Synthesis and Optical Properties of Unsymmetric Aromatically π-Extended BODIPY.

A series of unsymmetrically substituted BODIPY dyes featuring fused benzo- or naphtho-fragments on one pyrrolic unit were synthesized from the corresponding pyrrolic precursors. The synthetic route was optimized using a modular approach based on the condensation of formylpyrroles with alkylpyrroles, enabling the identification of precursor combinations that minimize byproduct formation and improve preparative yields. The resulting benzo- and naphtho-fused BODIPYs display intense fluorescence in the red region, with emission maxima spanning 590-680 nm and fluorescence quantum yields ranging from 0.

Childhood resolution of early abnormal miRNA following neonatal encephalopathy.

Neonatal Encephalopathy (NE) is a clinical syndrome presenting as neurological dysfunction. Persistent dysregulated Inflammation is associated with NE and miRNA biomarkers may correlate with developmental outcomes. We investigated miR-20a, miR-20b, miR-93 and miR-532 expression at birth and childhood following Neonatal Encephalopathy (NE) as potential biomarkers of inflammation, brain development, and long-term outcomes.

Development of a complex 3D in vitro alternative model to evaluate the safety of advanced materials.

Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) i.e., liver damage caused by pharmaceutical and other chemical substances, represents a significant clinical challenge in both its diagnosis and treatment, with DILI remaining a major factor in drug attrition and market withdrawal, accounting for approximately 50 % of reported cases of acute liver failure.

The Multifaceted Role of Autophagy in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma: Translational Perspectives on Pathogenesis, Biomarkers, Treatment Resistance, and Emerging Therapies.

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is an epithelial malignancy arising from the nasopharyngeal mucosa. Despite treatment advances such as the use of intensity-modulated radiotherapy and immune checkpoint inhibitors, resistance remains a significant clinical challenge. Many tumours are also diagnosed at an advanced stage associated with poor prognosis.

The emerging role of immunothrombosis in the control and pathogenesis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Greater understanding of the immunopathogenesis of tuberculosis is critical for developing novel therapies. Here, we propose that immunothrombosis plays an important role in the immune response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis. This interplay between macrophages, neutrophils, and platelets leads to microthrombosis at the site of infection, trapping the mycobacterium to prevent dissemination.

Dog-ownership and paediatric neurodevelopmental disorders; 'pawsitive' impact: a systematic review.

Background: Owning a dog has been associated with improved well-being and this study focused on dog ownership in children with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD), especially in autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Methods: This systematic review utilised Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P) and three databases, EMBASE, MEDLINE and Cochrane Library, to assess dog ownership and neurodevelopmental outcomes. Paper screening and data extraction were performed in duplicate using Covidence.

Mitochondrial bioenergetic failure in SLE immunocytes: Targeting fitness for therapy.

Background: Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is characterized by dysregulated immune responses linked to immunometabolic perturbations. While mitochondrial dysfunction has been implicated in SLE, its cell-type-specific impact on immune subsets remains underexplored.

Methods: We repurposed existing RNA-seq data from SLE patient peripheral blood mononuclear cells, with a focus on nuclear-encoded mitochondrial (NEmt) genes, as well as mitochondrial genes themselves, to identify differentially expressed genes compared to healthy controls.

Myeloid and Mast Cell Progenitors Are Elevated in Atopic Dermatitis.

Chronic spontaneous urticaria and atopic dermatitis (AD) are chronic skin disorders characterized by itch. Although mast cells play an integral role in the pathogenesis of chronic spontaneous urticaria, their role in AD is unclear, having a contributory role in a disease largely driven by T helper 2 polarization. Despite this, the role of mast cells in AD is important, given their release of proinflammatory mediators.

Immune signaling mediates stromal changes to support epithelial reprogramming in celiac duodenum.

Celiac disease is a chronic autoimmune disorder affecting 0.5%-1% of the population. Here, we assembled the most comprehensive single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) dataset in celiac disease (CeD) to date, including 203,555 cells across 21 active CeD and 11 control duodenal samples.

Effect of Topical Corticosteroid Treatment on microRNA Expression in Infants with Atopic Dermatitis.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been implicated in a variety of disorders. Although studies have examined miRNA in pediatric atopic dermatitis (AD), the impact of topical corticosteroid (TCS) therapy on miRNA expression in pediatric AD has not been investigated. We sought to investigate the effects of 6 weeks of TCS therapy on miRNA expression in infants with AD.

ATYPICAL BRAF MUTATIONS IN HAIRY CELL LEUKEMIA: DIAGNOSTIC AND THERAPEUTIC CONSIDERATIONS.

Atypical BRAF Mutations in Hairy Cell Leukemia: Diagnostic and Therapeutic Considerations.

Cytokine dysregulation in children with severe neurological impairment correlates with significant clinical outcomes.

Background: Children with neurological disorders have altered inflammatory responses. We aimed to describe pro-inflammatory, anti-inflammatory and hypoxia-induced cytokines in serum, at baseline, and in response to stimulation of whole blood with lipopolysaccharide, in children with Severe Neurological Impairment (SNI) compared to controls.

Methods: Whole blood samples from children with SNI and healthy controls were incubated in the presence or absence of lipopolysaccharide (LPS).

The prevalence, nature and severity of oropharyngeal dysphagia in the acute post-operative phase following curative resection for esophageal cancer.

Background: Oropharyngeal dysphagia and aspiration in the early post-esophagectomy period is rarely studied. This study investigated its prevalence, nature and severity, differences across surgical subgroups, and predictors of risk.

Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted (January 2022-January 2024) at the National Esophageal Cancer Centre.

N-Acetyl Cysteine as a promising therapeutic approach in ovarian cancer: potential and perspectives.

Ovarian cancer is the seventh most common cancer in women and the eighth most common cause of cancer death worldwide. It is an aggressive disease with five-year survival rates below 45% and many patients relapse within 2 years. Further treatments become more intense, resulting in chemotherapy drug resistance and increased toxicity.

Macrophage IL-4 polarization is restricted by soluble CD40 agonists and antigen-induced CD154 but not by constitutive CD154 expressed by CD4+ T cells.

Stimulation of macrophages via CD40 promotes their classical activation. Therefore, CD154 (CD40 ligand) can be expected to oppose macrophage polarization and proliferation induced by IL-4. However, there are limited experimental data to support this, which is additionally complicated by the possibility of differential effects of CD40 agonists in different formats/contexts.

Towards Personalised Therapy in Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria: Advancing From Endotype to Clinical Response.

Chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) is a skin disorder characterised by recurrent hives and swellings that has a profound effect upon quality of life. Current guidelines for the management of CSU outline sequential use of standard dosing nonsedating H1 antihistamines, fourfold dose antihistamines and the anti-IgE monoclonal antibody omalizumab. A proportion of patients will have partial response or no response to omalizumab despite uptitration of dose.

Clinical benefit and cost of plasma-first next-generation sequencing in patients with newly diagnosed advanced non-small cell lung cancer in Ireland: The PLAN study.

Background: We report a pilot clinical trial investigating the feasibility of liquid biopsy genotyping (LBG) at the time of radiological suspicion of advanced NSCLC, incorporating a micro-cost model (MCM). (PLAsma Genomic Testing in Advanced NSCLC; The PLAN trial, ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05542485).

Fine-mapping genomic loci refines bipolar disorder risk genes.

Bipolar disorder is a heritable mental illness with complex etiology. While the largest published genome-wide association study identified 64 bipolar disorder risk loci, the causal SNPs and genes within these loci remain unknown. We applied a suite of statistical and functional fine-mapping methods to these loci and prioritized 17 likely causal SNPs for bipolar disorder.

Pilot Study Comparing the In Vitro Response of Circulating Monocytes to Swollen Conidia in Patients with Chronic Graft-Versus-Host Disease and Healthy Volunteers.

Invasive fungal disease (IFD) is a recognised and potentially life-threatening complication of chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) and its treatment. Invasive aspergillosis (IA), most often due to the species , is the leading IFD in this setting. IA can occur during the early weeks following allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) coinciding with profound neutropenia, but increasingly, cases of IA occur after engraftment, coinciding with the occurrence of cGVHD.

spectroscopic characterisation of the biological activity of pancreatic cyst fluid.

Pancreatic cystic lesions (PCLs) are fluid-filled sacs often identified incidentally during abdominal imaging for unrelated pancreatic indications. While most PCLs are non-cancerous (benign) with no potential progression to pancreatic cancer (PC), some PCLs may undergo malignant transformation and are therefore more likely to progress into invasive cancer. The main challenge lies in separating PCLs that are entirely benign from those that are premalignant, as imaging tools and clinical guidelines remain inadequate.

Clinical Presentation and Outcomes of Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic Autoantibody-Negative Pauci-Immune Glomerulonephritis.

Introduction: Antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis is a rare, complex autoimmune condition. Although ANCAs have a pathogenic role, they are considered a suboptimal biomarker of disease activity. Previous studies suggest differences in clinical phenotypes and outcomes in those without detectable circulating autoantibody.

Advances in Lung Cancer Basic and Translational Research in 2025 - Overview and Perspectives Focusing on NSCLC.

Basic and translational research in lung cancer is a rapidly evolving field with a transformational impact on early detection, diagnosis, therapeutic development, and personalization of care. Recent advances have greatly increased our understanding of the molecular genomics, proteomics, pathogenesis, and cellular biology of this deadly malignancy. The International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) recently formed a Basic and Translational Science (BaTS) Committee to further enhance the scientific leadership of IASLC in thoracic cancer research.

Insulin- Like Growth Factor-1 as Brain-Body Connector.

Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) plays a vital role in the brain and the body, acting to promote growth and repair, as well as aiding neuronal connections and brain states. Its action is modulated by IGF binding proteins (IGFBPs), which regulate its transport and access to its receptor, the type 1 IGF1 receptor (IGF1R). The activation of IGF1R regulates several downstream pathways, predominantly mitogen- activated protein kinases (MAPK) and Phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K).

TLR7 deficiency enhances inflammation in the URT but reduces LRT immunity following influenza A infection.

Immune responses in the upper respiratory tract (URT) following influenza A virus (IAV) infection can influence disease severity, and subsequently inflammation and lung tissue damage in the lower respiratory tract (LRT). This study investigated the role of toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7), a key pattern recognition receptor that senses viral RNA and triggers antiviral and proinflammatory signaling to activate immune responses, in specifically shaping URT and LRT immune responses to IAV infection. Wild type C57Bl/6 and TLR7 knockout (TLR7 KO) mice were infected with the H3N2 IAV strain Hk-X31, and key immune responses in the nasal tissue (URT) and lower airways and lung tissue (LRT) measured after acute infection.