Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Tramadol For Treatment Of Neurogenic Cough: A Retrospective Case Series, Benjamin Joseph Rubinstein, Sheela Saidha, John Todd Sinacori

Department of Otolaryngology (ENT) Faculty Publications

Objectives

Explore the efficacy of tramadol for neurogenic cough and describe the longitudinal treatment experience.

Methods

A retrospective case series of adults with chronic cough who were treated with tramadol for neurogenic cough. A complete response was defined as no pathologic coughing, and a partial response was defined as 50% or greater reduction in severity or frequency.

Results

Sixty-nine patients were included. 38% of patients reported a complete response with an additional 33% reporting a partial response. The most common successful dosing regimen was 50 mg BID. Age, gender, and BMI did not impact treatment response. Patients with a history …

Reply To: S. N. Katkuri Et Al. And H. Liu Et Al. On Early And Sustained Improvements In Sense Of Smell With Tezepelumab Treatment In Patients With Chronic Rhinosinusitis With Nasal Polyps (Waypoint), Joaquim Mullol, Joseph K. Han, Tanya M. Laidlaw, Claire Hopkins, Anju T. Peters, Oliver Pfaar, Martin Desrosiers, Stella E. Lee, Andrew P. Lane, Claudia Chen, Yun Chon, Sandhia S. Ponnarambil, Andrew Foster, Andrew W. Lindsley, Christopher S. Ambrose

Department of Otolaryngology (ENT) Faculty Publications

[Introduction] We thank Dr. S. N. Katkuri, Dr. H. Liu, and their coauthors [1, 2] for their interest in our recent publication describing the improvements in loss of smell symptoms with tezepelumab versus placebo in patients with uncontrolled chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) in the WAYPOINT trial (NCT04851964) [3]. We are grateful for the authors' feedback on the clinical significance of the data presented and their appreciation of the consistency observed across a range of baseline clinical characteristic and demographic subgroups.

Early And Sustained Improvements In Sense Of Smell With Tezepelumab Treatment In Patients With Chronic Rhinosinusitis With Nasal Polyps (Waypoint), Joaquim Mullol, Joseph K. Han, Tanya M. Laidlaw, Claire Hopkins, Anju T. Peters, Oliver Pfaar, Martin Desrosiers, Stella E. Lee, Andrew P. Lane, Claudia Chen, Yun Chon, Sandhia S. Ponnarambil, Andrews Foster, Andrew W. Lindsley, Christopher S. Ambrose

Department of Otolaryngology (ENT) Faculty Publications

Background

Loss of smell is a principal symptom of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP), affecting health-related quality of life and posing a safety hazard.

Methods

WAYPOINT (NCT04851964), a phase 3, multicenter trial in adults with uncontrolled CRSwNP, randomized patients 1:1 to receive tezepelumab 210 mg or placebo subcutaneously every 4 weeks for 52 weeks. Changes from baseline in biweekly mean Nasal Polyposis Symptom Diary (NPSD) loss of smell item, University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT), and 22-item Sino-Nasal Outcome Test (SNOT-22) loss of smell/taste item scores, as well as anosmia (UPSIT score ≤18) prevalence, were assessed over 52 …

Progression Of Mild Sleep-Disordered Breathing In Children Managed With Watchful Waiting, Erin M. Kirkham, Stacey Ishman, Susan Garetz, Cristina M. Baldassari, Ron B. Mitchell, Christopher Liu, Ignacio E. Tapia, Lisa M. Elden, Fauziya Hassan, Sally Ibrahim, Kristie Ross, Mengqi Cen, Rui Wang, Susan Redline, Ronald D. Chervin

Department of Otolaryngology (ENT) Faculty Publications

Purpose

To identify clinical characteristics that may be associated with persistence or progression of mild sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) in children who are observed without surgery.

Methods

This is a secondary analysis of the control arm of the Pediatric Adenotonsillectomy Trial for Snoring (PATS), which randomized 458 children aged 3.0 to 12.9 years with mild SDB (snoring with obstructive apnea-hypopnea index [oAHI] <  3 events/hour) to early adenotonsillectomy (eAT) versus watchful waiting with supportive care (WWSC). Participants were assessed at baseline and 12 months with the Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire-Sleep-Related Breathing Disorder (PSQ-SRBD) scale and polysomnography (PSG). We tested for factors predictive of either (1) PSG progression defined by a 12-month oAHI ≥ 3 or (2) symptom persistence or progression defined by a 12-month PSQ-SRBD score ≥ 0.33.

Results

A total of 234 participants were observed (mean age 6.2 years, 111 [47%] female, 65 [28%] Black or African American, 37 [16%] Hispanic). Overall, only 13% (n = 20/150) progressed to an oAHI ≥ 3 on repeat PSG, …

Use Of Tezepelumab For Chronic Rhinosinusitis With Nasal Polyps By Eosinophilic Endotype: Waypoint Post-Hoc Analysis, Shigeharu Fujieda, Nobuyoshi Otori, Joseph K. Han, Tadataka Yabuta, Claudia Chen, Claudio Marchese, Andrews Foster, Sandhia S. Ponnarambil, Yun Chan, Brian J. Lipworth

Department of Otolaryngology (ENT) Faculty Publications

Background

The phase 3 WAYPOINT study (NCT04851964) reported that tezepelumab improved outcomes in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP), including nasal polyp size, nasal congestion, and sinonasal symptoms, and reduced the need for surgery and systemic corticosteroids (SCS).

Objective

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of tezepelumab across Japanese Epidemiological Survey of Refractory Eosinophilic Chronic Rhinosinusitis-defined eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis (ECRS) subgroups.

Methods

Adults with severe CRSwNP were randomized to tezepelumab 210 mg or placebo every 4 weeks. Coprimary end points were the change from baseline to week 52 in total Nasal Polyp Score and the biweekly mean Nasal …

Single Intratympanic Injection Of Proprietary Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (Oto-413) In Subjects With Speech-In-Noise Hearing Impairment: A Randomized, Dose Escalating, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Phase 1/2 Study, Alan C. Foster, Jeffery J. Anderson, David R. Moore, Morgan Oktela Fuentes, Yiwei Wang, Peter G. Volsky, K. Paul Boyev, Victoria A. Sanchez

Department of Otolaryngology (ENT) Faculty Publications

Purpose

To evaluate the safety and tolerability and exploratory efficacy of OTO-413, an intratympanic-administered, sustained release formulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in a thermoreversible gel, in participants with speech-in-noise hearing difficulties.

Methods

This was a single dose, dose-ascending, randomized, double-blind, Placebo-controlled Phase 1/2 study conducted at 7 enrolling clinical sites in the U.S. 110 participants (56% female) enrolled had self-reported speech-in-noise (SIN) difficulties that were confirmed by a SIN test and were randomized to OTO-413 or Placebo. OTO-413 dose range was escalated from 0.01 mg to 1.5 mg within 7 Cohorts. Safety evaluations included monitoring for treatment-emergent adverse events, …

An Introduction For Nursing Research: An Open Educational Resource For The Undergraduate Nursing Student, Ellen Benjamin

OER Textbooks

The purpose of this text is not to prepare you to independently conduct research, but to help you become an informed and critical consumer of research. The ability to systematically evaluate the strengths, limitations, and applicability of research findings is known as critical appraisal. Critical appraisal is an expected competency of baccalaureate-prepared nurses [5] and requires a foundational understanding of research principles and methods. This book will introduce the research process, including common research methodologies, data collection and analysis approaches, ethical considerations, and strategies for translating research evidence into nursing practice.

American Board Of Emergency Medicine Report On Residency And Fellowship Training Information (2025-2026), Yvette Calderon, Barry Knapp, Felix K. Ankel, Ted Gaeta, Lynne Holden, Derek Linklater, Zeno St. Cyr Ii, Ernest Wang, Melissa Barton, Andrews R. Trotter, Kevin Joldersma, Robert G. Purosky, Michael Gottlieb

Department of Medicine Faculty Publications

The American Board of Emergency Medicine gathers extensive background information on Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-accredited emergency medicine residency and fellowship programs, as well as the residents and fellows training in those programs. We present the 2026 annual report on the status of physicians training in Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-accredited emergency medicine training programs in the United States.

Prevalence And Correlates Of Anxiety And Depression Symptoms Among Medical Students: The Role Of Student Debt Burden, Foroozan Afsharchi, Joshua F. Edwards, Kailash S. Ram, Jingru Huang, Valicia Hale, Ismail El Moudden

Department of Family and Community Medicine Faculty Publications

Background

This cross-sectional study examined whether anxiety and depression symptoms decrease as medical students progress through training (suggesting adjustment disorder) or persist (suggesting chronic conditions), while identifying associated risk factors, including student debt burden and treatment effectiveness.

Methods

We surveyed medical students (years 1-4) at VHS-ODU using a sociodemographic questionnaire and validated screening instruments (GAD-7 for anxiety and PHQ-9 for depression) via RedCap from September to November 2024.

Results

Among 126 students, Scores were higher in Years 2-3 than in Years 1 and 4, but differences by year were not significant (GAD-7 p=0.055; PHQ-9 p=0.352). Students with a prior mental-health …

The Psychiatric Burden Of Hidradenitis Suppurativa: A Trinetx Analysis Of Sex-Specific Disparities In Mental Health And Medication Use, Emily Sheetz, Julia Feord, Collette Sholi, Parker Adams, Tamas Gal, Susan G. Kornstein, Arturo Saavedra

Department of Medicine Faculty Publications

Background:

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory skin condition associated with physical and psychological burden. Prior research has shown increased rates of depression and anxiety among individuals with HS; however, sex-based disparities in the prevalence of these mental health conditions in patients with HS remain underexplored.

Objective:

To evaluate sex-based differences in the prevalence of major depressive disorder (MDD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and the prescribing of antidepressants and anxiolytics among patients with HS.

Methods:

Using the TriNetX database, we identified patients over the age of 18 who had a recorded diagnosis of HS. Propensity score matching based on …

Cold-Sensitive Acral Hand Lesions, Avery H. Seward, Jocelyn H. Larocque

Department of Medicine Faculty Publications

[Case description] An otherwise healthy woman in her 60s presented with a 2-year history of a persistent, itchy, and tender rash on the dorsal hands. The rash fluctuated in severity with the seasons, worsening during the colder months. The patient denied joint pain and fatigue, or lesions elsewhere.

Examination revealed partially blanchable violaceous plaques on the dorsal hands with partial sparing of the proximal and distal interphalangeal joints (Fig 1). A few punctate, crusted erosions and purpuric macules were present on the dorsal and volar distal phalanges (Figs 2 and 3).

Successful Use Of Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-Cell (Car-T) Therapy With Lisocabtagene Maraleucel In A Renal Transplant Recipient With Refractory/Relapsed Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma (Dlbcl), Waqqas Tai, Fatima Chaudhry, Nesreen Shahrour, Jessica Thomas, Afoma Anyadibe, Anuoluwa Oyetoran, Swathi Gopishetty, Precious Idogun, Dilip Samarapungavan, Jassim H. Sarmad, Ishmael Jaiyesimi

Department of Medicine Faculty Publications

This case describes a 53-year-old male with end-stage renal disease who developed monomorphic post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) in the form of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) after kidney transplantation. Despite initial treatment with rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisone (R-CHOP), the patient's disease progressed, and he was referred for chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy with lisocabtagene maraleucel (liso-cel). Given his post-transplant status, his immunosuppressive agents (tacrolimus and mycophenolate) were held, and prednisone was tapered to 5 mg daily to maintain minimal baseline immunosuppression. After lymphodepleting chemotherapy and liso-cel infusion, the patient experienced no significant toxicities, including cytokine release syndrome (CRS) …

Percutaneous Closure Of Ventricular Septal Rupture After Myocardial Infarction:, Thomas A. Cook, Simone K. Schumaecker, Anjani Patibandla, Nicholas J. Valle, Matthew R. Summers

Department of Medicine Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Ventricular septal rupture (VSR) following acute myocardial infarction is a rare but deadly complication with mortality rates exceeding 90% when left untreated. Coronary ischaemia leads to myocardial necrosis and friability resulting in septal rupture, most commonly 3-5 days post-infarction. The sudden development of a left-to-right shunt causes volume overload in the right ventricle, pulmonary vasculature, and left atrium, precipitating biventricular failure, and cardiogenic shock. Management requires careful consideration of timing and modality of closure along with stabilization with mechanical circulatory support in severe cases.

CASE SUMMARY: A 65-year-old female presented with anterior ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction complicated by VSR …

Dietary Intake Of Micro- And Nanoplastics: Potential Adverse Gi Effects On Microbiome, Inflammation, And Neoplasia, Michael Saadeh, Gordon Hong, Sana Rabeeah, Priyata Dutta, Edward C. Oldfield, Iv, David A. Johnson

Department of Medicine Faculty Publications

Micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) are pervasive in food-contact environments and the human diet, positioning the gastrointestinal (GI) tract as the primary portal of entry and a plausible site of early biological effects. Human exposure is supported by detection of microplastics in stool and colon tissue, and emerging clinical studies report associations between fecal microplastic burden and GI disease states, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and colorectal cancer (CRC). Preclinical studies provide mechanistic plausibility, reporting that ingested MNPs can modulate microbial ecology, alter mucus membrane integrity, increase intestinal permeability through changes in cellular tight junction biology, and induce inflammatory gene expression. …

Association Of Valvular Disease Progression Using Echocardiographic Findings In A Large U.S. Cohort, Abes A. Bautista Neughebauer, Amin Yehya, Raymond L. Benza, Deepak Talreja

Department of Medicine Faculty Publications

Background

The prevalence of valvular disease in the US is approximately 2.5%. Given that over 5 million Americans are affected, it is crucial to find those at higher risk of progression. The goal of this paper is to uncover which patients are more likely to have valvular disease progression using demographic factors, EKG and echocardiogram (ECHO) findings.

Methods

This paper utilized the EchoNext Database, which pairs 100,000 electrocardiograms and echocardiograms based on specific structural heart disease labels. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression were used to find risk factors for progression for aortic stenosis (AS), aortic regurgitation (AR), mitral regurgitation (MR), …

Educational Case: Hidradenitis Suppurativa, Ryan C. Saal, Linnea Lackstrom Westerkam, Cristo A. Carrasco Mendoza, Paul B. George, Christopher J. Sayed

Department of Medicine Faculty Publications

[Introduction] The following fictional case is intended as a learning tool within the Pathology Competencies for Medical Education (PCME), a set of national standards for teaching pathology. These are divided into three basic competencies: Disease Mechanisms and Processes, Organ System Pathology, and Diagnostic Medicine and Therapeutic Pathology. For additional information, and a full list of learning objectives for all three competencies, see https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acpath.2023.100086.1¹

Objective SK1.1: Pathophysiology of changes in the skin. Describe the pathophysiologic basis for changes in the color, surface texture, swelling, temperature, and sensitivity of skin.

Competency 2: Organ system pathology, Topic: Skin (SK); Learning Goal 1: …

Comparison Of Fully Covered Self-Expandable Metal Biliary Stents With Or Without Anchoring Double-Pigtail Plastic Stents: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Samuel Tanner, Fadi Hawa, Alejandra Vargas, Priyata Dutta, Antonio Facciorusso, Jean M. Chalhoub, Jorge D. Machicado

Department of Medicine Faculty Publications

Background and AIMS

Fully covered self-expandable metal stents (FcSEMSs) have become the mainstay of treatment for a variety of biliary pathologies. However, FcSEMSs have been associated with a greater rate of stent migration than other types of stents. A technique of anchoring double-pigtail plastic stents (DPPSs) has been proposed to minimize migration of biliary FcSEMSs. Herein, we evaluated the efficacy of anchoring DPPSs among patients treated with biliary FcSEMSs.

Methods

We performed a systematic review using PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science from database inception through August 2023. Full-text articles comparing FcSEMSs with or without anchoring DPPSs were included. We …

Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease And Circadian Rhythm: Current Understanding And Implications For Future Therapeutic Interventions, William K. Slover, Ashley V. Huang, Steve M. D'Souza, Edward C. Oldfield, David A. Johnson

Department of Medicine Faculty Publications

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), defined by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases as hepatic steatosis with at least one cardiometabolic risk factor, affects approximately 30-40% of adults worldwide. This condition may progress to fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. The rising prevalence, alongside obesity and type 2 diabetes, underscores the need for early risk stratification and integrated therapeutic strategies. Circadian homeostasis, orchestrated by the suprachiasmatic nucleus and core clock gene feedback loops, synchronizes hepatic metabolic pathways with environmental light-dark cycles. The objective of this review is to evaluate the role of circadian disruption and metabolic dysfunction …

The Effects Of Expectancies And Attention To Placebo Relevant Sensations On The Open-Label Placebo Response, Miranda Connelly

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Placebo analgesia has shown promise in treating pain, but practitioners are reluctant to prescribe deceptive placebos. Open-label, or honestly prescribed placebos, offer an ethical alternative. Open-label placebos seem to work largely through experimenter-manipulated expectancy, as well as social/environmental factors. Additionally, verbally guided attention to relevant placebo sensations might bolster pain relief. In the present study, expectancy and attention were experimentally manipulated within a 2 (expectancy: high/low) x 2 (attention: high/low) between-subjects design with a no-treatment comparison group. Pain was experimentally induced in all five experimental groups using the well-established cold pressor task. The primary dependent variables were pain tolerance and …

Examining The Physiological Stress-Reducing Effects Of Virtual Nature Exposure And Slow Breathing, Jesse Benefiel

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

In a time of excess stress, it is essential to examine accessible stress-reduction methods. Research has demonstrated that virtual nature exposure and slow breathing can independently reduce stress, but the literature is lacking with regard to their combined effects. The present study aimed to replicate independent effects of breathing and nature on stress and to test for potential effects, including whether their combination would produce an interaction effect. Using a 2 Environment (Natural v. Control) by 2 Breathing (Slow v. Normal) between-subjects design, 63 participants completed a modified color-word Stroop task to induce stress and were then exposed to either …

Real-World Anti-Amyloid Therapy Beyond Traditional Symptomatic Populations: A Longitudinal Case Series, Jayoung Han, Yuan Fang, Darlingtina Esiaka, Olufunmilola Abraham

Mathematics & Statistics Faculty Publications

Introduction: Anti-amyloid monoclonal antibodies are approved as disease-modifying therapies for early Alzheimer’s disease (AD), but real-world evidence remains limited, particularly among individuals treated during preclinical or minimally symptomatic stages. This study characterized clinical and biomarker trajectories among anti-amyloid therapy recipients across disease stages.

Method: We conducted a longitudinal retrospective case series of three biomarker-positive individuals from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative who received lecanemab or donanemab. Clinical, cognitive, cerebrospinal fluid, plasma biomarker, and amyloid PET data were examined.

Results: In all three cases, most of the observation period preceded anti-amyloid therapy initiation. Clinical trajectories varied by biomarker profile and treatment …

Integrating Genetic Modifier Genotype With Serum Proteomics In Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Clinical Trials Links Ltbp4 Genetic Modifier To Il-23/Cd93 Pathways In Muscle, Utkarsh J. Dang, Yuan Fang, Daniele Sabbatini, Elena Pegoraro, Luca Bello, Paula R. Clemens, Michela Guglieri, John Van Den Anker, Jesse Damsker, Laura Hagerty, Yetrib Hathout, Michael Ziemba, Lauren Morgenroth, Surajit Bhattacharya, Kanneboyina Nagaraju, Jyoti K. Jaiswal, Eric P. Hoffman

Mathematics & Statistics Faculty Publications

Genetic modifiers of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) that alter disease severity or response to therapy have been reported using natural history or registry data sets of older corticosteroid-treated patients. We tested associations of genetic modifiers on motor function outcomes in young (4 to <  7 years) steroid naïve clinical trial participants. Participants in clinical trials (VBP15-002/003 [n = 48]; VBP15-004 [n = 121]; DNA available for n = 110) were genotyped for eight published genetic modifier loci, and associations of genotypes with baseline motor function defined via an age-adjusted linear model. Corticosteroid drug response was modeled by genotype-stratified placebo vs. steroid treatment at 12- and 24-weeks posttreatment (mixed model for repeated measures). …

Dextromethorphan And Trace Level Detections Of Dextrorphan In Post-Race Urine Samples – A Case Report And Analysis, Kimberly Brewer, Justin C. Holmes, Clara Fenger, Abelardo Morales-Briceño, Andreas F. Lehner, George A. Maylin, Robert Holland, Levent Dirikolu, Thomas Tobin

Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center Faculty Publications

Dextrorphan is a Phase I equine metabolite of dextromethorphan, a widely used anti-tussive / cough suppressant medication marketed and available in numerous over-the-counter formulations in the United States. Dextromethorphan is an Association of Racing Commissioners International (ARCI) drug class 4 penalty class B substance and a Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Authority (HIWU) CONTROLLED S7 B substance and is regulated as such in horse racing. In horses, dextromethorphan is metabolized to its Phase I metabolite, dextrorphan, which is next glucuronidated and the resultant dextrorphan-glucuronide conjugate then excreted at remarkably high concentrations in equine urine. Dextrorphan is therefore at times identified in …

Decreased Exercise-Induced Pulmonary Capillary Recruitment In Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension, David Langleben, Stylianos E. Orfanos, Benjamin D. Fox, Michele Giovinazzo, Magali Kaddis, John D. Catravas

Bioelectrics Publications

The human lung normally accommodates exercise-induced cardiac output increases mainly via recruitment of non-concomitantly perfused pulmonary capillaries. Recruitment is detectable by measuring the first-pass transpulmonary metabolism of ³H-benzoyl-Phe-Ala-Pro, providing an estimate of functional capillary surface area (FCSA). Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) results from luminal narrowing of small precapillary arterioles, reducing downstream perfused FCSA. We hypothesized that exercising PAH patients would not be able to recruit FCSA normally. We studied two patients with severe PAH. Despite exercising to maximal dyspnea, neither could recruit FCSA. These limited data are the first direct measurements of FCSA in exercising PAH patients.

Metabolic Reprogramming Following Mitochondrial Transfer Between Idh2-Mutant Chondrosarcoma Cells And A Normal B-Cell Line, Caleb Wyckoff, Christopher Osgood, Ellen Jing, Michael Stacey

Bioelectrics Publications

Background/Objectives: Chondrosarcoma, glioblastoma, acute myeloid leukemia, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and cholangiocarcinoma cancers all contain mutations in the gene isocitrate dehydrogenase 2 (IDH2). The mutant IDH2 enzyme metabolizes alpha-ketoglutarate (αKG) into the potent oncometabolite D-2-hydroxyglutarate (D2HG) in the mitochondria of these cancers, leading to altered cellular metabolism. Emerging evidence suggests that mitochondrial transfer between cancer and recipient cells represents an important form of intercellular communication that may influence cellular metabolism. The presence of intercellular TNTs between IDH2-mutant chondrosarcoma cells motivated an investigation into mitochondria-associated physiological changes occurring during an intercellular exchange with immune cells. A mitochondrial transfer is a two-way …

Establishment And Histopathological Characterization Of A Kyse-30 Subcutaneous Xenograft Model Of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Pavel A. Solopov, Alayna Enos, Mantas Silkunas, Giedre Silkuniene, Eleni Zivla, Andrei G. Pakhomov, Olga N. Pakhomova

Bioelectrics Publications

Background/Objectives: Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is an aggressive malignancy with poor prognosis and limited treatment options, highlighting the need for reliable preclinical models for translational research. Although xenograft models are widely used in cancer biology, systematic characterization of subcutaneous ESCC models under defined implantation conditions remains limited. The objective of this study was to systematically compare implantation conditions and define histopathological and growth-related parameters that enable reproducible tumor establishment while maintaining a practical experimental window for therapeutic studies. Methods: We established and characterized a subcutaneous ESCC xenograft model using human ESCC cell line KYSE-30 implanted into immunodeficient J:NU mice. …

Combination Therapy With Hsp90 Inhibitors And Nanopulse Stimulation Synergistically Impedes Hepatocellular Carcinoma And Breast Cancer Growth In Mice, Christiana Dimitropoulou, Gagan Thangjam, Brittany P. Lassiter, Teresa Hooker, Ruben M. L. Colunga Biancatelli, John D. Catravas, Stephen J. Beebe

Bioelectrics Publications

Nanopulse Stimulation (NPS) represents a promising and innovative therapeutic approach to cancer. Heat shock protein 90 Inhibitors (HI), on the other hand, are currently under investigation in multi-drug chemotherapy trials for various types of malignancies. Here we present results of a combination therapy employing two HSP90 inhibitors (AUY-922 or 17-AAG) and NPS to ablate cancer growth. We firstly tested the inhibitors alone or in combination with NPS in vitro in N1S1 cells, and then into two models of orthotopic Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) and 4T1-Luc breast cancer. NPS + HI reduced tumor growth more than the sum of HI and NPS …

Targeting Ptp4a3 And Kvx-053 Mitigates Alcohol-Amplified Sars-Cov-2 Spike Protein-Induced Acute Lung Injury, Pavel A. Solopov, Ruben Manuel Luciano Colunga Biancatelli, Elizabeth R. Sharlow, John S. Lazo, John D. Catavas

Bioelectrics Publications

Introduction: Chronic alcohol exposure is associated with increased vulnerability to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and emerging evidence suggests that this susceptibility extends to the severe respiratory manifestations of COVID- 19. The SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein S1 subunit (S1SP) can independently trigger robust inflammatory and vascular injury responses in the lung, and our prior work demonstrated that chronic alcohol consumption markedly intensifies these effects in mice. PTP4A3 phosphatase is a key regulator of inflammation and endothelial barrier function. In this study, we investigated whether the PTP4A3 inhibitor KVX-053 can counteract alcohol-enhanced S1SP-induced lung injury in K18-hACE2 mice.

Methods: Animals were maintained …

Synergistic Sensitization Of Pancreatic Cancer Cells By Nanosecond Pulsed Electric Fields And Cold Atmospheric Plasma Via Amplifying Ros And Apoptotic Signaling, Zobia Minhas, Edwin A. Oshin, Lifang Yang, Chunqi Jiang, Siqi Guo

Bioelectrics Publications

Pancreatic cancer remains a highly lethal malignancy, with standard therapies offering limited benefits in advanced stages; thus, novel strategies that exploit specific cancer cell vulnerabilities are urgently needed. Building on our previous findings that nanosecond pulsed electric fields (nsPEF) combined with cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) produce enhanced cytotoxicity, this study investigates the molecular mechanisms underlying this synergy. Pan02 pancreatic cancer cells were subjected to nsPEF, CAP, or a combination of both. We assessed cell viability, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and mitochondrial integrity using metabolic assays, flow cytometry, and fluorescence microscopy. Apoptotic markers were evaluated via Western blotting and caspase …

Nanosecond Electric Pulses As A Novel In Situ Vaccination Strategy For Cancer Treatment: Mechanisms, Challenges And Prospects, Siqi Guo

Bioelectrics Publications

Nanosecond electric pulses (nsEPs) are an emerging pulsed-power technology with unique bioelectric characteristics distinct from conventional long-pulse electroporation. As a tunable physical modality, nsEPs can modulate intracellular structures, membrane dynamics, and signaling pathways. Increasing evidence supports nsEPs as a promising non-thermal tumor ablation approach due to their high spatial precision, preservation of critical tissue structures, and minimal adverse effects. One of the most significant discoveries associated with nsEP tumor ablation is the induction of potent systemic antitumor immunity, particularly in situ vaccination (ISV) effects and, in some cases, abscopal effects against distant untreated tumors. Substantial evidence demonstrates that nsEPs can …