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Supporting Evidence-Based Responses To Emotional Needs In Emphysema (Serene): Protocol For A Randomized, Open-Label Mechanistic Trial Comparing Coping Skills Training And Disease-Specific Education For Depressive Symptoms Conducted In United States Health Systems, Joanna L. Hart, Daniel Carter, Chloe Hinton, James Grilli, Lily A. Brown, Nora Brier, Yingying Lu, Casey Whitman, Michael O. Harhay, Michael Sims, Carmen Alvarez, Lisa R. Miller-Matero, C. Virginia O'Hayer

Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Depressive symptoms and anxiety are highly prevalent among people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), strongly associated with poor outcomes, and rarely recognized or treated. Integrating families into interventions may amplify supportive care treatment effects and overcome common challenges, yet this strategy is understudied. The Supporting Evidence-based Responses to Emotional Needs in Emphysema (SERENE) trial's main objective is to identify the mechanisms through which a family-partnered Coping Skills Training (CST) reduces depressive symptoms among patients with COPD, testing five putative mechanisms: family relationship quality, patient and caregiver self-efficacy, patient loneliness, and caregiver psychological distress.

METHODS: SERENE will enroll 375 …

Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment Vs. Standard Therapy In The Management Of Acute Neck And Low Back Pain In The Emergency Department, Steven M Hochman, Katherine Vlasica, Alexis Lapietra, Bhargavi K Patel, Christine Ju, Nicholas J Mota, Scott Wilder

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Context: Acute neck and low back pain are common emergency department (ED) presentations, generally treated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) is a hands-on treatment modality utilized to treat a variety of musculoskeletal conditions.

Objectives: We sought to evaluate the relative efficacies and side effects of hands-on OMT vs. one dose of oral ibuprofen, in the treatment of adult patients presenting with acute neck or back pain.

Methods: We conducted a prospective randomized controlled trial at a high-volume urban ED. Adult patients with acute neck or low back pain were randomized to 5 min of OMT or …

Determination Of Cortisol Concentrations Using Different Biomarkers In Dairy Goats During Pregnancy, Fatma Mi̇ra Güven, Erkan Pehli̇van

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

Pregnancy is considered one of the most physiologically stressful periods in mammals. In the present study, serum and hair cortisol concentrations were measured in nine female Akkeçi goats, including five primiparous (1.5 years old) and four multiparous (3.5 years old), to evaluate chronic stress during pregnancy. Hair samples were collected in October, November, and December following the introduction of bucks to the herd and within the first 12 h postpartum (corresponding to the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 7th sampling times). Hair samples were not collected in January, February, or March (the 4th, 5th, and 6th sampling times) due to insufficient …

Effects Of Zinc-Reinforced Clinoptilolite On Hematological Parameters, Igg Levels, And Enzyme Histochemistry In Fattening Lambs, İhsan Kisadere, Muhi̇tti̇n Zengi̇n, Özkan Demi̇rbaş, Mehmet Faruk Aydin

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

The study aimed to determine the effects of zinc-reinforced clinoptilolite supplementation to the diet on selected hematological parameters, serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) concentrations, and enzyme histochemical characteristics in fattening lambs. For this purpose, 40 healthy male lambs were randomly allocated into five equal groups: control (C; n = 8), natural clinoptilolite (NC; n = 8), zinc (ZN; n = 8), natural clinoptilolite plus zinc (NCZN; n = 8), and zinc-reinforced clinoptilolite (ZNRC; n = 8). All animals were housed in individual pens, and the supplementation period continued for 42 days. Blood samples were collected before the trial (day 0) and …

Comparison Of The Mars And Xgboost Algorithms For Predicting Body Weight In Kalahari Red Goats, Louis Thobela Tyasi, Cem Tirink, Kwena Mokoena, Hasan Önder, Uğur Şen, Demet Çanga Boğa, Tolga Tolun, İsmai̇l Gök, Yüksel Aksoy, Lütfi̇ Bayyurt, Ömer Faruk Yilmaz

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

Estimating goat body weight from morphometric traits is essential for growth monitoring, health management, and welfare. Accurate weight informs nutrition, clinical interventions, and mating decisions. In this study, the MARS and XGBoost algorithms were used to estimate the live weight of Kalahari Red goats based on body measurements. A dataset containing body length (BL), birth type (single, twin, or triplet), withers height (WH), rump height (RH), and heart girth (HG) information for 200 goats was used in the training and testing of the models. The performances of the models were evaluated with the goodness-of-fit criteria. XGBoost showed a performance of …

Hatchability And Nestling Viability In An Extremely Short-Beaked Pigeon Breed, Türker Savaş, Hakan Erdem, Cemi̇l Tölü

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

The selection of hobby animals for breeding by enthusiasts is often based on aesthetic considerations, which can have a negative impact on the animals’ biology. Furthermore, “extreme traits” that deviate from ancestral norms, such as short beaks in pigeons, can be detrimental to the animal’s welfare. Beaks perform many essential functions, such as facilitating feed intake and eggshell breaking. The present study investigates possible hatching problems and the nestling viability of short-beak pigeons through a study of the breeding records of Mısıri (short beak), Baska (medium beak), and Turkish Dönek (normal beak) pigeons, as well as data from one breeding …

Evidentiary Standards For Newly Approved Antibiotics For Uncomplicated Urinary Tract Infections, Rosa Rodriguez-Monguio, Enrique Seoane-Vazquez, John H. Powers Iii

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Importance: Uncomplicated urinary tract infections (uUTIs) are among the most common bacterial infections and are typically treated with existing oral antibiotics. In 2024–2025, the FDA approved two new oral agents, sulopenem etzadroxil/probenecid and gepotidacin, via expedited review pathways, for the treatment of uUTIs. Objective: To assess the clinical significance and regulatory evidence supporting FDA approval of sulopenem/probenecid and gepotidacin for uUTI, and to analyze the adherence of pivotal phase III trials to regulatory standards for approval and FDA guidelines. Design, Setting, and Participants: Comparative descriptive analysis of publicly available data from phase 3 randomized, double-blind, active-controlled clinical …

"The Only Place I Feel Understood": A Mixed Methods Survey Of Adolescent And Caregiver Perspectives On Social Media And Parental Controls, Melanie Watt Ramos, Constance M Wiemann, Lauren A Bretz

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Purpose

Methods

Results

Prevalence And Predictors Of Inappropriate Antibiotic Prescriptions Among Dentists In Muscat Governorate, Oman, Wajiha Abdul Majeed Al-Lawati, Manar Alsanaa Ali Alzeedi, Elham Mohammadi, Noora Alhosni

Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal

Objectives: Inappropriate antibiotic prescriptions represent a major healthcare concern, contributing to increasing antimicrobial resistance. Dentists account for up to 10% of antibiotic prescriptions, highlighting the need for rational prescribing practices. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and predictors of inappropriate antibiotic prescriptions by dentists in primary health clinics in Muscat Governorate, Oman. Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted on dental antibiotic prescriptions issued between July and December 2024 in government and private dental care facilities across Muscat Governorate. Clinics were randomly selected and data were extracted from electronic patient records using a structured form. Descriptive statistics, Chi-square tests …

Navigating (M)Otherhood: Perception, Practice, & Policy Of Adolescent Pregnancy In The North Coast Of Perú, Mahir Rahman

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

“It’s a vicious circle”, the obstetricians of Huanchaco repeated time and time again after discussing a recently pregnant 13-year-old girl who had just moved to the North Coast of Perú. Adolescent pregnancy is an extremely stigmatized topic in global maternal and child health discourse. Pregnant adolescents are subject to educational policy, clinical protocol, and community practice. While global scholarship emphasizes adolescent pregnancy prevention, limited scholarship focuses on the conditions in which adolescent pregnancy is perceived, discussed, and managed. More importantly, these perspectives are even less documented amongst the North Coast of Perú.

This thesis serves as an ethnographic exploration of …

Advances In Hpv Vaccination In People Living With Hiv: A Review, Megan Mooberry, J Brooks Jackson, Mary B Rysavy

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection worldwide and is a leading cause of cervical, anal, penile, and oropharyngeal cancers. This review summarizes the epidemiology of HPV and the immunogenicity, clinical efficacy, and current HPV vaccination recommendations among people living with HIV (PLWH). PLWH experience a disproportionate burden of HPV-related infection and HPV-related malignancies. Although HPV vaccines have been shown to be highly effective, vaccination coverage among PLWH remains suboptimal, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Barriers to vaccination include extended dosing schedules, limited awareness of the vaccine, and misinformation. Evidence indicates HPV vaccines are safe and …

Social Support And Mental Toughness As Predictors Of Perceived Stress Among College Kinesiology Students, Jianmin Guan, Wan Xiang Yao, Xiaofen D. Hamilton, Gaofeng Lu

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

Drawing on Lazarus and Folkman’s transactional theory of stress and coping, this study examined the associations of age, gender, three types of social support (family, friends, and significant others), and mental toughness with two dimensions of perceived stress (helplessness and coping inefficacy) among 666 college students majoring in Kinesiology. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis revealed that male college students, as well as those with higher levels of mental toughness and family support, reported significantly lower levels of helplessness and coping inefficacy in managing stress. Additionally, greater support from friends was significantly associated with lower levels of coping inefficacy, while younger students …

Human Microglia In Brain Assembloids Display Region-Specific Diversity And Respond To Hyperexcitable Neurons Carrying Scn2a Mutation, Jiaxiang Wu, Xiaoling Chen, Jingliang Zhang, Kyle Wettschurack, Morgan Robinson, Weihao Li, Yuanrui Zhao, Ye-Eun Yoo, Brody A Deming, Yue Shu, Akila D Abeyaratna, Zhefu Que, Dongshu Du, Matthew Tegtmeyer, Chongli Yuan, William C Skarnes, Zhong-Yin Zhang, Jean-Christophe Rochet, Long-Jun Wu, Yang Yang

The Brown Foundation: Institute of Molecular Medicine

Microglia critically shape neuronal circuit development and function, yet their region-specific properties and roles in distinct circuits of the human brain remain poorly understood. In this study, we generated region-specific brain organoids (cortical, striatal, and midbrain), each integrated with human microglia, to fill this critical gap. Single-cell RNA sequencing uncovered six distinct microglial subtypes exhibiting unique regional signatures, including a subtype highly enriched for the GABAB receptor gene within striatal organoids. To investigate the contributions of microglia to neural circuitry, we created microglia-incorporated midbrain-striatal assembloids, modeling a core circuit node for many neuropsychiatric disorders, including autism. Using chemogenetics to activate …

Improving Stakeholder Communications Practices: A Quantitative Study On The Relational Communication Between Clinical Research Coordinators And Research, Oreofeoluwa F. Adeniji

Harrisburg University Dissertations and Theses

Communication plays an essential part in the responsibilities of the clinical research coordinator’s position. Challenges in communicating with stakeholders during clinical trials can disrupt the study timeline, its outcomes, and the success of the trial. Clinical research coordinators often experience these challenges when interacting with internal stakeholders, such as principal investigators, and external stakeholders, including sponsors. This quantitative correlational study will examine whether clinical research coordinators can utilize project management communication practices to improve their stakeholder interactions. Data from 32 clinical research coordinators will be collected using SurveyMonkey and analyzed. The study results will fill gaps in the literature on …

Nci9673 (Part B): Etctn Randomized Phase Ii Study Of Nivolumab With Or Without Ipilimumab In Refractory, Metastatic Squamous Cell Carcinoma Of The Anal Canal, Van K Morris, Kristen K Ciombor, Lianchun Xiao, Joshua K Ochieng, Enrica Marmonti, Blase Polite, Benjamin A Weinberg, John C Krauss, John Hays, Sarbajit Mukherjee, Olivia Aranha, Syma Iqbal, Tony Shields, Al B Benson, Syed Kazmi, Christopher Lieu, Howard Hochster, Jennifer Whisenant, Cara Haymaker, Cathy Eng

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose: In the previously completed NCI9673 (part A) single-arm study, the antiprogrammed death (PD)-ligand-1 antibody nivolumab demonstrated efficacy for patients with metastatic anal cancer. In NCI9673 (Part B), we evaluated the anticytotoxic T-cell lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4) antibody ipilimumab in combination with nivolumab for patients with incurable anal cancer.

Methods: In this phase II NCI ETCTN trial, 100 patients with refractory, incurable anal cancer were randomly assigned to receive nivolumab (480 mg IV once every 4 weeks) alone or with ipilimumab (1 mg/kg IV once every 8 weeks). The primary end point was progression-free survival (PFS). Secondary endpoints included radiographic response, …

Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System In Preeclampsia: Pathophysiological Insights And Links To Vascular Dementia, Robin C. Finch, Jenny Lutshumba, Elizabeth Mirsky, Esther Ndashaala, Kelsey Bullens, Emma Smith

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

Pre-eclampsia, a condition characterized by new-onset hypertension during pregnancy and one or more indices of organ damage, is a major driver of both short and long-term maternal health outcomes. Individuals with a history of pre-eclampsia are at increased risk for cardiovascular, renal, and other chronic diseases. Recent studies have linked pre-eclampsia history with increased risk of dementia later in life, underscoring the importance of new guidelines emphasizing blood pressure control to reduce the risk of cognitive decline. Unfortunately, neither mechanisms underlying causes of pre-eclampsia nor their links with cognitive function are well understood. Vascular contributions to cognitive impairment and dementia …

The Cost Of A Healthy Diet And Its Association With Bmi In Crisis-Stricken Lebanon, Maha Hoteit, Myriam Abboud, Maroun Khattar, Rana Rizk

All Works

Objectives: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of Lebanese adults living with underweight, overweight or obesity, assess and compare the cost of the Mediterranean Diet (MD) with that of the current dietary consumption pattern and explore diet cost as a determinant of living with underweight, overweight or obesity. Design: Data for this nationally representative cross-sectional study were collected through sociodemographic questionnaires, anthropometric measurements, the Arab Family Food Security Scale and dietary assessments using a validated FFQ and 24-h recalls. Diet costs were calculated based on 2023 market prices using purchasing power parity. Logistic regression was used to assess associations …

A Qualitative Analysis Of Progress, Successes, And Challenges Among Indiana Recipients As Part Of A National Initiative To Reduce Covid-19–Related Health Disparities, Marla Winters, Lily Darbishire

Purdue Journal of Service-Learning and International Engagement

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provided funding to states as part of the CDC Disparities Grant initiative. The aim of the funding was to reduce chronic disease and COVID-19–related health disparities among vulnerable communities through four unique strategies. Funding was awarded to the Indiana Department of Health (IDOH) to begin an Indiana chapter of this initiative, called Indiana Healthy Opportunities for People Everywhere (I-HOPE). From 2021 to 2023, the IDOH provided I-HOPE funding to local communities (subgrantees) to support the design and implementation of programs to improve community health. For example, …

Changing Minds And Lives: A Substance Use Awareness Campaign, Alyssa Collins, Claire Wolfer-Jenkins, Rachel Isaac

Purdue Journal of Service-Learning and International Engagement

Introduction: In 2024, 48.4million Americans experienced a substance use disorder (SUD),with opioid use disorder representing a significant concern. In 2024, an estimated 8 million individuals misused opioids, contributing to 54,743 fatal overdoses. College students are particularly vulnerable, with 20% reporting illicit substance use within the past month, highlighting the urgent need for focused interventions in this population.

Project Overview: Boiler Substance Awareness Network (BSAN) is a campus initiative funded by the Lead Forward Fellowship grant. BSAN educates the Purdue community about SUD to reduce stigma and foster a recovery-friendly environment. The focus is on two objectives: preparing students to respond …

Optimization Of A Kcc2 Small Molecule Agonist And The Development Of An In-Silico Model Of Intermolecular Dynamics For The Rational Design Of Therapeutics Against Opioid Use Disorder, William H.D. Ho, Alfred Amendolara, Kenyon Mitchell, Jaden Miner, Braxton Bingham, Andrew Payne

Annual Research Symposium

Roseman University Research Symposium

Wednesday, February 18, 2026 | 3:00 – 6:00 pm (local time)

Hold Harmless For Whom? The Impact Of Covid Era Policies On School Funding, Teachers, And Students, Michah W. Rothbart, Samantha Cervantes, Amy Ellen Schwartz

Center for Policy Research

This study evaluates the fiscal and academic consequences of New York City’s hold harmless policy during COVID-19, which aimed to stabilize school expenditures amid unexpected enrollment declines by restoring schools’ funding up to initial levels. We examine how school racial composition predicts whether or when schools receive hold harmless “treatment” and assess the impact of hold harmless on financial resources, staffing, and student outcomes, exploring heterogeneity by timing of policy announcement. Although schools with higher White student shares were no more likely than those with higher Hispanic or Black shares to receive hold harmless funds, schools with higher Black shares …

Online Decision Support For Implementing Evidence-Based Hpv Vaccination Strategies In Texas Safety-Net Pediatric Clinics: Impact On Hpv, Mcv, And Tdap Initiation, Ross Shegog, Hanxiao Sun, Erica L Frost, Laura C Thormaehlen, Travis A Teague, Catherine Mary Healy, Hina Azam, Aadeel Khawaja, Laura Aubree Shay, Dale S Mantey, Sally W Vernon, Lara S Savas

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Introduction: HPV vaccination rates for adolescents in the United States are below recommended levels. The Adolescent Vaccination Program (AVP) guides pediatric clinics on how to implement evidence-based strategies to increase HPV vaccination rates. These strategies comprise the adoption of (1) immunization champions, (2) provider assessment and feedback, (3) continuing education, and (4) prompts, (5) parent reminders, and (6) parent education. The AVP systems-based intervention has demonstrated increased HPV vaccination rates in large urban pediatric clinic networks. The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility of using an online decision support tool, the AVP Implementation Tool (AVP-IT), to …

Protecting ‘Punks’: The Shortcomings Of The Prison Rape Elimination Act, Rachel Goldsmith

Binghamton University Undergraduate Journal

Prisoner-on-prisoner sexual abuse is widespread in US male prisons, with inmates “turning each other out” by sexually assaulting each other. While the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) received unanimous support in Congress in 2003, motivated by the Human Rights Watch Report “No Escape: Male Rape in Prisons,” scholars argue that the PREA fails to protect prisoners from prison rape: for example, its standards may be ineffective or criminalize consensual sex between prisoners. This essay will examine the shortcomings of the PREA, drawing on current legal scholarship, and propose solutions to enhance the law's effectiveness in protecting prisoners. The US government …

Determinasi Minimum Dietary Diversity Pada Anak Usia 6-23 Bulan: Analisis Survei Kesehatan Indonesia 2023, Elfys Ferdynan, Besral Besral

Jurnal Biostatistik, Kependudukan, dan Informatika Kesehatan

Keragaman pangan minimum atau minimum dietary diversity (MDD) merupakan indikator penting kualitas konsumsi pangan anak usia 6-23 bulan. Pemenuhan MDD berperan dalam mendukung pertumbuhan optimal dan pencegahan malnutrisi, termasuk stunting. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis faktor-faktor yang berhubungan dengan pemenuhan MDD pada anak usia 6-23 bulan di Indonesia. Data yang digunakan adalah data Survei Kesehatan Indonesia 2023 dengan desain potong lintang. Subjek penelitian adalah 17.991 anak usia 6-23 bulan. Analisis yang dilakukan menggunakan regresi logistik biner dengan penyesuaian desain complex samples. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa faktor yang meningkatkan peluang pemenuhan MDD secara signifikan meliputi usia anak 12-23 bulan, …

Exploring The Theoretical Foundation With Rupture And Delayed Rupture Experiments, Shi-Qing Wang, Junpeng Wang, Asal Y. Siavoshani, Cheng Liang

University Research

We carry out uniaxial continuous and step stretching of various cross-linked polymer networks to demonstrate how characteristics of rupture during continuous stretching and delayed rupture after step stretching can be used to probe the structure of the emergent kinetic activation theory of bond dissociation (KATBD) for elastomeric failure. Based on delayed rupture experiments, we show that the network lifetime tntw, taken as the incubation time tdel-rupt for delayed rupture, depends on temperature in an Arrhenius like manner and is exponentially sensitive to the degree of network stretching (depicted by the step-stretch ratio λss). Rupture at λb during continuous stretching for …

Use Of Kcc2 Dna Plasmid Transfection To Modulate Chloride Homeostasis In Cultured Dopamine-Neuron Like Cells, Jacqueline N. Farolan Ms., Ashlee Szwedko, Mason Terry, Andrew Payne Phd., Dario Mizrachi Phd.

Annual Research Symposium

Potassium-chloride cotransporter 2 (KCC2) works in opposition to Na-K-Cl cotransporter 1 (NKCC1) to maintain low intracellular chloride concentrations in neurons. In immature neurons, there are high levels of NKCC1 and low levels of KCC2, which creates a high intracellular chloride concentration. Increased KCC2, therefore decreased chloride concentration, creates a GABA switch, switching immature neurons to mature neurons. This changes the activity of GABA from excitatory to inhibitory. Decreased KCC2 has been found to be correlated with reward seeking behaviors in the dopaminergic circuitry. Our study aims to artificially upregulate KCC2 and therefore decrease chloride concentrations in neurons. In the future, …

Cannabis And Psychedelics Among U.S. Young Adults: Use, Messaging Exposure, Perceptions, And Legalization Support, Carla J Berg, Cassidy R Loparco, Darcey M Mccready, Laura C Schubel, Patricia A Cavazos-Rehg, Erin Kasson, Shriya Thakkar, Diane M Ndisebuye, Y Tony Yang

2020-Current year OA Pubs

This study assessed the correlates of cannabis and psychedelic use and legalization support among young adults in the United States (US). Using 2025 data among adults ages 18-34 (

Biomarkers In Alzheimer's Disease Clinical Trials: 2025, Amanda M. Leisgang Osse, Yadi Zhou, Jefferson W. Kinney, Andrew Hooyman, Ayan Sengupta, Jorge Fonseca, Aaron H. Burstein, Laura Nisenbaum, Howard M. Fillit, Feixiong Cheng, Jeffrey L. Cummings

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Biomarkers play an important role in Alzheimer's disease (AD) clinical trials in several contexts of use, including defining trial eligibility and serving as outcome measures. Utilizing clinicaltrials.gov, a registry of clinical trials, we assessed biomarker usage across all active AD disease-targeted therapeutic (DTT) trials. Biomarkers are widely used in AD DTT trials, with 84% including a fluid, imaging, and/or digital biomarker, either as an inclusion criterion or as an outcome measure. In DTT trials, biomarkers were included in 83% of Phase 3 trials, 91% of Phase 2 trials, and 72% of Phase 1 trials. Biomarkers were used for trial inclusion …

Syndecan-1-Targeted Therapeutic Antibody Impairs Macropinocytosis And Elicits Antitumor Immunity In Pancreatic Cancer, Zecheng Yang, Madelaine S Theardy, Shuaitong Chen, Yongkun Wei, Mitsunobu Takeda, Yue Zeng, Xiaofei Wang, Jun Yao, Jennifer Li, Prapassorn Thirasastr, Jangho Park, Yangxi Zheng, Long T Vien, Khalida M Wani, Huamin Wang, Sisi Gao, Tim Heffernan, Lawrence Kwong, Ignacio I Wistuba, Laura Bover, Giulio F Draetta, Haoqiang Ying, Wantong Yao

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains one of the deadliest malignancies, with a 5-year survival rate of just 13%. While the development and early clinical use of small molecules targeting oncogenic KRAS mutations, key drivers of PDAC, have shown promise, resistance to these targeted therapies remains a significant challenge. We recently identified Syndecan-1 (SDC1), a highly expressed heparan sulfate proteoglycan, as a critical KRAS effector protein that promotes nutrient salvage and tumor growth. Here, we report the development of a human-specific monoclonal antibody (anti-SDC1 mAb) that inhibits PDAC cell proliferation in vitro and suppresses PDAC tumor growth in vivo. Mechanistically, …

When Nutrition Fails: Modeling Protein Malnutrition-Driven Vulnerability In Hepatic Drug Metabolism And Inflammatory Stress, Vijitha D. Kantety, Victor Jiminez Jr.

Annual Research Symposium

Background

Protein malnutrition remains a major global health problem and frequently co-occurs with alcohol use, opioid exposure, and infectious disease, particularly in low- and middle-income settings. The liver is central to both metabolism and inflammatory regulation, yet the effects of a malnutrition-like nutrient environment on hepatic responses to combined metabolic and inflammatory insults are not well defined. Cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4), a key enzyme involved in opioid metabolism, is highly sensitive to inflammatory signaling and may be especially vulnerable under conditions of nutritional deficiency. This project aims to 1) develop an in vitro model of nutritionally competent versus amino acid–restricted …