Amorphous Shape Research Articles

Observation of outstanding magnetocaloric effect near room temperature in a Fe88Ce5Pr2B5 amorphous alloy

A Fe88Ce5Pr2B5 amorphous ribbon with outstanding magnetocaloric effect near ambient temperature is reported in this paper. The Fe88Ce5Pr2B5 alloy was successfully quenched into an amorphous ribbon shape. The magnetic properties of the Fe88Ce5Pr2B5 glassy ribbon were measured and the magnetocaloric behavior of the ribbon was studied. It was found that the amorphous ribbon showed the typical magnetocaloric behavior of second-order magnetic transition with a very large maximum magnetic entropy change (−ΔSmpeak, ∼3.97 J/(kg × K) under 5 T) and adiabatic temperature rise (ΔTad, ∼2.71 K under 5 T) near its Curie temperature (∼309 K). The mechanism for the almost highest −ΔSmpeak near 310 K of the Fe88Ce5Pr2B5 metallic glass reported in literature shows a promising perspective for achieving higher −ΔSmpeak in Fe-RE-B amorphous alloys.

A dynamic hysteresis model for customized glass transition in amorphous polymer towards multiple shape memory effects

Coexistence of multiple and discrete segments as well as their distinctive hysteresis relaxations enables amorphous shape memory polymers (SMPs) exhibiting complex disordered dynamics, which is critical for the glass transition behavior to determine the shape memory effect (SME), but remained largely unexplored. In this study, a dynamic hysteresis model is proposed to explore the working principle and collective dynamics in discrete segments of amorphous SMPs, towards a dynamic connection between complex relaxation hysteresis and glass transition behavior, which can be applied for design and realization of multiple SMEs in the amorphous SMPs. In combination of free volume theory and Adam-Gibbs domain size model, a phase transition model is formulated to identify the working principle of dynamic relaxation hysteresis in the glass transition of amorphous SMP. Furthermore, constitutive relationships among relaxation time, strain, storage modulus, loss angle and temperature have been established to describe the dynamic connection between complex relaxation hysteresis and customized glass transition, which is then utilized to achieve multiple SMEs based on the extended Maxwell model. Finally, effectiveness of the proposed models is verified using experimental results of SMPs with multiple SMEs reported in literature.

Synthesis of Nanosilica for the Removal of Multicomponent Cd2+ and Cu2+ from Synthetic Water: An Experimental and Theoretical Study.

Copper and cadmium ions are among the top 120 hazardous chemicals listed by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) that can bind to organic and inorganic chemicals. Silica is one of the most abundant oxides that can limit the transport of these chemicals into water resources. Limited work has focused on assessing the applicability of nanosilica for the removal of multicomponent metal ions and studying their interaction on the surface of this adsorbent. Therefore, this study focuses on utilizing a nanosilica for the adsorption of Cd2+ and Cu2+ from water. Experimental work on the single- and multi-component adsorption of these ions was conducted and supported with theoretical interpretations. The nanosilica was characterized by its surface area, morphology, crystallinity, and functional groups. The BET surface area was 307.64 m2/g with a total pore volume of 4.95×10-3 cm3/g. The SEM showed an irregular amorphous shape with slits and cavities. Several Si-O-Si and hydroxyl groups were noticed on the surface of the silica. The single isotherm experiment showed that Cd2+ has a higher uptake (72.13 mg/g) than Cu2+ (29.28 mg/g). The multicomponent adsorption equilibrium shows an affinity for Cd2+ on the surface. This affinity decreases with increasing Cu2+ equilibrium concentration due to the higher isosteric heat from the interaction between Cd and the surface. The experimental data were modeled using isotherms for the single adsorption, with the Freundlich and the non-modified competitive Langmuir models showing the best fit. The molecular dynamics simulations support the experimental data where Cd2+ shows a multilayer surface coverage. This study provides insight into utilizing nanosilica for removing heavy metals from water.

Entangled embodiment(s) with trauma: a play in six acts

Exposition This play is about entangled embodiments of early career family therapists attending to clients’ trauma. It is drawn from research based on the theoretical framework of Karen Barad’s agential realism. As part of (2007) agential realism, the world is always already entangled and connected (Barad, 2007). I/we are not separate from one another, as in a murmuration, a shifting mass of starlings, thousands of birds flying together in dynamic shapes, shifting and moving in concert, responsive to one another and their larger environment (RSPB, 2022). In performing a murmuration, the birds cease to be distinct but instead are connected, communicating, and entangled as part of the larger form that is ever changing and becoming, allowing us to consider how thinking of systemic practice as a murmuration entails following lines of entanglement, connectedness, and iterative responsivity. To trace and track a murmuration, to learn from it and be a part of the embodied entanglement, is not to sit still, but to follow embodied shifts, to draw temporary and moving boundaries around the amorphous shapes and patterns that are forming/dissolving/re-forming in turn. Barad, a feminist quantum physicist (2007), refers to these boundary-drawing practices as agential cuts, or enactments that show what is inside/outside a phenomenon, not as inherently distinct, but as temporarily separated so the murmuration can be looked at, examined, and explored. This play is a series of agential cuts, six acts that together provide a broader narrative. This narrative weaves through/in/between the murmuration of systemic practice, exploring with curiosity what happens to the embodiments of systemic therapy practitioners when a client discloses a traumatic event or history. Based on Amber Kelley’s dissertation research, and presenting findings as poetry, this play follows an arc of exploration, an embodied journey through the entangled becomings of therapy practice and of being intimately with/in the trauma of our interconnected world.

Production of Low Molecular Weight Chitosan Using a Combination of Weak Acid and Ultrasonication Methods.

Low molecular weight chitosan (LMWC) has higher solubility and lower viscosity allowing for a wider pharmaceutical application compared to high molecular weight chitosan. LMWC chitosan can be obtained through a chitosan depolymerization process. This research aimed to produce LWMC using the combination of formic acid and ultrasonication method with the optimal condition of the depolymerization process. The chitosan depolymerization method was performed by combining formic acid and ultrasonication. The optimum conditions of the depolymerization process were obtained using the Box–Behnken design. The LMWC obtained from depolymerization was characterized to identify its yield, degree of deacetylation, the molecular weight, structure, morphology, thermal behavior, and crystallinity index. Results: The characterization results of LWMC obtained from the depolymerization process using the optimum conditions showed that the yield was 89.398%; the degree of deacetylation was 98.076%; the molecular weight was 32.814 kDa; there was no change in the chemical structure, LWMC had disorganized shape, there was no change in the thermal behavior, and LWMC had a more amorphous shape compared to native chitosan. Conclusion: The production of LWMC involving depolymerization in the presence of weak acid and ultrasonication can be developed by using the optimal condition of the depolymerization process.

PFN4 is required for manchette development and acrosome biogenesis during mouse spermiogenesis.

ABSTRACTProfilin 4 (Pfn4) is expressed during spermiogenesis and localizes to the acrosome-acroplaxome-manchette complex. Here, we generated PFN4-deficient mice, with sperm displaying severe impairment in manchette formation. Interestingly, HOOK1 staining suggests that the perinuclear ring is established; however, ARL3 staining is disrupted, suggesting that lack of PFN4 does not interfere with the formation of the perinuclear ring and initial localization of HOOK1, but impedes microtubular organization of the manchette. Furthermore, amorphous head shape and flagellar defects were detected, resulting in reduced sperm motility. Disrupted cis- and trans-Golgi networks and aberrant production of proacrosomal vesicles caused impaired acrosome biogenesis. Proteomic analysis showed that the proteins ARF3, SPECC1L and FKBP1, which are involved in Golgi membrane trafficking and PI3K/AKT pathway, are more abundant in Pfn4−/− testes. Levels of PI3K, AKT and mTOR were elevated, whereas AMPK level was reduced, consistent with inhibition of autophagy. This seems to result in blockage of autophagic flux, which could explain the failure in acrosome formation. In vitro fertilization demonstrated that PFN4-deficient sperm is capable of fertilizing zona-free oocytes, suggesting a potential treatment for PFN4-related human infertility.

Insight in thermomechanical constitutive modeling of shape memory polymers

Shape memory polymers (SMPs) are a new member of the smart materials family. SMPs have found wide applications or potential applications in almost all manmade structures and devices. In order to better design smart structures and devices using SMPs, thermomechanical constitutive modeling is essential. In this insight paper, we will focus on presenting several multi-length-scale and multi-physics modeling frameworks, including the thermodynamics consistent model, elasto-viscoplastic model, statistical mechanics model, and phase evaluation law model. The SMPs modeled will include amorphous one-way shape memory polymers, semicrystalline one-way shape memory polymers, semicrystalline two-way shape memory polymers, and functional and mechanical damage effects on SMPs. Finally, we will give some in-depth perspectives on future development in this area of study.

A Chikungunya Virus Multiepitope Recombinant Protein Expressed from the Binary System Insect Cell/Recombinant Baculovirus Is Useful for Laboratorial Diagnosis of Chikungunya.

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is an arbovirus currently distributed worldwide, causing a disease that shares clinical signs and symptoms with other illnesses, such as dengue and Zika and leading to a challenging clinical differential diagnosis. In Brazil, CHIKV emerged in 2014 with the simultaneous introduction of both Asian and East/Central/South African (ECSA) genotypes. Laboratorial diagnosis of CHIKV is mainly performed by molecular and serological assays, with the latter more widely used. Although many commercial kits are available, their costs are still high for many underdeveloped and developing countries where the virus circulates. Here we described the development and evaluation of a multi-epitope recombinant protein-based IgG-ELISA (MULTREC IgG-ELISA) test for the specific detection of anti-CHIKV antibodies in clinical samples, as an alternative approach for laboratorial diagnosis. The MULTREC IgG-ELISA showed 86.36% of sensitivity and 100% of specificity, and no cross-reactivity with other exanthematic diseases was observed. The recombinant protein was expressed from the binary system insect cell/baculovirus using the crystal-forming baculoviral protein polyhedrin as a carrier of the target recombinant protein to facilitate recovery. The crystals were at least 10 times smaller in size and had an amorphous shape when compared to the polyhedrin wild-type crystal. The assay uses a multi-epitope antigen, representing two replicates of 18 amino acid sequences from the E2 region and a sequence of 17 amino acids from the nsP3 region of CHIKV. The recombinant protein was highly expressed, easy to purify and has demonstrated its usefulness in confirming chikungunya exposure, indeed showing a good potential tool for epidemiological surveillance.

Impact of a Dinophysis acuminata Bloom on the Copepod Acartia clausi: First Indications

Faecal pellet production and content along with egg production of the dominant copepod species Acartia clausi were studied in the Thermaikos Gulf (NW Aegean Sea) during a pre-bloom and a bloom of the toxic dinoflagellate Dinophysis acuminata. Both faecal pellet production (6.8–8.6 ind−1 d−1) and egg production (15.8–47.6 ind−1 d−1) appeared unrelated to the D. acuminata bloom. Less than 11% of the copepod faecal pellets contained one or two D. acuminata cells, almost intact, whereas the other material in the pellets was broken into small pieces or amorphous shapes. The toxin outflux seemed to be insignificant when compared to the mean toxin concentration from the whole D. acuminata population. Finally, the potential grazing impact of A. clausi on D. acuminata during the study period was low.

Impact of Preparation Method in Co-Amorphous System

The co-amorphous solid dispersion system is one of the methods to improve the physicochemical characteristics and stability of a drug. With the appropriate material ratio and preparation method, a co-amorphous solid dispersion system can increase the bioavailability of the drug due to an increase in solubility. In addition, the co-amorphous system will maintain its amorphous shape longer than a single compound. However, using unsuitable materials and methods for co-amorphous fabrication will precipitate them and diminish their bioavailability. As a result, exploring the fundamentals of co-amorphous manufacturing methods is essential. This article discusses the physicochemical properties and solubility of co-amorphous mixtures prepared by solvent evaporation, milling, and quenching methods. Scopus, PubMed, and Google Scholar literature were obtained using the keywords 'co-amorphous preparation', 'co-amorphous method', 'solvent evaporation for co-amorphous preparation', 'milling methods for co-amorphous preparation', and 'quenching method for co-amorphous preparation'. We excluded literature whose application was not in the medical field. Based on the findings, the co-amorphous preparation methods have their respective advantages and disadvantages. Solvent evaporation can only be used on a small scale. Milling techniques are laborious and time-consuming but have a large yield and less chemical destruction, while the quenching method is only intended for thermostable compounds.

Dynamic equilibria with glass transition heterogeneity and tailorable mechanics in amorphous shape memory polymers

Modeling dynamic heterogeneity in amorphous shape memory polymers (SMPs) is a huge challenge due to the complex statistics of strain energy distributions during their thermodynamic relaxations. In this study, based on the dynamic heterogeneity of strain energy distribution, we have considered, for the first time, the influences of different temperature rates and strain rates on strain energy evolution as a dynamic equilibria, rather than a quasi-static problem. We propose a phase transition model incorporated with Gaussian distribution statistics to investigate the dynamic equilibria with glass transition heterogeneity and tailorable mechanics for the amorphous SMPs. The Gaussian distribution statistics is firstly applied to characterize the heterogeneity of strain energy distributions in the amorphous polymers. Phase transition theory is then developed to describe working principles of strain energy evolution, glass transition heterogeneity, thermodynamic relaxation and tailorable mechanics. Finally, the dynamic equilibria of heterogeneity about the statistics of strain energy distribution are formulated based on the one dimensional Maxwell multi-branch model. The analytical results are compared with the experimental data of epoxy, polyamide and vinylester SMPs reported in literature, and good agreements between them are demonstrated. This study provides a new insight into the dynamic heterogeneity in the mechanics of amorphous SMPs.

Controlling Morphology and Physio-Chemical Properties of Stimulus-Responsive Polyurethane Foams by Altering Chemical Blowing Agent Content.

Amorphous shape memory polymer foams are currently used as components in vascular occlusion medical devices such as the IMPEDE and IMPEDE-FX Embolization Plugs. Body temperature and moisture-driven actuation of the polymeric foam is necessary for vessel occlusion and the rate of expansion is a function of physio-chemical material properties. In this study, concentrations of the chemical blowing agent for the foam were altered and the resulting effects on morphology, thermal and chemical properties, and actuation rates were studied. Lower concentration of chemical blowing agent yielded foams with thick foam struts due to less bubble formation during the foaming process. Foams with thicker struts also had high tensile modulus and lower strain at break values compared to the foams made with higher blowing agent concentration. Additionally, less blowing agent resulted in foams with a lower glass transition temperature due to less urea formation during the foaming reaction. This exploratory study provides an approach to control thermo-mechanical foam properties and morphology by tuning concentrations of a foaming additive. This work aims to broaden the applications of shape memory polymer foams for medical use.

FVEstimator: A novel food volume estimator Wellness model for calorie measurement and healthy living

Identifying the calorific value of food requires a correct estimate of its volume and size dimensions. The food volumetric estimation can be done rationally and efficiently by measuring the food dimensions in terms of surface parameters. Food volume estimation can be effectively implemented with a computer vision-based application. The food image size can be estimated for its volumetric and calorific calibration with food area measures. However, studies in this area are limited to finding dimensions of a food item with geometrically regular, irregular, amorphous, and solid food shapes. There is a particular challenge with amorphous food items which do not have any shape and are usually calibrated with subjective container sizes by the dietitians and hence cause relative measures. Instance segmentation techniques are implemented at the pixel level and classify a pixel into a food type leading to higher accuracy in classification and segmentation of food over the background. In this work, mask-based RCNN is employed that helps accurate segmentation of food images with regular and irregular shapes in multi-food dish scenarios. The RCNN based food segmentation is applied as a volume estimator model. It is developed by fine-tuning the pre-trained ResNet model and trained over a dataset of 8 different classes of Indian breakfast food images in all shapes. The estimator model yields a precision of 90.9% for convex-shaped food images, 90.46% for amorphous food images in regular serving containers, and 98.5% to 98.9% for regular shaped (square and circle) food items. The accuracy of the presented volume estimator thus opens opportunities for further research with diverse food types and shapes.

Development and Characterizations of Pullulan and Maltodextrin-Based Oral Fast-Dissolving Films Employing a Box-Behnken Experimental Design.

Migraine is a neurological disorder characterized by severe headaches, visual aversions, auditory, and olfactory disorders, accompanied by nausea and vomiting. Zolmitriptan (ZMT®) is a potent 5HT1B/1D serotonin receptor agonist frequently used for the treatment of migraine. It has erratic absorption from the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), but its oral bioavailability is low (40–45%) due to the hepatic metabolism. This makes it an ideal candidate for oral fast dissolving formulations. Hence, the current study was undertaken to design and develop oral fast-dissolving films (OFDFs) containing ZMT for migraine treatment. The OFDFs were formulated by the solvent casting method (SCM) using Pullulan (PU) and maltodextrin (MDX) as film-forming agents and propylene glycol (PG) as a plasticizer. The strategy was designed using Box–Behnken experimental design considering the proportion of PU:MDX and percentage of PG as independent variables. The effectiveness of the OFDF’s was measured based on the following responses: drug release at five min, disintegration time (D-time), and tensile strength (TS). The influence of formulation factors, including percent elongation (%E), thickness, water content, moisture absorption, and folding endurance on ZMT-OFDFs, were also studied. The results showed a successful fabrication of stable ZMT-OFDFs, with surface uniformity and amorphous shape of ZMT in fabricated films. The optimized formulation showed a remarkable rapid dissolution, over 90% within the first 5 min, a fast D-time of 18 s, and excellent mechanical characteristics. Improved maximum plasma concentration (C max) and area under the curve (AUC 0–t) in animals (rats) treated with ZMT-OFDFs compared to those treated with an intra-gastric (i-g) suspension of ZMT were also observed. Copolymer OFDFs with ZMT is an exciting proposition with great potential for the treatment of migraine headache. This study offers a promising strategy for developing ZMT-OFDFs using SCM. ZMT-OFDFs showed remarkable rapid dissolution and fast D-time, which might endeavor ZMT-OFDFs as an auspicious alternative approach to improve patient compliance and shorten the onset time of ZMT in migraine treatment.

Enhanced photocatalytic degradation of imidacloprid and RhB by the precursor derived Bi12.7Co0.3O19.35 under different pH value

The sillenite phase Bi12.7Co0.3O19.35 was prepared successfully by pyrolysis of the BiCo-based metal coordination polymer (BiCo-MCP) as precursor. The preparation was studied under varied temperatures from 600 to 700 °C and different reaction time. SEM images showed the diverse morphologies including amorphous, spindle and flake particle shapes obtained under different conditions. Among them, the spindle particles of pure phase Bi12.7Co0.3O19.35 displayed superior catalytic activity for degradation of imidacloprid and RhB under visible light. The pH of the wastewater was found to have significant influence on the photocatalytic performance of Bi12.7Co0.3O19.35. When pH < 1.91 or pH > 11.0, the photocatalytic degradation rate of imidacloprid pesticide wastewater reached more than 96% for 4 h and when pH < 2.4, the degradation effect of RhB dye could achieve 100% degradation within 30 min. The degradation products of imidacloprid changed with different pH values of wastewater. Two different catalytic mechanisms are proposed according to the capture experiment. Bi12.7Co0.3O19.35 has potential application prospects in the degradation of organic pollutants with high catalytic efficiency and repeatability.

How to Characterize Amorphous Shapes: The Tale of a Reverse Micelle.

Aerosol-OT reverse micelles represent a chemical construct where surfactant molecules self-assemble to stabilize water nanodroplets 1-10 nm in diameter. Although commonly assumed to adopt a spherical shape, all-atom molecular dynamics simulations and some experimental studies predict a nonspherical shape. If these aggregates are not spherical, then what shape do they take? Because the tools needed to evaluate the shape of something that lacks regular structure, order, or symmetry are not well developed, we present a set of three intuitive metrics─coordinate-pair eccentricity, convexity, and the curvature distribution─that estimate the shape of an amorphous object, and we demonstrate their use on a simulated aerosol-OT reverse micelle. These metrics are all well-established methods and principles in mathematics, and each provides unique information about the shape. Together, these metrics provide intuitive descriptions of amorphous shapes, facilitate ways to quantify those shapes, and follow their changes over time.

Characterization and Antibacterial Activity of Cu doped ZnO Thin Film Prepared by Sol-Gel Dip Coating Method and Phytosynthesized Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles from Senna alata and Euphorbia hirta

Zinc oxide nanoparticles exhibit significant antibacterial activity. The present study focused on determining the antibacterial activity of green synthetic zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) and Cu doped ZnO thin film. The prepared ZnO NPs and Cu doped ZnO films were characterized by XRD analysis, SEM, FTIR and UV-vis. Amorphous and nano cluster shapes were observed in SEM analysis. The presence of different chemical functional groups was confirmed by FTIR analysis. The optical properties Cu doped ZnO nanostructures were analyzed by UV-visible analysis. The results clearly confirmed the efficient synthesis of spherical ZnO nanoparticles with average size range from 40 to 50 nm. The Cu doped ZnO thin films and ZnO nanoparticles showed dose-dependent antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Salmonella typhi and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The IC50 value was calculated as approximately 60 μg/mL. Growth kinetics studies were performed in the presence of ZnO nanoparticles demonstrated the bacteriostatic effect of ZnO nanoparticles.

Microencapsulation of Betacyanin Extract from Red Dragon Fruit Peel

The aim of this research was evaluated the effect of type and ratio of coating materials on characteristics of betacyanin extract microencapsulated by freeze drying. The combination was consisted of maltodextrin+gum arabic (MD+GA), maltodextrin+carboxymethyl cellulose (MD+CMC), maltodextrin+carrageenan (MD+C), and maltodextrin (MD) with ratio 3:1 and 4:1 (w/v) to the extract. Betacyanin microcapsules was analyzed for its characteristics, including encapsulation efficiency and microstructure. The result showed type and ratio of coating materials significantly influenced moisture content, color, and bulk density of the microcapsules (p&lt;0,05). MD+GA coating material had the highest value of encapsulation efficiency (99.41 %). Microstructure analysis of the microcapsules showed it had amorphous shape. Betacyanin microcapsules from red dragon peel was potential to be natural food colorant.

Extraction, phytochemical analysis, monosaccharide composition and functional properties of X. americana seed mucilage

The ability of mucilage to improve the functional and rheological properties of foods has initiated interest in exploiting different plant sources. Ximenia americana seed, disposed after consuming of the fruit pulp, has not been exploited for its mucilage potential to be used in food industry. X. americana seed mucilage was extracted and precipitated with water and ethanol, respectively. This study investigates the phytochemical constituents, antioxidant activities, monosaccharide composition, and morphological features of X.americana seed mucilage. The yield of mucilage obtained from the seed was 17.15%. The amount of total phenol, flavonoid, alkaloid, and tannin extracted with methanol was higher than that of acetone. Saponin was not detected in this mucilage extract. Xylose (50.18%) was the dominant sugar, while sucrose (2.83%) was the least in quantity among monosaccharides. The FTIR result revealed the presence of (OH) group which indicated the hydrophilic nature of the mucilage. The SEM micrograph also showed the amorphous and uneven shapes with cracks. The mucilage had remarkable functional properties in terms of foaming capacity, foam stability, emulsion capacity, emulsion stability, water and oil holding capacity and viscosity. The result indicated that the mucilage from X. americana seed could be a potential ingredient in food industry.

Loss of Profilin3 Impairs Spermiogenesis by Affecting Acrosome Biogenesis, Autophagy, Manchette Development and Mitochondrial Organization.

Profilins (PFNs) are key regulatory proteins for the actin polymerization in cells and are encoded in mouse and humans by four Pfn genes. PFNs are involved in cell mobility, cell growth, neurogenesis, and metastasis of tumor cells. The testes-specific PFN3 is localized in the acroplaxome–manchette complex of developing spermatozoa. We demonstrate that PFN3 further localizes in the Golgi complex and proacrosomal vesicles during spermiogenesis, suggesting a role in vesicle transport for acrosome formation. Using CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing, we generated mice deficient for Pfn3. Pfn3–/– males are subfertile, displaying a type II globozoospermia. We revealed that Pfn3–/– sperm display abnormal manchette development leading to an amorphous sperm head shape. Additionally, Pfn3–/– sperm showed reduced sperm motility resulting from flagellum deformities. We show that acrosome biogenesis is impaired starting from the Golgi phase, and mature sperm seems to suffer from a cytoplasm removal defect. An RNA-seq analysis revealed an upregulation of Trim27 and downregulation of Atg2a. As a consequence, mTOR was activated and AMPK was suppressed, resulting in the inhibition of autophagy. This dysregulation of AMPK/mTOR affected the autophagic flux, which is hallmarked by LC3B accumulation and increased SQSTM1 protein levels. Autophagy is involved in proacrosomal vesicle fusion and transport to form the acrosome. We conclude that this disruption leads to the observed malformation of the acrosome. TRIM27 is associated with PFN3 as determined by co-immunoprecipitation from testis extracts. Further, actin-related protein ARPM1 was absent in the nuclear fraction of Pfn3–/– testes and sperm. This suggests that lack of PFN3 leads to destabilization of the PFN3–ARPM1 complex, resulting in the degradation of ARPM1. Interestingly, in the Pfn3–/– testes, we detected increased protein levels of essential actin regulatory proteins, cofilin-1 (CFL1), cofilin-2 (CFL2), and actin depolymerizing factor (ADF). Taken together, our results reveal the importance for PFN3 in male fertility and implicate this protein as a candidate for male factor infertility in humans.