Publications by authors named "F B O'CONNELL"
Unlabelled: Only 20-30% of oesophageal adenocarcinoma (OAC) patients achieve a complete response to neoadjuvant chemo-radiotherapy for locally advanced tumours. Enhancing the response to radiation therapy is critical for improving outcomes in this aggressive cancer. Pyrazinib (P3) is a promising compound with radiosensitizing, anti-angiogenic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-metabolic properties.
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- - Airway macrophages (AM) are key immune cells in the lungs that help protect against infections, making them important for targeted therapies aimed at enhancing immune responses.
- - The study investigates how different types of macrophages respond to signaling molecules (IFN-γ and IL-4) that represent immune responses in the lungs, finding that AM rely heavily on glycolysis for their functions, especially in cytokine production.
- - Results show that AM exhibit unique metabolic responses and functional plasticity compared to monocyte-derived macrophages (MDM), suggesting that AM could be effective targets for new inhaled treatments for lung diseases.
Comparison of a novel methadone rotation method with other commonly used methods.
BMJ Support Palliat Care
November 2024
Objectives: To compare a novel method of methadone rotation used in a specialist palliative care inpatient unit (SPCU) in Cork, Ireland, with rapid titration methods using Perth and Brisbane Protocols as well as the Edmonton method of methadone rotation.
Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed in March-June 2022. All patients who completed rotation to methadone during 2018-2019 in the SPCU were included.
Article Synopsis
- Tissue-resident natural killer (trNK) cells are found in the human lung, and this study investigates their unique metabolic functions, which may play a role in their effectiveness as immune cells.
- Researchers analyzed human bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and peripheral blood using flow cytometry and SCENITH to compare the phenotype and metabolism of NK cells in these locations, uncovering specific markers for trNK cells.
- The study discovered that lung NK cells have a significantly higher glycolytic capacity and are more reliant on glucose than those in peripheral blood, suggesting these trNK cells are better equipped to respond to challenges in the lung environment.
Purpose: New-onset chronic musculoskeletal (MSK) pain is one of the common persistent symptoms in Long COVID (LC). This study investigated its clinical characteristics, underlying mechanisms, and impact on function, psychological health, and quality of life.
Patients And Methods: Thirty adults (19 female, 11 male) with LC and new-onset chronic MSK pain underwent clinical examination, Quantitative Sensory Testing (QST), and blood tests for inflammatory markers and completed the following outcome measures: Timed Up and Go test (TUG), handgrip strength test, COVID-19 Yorkshire Rehabilitation Scale (C19-YRS), Brief Pain Inventory (BPI), Pain Self-Efficacy Questionnaire (PSEQ), Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS), International Physical Activity Questionnaire-short form (IPAQ-sf), Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), and EuroQol Five Dimensions health-related quality of life (EQ-5D-5L).