Morse, Leslie R.

Background: Physical inactivity is highly prevalent among individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI), contributing to secondary health conditions and reduced quality of life (QOL). Objectives: To examine the independent associations between adherence to SCI cardiorespiratory fitness guidelines and health and psychosocial outcomes, while controlling for relevant covariates. Method: We conducted a multisite, cross-sectional study of adults with traumatic SCI stratified by self-reported leisure-time physical activity: no activity (28%), some activity (41%), and met guidelines (26%). Multivariable regression models analyzed associations between physical activity (PA) group and outcomes of hospitalization, self-perceived health, resilience (SCI-QOL Resilience), pain, depression (PHQ-8), QOL (SWLS), and social integration (CHART-SF). Results: The study included 361 participants (no activity, 28%; some activity, 41%; met guidelines, 26%). Meeting PA guidelines was associated with better self-perceived health (odds ratio [OR] 2.79, P < .001) and higher resilience (β = 1.78, P = .04) compared to the No Activity group. However, hospitalization risk was unexpectedly higher for both the Some Activity (risk ratio [RR] 1.93, P = .005) and Met Guidelines (RR 1.75, P = .03) groups. After adjusting for covariates, PA was not significantly associated with pain, depression, QOL, or social integration; instead, higher income was consistently associated with better outcomes in these domains. Conclusion: Adherence to SCI exercise guidelines is associated with enhanced self-perceived health and resilience. However, PA alone was not associated with broader psychosocial outcomes in this model, where socioeconomic factors such as income appeared to play a significant explanatory role.

Abstract Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), one of the most aggressive forms of pancreatic cancer, is associated with poor survival outcomes and currently ranks as the third leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States. Despite its clinical significance, the mechanisms of PDAC development and progression remain, in part, poorly understood. In this study, we provide evidence of a novel role of sorting nexin 10 (SNX10), a member of the sorting nexin family, in the regulation of KRAS-induced pancreatic carcinogenesis. We demonstrate that SNX10 is downregulated in PDAC, especially in advanced cases. Furthermore, mutational analysis revealed SNX10 genetic alterations in PDAC cases. Functional studies demonstrated that SNX10 overexpression in human PDAC cells inhibited cell proliferation and colony formation. Moreover, SNX10 overexpression induced G1-phase cell-cycle arrest and decreased KRAS signaling activity. Using a novel Snx10 knockout mouse crossed with a Kras-driven PDAC model, we observed reduced survival, increased tumor cell proliferation, enhanced aggression, and heightened inflammation. Collectively, these findings highlight SNX10 as a tumor suppressor candidate in PDAC and underscore its promise as a foundation for new therapeutic approaches. Significance: SNX10 plays a crucial role in reducing pancreatic tumorigenesis. This discovery offers valuable insights into PDAC’s biology and the development of new effective treatments.