Regulatory signatures involved in the cell cycle pathway contribute to egg production heterosis in chicken.

Background: Crossbreeding is widely promoted as an efficient strategy to improve the productivity in agriculture. The molecular mechanism underlying heterosis for egg production is always intriguing in chicken. The transcriptional dynamic changes play a crucial role in the formation of heterosis, but little is known for the egg production traits.

Key miRNAs of chicken seminal plasma extracellular vesicles related with sperm motility regulation.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are bio-active elements cargoed by seminal plasma extracellular vesicles extracellular vesicles (SPEVs) which are crucial for sperm function and fertility modulation. This study aimed to isolate, characterize, and identify the miRNA expression profiles in the SPEVs from high (HSM) and low sperm motility (LSM) groups that could serve as fertility biomarkers and explain the underlying mechanisms. The isolated SPEVs were round spherical structures of approximately 50-200 nm in diameter expressing molecular markers.

Extracellular vesicle-coupled miRNA profiles of chicken seminal plasma and their potential interaction with recipient cells.

The presence of EVs in seminal plasma (SPEVs) suggests their involvement on fertility via transmitting information between the original cells and recipient cells. SPEVs-coupled miRNAs have been shown to affect sperm motility, maturation, and capacitation in mammals, but rarely in poultry species. The present study aims to reveal the profile of SPEVs miRNAs and their potential effect on sperm storage and function in poultry.

Two-Dimensional Graphene-Based Potassium Channels Built at an Oil/Water Interface.

Graphene-based laminar membranes exhibit remarkable ion sieving properties, but their monovalent ion selectivity is still low and much less than the natural ion channels. Inspired by the elementary structure/function relationships of biological ion channels embedded in biomembranes, a new strategy is proposed herein to mimic biological K channels by using the graphene laminar membrane (GLM) composed of two-dimensional (2D) angstrom(Å)-scale channels to support a simple model of semi-biomembrane, namely oil/water (O/W) interface. It is found that K is strongly preferred over Na and Li for transferring across the GLM-supported water/1,2-dichloroethane (W/DCE) interface within the same potential window (-0.

Research Note: Genetic parameters for egg production and clutch-related traits in indigenous Beijing-You chickens.

Egg products from indigenous chickens have growing market shares as consumers are pursuing differentiation in egg consumption. The genetic improvement in egg production performance of those breeds is crucial for increasing the economic profit. This study aimed to estimate genetic parameters for egg production and clutch-related traits in indigenous Beijing-You chickens for understanding the genetic architecture and exploring proper biological traits for selection.

Rheological and Mechanical Properties of Bentonite-Cement Paste Reinforced with Basalt Fibers.

Bentonite cement paste (BCP) is among the grouting materials used widely in large-pore grouting and karst cave treatment. The mechanical properties of bentonite cement paste (BCP) will be improved by additional basalt fibers (BF). In this study, the effects of basalt fiber (BF) contents and their lengths on the rheological and mechanical properties of bentonite cement paste (BCP) have been examined.

Design and Implementation of a Chain-Type Direct Push Drilling Rig for Contaminated Sites.

For sites where volatile organic compounds are present, the direct push method, in combination with other sensors for investigation, is a powerful method. The investigation process is an integrated drilling and sensing process, but the trajectory of the probe carrying the sensor is ambiguous. This paper explores and introduces the application of a chain-type direct push drilling rig by designing and building a chain-type direct push miniature drilling rig.