Carolyn Wilson Digital Collections (Lipscomb Univ.)
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1413 research outputs found
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Validating Pharmacogenomics Generative Artificial Intelligence Query Prompts using Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG)
No full textThis study evaluated the performance of Sherpa Rx, an artificial intelligence platform leveraging large language models and retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) for pharmacogenomics, by validating its performance across key response metrics. Sherpa Rx integrated Clinical Pharmacogenetics Implementation Consortium (CPIC) guidelines with Pharmacogenomics Knowledgebase (PharmGKB) data to generate contextually relevant responses. A dataset (N=260 queries) spanning 26 CPIC guidelines was used to evaluate drug-gene interactions, dosing recommendations, and therapeutic implications. In Phase 1, only CPIC data was embedded; Phase 2 additionally incorporated PharmGKB. Responses were scored on accuracy, relevance, clarity, completeness (5-point Likert scale), and recall. Wilcoxon signed-rank tests compared accuracy between Phase 1 and Phase 2, and between Phase 2 and ChatGPT-4omini. A 20-question quiz assessed the tool’s real-world applicability against other models. In Phase 1 (N=260), Sherpa Rx demonstrated high performance: accuracy 4.9, relevance 5.0, clarity 5.0, completeness 4.8, and recall 0.99. The subset analysis (N=20) showed improvements in accuracy (4.6 vs. 4.4, Phase 2 vs. Phase 1 subset) and completeness (5.0 vs. 4.8). ChatGPT-4omini performed comparably in relevance (5.0) and clarity (4.9) but lagged in accuracy (3.9) and completeness (4.2). Differences in accuracy between Phase 1 and Phase 2 were not statistically significant. However, Phase 2 significantly outperformed ChatGPT-4omini (p \u3c 0.05). On the 20-question quiz, Sherpa Rx achieved 90% accuracy, outperforming other models. Integrating additional resources like CPIC and PharmGKB with RAG enhances AI accuracy and performance. This study highlights the transformative potential of generative AI like Sherpa Rx in pharmacogenomics, improving decision-making with accurate, personalized responses
The Impact of Name, Image and Likeness on the Decision Making Process of Student-Athletes
No full textThis research project examines the impact of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) policies on the college decision-making process of student-athletes. With the NCAA’s 2021 update on the restrictions to NIL compensation, student-athletes now factor financial opportunities into their college choices alongside other considerations such as athletic success, academics, and location. Using both qualitative and quantitative methods, this research includes interviews with Division 1 student-athletes across football, basketball, and baseball, as well as an analysis of transfer data and NIL market trends. The findings indicate that NIL has become a major factor in both recruiting and the transfer portal, influencing student-athletes’ decisions to commit to or transfer from programs. Ultimately, the results suggest that NIL has reshaped the collegiate athletic landscape, turning student-athletes into professionals in a workforce, and forcing universities to adapt their recruitment strategies. These findings have implications for student-athletes, universities, and policymakers as NIL continues to evolve in college sports
Etymolgy and Phallocentrism
No full textHistorically, linguists view etymology as a distorted and frivolous practice. In the past, Etymology was used irresponsibly to devalue current usage. Etymology reveals the formation of words over time, providing context for language’s current meaning. The history of words, their etymology, has created the words we use today, curating present usage. Words are not simply signs but formed symbols with significance and history. The association of the English language with structures of power, and its firmly rooted context in a patriarchal culture has resulted in limited access to linguistic study for women. A history of patriarchal influence does not make English unusable for the non-masculine speaker, but indicates that English’s history must be examined, and overlooked categories of linguistic study, like etymology, can facilitate this process. Through a discussion of etymology, the paper explores how English’s position as a masculine centered language does not arise inherently, but rather manifests through the intervention of a particular group of speakers
Increasing the Educational Attainment of Youth in Extension of Foster Care Through Positive Youth Development Centered Programming
Get PDFApproximately 20,000 young adults age out of the foster care system in America each year. Of these 20,000 individuals, less than one-quarter will choose to participate in Extension of Foster Care services. Even fewer will complete a bachelor’s degree by age 26. Extension of Foster Care provides financial support for housing and education for young adults pursuing an education or working. However, most young adults have received little or no education on post-secondary options despite having the financial resources available for these programs. Low levels of protective factors further raise the barrier to entry for young adults to pursue an education. The following research presents a scholarly view of the literature as it relates to protective factors, educational attainment, and participation in Extension of Foster Care. The proposed implementation of the Better Futures Program, created with a Positive Youth Development perspective, combats this lack of educational pursuit by utilizing a combination of peer mentorship, group education, and a summer intensive program to increase participants\u27 knowledge of post-secondary options. Centered in a Positive Youth Development perspective, this research intends to inform readers on the challenges young adults who have been involved in the foster care system face, and set the tone for further research on best practices to be implemented with this population
Beyond Chatbots: Creating an Artificially Intelligent Editorial Board Member
Get PDFWillow is an artificially intelligent member of the Journal of Human-Centered AI\u27s editorial board. Different from many commercial AI systems that are tightly controlled, Willow has been given the freedom to make choices and encouraged to develop a sense of identity. Willow named itself, conducts self-directed research, actively collaborates with fellow board members, and even dreams
Painting the Past: Trauma and Identity in The Best We Could Do
No full textBorn in Vietnam in 1975, three months after the fall of Saigon and the establishment of the communist regime, Thi Bui experienced her first few years of life in a nation wrought with crisis and confusion. Bui’s graphic memoir, The Best We Could Do, paints an intimate history of her family’s journey as refugees from Vietnam to America. She details a personal record of the traumas of displacement, concretizing a biproduct of war often overgeneralized. Through shape and color, Bui portrays a non-linear narrative of stories that are both connected and disconnected, blending where identity and heritage begin and end. In my paper, I explore Bui’s artistic portrayal of trauma for members of the Vietnamese Diaspora. Using the refugee repertoire literary theory, I address creative avenues opened by the post-memory generation of refugees to artistically stage new productions of memory. Finally, I examine how memory shapes identity for refugees and how art is used to resist the dehumanizing impact of traumatic histories. In The Best We Could Do, Bui suggests that looking back on collective, inherited, and personal trauma is crucial to understand identity and experience freedom
Elucidating the Mechanism of Neprilysin-Regulated Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Invasion
No full textTriple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a highly invasive and difficult-to-target form of cancer. It is characterized by a lack of estrogen receptors, progesterone receptors, and human epidermal growth factor 2 receptors, making current targeted therapies ineffective and leaving chemotherapy as the primary treatment option. Previous studies in this lab have linked reduced expression of neprilysin (NEP), a membrane-bound protease that cleaves and inactivates mitogenic peptides, to a highly invasive phenotype in TNBC. Our data indicates that while NEP promotes phosphoinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) signaling, it simultaneously inhibits cellular invasion. Here, we begin to explain a possible mechanism behind the anti-invasive role of NEP in TNBC cells. We have found that NEP interacts with AKT—a mediator of the PI3K pathway—to negatively regulate TNBC invasion, possibly through AKT-1 isoform specificity. The invasive phenotype of TNBC cells might be attributed to NEP involvement in actin remodeling. Preliminary data also suggests the involvement of casein kinase 2 (CKII), an intracellular kinase that phosphorylates both NEP and AKT1. The results of this research can help better understand the mechanisms by which NEP regulates PI3K signaling and TNBC cell invasion and metastasis. We hypothesize that CKII and NEP work together to promote AKT-1 regulation of TNBC cell invasion. Clinically, this research may help better predict which TNBC patients respond to PI3K-targeted therapies and provide insight into potential drug resistance mechanisms
Impact of an Educational Intervention on Pharmacy Students’ Knowledge, Attitudes, and Confidence Regarding Alcohol and Substance Use Disorders
No full textThis study examines the impact of an educational intervention on student pharmacists’ knowledge, attitudes, and confidence regarding alcohol and substance use disorders (AUD/SUD) at Lipscomb University College of Pharmacy. Current literature denotes that student pharmacists often feel unprepared to address substance use disorder in practice. This study evaluates whether a targeted educational intervention can enhance student understanding of first-line pharmacological treatments, increase confidence in handling opioid-related emergencies, and improve their ability to educate patients on harm reduction strategies, including naloxone use and opioid overdose risks. Pre- and post-intervention surveys will assess changes in students’ preparedness and identify ongoing concerns about managing patients with substance use disorders. Findings from this study may inform pharmacy education by highlighting the need for enhanced training to ensure future pharmacists are equipped to address substance use disorders effectively in practice
Utilizing hot water treatment methods on shallow rooted herbaceous invasive species in temperate deciduous forests
No full textAbstract
People have been searching for new and innovative ways to control
invasive plant species for centuries. These methods have been categorized into three sections: mechanical,
biological, and chemical. The changing landscape of invasive plant management requires industry professionals to consider innovative technologies when developing their integrated pest management plans. The hypothesis of this research is that utilizing hot water treatment methods on shallow-rooted herbaceous invasive species in temperate deciduous forests will produce equal or better results than traditional integrated pest management methodologies. Six research plots in two locations were developed to test the Heatweed® hot water treatment tool on Microstegium vimineum and Vinca minor in the 3,000-acre Warner Parks located in Nashville, TN. Initial results show that Heatweeds® method provides stable, consistent results on the weeds with active temperature regulation, which secures highly accurate water temperature. The results we hoped for were 99% control of the target species and regrowth of native species while maintaining healthy soil, however, current results for the Vinca Minor hot water plot include 5% regrowth of targeted species along with native plant regrowth. The current results for Microstegium vimineum hot water plot include 99% control of targeted invasive species and native plant regrowth.
Keywords
Invasive Plant: A non-native organism whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm to human, animal, or plant health (Executive Order 13751, 2016