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Nowadays, assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) have a pivotal role not only in achieving fertilization in subfertile animals, but they are also involved in the management of the herd, decreasing disease spread and even allowing offspring sex selection. Nonetheless, there are differences between species or even within species that have led researchers worldwide to focus on those differences in order to bypass these specific difficulties. This Special Issue, titled “The Era of Assisted Reproductive Technologies Tailored to the Specific Necessities of Species, Industry and Case Reports” and published in Animals, is composed of 12 original manuscripts and three reviews that offer an overview of current and future ARTs used to improve reproductive outcomes, mainly focused on farm animals, such as horse, pig, bovine, rabbit and ovine species. Thus, the Special Issue covers information from the classical point of view, including comparative studies of different semen extenders, to the most advanced technologies of sperm selection by thermotaxis or chemoattractants, as well as the improvement of sperm features by red light irradiation. The female and embryo contributions to ART outcomes are also covered, for instance, with a study that improves our knowledge by the metabolomic description of follicular fluid composition or the description of better culture conditions of oocytes. In brief, this Special Issue provides a balanced overview of emerging techniques and technologies used to preserve, improve, rescue or even create fertility for domestic farm animals with high economic impact.

IVM --- oocytes --- equine --- metabolomic --- embryo transfer --- reproductive fluids --- pregnancy --- vitrification --- calving --- selection programme --- embryo vitrification --- Gompertz growth curve --- biobanking --- reproductive performance --- stallion sperm --- capacitation --- penicillamine --- thermotaxis --- selection --- BMP15 --- ram --- semen --- semen freezing --- semen extender --- stallions --- semen quality --- fertilizing ability --- Tris --- boar spermatozoa --- perfluorinated compounds --- PFHxS --- PFOS --- spermatozoa toxicology --- glucocorticoid receptor --- gene expression --- RT-qPCR --- seminal plasma --- female genital tract --- rabbit --- spermatozoa --- oocyte --- in vitro fertilization --- extracellular vesicles --- assisted reproductive technologies --- embryo --- oocyte competence --- livestock production --- assisted reproductive technology --- embryo development --- micromanipulation --- in vitro production --- nanoparticles --- liposomes --- exosomes --- cryopreservation --- sheep --- ovary storage --- transport --- in vitro embryo production --- sperm selection --- chemotaxis --- IVF --- IVC --- porcine --- cryopreserved sperm --- sperm–oviduct interaction --- ARTs --- equines --- horse --- sperm --- red light irradiation --- extender --- straw

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Building on advances in miniaturization and soft matter, surface tension effects are a major key to the development of soft/fluidic microrobotics. Benefiting from scaling laws, surface tension and capillary effects can enable sensing, actuation, adhesion, confinement, compliance, and other structural and functional properties necessary in micro- and nanosystems. Various applications are under development: microfluidic and lab-on-chip devices, soft gripping and manipulation of particles, colloidal and interfacial assemblies, fluidic/droplet mechatronics. The capillary action is ubiquitous in drops, bubbles and menisci, opening a broad spectrum of technological solutions and scientific investigations. Identified grand challenges to the establishment of fluidic microrobotics include mastering the dynamics of capillary effects, controlling the hysteresis arising from wetting and evaporation, improving the dispensing and handling of tiny droplets, and developing a mechatronic approach for the control and programming of surface tension effects. In this Special Issue of Micromachines, we invite contributions covering all aspects of microscale engineering relying on surface tension. Particularly, we welcome contributions on fundamentals or applications related to:Drop-botics: fluidic or surface tension-based micro/nanorobotics: capillary manipulation, gripping, and actuation, sensing, folding, propulsion and bio-inspired solutions; Control of surface tension effects: surface tension gradients, active surfactants, thermocapillarity, electrowetting, elastocapillarity; Handling of droplets, bubbles and liquid bridges: dispensing, confinement, displacement, stretching, rupture, evaporation; Capillary forces: modelling, measurement, simulation; Interfacial engineering: smart liquids, surface treatments; Interfacial fluidic and capillary assembly of colloids and devices; Biological applications of surface tension, including lab-on-chip and organ-on-chip systems. We expect novel as well as review contributions on all aspects of surface tension-based micro/nanoengineering. In line with Micromachines' policy, we also invite research proposals that introduce ideas for new applications, devices, or technologies.

electrodynamic screen --- soft tissue --- microstructure --- mist capillary self-alignment --- droplet --- lab-on-a-chip --- mixing --- nanoprecipitation --- asymmetric surfaces --- gecko setae --- oil-water interface --- non-invasive control --- self-cleaning surface --- corrosive resistance --- micropipette-technique --- hydrophobic --- wettability gradient --- lung-surfactants --- hydrophilic --- dynamic --- vibrations --- superhydrophobic --- microasssembly --- adsorption --- wetting --- photochemical reaction --- contact line oscillation --- 355 nm UV laser --- capillary --- computational fluid dynamics --- bearing --- solutal Marangoni effect --- relaxation oscillations --- superhydrophilic --- microtexture melting --- rigid gas permeable contact lenses --- hydrophilic/superhydrophobic patterned surfaces --- polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) replication --- microfabrication --- actuation --- droplet transport --- “droplet-interface-bilayers” --- microfluidics --- electrosurgical scalpels --- continuous-flow reactor --- air-water surface --- micromanufacturing --- surface treatment --- liquid bridge --- stereolithography --- super-hydrophobic --- two-phase flow --- hot drop --- durable --- insoluble lipids --- anti-sticking --- smart superhydrophobic surface --- droplet manipulation --- “black lipid films” --- condensation --- pick-and-place --- wettability --- gas-microbubbles --- soft robotics --- capillary pressure --- superomniphobic --- self-lubricating slippery surface --- electrowetting --- soluble surfactant --- anisotropic ratchet conveyor --- Nasturtium leaf --- droplets --- photoresponsible surfactant --- two-photon polymerization --- contact angle --- adhesion --- transport --- pick and place --- surface tension --- oil-microdroplets --- micromanipulation --- laser die transfer --- capillary gripper --- equilibrium