Publications by authors named "Derek Lee"

The clinical potential of current chimeric antigen receptor-engineered T (CAR-T) cell therapy is hampered by its autologous nature that poses considerable challenges in manufacturing, costs and patient selection. This spurs demand for off-the-shelf therapies. Here we introduce an ex vivo feeder-free culture method to differentiate gene-engineered hematopoietic stem and progenitor (HSP) cells into allogeneic invariant natural killer T (NKT) cells and their CAR-armed derivatives (CAR-NKT cells).

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Objective:  Preterm prelabor rupture of membranes (PPROM) diagnosis is made through visualization of amniotic fluid (pooling), nitrizine testing, sonographic low amniotic fluid, and microscopic detection of amniotic fluid arborization (ferning). Data exist on the specificity and sensitivity of ferning detection but have not focused on the second trimester. Our objective is to evaluate the presence of ferning in transvaginally collected amniotic fluid in pregnancies with known second-trimester PPROM to determine if there is a difference in ferning based on gestational age and sample drying time.

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  • Glioblastoma (GBM) is the deadliest brain tumor in adults, and current therapies are largely ineffective, which drives the need for new treatment strategies based on the tumor's metabolic needs, specifically glucose and glutamine.
  • A ketogenic metabolic therapy (KMT) approach targets these metabolic pathways by combining dietary changes with specific drugs to limit glycolysis and glutaminolysis, while promoting the use of non-fermentable fuels like ketones and fatty acids.
  • The glucose-ketone index (GKI) serves as a biomarker to monitor treatment effectiveness, aiming to create a more hostile environment for tumor growth and improve outcomes in GBM as well as potentially other cancer types reliant on similar metabolic pathways.
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Energy is necessary for tumor cell viability and growth. Aerobic glucose-driven lactic acid fermentation is a common metabolic phenotype seen in most cancers including malignant gliomas. This metabolic phenotype is linked to abnormalities in mitochondrial structure and function.

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Preterm prelabor rupture of membranes (PPROM) is associated with significant neonatal risks. When PPROM occurs during the late preterm period (between 34 0/7 and 36 6/7 weeks gestation), the optimal gestational age for delivery is unclear and varies by regional practice. In 2020 the American College of Obstetrician and Gynecologists (ACOG) published guidelines indicating that both expectant management and immediate delivery were considered reasonable options.

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  • Sex steroids influence how white adipose tissue (WAT) is distributed in mammals and this process involves adipocyte progenitor cells, although the specific sex-related regulatory mechanisms are not fully understood.
  • Research reveals that the Cxcr4 gene operates differently based on sex, affecting a group of proliferating cells and limiting fat mass in females; when Cxcr4 is deleted in specific fat cells, it causes lipodystrophy only in females.
  • The absence of Cxcr4 leads to increased estrogen receptor alpha levels in certain fat cells, revealing a link between estrogen and fat cell development; removing estrogen or using antiestrogens can reverse fat accumulation issues in mice lacking Cxcr4.
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HERV-K(HML-2), the youngest clade of human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs), includes many intact or nearly intact proviruses, but no replication competent HML-2 proviruses have been identified in humans. HML-2-related proviruses are present in other primates, including rhesus macaques, but the extent and timing of HML-2 activity in macaques remains unclear. We have identified 145 HML-2-like proviruses in rhesus macaques, including a clade of young, rhesus-specific insertions.

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In East Africa, community-based conservation models (CBCMs) have been established to support the conservation of wildlife in fragmented landscapes like the Tarangire Ecosystem, Tanzania. To assess how different management approaches maintained large herbivore populations, we conducted line distance surveys and estimated seasonal densities of elephant, giraffe, zebra, and wildebeest in six management units, including three CBCMs, two national parks (positive controls), and one area with little conservation interventions (negative control). Using a Monte-Carlo approach to propagate uncertainties from the density estimates and trend analysis, we analyzed the resulting time series (2011-2019).

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  • Cancer immunotherapy using autologous CAR T cells is complicated by manufacturing and patient selection issues, but 'off-the-shelf' options like allogeneic CAR-NKT cells could simplify the process.
  • Researchers developed a new method to produce high-yield IL-15-enhanced CAR-NKT cells that target multiple cancers, showing effectiveness in battling multiple myeloma and removing immunosuppressive cells from tumors.
  • The CAR-NKT cells demonstrated a stable hypoimmunogenic profile, meaning they are less likely to cause harmful immune reactions, making them promising candidates for clinical use without severe side effects like graft versus host disease.
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Sympathetic innervation of brown adipose tissue (BAT) controls mammalian adaptative thermogenesis. However, the cellular and molecular underpinnings contributing to BAT innervation remain poorly defined. Here, we show that smooth muscle cells (SMCs) support BAT growth, lipid utilization, and thermogenic plasticity.

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The clinical potential of current FDA-approved chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-engineered T (CAR-T) cell therapy is encumbered by its autologous nature, which presents notable challenges related to manufacturing complexities, heightened costs, and limitations in patient selection. Therefore, there is a growing demand for off-the-shelf universal cell therapies. In this study, we have generated universal CAR-engineered NKT (CAR-NKT) cells by integrating iNKT TCR engineering and HLA gene editing on hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), along with an ex vivo, feeder-free HSC differentiation culture.

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Purpose: The aims of the present study were (a) to compare the scanning time and image count to complete optical scans of a typodont between augmented-reality-assisted intraoral scanning (ARIOS) and intraoral scanning (IOS); (b) to compare the accuracy of the digital casts derived from ARIOS and IOS; (c) to compare participant-related outcomes between ARIOS and IOS.

Materials And Methods: A multi-session within-subject experiment was conducted to compare ARIOS and IOS. Thirty-one dental students participated in the study.

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Background And Objectives: Student-run free clinics (SRFCs) are settings in which students in health professions gain clinical experience, often while providing free or reduced-cost health care to the surrounding community. The current literature quantifies the many benefits these clinics provide to their patients and the impact they have on students' future careers; but few previous studies have assessed the financial impact of the education provided at an SRFC. We report on a net educational benefit, an educational benefit to educational cost ratio, and a net educational benefit to educational cost ratio of one SRFC from the perspective of the university.

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White adipose tissue (WAT) development and adult homeostasis rely on distinct adipocyte progenitor cells (APCs). While adult APCs are defined early during embryogenesis and generate adipocytes after WAT organogenesis, the mechanisms underlying adult adipose lineage determination and preservation remain undefined. Here, we uncover a critical role for platelet-derived growth factor receptor beta (Pdgfrβ) in identifying the adult APC lineage.

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  • The study evaluated the safety and immune response of a 3-dose COVID-19 vaccination series in 59 pediatric patients with chronic kidney disease, revealing strong antibody and T cell responses.
  • Patients on immunosuppression had weaker virus neutralization, particularly against the Omicron variant, but still maintained a protective T cell response after vaccination.
  • Overall, the 3-dose BNT162b2 vaccine series is considered effective and safe for children and adolescents with kidney diseases, with only mild to moderate side effects reported.
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  • Allogeneic Vγ9Vδ2 T cells show promise for cancer therapy due to their safety and tumor-fighting abilities, but their clinical effectiveness has been limited by donor variability and other factors.
  • Researchers are enhancing these T cells by selecting donors based on a biomarker (CD16), which improves their immune response and functionality, supported by RNA sequencing.
  • Preclinical studies in ovarian cancer models confirm that these engineered CD16 Vδ2 T cells are effective, safe, and persist within the body, making them a potential new therapy for treating cancer.
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Estimated fetal weight (EFW) is frequently used for clinical decision-making in obstetrics. The goals of this study were to determine the accuracy of EFW assessments by Leopold and ultrasound and to investigate any associations with maternal characteristics. Postgraduate years 1 and 2 obstetrics and gynecology resident physicians from Harbor-UCLA Medical Center from 2014 to 2020 performed EFW assessments on 10 preterm (<37 weeks' gestational age) fetuses by ultrasound biometry and 10 full-term (≥37 weeks' gestational age) fetuses by ultrasound biometry and Leopold maneuver.

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Megaherbivores play "outsized" roles in ecosystem functioning but are vulnerable to human impacts such as overhunting, land-use changes, and climate extremes. However, such impacts-and combinations of these impacts-on population dynamics are rarely examined using empirical data. To guide effective conservation actions under increasing global-change pressures, we developed a socially structured individual-based model (IBM) using long-term demographic data from female giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis) in a human-influenced landscape in northern Tanzania, the Tarangire Ecosystem.

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  • - Ovarian cancer is often diagnosed late and frequently recurs, making it highly lethal; current treatments like surgery and chemotherapy only provide temporary remission.
  • - Researchers analyzed tumor cells and their microenvironments from patients with both initial and recurrent ovarian cancer to identify new molecular targets for immunotherapy.
  • - The study highlighted CD1d as a significant biomarker in the ovarian cancer microenvironment, showing its potential to be targeted by specific immune cells (iNKT cells), which could lead to new treatment strategies for recurrent cases.
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The Masai giraffe has experienced a population decline from 70,000 to 35,000 in the past three decades and was declared an endangered subspecies by the IUCN in 2019. The remaining number of Masai giraffe are geographically separated by the steep cliffs of the Gregory Rift escarpments (GRE) in Tanzania and Kenya dividing them into two populations, one west and one east of the GRE. The cliffs of the GRE are formidable barriers to east-west dispersal and gene flow and the few remaining natural corridors through the GRE are occupied by human settlements.

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Patients with impaired left ventricular (LV) function can develop LV thrombus, a potentially life-threatening condition due to risk of stroke and embolization. Conventional treatment with vitamin K antagonists (VKAs; e.g.

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Background: Mast cell tumors (MCT) are common neoplasms in dogs and are similar to most other malignant cancers in requiring glucose for growth, regardless of histological grade. Ketogenic metabolic therapy (KMT) is emerging as a non-toxic nutritional intervention for cancer management in animals and humans alike. We report the case of a 7 years-old Pit Bull terrier that presented in 2011 with a cutaneous mast cell tumor under the right nostril.

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