of Nitroglycerin Use In Acute Myocardial Infarction Subtypes, John Charles

Research Day

Background: Nitroglycerin (NTG) is a medication commonly used for chest pain, often administered in prehospital settings during acute myocardial infarctions (AMI). Current guidelines from the American Heart Association (AHA) and European Society of Cardiology (ESC) recommend avoiding NTG in suspected right ventricular myocardial infarctions (RVMI).

Objectives: Review the hemodynamic effects of nitroglycerin in acute myocardial infarction subtypes to reevaluate the validity of its contraindications.

Method: PubMed and Google Scholar databases were searched, yielding five publications that retrospectively analyzed the effects of NTG on blood pressure (BP) in AMI.

Results: Recent evidence suggests that NTG does not cause a harmful hemodynamic …

Taking A Punch Out Of Medical Imaging: Creating An Affordable 3d Printed Boxers Fracture Hand Model For Radiographic Education., Tanner Leisten, Tyler Greer, Erick Moberg, Joshua Krech, Robert Brockman

Research Day

The most common hand fracture occurs in the fifth metacarpal, and is known as a “boxer’s fracture.” These fractures typically result from direct trauma from punching an object with a closed fist, falls, or motor vehicle accidents. Boxer’s fractures are diagnosed using X-rays to confirm the injury and assess severity. However, extensive bruising and tissue swelling often hides the characteristic depression of the metacarpal head, making clinical evaluation challenging. This project aims to create a low-cost, 3D-printed hand model featuring a boxer’s fracture that can be molded and X-rayed. The model will provide medical students and professionals with an affordable …

Une Com Spring Research Bulletin May 2026, Une Com Research & Scholarship

Osteopathic Student Research Symposia

Bulletin including abstracts from the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine’s 2026 inaugural Spring Research Update and Lightning Talk event.

2026 Research Day Program, Lincoln Memorial University

Research Day

This program contains abstracts and presentation summaries from LMU's 2026 Annual Research Day conference.

Did A.T. Still, Do, Have An Md Degree?, David B. Fuller

PCOM Scholarly Works

A.T. Still, DO (1828–1917), founder of osteopathic medicine, was a licensed physician practicing in late 19th- and early 20th-century America. Although many assume he held an MD degree, the reality is more complex. Examining whether Dr. Still earned an MD degree provides important insight into the origins of osteopathic medicine and the profession that followed.

Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine As An Adjunctive Approach To Improve Pelvic Perfusion And Fertility-Related Physiologic Markers, Ashton Dodd, Yanielisse Bellinger, Marsha Chevalier, Annaliese Taylor, Jacob Warner-Palacio, Aurora Jeanes, Nathan Barnhurst

Annual Research Symposium

No abstract provided.