Objective:To evaluate the alleviating effects of melatonin on oxidative changes in the testes and pituitary gland induced by subacute chlopyrifos（CPF） exposure in rats.Methods:Forty adult male Wistar rats divided in...Objective:To evaluate the alleviating effects of melatonin on oxidative changes in the testes and pituitary gland induced by subacute chlopyrifos（CPF） exposure in rats.Methods:Forty adult male Wistar rats divided into 4 groups of 10 animals were used for the study.Croup I received soya oil（2 mL/kg） while group II was administered with melatonin（0.5 mg/kg）.Group III was administered CPF only(8.5 mg/kg <sup> </sup>l/10th of the LD<sub>50</sub>) while group Ⅳ was pretreated with melatonin（0.5 mg/kg） and then exposed to CPF（8.5 mg/kg）,10 min later.The regimens were administered by gavage once daily for a period of 28 d.At the end of the exposure period, the rats were sacrificed and the testicular tissues and pituitary glands were evaluated for the malonaldehyde（MDA） concentration and activities of superoxide dismutase（SOD） and catalase（CAT）.Results:CPF increased MDA concentrations and reduced the activities of SOD and CAT in the testes and pituitary gland.Melatonin pretreatment reduced the testicular and pituitary MDA concentrations and improves the SOD and CAT activities.Conclusions:the study showed that subacute CPF-induced oxidative stress in the testes and pituitary glands were alleviated by melatonin due to its antioxidant property.展开更多
Aim： To investigate wether the corresponding protein of mono-ADP-ribosyltransferase 3 （ART3） mRNA is expressed in human testes and, if so, whether the expression is cell type-specific. Methods： ART3 mRNA was deter...Aim： To investigate wether the corresponding protein of mono-ADP-ribosyltransferase 3 （ART3） mRNA is expressed in human testes and, if so, whether the expression is cell type-specific. Methods： ART3 mRNA was determined in human testes and sperm by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction （RT-PCR）. The glycosylphosphatidylinositol linkage of ART3 was shown by treating ART3-transfected HEK-293-T cells with phospholipase C. Fluorescent activated cell sorter （FACS）-analyses were used to detect ART3 on mature spermatozoa and immunohistological studies to detect the protein in testes. Results： ART3 protein was shown to be present in testes. It was found on spermatocytes only. It was absent from spermatogonia, spermatids and spermatozoa. The absence of ART3 from spermatozoa was confirmed by FACS-analysis. ART3 protein was detected neither within a seminoma nor on Leydig cells. Conclusion： Here we show for the first time that ART3 protein is expressed in testes in particular on spermatocytes, indicating that ART3 exerts a specific function only required at a particular stage of spermatogenesis.展开更多
Testes size in most animals commonly shows directional asymmetry. In birds, the left testis mass is usually larger than the right one, but the reports on the testes asymmetry in anurans are very few. Moller （1994） h...Testes size in most animals commonly shows directional asymmetry. In birds, the left testis mass is usually larger than the right one, but the reports on the testes asymmetry in anurans are very few. Moller （1994） hypothesized that the right testis serves a compensatory role and increases in size when the left one is defective, and further suggested that testes asymmetry may be a reliable indicator of individual body condition. In this paper, we tested the compensation hypothesis in the Guenther＇s frog, Hylarana guentheri. From 60 sampled males, we found that there was a significant directional asymmetry in testes mass, with the left testis size being significantly correlated with relative testes asymmetry, providing evidence that the right testis had a compensatory function. However, testes mass and asymmetry were not correlated with body condition. Hence, we found no evidence that testes asymmetry in the Guenther＇s frog reflected male condition, and male age was also not related to testes mass or asymmetry.展开更多
The toxicity of melamine has attracted much attention since the recent outbreaks of renal injury in pets and infants. Previous studies indicated that melamine by itself had low toxicity, whereas a mixture of melamine ...The toxicity of melamine has attracted much attention since the recent outbreaks of renal injury in pets and infants. Previous studies indicated that melamine by itself had low toxicity, whereas a mixture of melamine and cyanuric acid （M＋CA） could cause serious renal damage. At present, most researches on the toxicity of M＋CA are focused on the kidney. However, little is known about the adverse effects of this mixture on the reproductive system. In the present study, the toxicity of M＋CA to testes was investigated. Immature male mice were orally dosed with 0, 0.6, 3, and 15 mg kg-1 d-1 of a 1：1 M＋CA for 28 d. Pathological changes occurred in germ cells, such as loose arrangement, reduced numbers and karyopyknosis, indicating that this mixture was toxic to spermatogenesis. Compared with the control group, the TUNEL- positive germ cells increased significantly and the ratio of Bcl-2 to Bax, total antioxidant capacity and superoxide dismutase activity decreased significantly in the 3 and 15 mg kg-1 d- M＋CA treated group, while the activities of caspase-3, caspase- 8 and caspase-9 remained unchanged. The results suggest that M＋CA can induce apoptosis in the mice testes. The downregulation of Bcl-2/Bax and oxidative stress may play a pivotal role in the induction of apoptosis by M＋CA in mice testes.展开更多
Oxidative stress has been identified as one of the factors that affects fertility status. Therefore, this study sought to investigate the inhibitory effect of aqueous extract of Moringa oleifera and Newbuoldia laevis ...Oxidative stress has been identified as one of the factors that affects fertility status. Therefore, this study sought to investigate the inhibitory effect of aqueous extract of Moringa oleifera and Newbuoldia laevis leaves on FeSO4 and Sodium Nitroprusside (SNP) induced lipid peroxidation in rat testes in vitro. Incubation of the testes tissue homogenate in the presence of FeSO4 and SNP caused a significant increase in the malondialdehyde (MDA) contents of the testes. The aqueous extract from both Moringa oleifera and Newbuoldia laevis leaves caused a significant decrease in the MDA contents of the testes in a dose-dependent manner. However, aqueous extract from Moringa oleifera leaf (EC50 = 0.29 mg/ml) had a significant (P2+ induced lipid peroxidation in the rat testes homogenate than that of Newbuoldia laevis leaf extract (EC50 = 0.58 mg/ml);while there was no significant (P2+ chelating and reducing power. Therefore, these plants have potential to prevent oxidative stress in testes and improve fertility outcomes.展开更多
Objective To investigate the contraceptive mechanism of combination regimen of low- dose gossypol acetic acid （GA） with steroid hormones [desogestre/ethinylestradiol/ testosterone undeeanote（DSG/EE/TU）]. Methods A...Objective To investigate the contraceptive mechanism of combination regimen of low- dose gossypol acetic acid （GA） with steroid hormones [desogestre/ethinylestradiol/ testosterone undeeanote（DSG/EE/TU）]. Methods Adult male rats were randomly divided into four groups. Group GH： rats were fed orally with gossypol acetic acid （GA, 12.5 mg/kg） and desogestrel （DSG, 0.125 mg/kg）/ ethinylestradiol （EE, 0.025 mg/kg）/testosterone undecanoate （TU, 100 mg/kg per day, qd X4 weeks or 10 weeks）; group G： a single dose of GA （12.5 mg/kg per day, qd X 4 weeks or I0 weeks）; group H： the same dosage of DSG/EE/TUas in group GH; group C： rats were treated with vehicle （1% methyl cellulose） as the control. Expression of protein kinase C alpha （PKC-a） and cyclin D1 in rat testes were tested mainly by immunohistochemistry （IHC） and Western blotting. Results IHC results showed that protein PKC- a was expressed mainly in interstitial tissue of testis among seminiferous tubule. The expression of PKC-oc in groups H and GH at week 10 was decreased greatly compared with that in group C. The protein cyclin D1 was expressed mainly in residual body of seminiferous tubule eavosurface and interstitial tissue among seminiferous tubule of testis. Western blotting results showed that the expression of PKC-a in groups H and GH at week 10 was decreased significantly compared with that in group C （P〈0.05）. The expression of cyclin D1 in groups G, H or GH at week 10 rose significantly compared with that in group C （P 〈0.05）.Conclusion The administration of low-dose gossypol acetic acid with steroid hormones for 10 weeks can decrease the expression of PKC-a greatly.展开更多
Synchrotron radiation(SR) X-ray has significant potential for medical applications. However, the mechanisms underlying the effects of SR X-ray on biological tissues remain unclear. Because increasing evidence has indi...Synchrotron radiation(SR) X-ray has significant potential for medical applications. However, the mechanisms underlying the effects of SR X-ray on biological tissues remain unclear. Because increasing evidence has indicated critical roles of cluster of differentiation 38(CD38) in various cellular functions and cell survival, in this study we used rodent testes as a model to determine the effects of SR X-ray irradiation on the CD38 level of the testes. We found that SR X-ray irradiation led to a significant increase in the CD38 level of rodent testes one day after the irradiation. In contrast, the SR X-ray irradiation did not produce a significant increase in the CD38 level of the testes from the rats that were administered with the antioxidant N-acetyl cysteine, thus suggesting that oxidative stress plays a significant role in the SR X-ray irradiation-induced increase in the CD38 levels. Our study has also provided evidence suggesting that poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase(PARP) activity is not involved in the SR X-ray irradiation-produced effect on the CD38 levels. Collectively, this study has provided first in vivo evidence indicating that CD38 levels can be increased by ionizing radiation, in which oxidative stress plays an important role. Because oxidative stress occurs in ionizing radiation as well as such diseases as cerebral ischemia and Parkinson's disease, oxidative stress may produce pathological effects by inducing increased CD38 levels.展开更多
Testicular tissue was studied in domesticated yak and in wild yak × domesticated yak(F1 and F2)bulls at 6,12,18 and 24 months of age by stereology for quautitative histology and by comparative studies on the lact...Testicular tissue was studied in domesticated yak and in wild yak × domesticated yak(F1 and F2)bulls at 6,12,18 and 24 months of age by stereology for quautitative histology and by comparative studies on the lactate dehydrogenase(LDH)isoenzyme spectrum, LDH activity and the percentage content of LDH isoenzymes in testes. The results indicated that all three types of yak were similar in both the characteristics of ultrastructure of testicular tissue and the degree of germ cell development. The process of spermatogenesis was initiated and sperm were produced for the first time at the age of 12months in all three yak types. All yak types exhibited similar age-related, increases in weight of testes,volume density of both the seminiferous tubules and seminiferous epithelium and height of seminiferous epithelium but all these indexes were slightly affected by season. The number of LDH isoenzyme bands after electrophoresis varied with age as follows: four bands were present at 6 months of age, five bands at 12 and 18 months and six bands at 24 months of age. The sixth band was LDH -x ,which appeared between the LDH4 and LDH5 band. These results indicated that yak bulls reach sexual maturity at 24months of age and that puberty is not affected by infusion of wild strains.展开更多
Forty testicles were used to carry out histomorphometry study on the testes, epididymides and spermatozoa of four indigenous breeds of bull found in Ibadan (Red Bororo (RB), Sokoto Gudali (SG), White Fulani (WF) and D...Forty testicles were used to carry out histomorphometry study on the testes, epididymides and spermatozoa of four indigenous breeds of bull found in Ibadan (Red Bororo (RB), Sokoto Gudali (SG), White Fulani (WF) and Dhali (DL)<span style="font-family:;" "="">)</span><span style="font-family:;" "="">. The testicles were harvested immediately after the slaughter at the Bodija abattoir and transported to the laboratory in an insulated flask containing warm water at 37<span style="color:#4F4F4F;font-family:-apple-system, " font-size:16px;white-space:normal;background-color:#ffffff;"="">°</span>C within 30 minutes. In the laboratory, the samples were dissected and histological sections of the right testis, right and left caudal epididymides taken from two bulls in each group. The tissues were fixed in Bouin’s fluid. They were processed in an automatic tissue processor, embedded in paraffin wax using the embedding system (Leica EG 1160) and sectioned with microtome at 4 microns. The sections were then stained by <span>Haematoxylin and Eosin method and mounted and examined under a microscope. There was no significant difference between breed and seminiferous</span> tubular diameter (STD) and testicular germinal height (TGEH). The mean STD ranged from 223.00 ± 28.35 to 316.00 ± 37.70 μm, while the TGEH ranged from 81.60 ± 10.05 to 89.80 ± 4.83 μm. The mean epididymal tubular diameters (ETD) and epididymal lumen diameters (ELD) had the highest value of 378.00 ± 10.95 and 298.20 ± 26.0489 μm in DL and lowest of 373.80 ± 37.70 and 278.10 ± 27.71 μm in RB, respectively. The mean epididymal germinal epithelia heights (EGEH) were highest (61.20 ± 5.70 μm) in WF and lowest (39.80 ± 0.86 μm) in RB. The mean sperm head length (SHL), sperm midpiece length (SMPL), sperm tail length (STL) and sperm total length (TL) had the highest values of 5.90 ± 0.10, 8.80 ± 0.25, 24.20 ± 2.59 and 38.90 ± 2.94 μm, respectively in SG. SHL and SMPL were lowest in DL bulls (5.00 ± 0.00 and 6.30 ± 0.20 μm), while STL and TL were lowest (18.90 ± 0.24 and 31.30 ± 0.85 μm). The results of this study provide baseline data on the histomorphometry of the testes and epididymides and spermatozoa of some indigenous bulls.</span>展开更多
The imminent danger of the Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated research in pharmaceuticals that either target the viral Spike proteins fusion with ACE2 receptors,or the infectious RNA replication that often overwhelms i...The imminent danger of the Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated research in pharmaceuticals that either target the viral Spike proteins fusion with ACE2 receptors,or the infectious RNA replication that often overwhelms immune defences.The scope of this review was to elucidate the main human vulnerabilities to Covid-19,including the accumulation of ACE2 receptors in testes,adipose tissue,thyroid,heart and kidneys that escalate viral affinity in males,the aged,and certain medical conditions,including diabetes,CVD,and pulmonary diseases.Pre-existing inflammation inherent in obesity may exacerbate the“cytokine storm,”a rampaging immune reaction during the course of Covid-19 that is deleterious to the host.We examined the molecular dynamics illustrating the action of new therapeutics necessary for Covid-19 patients;the estradiol advantage hypothesis;alternative therapies including hormone replacement procedures and mesenchymal stem cells;plus preventive and protective interventions.The current perspective also explored the primary components of dysregulated health predisposing individuals to Covid-19,including hormonal imbalance,increased lipids and lipoproteins,thyroid dysfunction,degraded fitness,and age-related testosterone decline accompanied by cortisol increase that provokes stress eating behaviours and weight accumulation.Obesity increases the probability of Covid-19 infection due to its abundance of ACE2 receptors;while physical activity may decrease Covid-19 vulnerability,by reducing fat and increasing muscle mass that manifests a relatively inhibited ACE2 expression.Several weight management solutions feature lasers and radiofrequency which diminish subcutaneous adiposity but do not enhance fitness.A data metanalysis of seven recently published clinical studies on 95 obese individuals,73 males and 22 females with an average BMI of 30.9,demonstrated visceral fat reduction combined with increased skeletal muscle mass.It also revealed a statistically significant decrease in BMI,lipids,lipoproteins,inflammation and toxicity as measured by CRP,Creatinine and Bilirubin respectively,juxtaposed by optimally healthier levels of Cortisol,Testosterone,Free T3,IGF-1,Insulin,and the appetite controlling hormones Leptin and Ghrelin.展开更多
Aim:To elucidate the distribution and regulation of Neuropeptide Y(NPY)gene expression in testes under physiologi- cal and pathophysiological conditions,such as testicular development,fasting and experimental cryptorc...Aim:To elucidate the distribution and regulation of Neuropeptide Y(NPY)gene expression in testes under physiologi- cal and pathophysiological conditions,such as testicular development,fasting and experimental cryptorchidism. Methods:In the first experiment,C57BL/6J male mice at the ages of 3 days as well as 2,3,5 and 8 weeks were used. In the second and third experiments,adult C57BL/6J male mice were subjected to fasting for 48 h and experimental cryptorchidism for 72 h.The NPY transcripts were detected by isotopic in situ hybridization histochemistry.Results: The NPY transcripts were exclusively expressed in the interstitial cells regardless of the age groups and experimental conditions.The NPY mRNA levels were found to increase significantly with age(from the neonatal to prepubertal period [P<0.01] and from the prepubetal to postpubertal period [P<0.01]).Food deprivation for 48 h resulted in a significant increase in the NPY mRNA levels in the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus(P<0.01),but not in the testes.Experimental cryptorchidism for 72 h failed to regulate the NPY gene expression in the testes.Conclusion: NPY gene expression is distributed in Leydig cells and increases in line with testicular development.The regulation of testicular NPY is different from that of hypothalamic NPY.(Asian J Androl 2006 Jul;8:443-449)展开更多
immature male mice were selected in the experiment to assess the effects of Deer semen on the development of testes. 20 mice were fed with 0.05 mL semen·d -1 for 15 days and the rest fed with the same volume...immature male mice were selected in the experiment to assess the effects of Deer semen on the development of testes. 20 mice were fed with 0.05 mL semen·d -1 for 15 days and the rest fed with the same volume of albumeh for the same period as controls. The relative weight of testis to body weight was higher in treated group than that in the control (P<0.05), so was the volume of testis (P<0.05). The density of testis was lower in treated group than in the control (P<0.05). Eighty percent of mice in the treated group showed the appearance of tubule cavity and spermatozoa in the testis, but only about 20% in the control. It was concluded that the Deer semen had improvement effects on the development of testes and sexual maturity of mice.展开更多
Aim:To investigate wether the corresponding protein of mono-ADP-ribosyltransferase 3(ART3)mRNA is ex- pressed in human testes and,if so,whether the expression is cell type-specific.Methods:ART3 mRNA was deter- mined i...Aim:To investigate wether the corresponding protein of mono-ADP-ribosyltransferase 3(ART3)mRNA is ex- pressed in human testes and,if so,whether the expression is cell type-specific.Methods:ART3 mRNA was deter- mined in human testes and sperm by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR).The glycosyl- phosphatidylinositol linkage of ART3 was shown by treating ART3-transfected HEK-293-T cells with phospholipase C.Fluorescent activated cell sorter(FACS)-analyses were used to detect ART3 on mature spermatozoa and immuno- histological studies to detect the protein in testes.Results:ART3 protein was shown to be present in testes.It was found on spermatocytes only.It was absent from spermatogonia,spermatids and spermatozoa.The absence of ART3 from spermatozoa was confirmed by FACS-analysis.ART3 protein was detected neither within a seminoma nor on Leydig cells.Conclusion:Here we show for the first time that ART3 protein is expressed in testes in particular on spermatocytes,indicating that ART3 exerts a specific function only required at a particular stage of spermatogenesis.展开更多
The role of miRNAs in the regulation of seasonal reproduction in rodents,particularly in relation to photoperiod changes,is still poorly understood.Previous studies on miRNA transcriptomes of striped hamster(Cricetulu...The role of miRNAs in the regulation of seasonal reproduction in rodents,particularly in relation to photoperiod changes,is still poorly understood.Previous studies on miRNA transcriptomes of striped hamster(Cricetulus barabensis)testes have indicated that the photoperiodism of testes,especially apoptosis,may be influenced by miRNAs.As a functional miRNA,cba-miR-222-3p in striped hamster testes exhibits suppression under a short photoperiod.To elucidate the potential role of testicular cba-miR-222-3p in the seasonal reproduction of striped hamsters,we exposed male striped hamsters to different photoperiods or injected miRNA agomir into the testes and observed the effects of these treatments,particularly some indicators related to apoptosis.The results showed that the levels of apoptosis in the testes increased in short daylength,accompanied by a significant decrease in cba-miR-222-3p expression and an increase in TRAF7 expression.Dual luciferase reporter assays verified the targeting relationship between cba-miR-222-3p and TRAF7 predicted by bioinformatics.In addition,the expression of TRAF7 decreased in the testes,which injected miRNA agomir,leading to inhibition of apoptosis,and the expression of key genes(MEKK3,p38,p53)in the downstream MAPK signaling pathway of TRAF7 was suppressed.These results suggest that short daylength induces testicular apoptosis in striped hamsters,and one possible mechanism is that the decreased expression of miR-222-3p in testes reduces the repression of TRAF7 translation,thereby activating the MAPK pathway and affecting the level of testicular apoptosis.These findings reveal the potential role of miR-222-3p in animal reproduction and provide new insights into the regulation of rodent populations.展开更多
Background The cellular basis of testicular development and spermatogenesis for the extreme sperm density in chickens(100-fold higher than mammals)remains poorly defined.A comprehensive understanding of the molecular ...Background The cellular basis of testicular development and spermatogenesis for the extreme sperm density in chickens(100-fold higher than mammals)remains poorly defined.A comprehensive understanding of the molecular characteristics driving poultry testicular development is crucial for explaining this enhanced spermatogenic capacity.Results Here,we first established a single-cell transcriptome profile of chicken testes from hatching to maturity,identifying the dynamic transcriptional characteristics of germ cell fate transition and exploring the developmental characteristics of Sertoli cells and Leydig cells.Multi-species comparisons revealed a higher proportion of germ cells and the unique adaptations of Sertoli cells in chicken testes.Most importantly,our results demonstrated that Sertoli cells dominated in somatic composition of mature chicken testes,and proliferating Sertoli cells persisted in chicken testes even after sexual maturity,while no proliferating Sertoli cells in mammals.We also found a richer interaction network between chicken testicular cells,especially the specific activation of Sertoli cell interaction signals,such as TGF-β,BMP,EGF,and activin.These adaptations of Sertoli cells may support the spermatogenic superiority in chickens.Additionally,our results indicated that cAMP responsive element binding protein 5(CREB5)played a crucial role in maintaining the maturation and function of chicken Sertoli cells,and circadian rhythm promoted testosterone secretion and the development of Leydig cells.Conclusion Our study revealed that the sustained proliferative capacity of Sertoli cells,their enriched signaling network,and the regulatory roles of CREB5 and circadian rhythms collectively represented unique testicular adaptations in chickens.These findings may hold extraordinary significance in understanding the molecular characteristics of poultry testicular development,and provide a plausible framework for explaining enhanced spermatogenesis in poultry.展开更多
Wolbachia are Gram-negative endosymbionts that are known to cause embry-onic lethality when infected male insects mate with uninfected females or with females carrying a different strain of Wolbachia,a situation chara...Wolbachia are Gram-negative endosymbionts that are known to cause embry-onic lethality when infected male insects mate with uninfected females or with females carrying a different strain of Wolbachia,a situation characterized as cytoplasmice incom-patibility(CD).However,the mechanism of CI is not yet fully understood,although re-cent studies on Drosophila melanogaster have achieved great progress.Here,we found that Wolbachia infection caused changes in the expressions of several immunity-related genes,including significant upregulation of kenny(key),in the testes of D.melanogaster.Overexpression of key in fly testes led to a significant decrease in egg hatch rates when these fies mate with wild-type females.Wolbachia-infected females could rescue this embryonic lethality.Furthermore,in key overexpressing testes terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick-end labeling signal was significantly stronger than in the control testes,and the level of reactive oxygen species was significantly increased.Overexpression of key also resulted in alterations of some other immunity-related gene expressions,including the downregulation of Zn72D.Knockdown of Zn72D in fly testes also led to a significant decrease in egg hatch rates.These results suggest that Wolbachia might induce the defect in male host fertility by immunity-related pathways and thus cause an oxidative damage and cell death in male testes.展开更多
T he residual stray magnetic fields present in ferromagnetic casting slabs were investigated in this work,which result from the magnetic fields generated during the steel casting process.Existing optical detection met...T he residual stray magnetic fields present in ferromagnetic casting slabs were investigated in this work,which result from the magnetic fields generated during the steel casting process.Existing optical detection methods face challenges owing to surface oxide scales,and conventional high-precision magnetic sensors are ineffective at high temperatures.To overcome these limitations,a small coil sensor was employed to measure the residual magnetism strength in oscillation traces,using metal magnetic memory and electromagnetic induction methods,which can carry out detection without an external excitation source.Using this technology,the proposed scheme successfully detects defects at high tempe-ratures(up to 670℃)without a cooling device.The key findings include the ability to detect both surface and near-surface defects,such as cracks and oscillation marks,with an enhanced signal-to-noise ratio(SNR)of 7.2 dB after signal processing.The method’s practicality was validated in a steel mill environment,where testing on casting slabs effectively detected defects,providing a foundation for improving industrial quality control.The proposed detection scheme offers a significant advancement in nondestructive testing(NDT)for high-temperature applications,contributing to more efficient and accurate monitoring of ferromagnetic material integrity.展开更多
Members of the British Textile Machinery Association(BTMA)can look back on 2025 as a year marked by notable technological advances and continued progress in global trade,despite an uncertain and volatile market.“Our ...Members of the British Textile Machinery Association(BTMA)can look back on 2025 as a year marked by notable technological advances and continued progress in global trade,despite an uncertain and volatile market.“Our members have been very active over the past 12 months and this has resulted in new technologies for the production of technical fibres and fabrics,the introduction of AI and machine learning into process control systems and significant advances in materials testing,”says BTMA CEO Jason Kent.“There’s real excitement about what can be achieved in 2026 as we look ahead to upcoming exhibitions such as JEC Composites in Paris in March and Techtextil in Frankfurt in April.”展开更多
The meniscus plays an important role in the biomechanical function of the knee joint,but knee osteoarthritis(OA)deteriorates the mechanical properties of the meniscus.Thus understanding the mechanical behaviour of the...The meniscus plays an important role in the biomechanical function of the knee joint,but knee osteoarthritis(OA)deteriorates the mechanical properties of the meniscus.Thus understanding the mechanical behaviour of the OA meniscus is very important.This study aimed to assess the quasi-static nonlinear mechanical behaviours of the three zones of the OA meniscus by a proposed meso-indentation method,and further to investigate its nonlinear mechanical responses under the stance.Four pairs of menisci were harvested from OA patients during total knee arthroplasty.One pair of the menisci was first used for the histological analysis.Binocular fringe projection technology was then employed to reconstruct the morphology of the other three pairs of the menisci.Subsequently,a meso-indentation method was proposed to characterize the nonlinear behaviors of the meniscus zones,moreover,the hyperelastic model(HEM)together with the Hertz’s elastic model(EM)was used to fit the indentation force-depth curves of the meniscus zones.Furthermore,the fitted HEM and EM materials parameters were used to simulate the mechanical response of the meniscus in the stance by two simplified meniscus models.The results showed that the type III collagen widely existed in the OA menisci,and the red-white zone exhibited the best mechanical performance,and the 3-term Mooney-Rivlin model was the best descriptor for the nonlinear mechanical characterization of the three zones.Moreover,the stress or strain distributions of the simplified meniscus models differed significantly between the HEM and EM under the stance,and the EM underestimated the mechanical behaviours of the meniscus.The current work generally provides a novel testing method to study the nonlinear mechanical behaviour of soft biological materials,and is specifically helpful to understand the nonlinear mechanical behaviour of the OA meniscus for which the HEM should be used in the meniscus-related biomechanical studies.展开更多
The strawberry crimp nematode(Aphelenchoides fragariae) is a serious pathogen of ornamental crops and a significant quarantine concern in approximately 50 countries and regions,including China.A nematode population be...The strawberry crimp nematode(Aphelenchoides fragariae) is a serious pathogen of ornamental crops and a significant quarantine concern in approximately 50 countries and regions,including China.A nematode population belonging to the genus Aphelenchoides was isolated from symptomatic leaves of fuchsia plants(Fuchsia×hybrida Hort.ex Sieb.& Voss.) in Chengdu,Sichuan Province,China.Morphological and morphometric characteristics were determined using light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy.Detailed examination revealed diagnostic features consistent with A.fragariae.Three ribosomal DNA(rDNA) regions,i.e.,partial small subunit(SSU) rRNA,D2-D3 expansion segments of the large subunit(LSU) rRNA,and the internal transcribed spacer(ITS),were amplified and sequenced.Bayesian phylogenetic analyses based on these sequences placed the isolate in a well-supported monophyletic clade with reference A.fragariae specimens,clearly separated from other Aphelenchoides species.Furthermore,host-suitability assays demonstrated that this nematode population not only infects and reproduces on Fuchsia×hybrida,but also on Fragaria ananassa and Pteris vittata,two known hosts of A.fragariae.Collectively,morphological,molecular,and host-range evidence confirm the identification of this nematode as A.fragariae.To our knowledge,this represents the first molecular and morphological confirmation of A.fragariae in China,and the first report of Fuchsia×hybrida as a natural host for this species.展开更多
基金Partly supported by Ahmadu Bello University Board of Research(Grant No.ABU/UBR/125/09)
文摘Objective:To evaluate the alleviating effects of melatonin on oxidative changes in the testes and pituitary gland induced by subacute chlopyrifos（CPF） exposure in rats.Methods:Forty adult male Wistar rats divided into 4 groups of 10 animals were used for the study.Croup I received soya oil（2 mL/kg） while group II was administered with melatonin（0.5 mg/kg）.Group III was administered CPF only(8.5 mg/kg <sup> </sup>l/10th of the LD<sub>50</sub>) while group Ⅳ was pretreated with melatonin（0.5 mg/kg） and then exposed to CPF（8.5 mg/kg）,10 min later.The regimens were administered by gavage once daily for a period of 28 d.At the end of the exposure period, the rats were sacrificed and the testicular tissues and pituitary glands were evaluated for the malonaldehyde（MDA） concentration and activities of superoxide dismutase（SOD） and catalase（CAT）.Results:CPF increased MDA concentrations and reduced the activities of SOD and CAT in the testes and pituitary gland.Melatonin pretreatment reduced the testicular and pituitary MDA concentrations and improves the SOD and CAT activities.Conclusions:the study showed that subacute CPF-induced oxidative stress in the testes and pituitary glands were alleviated by melatonin due to its antioxidant property.
文摘Aim： To investigate wether the corresponding protein of mono-ADP-ribosyltransferase 3 （ART3） mRNA is expressed in human testes and, if so, whether the expression is cell type-specific. Methods： ART3 mRNA was determined in human testes and sperm by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction （RT-PCR）. The glycosylphosphatidylinositol linkage of ART3 was shown by treating ART3-transfected HEK-293-T cells with phospholipase C. Fluorescent activated cell sorter （FACS）-analyses were used to detect ART3 on mature spermatozoa and immunohistological studies to detect the protein in testes. Results： ART3 protein was shown to be present in testes. It was found on spermatocytes only. It was absent from spermatogonia, spermatids and spermatozoa. The absence of ART3 from spermatozoa was confirmed by FACS-analysis. ART3 protein was detected neither within a seminoma nor on Leydig cells. Conclusion： Here we show for the first time that ART3 protein is expressed in testes in particular on spermatocytes, indicating that ART3 exerts a specific function only required at a particular stage of spermatogenesis.
基金support is provided by the Foundation of Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation of Ministry of Education,China WesNormal University(XNYB01-3)
文摘Testes size in most animals commonly shows directional asymmetry. In birds, the left testis mass is usually larger than the right one, but the reports on the testes asymmetry in anurans are very few. Moller （1994） hypothesized that the right testis serves a compensatory role and increases in size when the left one is defective, and further suggested that testes asymmetry may be a reliable indicator of individual body condition. In this paper, we tested the compensation hypothesis in the Guenther＇s frog, Hylarana guentheri. From 60 sampled males, we found that there was a significant directional asymmetry in testes mass, with the left testis size being significantly correlated with relative testes asymmetry, providing evidence that the right testis had a compensatory function. However, testes mass and asymmetry were not correlated with body condition. Hence, we found no evidence that testes asymmetry in the Guenther＇s frog reflected male condition, and male age was also not related to testes mass or asymmetry.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(30871853)
文摘The toxicity of melamine has attracted much attention since the recent outbreaks of renal injury in pets and infants. Previous studies indicated that melamine by itself had low toxicity, whereas a mixture of melamine and cyanuric acid （M＋CA） could cause serious renal damage. At present, most researches on the toxicity of M＋CA are focused on the kidney. However, little is known about the adverse effects of this mixture on the reproductive system. In the present study, the toxicity of M＋CA to testes was investigated. Immature male mice were orally dosed with 0, 0.6, 3, and 15 mg kg-1 d-1 of a 1：1 M＋CA for 28 d. Pathological changes occurred in germ cells, such as loose arrangement, reduced numbers and karyopyknosis, indicating that this mixture was toxic to spermatogenesis. Compared with the control group, the TUNEL- positive germ cells increased significantly and the ratio of Bcl-2 to Bax, total antioxidant capacity and superoxide dismutase activity decreased significantly in the 3 and 15 mg kg-1 d- M＋CA treated group, while the activities of caspase-3, caspase- 8 and caspase-9 remained unchanged. The results suggest that M＋CA can induce apoptosis in the mice testes. The downregulation of Bcl-2/Bax and oxidative stress may play a pivotal role in the induction of apoptosis by M＋CA in mice testes.
文摘Oxidative stress has been identified as one of the factors that affects fertility status. Therefore, this study sought to investigate the inhibitory effect of aqueous extract of Moringa oleifera and Newbuoldia laevis leaves on FeSO4 and Sodium Nitroprusside (SNP) induced lipid peroxidation in rat testes in vitro. Incubation of the testes tissue homogenate in the presence of FeSO4 and SNP caused a significant increase in the malondialdehyde (MDA) contents of the testes. The aqueous extract from both Moringa oleifera and Newbuoldia laevis leaves caused a significant decrease in the MDA contents of the testes in a dose-dependent manner. However, aqueous extract from Moringa oleifera leaf (EC50 = 0.29 mg/ml) had a significant (P2+ induced lipid peroxidation in the rat testes homogenate than that of Newbuoldia laevis leaf extract (EC50 = 0.58 mg/ml);while there was no significant (P2+ chelating and reducing power. Therefore, these plants have potential to prevent oxidative stress in testes and improve fertility outcomes.
文摘Objective To investigate the contraceptive mechanism of combination regimen of low- dose gossypol acetic acid （GA） with steroid hormones [desogestre/ethinylestradiol/ testosterone undeeanote（DSG/EE/TU）]. Methods Adult male rats were randomly divided into four groups. Group GH： rats were fed orally with gossypol acetic acid （GA, 12.5 mg/kg） and desogestrel （DSG, 0.125 mg/kg）/ ethinylestradiol （EE, 0.025 mg/kg）/testosterone undecanoate （TU, 100 mg/kg per day, qd X4 weeks or 10 weeks）; group G： a single dose of GA （12.5 mg/kg per day, qd X 4 weeks or I0 weeks）; group H： the same dosage of DSG/EE/TUas in group GH; group C： rats were treated with vehicle （1% methyl cellulose） as the control. Expression of protein kinase C alpha （PKC-a） and cyclin D1 in rat testes were tested mainly by immunohistochemistry （IHC） and Western blotting. Results IHC results showed that protein PKC- a was expressed mainly in interstitial tissue of testis among seminiferous tubule. The expression of PKC-oc in groups H and GH at week 10 was decreased greatly compared with that in group C. The protein cyclin D1 was expressed mainly in residual body of seminiferous tubule eavosurface and interstitial tissue among seminiferous tubule of testis. Western blotting results showed that the expression of PKC-a in groups H and GH at week 10 was decreased significantly compared with that in group C （P〈0.05）. The expression of cyclin D1 in groups G, H or GH at week 10 rose significantly compared with that in group C （P 〈0.05）.Conclusion The administration of low-dose gossypol acetic acid with steroid hormones for 10 weeks can decrease the expression of PKC-a greatly.
基金the National Basic Research Program (973) of China(No.2010CB834306)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.81171098)
文摘Synchrotron radiation(SR) X-ray has significant potential for medical applications. However, the mechanisms underlying the effects of SR X-ray on biological tissues remain unclear. Because increasing evidence has indicated critical roles of cluster of differentiation 38(CD38) in various cellular functions and cell survival, in this study we used rodent testes as a model to determine the effects of SR X-ray irradiation on the CD38 level of the testes. We found that SR X-ray irradiation led to a significant increase in the CD38 level of rodent testes one day after the irradiation. In contrast, the SR X-ray irradiation did not produce a significant increase in the CD38 level of the testes from the rats that were administered with the antioxidant N-acetyl cysteine, thus suggesting that oxidative stress plays a significant role in the SR X-ray irradiation-induced increase in the CD38 levels. Our study has also provided evidence suggesting that poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase(PARP) activity is not involved in the SR X-ray irradiation-produced effect on the CD38 levels. Collectively, this study has provided first in vivo evidence indicating that CD38 levels can be increased by ionizing radiation, in which oxidative stress plays an important role. Because oxidative stress occurs in ionizing radiation as well as such diseases as cerebral ischemia and Parkinson's disease, oxidative stress may produce pathological effects by inducing increased CD38 levels.
文摘Testicular tissue was studied in domesticated yak and in wild yak × domesticated yak(F1 and F2)bulls at 6,12,18 and 24 months of age by stereology for quautitative histology and by comparative studies on the lactate dehydrogenase(LDH)isoenzyme spectrum, LDH activity and the percentage content of LDH isoenzymes in testes. The results indicated that all three types of yak were similar in both the characteristics of ultrastructure of testicular tissue and the degree of germ cell development. The process of spermatogenesis was initiated and sperm were produced for the first time at the age of 12months in all three yak types. All yak types exhibited similar age-related, increases in weight of testes,volume density of both the seminiferous tubules and seminiferous epithelium and height of seminiferous epithelium but all these indexes were slightly affected by season. The number of LDH isoenzyme bands after electrophoresis varied with age as follows: four bands were present at 6 months of age, five bands at 12 and 18 months and six bands at 24 months of age. The sixth band was LDH -x ,which appeared between the LDH4 and LDH5 band. These results indicated that yak bulls reach sexual maturity at 24months of age and that puberty is not affected by infusion of wild strains.
文摘Forty testicles were used to carry out histomorphometry study on the testes, epididymides and spermatozoa of four indigenous breeds of bull found in Ibadan (Red Bororo (RB), Sokoto Gudali (SG), White Fulani (WF) and Dhali (DL)<span style="font-family:;" "="">)</span><span style="font-family:;" "="">. The testicles were harvested immediately after the slaughter at the Bodija abattoir and transported to the laboratory in an insulated flask containing warm water at 37<span style="color:#4F4F4F;font-family:-apple-system, " font-size:16px;white-space:normal;background-color:#ffffff;"="">°</span>C within 30 minutes. In the laboratory, the samples were dissected and histological sections of the right testis, right and left caudal epididymides taken from two bulls in each group. The tissues were fixed in Bouin’s fluid. They were processed in an automatic tissue processor, embedded in paraffin wax using the embedding system (Leica EG 1160) and sectioned with microtome at 4 microns. The sections were then stained by <span>Haematoxylin and Eosin method and mounted and examined under a microscope. There was no significant difference between breed and seminiferous</span> tubular diameter (STD) and testicular germinal height (TGEH). The mean STD ranged from 223.00 ± 28.35 to 316.00 ± 37.70 μm, while the TGEH ranged from 81.60 ± 10.05 to 89.80 ± 4.83 μm. The mean epididymal tubular diameters (ETD) and epididymal lumen diameters (ELD) had the highest value of 378.00 ± 10.95 and 298.20 ± 26.0489 μm in DL and lowest of 373.80 ± 37.70 and 278.10 ± 27.71 μm in RB, respectively. The mean epididymal germinal epithelia heights (EGEH) were highest (61.20 ± 5.70 μm) in WF and lowest (39.80 ± 0.86 μm) in RB. The mean sperm head length (SHL), sperm midpiece length (SMPL), sperm tail length (STL) and sperm total length (TL) had the highest values of 5.90 ± 0.10, 8.80 ± 0.25, 24.20 ± 2.59 and 38.90 ± 2.94 μm, respectively in SG. SHL and SMPL were lowest in DL bulls (5.00 ± 0.00 and 6.30 ± 0.20 μm), while STL and TL were lowest (18.90 ± 0.24 and 31.30 ± 0.85 μm). The results of this study provide baseline data on the histomorphometry of the testes and epididymides and spermatozoa of some indigenous bulls.</span>
文摘The imminent danger of the Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated research in pharmaceuticals that either target the viral Spike proteins fusion with ACE2 receptors,or the infectious RNA replication that often overwhelms immune defences.The scope of this review was to elucidate the main human vulnerabilities to Covid-19,including the accumulation of ACE2 receptors in testes,adipose tissue,thyroid,heart and kidneys that escalate viral affinity in males,the aged,and certain medical conditions,including diabetes,CVD,and pulmonary diseases.Pre-existing inflammation inherent in obesity may exacerbate the“cytokine storm,”a rampaging immune reaction during the course of Covid-19 that is deleterious to the host.We examined the molecular dynamics illustrating the action of new therapeutics necessary for Covid-19 patients;the estradiol advantage hypothesis;alternative therapies including hormone replacement procedures and mesenchymal stem cells;plus preventive and protective interventions.The current perspective also explored the primary components of dysregulated health predisposing individuals to Covid-19,including hormonal imbalance,increased lipids and lipoproteins,thyroid dysfunction,degraded fitness,and age-related testosterone decline accompanied by cortisol increase that provokes stress eating behaviours and weight accumulation.Obesity increases the probability of Covid-19 infection due to its abundance of ACE2 receptors;while physical activity may decrease Covid-19 vulnerability,by reducing fat and increasing muscle mass that manifests a relatively inhibited ACE2 expression.Several weight management solutions feature lasers and radiofrequency which diminish subcutaneous adiposity but do not enhance fitness.A data metanalysis of seven recently published clinical studies on 95 obese individuals,73 males and 22 females with an average BMI of 30.9,demonstrated visceral fat reduction combined with increased skeletal muscle mass.It also revealed a statistically significant decrease in BMI,lipids,lipoproteins,inflammation and toxicity as measured by CRP,Creatinine and Bilirubin respectively,juxtaposed by optimally healthier levels of Cortisol,Testosterone,Free T3,IGF-1,Insulin,and the appetite controlling hormones Leptin and Ghrelin.
文摘Aim:To elucidate the distribution and regulation of Neuropeptide Y(NPY)gene expression in testes under physiologi- cal and pathophysiological conditions,such as testicular development,fasting and experimental cryptorchidism. Methods:In the first experiment,C57BL/6J male mice at the ages of 3 days as well as 2,3,5 and 8 weeks were used. In the second and third experiments,adult C57BL/6J male mice were subjected to fasting for 48 h and experimental cryptorchidism for 72 h.The NPY transcripts were detected by isotopic in situ hybridization histochemistry.Results: The NPY transcripts were exclusively expressed in the interstitial cells regardless of the age groups and experimental conditions.The NPY mRNA levels were found to increase significantly with age(from the neonatal to prepubertal period [P<0.01] and from the prepubetal to postpubertal period [P<0.01]).Food deprivation for 48 h resulted in a significant increase in the NPY mRNA levels in the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus(P<0.01),but not in the testes.Experimental cryptorchidism for 72 h failed to regulate the NPY gene expression in the testes.Conclusion: NPY gene expression is distributed in Leydig cells and increases in line with testicular development.The regulation of testicular NPY is different from that of hypothalamic NPY.(Asian J Androl 2006 Jul;8:443-449)
文摘immature male mice were selected in the experiment to assess the effects of Deer semen on the development of testes. 20 mice were fed with 0.05 mL semen·d -1 for 15 days and the rest fed with the same volume of albumeh for the same period as controls. The relative weight of testis to body weight was higher in treated group than that in the control (P<0.05), so was the volume of testis (P<0.05). The density of testis was lower in treated group than in the control (P<0.05). Eighty percent of mice in the treated group showed the appearance of tubule cavity and spermatozoa in the testis, but only about 20% in the control. It was concluded that the Deer semen had improvement effects on the development of testes and sexual maturity of mice.
文摘Aim:To investigate wether the corresponding protein of mono-ADP-ribosyltransferase 3(ART3)mRNA is ex- pressed in human testes and,if so,whether the expression is cell type-specific.Methods:ART3 mRNA was deter- mined in human testes and sperm by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR).The glycosyl- phosphatidylinositol linkage of ART3 was shown by treating ART3-transfected HEK-293-T cells with phospholipase C.Fluorescent activated cell sorter(FACS)-analyses were used to detect ART3 on mature spermatozoa and immuno- histological studies to detect the protein in testes.Results:ART3 protein was shown to be present in testes.It was found on spermatocytes only.It was absent from spermatogonia,spermatids and spermatozoa.The absence of ART3 from spermatozoa was confirmed by FACS-analysis.ART3 protein was detected neither within a seminoma nor on Leydig cells.Conclusion:Here we show for the first time that ART3 protein is expressed in testes in particular on spermatocytes,indicating that ART3 exerts a specific function only required at a particular stage of spermatogenesis.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.32072436,31770455,31972283,and 31800308).
文摘The role of miRNAs in the regulation of seasonal reproduction in rodents,particularly in relation to photoperiod changes,is still poorly understood.Previous studies on miRNA transcriptomes of striped hamster(Cricetulus barabensis)testes have indicated that the photoperiodism of testes,especially apoptosis,may be influenced by miRNAs.As a functional miRNA,cba-miR-222-3p in striped hamster testes exhibits suppression under a short photoperiod.To elucidate the potential role of testicular cba-miR-222-3p in the seasonal reproduction of striped hamsters,we exposed male striped hamsters to different photoperiods or injected miRNA agomir into the testes and observed the effects of these treatments,particularly some indicators related to apoptosis.The results showed that the levels of apoptosis in the testes increased in short daylength,accompanied by a significant decrease in cba-miR-222-3p expression and an increase in TRAF7 expression.Dual luciferase reporter assays verified the targeting relationship between cba-miR-222-3p and TRAF7 predicted by bioinformatics.In addition,the expression of TRAF7 decreased in the testes,which injected miRNA agomir,leading to inhibition of apoptosis,and the expression of key genes(MEKK3,p38,p53)in the downstream MAPK signaling pathway of TRAF7 was suppressed.These results suggest that short daylength induces testicular apoptosis in striped hamsters,and one possible mechanism is that the decreased expression of miR-222-3p in testes reduces the repression of TRAF7 translation,thereby activating the MAPK pathway and affecting the level of testicular apoptosis.These findings reveal the potential role of miR-222-3p in animal reproduction and provide new insights into the regulation of rodent populations.
基金supported by“National Key Research and Development Program of China”(Grant No.2021YFF1000701)“National Natural Science Foundation of China”(Grant No.U22A20509)。
文摘Background The cellular basis of testicular development and spermatogenesis for the extreme sperm density in chickens(100-fold higher than mammals)remains poorly defined.A comprehensive understanding of the molecular characteristics driving poultry testicular development is crucial for explaining this enhanced spermatogenic capacity.Results Here,we first established a single-cell transcriptome profile of chicken testes from hatching to maturity,identifying the dynamic transcriptional characteristics of germ cell fate transition and exploring the developmental characteristics of Sertoli cells and Leydig cells.Multi-species comparisons revealed a higher proportion of germ cells and the unique adaptations of Sertoli cells in chicken testes.Most importantly,our results demonstrated that Sertoli cells dominated in somatic composition of mature chicken testes,and proliferating Sertoli cells persisted in chicken testes even after sexual maturity,while no proliferating Sertoli cells in mammals.We also found a richer interaction network between chicken testicular cells,especially the specific activation of Sertoli cell interaction signals,such as TGF-β,BMP,EGF,and activin.These adaptations of Sertoli cells may support the spermatogenic superiority in chickens.Additionally,our results indicated that cAMP responsive element binding protein 5(CREB5)played a crucial role in maintaining the maturation and function of chicken Sertoli cells,and circadian rhythm promoted testosterone secretion and the development of Leydig cells.Conclusion Our study revealed that the sustained proliferative capacity of Sertoli cells,their enriched signaling network,and the regulatory roles of CREB5 and circadian rhythms collectively represented unique testicular adaptations in chickens.These findings may hold extraordinary significance in understanding the molecular characteristics of poultry testicular development,and provide a plausible framework for explaining enhanced spermatogenesis in poultry.
基金Authors thank Professor Scott O'Neill(Monash Univer-sity,Australia)for prov iding Dmel wMel flies.This work was supported by the National Natural Science Founda-tion of China(No.31672352).
文摘Wolbachia are Gram-negative endosymbionts that are known to cause embry-onic lethality when infected male insects mate with uninfected females or with females carrying a different strain of Wolbachia,a situation characterized as cytoplasmice incom-patibility(CD).However,the mechanism of CI is not yet fully understood,although re-cent studies on Drosophila melanogaster have achieved great progress.Here,we found that Wolbachia infection caused changes in the expressions of several immunity-related genes,including significant upregulation of kenny(key),in the testes of D.melanogaster.Overexpression of key in fly testes led to a significant decrease in egg hatch rates when these fies mate with wild-type females.Wolbachia-infected females could rescue this embryonic lethality.Furthermore,in key overexpressing testes terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick-end labeling signal was significantly stronger than in the control testes,and the level of reactive oxygen species was significantly increased.Overexpression of key also resulted in alterations of some other immunity-related gene expressions,including the downregulation of Zn72D.Knockdown of Zn72D in fly testes also led to a significant decrease in egg hatch rates.These results suggest that Wolbachia might induce the defect in male host fertility by immunity-related pathways and thus cause an oxidative damage and cell death in male testes.
文摘T he residual stray magnetic fields present in ferromagnetic casting slabs were investigated in this work,which result from the magnetic fields generated during the steel casting process.Existing optical detection methods face challenges owing to surface oxide scales,and conventional high-precision magnetic sensors are ineffective at high temperatures.To overcome these limitations,a small coil sensor was employed to measure the residual magnetism strength in oscillation traces,using metal magnetic memory and electromagnetic induction methods,which can carry out detection without an external excitation source.Using this technology,the proposed scheme successfully detects defects at high tempe-ratures(up to 670℃)without a cooling device.The key findings include the ability to detect both surface and near-surface defects,such as cracks and oscillation marks,with an enhanced signal-to-noise ratio(SNR)of 7.2 dB after signal processing.The method’s practicality was validated in a steel mill environment,where testing on casting slabs effectively detected defects,providing a foundation for improving industrial quality control.The proposed detection scheme offers a significant advancement in nondestructive testing(NDT)for high-temperature applications,contributing to more efficient and accurate monitoring of ferromagnetic material integrity.
文摘Members of the British Textile Machinery Association(BTMA)can look back on 2025 as a year marked by notable technological advances and continued progress in global trade,despite an uncertain and volatile market.“Our members have been very active over the past 12 months and this has resulted in new technologies for the production of technical fibres and fabrics,the introduction of AI and machine learning into process control systems and significant advances in materials testing,”says BTMA CEO Jason Kent.“There’s real excitement about what can be achieved in 2026 as we look ahead to upcoming exhibitions such as JEC Composites in Paris in March and Techtextil in Frankfurt in April.”
基金supported by the National Nature Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.32171307,12372307,12172089,61821002 and 82102567)the Basic Research Plan Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province(Grant No.BK20232023)+1 种基金the Nature Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province(Grant No.BK20200144)the Postgraduate Research and Practice Innovation Program of Jiangsu Province(Grant No.5007032303).
文摘The meniscus plays an important role in the biomechanical function of the knee joint,but knee osteoarthritis(OA)deteriorates the mechanical properties of the meniscus.Thus understanding the mechanical behaviour of the OA meniscus is very important.This study aimed to assess the quasi-static nonlinear mechanical behaviours of the three zones of the OA meniscus by a proposed meso-indentation method,and further to investigate its nonlinear mechanical responses under the stance.Four pairs of menisci were harvested from OA patients during total knee arthroplasty.One pair of the menisci was first used for the histological analysis.Binocular fringe projection technology was then employed to reconstruct the morphology of the other three pairs of the menisci.Subsequently,a meso-indentation method was proposed to characterize the nonlinear behaviors of the meniscus zones,moreover,the hyperelastic model(HEM)together with the Hertz’s elastic model(EM)was used to fit the indentation force-depth curves of the meniscus zones.Furthermore,the fitted HEM and EM materials parameters were used to simulate the mechanical response of the meniscus in the stance by two simplified meniscus models.The results showed that the type III collagen widely existed in the OA menisci,and the red-white zone exhibited the best mechanical performance,and the 3-term Mooney-Rivlin model was the best descriptor for the nonlinear mechanical characterization of the three zones.Moreover,the stress or strain distributions of the simplified meniscus models differed significantly between the HEM and EM under the stance,and the EM underestimated the mechanical behaviours of the meniscus.The current work generally provides a novel testing method to study the nonlinear mechanical behaviour of soft biological materials,and is specifically helpful to understand the nonlinear mechanical behaviour of the OA meniscus for which the HEM should be used in the meniscus-related biomechanical studies.
基金financially supported by the Shaanxi Innovation Team Project,China (2024RS-CXTD-73)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31772136)。
文摘The strawberry crimp nematode(Aphelenchoides fragariae) is a serious pathogen of ornamental crops and a significant quarantine concern in approximately 50 countries and regions,including China.A nematode population belonging to the genus Aphelenchoides was isolated from symptomatic leaves of fuchsia plants(Fuchsia×hybrida Hort.ex Sieb.& Voss.) in Chengdu,Sichuan Province,China.Morphological and morphometric characteristics were determined using light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy.Detailed examination revealed diagnostic features consistent with A.fragariae.Three ribosomal DNA(rDNA) regions,i.e.,partial small subunit(SSU) rRNA,D2-D3 expansion segments of the large subunit(LSU) rRNA,and the internal transcribed spacer(ITS),were amplified and sequenced.Bayesian phylogenetic analyses based on these sequences placed the isolate in a well-supported monophyletic clade with reference A.fragariae specimens,clearly separated from other Aphelenchoides species.Furthermore,host-suitability assays demonstrated that this nematode population not only infects and reproduces on Fuchsia×hybrida,but also on Fragaria ananassa and Pteris vittata,two known hosts of A.fragariae.Collectively,morphological,molecular,and host-range evidence confirm the identification of this nematode as A.fragariae.To our knowledge,this represents the first molecular and morphological confirmation of A.fragariae in China,and the first report of Fuchsia×hybrida as a natural host for this species.
