Publications by authors named "H M Stephens"
αβT cells protect vertebrates against many diseases, optimizing surveillance using mechanical force to distinguish between pathophysiologic cellular alterations and normal self-constituents. The multi-subunit αβT-cell receptor (TCR) operates outside of thermal equilibrium, harvesting energy via physical forces generated by T-cell motility and actin-myosin machinery. When a peptide-bound major histocompatibility complex molecule (pMHC) on an antigen presenting cell is ligated, the αβTCR on the T cell leverages force to form a catch bond, prolonging bond lifetime, and enhancing antigen discrimination.
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- Flow cytometry is a technique for analyzing immune cells, and spectral flow cytometry enhances this by allowing for high-dimensional analysis, addressing the limitations of traditional methods.
- A novel analysis pipeline was developed to better handle data from large antibody panels, helping to identify rare T cell populations in aging by applying advanced methods like dimensionality reduction and unsupervised clustering.
- The study compared T cell clusters from young and aged mice, revealing significant age-related differences in T cell subsets, and demonstrated the pipeline's effectiveness with human PBMC datasets, potentially paving the way for new therapeutic targets in age-related immune issues.
Background/objectives: Ketone esters (KEs) exhibit promise as anti-cancer agents but their impact on spontaneous metastases remains poorly understood. Although consumption of a ketogenic diet (KD) that is low in carbohydrates and high in fats can lead to KE production in vivo, the restrictive composition of KDs may diminish adherence in cancer patients.
Methods: We investigated the effects of an exogenous ketone ester-supplemented (eKET), carbohydrate-replete diet on tumor growth, metastasis, and underlying mechanisms in orthotopic models of metastatic breast (4T1-Luc) and renal (Renca-Luc) carcinomas.
Article Synopsis
- Transgender and gender expansive (TGE) youth require informed consent for gender-affirming healthcare services, but standardized methods to evaluate their capacity to consent are lacking.
- A scoping review identified eight relevant studies that explored how various factors like age and cognitive abilities affect adolescent decision-making in medical contexts, with only one focusing specifically on TGE youth.
- Clinicians may benefit from using existing tools like the MacArthur Competence Assessment Tool to support shared decision-making while considering the developmental abilities of TGE youth.