Reproductive Mechanisms Research Articles

Apoptosis and Remodeling in Ovary of Water Deer and Sika Deer at Pregnant and Non-pregnant Stages

Background: Many studies have been conducted on the sika deer, an extinct species in Korea, to analyze the physiological characteristics of restoration and reproductive physiological characteristics. The reproductive physiological mechanisms of water deer and sika deer, especially the function, morphological changes, and ovarian characteristics, are unknown. Objective: We aimed to study the differences in the reproductive physiology of water deer and sika deer and determine the difference in function through ovarian morphological analysis and cell remodeling. Methods: Water deer and sika deer ovaries were collected during the estrus and pregnancy seasons from the Korean Peninsula and Russia–Korean Peninsula border, respectively, and analyzed. Morphological analysis and in situ zymography were conducted to confirm the activity of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), analyze the immunofluorescence of Casp-3 protein, and assess the morphological changes in the ovaries. Results: The results of the analysis confirmed the ovaries of water deer and sika deer to be morphologically different. The corpus luteum of sika deer showed large differences in size and morphology compared to water deer, and many changes were also observed in the corpus luteum cells. However, the activity of MMPs and apoptosis in the follicles of sika deer were higher than those of water deer. Water deer and sika deer showed similar corpus luteum patterns during estrus and pregnancy. Conclusion: In our study, morphological differences were found to be present between water deer and sika deer ovaries; however, cell remodeling demonstrated a similar pattern. Therefore, the endocrine function and reproductive efficiency for reproduction would be similar.

Phenology, floral and reproductive biology of Dichorisandra rhizantha Aona (Commelinaceae), an endemic endangered species in an Atlantic Forest fragment.

Commelinaceae is an important component of the Atlantic Forest and its analysis can provide information on the conservation of that species. This study had the objective of analyzing the phenology and floral and reproductive biology of Dichorisandra rhizantha, growing in an Atlantic Forest fragment, to obtain data related to the form of reproduction and pollination mechanism of this species. We monitored the phenophases and reproductive biology of the D. rhizantha in the area studied using different methodologies and microscopy techniques (LM, SEM and FM). The flowering period occurs during the dry season. The species is andromonoecious and has daytime anthesis (4:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.). It has purple zygomorphic flowers and rimose but functionally poricidal anthers. The pollen viability was 97.6% and the two floral morphs investigated contained a large quantity of pollen grains. The time of greatest stigma receptivity (anthesis) coincided with the pollen viability. Cross-pollination was the only efficient reproductive system of the species, with observation of gametophytic self-incompatibility and pollen tubes growth only as far as the middle or lower third of the pistil. We observed bee species of the genera Xylocopa and Euglossa visiting the flowers and acting as effective pollinators. The immature fruits were formed after about 3.25 ± 1 days, and the presence was noted of ants of the genus Cephalotes acting as dispersers of the seeds, with aril serving as the reward. Although the natural reproductive system is efficient, D. rhizantha is endangered, mainly due to fragmentation of habitat caused by deforestation and urban encroachment.

Vitellogenin 1 is essential for fish reproduction by transporting DHA-containing phosphatidylcholine from liver to ovary

Vitellogenins (Vtgs) are essential for female reproduction in oviparous animals, yet the exact roles and mechanisms remain unknown. In the present study, we knocked out vtg1, which is the most abundant Vtg in zebrafish, Danio rerio via the CRISPR/Cas 9 technology. We aimed to identify the roles of Vtg1 and related mechanisms in reproduction and development. We found that, the Vtg1-deficient female zebrafish reduced gonadosomatic index, egg production, yolk granules and mature follicles in ovary compared to the wide type (WT). Moreover, the Vtg1-deficient zebrafish diminished hatching rates, cumulative survival rate, swimming capacity and food intake, but increased malformation rate, and delayed swim bladder development during embryo and early-larval phases. The Vtg1-deficiency in female broodstock inhibited docosahexaenoic acid-enriched phosphatidylcholine (DHA-PC) transportation from liver to ovary, which lowered DHA-PC content in ovary and offspring during larval stage. However, the Vtg1-deficient zebrafish increased gradually the total DHA-PC content via exogeneous food intake, and the differences in swimming capacity and food intake returned to normal as they matured. Furthermore, supplementing Vtg1-deficient zebrafish with dietary PC and DHA partly ameliorated the impaired female reproductive capacity and larval development during early phases. This study indicates that, DHA and PC carried by Vtg1 are crucial for female fecundity, and affect embryo and larval development through maternal-nutrition effects. This is the first study elucidating the nutrient and physiological functions of Vtg1 and the underlying biochemical mechanisms in fish reproduction and development.

The involvement of an HMG-box gene in germ cell genesis in Pyropia haitanensis

High mobility group (HMG)-box proteins play important roles in sex differentiation and determination of fungi, brown algae, and vertebrates. So far, the HMG-box genes from the red algal species have not been explored, and their function in this lineage is still unknown. In this study, based on homologous searching approach, solo member of HMG-box gene (PhHMG) was identified from the genomes of Pyropia haitanensis, the number of which was far less than that of brown algae, green algae, and higher plants. The PhHMG protein contains three HMG-box domains and is localized in the nucleus and cell membrane region according to subcellular localization analysis. Further gene expression analysis indicated that PhHMG may involve in the germ cells genesis. As no germ cells (carpogonia or spermatangium) appeared in 30-days aged blades of P. haitanensis, PhHMG was not expressed or slightly expressed. Accompanied by the gradually appeared germ cells, the expression level of PhHMG gradually increased, with no difference between female and male strains. In addition, the 40-days aged blades of WT-10 strain (♀) had more carpogonia at the apical parts, followed by the middle parts, and almost no carpogonia at the basal parts, and the expression of PhHMG showed a consistent trend of apical > middle > basal. This study has fundamental reference value in revealing the reproductive regulation mechanism and developing molecular assisted breeding of P. haitanensis.

The spear of capital and the shield of labor: Chinese model of emotional labor in domestic work

The theory of emotional labor, originating from the institutional background of the Western social and cultural system, is committed to criticizing the emotional management and emotional alienation of service workers under capital discipline. This paper introduces the construction of social relations with acquaintances typical in Chinese rural society into the analytical framework. It presents a Chinese model of automatized emotional labor, different from the model of commercialized emotional labor, by analyzing the emotional model acquisition in the professional development process of domestic workers and the mechanisms of formation, maintenance, and reproduction of the model in the labor process. In the new model, consumers (customers) and workers are equal and mutually beneficial interactive subjects, and emotional labor is no longer the spear of capital but instead becomes a shield for workers against challenges in the labor process. Therefore, this paper puts forward a theoretical reflection on consumers–workers under the model of commercialized emotional labor.

Integrated analysis of lncRNA and mRNA for the apoptosis of porcine ovarian granulosa cells after polyphenol resveratrol treatment.

Resveratrol (RES) is a non-flavonoid polyphenol compound that can be involved in follicular development and ovulation. However, the mechanism by which resveratrol regulates the apoptosis of porcine ovarian granulosa cells (POGCs) through long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) is poorly understood. We generated POGCs models of different doses of RES (0, 25, 50, 75, and 100 μM). It was observed that the cell viability was the highest in the 50 μM group, and the highest apoptosis rates were recorded in the 100 μM group. Therefore, a control group (n = 3, 0 μM RES group), a low RES group (n = 3, 50 μM RES group), and a high RES group (n = 3, 100 μM RES group) of POGCs were created for next RNA sequencing. Gene Ontology (GO) indicated that differentially expressed lncRNAs associated with apoptotic process were highly enriched. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis of lncRNA target genes found that the Wnt signaling pathway and PI3K-Akt signaling pathway were both enriched. Furthermore, we constructed lncRNA-mRNA networks related to Metabolic and Cell Apoptosis, respectively. In the networks, five key-lncRNAs were screened, which may play a significant role in the process of POGCs metabolism and apoptosis. Furthermore, we focused on the function of a lnc-GAM (lncRNA associated with Granulosa cells Apoptosis and Metabolism) and verified that lnc-GAM could influence cell apoptosis in POGCs development by affecting the mRNA expression of apoptosis-related markers, and also affects the secretion of steroid hormones and related genes expression in POGCs cultured in vitro. Our study provides seminal data and important new insights into the regulation of reproductive mechanisms in porcine and other female mammals.

Fiduciary Activism From Below: Green Gentrification, Pension Finance, and the Possibility of Just Urban Futures

This article investigates the evolving concept of fiduciary duty and its role in Canadian public sector pension funds’ environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investing practices. It contributes to the literature in the distinct but related fields of environmental gentrification and urban climate finance by bringing fiduciary debates into sharper focus. Engagement with issues surrounding investors’ legal and ethical duties to invest responsibly can contribute to an enhanced understanding of the global and local mechanisms of production and reproduction of environmental and spatial inequalities, as well as strategies for creating more than just urban futures. ESG, a calculative and modelling technique used to manage investment risks, overwhelmingly focuses on physical and financial climate risks (e.g., infrastructure assets and risks associated with regulatory change). This privileges the instrumental, Cartesian view of the environment as severed from its social, historical, and relational character, a perspective that has been thoroughly critiqued in the environmental/ecological gentrification literature. However, ESG investing has also introduced a potentially productive uncertainty in the realm of financial expertise; it forces questions about what it means to invest deferred compensation in the “best interests” of workers and retirees. This article has three interrelated aims. First, it reviews recent trends in environmental gentrification and urban climate finance literature to highlight an emerging but underdeveloped engagement with ESG and fiduciary duty. Second, it shows how the rise of ESG has revealed a vulnerability in the hegemonic profit maximization interpretation of fiduciary duty and invited further, open-ended, critical-theoretical engagements with the concept of the fiduciary and their responsibilities. Finally, it offers the concept of “fiduciary activism from below” to explore how grassroots agency increasingly stages a direct confrontation with corporations, institutional investors, and shareholders in the struggles over urban space and resistance to environmental and infrastructural violence.

Effects of salinity on pre- and post-fertilization developmental events in the clam Anomalocardia flexuosa (Linnaeus, 1767)

The knowledge about the effect of salinity on the physiological mechanism of bivalve reproduction is fundamental to improve production strategies in hatcheries. The present work evaluated the influence of different salinity concentrations (15, 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40 g⋅L-1) on pre- and post-fertilization development processes in the clam, Anomalocardia flexuosa, oocytes obtained by stripping. Salinity directly interfered with the germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD) rate and in the cellular stability of unfertilized oocytes. Salinity concentrations between 30 and 35 g⋅L-1 provided better percentages of stable GVBD within 120 min, and incubation of oocytes in the salinity range of 30-35 g⋅L-1 for a time interval of 80-120 min provided > 80% GVBD. In the post-fertilization analysis, salinity affected the rate of the extrusion of the first and second polar bodies (PB1 and PB2). The release of 50% of the PBs was faster at a salinity of 35 g⋅L-1, with an estimated time of 10 min for PB1 and 30 min for PB2. Thus, chromosome manipulation methodologies aiming triploids should be applied at 35 g⋅L-1 salinity, with application of post-fertilization shock before 10 min for PB1 retention or before 30 min for PB2 retention.

Modeling of housing stock sustainable reproduction and programs of renovation

The existing problems of unsatisfactory functioning of the housing and communal urban economy require additional efforts to ensure its sustainable operation at all stages of the life cycle of its reproduction, especially at the phase of operation of the housing stock. The problems of increasing the socio-economic efficiency of reproduction of residential real estate and housing renovation programs at the stage of operation of residential real estate from the standpoint of conceptual modeling of organizational and economic mechanisms are investigated. The purpose of this study is to model institutional mechanisms of sustainable reproduction of housing stock and renovation programs of housing stock at the stage of operation of residential real estate from the standpoint of conceptual modeling of organizational and economic mechanisms, theoretical approaches, practical and methodological recommendations based on cost management of eco-oriented life cycles of renovation, current and capital repairs in order to minimizing the cost of home ownership for cluster systems of residential property owners. Scientific results: development of conceptual approaches, theoretical models, organizational and economic mechanisms and scientific and practical models, as well as recommendations for sustainable reproduction of housing stock and renovation programs in conditions of increasing turbulence of the economy, focused on priority environmental and cost management and minimizing the cost of ownership of residential real estate.

Label-free proteomic analysis reveals an estrous cycle transition between the follicular phase and the luteal phase in yak ovary.

In order to further study the physiological mechanism about yak reproduction for the improvement of its fertility, differentially expressed proteins (DEGs) of the ovary were screened during the follicular and luteal phases of yak based on label-free quantitative proteomics. The main research results were as follows: it discovered 2867 proteins during the follicular phase and 2180 proteins during the luteal phase, among which there were 2011 proteins of expression during both phases, 856 during the follicular phase, and 169 during the luteal phase. According to the bioinformatics and Gene Ontology analysis, the screened differentially expressed proteins were mostly located in the cell membrane and extracellular region and primarily acted on the activity of laminin. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analysis indicated that the main involvement of differentially expressed proteins included steroid biosynthesis, chemokine signaling pathway, protein processing in the endoplasmic reticulum, glycerol phospholipid metabolism, carbon metabolism, PI3K-Akt signaling pathways, PPAR signaling pathways, nucleotide oligomerization domain (NOD) receptor signaling pathways, and purine metabolic pathways. Screened proteins related to reproductive function, so as to lay a theoretical foundation for the in-depth study of the regulation mechanism of yak reproduction and improve its fertility.

ЕКОНОМІЧНІ МЕХАНІЗМИ ПЛАНУВАННЯ РОЗВИТКУ ТЕРИТОРІЙ В УМОВАХ ВІДБУДОВИ КРАЇНИ

Economic mechanisms of territorial development planning are considered. The problems of researching the economic mechanisms of planning the development of territories in the conditions of the reconstruction of the country and the directions of their effective effectiveness are determined, as well as the justification of measures for their successful implementation. The legal basis of the research in the field of territorial development planning is analyzed, the purpose of the study is determined – analysis of economic mechanisms of territorial development planning in the reconstruction of the country and determine proposals for improving these mechanisms in the transformation of public relations and regeneration of territories in the country. The research methodology is based on general scientific methods, in particular, analysis and synthesis, comparison, induction and deduction, observation, which provide an opportunity to analyze achievements in theory and practice in the field of territorial development planning. The processes of improvement of economic mechanisms of planning of development of territories in the conditions of reconstruction and regeneration of territories, legal maintenance of town-planning development are defined by actual. The normative- legislative documents in the field of territorial development planning are studied, which provide a certain basic basis and increase the efficiency of application of new tools and practices in the conditions of reconstruction of the country. The role of public administration and administration bodies in the formation of the economic basis for the effective development of the territories of Ukraine is determined, given the strengthening of the impact of martial law. Modern innovative approaches to the effective implementation of urban development in modern conditions of regeneration of spaces and the need for their economic support are updated. The importance of improving the economic mechanisms of territorial development planning and the formation of innovation and investment climate to address priorities and find solutions for spatial development at the local level is substantiated. The conclusion of the study is the need to introduce economic mechanisms for planning the development of territories, in particular, mechanisms for investment provision of territories, mechanisms for financial support of the processes of reproduction of territories, mechanisms for reproduction of the capital of territories, state economic support, which are innovative and investment capable and are the direction of the use of modern technologies at the level of each territorial community in the conditions of the reconstruction of the country.

Territorial Identity: Structure, Boundaries, Reproduction (A Comparative Analysis of the Saratov region, the Republic of Kabardino-Balkaria and the Republic of South Ossetia)

The purpose of the article is to analyze the phenomenon of territorial identity as a reflection of modern transformation processes and a relevant indicator of the potential for social mobilization of residents of local territories. The research objectives were to analyze the structure of territorial identity, the forms and mechanisms of reproduction of the external and internal social boundaries of the territorial identity area, and the role of social networks in its reduction. The analysis of the data is based on sociological studies conducted in the Saratov region, the Kabardino-Balkar Republic, and the Republic of South Ossetia. It describes the structural characteristics of territorial identity, the processes of formation of its social boundaries, and evaluates social networks as tools for its preservation, formation, and transformation. The authors conclude that territorial identity occupies a leading place in the structure of an individual self-identification and can be a powerful group consolidating factor.

Main and papain-like proteases as prospective targets for pharmacological treatment of coronavirus SARS-CoV-2.

The pandemic caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 led to a global crisis in the world healthcare system. Despite some progress in the creation of antiviral vaccines and mass vaccination of the population, the number of patients continues to grow because of the spread of new SARS-CoV-2 mutations. There is an urgent need for direct-acting drugs capable of suppressing or stopping the main mechanisms of reproduction of the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. Several studies have shown that the successful replication of the virus in the cell requires proteolytic cleavage of the protein structures of the virus. Two proteases are crucial in replicating SARS-CoV-2 and other coronaviruses: the main protease (Mpro) and the papain-like protease (PLpro). In this review, we summarize the essential viral proteins of SARS-CoV-2 required for its viral life cycle as targets for chemotherapy of coronavirus infection and provide a critical summary of the development of drugs against COVID-19 from the drug repurposing strategy up to the molecular design of novel covalent and non-covalent agents capable of inhibiting virus replication. We overview the main antiviral strategy and the choice of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro and PLpro proteases as promising targets for pharmacological impact on the coronavirus life cycle.

Insulin Receptor Substrate-1 (IRS1) Regulates Oogenesis and Vitellogenesis in Propylea japonica by Mediating the FOXO Transcription Factor Expression, Independent of JH and 20E Signaling Pathways.

The insulin receptor substrate (IRS), as the core cytoplasmic adapter protein in the insulin/insulin-like signaling (IIS) pathway, is an important mediator of cellular signaling. However, it is still unknown how IRS crosstalk with hormone signaling regulates insect growth, development, and reproduction. In this study, we demonstrated that knockdown of IRS1 significantly inhibited oogenesis, vitellogenesis, and the development of nurse cells and follicular epithelial cells. In addition, qRT-PCR results showed that FOXO transcription factors significantly responded to silencing of the IRS1 gene. However, IRS1 silencing had no significant effect on the expression of juvenile hormone/20-hydroxyecdysone (JH/20E)-signaling genes, JH synthesis, and degradation enzyme-related genes and the JH/20E titers. Our results suggested that the IIS pathway regulated ovarian development and Vg production through FOXO, independent of JH and 20E signaling pathways. This study revealed the reproductive regulation mechanism in Propylea japonica, which provides a theoretical basis for large-scale expansion of P. japonica as an environment-friendly biological control strategy.

The Photoperiod Regulates Granulosa Cell Apoptosis through the FSH-Nodal/ALK7 Signaling Pathway in Phodopus sungorus.

The photoperiod regulates the seasonal reproduction of mammals by affecting the follicle development, for which the granulosa cells provide nutrition. However, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Here, Djungarian hamsters (Phodopus sungorus) were raised under different photoperiods to study the ovarian status and explore the potential mechanism of the follicle development mediated by the FSH-Nodal/ALK7 signaling pathway. Compared with the moderate daylight (MD) group, the short daylight (SD) group exhibited a significant decrease in the ovarian weight and increase in the atretic follicle number and granulosa cell apoptosis, whereas the long daylight (LD) group showed an increase in the ovarian weight, the growing follicle number, and the antral follicle number, but a decrease in the granulosa cell apoptosis. Based on these findings, the key genes of the Nodal/ALK7 signaling pathway controlling the granulosa cell apoptosis were studied using the quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blotting. In the SD group, the follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) concentration significantly decreased and the Nodal/ALK7/Smad signaling pathways were activated, while the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PIK3)/Akt signaling pathway was inhibited. The BAX expression was significantly increased, while the Bcl-xL expression was significantly decreased, leading to an increase in the caspase-3 activity, the granulosa cell apoptosis, and ovarian degeneration. However, in the LD group, the FSH concentration significantly increased, the Nodal/ALK7/Smad signaling pathway was inhibited, and the PIK3/Akt signaling pathway was activated. Taken together, our results indicate that the photoperiod can regulate the apoptosis of the granulosa cells by regulating the concentration of FSH, activating or inhibiting the Nodal/ALK7 signaling pathway, thereby affecting the ovarian function. Our research provides an important theoretical basis for understanding the photoperiod-regulated mechanisms of the mammalian seasonal reproduction.

The mechanisms underpinning lateral gene transfer between grasses

Societal Impact StatementLateral gene transfer (LGT) refers to the transmission of genetic material without sexual reproduction. LGT is widespread in a number of plant species, including grasses. But how these genes of foreign origin got there is presently unknown. In this review, we show that transformation techniques used to genetically modify organisms could occur in the wild and be responsible for the frequently observed grass‐to‐grass LGTs. The distinction between natural evolutionary processes and genetic engineering might be arbitrary, and its validity will be further debated as agricultural biotechnology becomes more widely used and examples of “natural genetic engineering” through LGT increase.SummaryLateral gene transfer (LGT) is the transmission of genetic material among species without sexual reproduction. LGT was initially thought to be restricted to prokaryotes, but it has since been reported in a wide range of eukaryotes, including plants. Grasses seem to be particularly prone to LGT and frequently exchange genes among species. However, the mechanism(s) facilitating these transfers in this economically and ecologically important group of plants are debated. Here, we review vector‐mediated, direct tissue‐to‐tissue contact, wide‐crossing and reproductive contamination LGT mechanisms and discuss the likelihood of each in light of recent studies. Of particular relevance are transformation approaches that require minimal human intervention to transfer DNA among grasses in the lab that could mimic the mechanisms facilitating grass‐to‐grass LGT in the wild. These approaches include relatively simple techniques, such as pollen tube pathway‐mediated transformation, that take advantage of the permeability of the reproductive process to introduce alien genetic material from a third individual into an embryo. This process could be easily mirrored in the wild where pollen from one species lands on the stigma of another, acting as a source of alien DNA that can ultimately contaminate the reproductive process. This contamination is likely to be prevalent in wind pollinated species such as grasses, where the rates of illegitimate pollination will be high. In conclusion, plant transformation methods requiring minimal intervention are likely paralleled in the wild where they act as the mechanism underpinning LGT between distantly related grass species.

Comparative reproductive biology of two sympatric Hypostomus in a Neotropical river

Congeneric species often coexist in sympatry using behavioral and morphological adaptations to reduce competition and interspecific interference, but reproductive patterns behind coexistence remain unknown. We analyzed the gonadal morphology and development, reproductive cycle, and population structure of two sympatric congeneric fishes to evaluate the degree of overlap and differentiation of the reproductive biology between species in a Neotropical river. Development of testes and ovaries were similar between species, both showing asynchronous gonadal development, large diameter of gametes and synthesis of mucosubstances by follicle cells to form adhesive eggs. Although the morphometry of germ cells did not present differences, the zona radiata of mature eggs in Hypostomus garmani was markedly thicker than H. francisci, which suggests different spawning habitats. Both species have greater reproductive activity in the rainy season, concomitant with increase in water temperature, however H. garmani initiates and ends its reproduction earlier than H. francisci, indicating a differentiation of reproductive periods. Sexually mature males and females of H. francisci reproduced at a larger mean size then H. garmani. The two congeneric species had a similar abundance and sex ratios in the study area. Results show that although the species exhibited broad overlap of reproductive traits, a spatial and temporal differentiation of the reproductive biology was present. This study contributes to understanding reproductive mechanisms that may facilitate coexistence between congeneric sympatric species.

Yeast in addition to pollen enhances the reproduction of the predatory mite Euseius nicholsi by increasing the target of rapamycin gene expression

Euseius species are good predators and can control infestations of non-web producing spider mites (e.g., Panonychus); they face difficulties, though, in controlling web producing spider mite species such as Tentranychus urticae. Euseius nicholsi has not yet been mass reared using an alternative diet. Here we investigated the effects of nutrient supplementation to a diet of pollen on the growth, development, and reproduction of Euseius nicholsi and the underlying molecular mechanisms. When Euseius nicholsi groups fed pollen were compared to groups fed pollen + yeast powder or pollen + sugar, yeast supplementation shortened the immature stages, but sugar supplementation lengthened the immature stages. The oviposition of Euseius nicholsi reared on pollen + yeast was higher than those in the other treatments. Based on these findings, we propose that the combination of pollen and yeast powder can enhance the reproduction in Euseius nicholsi females and could be used as an alternative diet. We also characterized the expression profile of the Euseius nicholsi target of rapamycin (EnTOR) gene, which was expressed in all developmental stages tested. The EnTOR expression levels were highest in adults when reared on pollen + yeast powder. When EnTOR was silenced using RNA interference, expression of the Euseius nicholsi vitellogenin (Vg) genes was significantly decreased, reducing the oviposition period, fecundity, and egg hatching rate. Based on these findings, we conclude that protein supplementation (yeast powder) in Euseius nicholsi enhances TOR gene expression, there by promoting the expression of the vitellogeningenes and thus improving fecundity. These data provide a foundation for further research on TOR function and provide a theoretical basis for exploring the reproduction mechanism of Euseius nicholsi.

Multiple reproduction forms in the polyps of the cannonball jellyfish Stomolophus sp. 2: Probable life-cycle reversal.

The jellyfish genera Stomolophus spp. is one of the most abundant in the Pacific Ocean, yet it has not been thoroughly studied. Until recently, research has been developed and directed to its knowledge because of the economic interest in its exploitation. The genus Stomolophus in the Pacific Ocean is composed of five species (S. agaricus,S. chunii, S. collaris, S. fritillaria,and S. meleagris), and Stomolophus sp. 2 has been recently reported in the central part of the Gulf of California. Therefore, this study aimed to describe in vivo the different developmental stages of Stomolophus sp. 2 life cycle. As a result, multiple polyp reproduction forms were described, such as polyp-stolon formation, polydisc strobilation with more than 20 ephyrae formed by each strobila, and polyp formation directly from juvenile ephyra. In the degenerating phase, the polyps turned into cysts induced by stress conditions, such as changes in temperature, oxygen, and food availability. The life cycle of Stomolophus sp. 2 can be distinguished from that of S. meleagris by showing various asexual reproduction mechanisms and polydisc-like strobilation. The formation of polyps directly from the ectoderm of degenerating juvenile medusae suggests the possibility of a reversion cycle. Because of the different life cycles between S. meleagris and S. sp. 2, in addition to their morphological and genetic differences, this study proposes that Stomolophus sp. 2 should be considered a new species and suggests the name Stomolophus yaquilli, in reference to the indigenous community that lives in the species distribution area.

Contemporary Comprehensive Review on Arsenic-Induced Male Reproductive Toxicity and Mechanisms of Phytonutrient Intervention.

Arsenic (As) is a poisonous metalloid that is toxic to both humans and animals. Drinking water contamination has been linked to the development of cancer (skin, lung, urinary bladder, and liver), as well as other disorders such as diabetes and cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, neurological, and developmental damage. According to epidemiological studies, As contributes to male infertility, sexual dysfunction, poor sperm quality, and developmental consequences such as low birth weight, spontaneous abortion, and small for gestational age (SGA). Arsenic exposure negatively affected male reproductive systems by lowering testicular and accessory organ weights, and sperm counts, increasing sperm abnormalities and causing apoptotic cell death in Leydig and Sertoli cells, which resulted in decreased testosterone synthesis. Furthermore, during male reproductive toxicity, several molecular signalling pathways, such as apoptosis, inflammation, and autophagy are involved. Phytonutrient intervention in arsenic-induced male reproductive toxicity in various species has received a lot of attention over the years. The current review provides an in-depth summary of the available literature on arsenic-induced male toxicity, as well as therapeutic approaches and future directions.