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The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between ooplasm morphology, lipid content, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity (G6PDH) and maturation potential of domestic cat oocytes. Cumulus-oocyte complexes were classified according to ooplasm morphology: evenly dark (dCOC), heterogeneous/mosaic (hCOC), or light/transparent (lCOC), however only dCOCs are thought to be the best-quality, the remaining ones are usually rejected, therefore little is known about their intracellular properties. Lipid droplets (LDs) were visualized and quantified using Oil Red O. G6PDH activity was assessed before in vitro maturation (IVM), using the brilliant cresyl blue (BCB) test. IVM-control oocytes underwent IVM without BCB staining. The dCOCs and hCOCs had different patterns of LD spatial distribution, but similar amounts of lipid, although this tended towards being lower in hCOCs. Low G6PDH activity (BCB+) was observed in 74 %, 60 % and 24 % (P < 0.01) of dCOCs, hCOCs, and lCOCs, respectively. Significantly more BCB+ /oocytes than BCB-/oocytes reached the metaphase II stage in all groups. The maturation rate of BCB+ /hCOCs was higher than that of IVM/hCOC-controls (40 % v.s. 20 %, P < 0.001), and was comparable to that of BCB+ /dCOCs (54 %; P > 0.05). lCOCs were the smallest (P < 0.01), contained fewer (P < 0.01) lipids than dCOCs or hCOCs, and displayed reduced maturational potential. Overall, LD content and distribution, as well as G6PDH activity, in cat oocytes were strongly associated with ooplasm morphology and oocyte maturational competence. Deeper understanding of the intrinsic properties of oocytes with different ooplasm morphology using the domestic cat model, may be particularly important in the context of the conservation of endangered felids., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Society for Biology of Reproduction & the Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of Polish Academy of Sciences in Olsztyn. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Telomere biology disorders (TBDs) are characterized by short telomeres, premature aging, bone marrow failure and cancer predisposition. Germline mutations in NHP2, encoding for one component of the telomerase cofactor H/ACA RNA binding complex together with Dyskerin, NOP10 and GAR1, have been previously reported in rare cases of TBDs. Here, we report two novel NHP2 variants (NHP2-A39T and NHP2-T44M) identified in a compound heterozygous patient affected by premature aging, bone marrow failure/myelodysplastic syndrome and gastric cancer. Although still able to support cell viability, both variants reduce the levels of hTR, the telomerase RNA component, and telomerase activity, expanding the panel of NHP2 pathological variants. Furthermore, both variants fail to be incorporated in the H/ACA RNA binding complex when in competition with wild-type endogenous NHP2, and the lack of incorporation causes their drastic proteasomal degradation. By RoseTTAFold prediction followed by molecular dynamics simulations, we reveal a dramatic distortion of residues 33-41, which normally position on top of the NHP2 core, as the main defect of NHP2-A39T, and high flexibility and the misplacement of the N-terminal region (residues 1-24) in NHP2-T44M and, to a lower degree, in NHP2-A39T. Because deletion of amino acids 2-24 causes a reduction in NHP2 levels only in the presence of wild-type NHP2, while deletion of amino acids 2-38 completely disrupts NHP2 stability, we propose that the two variants are mis-incorporated into the H/ACA binding complex due to the altered dynamics of the first 23 amino acids and/or the distortion of the residues 25-41 loop., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press.)

Synthetic skin CODOGARD produced by the Research and Development Centre of the Knitting Industry in Lódź was applied in 125 cases of the shank varicose ulcer treated in the Clinic of General Surgery of the Warsaw Medical Academy. Two different types of CODOGARD were used for evaluation: the first one without antibacterial dripping, and the second one with antibacterial dropping Sterinol. On the basis of achieved results it was established that CODOGARD was a successful medicine for the crus varicose ulcer. It causes faster cleaning away of the pus. It was observed that CODOGARD with Sterinol dripping was more effective. Taking into account the fact that the application of CODOGARD is easy, it should be widely used in surgical out patient's departments.