Digital Commons Network^™

Evaluation Of Drug Use In Inpatient Care: A Retrospective Study At A Tertiary Hospital In Bandung, Indonesia (2024), Aliya Rosyidah Fitrianti, Athoya Delarosa, Husna Muharram Ahadi, Imam Adi Wicaksono, Falerina Puspita

Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacy Research

Rational drug use is a critical component of improving healthcare quality. However, irrational prescribing remains a significant concern, particularly in developing countries like Indonesia. This study evaluates drug use patterns at a Type B hospital in Bandung using WHO standard: average number of drugs per prescription, percentage of generic drugs, antibiotics, injections, and adherence to the National Formulary. A retrospective, descriptive observational method was applied, using 2024 inpatient Drug Use Evaluation (DUE) data. Findings reveal an average of 3.4 drugs per prescription—slightly above the WHO standard (≤ 3.3); 68.4% of prescriptions used generic drugs (meeting the WHO standard ≥ 59%); …

Adherence To Malaria Treatment And Its Associated Factors: A Narrative Review, Lafie Urwatul Wutsqo, Eli Halimah, Sofa Dewi Alfian

Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacy Research

Malaria is an infectious disease that remains a global health concern, particularly in Asia and Africa. The success of malaria medication largely depends on patients' adherence to the prescribed therapeutic regimen. This article aims to identify the level of adherence to malaria treatment and the factors that influence it, based on observational studies. A narrative review was conducted using the PRISMA approach, involving 12 articles published between 2019 - 2023 from various countries. The results indicate that adherence levels vary widely, ranging from 15.6% to 93.31%, depending on respondent characteristics and the intervention strategies implemented. Factors influencing adherence include patient-related …

Patterns Of Adverse Drug Reactions In Tuberculosis Treatment: A Literature Review, Jasmine R. Aisyah, Ivan S. Pradipta, Widya N. Insani

Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacy Research

Tuberculosis (TB) treatment is often interrupted by adverse drug reactions (ADRs). However, few studies have thoroughly examined these ADR patterns in TB treatment, and no research has assessed the prevalence of ADRs in specific organs. This narrative review describes the patterns of ADRs in tuberculosis treatment, including how common each type is and its impact on organs across different countries and populations. A structured narrative literature review was conducted to identify relevant original studies published in PubMed database between 2019 and 2025. The search combined Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) and free-text terms related to ``tuberculosis'' and ``adverse drug reactions''. Eligible …

Balanced Scorecard In Healthcare Facilities: A Ten-Year Review Of Strategies To Improve Organizational Effectiveness, Larasati Tunggadewi, Sofa Dewi Alfian, Auliya A Suwantika

Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacy Research

The Balanced Scorecard (BSC) has increasingly been adopted as a strategic performance management framework within healthcare organizations. Evidence from the past decade shows varied implementation outcomes, shaped by institutional readiness, leadership commitment, and the maturity of health information systems. This narrative review synthesizes findings from 47 scientific articles selected through a systematic screening process, covering studies conducted in hospitals, primary health centers, and pharmacy units in Indonesia, Morocco, Iran, China, and other countries. The studies employed case study and descriptive cross-sectional designs using both quantitative and qualitative approaches. Overall, BSC implementation contributed to improvements in service performance across the financial, …

Exploring Protein-Protein Interactions: A Promising Avenue For Biomarker And Anti-Tb Drug Development, Rajwa Dwifauza Suryanto, Maritsa Widati Aqila Rumawan, Imam Adi Wicaksono

Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacy Research

In 2023, tuberculosis (TB) reached its highest incidence with 8.2 million new cases reported by the World Health Organization (WHO). The virulence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) is strongly governed by protein-protein interactions (PPIs) that regulate essential processes such as cell wall biosynthesis, immune evasion, and persistence. This study aims to map and analyze the mechanisms of key PPIs in MTB using a scoping review approach. Data was retrieved from PubChem and related literature with the keyword ``PPIs Network TB''. Our findings highlight crucial PPI-driven mechanisms, including the role of DprE1/DprE2 in arabinogalactan synthesis, VapB4/VapC4 in stress response and self-toxicity, ESX-1 …

Hyperdynamic Microtubule-Based Structural Changes In Monocyte-Derived-Neuronal-Like Cells From Patients With Schizophrenia, Alfredo Bellon, Alonso Cortez-Resendiz, Lauren N Forrest, Omar Elmarasi, Janani Iyer, Anjali Iyer, Chachrit Khunsriraksakul, Dajiang Liu, L Elliot Hong, Therese M Jay, Marie-Odile Krebs, Anne Hosmalin

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

A consistent postmortem finding in schizophrenia (SCZ) is reduction in dendrites' size. However, neurons with larger dendritic trees have also been encountered. In vitro experiments with neurons and neuronal-like cells coming directly from patients with SCZ showed similar results, evidencing at times more extensions and at others less arborizations. The process of extending and retracting neuronal outgrowths depends on microtubules polymerization and depolymerization. The possibility that microtubule polymerization/depolymerization is related to defects in the neuronal structure comes from several microtubular anomalies reported in SCZ such as its abnormal distribution in the cytoplasm, irregular shape of microtubules and even absence of …

Expanding The Mutation Spectrum Of Non-Syndromic Retinitis Pigmentosa In Consanguineous Pakistani Families: Unraveling Novel Pathogenic Variants In Rp1, Pde6b, And Prcd Genes For Precision Diagnosis, Tayyaba Shan, Nimra Mukhtar, Sayyed Hammad Ullah, Asad Ullah, Asfandyar Ahmad Khan, Yumei Li, Meng Wang, Raeesa Tehreem, Amtul Aziz, Kiran Afshan, Rui Chen, Sabika Firasat

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

The Role Of The Delta Neutrophil Index In Determining The Severity Of Intrahepatic Cholestasis Of Pregnancy, Selçuk Atalay, Melike Çaltekin, Nihal Çallıoğlu, Fırat Ersan, Verda Alpay, Yasin Anasız, Ipek Geyikoğlu

Saudi Medical Journal

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the clinical utility of the delta neutrophil index (DNI) in distinguishing patients with intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) from healthy pregnant women, and to assess its potential role in evaluating disease severity. Methods: This retrospective analysis included data from 249 pregnant women. Among them, 131 were identified with ICP, based on clinical symptoms and total bile acid levels ≥ 10 μ mol/L. The remaining 118 participants served as healthy controls. The ICP cases were categorized into mild (TBA 10–39 μ mol/L; n = 90) and severe (TBA ≥ 40 μ mol/L; n = 41) …

Mental Health In Relation To Parental Absence: A Systematic Review, Mohammed Barry, Abdulaziz Alyahyawi, Heba Jafar Sabbagh

Saudi Medical Journal

Objective: To evaluate the literature based on the relationship between orphaned children and mental health, compared to non-orphaned children. Mental well-being of orphaned children is a profound intricate topic that connects with broader concerns of childcare. This systematic review aims to evaluate the literature regarding the relationship between mental health and parental absence. Methods: We conducted a systematic search of PubMed, MEDLINE, and Science Direct in October 2025, with 1017 screened studies. Six studies met the inclusion criteria. Independent reviewers performed quality assessments using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale (NOS). Subsequently, a meta-analysis was performed when possible. Results: Findings indicate that orphaned …

Exploration Of A Relationship Between The Activities Of Trail And 4’-Trifluoromethoxychalcone., Abigail C. Ernst

Undergraduate Theses

Cancer is the overgrowth of dysregulated or mutated cells that affects 1 in 3 Americans. Chalcones are natural products with many possible derivatives, such as 4’-trifluromethoxychalcone (4TF), developed in Dr. Krzysiak’s lab, which exhibit anticancer activity against cancer cell lines. Tumor Necrosis Factor-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand (TRAIL) is a tumor surveillance cytokine that acts on two receptor types: death receptors and decoy receptors. One way cancer cells can become resistant to TRAIL is by upregulating decoy receptors and/or downregulating death receptors. In this study, MTS assays evaluated the potential relationship between TRAIL and 4TF that sensitizes A549 cells to TRAIL. The …

A Model Based On Dynamic Hematologic Parameters To Predict Short Term Clinical Events In Pediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia ​, Neryal Tahta, Sali̇h Gözmen, Sultan Okur Acar

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) treatment is frequently complicated by infections, emergency visits, and therapy interruptions, yet early prediction of short-term clinical deterioration remains challenging. Traditional prognostic markers rely on static laboratory values, whereas dynamic hematologic fluctuations may provide earlier warning signals. This study presents and internally validates a clinically applicable prediction model based on dynamic hematologic parameters and clinician-documented symptoms for predicting short-term (7-day) clinical events in children with ALL.

Materials and methods: Included in this retrospective study were 44 pediatric ALL patients treated with Berlin-Frankfurt-Münster-based protocols between January 2023 and June 2025. Weekly observation units were created by …

Post-Exposure Prophylaxis For Hiv Among Healthcare Workers In Türkiye: A Descriptive, Multicenter Retrospective Study, Veysel Akca, İlkay Akbulut, Gül Ruhsar Yilmaz, Alper Tahmaz, Nefi̇se Öztoprak Çuvalci, İlknur Esen Yildiz, Mehmet Çabalak, Şeyma Topal, Özgür Günal, Bi̇rcan Kayaaslan, Fatma Eser, Tuba Damar Çakirca, Deni̇z Ölmez, Ali̇ye Baştuğ, Fi̇rdevs Aksoy, Hani̇fe Nur Karakoç Parlayan, Beyza Süllü, Damla Verendağ, Hatun Öztürk Çeri̇k, Mehmet Ali̇ Aşan, Ayhan Akbulut, Gülden Eser Karlidağ, Behi̇ce Kurtaran, Hüsnü Pullukçu, Turhan Togan

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) plays a vital role in preventing transmission among healthcare workers following occupational exposure. Despite its clinical importance, epidemiological data regarding PEP implementation in Türkiye remain scarce. This study aimed to assess PEP practices, prophylactic treatment regimens, and follow-up outcomes among healthcare workers at risk of occupational HIV exposure.

Materials and methods: This retrospective, multicenter study was conducted between January 2020 and December 2024 across 16 healthcare facilities participating in the National HIV/AIDS Working Group. Healthcare workers aged 18 years and older who presented for evaluation following occupational exposure to HIV were …

Comprehensive Profiling Of Gut Microbiota In Postmenopausal Osteoporosis ​, Gülsemi̇n Ertürk Çeli̇k, Sedat Yildiz, Münevver Aksoy Bektaş, Yaprak Engi̇n-Üstün

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: Osteoporosis is a multifactorial skeletal disease that predominantly affects postmenopausal women and is characterized by reduced bone mass and an increased risk of fractures. Growing evidence suggests that the gut microbiota plays a pivotal role in bone metabolism through immunological, endocrine, and metabolic pathways, forming the basis of the so-called gut– bone axis. This study aimed to characterize gut microbiota composition in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis compared with healthy controls.

Materials and methods: Forty postmenopausal women aged 55–65 years were classified into osteoporosis (n = 20) and healthy control (n = 20) groups based on dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry T-scores. …

Tracking Hiv Through Wastewater: Ethical Considerations In Public Health Surveillance, Faith E Fletcher, Olive R Pertuit, Catherine Troisi, Jelani Kerr, Dakotah Kinsella, Grace Elizabeth White, Steven Vargas, Anthony Maresso, Thomas P Giordano

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Ending the HIV epidemic requires timely identification of new HIV infections and promptly linking patients to high-quality care. Innovative methods are needed to capture real-time HIV incidence data to more effectively identify persons in need of HIV care access. Emerging advancements in wastewater surveillance (WWS) offer the potential to identify geographic areas with elevated prevalence of detectable viral loads among people who are undiagnosed or no longer receiving care, enabling more targeted interventions to reduce HIV transmission. The introduction of new public health technologies requires balancing potential risks with the significant clinical and population-level benefits of decreasing the number of …

Development Of A Dendritic Cell Model To Unravel The Secrets Of Cards Toxin, Lizbeth Gomez

Posters - 2026

Dendritic cells (DCs) are derived from hematopoietic stem cells of the bone marrow. They are the most efficient antigen presenting cell, presenting antigens to T cells to initiate clonal expansion and differentiation of the T cells into memory and effector cells. Thus, activating the effector functions of T cells in cell-mediated and humoral immune responses (2). Community-acquired respiratory distress syndrome (CARDS) toxin is produced by Mycoplasma pneumoniae that causes acute and chronic lung infections (4). Dendritic cells play a key role in the immune response to respiratory mycoplasmas (3). However, the mechanism underlying in DC and CARDS toxin interactions are …

Analyzing The Effect Of Melatonin On B Cells' Expression Of Cd36, Caitlyn Pinaga, Gabriella Galdeano, Nayi Gonzalez, Emma Welsch

Posters - 2026

• B cells specifically target pathogens and proliferate to make a plasma cell and secrete antibodies when stimulated. They use glucose as a main energy source but can also use fatty acids. • CD36 is a glycoprotein involved in the transportation and metabolism of fatty acids. • B cells express CD36 in unusually high levels in autoimmune patients. It is unknown as to how this occurs. • Melatonin is a hormone produced in the pineal gland, commonly known for its function in regulating the circadian rhythm. • Melatonin is also known as a master cell regulator and is believed to …

Hyperglycemia And Mycoplasma Pneumoniae Cards Toxin Impacts On Lung Epithelial And Fibroblast Injury And Recovery, Alejandra Y. Delgado, Naila Villagomez, Shuri Magdalene

Posters - 2026

Mycoplasma pneumoniae CARDS toxin induces cytotoxicity and inflammation in lung epithelial cells²·¹⁰·¹¹, while hyperglycemia independently elevates ROS and disrupts fibroblast repair¹·⁵·⁸, contributing to the heightened respiratory infection severity seen in diabetic patients¹. However, the interaction between hyperglycemic conditions and CARDS toxin-induced lung injury remains unexplored.

This study investigates how increasing high-glucose (HG) pre-conditioning modifies CARDS toxin-induced injury and recovery in A549⁶ and IMR-90⁷ cells compared to normal glucose (NG ≈ 5mM) controls. We hypothesized that increasing glucose pre-conditioning concentrations would produce a dose-dependent increase in CARDS toxin-induced oxidative stress¹² and inflammatory cytokine production¹⁵ in IMR-90 and A549 compared with normal …

Exploring Early Antifungal Activity Of Rezafungin As A Stepping-Stone For Shorter Treatment Duration For Candidemia: Pooled Analysis Of 2 Randomized Trials, Luis Ostrosky-Zeichner, Jalal A Aram, Mark Redell, George R Thompson, Oliver A Cornely, James A Mckinnell, Andrej Spec, Peter G Pappas

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Guidelines recommend ≥2 weeks of antifungal therapy after candidemia clearance and for invasive candidiasis (IC). This post-hoc analysis evaluates Day 7 pooled data from the phase 2 STRIVE and phase 3 ReSTORE trials to explore early antifungal activity.

Methods: Adults with candidemia and/or IC received weekly rezafungin 400/200 mg or daily caspofungin 70/50 mg for ≤4 weeks. Efficacy was evaluated in the modified intent-to-treat population via all-cause mortality (ACM; primary endpoint; 20% noninferiority margin), mycological eradication, and time to negative blood culture (TTNBC) at days 7, 14, and 30 (TTNBC assessed only in patients with candidemia). Day 7 safety …

Physical Activity For Public Health In The 21st Century, Deborah Salvo, Inacio Crochemore-Silva, Andrea Wendt, Jakob Tarp, Eric J Shiroma, Richard J Simpson, I-Min Lee, Ulf Ekelund, Ester Cerin, Youssouf Keita, Adrian Bauman, Pedro C Hallal, Andrea Ramirez Varela, Michael Pratt, Rodrigo Reis, Erica Hinckson, Ding Ding, Harold W Kohl, James Sallis

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

With over 5 million attributed deaths per year, physical inactivity is a major global public health issue. Although the importance of physical activity is well recognized within the scope of obesity and cardiometabolic disease prevention and control, its broader benefits for the health of individuals and societies are yet to be fully harnessed. Furthermore, the role of active leisure, active transport and active labor-primary domains of physical activity-in supporting or hindering social and health equity has been largely overlooked. Here we (1) used a health equity lens to describe global domain-specific physical activity inequalities through an analysis of World Health …

Development And Internal Validation Of A Pretransplant Biomarker Panel For Mortality Prediction Following Liver Transplant, Guergana G Panayotova, Sopio Simonishvili, Lianhua Jin, Duc T Nguyen, Edward A Graviss, Yong Qin, Anastasia Xynogala, Tumininu Ayorinde, Laurie J Minze, Alexander Lemenze, Krupa R Mysore, Julie M Corkrean, Linda W Moore, Flavio Paterno, Ashish Saharia, Constance M Mobley, Arpit Amin, Mark J Hobeika, Xian C Li, Paul J Gaglio, R Mark Ghobrial, James V Guarrera, Keri E Lunsford

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Importance: Current pretransplant clinical scoring systems fail to accurately estimate post-liver transplant (LT) survival, making recipient selection challenging. Persistent immune dysfunction contributes to early LT recipient mortality but is not captured by existing models.

Objective: To identify plasma biomarkers of pretransplant immune dysfunction and to develop a biomarker-based pre-LT risk stratification tool to predict post-LT mortality.

Design, setting, and participants: Prospective biomarker analysis of consecutively enrolled adult LT recipients was conducted. Healthy controls were included for baseline comparison. Patients undergoing LT at Houston Methodist Hospital (October 1, 2013, to December 31, 2017) and Rutgers/University Hospital (January 1, 2019, to March …

Complement Anaphylatoxin C5a-Induced Mouse Lymphatic Functions Modulate Interactions Between Endothelial Cells And T Lymphocytes, Haydn E Rich, Yi-Dong Li, Kathryn D Hok, Stacey L Mueller-Ortiz, Aleksey Y Domozhirov, Anthony Shadid, Rajarajan A Thandavarayan, Hari Krishna Yalamanchili, Marie-Francoise Doursout, Tingting Weng-Mills, Faraz Bishehsari, Nirmal K Banda, Kristin L Eckel-Mahan, Marcos I Restrepo, Pooja Shivshankar

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The lymphatic system is a highly branched endothelial tubular network that facilitates the migration of immune cells from the peripheral tissues to lymph nodes (LNs) and other lymphoid organs. Complement factors are essential for innate and adaptive immune functions. Complement anaphylatoxin C5a is crucial in vascular endothelial cell activation and lymphocyte polarization. Understanding the impact of C5a and its cognate receptor C5ar1 signaling on lymphatic function could provide new insights into the mechanisms of immune dysregulation observed in chronic inflammatory diseases. We demonstrate that acute C5a challenge in wildtype C57B6/J mice significantly reduced lymph propulsion compared to their C5ar1-deficient counterparts. …

Effect Of Different Management Strategies On Outcomes In Subarachnoid Neurocysticercosis: A Descriptive, Multicentre, Retrospective Cohort Study In The Usa, Janitzio J Guzmán, Megan M Duffey, Jill Weatherhead, Eva H Clark, Jesica Herrick, Senate Amusu, Felicia C Chow, Paul R Allyn, Noah Wald-Dickler, J Martin Rodriguez, Natalie M Bowman, Timothy J Hatlen, Dannae Martin, Travis Larsen, Anna M Cervantes-Arslanian, Christina Coyle, A Clinton White, Elliott Welford, Annie N Cowell, Jeffrey D Jenks, Andrés F Henao-Martinez, Carlos Franco-Paredes, Glenn Mathisen, Paola Lichtenberger, Jose A Serpa, Rory Bouzigard, Laila M Castellino, Elise M O'Connell

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Subarachnoid neurocysticercosis (SANCC) is an uncommon but severe form of Taenia solium infection. There is limited evidence to guide clinical management. We aimed to describe the clinical and laboratory features of a cohort of patients with SANCC, and assess the impact of different management strategies on their clinical course.

Methods: We performed a multicentre retrospective cohort study with patients from 15 medical centres across nine states in the USA. SANCC was defined based on histopathology; the presence of cysts in the basilar subarachnoid spaces/sylvian fissures/spine with antibody positivity to T. solium/meeting Del Brutto criteria; or inflammatory cerebrospinal fluid …

Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections In An Elite Level Diver: A Disablement Model Case Study, Matt O'Sullivan, Dominique M. Stevens, Lindsey E. Eberman

Clinical Practice in Athletic Training

This article presents a case of complicated and recurrent pyelonephritis, an infection of 1 or both kidneys, in an elitelevel diver. Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are among the most common outpatient infections in the United States; most are uncomplicated and resolve without significant mortality or morbidity. However, UTIs have the potential to present significant clinical challenges if the UTI becomes complicated or recurrent. Additionally, recurrent UTIs can carry a significant burden to both the individual patients and the larger healthcare system. The current paper reviews the epidemiological literature surrounding UTIs, the significant impact they have on a patient’s health-related quality …

Letter To The Editor: Evidence For A Two-Step Species-Level Pulmonary Nocardiosis Diagnostic Approach, John Halphen, Mohadese Ahmadzade, Babith Mankidy, Ashkan Berenji, Mohammad Ghasemi-Rad

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Pulmonary nocardiosis, a rare and diagnostically challenging infection, usually presents with heterogeneous radiographic findings, compounded by the low sensitivity of traditional confirmatory cultures. In their most recent work, Wang et al analyzed 102 patients with pulmonary nocardiosis to address these concerns, investigating species-characteristic imaging patterns, pathological associations, and the role of metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) in the diagnostic approach. High-resolution computed tomography (CT) in adult patients with pulmonary infections caused by Nocardia wallacei was demonstrated to have a sensitive (85.71%) and specific (83.34%) presentation of bronchopneumonia in relation to the five Nocardia species in the sample with CT data. The …

Incidence Of Autoimmune Diseases In Children With Atopy Treated With Dupilumab, Stanislaw J Gabryszewski, Kathryn Hirabayashi, Morgan Botdorf, Mitchell Maltenfort, Christopher B Forrest, Theresa W Guilbert, Madeline Schutt, Hiroki Morizono, Gerardo Vazquez Garcia, Anna Cristina Garza-Mayers, Joseph Demetrius Hernandez, Sara Anvari, Suchitra Rao, Jonathan M Spergel

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: The type 2 inflammation-blocking agent dupilumab has gained traction as an effective treatment of multiple atopic diseases. New-onset autoimmune manifestations have been infrequently reported in dupilumab-treated atopic patients, primarily among adults. Autoimmune outcomes in atopic children on dupilumab are less clear.

Objective: We aimed to determine if dupilumab treatment of atopic children is associated with increased autoimmune or autoinflammatory disease diagnosis risk.

Methods: Using a multi-institutional electronic health record database composed of 10 PEDSnet academic health systems, we performed a retrospective cohort study of children aged 6-17 with atopy (ie, moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis and/or persistent asthma, as defined by …

Mitochondrial Transfer And Induced Ros As A Therapeutic Strategy In Idh2-Mutant Chondrosarcoma, Vegas R. Bedder, Caleb Wyckoff, Chris Osgood, Gavin A. Vasquez, Michael Stacey

Knowledge and Creativity Expo

Chondrosarcoma (CS) are common bone cancers that produce cartilaginous tumors and are extremely refractive to chemo-and-radiation therapies, leaving very limited treatment options. They contain mutations in the isocitrate dehydrogenase genes, IDH1 or IDH2. Either IDH1 or IDH2 mutations are present in individual tumors, but not both. They both convert alphaketoglutarate (αKG) into the potent oncometabolite D-2-hydroxyglutarate (D2HG). D2HG can be transported from the tumors to cells of the tumor microenvironment (TME) where it can alter metabolic and epigenetic profiles in recipient cells. The process of α-KG to D2HG conversion occurs in the cytoplasm of IDH1 mutant cells, and in the …

Genome-Wide Crispr Screen Identifies A Cytokine-Enhancer Circuit Driving Hif-2Α Activation In Renal Cancer, Jun Fang, Jeremy M Simon, Tao Wang, Yunpeng Gao, Xianju Bi, Lianxin Hu, Chengheng Liao, Cheng Zhang, Yayoi Adachi, Jin Zhou, Hongyi Liu, Qian Liang, James A Nathan, Ram Mani, James Brugarolas, Qing Zhang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Resistance to HIF-2α inhibitors such as Belzutifan underscores the need to better understand how HIF-2α is transcriptionally regulated in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). Here, we uncover a cytokine-driven enhancer mechanism that sustains HIF-2α expression through the JAK1-STAT3 signaling pathway. Using a genome-wide CRISPR screen in VHL-deficient ccRCC cells, we identified SOCS3 as a key negative regulator of HIF-2α. Mechanistically, loss of SOCS3 activates JAK1-STAT3 signaling, leading to the recruitment of STAT3 to distal enhancers upstream of EPAS1 that physically loop to its promoter to drive HIF-2α transcription. This cytokine-enhancer circuit was recapitulated in ccRCC patient samples and functionally …

A Cross-Sectional Survey On Hpv Vaccination In A Houston Hiv Clinic, Shailee R Modi, Erika S Fanous, Avery N Sinnathamby, Laura O Van Buskirk, Jason L Holliday, J Brooks Jackson, Mary B Rysavy

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background/Objectives: Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection worldwide and causes cervical cancer in women. Patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are particularly susceptible to this virus. An effective vaccine against high-risk HPV genotypes is available. This study sought to evaluate barriers to HPV vaccination in HIV-positive female patients between the ages of 18 and 65 in a county clinic in Houston.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in May-June 2025 with 131 patients at Thomas Street Health Center in Houston. The survey assessed patient demographics, attitudes toward and knowledge of HPV vaccination (at least one dose), …

Antimicrobial Activity Of Sulbactam-Durlobactam Against Acinetobacter Baumannii-Calcoaceticus Complex Strains Causing Non-Respiratory And Non-Bloodstream Infections From The United States (2023–2025), Elizabeth Cyr, Jill Argotsinger, Eric T Beck, Robin R Chamberland, Andrew E Clark, Anne R Daniels, Rachael Liesman, Mark Fisher, Philip Gialanella, Jonathan Hand, Amanda T Harrington, Romney M Humphries, Holly Huse, Robert Hamilton-Seth, Julia D Hankins, Wesley D Kufel, Scott W Riddell, Meera Mehta, Ryan Demkowicz, A Brian Mochon, Hossein Salimnia, Ayesha Khan, Virginia M Pierce, Raghava Potula, Tsigereda Tekle, Patricia J Simner, Robert J Tibbetts, Christine Vu, Lilian M Abbo, Octavio Martinez, Rebekah E Dumm, Manohar B Mutnal, Timothy C Jenkins, Violeta Chávez, Paulette Pinargote, Jennifer Bowling, Erik Munson, Daniel V Zurawski, David P Nicolau, Tomefa E Asempa, On Behalf Of The Acinetobacter Baumannii Complex National Biorepository (Acnbio) Study Group

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Acinetobacter baumannii most often causes pneumonia in critically ill patients. However, A. baumannii is also an important cause of a broader range of infections, including skin/wound and urinary tract infections. This study aims to evaluate the in vitro activity of sulbactam-durlobactam and comparator antibiotics, including meropenem and cefiderocol against A. baumannii-calcoaceticus complex isolates from non-respiratory and non-bloodstream sources. Samples included 285 A. baumannii-calcoaceticus complex isolates enriched for carbapenem resistance collected across 17 states in the United States (January 2023–May 2025). Antimicrobial susceptibility tests were conducted by manual broth microdilution and interpreted according to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) and …

Fungal Meningitis In Us Patients Who Received Epidural Anesthesia In Matamoros, Mexico, Dallas J Smith, Elizabeth Misas, Jeremy A W Gold, Nicole Evert, Thi Dang, Emilie Prot, Simone Godwin, Julieanna Rivas, Jessica Pearson, Lori Koenecke, Nirma D Bustamante, Maria Julia Marinissen, Gabriel Garcia Rodriquez, Irma López-Martínez, Caitlyn Lutfy, Samantha Williams, Axel A Vazquez Deida, Katrina M Byrd, Julian A Villalba, Sarah Reagan-Steiner, Lindsay Parnell, Lalitha Gade, Romney M Humphries, Nathan P Wiederhold, Charles Y Chiu, Joshua A Lieberman, Anastasia P Litvintseva, Tom Chiller, Luis Ostrosky-Zeichner, Fungal Meningitis Response Team

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Fungal meningitis outbreaks are rare and entail high mortality rates. Beginning May 2023, we investigated fungal meningitis caused by Fusarium solani species complex occurring in US patients who received epidural anesthesia in Matamoros, Mexico.

Methods: Early epidemiological information suggested US patients with suspected fungal meningitis had undergone mostly cosmetic procedures under epidural anesthesia performed in 2 Matamoros clinics. US patients known to have received surgery at these clinics during 1 January-13 May 2023 (clinic closures date) were identified and notified by public health officials. Epidemiological and clinical data were used to update diagnostic and clinical guidance for outbreak response, …