Heat Stress Reduces Sperm Motility via Activation of Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3α and Inhibition of Mitochondrial Protein Import

The adverse effects of high environmental temperature exposure on animal reproductive functions have been concerned for many decades. However, the molecular basis of heat stress (HS)-induced decrease of sperm motility has not been entirely elucidated. We hypothesized that the deteriorate effects of HS may be mediated by damage of mitochondrial function and ATP synthesis. To test this hypothesis, we use mature boar sperm as model to explore the impacts of HS on mitochondrial function and sperm motility. A 6 h exposure to 42°C (HS) induced significant decrease in sperm progressive motility. Concurrently, HS induced mitochondrial dysfunction that is indicated by decreased of membrane potential, respiratory chain complex I and IV activities and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) contents. Exogenous ATP abolished this effect suggesting that reduced of ATP synthesis is the committed step in HS-induced reduction of sperm motility. At the molecular level, the mitochondrial protein contents were significantly decreased in HS sperm. Notably, the cytochrome c oxidase subunit 4, which was synthesized in cytoplasm and translocated into mitochondria, was significantly lower in mitochondria of HS sperm. Glycogen synthase kinase-3α (GSK3α), a negative regulator of sperm motility that is inactivated by Ser21 phosphorylation, was dephosphorylated after HS. The GSK3α inhibitor CHIR99021 was able to abolish the effects of HS on sperm and their mitochondria. Taken together, our results demonstrate that HS affects sperm motility through downregulation of mitochondrial activity and ATP synthesis yield, which involves dephosphorylation of GSK3α and interference of mitochondrial remodeling

Animal welfare with Chinese characteristics: Chinese poultry producers’ perceptions of, and attitudes towards, animal welfare

China’s poultry industry faces challenges in adopting and sustaining cage-free systems for poultry production. Effective interventions are crucial to support producers transitioning from cages to alternative systems or maintaining cage-free systems to improve animal welfare. However, little is known about how Chinese poultry producers perceive animal welfare in relation to cage-free systems and the importance of animal welfare in poultry production. Through a qualitative interview study with 30 Chinese farm owners, managers and senior managers from large-scale egg and broiler farms using cages and non-cage systems (collectively referred to as “producers”), this paper explores Chinese poultry producers’ attitudes and perceptions regarding animal welfare and welfare in different poultry housing systems. Template analysis was used to analyse the data from semi-structured interviews, which generated themes related to the participants’ awareness and understanding of the concept of animal welfare, the factors that impacted their choices of different housing systems, and the perceived priorities in poultry production. The responses revealed that the participating producers had a strong awareness and knowledge of animal welfare. However, the participants’ understanding of the term is heterogeneous: generally, egg producers emphasised natural behaviours, whereas broiler producers prioritised health and productivity. Nevertheless, profitability, leadership, and organisational policies primarily influenced housing system choices rather than animal welfare values. Economic motives drove egg producers towards cage-free systems, prompted by consumers’ and companies’ demand for cage-free eggs committed to transitioning away from cages by 2025. In conclusion, tailored interventions for different poultry sectors within China are necessary. While animal welfare values matter, economic incentives seem more promising for steering the shift towards and maintaining cage-free poultry production

Animal welfare with Chinese characteristics: Chinese poultry producers’ perceptions of, and attitudes towards, animal welfare

China’s poultry industry faces challenges in adopting and sustaining cage-free systems for poultry production. Effective interventions are crucial to support producers transitioning from cages to alternative systems or maintaining cage-free systems to improve animal welfare. However, little is known about how Chinese poultry producers perceive animal welfare in relation to cage-free systems and the importance of animal welfare in poultry production. Through a qualitative interview study with 30 Chinese farm owners, managers and senior managers from large-scale egg and broiler farms using cages and non-cage systems (collectively referred to as “producers”), this paper explores Chinese poultry producers’ attitudes and perceptions regarding animal welfare and welfare in different poultry housing systems. Template analysis was used to analyse the data from semi-structured interviews, which generated themes related to the participants’ awareness and understanding of the concept of animal welfare, the factors that impacted their choices of different housing systems, and the perceived priorities in poultry production. The responses revealed that the participating producers had a strong awareness and knowledge of animal welfare. However, the participants’ understanding of the term is heterogeneous: generally, egg producers emphasised natural behaviours, whereas broiler producers prioritised health and productivity. Nevertheless, profitability, leadership, and organisational policies primarily influenced housing system choices rather than animal welfare values. Economic motives drove egg producers towards cage-free systems, prompted by consumers’ and companies’ demand for cage-free eggs committed to transitioning away from cages by 2025. In conclusion, tailored interventions for different poultry sectors within China are necessary. While animal welfare values matter, economic incentives seem more promising for steering the shift towards and maintaining cage-free poultry production

Copper-based charge transfer multiferroics with a d9d^9 configuration

Multiferroics are materials with a coexistence of magnetic and ferroelectric order allowing the manipulation of magnetism by applications of an electric field through magnetoelectric coupling effects. Here we propose an idea to design a class of multiferroics with a $d^9$ configuration using the magnetic order in copper-oxygen layers appearing in copper oxide high-temperature superconductors by inducing ferroelectricity. Copper-based charge transfer multiferroics SnCuO2 and PbCuO2 having the inversion symmetry breaking $P4mm$ polar space group are predicted to be such materials. The active inner s electrons in Sn and Pb hybridize with O $2p$ states leading the buckling in copper-oxygen layers and thus induces ferroelectricity, which is known as the lone pair mechanism. As a result of the $d^9$ configuration, SnCuO2 and PbCuO2 are charge transfer insulators with the antiferromagnetic ground state of the moment on Cu retaining some strongly correlated physical properties of parent compounds of copper oxide high-temperature superconductors. Our work reveals the possibility of designing multiferroics based on copper oxide high-temperature superconductors.Comment: 18 pages, 5 figures, 1 tabl

Elemental topological ferroelectrics and polar metals of few-layer materials

Ferroelectricity can exist in elemental phases as a result of charge transfers between atoms occupying inequivalent Wyckoff positions. We investigate the emergence of ferroelectricity in two-dimensional elemental materials with buckled honeycomb lattices. Various multi-bilayer structures hosting ferroelectricity are designed by stacking-engineering. Ferroelectric materials candidates formed by group IV and V elements are predicted theoretically. Ultrathin Bi films show layer-stacking-dependent physical properties of ferroelectricity, topology, and metallicity. The two-bilayer Bi film with a polar stacking sequence is found to be an elemental topological ferroelectric material. Three and four bilayers Bi films with polar structures are ferroelectric-like elemental polar metals with topological nontrivial edge states. For Ge and Sn, trivial elemental polar metals are predicted. Our work reveals the possibility of design two-dimensional elemental topological ferroelectrics and polar metals by stacking-engineering.Comment: 18 pages, 6 figure

Multifunctional Lateral Transition-Metal Disulfides Heterojunctions

The intrinsic spin-dependent transport properties of two types of lateral VS2|MoS2 heterojunctions are systematically investigated using first-principles calculations, and their various nanodevices with novel properties are designed. The lateral VS2|MoS2 heterojunction diodes show a perfect rectifying effect and are promising for the applications of Schottky diodes. A large spin-polarization ratio is observed for the A-type device and pure spin-mediated current is then realized. The gate voltage significantly tunes the current and rectification ratio of their field-effect transistors (FETs). In addition, they all have sensitive photoresponse to blue light, and could be used as photodetector and photovoltaic device. Moreover, they generate the effective thermally-driven current when a temperature gratitude appears between the two terminals, suggesting them as potential thermoelectric materials. Hence, the lateral VS2|MoS2 heterojunctions show a multifunctional nature and have various potential applications in spintronics, optoelectronics, and spin caloritronics

RORγ is a targetable master regulator of cholesterol biosynthesis in a cancer subtype.

Tumor subtype-specific metabolic reprogrammers could serve as targets of therapeutic intervention. Here we show that triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) exhibits a hyper-activated cholesterol-biosynthesis program that is strongly linked to nuclear receptor RORγ, compared to estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer. Genetic and pharmacological inhibition of RORγ reduces tumor cholesterol content and synthesis rate while preserving host cholesterol homeostasis. We demonstrate that RORγ functions as an essential activator of the entire cholesterol-biosynthesis program, dominating SREBP2 via its binding to cholesterol-biosynthesis genes and its facilitation of the recruitment of SREBP2. RORγ inhibition disrupts its association with SREBP2 and reduces chromatin acetylation at cholesterol-biosynthesis gene loci. RORγ antagonists cause tumor regression in patient-derived xenografts and immune-intact models. Their combination with cholesterol-lowering statins elicits superior anti-tumor synergy selectively in TNBC. Together, our study uncovers a master regulator of the cholesterol-biosynthesis program and an attractive target for TNBC