estradiol (E2III)

Effects of Post-Thaw Toll-Like Receptor 1/2 Agonist and Antagonist Exposure on Motility Subpopulations and Functional Characteristics of Bovine Spermatozoa.

Kanno Chihiro C, Oshima Toju T, Sato Shogo S, Maeda Yosuke Y et al.

Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) has been implicated in fertilization-related functions of bovine spermatozoa, but post-thaw responses to pharmacological TLR1/2 modulation across kinematic and membrane-related characteristics remain less defined. One ejaculate from each of four Holstein bulls was used and semen was exposed after thawing to a TLR1/2 agonist, a TLR1/2 antagonist or no additive. Five independent experimental repetitions per bull were performed using separate straws from the same ejaculate; therefore, the biological donor sample size was four bulls. Computer-assisted sperm analysis and k-means clustering identified six kinematically defined motility subpopulations and flow cytometry assessed plasma membrane and acrosomal integrity, membrane fluidity and mitochondrial superoxide-related fluorescence using MitoSOX Red. At 3 h, antagonist exposure reduced total motility compared with control and agonist treatments (30.1% ± 6.3% vs. 40.4% ± 5.6% and 37.7% ± 5.8%, respectively; adjusted p = 0.001). Conversely, antagonist-treated samples contained more spermatozoa with intact plasma membrane and acrosome than agonist-treated samples (52.4% ± 3.4% vs. 48.4% ± 3.1%; adjusted p = 0.001) and more viable spermatozoa with low MitoSOX fluorescence (31.1% ± 6.1% vs. 22.4% ± 4.7%; adjusted p = 0.001). Agonist exposure increased the proportion of viable spermatozoa with high membrane fluidity and was associated with higher MitoSOX fluorescence than antagonist exposure. These findings describe distinct post-thaw functional profiles following pharmacological TLR1/2 agonist and antagonist exposure; they do not establish TLR2-specific causality or effects on fertilizing competence.

Lessons Learned From the Surgical Experience of a World Health Organization Classified Emergency Medical Team (EMT-2).

Ansart Francois F, Agopian Philippe P, Kedzierewicz Romain R, Yavari Olivier O et al.

On December 14, 2024, Cyclone Chido struck Mayotte, a small French island in the Indian Ocean, isolated, economically fragile and marked by social difficulties driven by rapid population growth and migration pressures. This climate disaster caused numerous casualties (40 killed, about 4000 wounded and around 40 people unaccounted for) and severe damage to already strained healthcare infrastructure. This study reports the deployment and surgical activity of the ESCRIM WHO-EMT-2 Civil Protection field hospital in Mamoudzou, Mayotte's main town. Online sources, mission reports, logbooks, and interviews with deployed staff and local surgeons were reviewed to analyze the setup and surgical activity of the French WHO-EMT-2 field hospital. The first surgery started 10 days after the cyclone, and 46 hours after the WHO-EMT-2 landing in Mayotte. Over a 37-day mission (32 days of active mission and 5 days suspended due to a subsequent cyclone), 268 procedures were performed on 205 patients. The WHO EMT-2 substantially increased the island's surgical capacity during the initial phase of the response. After an initial massive influx of patients, the surgical team mainly managed septic indications (98%), with primary closure (9%), secondary intention healing (78%), negative pressure wound therapy (4.8%), and amputations (3%). Among these septic indications, 69% involved the extremities (hands and feet). Readmission exceeded 10%, representing up to one-third of the daily caseload at the end of the mission. When deployed, WHO-EMT-2 field hospitals can significantly expand local surgical capacity. Initial mass influx and high reoperation rates must be anticipated. This should contribute to developing procedural guidelines for surgical practice in disaster settings.

Serum long noncoding RNA human plasmacytoma variant translocation 1 (PVT1) expression levels in Egyptians type 2 diabetic patients and its correlation with severity of diabetic nephropathy.

Tarabay Aya A, Shaker Olfat Gamil OG, ElSayed Naglaa M NM, Allam Dina D et al.

Continuous rise in the global incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has been associated with a marked increase in diabetic kidney disease (DKD). Despite that, the clinical markers that are currently used for diagnosing diabetic nephropathy (DN) still not reliable. In recent years, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have drawn growing attention, with accumulating evidence linking their dysregulated expression to the onset and progression of DKD. This study aimed to assess serum lncRNA PVT1 expression in Egyptian patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and evaluate its association with the progression and severity of diabetic kidney disease. A total of 80 adults were enrolled and divided into four groups (20 each): three type 2 diabetes mellitus groups stratified by urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR; normal, moderately increased, and severely increased) and one healthy control group. Diabetic patients were further classified by fundus examination into those with and without retinopathy. All participants underwent clinical and laboratory evaluation, and serum lncRNA PVT1 expression was quantified using real-time PCR. Serum lncRNA PVT1 expression was markedly elevated in patients with type 2 diabetes compared to healthy controls, with significantly higher levels observed in G3 relative to G1. A significant positive correlation was found between PVT1 expression and UACR, serum creatinine, age, BMI, fasting blood glucose, 2-hour postprandial glucose, and HbA1c. Conversely, PVT1 demonstrated a significant negative correlation with eGFR, ALT, and platelet count. Notably, PVT1 emerged as the sole independent predictor of proteinuria among diabetic patients. lncRNA PVT1 is significantly overexpressed in T2DM patients and correlates with glycemic status and renal dysfunction. It serves as a potential reliable biomarker for DKD severity and progression and represents a potential therapeutic target. Not applicable.

Stress-induced lipocalin 2 remodels the tumor microenvironment to exclude T cells.

Zhu Xinxiao X, Zhou Jian J, Zhou Fangfang F