CHALLENGE: Biomedical engineering students often have limited exposure to authentic laboratory research early in their academic programs, which can impact their understanding of professional practice and reduce confidence in their ability to participate meaningfully in research. Common barriers to undergraduate research including time commitments, prerequisite training, and uncertainty about expectations can disproportionately limit early engagement, particularly for first-year students.

CONCLUSIONS: Social media may be a valuable outlet for SMYAs to obtain social support and in turn, reduce risk for tobacco use and related outcomes in the face of parental rejection.

Despite the well-documented benefits of physical activity (PA) during pregnancy, most women do not meet the recommended PA guidelines. This research aims to understand doulas' perspectives on providing PA education and counseling to pregnant women. Employing a qualitative phenomenological study design with a purposive sampling of doulas across Nebraska, findings from 12 participants reveal a lack of knowledge of PA guidelines as a significant barrier to providing PA education. The study...

Youth Enjoy Science (YES) Oklahoma (OK) Scholars is an eight-week summer program that engages American Indian high school students in cancer and biomedical research. YES OK uses a relational, place-informed educational model, with a curriculum that emphasizes (1) increasing cancer biology and public health knowledge, (2) developing laboratory and scientific communication skills, (3) strengthening college and career preparation, and (4) connecting scientific learning to cultural and community...

Cerebral infarcts in carotid artery disease arise from a complex interplay between plaque vulnerability, extracranial vascular burden, intracranial collateral capacity. Although each of these factors has been studied individually, their combined impact on infarct presence, infarct pattern, and long-term outcomes in real-world carotid endarterectomy (CEA) populations remains insufficiently understood. This study aimed to determine how carotid plaque morphology, bilateral carotid stenosis...