ECM Stiffness-Induced Redox Signaling Enhances Stearoyl Gemcitabine Efficacy in Pancreatic Cancer.

Background: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains one of the most lethal malignancies, largely due to its dense fibrotic stroma that promotes drug resistance and tumor progression. While patient-derived organoids (PDOs) have emerged as promising tools for modeling PDAC and evaluating therapeutic responses, the current PDO models grown in soft matrices fail to replicate the tumor's stiff extracellular matrix (ECM), limiting their predictive value for advanced disease.

Methods: We developed a biomimetic model using gelatin-based matrices of varying stiffness, achieved through modulated transglutaminase crosslinking rates, to better simulate the desmoplastic PDAC microenvironment.

Analysis of Floral Sources of a Local Honey Used in Clinical Treatment of Topical Community Acquired Methicillin Resistant .

A study was initiated during the summers of 2015-2019 to characterize the floral and chemical components in a local honey (clinical honey) that was being used in a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved clinical study designed to evaluate effectiveness in controlling topical community acquired methicillin resistant (caMRSA) infections. Floral sources were determined by collecting nectar and pollen from plants visited by bees within the area where the local honey is being produced (Study Area). Pollen characteristics were determined by using both light microscopy (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM).