Endometrial changes in estrogen and progesterone receptor expression during implantation in an oocyte donation program

Implantation is the final and most important stage of embryogenesis and is of paramount importance in achieving a successful pregnancy. Progesterone and estrogen are steroid hormones responsible for the regulation of the implantation window and the current study hypothesised that their receptors may be implicated in women undergoing oocyte donation. A total of 15 women aged 25‑32 years old (mean ± SD, 28.9±2.89) undergoing oocyte donation were recruited into the present study. Participants underwent ovarian stimulation with gonadotrophin‑releasing hormone antagonist and recombinant follicle‑stimulating hormone. Endometrial aspiration biopsy was performed on the day of oocyte retrieval and after 5 days (on days 0 and 5, respectively). Endometrial histology and evaluation of estrogen receptor (ER)α and progesterone receptor (PR)‑B were performed on days 0 and 5. The ER nodal staining percentage on day 0 was age‑associated, with patients aged 30 years exhibiting 90% staining. Pathological staining revealed statistically significant differences between days 0 and 5 following all staining procedures. Wilcoxon signed‑rank test resulted in the following P‑values, for ER (nodes % and stromal %) day 0/5, P=0.0001; for PR (nodes % and stromal %) day 0/5, P=0.0001 and P=0.035, respectively; for ER (grade nodes and stromal %) day 0/5, P=0.0001; and PR (grade nodes and stromal %) day 0/5 P=0.0001 and P=0.016, respectively. Synchronization between blastocyst development and the acquisition of endometrial receptivity is a prerequisite for the success of in vitro fertilisation (IVF). Aside from the recent discovery of molecules that are considered crucial for successful embryo implantation, assessing the functional characteristics of the endometrium may offer unique insights into this process, thus improving IVF results

Differential expression of mTOR components in endometriosis and ovarian cancer: Effects of rapalogues and dual kinase inhibitors on mTORC1 and mTORC2 stoichiometry

© Rogers‑Broadway et al. Endometriosis is a well-known risk factor for ovarian cancer. The genetic changes that characterise endometriosis are poorly understood; however, the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway is involved. In this study, we investigated the expression of key mTOR components in endometriosis and the effects of rapalogues using an endometrioid ovarian carcinoma cell line (MdAH 2774) as an in vitro model. Gene expression of mTOR, dEPTOR, Rictor and Raptor was assessed by qPcR in 24 endometriosis patients and in silico in ovarian cancer patients. Furthermore, the effects of Rapamycin, Everolimus, deforolimus, Temsirolimus, Resveratrol, and BEZ235 (dactolisib, a dual kinase inhibitor) on mTOR signalling components was assessed. mTOR showed a significant increase in the expression in endometriosis and ovarian endometrioid adenocarcinoma patients compared to non-affected controls. dEPTOR, an inhibitor of mTOR, was downregulated in the advanced stages of ovarian cancer (III and IV) compared to earlier stages (I and II). Treatment of MdAH-2774 cells with the mTOR inhibitors resulted in the significant upregulation of dEPTOR mRNA, whereas treatment with rapamycin and BEZ-235 (100 nM) resulted in downregulation of the mTOR protein expression after 48 h of treatment. None of the treat ments resulted in translocation of mTOR from cytoplasm to nucleus. Upregulation of dEPTOR is a positive prognostic marker in ovarian cancer and is increased in response to mTOR pathway inhibition suggesting that it functions as a tumour suppressor gene in endometrioid ovarian carcinoma. collectively, our data suggest the mTOR pathway as a potential connection between endometriosis and ovarian cancer and may be a potential target in the treatment of both conditions

Prevalence of Frailty in European Emergency Departments (FEED): an international flash mob study

Introduction Current emergency care systems are not optimized to respond to multiple and complex problems associated with frailty. Services may require reconfiguration to effectively deliver comprehensive frailty care, yet its prevalence and variation are poorly understood. This study primarily determined the prevalence of frailty among older people attending emergency care. Methods This cross-sectional study used a flash mob approach to collect observational European emergency care data over a 24-h period (04 July 2023). Sites were identified through the European Task Force for Geriatric Emergency Medicine collaboration and social media. Data were collected for all individuals aged 65 + who attended emergency care, and for all adults aged 18 + at a subset of sites. Variables included demographics, Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS), vital signs, and disposition. European and national frailty prevalence was determined with proportions with each CFS level and with dichotomized CFS 5 + (mild or more severe frailty). Results Sixty-two sites in fourteen European countries recruited five thousand seven hundred eighty-five individuals. 40% of 3479 older people had at least mild frailty, with countries ranging from 26 to 51%. They had median age 77 (IQR, 13) years and 53% were female. Across 22 sites observing all adult attenders, older people living with frailty comprised 14%. Conclusion 40% of older people using European emergency care had CFS 5 + . Frailty prevalence varied widely among European care systems. These differences likely reflected entrance selection and provide windows of opportunity for system configuration and workforce planning

Molecular Dynamics in Polystyrene Single-Chain Nanoparticles

The molecular dynamics of polystyrene (PS) single-chain nanoparticles (SCNPs) with variable molecular weights and irreversible intramolecular cross-linking densities was studied, by employing broadband dielectric spectroscopy, supplemented by calorimetry (differential scanning calorimetry, DSC), in the melt. Regarding segmental dynamics, the α relaxation process was found to be retarded for low and moderate cross-linker fractions (CrFs), in agreement with the shift of the corresponding calorimetric glass transitions. Intriguingly, our data indicate that the dynamical behavior of SCNPs is strongly affected by the macromolecular characteristic of the PS precursors, that is, molecular weight (Mn) and CrF, as a secondary, Arrhenius-like relaxation process, β*, appears in SCNPs with CrFs larger than a critical value. Our measurements reveal a transition from a strongly heterogeneous structure in loose SCNPs to a homogeneously compact structure in rigid SCNPs with increasing CrF. We propose a dynamic "phase diagram" of loose, dense, or rigid SCNPs, depending on the CrF and Mn of the precursor. Copyright © 2019 American Chemical Society

Thermal and electrical characterization of poly(vinyl)alcohol)/poly(vinylidene fluoride) blends reinforced with nano-graphene platelets

Nano-graphene/polymer composites can function as pressure induced electro-switches, at concentrations around their conductivity percolation threshold. Close to the critical point, the pressure dependence of the electron tunneling through the polymer barrier separating nano-graphene's results from the competition among shortening of the tunneling length and the increase of the polymer's polarizability. Such switching behavior was recently observed in polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) loaded with nano-graphene platelets (NGPs). In this work, PVA is blended with α-poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVdF) and NGPs. Coaxial mechanical stress and electric field render the nano-composite piezoelectric. We investigate the influence of heterogeneity, thermal properties, phase transitions and kinetic processes occurring in the polymer matrix on the macroscopic electrical conductivity and interfacial polarization in casted specimens. Furthermore, the effect of electro-activity of PVdF grains on the electric and thermal properties are comparatively studied. Broadband Dielectric spectroscopy is employed to resolve and inspect electron transport and trapping with respect to thermal transitions and kinetic processes traced via Differential Scanning Calorimetry. The harmonic electric field applied during a BDS sweep induces volume modifications of the electro-active PVdF grains, while, electro-activity of PVdF grains can disturb the internal electric field that free (or bound) electric. The dc conductivity and dielectric relaxation was found to exhibit weak dependencies. © 2021 Elsevier Lt