Biological Factors Commons^™

Drug-Induced Lichen Planus Associated With Ocrelizumab, Avery Seward, John D. Strickley, Jeffrey P. Callen

Department of Medicine Faculty Publications

This case report highlights recurrent cutaneous lichen planus as a rare adverse effect of ocrelizumab, with flares occurring after each infusion and improving with prophylactic prednisone. Recognizing this association may help clinicians diagnose and manage similar cases while allowing patients to continue an otherwise effective therapy.

Cervicovaginal Lavage Fluid Iron And Manganese Levels In Women With And Without Vaginitis, Barbara Kozma, David Ratonyi, Bence Kozma, Peter Takacs, Attila G. Sipos

Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology Faculty Publications

Transition metals such as iron and manganese are critical for cellular metabolism, redox balance, and immune function, and they also influence host–pathogen interactions. Vaginitis is characterized by mucosal inflammation that may alter local trace-element homeostasis. We hypothesize that inflammatory conditions such as vaginitis may be associated with altered cervicovaginal iron and manganese levels. We performed a prospective, single-center cohort study at the University of Debrecen (Hungary) between April 2023 and April 2024, enrolling 80 women ≥ 18 years with vulvovaginal complaints. Participants were assessed at baseline and at weeks 4, 8, and 12 with clinical evaluation and cervicovaginal lavage (CVL) …

6ppd-Quinone In Middle Tennessee Waters: Assessing Ecological Impact, Andrew Davis Todd, Raphael Marquise Chandler, Kerolos Gerges Basalos, Denise Lori Loewinger

Student Scholar Symposium

This poster presents the dangers of a toxic chemical used on car tires that is entering aquatic ecosystems and harming fish populations.

Radiogenomic Profiling Of Prostate Tumors Prior To External Beam Radiotherapy Converges On A Transcriptomic Signature Of Tgf-Β Activity Driving Tumor Recurrence, Anson T. Ku, Uma Shankavaram, Shana Y. Trostel, Hong Zhang, Sumeyra Kartal, Houssein A. Sater, Stephanie A. Harmon, Nicole V. Carrabba, Yang Liu, Hyunnam Ryu, James A. Proudfoot, Boon Hao Hong, Bradford J. Wood, Peter A. Pinto, Peter L. Choyke, Mack Roach, Howard M. Sandler, Stephanie L. Pugh, Kenneth L. Zeitzer, Lucas C. Mendez, Nirav S. Kapadia, William A. Hall, Anand B. Desai, Radka S. Stoyanova, Alan Pollack, Elai Davicioni, Melvin L. K. Chua, Baris Turkbey, Adam G. Sowalsky, Deborah E. Citrin

Einstein Health Papers

PURPOSE: Clinical risk grouping based on PSA, tumor grade, and disease extent guides treatment intensity for localized prostate cancer. However, many patients with intermediate- or high-risk disease treated with external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) and androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) still develop biochemical recurrence (BCR). Early identification of patients at high risk for BCR could enable personalized treatment strategies.

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: We prospectively enrolled 29 patients with intermediate- or high-risk prostate cancer undergoing EBRT and ADT. Pretreatment biopsies (n = 60) underwent whole-transcriptome microarray and whole-exome sequencing. Patients received multiparametric MRI at baseline and 6 months after treatment, with a median follow-up …

Identification Of Predictive Pretreatment Biomarkers For Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Response In Latino Invasive Breast Cancer Patients, Hedda Michelle Guevara-Nieto, Rafael Parra-Medina, Carlos A. Orozco, Sandra Diaz-Casas, Jone Garai, Jovanny Zabaleta, Liliana López-Kleine, Alba L. Combita

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Background: Breast cancer (BC) exhibits significant heterogeneity in incidence and mortality worldwide. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) is the standard treatment for locally advanced BC; however, its efficacy varies by subtype. This study examined the gene expression profiles associated with NAC response in Colombian women with invasive BC. Methods: RNA sequencing of pre-treatment tissues from 58 patients (29 responders and 29 non-responders) identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs) for each molecular subtype, and prognostic performance was evaluated using risk scores. Results: Functional enrichment analysis highlighted the immune system pathways in non-responders. Changes in cytokine target activity and immune cell populations were analyzed to …

Comparative Analysis Of The Effects Of Peppermint Oil On Colorectal Cancer Cells And Human Fibroblasts, Allen W. Mccumbers

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

This study contrasted the effects of Peppermint Oil on two cell lines, HT29s (colorectal adenocarcinoma cells) and HFFs (Human Foreskin Fibroblasts). Cytotoxic as well as genomic effects were compared between the cell lines. Trypan Blue, Alamar Blue, and qPCR assays were used to study these effects. Both cell lines were treated with a range of Peppermint Oil concentrations, and it was determined that there is a dose-dependent factor associated with cytotoxicity. To confirm results, Alamar and Trypan Blue assays were repeated at 300 and 500 cells/mL respectively. Effects were confirmed, and results were averaged and plotted. Alamar Blue revealed that …

Decomposition Processes And Insect Indicators In Forensic Investigations, Eli Taylor

University Honors Theses

Insects play an essential biological and ecological role in human life, and their predictable relationship with decomposing remains has positioned them as a cornerstone of modern forensic science. Since the early 20th century, forensic entomology has provided critical evidence for estimating the postmortem interval (PMI), relying on patterns of colonization, species succession, and insect developmental timelines. Accurate PMI estimations are vital to medicolegal investigations, influencing the interpretation of biological evidence, guiding resource allocation, and informing determinations of cause and manner of death. However, insect activity is profoundly shaped by environmental and ecological variables, including temperature, humidity, seasonal shifts, and geographic …

Estrogen And Obesity Synergistically Suppress Protein S Via Hif1Α, Enhancing Thrombosis Potential, Mohammad A. Mohammad, Narender Kumar, Sonali Ghosh, Ashley L. Paysse, Claudia Leonardi, Vijaya Pilli, Ma Lorena Duhaylungsod, Eric Lazartigues, Diana Polania-Villanueva, Sadaf Nouman, Logan A. Barrios, Rima Chattopadhyay, Rafika Yasmin, Alaina Guilbeau, Manoj Kumar, Tina H. Nguyen, Jovanny Zabaleta, Li Li, Luis Del Valle M.D., Mallory T. Barbier, Samarpan Majumder, Laurent O. Mosnier, Samarpan Majumder

School of Graduate Studies Faculty Publications

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality, with risk heightened in premenopausal women with obesity or use estrogen-based oral contraceptives. When both risk factors are present, the thrombosis risk increases substantially. Protein S (PS), an essential anticoagulant cofactor, is downregulated by both estrogen and obesity, but the molecular basis for this suppression remains poorly defined. We investigated the effect of estrogen and obesity on PS expression using plasma samples from 157 women stratified by BMI and contraceptive use, alongside 40 mice categorized as lean or obese with or without estrogen pellet treatment. The levels of PS …

Environmental Modulation Of Jak3-Mediated Immune Dysregulation In Alopecia Areata, Rylee Davis

Sustainability Conference

Alopecia areata (AA) is an autoimmune disorder characterized by non-scarring hair loss resulting from T-cell–driven destruction of hair follicles. Central to this process is the dysregulation of Janus kinase 3 (JAK3), a non-receptor tyrosine kinase selectively expressed in hematopoietic cells that mediates γc cytokine receptor signaling. Aberrant JAK3 activity disrupts follicular immune privilege and amplifies pro-inflammatory cytokine cascades, sustaining a chronic autoimmune state. While genetic susceptibility contributes to JAK3 overactivation, converging evidence highlights a pivotal role for environmental exposures in modulating its expression and signaling dynamics. In this framework, we focus on urban air pollutants like particularly fine particulate matter, …

Human Kallikrein 2: A Novel Lineage-Specific Surface Target In Prostate Cancer, Fei Shen, Ryan Smith, Theresa Mcdevitt, Krista Menard, Shaozhou Tian, Gerald Chu, Ruchi Chaudhary, Jennifer Mccann, Halley Oyer, Sherry C. Wang, Steven Max, Peter Francis, William K. Kelly, Charles G. Drake

Kimmel Cancer Center Faculty Papers

PURPOSE: Targeted therapies for metastatic prostate cancer are limited, highlighting the need for novel drug targets and mechanisms of action (MoA). Human kallikrein 2 (KLK2) is a prostate-specific antigen expressed across the prostate cancer disease continuum. However, it was not recognized as a therapeutic target for prostate cancer in the past due to limited evidence of its cell surface expression. In this study, we systematically characterized KLK2 expression in prostate cancer, confirmed its cell surface expression, and demonstrated the preclinical efficacy of three KLK2-targeting therapeutics with distinct MoA.

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: The KLK2 expression profile in different stages of prostate cancer …

Cd5 Expression In Ctcl And Its Implications For Anti-Cd5 Car T-Cell Therapy, Leena Wardeh, Madeline Williams, Courtney Prestwood, Zachary Wolner, Neda Nikbakht

Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Biology Faculty Papers

Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphomas (CTCL) are a heterogenous group of T-cell malignancies in the skin and have poor treatment outcomes in advanced stages. CD5, a surface glycoprotein expressed on most mature T cells, has emerged as a promising target for chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy in systemic T-cell lymphomas. However, its expression profile in CTCL and relevance for targeted therapy remain unclear. Notably, in CTCL, the cell surface expression of receptors, such as CD7 and CD26, tends to become downregulated on the surfaces of malignant T cells In this study, we analyzed single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data from patients at …

Overview Of Exosomal Non-Coding Rnas In Cardiovascular Disease Using High Throughput Sequencing, Mortaza Eivazi, Leila Abkhooie, Kamran Hosseini, Parnia Mobasheran, Tahereh Ebrahimi, Vahideh Tarhriz, Eric Lazartigues

School of Graduate Studies Faculty Publications

Non-coding RNAs including miRNAs, long-ncRNAs, and circular RNAs play crucial roles in cell-to-cell communication and epigenetic regulation. They control gene expression at multiple levels, including transcriptional, post-transcriptional, and translational, thereby influencing associated signaling pathways. Encapsulated within exosomes, micro-vesicles, and apoptotic bodies, ncRNAs can be transported between cells while being protected from harsh environmental conditions. Studies have shown various expression patterns across different cell types and in various physiological and pathological states. However, the precise correlations and extent of their contribution to diseases are still under investigation. Recent studies have reported the involvement of extracellular vesicle-associated ncRNAs in the pathogenesis of …

Predicting Intravitreal Treatment Response Using Ultrawide-Field Angiographic Biomarkers In Diabetic Retinopathy, Karthik Reddy, Callie Deng, Boonkit Purt, Yue Liang, Nikhil Bommakanti, Gina Yu, Julie Rosenthal, Yannis M. Paulus

Wills Eye Hospital Papers

BACKGROUND: Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a sight-threatening retinal disease with pathological mediation by vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Intravitreal anti-VEGF injections are commonly used to manage DR. Ultra-wide-field fluorescein angiography (UWF-FA) can assess DR severity and characterize the amount of non-perfused retina (non-perfusion area, NP), neovascularization (neovascular area, NV), and foveal avascular zone (FAZ). However, the association between anti-VEGF treatment and NP, NV, and FAZ characterized by UWF-FA is not well established.

METHODS: A retrospective, single-center cohort study involved eyes of patients with Type 1 or 2 diabetes mellitus with at least one UWF-FA image. The area of the FAZ, …

Monitoring The Hematologic Markers In Patients Undergoing Single-Stage Exchange Arthroplasty For Periprosthetic Joint Infection, Wenbo Mu, Juan D. Lizcano, Boyong Xu, Wentao Guo, Abudousaimi Aimaiti, Xiaogang Zhang, Javad Parvizi, Li Cao

Rothman Institute Papers

BACKGROUND: Periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) is a serious complication that necessitates a complex treatment strategy. Single-stage exchange arthroplasty, combined with intravenous and intra-articular antibiotic infusions, has shown high efficacy in treating complex PJIs. However, the impact of this approach on hematologic parameters remains underexplored. This study aims to evaluate the postoperative trends in blood platelet count, white blood cell (WBC) count, and neutrophil count in patients undergoing single-stage exchange arthroplasty.

METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 313 patients who underwent single-stage revision for PJI between June 2010 and October 2022. Hematologic parameters were monitored for the first seven postoperative …

Integrated Mirna-Mrna Analyses Of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer In Black And White Patients With Or Without Obesity, Fokhrul Hossain, Martha I. Gonzalez-Ramirez, Jone Garai, Diana Polania-Villanueva, Li Li, Farzeen Nafees, Md Manirujjaman, Bolin Liu, Samarpan Majumder, Xiao Cheng Wu, Chindo Hicks, Luis Del Valle, Denise Danos, Augusto Ochoa, Lucio Miele, Jovanny Zabaleta

School of Graduate Studies Faculty Publications

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive, heterogeneous subtype of breast cancer. miRNAs play an essential role in TNBC pathogenesis and prognosis. Obesity is linked with an increased risk for several cancers, including breast cancer. Obesity is also related to the dysregulation of miRNA expression in adipose tissues. However, there is limited knowledge about race- and obesity-specific differential miRNA expression in TNBC. We performed miRNA sequencing of 48 samples (24 tumor and 24 adjacent non-tumor tissues) and RNA sequencing of 24 tumors samples from Black (AA) and White (EA) TNBC patients with or without obesity. We identified 55 miRNAs exclusively …

Distinct Transcriptional Regulation Of The Wnt And Tgfβ Signaling Families Associated With Wound Healing And Fibrotic Outcomes To Lens Injury, Catherine Lalman, Kylie R. Stabler, Joshua Disatham, Lisa A. Brennan, Marc Kantorow, Janice L. Walker

Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology Faculty Papers

Posterior capsule opacification (PCO) is a fibrotic complication of cataract surgery caused by aberrant repair of residual lens cells. It remains unclear how the lens injury response shifts toward a pathological repair process. Here, we performed a transcriptional analysis of two major pro-fibrotic pathways, the TGF-β superfamily and Wnt signaling pathways to determine how they are differentially regulated during regenerative wound healing versus fibrosis in a lens injury model. For these studies, RNA sequencing was performed on an ex vivo lens explant system that models post-surgical healing within regenerative and fibrotic microenvironments, from 0 to 3 days post-injury. Fibrotic conditions …

Air Pollution And Diseases: Signaling, G Protein-Coupled And Toll Like Receptors, Isabella Cattani-Cavalieri, Katrina F. Ostrom, Jordyn Margolis, Rennolds S. Ostrom, Martina Schmidt

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Air pollution is a significant public health issue that impacts lung health, particularly in vulnerable populations such as children, the elderly, and individuals with pre-existing respiratory conditions. Both natural and anthropogenic sources of air pollution give rise to a variety of toxic compounds, including particulate matter (PM), ozone (O₃), sulfur dioxide (SO₂), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), carbon monoxide (CO), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Exposure to these pollutants is strongly associated with the development and exacerbation of respiratory diseases, including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), lung cancer, and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Notably, early life exposure to pollutants such as …

Enhancing Cataract Surgery Outcomes: Optimal Use Of Pre- And Post-Operative Eye Drops, Keith Skolnick M.D., Anu Valiaveedu

Mako: NSU Undergraduate Student Journal

Many preoperative and postoperative cataract patients struggle with comprehending the use of prescription medication as directed. Language barriers and low health literacy levels are major factors contributing to improper use of prescriptions. To increase patients comprehension, the Fort Lauderdale Eye Institute employed an educational intervention consisting of a live presentation and an instructional video. Results found that 44% of patients were hesitant to ask questions to clinical staff, 32% felt overwhelmed, and nearly 70% lacked confidence in using their prescribed eye drops. Following the intervention, 91% of patients reported increased confidence in their medications, and most indicated that the video …

Temporal Trends Of A Cellular Host Response Test For Sepsis And A Comparison With Selected Biomarkers Of Inflammation And Infection, Matthew S. Berlinger, Matt Sorrells, Christopher B. Thomas, Tonya Jagneaux, James E. Walker, Jennifer Daigle, Heather Quiriarte, Youyoung Kim, Guillaume Spielmann, Debbie Robertson, Susan Park Ochsner, Gideon Avornu, Katherine Fenstermacher, Elijah James Kurien, Camille King, Adenine Cembellin-Kao, Chase Yonamine, Querino Maia, Maciej Obrebski, David N. Hager, Roya Sheybani, Henry T.K. Tse, Ajay M. Shah, Robert Scoggins, Hollis R. O’Neal, Richard Rothman

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Sepsis, a condition characterized by immune dysregulation, is the leading cause of in-hospital mortality and requires rapid treatment. Assessing immune dysregulation has been challenging. The IntelliSep Index (ISI), a novel biomarker which leverages microfluidic deformability cytometry to assess immune activation, has been evaluated as a test for Emergency Department use but it is unclear how the signal evolves as patient condition evolves. In a 47-patient cohort with hospital stays ≤ 14 days, ISI provided a good indicator of disease progression by blinded physician review. ISI trends correlated with clinical improvement over time. During the first 12 h following presentation, ISI …

Neutrophil-To-Lymphocyte, Monocyte-To-Lymphocyte, And Platelet-To-Lymphocyte Ratio In Acute Hospitalized Patients With Schizophrenia, Apichan Dangrungroj, Mayteewat Chiddaycha

Chulalongkorn Medical Journal

Background: Schizophrenia has been increasingly linked to inflammation. The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR), and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) have emerged as potential indicators of systemic inflammation.

Objectives: The objectives are to compare NLR, MLR, and PLR between patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls, and to investigate the factors associated with NLR. Methods: This retrospective study included 102 sex- and age-matched patients hospitalized with schizophrenia and control subjects. NLR, MLR, and PLR were calculated from the Complete Blood Count (CBC) results and compared between groups. Sociodemographic data and clinical characteristics were analyzed using multiple linear regression to identify …