Introduction: In 2022, the United States Licensing Medical Examination (USMLE) Step 1 transitioned to pass/fail reporting. In the absence of a scored Step 1, research activity has emerged as key metric for distinguishing applicants in highly competitive specialties. This study examines trends in pre-residency research productivity among matched integrated plastic surgery residents across 3 classes before and after the Step 1 transition. Methods: Five hundred and sixty-one matched residents from graduating residency classes of 2026 (pre-transition), 2028 (pre-transition), and 2030 (post-transition) across 81 integrated plastic surgery programs were identified. Pre-residency research output, including total publications, first-author publications, plastic surgery-related publications, and normalized citation counts, was collected from PubMed. Medical schools were stratified by NIH funding level. Group comparisons were performed using Jonckheere-Terpstra tests, Mann-Whitney U tests, and segmented regression analysis. Results: Median total publications increased from 1.0 to 2.0 to 3.0 across the 3 cohorts (P < .001). Growth in first-author, specialty-related, and citation counts was observed between the first 2 cohorts but plateaued thereafter. The rate of growth in total publications slowed significantly following the Step 1 transition (1.5 vs 0.4 publications/year; P = .014). Citation rates post-Step 1 transition declined among residents who graduated from high NIH-funded medical schools (1.97-1.44; P = .036), but rose among those from lower-funded schools. Conclusion: Following the USMLE Step 1 transition to pass/fail, research output among matched plastic surgery residents continued to increase but at a slower rate than in prior years. This observed rise in research productivity appears to be the continuation of a pre-existing trend, rather than a consequence of the Step 1 transition.

Objective:Cannabidiol (CBD) is one of the most prominent non-psychotropic cannabinoids with known therapeutic potentials. Based on its anti-seizure efficacy, the first cannabis derived pharmaceutical grade CBD-based medication was approved in the USA in 2018 for the treatment of seizures in patients 2 years and older. Despite the effectiveness in reducing seizures, there remain several major questions on the optimization of CBD therapy for epilepsy such as the optimal dosage, composition, and route of delivery, which are the main objective of this current study. Methods:We evaluated the antiseizure effects of CBD through different compositions, routes of delivery, and dosages in a pre-clinical model. We used a kainic acid-induced epilepsy model in C57BL/6 mice, treated them with placebo and/or CBD through inhalation, oral, and injection (intraperitoneal) routes. We used CBD broad spectrum (inhaled and intraperitoneal) vs CBD isolate formulations. We employed the Racine scaling system to evaluate the severity of the seizures, flow cytometry for measuring immune biomarkers and neurotrophic factors, and histologic analysis to examine and compare the groups. Results:Our findings showed that all forms of CBD reduced seizures severity. Among the combination of CBD tested, CBD broad spectrum via inhalation was the most effective in the treatment of epileptic seizures (p < 0.05) compared to other forms of CBD treatments. Conclusion:Our data suggest that route and CBD formulations affect its efficacy in the prevention of epileptic seizures. Inhaled broad spectrum CBD showed a potential superior effect compared to other delivery routes and CBD formulations in the prevention of epileptic seizures, which warrants further research.

Oral cancer is the most common malignancy of the oral cavity and facial region, affecting the mucosal and epithelial surfaces in the mouth and lips. Unfortunately, OC is often associated with a high mortality rate and limited treatment options for patients. Herein, we used in silico analysis and in vitro assays to investigate the impact of the Sigma-1 receptor (SIGMAR1) in OC progression by evaluating mitochondrial function, calcium signaling and clonogenic growth. First, the data from the TCGA pan-cancer analysis revealed that SIGMAR1 was overexpressed in OC versus healthy tissue and related to a worse survival rate. Furthermore, we demonstrated that SIGMAR1 silencing led to an increase in mitochondrial membrane potential, a reduction in cellular ATP levels, inhibition of Ca²⁺ influx, and a significant decrease in the clonogenic growth of OC cells. Based on these findings, we suggest that SIGMAR1 may influence mitochondrial membrane potential and energy production by modulating Ca2+ uptake, which is critically important to cellular survival. In addition, SIGMAR1 knockdown may offer a potential strategy to be further explored as treatment for OC.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) has traditionally been associated with amyloid-β plaques, but growing evidence underscores the role of neuroinflammation in disease progression. The autoinflammatory hypothesis of AD suggests chronic immune dysfunction contributes to neuronal damage, making immune modulation a promising therapeutic strategy. Cannabidiol (CBD), a phytocannabinoid with anti-inflammatory properties, may offer therapeutic potential. This study investigates how CBD independently influences two key neuroinflammatory regulators in AD: the indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) pathway and the cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS) pathway. Though mechanistically distinct, both shape CNS immune responses. Targeting these immune-metabolic axes provides a mechanistic alternative to amyloid- or tau-based approaches by addressing upstream drivers of neuroinflammation and immune dysregulation. Using the male 5XFAD transgenic AD mouse model, we administered CBD via inhalation and assessed IDO and cGAS expression using flow cytometry, immunofluorescence (IF), and gene expression analysis. We evaluated cytokine levels and used STRING-based bioinformatics to identify CBD-target interactions. CBD treatment significantly reduced IDO and cGAS expression, correlating with decreased proinflammatory cytokines, including TNF-α, IL-1β, and IFN-γ. Bioinformatics identified potential interactions between CBD and immune targets such as AKT1, TRPV1, and GPR55. These targets were prioritized based on their roles in neuroinflammatory signaling and high-confidence interactions with CBD. AKT1 regulates inflammatory signaling and cell survival, TRPV1 modulates nociception and neuroinflammation, and GPR55 influences immune cell activation. These findings support CBD as a potential monotherapy or adjunctive treatment for AD by targeting distinct neuroinflammatory pathways, including IDO and cGAS. Further studies are warranted to fully explore its therapeutic potential.

Nicotine pouches are increasingly popular as a smokeless alternative to tobacco, yet their long-term neurological effects remain poorly understood. In this preclinical study, we investigated the time-dependent impact of oral nicotine pouch exposure on seizure susceptibility, glymphatic function, and neuroinflammation in mice, and evaluated the therapeutic potential of inhaled cannabidiol (CBD). Using the Racine scale, we found that acute nicotine exposure transiently reduced seizure severity, while chronic exposure significantly exacerbated seizures and impaired glymphatic integrity, as evidenced by downregulation of aquaporin-4 (AQP4). Chronic nicotine also elevated circulating levels of HMGB1 and IL-6, indicating sustained systemic inflammation. Notably, inhaled CBD reversed these pathological changes, reducing seizure severity, restoring AQP4 expression, and normalizing inflammatory markers. Molecular analyses further revealed upregulation of BDNF and c-FOS with chronic nicotine exposure, which was also mitigated by CBD. In conclusion, these findings suggest that while nicotine pouches may confer short-term neurophysiological modulation, chronic use poses significant risks for seizure vulnerability and glymphatic dysfunction. Inhaled CBD demonstrates strong neuroprotective potential and may serve as a promising therapeutic approach for individuals exposed to prolonged nicotine use. Highlights ### Competing Interest Statement (1) Lei Phillip Wang, Babak Baban, and Jack Yu are members of Medicinal Cannabis of Georgia. (2) All other authors declare no conflict of interest. (3)Thriftmaster Holding Group (THG) is the provider of CBD inhalers and has a licensing contract with Augusta University. (4) THG had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. Dental College of Georgia

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common form of malignant primary brain tumor with a high mortality rate. The aim of the present study was to investigate the clinical significance of Family with Sequence Similarity 3, Member C, FAM3C, in GBM using bioinformatic-integrated analysis. First, we performed the transcriptomic integration analysis to assess the expression profile of FAM3C in GBM using several data sets (RNA-sequencing and scRNA-sequencing), which were obtained from TCGA and GEO databases. By using the STRING platform, we investigated FAM3C-coregulated genes to construct the protein-protein interaction network. Next, Metascape, Enrichr, and CIBERSORT databases were used. We found FAM3C high expression in GBM with poor survival rates. Further, we observed, via FAM3C coexpression network analysis, that FAM3C plays key roles in several hallmarks of cancer. Surprisingly, we also highlighted five FAM3C‑coregulated genes overexpressed in GBM. Specifically, we demonstrated the association between the high expression of FAM3C and the abundance of the different immune cells, which may markedly worsen GBM prognosis. For the first time, our findings suggest that FAM3C not only can be a new emerging biomarker with promising therapeutic values to GBM patients but also gave a new insight into a potential resource for future GBM studies.

Introduction Fentanyl and non-pharmaceutical fentanyl use have been the leading causes of opioid-induced death worldwide. Being 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine, fentanyl is a potent opioid with overdoses causing over 250,000 deaths since 2018 in the US alone. The treatment of fentanyl addiction is a complex process and a clinical challenge. There is a dire need to find other innovative and alternative modalities in the fight against fentanyl crisis. Increasing evidence suggests a correlation between neuroinflammation and symptoms of drug abuse, opening up the possibility of immunoregulatory agents as therapy for fentanyl addiction as well as a other opioid-induced addiction. Cannabidiol (CBD) is a non-opioid, relatively safe, non-psychoactive phyto-cannabinoid produced by cannabis plants. Importantly, recent reports have documented benefits of CBD in the treatment and management of complications related to opioid withdrawal. We investigated if inhaled CBD could reverse the fentanyl addiction and whether the CBD treatment could ameliorate the addiction symptoms by regulating neuroinflammatory signals and re-establishing the homeostasis in CNS. Method We used a fentanyl-induced conditioned place preference (CPP) model in mouse to test whether inhaled CBD could reverse the fentanyl addiction and ameliorate the adversarial symptoms. By employing a combination of flow cytometry as well as behavioral tests, we further assessed the impact of fentanyl addiction on cells and neuroinflammatory signals in CNS and we measured the effects of CBD in the treatment of addiction symptoms and inflammatory signals. Results Our findings suggest that CBD inhalation could be used effectively in the treatment of fentanyl addiction. CBD mitigated the excessive fentanyl-induced neuroinflammatory responses and decreased cellular stress and senescence. Conclusion inhaled CBD could alleviate the fentanyl addiction and regulate neuroinflammatory responses. This novel approach is non-invasive, accessible, effective, and warrants further, translational and research. ### Competing Interest Statement Declaration of Competing Interest: 1- Lei Phillip Wang, Babak Baban, and Jack Yu are members of Medicinal Cannabis of Georgia with no financial interest. 2- All other authors declare no conflict of interest. 3- Thriftmaster Holding Group (THG) is the provider of CBD inhalers and has a licensing contract with Augusta University. 4- THG and its members had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. * CPP : Conditioned Place Preference CBD : Cannabidiol CNS : Central Nervous System MAT : Medication-assisted treatment EPM : Elevated Plus Maze BBB : Blood Brain-Barrier; TIAR-1 : T-cell intracellular antigen 1-related (TIAR-1) protein.

Cutaneous wounds, both acute and chronic, begin with loss of the integrity, and thus barrier function, of the skin. Surgery and trauma produce acute wounds. There are 22 million surgical procedures per year in the United States alone, based on data from the American College of Surgeons, resulting in a prevalence of 6.67%. Acute traumatic wounds requiring repair total 8 million per year, 2.42% or 24.2 per 1000. The cost of wound care is increasing; it approached USD 100 billion for just Medicare in 2018. This burden for wound care will continue to rise with population aging, the increase in metabolic syndrome, and more elective surgeries. To heal a wound, an orchestrated, evolutionarily conserved, and complex series of events involving cellular and molecular agents at the local and systemic levels are necessary. The principal factors of this important function include elements from the neurological, cardiovascular, immune, nutritional, and endocrine systems. The objectives of this review are to provide clinicians engaged in wound care and basic science researchers interested in wound healing with an updated synopsis from recent publications. We also present data from our primary investigations, testing the hypothesis that cannabidiol can alter cutaneous wound healing and documenting their effects in wild type (C57/BL6) and db/db mice (Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, T2DM). The focus is on the potential roles of the endocannabinoid system, cannabidiol, and the important immune-regulatory wound cytokine IL-33, a member of the IL-1 family, and connective tissue growth factor, CTGF, due to their roles in both normal and abnormal wound healing. We found an initial delay in the rate of wound closure in B6 mice with CBD, but this difference disappeared with time. CBD decreased IL-33 + cells in B6 by 70% while nearly increasing CTGF + cells in db/db mice by two folds from 18.6% to 38.8% (p < 0.05) using a dorsal wound model. We review the current literature on normal and abnormal wound healing, and document effects of CBD in B6 and db/db dorsal cutaneous wounds. CBD may have some beneficial effects in diabetic wounds. We applied 6–mm circular punch to create standard size full-thickness dorsal wounds in B6 and db/db mice. The experimental group received CBD while the control group got only vehicle. The outcome measures were rate of wound closure, wound cells expressing IL-33 and CTGF, and ILC profiles. In B6, the initial rate of wound closure was slower but there was no delay in the time to final closure, and cells expressing IL-33 was significantly reduced. CTGF + cells were higher in db/bd wounds treated with CBD. These data support the potential use of CBD to improve diabetic cutaneous wound healing.

Hair is a biofilament with unique multi-dimensional values. In human, in addition to physiologic impacts, hair loss and hair related disorders can affect characteristic features, emotions, and social behaviors. Despite significant advancement, there is a dire need to explore alternative novel therapies with higher efficacy, less side effects and lower cost to promote hair growth to treat hair deficiency. Glucocorticoid-induced leucine zipper (GILZ) is a protein rapidly induced by glucocorticoids. Studies from our group and many others have suggested that a synthetic form of GILZ, TAT-GILZ, a fusion peptide of trans-activator of transcription and GILZ, can function as a potent regulator of inflammatory responses, re-establishing and maintaining the homeostasis. In this study, we investigate whether TAT-GILZ could promote and contribute to hair growth. For our pre-clinical model, we used 9-12 week-old male BALB/c and nude (athymic, nu/J) mice. We applied TAT-GILZ and/or TAT (vehicle) intradermally to depilated/hairless mice. Direct observation, histological examination, and Immunofluorescence imaging were used to assess the effects and compare different treatments. In addition, we tested two current treatment for hair loss/growth, finasteride and minoxidil, for optimal evaluation of TAT-GILZ in a comparative fashion. Our results showed, for the first time, that synthetic TAT-GILZ peptide accelerated hair growth on depilated dorsal skin of BALB/c and induced hair on the skin of athymic mice where hair growth was not expected. In addition, TAT-GILZ was able to enhance hair follicle stem cells and re-established the homeostasis by increasing counter inflammatory signals including higher regulatory T cells and glucocorticoid receptors. In conclusion, our novel findings suggest that reprofiling synthetic TAT-GILZ peptide could promote hair growth by increasing hair follicle stem cells and re-establishing homeostasis.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a challenging medical issue that requires efficacious treatment options to improve long-term quality of life. Cannabidiol (CBD) is a cannabis-derived phytocannabinoid with potential health benefits, including reports from our laboratory and others showing a therapeutic role in the pre-clinical treatment of AD; however, the mechanisms whereby CBD affects AD progression remain undefined. Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) are recently discovered immune cells that initiate and orchestrate inflammatory responses. ILC2, a sub-class of ILCs, is proposed to have a role in cognitive function via unknown mechanisms. In this present study, we explored whether CBD ameliorates AD symptoms via the enhancement of acetylcholine (ACh), a cholinergic neurotransmitter involved in cognition that may regulate ILC2. 5xFAD mice were chronically treated by inhalation of a formulation of broad-spectrum CBD for seven months. ACh production, ILC2s profile, brain histopathology, and long-term behavior were assessed. Together, our studies showed that long-term inhalation of CBD improved cognitive function and reduced senile plaques in a murine AD model, effects that were associated with enhanced ACh production and altered ILC2s distribution within the CNS. These findings indicate that inhaled CBD could offer a cost-effective, non-invasive, and effective treatment for managing AD. The beneficial effects of CBD inhalation may be linked to increased ACh production and an altered distribution of ILC2s, highlighting the need for further research in this area.

After decades of quality improvement efforts, surgical site infections and abnormal wound healing remain intermittent complications in surgery. In both cases, the complication and abnormality may be superficial, restricted to the skin, or deeper within the tissue. The synthesis of connective tissue proteins, critical for structural support as part of the extracellular matrix, is under the control of multiple genes, forming a complex adaptive network. We report an unusual case of delayed and abnormal wound healing with chronic infection in a 16-year-old patient following surgery for scoliosis. Skin patch test showed that he is allergic to cobalt, a component of fixation hardware used in his surgery. He underwent evaluation by clinical genetics with whole exome sequencing (WES) which showed two (maternally and paternally inherited) variants in the TNXB ( Tenasin XB) gene. These two variants are variants of uncertain significance (VUS). TNXB encodes tenascin-XB which is an extracellular matrix glycoprotein located primarily in the basement membrane. Autosomal recessive pathogenic and likely pathogenic variants in TNXB cause TNXB-related classical-like Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. At present, there are no causal linkages of these VUSs in TNXB to abnormal wound healing. However, as WES becomes more affordable, its use will increase and therefore it is important that we start to document such associations.

Diabetes continues to challenge healthcare system as one of the most growing epidemics with staggering economic burden. It is estimated that 783 million by 2045 will live with diabetes worldwide, 90% of those cases are type 2 diabetes (T2D). T2D is a multifaceted disease, its treatment requires a holistic approach, beyond single target medications with high efficacy. There is a dire need to explore and invent new and effective therapeutic modalities for T2D. In this study we tested whether a combined formulation of cannabidiol (CBD) and probiotics could control glycemic indices and alleviate symptoms of T2D. We used a mouse model of T2D, replaced their drinking water with a combination of CBD and probiotics formulated as a commercially available beverage. Our findings demonstrated that combination of CBD and probiotics not only reduced the glycemic indices (HbA1c & FBG), but also altered the microbiome profile, promoted beneficial bacteria. Further, the CBD/probiotic combination reduced peripheral inflammatory cytokines and enhanced insulin production in pancreatic islets. In conclusion, our results suggest that consumption of combined CBD and probiotics could be used as a natural, practical, affordable, and safe alternative and complementary therapeutic modality to treat T2D. ### Competing Interest Statement Declaration of Competing Interest: 1- Lei P Wang, Babak Baban, and Jack Yu are members of Medicinal Cannabis of Georgia with no financial interest. 2- Babak Baban is affiliated with Hydro One beverages. 3- All other authors declare no conflict of interest. 4- Hydro One beverages is the provider of CANABIX beverage. * CBD : Cannabidiol FBG : Fasting Blood Glucose GLP-1 : Glucagon-like peptide 1 HbA1c : Hemoglobin-A1c HOMA-IR : Homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance IL-17 : Interleukin-17 THC : Tetrahydrocannabinol TNFα : Tumor necrosis factor alpha T2D : Type 2 Diabetes UMAP : Uniform Manifold Approximation and Projection.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a challenging medical issue that requires efficacious treatment options to improve long-term quality of life. Cannabidiol (CBD) is a cannabis-derived phytocannabinoid with potential health benefits, including reports from our laboratory and others showing a therapeutic role in the pre-clinical treatment of AD; however, the mechanisms whereby CBD affects AD progression remain undefined. Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) are recently discovered immune cells that initiate and orchestrate inflammatory responses. ILC2, a sub-class of ILCs, is proposed to have a role in cognitive function via unknown mechanisms. In this present study, we explored whether CBD ameliorates AD symptoms via the enhancement of acetylcholine (ACh), a cholinergic neurotransmitter involved in cognition that may regulate ILC2. 5xFAD mice were chronically treated by inhalation of a formulation of broad-spectrum CBD for seven months. ACh production, ILC2s profile, brain histopathology, and long-term behavior were assessed. Together, our studies showed that long-term inhalation of CBD improved cognitive function and reduced senile plaques in a murine AD model, effects that were associated with enhanced ACh production and altered ILC2s distribution within the CNS. These findings indicate that inhaled CBD could offer a cost-effective, non-invasive, and effective treatment for managing AD. The beneficial effects of CBD inhalation may be linked to increased ACh production and an altered distribution of ILC2s, highlighting the need for further research in this area.

Introduction: We seek to evaluate the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on pediatric craniomaxillofacial surgeries for cleft lip and/or palate. These surgeries are carefully timed for optimal outcomes, but the pandemic necessitated postponement or cancellation of elective procedures. Our study quantifies the decline in cases and associated charges at a single academic medical center before and after the pandemic. Methods: After receiving Institutional Review Board approval, we analyzed the financial billing data of 83 patients who underwent cleft lip and/or palate repair at an academic medical center. The caseload and charges incurred in the year before the COVID-19 pandemic (March 2019 to February 2020) were compared to the 2 years following the pandemic’s onset (March 2020 to February 2022). Statistical analysis was conducted using paired t-tests and the Wilcoxon signed-rank. Results: In the year following the onset of the pandemic, we observed a significant decrease in the number of cleft lip and/or palate repairs performed per month (from 2.75 to 1.42 per month, P-value .021) and a decrease in per-month charges for these procedures ($13 334.75 to $7237.17 per month, P-value .036). However, when examining data over the 2 years post-COVID, these differences no longer remain statistically significant ( P-value .25 for cases and P-value .32 for charges), indicating a return to pre-COVID baseline. Conclusion: There was a statistically significant decrease in cleft lip/palate repair surgeries in the 12 months following the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Both the caseload and total charges decreased after March 2020, with a subsequent return to baseline after 2 years. These findings emphasize that the pandemic had a transient impact on pediatric craniomaxillofacial surgical volume at our institution. While acknowledging our study’s external validity, we advocate for a nuanced approach, with flexible staffing crucial in facilitating a swift return to normal elective volumes.

Representing 68% of firearm-related injuries, nonfatal firearm injuries cause substantial morbidity and are associated with high costs to patients and the health care system. A retrospective analysis was performed to evaluate 359 adults in the Southeastern United States from 2019 to 2021. IBM SPSS was used for descriptive and parametric statistical analysis. The mean total cost of stay (TCOS) was $36,639.12, length of stay (LOS) was 8.61 days, number of times to the operating room was 1.88, and number of follow-ups was 3.21. Vascular and traumatic brain injuries were associated with higher TCOS and LOS. Vascular injuries were associated with more operating room visits. Bony injuries and non-TBI neurological injuries were associated with more follow-up appointments. In this brief report, we aim to understand the effect injury types have on these factors to help inform trauma protocol development with the goal of decreasing financial burdens.

INTRODUCTION:The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in significant changes to the surgical caseload for various surgery departments across the United States. As medical institutions prioritized resources for the expected increase in patient volumes due to the SARS-CoV-2 viral infection, surgical departments saw a decrease in nonemergent and elective surgical procedures. Reduction mammoplasties, which are largely covered by insurance, are among the elective procedures that provide significant revenue to the hospital. This expected decline in procedures suggests a potential decline in revenue provided by the plastic surgery department of a hospital. The purpose of this study was to analyze the loss of revenue experienced by a single academic medical institution due to changes in breast reduction mammoplasty volumes during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS:Upon institutional review board approval, using the Augusta University Medical Center's Financial Billing Data, 373 patients who underwent bilateral reduction mammoplasty were queried. A time horizon of March 2019 to February 2022 was used to determine the pre- and post-COVID case load and charges that were incurred. Statistical analysis to compare the prior 12 months and after 24 months of COVID was conducted using 2 samples of equal variance t test and F test confirming equal variance. RESULTS:There was a statistically significant increase in the number of reduction mammoplasties performed per month from the year before the onset of COVID-19 (March 2020) to the 2 years after (6.6-11.4 per month, P = 0.0024). There was a statistically significant increase in the per-month charges from the AU Health system for reduction mammoplasties for the same period ($31,780.92-$52,113.34 per month, P = 0.0054). Although there was an increase in per-month revenue from reduction mammoplasties, this increase failed to reach statistical significance ($7,059.95-$10,423.51 per month, P = 0.064). CONCLUSIONS:The plastic surgery department saw a statistically significant increase in reduction mammoplasty cases and subsequent charges in the post-COVID cohort. These findings suggest that the emergence of a nationwide pandemic did not necessarily lead to a decrease in the volume of nonemergent surgical cases despite an expected decrease in caseload due to the need to reallocate hospital resources. On the contrary, there was an increase in caseload suggesting that there may be other factors contributing to patients' pursuance of reduction mammoplasty post-COVID including convenience, resulting from time off due to pandemic, meeting insurance-covered reduction criteria, and projected recovery time.

Glioblastoma (GBM) is an extremely aggressive primary brain tumor with poor prognosis, short survival time post-diagnosis and high recurrence. Currently, no cure for GBM exists. The identification of an effective therapeutic modality for GBM remains a high priority amongst medical professionals and researches. In recent studies, inhalant cannabidiol (CBD) has demonstrated promise in effectively inhibiting GBM tumor growth. However, exactly how CBD treatment affects the physiology of these tumor cells remains unclear. Stress granules (SG) (a sub-class of biomolecular condensates (BMC)) are dynamic, membrane-less intracellular microstructures which contain proteins and nucleic acids. The formation and signaling of SGs and BMCs plays a significant role in regulating malignancies. This study investigates whether inhaled CBD may play an intervening role towards SGs in GBM tumor cells. Integrated bioinformatics approaches were preformed to gain further insights. This includes use of Immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry to measure SGs, as well as expression and phosphorylation of eukaryotic initiation factor-2α (eIF2α). The findings of this study reveal that CBD receptors (and co-regulated genes) have the potential to play an important biological role in the formation of BMCs within GBM. In this experiment, CBD treatment significantly increased the volume of TIAR-1. This increase directly correlated with elevation in both eIF2α expression and p-eIF2α in CBD treated tissues in comparison to the placebo group (p < 0.05). These results suggest that inhalant CBD significantly up-regulated SGs in GBM, and thus support a theory of targeting BMCs as a potential therapeutic substrate for treating GBM.