the laboratory report summer 2014

USCAP Interactive Microscopy 2014 Annual Meeting

A Publication of the Department of Pathology and Genomic Medicine

A team of clinician scientists repre-senting College of American Patholo-

gists (CAP) , International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC), and As-sociation for Molecular Pathology (AMP) has been recognized by the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) for their landmark Lung Cancer Biomark-ers Guideline. The multi-organization task force, led by Drs. Philip Cagle, Neal Linde-man, and Marc Ladanyi, has been awarded a prestigious 2014 Power of A Gold Award and is being considered for the ASAE Summit Award, the highest ASAE honor for associations. “The Power of A Award recognizes and celebrates the extraordi-nary contributions an association made to society by enriching lives, creating a

competitive workforce, preparing society for the future, driving innovation, and making a better world,” explains Mr. Chris Vest, director of ASAE public policy.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, ac-counting for more than 1.4 million annual deaths. In the United States alone it is responsible for almost 160,000 deaths, and there are 220,000 new cases diag-

nosed each year. Recent advances in the characterization of molecular pathways driving lung cancer progression indicated the therapeutic importance of EGFR and ALK, two well-characterized tar-getable receptor tyrosine kinases. The CAP/IASLC/AMP task force reviewed published scientific data and developed an evidence-based guideline for the molecular testing of lung cancer patients for these two predictive biomarkers. “Dr. Cagle and the co-directors of the task force are being recognized for their in-novative guidelines that positively impact the care of the many patients with lung cancer here in the U.S. and abroad,” said Dr. Mary Schwartz, medical director or anatomic pathology.

Lung Cancer Biomarker Guideline Publication Receives a 2014 Power of A Gold Award

Table of ContentsUpcoming Conferences and Symposia:

2 Chikungunya PCR-Based Test Now Available

3 Next-Generation Sequencing-Based Cancer Assays Now Available

4 In Focus: Houston Methodist St. John

6 Trainee Research Spotlight Department Members Are Recognized

7 Pathology Laboratory Automation Department Awards 2 Microgrants

8 IAP International Congress News Two Department Doctors Volunteer In Peru

9 I CARE In Action New Resources Available For Faculty And Staff

10 Department Welcomes New Fellows

The

Laboratory ReportSummer 2014

THE LABORATORY REPORT Summer 2014

Chikungunya is a mosquito-borne dis-ease caused by infection with Toga-

viridae Alphavirus. The Togaviridae family of viruses also includes rubella virus and several viruses that cause encephalitis. While the rubella virus is an air-borne pathogen, all viruses that fall into the Al-phavirus genus, including chikungunya, are transmitted by arthropods. Specifically, chikungunya is transmitted by Aedes mos-quitoes, which are common in tropical and subtropical zones and are present in the southern United States, including Texas.

Epidemiologically, chikungunya is endemic in Africa, Australia, India, Thailand, and many Caribbean islands. In 2005-2006, it caused a major epidemic on La Reunion Is-land in the Indian Ocean, and subsequently migrated to India, where over 1.5 million cases were detected. The virus made its first appearance in the Western Hemi-sphere in 2013, when it was diagnosed in a non-traveler patient on the French side of St. Martin in the Caribbean. To date, all cases of chikungunya viral illness diag-nosed in the United States are related to

infections acquired during travel. How-ever, local transmission in Houston is a distinct possibility. The first case in Texas, a patient from Williamson County near Austin who recently returned from the Caribbean, was confirmed earlier in July.

Chikungunya disease pathogenesis is similar to several other mosquito-borne diseases and causes flu-like symptoms that include fever, headaches, rash, and marked lower extremity edema. What sets chikungunya apart is the disease-asso-ciated polyarthralgia or joint pain, which could become severe and may persist for years. This characteristic gave the disease its name, which comes from the Makonde language spoken in Tanzania and Mosam-bique and translates to “that which bends up,” referring to the contorted posture abserved among patients afflicted with severe joint pain.

Chikungunya virus infection can be confirmed by PCR or serological testing. Importantly, while the serologic antibody titer test takes 9 days to complete, the PCR-based detection has a 48-hour turn-around time. The Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory at Houston Methodist Hospi-tal has validated and is now performing a PCR test to detect chikungunya virus. In fact, the first chikungunya case in Harris County was diagnosed with our PCR-based test.

For more information on this assay or any Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory test, please contact:

Dr. Randall Olsen ([email protected]) Dr. Bryce Portier ([email protected]) Ms. Heather Hendrickson ([email protected]) The Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory can be reached by phone at 713-441-5727.

The Houston Methodist Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory Now Offers A Rapid, PCR-Based Chikungunya Test

The Houston Methodist

Molecular Diagnostics

Laboratory diagnoses

the first chikungunya

case in Harris County


New Tests Available from Houston Methodist Diagnostic Laboratory:Next-Generation Sequencing Cancer Assays

Cancer is a disease of hyperprolifera-tive cells, usually caused by mutations

in several genes that control normal cell homeostasis. Traditionally, cancer patients have been assigned a generic chemotherapy regiment, radiation, and/or surgery based on the clinical knowl-edge gathered from patients with similar cancer types. Advances in basic science and clinical diagnostics within the last decade have brought about a paradigm shift, in which patients diagnosed with a particular type of cancer are further subdivided into categories based on their molecular tumor profile and then “tar-geted” therapeutics can be administered, if available. However, the major hurdle in this approach was the time and techni-cal capabilities required to extensively characterize each patient’s tumor.

Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) is a relatively new technique that allows for analysis of the tumor at a genetic level,

and has been added to the battery of clini-cal cancer diagnostics only very recently. NGS assays have modernized the medi-cal research field by providing a rapid, inexpensive, and highly scalable method for genetic analysis. Using the Ion Torrent Personal Genome NGS System from Life Technologies, Dr. Bryce Portier and his team from the Department of Pathology and Genomic Medicine validated a new assay that investigates over 200 muta-tions in 50 cancer-related genes that are most frequently found in tumors. Some of these genes include EGFR, HER2, AKT, and KRAS, all of which are known drivers of cancer progression. This new NGS cancer assay is ready for immediate implemen-tation to aid in clinical care. The system can analyze up to 8 patient samples per run and can complete sequencing in 4-6 hours. The Molecular Diagnostics Labora-tory plans to run NGS analysis once per week, but it is expected that as demand increases so will the run frequency.

As the NGS technology continues to evolve, our Department recently expand-ed its NGS capabilities to include the Ion Proton and Ion Chef from Life Technolo-gies. These highly advanced, cutting-edge instruments are poised to revolutionize cancer research and treatment and will be utilized in conjunction with the existing NGS portfolio. For instance, the newly-acquired Ion Proton adds 10 times the cur-rent sequencing capacity , and will allow for future full-exome assays. Dr. Portier’s

team is now working to expand the exist-ing NGS cancer assay by designing cancer type-specific assays. For example, a pro-prietary breast cancer-specific assay will add mutation detection for 32 additional genes specific to breast cancer. Likewise, a hematologic cancer panel will include detection of mutations and clinically-relevant chromosomal translocations for blood malignancies.

In summary, NGS technology is driving rapid advancements in translating person-alized cancer therapeutics from the bench to the bedside. Patients’ tumor samples collected during the initial diagnosis can be sent for NGS analysis and the results will be available prior to patients’ next follow-up oncologist visit. Thus, patients will be assigned more specific, targeted therapy regiments early, when their likelihood of achieving a strong clinical response is the highest.

“The NGS diagnostic tools are so novel, they are only available in a few reference laboratories across the country. By validating this technology here at Houston Methodist, we will truly be leading cancer medicine.” - Dr. Bryce Portier

Ion Proton sequencer (Life Technologies)

For more information on this assay or any Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory test, please contact:

Dr. Randall Olsen ([email protected]) Dr. Bryce Portier ([email protected]) Ms. Heather Hendrickson ([email protected]) The Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory can be reached by phone at 713-441-5727.


Houston Methodist St. John Hospital joined the growing family of Methodist health care facilities on February 3rd, 2014. As the result of this expansion,

the Department of Pathology and Genomic Medicine has added two new fac-ulty members, Drs. David Alrahwan and Anna Castiglione Richmond. Method-ist St. John is a full-service hospital that provides a range of laboratory and pathology services to the residents of Clear Lake and the Greater Bay Area.

In Focus: Houston Methodist St. John Laboratory

At St. John, I give 100% to serve my patients with confidence, integrity, and compassion. I discuss cases daily with the surgeons, and the medical staff is warm and eager to deliver high quality care. – David Alrahwan, MD, laboratory medical director.

I have worked at St. John since 1992. Our stellar staff is committed to providing quality patient care. Despite major laboratory space renova-tions, our team never lost their dedication to providing excellent service for our patients. – Rebecca Simon, director of laboratory services.

From top to bottom:Jocelyn PycosMarian RowseyJosie SanchezShirin Vazirali

I always wanted to work in healthcare, so I enjoy working with the highly skilled staff in our safe and professional environment. My co-workers make even the most challenging days fun! – Sara Taqi, histology technician.Continued on page 5


In Focus: Houston Methodist St. John Laboratory (continued)

I enjoy working here because all of us in the histology lab make a difference in the lives of patients every day. – Shiny Chacko, medical labo-ratory technician.

High quality patient care is our primary focus. As a team member and a potential patient, this truly speaks volumes of our laboratory and hospital. – Renee Robson, medical technologist.

I have been working in the medical field for 25 years and I really enjoy working at St. John. Our team treats our patients with care, kindness, and respect. – Norma Flores, laboratory techni-cian.

The Houston Methodist St. John laboratory encompasses histology, microbiology, clinical chemistry, and hematology and blood bank laboratories. All laboratories are located on the 2nd floor of the main hospital, and as a result of damage sustained during Hurricane Ike, underwent a major renovation in 2008. The resultant space is bright and modern, with an open floor plan and dedicated patient stations.

As Houston continues to expand to the southeast, Houston Methodist St. John has established itself as a vital component of the community. Ms. Rebecca Simon, direc-tor of laboratory services, explains, “Our laboratory service grew by almost 20% in the past 3 years. The post-Ike renovations allowed us to grow our outpatient services and become a regional reference lab. Currently, we provide over 35,000 units of service per month, which translates to 1.4 million tests per year. Most of our tests are performed in-house and only 4-5% are sent out to other reference labs.”

Ms. Simon went on to explain that the laboratory partners with a number of stand-alone clinics in the area, including St. Mary’s Mobile clinic, and is affiliated with The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. Consequently, students pursuing degrees in medical technology and associated disciplines can complete their clinical fellowships in the St. John laboratories and many times are offered full-time employ-ment. This, along with the exceptional quality and friendly atmosphere in the lab, leads to a very low employee turnover rate.

From left to right:Anna Castiglione Richmond, MDJames Gregory


Dr. Salazar’s paper is titled “Improving Positive Blood Culture Removal Time Signifi-cantly Decreases Total Processing Time” and was co-authored by several Depart-

ment faculty and research staff. It outlines the Department’s efforts to reduce the time required to process blood cultures in the clinical microbiology laboratory and to notify physicians caring for patients with suspected systemic bacteremia. The research team determined that prior to their intervention, the average processing time for blood cultures was 38 minutes, and only 51.8% of the positive blood cultures were removed in less than 10 minutes. By holding three in-service meetings with the clinical microbiology staff, one for each shift, these numbers improved to 8 minutes for the processing time, and 84.5% of cultures were removed within 10 minutes. This study illustrates how a small, non-technical intervention can significantly enhance patient care. Dr. Eric Salazar is a second-year resident in the Department of Pathology and Genomic Medicine. He received his MD and PhD degrees from Weill Cornell Medical College in 2012.

Trainee Research Spotlight

Two of the Department’s trainees, Drs. Erik Salazar and Jaclyn Jerz, recently published their research in the Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine. These articles highlight the Department’s efforts to improve clinical laboratory services and patient

care.

Dr. Jerz’s paper is titled “Detection of Malignancy in Body Fluids: A Comparison of the Hematology and Cytology Laboratories” and was co-authored by several

clinicians from the Houston Methodist Hospital and The University of Texas Medical School at Houston. This study examined the ability of the hematology laboratory to detect malignancy in body fluid samples and explored potential avenues to improve this technique. Study results showed that pre-intervention analysis of body fluids only detected malignancy with 23% sensitivity. By providing additional educational sessions to the medical technologists, this number improved to 60% in subsequent months. The authors concluded that while the concentrated preparations used for cell counts in the hematology laboratory are not optimized to detect malignancy, providing concurrent cytologic examination and enhancing staff education greatly improved the rate at which malignancies are identified. Dr. Jaclyn Jerz is a third-year resident in the Department of Pathology and Genomic Medicine. She received her MD degree from The University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in 2011.

Eric Salazar, M.D., Ph.D.

Jaclyn Jerz, M.D.

Members of the Department Recognized for Their Service

Drs. David Alrahwan (Houston Methodist St. John) and Philip Cagle (Houston Methodist Hos-pital) were named in the H Texas Magazine’s Top Docs of 2014 list. Congratulations!

Pathology Automation: New Equipment Added to Houston Methodist Laboratories


The Houston Methodist Clinical Laboratory automated its hematology processing line by adding a modular Sysmex

XN-series analyzer, which is built on a breakthrough platform known as Silent Design. The new technology offers an auto-mated analysis of body fluid cell counts, slide making and staining, cell image analysis, and tube cell sorting. Moreover, Sysmex XN provides a standardized platform that significant-ly improves testing consistency.

For more information about the Sysmex technology, please contact Dr. Arthur Zieske at [email protected]

The Houston Methodist Rapid Response Laboratory added a highly sophisticated Cobas 8000 analyzer by Roche/

Hitachi. This instrument is designed for high-throughput laboratories and is capable of processing 3-15 million clinical chemistry and immunochemistry tests per year. For example, the new analyzer can complete an immunoassay in less than 9 minutes and averages about 1,000 samples per hour, thereby ensuring rapid availability of all patient test results.

For more information about the Cobas technology, please contact Dr. Ping Wang at [email protected]

Department Awards Internal Grants

The Department of Pathology and Genomic Medicine has recently invited its faculty to submit research proposals for small, internal research grants. These microgrants are designed to foster innovation and expansion of clinical service. Each selected

project receives a budget, and the work must be started and completed within 3-4 months. The Department’s microgrant review committee is pleased to announce that two proposals have been chosen for funding:

“Association of histologic and immunophenotypic features of cervical dysplasia with infection by various HPV genotypes,” submitted by Drs. Yimin Ge, Steven Zhou, Christi Perez, Dina Mody, and Michael Deavers

“Prognostic and predictive biomarkers in metastatic rectal adenocarcinoma,” submitted by Drs. Suzanne Crumley, Mary Schwartz, Alexandria Phan, Randall Olsen, and Bryce Portier

While the proposal submission deadline expired on July 15th, it is anticipated that the next call for proposals will be announced in mid-to-late August.

Dr. Ping Wang

Dr. Arthur Zieske


The Department Shows Strong Presence at the XXX International Congress of the International Academy of Pathology

The Department of Pathology and Genomic Medicine will be well represented at the upcoming XXX International

Congress of the International Academy of Pathology (IAP) in Bangkok, Thailand. “Our Department will be one of the best overall represented U.S. pathology departments and is the best represented in pulmonary pathology,” said Dr. Philip Cagle. Additionally, Drs. Philip Cagle and Luan Truong will serve as scientific conveners for the IAP Congress – Congratulations!

The Congress will be held from October 5th to October 10th at Bangkok Convention Centre and the registration deadline is September 15, 2014. Additional information can be found on www.iap2014.com

CerviCusco Clinic

Mount Machu Picchu

Drs. Gorman and Haley

Two Department Faculty Have Rewarding Volunteer Experience in Peru

Two pathologists from the Department of Pathol-ogy and Genomic Medicine recently spent a

week in Peru. Drs. Blythe Gorman and Susan Haley volunteered their time reading Pap tests for the CerviCusco clinic in Cusco, Peru. The clinic is a non-profit organization affiliated with the International Cervical Cancer Foundation and the Medical College of Georgia. It provides modern liquid-based Pap test analysis, and other women’s health services, to residents of underserved and impoverished regions of Peru.

“We learned about this volunteer opportunity through the American Society for Cytopathology. Although we were unsure of exactly what to expect, we had a great time, and it was extremely rewarding,” said Dr. Haley. She explained that there are several opportunities throughout the year to volunteer at the clinic. In addition to Drs. Gorman and Haley, there were three other pathologists and two cytotech-nologists from across the United States working at the clinic. Dr. Gorman elaborated that there are also opportunities for non-medical volunteers to serve the clinic by performing clerical tasks or facility maintenance-type work.

Cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death in Peruvian women. In addition, most rural Peruvian women are diagnosed with cervical cancer when the disease is already in its late stages, which further reduces treatment options and survival. “CerviCusco is the first clinic of its kind in Peru. The clinic’s staff is dedicated to reducing cervical cancer incidence through early detection, and working towards implementing quality control measures,” explained Dr. Gorman. “The clinic has also established a collaborative agreement with the Massachusetts General Hospital, where cases are discussed during weekly telecytopathology confer-ences,” she continued.

When asked if they planned to return to Peru, Drs. Gorman and Haley enthusiastically confirmed. “We felt extremely valuable during this trip because we provided essential services that are otherwise unavailable to many women.”

For more information about this opportunity, please contact Dr. Blythe Gorman ([email protected]) or Dr. Susan Haley ([email protected]). For more information on the CerviCusco clinic, please visit www.cervicusco.org

http://www.iap2014.com

http://www.cervicusco.org

The Resources page can be found through the main OAD page or by following a direct link: www.houstonmethodist.org/academic-services-resources


I CARE in Action: Members of the Department Provide Dinners at Nora’s Home

In keeping with the Methodist I CARE values, members of the Department of

Pathology and Genomic Medicine regularly provide dinners for the families residing at Nora’s Home. Nora’s Home provides alternative, affordable housing for trans-plant patients and their families during their stay in the Texas Medical Center, and is supported by the Nora’s Gift Foundation.

Nora’s Gift Foundation was established in 1998 by Drs. Osama and Lillian Gaber in memory of their daughter Nora, who was killed in an automobile accident at the age of 7. Despite their grief, Nora’s parents chose to donate her organs to several criti-cally ill children. The Gaber family subse-quently established the Nora’s Gift Foun-dation, which provides support to patients suffering from end-stage organ failure and those in need of an organ transplant. The

Foundation opened Nora’s Home on Febru-ary 11, 2014. It not only provides lodging, but also serves to bring together families experiencing the stress associated with a transplant procedure.

Nora’s father, Dr. Osama Gaber, is the director of transplantation at the Hous-ton Methodist J.C. Walter Jr. Transplant Center. Nora’s mother, Dr. Lillian Gaber, is a transplant pathologist in the Department of Pathology and Genomic Medicine at the Houston Methodist Hospital.

For more information on Nora’s Home, please visit www.norashome.org. If you are a department member and are inter-ested in this volunteer opportunity, please contact Pat Cernoch ([email protected] or 713-441-0333).

Department members served their first din-ner at Nora’s Home on May 7.

“Nora’s Home is not a hotel: it is a haven where guests support one another through shared experi-ences.” -Nora’s Home Patient

The Office of Academic Development Adds New Resources Pages

The Office of Academic Development (OAD) announces the addition of the new Academic Services Resources page, where the Department’s

faculty and trainees can find information about upcoming conferences and symposia, tips on scientific writing, and available funding opportuni-ties in the following scientific areas:> General Cancer Research> Breast Cancer Research> Pediatric Cancer Research> Hematology & Oncology> Heart & Cardiovascular Diseases> Brain & Neurodegenerative Diseases> Kidney & Urinary System Diseases> Gastrointestinal Diseases> Lung & Pulmonary System Diseases> Gynocologic Diseases>Microbiology & Infectious Diseases>Transplant Biology

http://www.houstonmethodist.org/academic-services-resources

http://www.norashome.org


The Department of Pathology and Genomic Medicine Welcomes 10 New Fellows

Clifford Blieden- Residency at the University of Miami- MD from The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston in 2009

Jonathan Boyd- Residency at the Eastern Carolina Univer-sity Brody School of Medicine- MD from The University of Texas South-western Medical School in 2010

Crystal Cordell- Residency at the University of South Alabama- MD from the University of South Alabama College of Medicine in 2010

Bettye Cox- Residency at Baylor College of Medicine- MD from The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston in 2009

Bernadette Harris- Residency at the University of Florida- MD from Louisiana State University School of Medicine in New Orleans in 2009

Ross Miller- Residency at the University of South Dakota- MD from the University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine in 2010

Tara Miller- Residency at the University of South Dakota- MD from the University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine in 2009

Mauricio Salicru- Residency at The University of Texas Health Science Center- MD from The University of Texas Medical School at Houston in 2010

Dawn Williams- Residency at Houston Methodist Hospital- MD from The University of Texas Medical School at San Antonio in 2009

Ya Xu- Residency at The University of Texas Medi-cal Branch at Galveston- MD from West China University of Medical Sciences in 1990

RECENT PUBLICATIONS


Al-Zubidi N, Chevez-Barrios P, Foroozan R, Bhatti MT. “My eyes are turned outside”. Surv Ophthalmol. 2014 May-Jun;59(3):354-60.

Bollard CM, Gottschalk S, Torrano V, Diouf O, Ku S, Hazrat Y, Carrum G, Ramos C, Fayad L, Shpall EJ, Pro B, Liu H, Wu MF, Lee D, Sheehan AM, Zu Y, Gee AP, Brenner MK, Heslop HE, Rooney CM. Sustained complete responses in patients with lymphoma receiving autologous cytotoxic T lympho-cytes targeting Epstein-Barr virus latent membrane proteins. J Clin Oncol. 2014 Mar 10;32(8):798-808.

Bui DH, Cruz AT, Graviss EA. Indeterminate QuantiFERON-TB gold in-tube assay results in children: possible association with procedural speci-men collection. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2014 Feb;33(2):220-2.

Cagle PT, Glassy EF. Whole slide images add value to journal article figures. Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2014 May;138(5):592.

Chen AC, Paulino AC, Schwartz MR, Rodriguez AA, Bass BL, Chang JC, Teh BS. Population-based comparison of prognostic factors in invasive micropapillary and invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast. Br J Cancer. 2014 Jun 12. Epub ahead of print.

Choi EK, Ro JY, Ayala AG. Calcified amorphous tumor of the heart: case report and review of the literature. Methodist Debakey Cardiovasc J. 2014 Jan;10(1):38-40.

Churg A, Allen T, Borczuk AC, Cagle PT, Galateau-Sallé F, Hwang H, Murer B, Murty VV, Ordonez N, Tazelaar HD, Wick M. Well-differentiated papil-lary mesothelioma with invasive foci. Am J Surg Pathol. 2014 Jul;38(7):990-8.

Clement CG, Truong LD. An evaluation of Congo red fluorescence for the diagnosis of amyloidosis. Hum Pathol. 2014 May 8. Epub ahead of print.

Dave B, Granados-Principal S, Zhu R, Benz S, Rabizadeh S, Soon-Shiong P, Yu KD, Shao Z, Li X, Gilcrease M, Lai Z, Chen Y, Huang TH, Shen H, Liu X, Ferrari M, Zhan M, Wong ST, Kumaraswami M, Mittal V, Chen X, Gross SS, Chang JC. Targeting RPL39 and MLF2 reduces tumor initiation and metastasis in breast cancer by inhibiting nitric oxide synthase signaling. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2014 Jun 17;111(24):8838-43.

Dhingra S, Qureshi R, Abdellatif A, Gaber LW, Truong LD. Tubulointerstitial nephritis in systemic lupus erythematosus: innocent bystander or ominous presage. Histol Histopathol. 2014 May;29(5):553-65.

Dorman SE, Belknap R, Graviss EA, Reves R, Schluger N, Weinfurter P, Wang Y, Cronin W, Hirsch-Moverman Y, Teeter LD, Parker M, Garrett DO, Daley CL; Tuberculosis Epidemiologic Studies Consortium. Interferon-gamma release assays and tuberculin skin testing for diagnosis of latent tuberculosis infection in healthcare workers in the United States. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2014 Jan 1;189(1):77-87.

El Sahly HM, Teeter LD, Musser JM, Graviss EA. Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteraemia: experience from a non-endemic urban centre. Clin Microbiol Infect. 2014 Mar;20(3):263-8.

Fischer AH, Schwartz MR, Moriarty AT, Wilbur DC, Souers R, Fatheree L, Booth CN, Clayton AC, Kurtyz DF, Padmanabhan V, Crothers BA. Im-munohistochemistry practices of cytopathology laboratories: a survey of participants in the College of American Pathologists Nongynecologic Cytopathology Education Program. Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2014 May 19. Epub ahead of print.

Fiskus W, Sharma S, Shah B, Portier BP, Devaraj SG, Liu K, Iyer SP, Bearss D, Bhalla KN. Highly effective combination of LSD1 (KDM1A) antagonist and pan-histone deacetylase inhibitor against human AML cells. Leukemia. 2014 Apr 4. Epub ahead of print.

Fiskus W, Sharma S, Qi J, Valenta JA, Schaub LJ, Shah B, Peth K, Portier BP, Rodriguez M, Devaraj SG, Zhan M, Sheng J, Iyer SP, Bradner JE, Bhalla KN. Highly active combination of BRD4 antagonist and histone deacetylase inhibitor against human acute myelogenous leukemia cells. Mol Cancer Ther. 2014 May;13(5):1142-54.

Fitzgibbons PL, Bradley LA, Fatheree LA, Alsabeh R, Fulton RS, Goldsmith JD, Haas TS, Karabakhtsian RG, Loykasek PA, Marolt MJ, Shen SS, Smith AT, Swanson PE. Principles of analytic validation of immunohistochemical assays: guideline from the College of American Pathologists Pathology and Laboratory Quality Center. Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2014 Mar 19. Epub ahead of print.

Fuller G, Kew Y, Sun D, Powell SZ, Ahmed NM, Zhang N, Pati D. Overexpression and constitutive nuclear localization of cohesin protease Sepa-rase protein correlates with high incidence of relapse and reduced overall survival in glioblastoma multiforme. J Neurooncol. 2014 May 4. Epub ahead of print.

Gorman BK, Lariscy JT, Kaushik C. Gender, acculturation, and smoking behavior among U.S. Asian and Latino immigrants. Soc Sci Med. 2014 Apr;106:110-8.

Huang J, Hu W, Bottsford-Miller J, Liu T, Han HD, Zand B, Pradeep S, Roh JW, Thanapprapasr D, Dalton HJ, Pecot CV, Rupaimoole R, Lu C, Fellman B, Urbauer D, Kang Y, Jennings NB, Huang L, Deavers MT, Broaddus R, Coleman RL, Sood AK. Cross-talk between EphA2 and BRaf/CRaf is a key determinant of response to Dasatinib. Clin Cancer Res. 2014 Apr 1;20(7):1846-55.

Itano O, Ikoma N, Takei H, Oshima G, Kitagawa Y. The Superficial Precoagulation, Sealing, and Transection Method: A “Bloodless” and “Ecofriend-ly” Laparoscopic Liver Transection Technique. Surg Laparosc Endosc Percutan Tech. 2014 Jun 3. Epub ahead of print.

Jerz JL, Donohue RE, Mody RR, Schwartz MR, Mody DR, Zieske AW. Detection of malignancy in body fluids: a comparison of the hematology and cytology laboratories. Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2014 May;138(5):651-7.


Kawaguchi S, Sun T, Lin PP, Deavers MT, Harun N, Lewis VO. Does ifosfamide therapy improve survival of patients with dedifferentiated chondro-sarcoma? Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2014 Mar;472(3):983-9.

Kumar R, Dos Reis Teixeira Neto A, Deavers MT, Amini B, Lewis VO. Spontaneous hip dislocation secondary to intraarticular neurofibroma: a case report. Skeletal Radiol. 2014 Jul;43(7):1007-11.

Li X, Deng Y, Lin L, Gao D, Graviss EA, Ma X. HIV infection among TB and non-TB patients in China, 2009-2012. J Infect. 2014 Apr;68(4):399-400.

Lingappan K, Jiang W, Wang L, Wang G, Couroucli XI, Shivanna B, Welty SE, Barrios R, Khan MF, Nebert DW, Roberts LJ, Moorthy B. Mice deficient in the gene for Cytochrome P450 (CYP)1A1 are more susceptible than wild-type to hyperoxic lung injury: evidence for protective role of CYP1A1 against oxidative stress. Toxicol Sci. 2014 Jun 3. Epub ahead of print.

Litvinov J, Hagström AE, Lopez Y, Adhikari M, Kourentzi K, Strych U, Monzon FA, Foster W, Cagle PT, Willson RC. Ultrasensitive immuno-detection using viral nanoparticles with modular assembly using genetically-directed biotinylation. Biotechnol Lett. 2014 Jun 15. Epub ahead of print.

Marks SM, Flood J, Seaworth B, Hirsch-Moverman Y, Armstrong L, Mase S, Salcedo K, Oh P, Graviss EA, Colson PW, Armitige L, Revuelta M, Sheeran K; TB Epidemiologic Studies Consortium. Treatment practices, outcomes, and costs of multidrug-resistant and extensively drug-resis-tant tuberculosis, United States, 2005-2007. Emerg Infect Dis. 2014 May;20(5):812-21.

McCall B, Olsen RJ, Nelles NJ, Williams DL, Jackson K, Richards-Kortum R, Graviss EA, Tkaczyk TS. Evaluation of a miniature microscope objec-tive designed for fluorescence array microscopy detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2014 Mar;138(3):379-89.

Middleton LP, Sneige N, Coyne R, Shen Y, Dong W, Dempsey P, Bevers TB. Most lobular carcinoma in situ and atypical lobular hyperplasia diag-nosed on core needle biopsy can be managed clinically with radiologic follow-up in a multidisciplinary setting. Cancer Med. 2014 Jun;3(3):492-9.

Miyai K, Mullick SS, Divatia MK, Shen SS, Ayala AG, Ro JY. Renal sclerosing perivascular epithelioid cell tumor (PEComa)/angiomyolipoma with extensive rhabdoid cell features. Pathol Int. 2014 May;64(5):247-50.

Miyai K, Divatia MK, Shen SS, Miles BJ, Ayala AG, Ro JY. Clinicopathological analysis of intraductal proliferative lesions of prostate: intraductal carcinoma of prostate, high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia, and atypical cribriform lesion. Hum Pathol. 2014 Apr 12. Epub ahead of print.

Mukherjee M, Byrd T, Brawley VS, Bielamowicz K, Li XN, Merchant F, Maitra S, Sumazin P, Palacios L, Rosado H, Micol V, Rosato AE, Bernal P, Arroyo R, Grounds H, Anderson JC, Stabler RA, Taylor PW. Staphylococcal phenotypes induced by naturally occurring and synthetic membrane-interactive polyphenolic beta-lactam resistance modifiers. PLoS One. 2014 Apr 3;9(4):e93830.

Ok CY, Li L, Xu-Monette ZY, Visco C, Tzankov A, Manyam GC, Montes-Moreno S, Dybaer K, Chiu A, Orazi A, Zu Y, Bhagat G, Chen J, Richards KL, Hsi ED, Choi WW, van Krieken JH, Huh J, Ai W, Ponzoni M, Ferreri AJ, Farnen JP, Møller MB, Bueso-Ramos CE, Miranda RN, Winter JN, Piris MA, Medeiros LJ, Young KH. Prevalence and clinical implications of epstein-barr virus infection in de novo diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in Western countries. Clin Cancer Res. 2014 May 1;20(9):2338-49.

Paner GP, Annaiah C, Gulmann C, Rao P, Ro JY, Hansel DE, Shen SS, Lopez-Beltran A, Aron M, Luthringer DJ, De Peralta-Venturina M, Cho Y, Amin MB. Immunohistochemical evaluation of novel and traditional markers associated with urothelial differentiation in a spectrum of variants of urothelial carcinoma of the urinary bladder. Hum Pathol. 2014 Jul;45(7):1473-82.

Pang J, Teeter LD, Katz DJ, Davidow AL, Miranda W, Wall K, Ghosh S, Stein-Hart T, Restrepo BI, Reves R, Graviss EA; Tuberculosis Epidemiologic Studies Consortium. Epidemiology of tuberculosis in young children in the United States. Pediatrics. 2014 Mar;133(3):e494-504.

Park JY, Lee JL, Baek S, Eo SH, Go H, Ro JY, Cho YM. Sarcomatoid features, necrosis, and grade are prognostic factors in metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma with vascular endothelial growth factor-targeted therapy. Hum Pathol. 2014 Jul;45(7):1437-44.

Perez KK, Olsen RJ, Musick WL, Cernoch PL, Davis JR, Peterson LE, Musser JM. Integrating rapid diagnostics and antimicrobial stewardship improves outcomes in patients with antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative bacteremia. J Infect. 2014 May 17. Epub ahead of print.

Portier BP, Kanagal-Shamanna R, Luthra R, Singh R, Routbort MJ, Handal B, Reddy N, Barkoh BA, Zuo Z, Medeiros LJ, Aldape K, Patel KP. Quan-titative assessment of mutant allele burden in solid tumors by semiconductor-based next-generation sequencing. Am J Clin Pathol. 2014 Apr;141(4):559-72.

Rosato RR, Fernandez R, Paz LI, Singh CR, Rosato AE. TCA cycle-mediated generation of ROS is a key mediator for HeR-MRSA survival under beta-lactam antibiotic exposure. PLoS One. 2014 Jun 16;9(6):e99605.

Salazar E, Divatia M, Cernoch PL, Olsen RJ, Long SW, Land GA, Davis JR, Musser JM. Improving positive blood culture removal time significantly decreases total processing time. Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2014 May 7. Epub ahead of print.

Staub BN, Livingston AD, Chévez-Barrios P, Baskin DS. Hemangioblastoma of the optic nerve producing bilateral optic tract edema in a patient with von Hippel-Lindau disease. Surg Neurol Int. 2014 Mar 6;5:33.

Stockman DL, Hornick JL, Deavers MT, Lev DC, Lazar AJ, Wang WL. ERG and FLI1 protein expression in epithelioid sarcoma. Mod Pathol. 2014 Apr;27(4):496-501.


THE LABORATORY REPORT is a publica-tion of the Houston Methodist Department of Pathology and Genomic Medicine

Editor-in-ChiefApril Ewton, MD

Editorial CommitteeHazel Awalt, MDChristopher Leveque, MDClaudia Molina, MDSeema Mullick, MDThu Ngo, MDSteven Shen, MD, PhDPing Wang, PhD

Editorial CoordinatorYekaterina Khotskaya, PhD

Department ChairJames M. Musser, MD, PhD

Houston Methodist HospitalClare Lee, MBAManuel Hinojosa, MHA

Thakur VS, Liang YW, Lingappan K, Jiang W, Wang L, Barrios R, Zhou G, Guntupalli B, Shivanna B, Maturu P, Welty SE, Moorthy B, Couroucli XI. Increased susceptibility to hyperoxic lung injury and alveolar simplification in newborn rats by prenatal administration of benzo[a]pyrene. Toxicol Lett. 2014 Mar 19. Epub ahead of print.

Thrall MJ. Body cavity fluids. Cancer Treat Res. 2014;160:185-210.

Wen J, Li H, Tao W, Savoldo B, Foglesong JA, King LC, Zu Y, Chang CC. High throughput quantitative reverse transcription PCR assays revealing over-expression of cancer testis antigen genes in multiple myeloma stem cell-like side population cells. Br J Haematol. 2014 May 29. Epub ahead of print.

Wu HJ, Li Y, Fan J, Deng Z, Hu Z, Liu X, Graviss EA, Ferrari M, Ma X, Hu Y. Antibody-free detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis antigen using customized nanotraps. Anal Chem. 2014 Feb 18;86(4):1988-96. doi: 10.1021/ac4027669. Epub 2014 Feb 5.

Zhao N, Pei SN, Parekh P, Salazar E, Zu Y. Blocking interaction of viral gp120 and CD4-expressing T cells by single-stranded DNA aptamers. Int J Biochem Cell Biol. 2014 Jun;51:10-8.

the laboratory report summer 2014

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