Tim Lee

Fetal lung volume and quantification of liver herniation by magnetic resonance imaging in isolated congenital diaphragmatic hernia.

To determine associations between fetal lung and liver herniation volumes measured by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and mortality/need for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in cases of isolated congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). A secondary objective was to compare prenatal MRI parameters with two‐dimensional ultrasound lung measurements.

Cell-specific Cytotoxicity of Human Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma Cells Using Rat Insulin Promoter Thymidine Kinase-directed Gene Therapy

The formation of a normal pancreas and the activation of insulin production are, in part, dependent on the expression and activation of the pancreatic duodenal homeobox gene 1 (PDX-1). The expression of PDX-1 also has been detected in various human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) cell lines. This has made it possible to generate a cancer cell-specific gene expression system to treat human pancreatic cancer. In this study, we have developed a cell-specific cytotoxic model of PDA cells using the expression of herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (TK) under the control of the rat insulin promoter (RIP-TK). We have shown that the cell-specific cytotoxicity in human PDA cells depends on the presence of PDX-1. Our results also demonstrate that in vivo PDA-specific cytotoxicity can be achieved with RIP-TK using an intraperitoneal liposomal gene delivery method followed by a short period of ganciclovir treatment in severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mice. Furthermore, PDX-1 protein was found in all six freshly isolated human pancreas cancer specimens and two liver metastasis samples that were group-tested, suggesting the feasibility of using RIP-TK gene therapy in humans. This study may provide an alternative strategy for the future treatment of pancreatic cancer.

Quantification of liver herniation in fetuses with isolated congenital diaphragmatic hernia using two-dimensional ultrasonography.

To describe a method of quantifying the amount of liver herniation in fetuses with isolated congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) using two‐dimensional ultrasonography and to correlate this finding with neonatal outcome.

Congenital heart anomaly in newborns with congenital diaphragmatic hernia: a single-center experience.

To evaluate the impact of the presence of a congenital heart anomaly (CHA) and its potential contribution to morbidity and mortality in infants with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH).