Patients with a homozygous β -thalassemia mutation usually have a transfusion-dependentβ-thalassemia major phenotype. However, some β-thalassemia patients present with a relatively mild and even normal phenotype and always have a high level ofHbF induced by geneticmodifiers. Inthisstudy, we identified a homozygousβ -thalassemia mutation (HBB c.126_129delCTTT) ina36-year-old pregnant woman. She had not presented any clinical symptoms of β-thalassemiasince birth.Toinvestigate her unexpected mild phenotype, known geneticmodifiersthat ameliorate the severity ofβ-thalassemia were analysed. Besides, we described the haematological changes during pregnancy. BRM/BRG1ATPInhibitor1 (a heterozygousKLF1c.519_525dup mutation; and two homozygousHBS1L-MYBlocus SNP variants rs7776054 and rs9399137)were identified. However, she showed a gradually decreased level ofHbduring pregnancy, and serious transfusion complication ofhyperhaemolysiswas induced and complicated the pregnancy. This report is in accordance with previous findings that geneticmodifierscan ameliorate the clinical severity ofβ-thalassemia, even withoutobviousclinical symptoms in a prolonged steady state. However, the steady state can be disrupted during pregnancy. #link# In addition, raising awareness ofhyperhaemolysisamong clinicians treating patients with thalassemia is necessary.This report is in accordance with previous findings that genetic modifiers can ameliorate the clinical severity of β-thalassemia, even without obvious clinical symptoms in a prolonged steady state. However, the steady state can be disrupted during pregnancy. In addition, raising awareness of hyperhaemolysis among clinicians treating patients with thalassemia is necessary.As 2D surfaces fail to resemble the tumoral milieu, current discussions are focused on which 3D cell culture strategy may better lead the cells to express in vitro most of the malignant hints described in vivo. In this study, this question is assessed by analyzing the full genetic profile of MCF7 cells cultured either as 3D spheroids-considered as "gold standard" for in vitro cancer research- or immobilized in 3D tumor-like microcapsules, by RNA-Seq and transcriptomic methods, allowing to discriminate at big-data scale, which in vitro strategy can better resemble most of the malignant features described in neoplastic diseases. The results clearly show that mechanical stress, rather than 3D morphology only, stimulates most of the biological processes involved in cancer pathogenicity, such as cytoskeletal organization, migration, and stemness. Furthermore, cells entrapped in hydrogel-based scaffolds are likely expressing other physiological hints described in malignancy, such as the upregulated expression of metalloproteinases or the resistance to anticancer drugs, among others. According to the knowledge, this study represents the first attempt to answer which 3D experimental system can better mimic the neoplastic architecture in vitro, emphasizing the relevance of confinement in cancer pathogenicity, which can be easily achieved by using hydrogel-based matrices. In recent years, nasal intermittent positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV) has been growing in popularity as a form of noninvasive ventilation for respiratory support in the initial treatment of neonates with surfactant (SF) deficiency. The combination of this type of ventilation with noninvasive SF administration (by nebulization) is an attractive treatment option for respiratory distress syndrome (RDS)-associated pathophysiology of the neonatal lungs. In this study, we aimed to test the tolerability and efficacy of SF nebulization during NIPPV for the treatment of neonatal RDS. Spontaneously-breathing newborn piglets (n = 6/group) with bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL)-induced RDS were assigned to receive during NIPPV (180 min) poractant alfa (400 mg/kg) via an investigational customized vibrating-membrane nebulizer (eFlow-Neos) or poractant alfa (200 mg/kg) as a bolus using the Insure method or no surfactant (controls). We assessed pulmonary, hemodynamic and cerebral effects and performed histological analysis of lung and brain tissue. After repeated BAL, newborn piglets developed severe RDS (F 1, pH < 7.2, P  > 70 mmHg, P < 70 mmHg, C  < 0.5 ml/cmH O/kg). In both SF-treated groups, we observed rapid improvement in pulmonary status and also similar hemodynamic, cerebral behavior, and lung and brain injury scores. Our results in newborn piglets with severe BAL-induced RDS show the administration of nebulized poractant alfa using the eFlow-Neos nebulizer during NIPPV to be well tolerated and efficacious, suggesting that this noninvasive SF administration option should be explored further.Our results in newborn piglets with severe BAL-induced RDS show the administration of nebulized poractant alfa using the eFlow-Neos nebulizer during NIPPV to be well tolerated and efficacious, suggesting that this noninvasive SF administration option should be explored further.Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. successfully developed the first dopamine D2 receptor partial agonist approved for schizophrenia, the antipsychotic aripiprazole (Abilify® ). The drug was approved for this indication in the United States in 2002 and has received approval in the United States, Europe, Japan, and many other countries for several indications including schizophrenia, acute mania, adjunctive treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD), irritability associated with autistic disorder, and Tourette's disorder. Otsuka next developed brexpiprazole (Rexulti® ), another D2 receptor partial agonist, which was granted marketing approval in the United States in 2015 as adjunctive therapy in major depressive disorder and for the treatment of schizophrenia. In Japan, brexpiprazole also received approval as a treatment for schizophrenia in 2018. In this review, we describe Otsuka's research history and achievements over the preceding 40 years in the area of antipsychotic drug discovery for dopamine D2 receptor partial agonists.The introduction of novel bioactive materials to manipulate living cell behavior is a crucial topic for biomedical research and tissue engineering. Biomaterials or surface patterns that boost specific cell functions can enable innovative new products in cell culture and diagnostics. This study investigates the influence of the intrinsically nano-patterned surface of nanoporous glass membranes on the behavior of mammalian cells. Three different cell lines and primary human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) proliferate readily on nanoporous glass membranes with mean pore sizes between 10 and 124 nm. In both proliferation and mRNA expression experiments, L929 fibroblasts show a distinct trend toward mean pore sizes >80 nm. For primary hMSCs, excellent proliferation is observed on all nanoporous surfaces. hMSCs on samples with 17 nm pore size display increased expression of COL10, COL2A1, and SOX9, especially during the first two weeks of culture. In the upside down culture, SK-MEL-28 cells on nanoporous glass resist the gravitational force and proliferate well in contrast to cells on flat references.