Chemicals and Drugs Commons^™

Bivalirudin Versus Unfractionated Heparin For Anticoagulation During Ecmo: Systematic Review And Random-Effects Meta-Analysis Of Observational Comparative Studies, Yves Najm Mrad, Snehalkumar Patel

Gulf Coast Division GME Research Day 2026

No abstract provided.

Nitrous Oxide And Hirayama: A Special Case, Sierra Sandler, Natasha Hamilton, Elena Salikhova-Neace, Jeannette Betz, Alexis Taylor

Continental and Mountain Divisions GME Resarch Day 2026

No abstract provided.

Investigation Of Genx Exposure To Pathways Associated With Colorectal Cancer Risk, Emily J. Ferguson

Theses and Dissertations--Toxicology and Cancer Biology

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent environmental contaminants widely detected in drinking water and food sources, resulting in chronic human exposure. Among these compounds, hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HFPO-DA), commonly known as GenX, has been introduced as a short-chain replacement for legacy PFAS such as perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). Although GenX is believed to be a safer alternative, emerging research suggests it can still affect human health.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States, highlighting the need to better understand environmental …

Long Acting Beta2-Adrenergic Receptor Agonists Reverse Diabetic Nephropathy And Liver Steatosis In Murine Models Of Diabetes And Are Associated With Protection In Retrospective Human Studies, Brennan Winkler

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

Diabetes Mellitus (DM) affects 13.9% of men and 14.3% of women worldwide, a total of approximately 828 million people. Patients with diabetes are at risk of several complications including diabetic nephropathy (DN) and metabolic-associated steatohepatitis (MASH). These diseases eventually lead to end stage kidney disease (ESKD) and liver failure requiring dialysis and organ transplantation. In addition, diabetes exacerbates disease severity of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD), the most common potentially lethal genetic disease to affect humans with a prevalence of 1 in 500-1000. Therefore, a therapeutic approach that can attenuate organ damage and restore function in patients with DM, …

Antagonistic Effects Of Glucagon And Insulin On 5-Fluorouracil Efficacy In Colorectal Cancer, Gabriel M. Randolph, Andrea Florian

SPARK Symposium Presentations

Prior research on the combined effects of insulin and glucagon with low-dose chemotherapy in cancer treatment has yielded contradictory conclusions. Insulin potentiation therapy (IPT), a longstanding but understudied approach, is broadly claimed to enhance chemotherapeutic efficacy; however, it has also been characterized as pseudoscience lacking physiological merit. Adding further complexity, glucagon, insulin's antagonist hormone, has been shown to produce anti-cancer effects when combined with chemotherapeutic agents. The present study aims to observe the individual effects of both hormones on colorectal cancer cells in combination with 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU), to clarify their respective roles in combination therapy. Through the modulation of both …

From Fog To Function: An Occupational Therapist's Guide To Evaluating And Treating Cancer-Related Cognitive Impairments, Lauren E. Toner

Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Doctorate - Doctoral Capstone Symposium

Cancer – related cognitive impairment (CRCI) is a common side effect of cancer treatment that interferes with cancer survivors’ occupational performance, independence, and quality of life. Despite its high prevalence, CRCI remains under recognized and inconsistently addressed within oncology care. About 70% of individuals diagnosed with cancer report cognitive changes during or after treatment, yet many do not receive treatment. Occupational therapists are clinically trained to evaluate and treat functional cognition, activities of daily activities, instrumental activities of daily living, and client centered goals, positioning them as key providers in addressing CRCI. However, limited occupational therapy specific resources have hindered …

Sexually Dimorphic Effects Of Gpnmb Modulation On Vertebral Bone Mass Regulation And Intravertebral Disc Health, Hakem Altawil, Fayez Safadi

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Osteoporosis and vertebral degeneration are major contributors to musculoskeletal morbidity, yet the molecular mechanisms regulating vertebral bone and intervertebral disc (IVD) homeostasis remain incompletely understood. GPNMB (osteoactivin) has been identified as a regulator of bone remodeling, though its role in spine health is unclear. This study evaluated the effects of GPNMB deficiency on lumbar vertebral bone microarchitecture and IVD integrity in a sex-dependent context.

Six-month-old male and female wild-type (WT) and GPNMB knockout (KO) mice were analyzed using micro–computed tomography (µCT) of lumbar vertebrae (L4–L6) and histological assessment of the L5–L6 IVD. KO males exhibited increased bone volume fraction, bone …

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 …

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 …

The Impact Of A Vancomycin Intervention On Vancomycin-Associated Nephrotoxicity In Children: A Quality Improvement Initiative, Megan R. Nettleton, Hwi Eun Mary Shim, Joanne Abbotsford, Zoy Goff, Briony Hazelton, Matthew O'Brien, Tenielle Porter, Thomas Snelling, Daniel K. Yeoh, Asha C. Bowen, Christopher C. Blyth, Anita J. Campbell

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Vancomycin is first-line treatment for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections. However, despite guideline recommendations, there is no evidence that targeting vancomycin trough concentrations of ≥15 mg/L in children confers clinical benefit and is associated with vancomycin-associated nephrotoxicity (VAN). Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of a vancomycin safety bundle on VAN and vancomycin utilisation in hospitalised paediatric inpatients. Method: A pre–post-intervention study was conducted in a tertiary paediatric hospital comparing January–December 2018 (pre-intervention) to May 2019–April 2020 (post-intervention). Hospitalised children, aged 30 days to <18 years, that received intravenous vancomycin with at least one trough concentration were included. The intervention bundle comprised: (1) lowered empiric vancomycin trough targets (5–15 mg/L), (2) enhanced creatinine monitoring (concomitant serum creatinine with vancomycin trough), (3) guideline modification (reduced pre-authorised indications for empiric vancomycin use), and (4) prescriber education initiatives. Ethical approval was granted by the WA Child and Adolescent Health Service Research Ethics Committee, Governance Evidence Knowledge Outcomes Program (Reference no: 41830) and the study conforms with the National Health and Medical Research Council's Ethical considerations in quality assistance and evaluation activities. Results: A total of 314 vancomycin prescriptions were analysed (n = 204 pre-intervention; n = 110 post-intervention). Post-intervention, VAN incidence decreased almost twofold from 0.46 to 0.25 episodes per 1000 patient bed days (p ≤ 0.01), and vancomycin prescription days decreased by 19%. Total hospital drug costs for vancomycin decreased by AUD $16 033. Overall, and for paediatric invasive MRSA, no significant difference in clinical outcomes or 30-day mortality was observed between study periods. Conclusion: This study demonstrated the implementation of a vancomycin safety bundle significantly reduced paediatric VAN and vancomycin utilisation without compromising clinical outcomes. These data support antimicrobial stewardship interventions to improve medication safety for children.

Glycomedicine: Unveiling The Paracentral Dogma, Wei Wang, Gordan Lauc

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

No abstract provided.

Intravenous Infusion Of Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide (Nad+) Versus Nicotinamide Riboside (Nr): A Retrospective Tolerability Pilot Study In A Real-World Setting, Kirsten Reyna, Greer Heinzen, Nikita Patel, Marie Ritter, Alexandra Siojo, Henry Legere, Rachele Pojednic

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD⁺) is a cofactor for NAD⁺-dependent enzymes that regulate DNA repair, cellular metabolism, and immune function. Supplementation with NAD⁺ and its precursors is commonly used to prevent age-related disease and extend healthspan. Commercial clinical and wellness settings increasingly provide intravenous (IV) NAD⁺ and nicotinamide riboside (NR) despite limited evaluation of safety and effectiveness. These considerations are important, as NAD⁺ and its precursors differ in reported side effects, cellular uptake, and metabolism. This study sought to compare commercially administered NAD⁺ IV and NR IV in humans by evaluating infusion …

Outcomes Of Diuretic Augmentation Strategies In Patients With Serum Creatinine Increases In Acute Decompensated Heart Failure, Kevyn Niu, Zahir Moussa, Scott Kubomoto

West Florida Division GME Research Day 2026

No abstract provided.

Toxicity Following Antiemetic Ingestions Reported To The Toxicology Investigators Consortium Core Registry, Jacob Fisher, Spencer Greene, Sharan Campleman

Gulf Coast Division GME Research Day 2026

No abstract provided.

Investigating The Role Of Humic Acid In The Adsorption Mechanics Of Acetaminophen On Potassium Persulfate-Aged Polyethylene Terephthalate (Pet), Andrew Littleton, Maria Danielle Garrett, Phd

SPARK Symposium Presentations

Pharmaceutical contaminants such as acetaminophen (APAP) are showing a rising presence in aquatic environments, where their interactions with microplastics (MPs) can potentially modulate natural degradation mechanisms. Concurrent presence of the two substances has been shown to potentiate increase their individual harmful effects. This study investigates whether oxidative aging and humic-acid surface modification of PET microplastics influence APAP adsorption.

In this study, UV-aging was reproduced using an iron (II)-activated potassium persulfate (Fe(II)-KPS) oxidation system. Aqueous dissolved organic matter (DOM) is simulated using multi-hour exposure to humic acid. The MPs are then removed from the solution to examine adsorption mechanisms. While most …

Assessment Of Doxorubicin And Etoposide Effects On Cardiotoxicity Using Daphnia Magna As A Model Organism​, Jacob P. Bealle, Andrea Florian

SPARK Symposium Presentations

Chemotherapeutic agents such as doxorubicin and etoposide are widely used in cancer treatment but are known to produce cardiotoxic side effects that can limit their clinical use. Doxorubicin has been strongly associated with dose-dependent cardiac damage, and etoposide has also been reported to produce cardiotoxic effects although the cardiotoxic effects of etoposide are not as well studied. Daphnia magna is a useful model organism for cardiotoxicity studies because its transparent body allows direct observation of heart rate and provides a living system for detecting physiological responses to exposure. The purpose of this study was to investigate the cardiotoxic effects of …

Potential Environmental Triggers Of Goodpasture's Disease And The Role Of The Sulfimine Crosslink, Colton S. Miller, Andrea Florian, Elena Pokidysheva

SPARK Symposium Presentations

Goodpasture’s syndrome (GP) is an autoimmune disorder that primarily affects kidneys and lungs. The main issue for patients with Goodpasture's syndrome is the binding of autoantibodies to the glomerular basement membrane (GBM), which hinders the filtration of blood. A key characteristic of Goodpasture's syndrome is the presence of autoantibodies that target the NC1 domain of the α345 isoform of type IV collagen, a crucial component of the GBM that provides structural support and is critical for filtration function. Sulfilimine bonds crosslink the collagen IV NC1 hexamers, contributing to the stabilization of these structures. A recent clinical case of recurring Goodpasture's …

Repurposing Of Fda-Approved Drugs Identifies Glipizide As A Potent Hmg-Coa Reductase Inhibitor: A High-Throughput Virtual Screening And Molecular Dynamics Approach For Targeting Hypercholesterolemia, Parvej Ahmad, Eswara N. Hanuma Kumar Ghali, Sahir S. Alvi

School of Medicine Publications

Purpose:

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) is one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide. Several inhibitors of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase (HMG-R), the key hepatic cholesterogenic enzyme, are prescribed to treat hypercholesterolemia and ASCVD. Statins, the established HMG-R inhibitors, exhibit promising cholesterol-lowering effects; however, their long-term use has prompted significant concerns, necessitating the search for additional therapeutic candidates with strong HMG-R inhibitory activity. Therefore, this study aims to find potential HMG-R inhibitor/s that may help reduce excess cholesterol levels via targeting HMG-R activity.

Methods: In this study, 1285 FDA-approved small molecules were assessed for their HMG-R inhibitory potential using …

Dose-Dependent Developmental Toxicity Of Cisplatin In Zebrafish Embryos, Reagan D. Sellers, Katherine T. Doucet, Jinhee Park, Andrea Florian

SPARK Symposium Presentations

Cisplatin is a widely used chemotherapy drug for treating various types of cancer. Although cisplatin is effective in killing cancer, it can also cause toxic side effects in normal tissues. Because cisplatin can cross the placental barrier, its use during pregnancy is generally avoided, particularly during early embryonic stages of fetal development. Exposure to cytotoxic drugs during embryogenesis may lead to developmental abnormalities, birth defects, or pregnancy complications. Understanding how cisplatin affects early development is therefore important.          
       Zebrafish (Danio rerio) are an established model for studying developmental toxicity due to their rapid external development, transparent embryos, and genetic similarity to …

Tezepelumab's Effects On Patient-Reported Symptoms In Severe Asthma, Overall And With History Of Comorbid Chronic Rhinosinusitis With Nasal Polyps (Crswnp), Njira L. Lugogo, Joseph K. Han, Anju T. Peters, Stella E. Lee, Monica Kraft, Mary Kay Margolis, Sonia F. Shenoy, Nicole Martin, Shradha Chandarana, Christopher S. Ambrose

Department of Otolaryngology (ENT) Faculty Publications

Background

Tezepelumab (an anti-thymic stromal lymphopoietin monoclonal antibody) treatment resulted in reduced exacerbations and improved sino-nasal symptoms and health-related quality of life in patients with severe uncontrolled asthma (SUA) and chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) in the NAVIGATOR study.

Objective

To evaluate the effect of tezepelumab versus placebo on sleep disturbances, activity levels, and physical exertion tolerance in NAVIGATOR patients with SUA overall and in those with past medical history of comorbid CRSwNP.

Methods

Patients (12-80 years old) with SUA were randomized to receive tezepelumab 210 mg or placebo subcutaneously every 4 weeks for 52 weeks. Patient responses to …