The utilization of electromagnetic waves is rapidly advancing into the millimeter-wave frequency range,posing increasingly severe challenges in terms of electromagnetic pollution prevention and radar stealth.However,e...The utilization of electromagnetic waves is rapidly advancing into the millimeter-wave frequency range,posing increasingly severe challenges in terms of electromagnetic pollution prevention and radar stealth.However,existing millimeter-wave absorbers are still inadequate in addressing these issues due to their monotonous magnetic resonance pattern.In this work,rare-earth La^(3+)and non-magnetic Zr^(4+)ions are simultaneously incorporated into M-type barium ferrite(BaM)to intentionally manipulate the multi-magnetic resonance behavior.By leveraging the contrary impact of La^(3+)and Zr^(4+)ions on magnetocrystalline anisotropy field,the restrictive relationship between intensity and frequency of the multi-magnetic resonance is successfully eliminated.The magnetic resonance peak-differentiating and imitating results confirm that significant multi-magnetic resonance phenomenon emerges around 35 GHz due to the reinforced exchange coupling effect between Fe^(3+)and Fe^(2+)ions.Additionally,Mosbauer spectra analysis,first-principle calculations,and least square fitting collectively identify that additional La^(3+)doping leads to a profound rearrangement of Zr^(4+)occupation and thus makes the portion of polarization/conduction loss increase gradually.As a consequence,the La^(3+)-Zr^(4+)co-doped BaM achieves an ultra-broad bandwidth of 12.5+GHz covering from 27.5 to 40+GHz,which holds remarkable potential for millimeter-wave absorbers around the atmospheric window of 35 GHz.展开更多
Multi‐agent reinforcement learning relies on reward signals to guide the policy networks of individual agents.However,in high‐dimensional continuous spaces,the non‐stationary environment can provide outdated experi...Multi‐agent reinforcement learning relies on reward signals to guide the policy networks of individual agents.However,in high‐dimensional continuous spaces,the non‐stationary environment can provide outdated experiences that hinder convergence,resulting in ineffective training performance for multi‐agent systems.To tackle this issue,a novel reinforcement learning scheme,Mutual Information Oriented Deep Skill Chaining(MioDSC),is proposed that generates an optimised cooperative policy by incorporating intrinsic rewards based on mutual information to improve exploration efficiency.These rewards encourage agents to diversify their learning process by engaging in actions that increase the mutual information between their actions and the environment state.In addition,MioDSC can generate cooperative policies using the options framework,allowing agents to learn and reuse complex action sequences and accelerating the convergence speed of multi‐agent learning.MioDSC was evaluated in the multi‐agent particle environment and the StarCraft multi‐agent challenge at varying difficulty levels.The experimental results demonstrate that MioDSC outperforms state‐of‐the‐art methods and is robust across various multi‐agent system tasks with high stability.展开更多
Dysregulated expression of microRNAs （miRNAs） in various tissues has been associated with a variety of diseases, including cancers. Here we demonstrate that miRNAs are present in the serum and plasma of humans and o...Dysregulated expression of microRNAs （miRNAs） in various tissues has been associated with a variety of diseases, including cancers. Here we demonstrate that miRNAs are present in the serum and plasma of humans and other animals such as mice, rats, bovine fetuses, calves, and horses. The levels of miRNAs in serum are stable, reproducible, and consistent among individuals of the same species. Employing Solexa, we sequenced all serum miRNAs of healthy Chinese subjects and found over 100 and 91 serum miRNAs in male and female subjects, respectively. We also identified specific expression patterns of serum miRNAs for lung cancer, colorectal cancer, and diabetes, providing evidence that serum miRNAs contain fingerprints for various diseases. Two non-small cell lung cancer-specific serum miRNAs obtained by Solexa were further validated in an independent trial of 75 healthy donors and 152 cancer patients, using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction assays. Through these analyses, we conclude that serum miRNAs can serve as potential biomarkers for the detection of various cancers and other diseases.展开更多
Objective： To investigate potential prognostic factors affecting patient outcomes and to evaluate the optimal methods and effects of radiotherapy（RT） in the management of extramedullary plasmacytoma（EMP）.Methods...Objective： To investigate potential prognostic factors affecting patient outcomes and to evaluate the optimal methods and effects of radiotherapy（RT） in the management of extramedullary plasmacytoma（EMP）.Methods： Data from 55 patients with EMP between November 1999 and August 2015 were collected. The median age was 51（range, 22–77） years. The median tumor size was 3.5（range, 1.0–15.0） cm. The median applied dose was 50.0（range, 30.0–70.0） Gy. Thirty-nine patients（70.9%） presented with disease in the head or neck region. Twelve patients received RT alone, 9 received surgery（S） alone, 3 received chemotherapy（CT） alone, and 3 patients did not receive any treatment. Combination therapies were applied in 28 patients.Results：The median follow-up duration was 56 months.The 5-year local recurrence-free survival（LRFS）,multiple myeloma-free survival（MMFS）,progression-free survival（PFS）and overall survival（OS）rates were 79.8%,78.6%,65.2% and 76.0%,respectively.Univariate analysis revealed that RT was a favourable factor for all examined endpoints.Furthermore,head and neck EMPs were associated with superior LRFS,MMFS and PFS.Tumor size〈4 cm was associated with superior MMFS,PFS and OS;serum M protein negativity was associated with superior MMFS and PFS;age≥50 years and local recurrence were associated with poor MMFS.The dose≥45 Gy group exhibited superior 5-year LRFS,MMFS and PFS rates（94.7%,94.4%,90.0%,respectively）,while the corresponding values for the dose〈45 Gy group were 62.5%（P=0.008）,53.3%（P=0.036）and 41.7%（P〈0.001）.Conclusions：Involved-site RT of at least 45 Gy should be considered for EMP.Furthermore,patients with head and neck EMP,tumor size〈4 cm,age〈50 years and serum M protein negativity had better outcomes.展开更多
Objective: To investigate better dosimetric distribution of volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) vs. 5F intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) and 3D conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT) in patients with locally advance...Objective: To investigate better dosimetric distribution of volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) vs. 5F intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) and 3D conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT) in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) when treated with neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy. Methods: 3D-CRT, 5F-IMRT and VMAT plans for preoperative radiotherapy were 66011designed in 12 patients with locally advanced rectal cancer. The conformity index (CI) and homogeneity index (HI) in target volume, and the dose and volume of the organs at risk (OAR) irradiated including small bowel, bladder and bilatera1 femoral heads were compared among the three plans. Results: The CI for planning target volume (PTV) 2 and HI for PTV1 of VMRT and 5F-IMRT were superior to 3D-CRT. The CI of VMAT, 5F-IMRT and 3D-CRT plans were 0.71, 0.69 and 0.62 (p = 0.011 and p = 0.019, respectively). The HI of the VMAT and 5F-IMRT plans were both 1.04 and 3D-CRT planning was 1.06 (p = 0.022 and p = 0.006, respectively). The V35 - V45 of small bowel in VMAT were significantly less than in 5F-IMRT and 3D-CRT. V35 was 47.0, 56.4, and 72.8 cm3 for VMAT, 5F-IMRT, and 3D-CRT (p = 0.021 and p = 0.034, respectively), while V40 was 30.5, 35.5, 45.1 cm3 (p = 0.024 and p = 0.032, respectively) and V45 was 15.1, 18.1, 30.0 cm3 (p = 0.033 and p = 0.032, respectively). The D5, V30 and V50 of bladder in 3D-CRT were less than in VMAT and 5F-IMRT planning (p = 0.034, 0.004, 0.002 and p = 0.027, 0.003, 0.002, respectively). The Dmean of left femoral head in VMAT and 5F-IMRT were less than in 3D-CRT planning (p = 0.028 and p = 0.022, respectively) and the Dmean, V30 of right femoral head in VMAT and 5F-IMRT were better than in 3D-CRT planning (p = 0.044, 0.036 and p = 0.023, 0.028, respectively). Conclusions: Dosimetric analyses demonstrated that IMRT is superior to 3D-CRT in the conformity and homogeneity of dose distribution to the target volume, and provide a better protection to OARs sparing in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer for preoperative radiotherapy. With similar target coverage, VMRT is superior to 5F-IMRT in normal tissue sparing.展开更多
Objective In this study,we aimed to determine the incidence of adverse drug reactions(ADRs)of atezolizumab,identify ADR signals that are significantly related to atezolizumab,and provide a reference for the rational u...Objective In this study,we aimed to determine the incidence of adverse drug reactions(ADRs)of atezolizumab,identify ADR signals that are significantly related to atezolizumab,and provide a reference for the rational use of atezolizumab in the clinic through the statistical analysis of its adverse drug events(ADEs)reported in the American Food and Drug Administration(FDA)Adverse Event Reporting System(FAERS)database.Methods In total,4796 cases of atezolizumab ADEs reported in the American FAERS database from 2017 to 2019 were retrospectively analyzed.Results The top three ADEs were febrile neutropenia(3.7%),anemia(2.9%),and acute renal failure(2.3%).In addition,the incidence rates of some ADEs were significantly different according to sex and age.The systematic organ classification of atezolizumab ADEs involved 32 systems,among which the top three were blood and lymphatic system disorders(585 cases,12.2%),gastrointestinal disorders(433 cases,9.0%),and infections and infestations(401 cases,8.4%).The reporting odds ratio(ROR)method was used to detect the ADR signals of atezolizumab.The ROR(95%confidence interval)of the top ADE,febrile neutropenia,was 39.236(33.757–45.604).In addition,we found 121 cases of complications associated with immune-related ADEs.Conclusion The ADRs of atezolizumab reported in the FAERS database were consistent with those mentioned in the instructions for atezolizumab use,suggesting that atezolizumab has an acceptable and controllable drug effect.展开更多
Stress tolerance plays a vital role in ensuring the effectiveness of piezoresistive sensing films used in flexible pressure sensors.However,existing methods for enhancing stress tolerance employ dome-shaped,wrinkle-sh...Stress tolerance plays a vital role in ensuring the effectiveness of piezoresistive sensing films used in flexible pressure sensors.However,existing methods for enhancing stress tolerance employ dome-shaped,wrinkle-shaped,and pyramidal-shaped microstructures in intricate molding and demolding processes,which introduce significant fabrication challenges and limit the sensing performance.To address these shortcomings,this paper presents periodic microslits in a sensing film made of multiwalled carbon nanotubes and polydimethylsiloxane to realize ultrahigh stress tolerance with a theoretical maximum of 2.477 MPa and a sensitivity of 18.092 kPa−1.The periodic microslits permit extensive deformation under high pressure(e.g.,400 kPa)to widen the detection range.Moreover,the periodic microslits also enhance the sensitivity based on simultaneously exhibiting multiple synapses within the sensing interface and between the periodic sensing cells.The proposed solution is verified by experiments using sensors based on the microslit strategy for wind direction detection,robot movement sensing,and human health monitoring.In these experiments,vehicle load detection is achieved for ultrahigh pressure sensing under an ultrahigh pressure of over 400 kPa and a ratio of the contact area to the total area of 32.74%.The results indicate that the proposed microslit strategy can achieve ultrahigh stress tolerance while simplifying the fabrication complexity of preparing microstructure sensing films.展开更多
Congenital heart disease(CHD)is one of the most common causes of major birth defects,with a prevalence of 1%.Although an increasing number of studies have reported the etiology of CHD,the findings scattered throughout...Congenital heart disease(CHD)is one of the most common causes of major birth defects,with a prevalence of 1%.Although an increasing number of studies have reported the etiology of CHD,the findings scattered throughout the literature are difficult to retrieve and utilize in research and clinical practice.We therefore developed CHDbase,an evidence-based knowledgebase of CHD-related genes and clinical manifestations manually curated from 1114 publications,linking 1124 susceptibility genes and 3591 variations to more than 300 CHD types and related syndromes.Metadata such as the information of each publication and the selected population and samples,the strategy of studies,and the major findings of studies were integrated with each item of the research record.We also integrated functional annotations through parsing50 databases/tools to facilitate the interpretation of these genes and variations in disease pathogenicity.We further prioritized the significance of these CHD-related genes with a gene interaction network approach and extracted a core CHD sub-network with 163 genes.The clear genetic landscape of CHD enables the phenotype classification based on the shared genetic origin.Overall,CHDbase provides a comprehensive and freely available resource to study CHD susceptibilities,supporting a wide range of users in the scientific and medical communities.CHDbase is accessible at http://chddb.fwgenetics.org.展开更多
Male animals often adjust their sperm investment in response to sperm competition environment.To date,only a few studies have investigated how juvenile sociosexual settings affect sperm production before adulthood and...Male animals often adjust their sperm investment in response to sperm competition environment.To date,only a few studies have investigated how juvenile sociosexual settings affect sperm production before adulthood and sperm allocation during the first mating.Yet,it is unclear whether juvenile sociosexual experience(1)determines lifetime sperm production and allocation in any animal species;(2)alters the eupyrene:apyrene sperm ratio in lifetime ejaculates of any lepidopteran insects,and(3)influences lifetime ejaculation patterns,number of matings and adult longevity.Here we used a polygamous moth,Ephestia kuehniella,to address these questions.Upon male adult emergence from juveniles reared at different density and sex ratio,we paired each male with a virgin female daily until his death.We dissected each mated female to count the sperm transferred and recorded male longevity and lifetime number of matings.We demonstrate for the first time that males ejaculated significantly more eupyrenes and apyrenes in their lifetime after their young were exposed to juvenile rivals.Adult moths continued to produce eupyrene sperm,contradicting the previous predictions for lepidopterans.The eupyrene:apyrene ratio in the lifetime ejaculates remained unchanged in all treatments,suggesting that the sperm ratio is critical for reproductive success.Male juvenile exposure to other juveniles regardless of sex ratio caused significantly shorter adult longevity and faster decline in sperm ejaculation over successive matings.However,males from all treatments achieved similar number of matings in their lifetime.This study provides insight into adaptive resource allocation by males in response to juvenile sociosexual environment.展开更多
Background:Approximately 10%–30%of patients with Hodgkin’s lymphoma(HL)experience relapse or refractory(R/R)disease after first-line standard therapy.Brentuximab vedotin(BV)and immune checkpoint inhibitors(ICIs)have...Background:Approximately 10%–30%of patients with Hodgkin’s lymphoma(HL)experience relapse or refractory(R/R)disease after first-line standard therapy.Brentuximab vedotin(BV)and immune checkpoint inhibitors(ICIs)have important roles in the salvage treatment of R/R HL.However,subsequent treatment for HL refractory to BV and/or ICI treatment is challenging.Methods:We retrospectively analyzed patients in two institutions who had R/R HL,experienced BV or ICI treatment failure,and received radiotherapy(RT)thereafter.The overall response rate(ORR),duration of response(DOR),progression-free survival(PFS),and overall survival(OS)were analyzed.Results:Overall,19 patients were enrolled.First-line systemic therapy comprised doxorubicin,bleomycin,vinblastine,and dacarbazine(ABVD,84.2%);AVD plus ICIs(10.5%);and bleomycin,etoposide,doxorubicin,cyclophosphamide,vincristine,procarbazine,and prednisone(BEACOPP,5.3%).After first-line therapy,15(78.9%)and four patients(21.1%)had refractory disease and relapsed,respectively.After R/R HL diagnosis,six(31.6%),two(10.5%),and 11(57.9%)patients received BV and ICIs concurrently,BV monotherapy,and ICI monotherapy,respectively.All patients received intensity-modulated RT(n=12,63.2%)or volumetric modulated arc therapy(VMAT;n=7,36.8%).The ORR as well as the complete response(CR)rate was 100%;the median DOR to RT was 17.2 months(range,7.9–46.7 months).Two patients showed progression outside the radiation field;one patient had extensive in-field,out-of-field,nodal,and extranodal relapse.With a median follow-up time of 16.2 months(range,9.2–23.2 months),the 1-year PFS and OS were 84.4%and 100%,respectively.PFS was associated with extranodal involvement(P=0.019)and gross tumor volume(P=0.044).All patients tolerated RT well without adverse events of grade≥3.Conclusion:RT is effective and safe for treating HL refractory to BV or ICIs and has the potential to be part of a comprehensive strategy for HL.展开更多
Tumor-associated macrophages(TAMs)mostly exhibit M2-like(alternatively activated)properties and play posi-tive roles in angiogenesis and tumorigenesis.Vascular en-dothelial growth factor(VEGF)is a key angiogenic facto...Tumor-associated macrophages(TAMs)mostly exhibit M2-like(alternatively activated)properties and play posi-tive roles in angiogenesis and tumorigenesis.Vascular en-dothelial growth factor(VEGF)is a key angiogenic factor.During tumor development,TAMs secrete VEGF and other factors to promote angiogenesis;thus,anti-treatment against TAMs and VEGF can repress cancer development,which has been demonstrated in clinical trials and on an experimental level.In the present work,we show that miR-150 is an oncomir because of its promotional effect on VEGF.MiR-150 targets TAMs to up-regulate their secre-tion of VEGF in vitro.With the utilization of cell-derived vesicles,named microvesicles(MVs),we transferred an-tisense RNA targeted to miR-150 into mice and found that the neutralization of miR-150 down-regulates miR-150 and VEGF levels in vivo and attenuates angiogenesis.There-fore,we proposed the therapeutic potential of neutralizing miR-150 to treat cancer and demonstrated a novel,natu-ral,microvesicle-based method for the transfer of nucleic acids.展开更多
Ophiocordyceps sinensis is well known as a traditional Chinese medicine and has widely been used for over 2,000 years to stimulate immune system, decrease blood pressure and to inhibit tumor growth. While miRNAs are i...Ophiocordyceps sinensis is well known as a traditional Chinese medicine and has widely been used for over 2,000 years to stimulate immune system, decrease blood pressure and to inhibit tumor growth. While miRNAs are increasingly recognized for their roles in post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression in animals and plants, miRNAs in fungi were less studied until the discovery of microRNA-like RNA(milRNA). High-throughput sequencing and bioinformatics approaches were used to identify conserved and novel milRNAs in O. sinensis. 40 conserved milRNAs were identified, while 23 pre-miRNA candidates encoding 31 novel milRNAs were predicted. Furthermore, the potential target genes of milRNAs in human were predicted and gene ontology analysis was applied to these genes. Enrichment analysis of GO-represented biological process showed that target genes of both conserved and novel milRNAs are involved in development, metabolic and immune processes, indicating the potential roles of milRNAs of O. sinensis in pharmacological effects as health food and traditional Chinese medicine. This study is the first report on genome-wide analysis of milRNAs in O. sinensis and it provides a useful resource to further study the potential roles of milRNAs as active components of O. sinensis in health food or traditional Chinese medicine.展开更多
MicroRNAs （miRNAs） are small, non-coding RNAs that function as post-transcriptional regulators of gene expression. The deregulated expression of miRNAs is associated with a variety of diseases, including breast canc...MicroRNAs （miRNAs） are small, non-coding RNAs that function as post-transcriptional regulators of gene expression. The deregulated expression of miRNAs is associated with a variety of diseases, including breast cancer. In the present study, we found that miR-495 was markedly up-regulated in clinical breast cancer samples by quantitative real time-PCR （qRT-PCR）. Junctional adhesion molecule A （JAM-A） was predicted to be a potential target of miR-495 by bioinformatics analysis and was subsequently verified by luciferase assay and Western blotting. JAM-A was found to be negatively correlated with the migration of breast cancer cells through loss-of-function and gain-offunction assays, and the inhibition of JAM-A by miR- 495 promoted the migration of MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells. Furthermore, overexpression of JAM-A could restore miR-495-induced breast cancer cell migration. Taken together, our findings suggest that miR-4g5 could facilitate breast cancer progression through the repression of JAM-A, making this miRNA a potential therapeutic target.展开更多
T At the forefront of energy storage field, developing sodium ion batteries （SIBs） has drew a wide concern due to relatively low cost and abundant resource, comparing with lithium ion batteries （LIBs）. Serious vol...T At the forefront of energy storage field, developing sodium ion batteries （SIBs） has drew a wide concern due to relatively low cost and abundant resource, comparing with lithium ion batteries （LIBs）. Serious volume expansion constraints the electrochemical performance of the conver- sion/alloying materials, despite of their high reversible capacities or theoretical capacities. Here, from the perspective of structural designs, we systemat- ically study four types of routes to accommodate volume expansion. Delicate and peculiar nanostructures based on nanocrystallization engineering are widely focused on, covering nanosheet assembly and nanoarray construction. Robust materials such as carbon-based materials can be utilized as the buffer matrix, mitigating the mechanical stress during the charge/discharge process. Besides, recent studies have demonstrated void space reservation in nanostructures was also beneficial for adapting to volume changes. Moreover, for conversion materials, numerous works have confirmed the advanta- geous influence of interlayer spacing regulation. We also explained the superiority and challenges for further giving scope to structural designs. Sketching out the future studies in SIBs, in situ characterizations are supposed to be highlighted, as well as in-depth researches on the stress evolution caused by volume expansion.展开更多
Magnetocaloric materials undergoing reversible phase transitions are highly desirable for magnetic refrigeration applications.(Mn,Fe)_(2)(P,Si)alloys exhibit a giant magnetocaloric effect accompanied by a magnetoelast...Magnetocaloric materials undergoing reversible phase transitions are highly desirable for magnetic refrigeration applications.(Mn,Fe)_(2)(P,Si)alloys exhibit a giant magnetocaloric effect accompanied by a magnetoelastic transition,while the noticeable irreversibility causes drastic degradation of the magnetocaloric properties during consecutive cooling cycles.In the present work,we performed a comprehensive study on the magnetoelastic transition of the(Mn,Fe)_(2)(P,Si)alloys by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy,in situ field-and temperature-dependent neutron powder diffraction as well as density functional theory calculations(DFT).We found a generalized relationship between the thermal hysteresis and the transition-induced elastic strain energy for the(Mn,Fe)_(2)(P,Si)family.The thermal hysteresis was greatly reduced from 11 to 1 K by a mere 4 at.%substitution of Fe by Mo in the Mn_(1.15)Fe_(0.80)P_(0.45)Si_(0.55)alloy.This reduction is found to be due to a strong reduction in the transition-induced elastic strain energy.The significantly enhanced reversibility of the magnetoelastic transition leads to a remarkable improvement of the reversible magnetocaloric properties,compared to the parent alloy.Based on the DFT calculations and the neutron diffraction experiments,we also elucidated the underlying mechanism of the tunable transition temperature for the(Mn,Fe)_(2)(P,Si)family,which can essentially be attributed to the strong competition between the covalent bonding and the ferromagnetic exchange coupling.The present work provides not only a new strategy to improve the reversibility of a first-order magnetic transition but also essential insight into the electron-spin-lattice coupling in giant magnetocaloric materials.展开更多
Considerable microwave absorption performance at elevated temperatures is highly demanded in both civil and military fields.Single dielectric or magnetic absorbers are difficult to attain efficient and broadband micro...Considerable microwave absorption performance at elevated temperatures is highly demanded in both civil and military fields.Single dielectric or magnetic absorbers are difficult to attain efficient and broadband microwave absorption at the high temperature range of 373 K-573 K,and the evolution mechanism of the microwave absorption is still unclear especially for the magnetic absorbers.Herein,ZnO coated flaky-FeCo composite is proposed to break through the bottleneck,which possesses microwave absorption(RL<-10 dB)that covering the whole X band(8.2 GHz-12.4 GHz)at the temperature range of 298 K-573 K with a thickness of only~2 mm.Moreover,attenuation mechanism and evolution of the microwave absorption properties for the FeCo@ZnO flaky material at elevated temperature has been clearly disclosed by the composition and microstructure characterizations,electromagnetic performance measurements and first principles calculations for the first time.Moreover,the Poynting vector,volume loss density,magnetic field(H)and electric field(E)are simulated by HFSS to understand the interaction between EM waves and the samples at different temperatures,further elaborating the attenuation mechanism in high-temperature environment.This study provides guidance in designing and developing high-temperature microwave absorbers for the next generation.展开更多
Socio-sexual environment can have critical impacts on reproduction and survival of animals.Consequently,they need to prepare themselves by allocating more resources to competitive traits that give them advantages in t...Socio-sexual environment can have critical impacts on reproduction and survival of animals.Consequently,they need to prepare themselves by allocating more resources to competitive traits that give them advantages in the particular social setting they have been perceiving.Evidence shows that a male usually raises his investment in sperm after he detects the current or future increase of sperm competition because relative sperm numbers can determine his paternity share.This leads to the wide use of testis size as an index of the sperm competition level,yet testis size does not always reflect sperm production.To date,it is not clear whether male animals fine-tune their resource allocation to sperm production and other traits as a response to social cues during their growth and development.Using a polygamous insect Ephestia kuehniella,we tested whether and how larval social environment affected sperm production,testis size,and body weight.We exposed the male larvae to different juvenile socio-sexual cues and measured these traits.We demonstrate that regardless of sex ratio,group-reared males produced more eupyrenes(fertile and nucleate sperm)but smaller testes than singly reared ones,and that body weight and apyrene(infertile and anucleate sperm)numbers remained the same across treatments.We conclude that the presence of larval social,but not sexual cues is responsible for the increase of eupyrene production and decrease of testis size.We suggest that male larvae increase investment in fertile sperm cells and reduce investment in other testicular tissues in the presence of conspecific juvenile cues.展开更多
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.:52271180,51802155,12304020)National Key R&D Program of China(No.:2021YFB3502500)+2 种基金Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province(BK20230909)Priority Academic Program Development(PAPD)of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutionsthe Center for Microscopy and Analysis at Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
文摘The utilization of electromagnetic waves is rapidly advancing into the millimeter-wave frequency range,posing increasingly severe challenges in terms of electromagnetic pollution prevention and radar stealth.However,existing millimeter-wave absorbers are still inadequate in addressing these issues due to their monotonous magnetic resonance pattern.In this work,rare-earth La^(3+)and non-magnetic Zr^(4+)ions are simultaneously incorporated into M-type barium ferrite(BaM)to intentionally manipulate the multi-magnetic resonance behavior.By leveraging the contrary impact of La^(3+)and Zr^(4+)ions on magnetocrystalline anisotropy field,the restrictive relationship between intensity and frequency of the multi-magnetic resonance is successfully eliminated.The magnetic resonance peak-differentiating and imitating results confirm that significant multi-magnetic resonance phenomenon emerges around 35 GHz due to the reinforced exchange coupling effect between Fe^(3+)and Fe^(2+)ions.Additionally,Mosbauer spectra analysis,first-principle calculations,and least square fitting collectively identify that additional La^(3+)doping leads to a profound rearrangement of Zr^(4+)occupation and thus makes the portion of polarization/conduction loss increase gradually.As a consequence,the La^(3+)-Zr^(4+)co-doped BaM achieves an ultra-broad bandwidth of 12.5+GHz covering from 27.5 to 40+GHz,which holds remarkable potential for millimeter-wave absorbers around the atmospheric window of 35 GHz.
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China,Grant/Award Number:61872171The Belt and Road Special Foundation of the State Key Laboratory of Hydrology‐Water Resources and Hydraulic Engineering,Grant/Award Number:2021490811。
文摘Multi‐agent reinforcement learning relies on reward signals to guide the policy networks of individual agents.However,in high‐dimensional continuous spaces,the non‐stationary environment can provide outdated experiences that hinder convergence,resulting in ineffective training performance for multi‐agent systems.To tackle this issue,a novel reinforcement learning scheme,Mutual Information Oriented Deep Skill Chaining(MioDSC),is proposed that generates an optimised cooperative policy by incorporating intrinsic rewards based on mutual information to improve exploration efficiency.These rewards encourage agents to diversify their learning process by engaging in actions that increase the mutual information between their actions and the environment state.In addition,MioDSC can generate cooperative policies using the options framework,allowing agents to learn and reuse complex action sequences and accelerating the convergence speed of multi‐agent learning.MioDSC was evaluated in the multi‐agent particle environment and the StarCraft multi‐agent challenge at varying difficulty levels.The experimental results demonstrate that MioDSC outperforms state‐of‐the‐art methods and is robust across various multi‐agent system tasks with high stability.
基金Acknowledgments We thank Drs Fengyong Liu and Sheng Luan at UC Berkeley, USA, for their discussion and help with the writing of the manuscript. This work was supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China （no. 30225037, 30471991, 30570731）, National Basic Research Program of China （973 Program） （no. 2006CB503909, 2004CB518603）, the ＂111＂ Project, and the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province （no. BK2004082, BK2006714）.
文摘Dysregulated expression of microRNAs （miRNAs） in various tissues has been associated with a variety of diseases, including cancers. Here we demonstrate that miRNAs are present in the serum and plasma of humans and other animals such as mice, rats, bovine fetuses, calves, and horses. The levels of miRNAs in serum are stable, reproducible, and consistent among individuals of the same species. Employing Solexa, we sequenced all serum miRNAs of healthy Chinese subjects and found over 100 and 91 serum miRNAs in male and female subjects, respectively. We also identified specific expression patterns of serum miRNAs for lung cancer, colorectal cancer, and diabetes, providing evidence that serum miRNAs contain fingerprints for various diseases. Two non-small cell lung cancer-specific serum miRNAs obtained by Solexa were further validated in an independent trial of 75 healthy donors and 152 cancer patients, using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction assays. Through these analyses, we conclude that serum miRNAs can serve as potential biomarkers for the detection of various cancers and other diseases.
文摘Objective： To investigate potential prognostic factors affecting patient outcomes and to evaluate the optimal methods and effects of radiotherapy（RT） in the management of extramedullary plasmacytoma（EMP）.Methods： Data from 55 patients with EMP between November 1999 and August 2015 were collected. The median age was 51（range, 22–77） years. The median tumor size was 3.5（range, 1.0–15.0） cm. The median applied dose was 50.0（range, 30.0–70.0） Gy. Thirty-nine patients（70.9%） presented with disease in the head or neck region. Twelve patients received RT alone, 9 received surgery（S） alone, 3 received chemotherapy（CT） alone, and 3 patients did not receive any treatment. Combination therapies were applied in 28 patients.Results：The median follow-up duration was 56 months.The 5-year local recurrence-free survival（LRFS）,multiple myeloma-free survival（MMFS）,progression-free survival（PFS）and overall survival（OS）rates were 79.8%,78.6%,65.2% and 76.0%,respectively.Univariate analysis revealed that RT was a favourable factor for all examined endpoints.Furthermore,head and neck EMPs were associated with superior LRFS,MMFS and PFS.Tumor size〈4 cm was associated with superior MMFS,PFS and OS;serum M protein negativity was associated with superior MMFS and PFS;age≥50 years and local recurrence were associated with poor MMFS.The dose≥45 Gy group exhibited superior 5-year LRFS,MMFS and PFS rates（94.7%,94.4%,90.0%,respectively）,while the corresponding values for the dose〈45 Gy group were 62.5%（P=0.008）,53.3%（P=0.036）and 41.7%（P〈0.001）.Conclusions：Involved-site RT of at least 45 Gy should be considered for EMP.Furthermore,patients with head and neck EMP,tumor size〈4 cm,age〈50 years and serum M protein negativity had better outcomes.
文摘Objective: To investigate better dosimetric distribution of volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) vs. 5F intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) and 3D conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT) in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) when treated with neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy. Methods: 3D-CRT, 5F-IMRT and VMAT plans for preoperative radiotherapy were 66011designed in 12 patients with locally advanced rectal cancer. The conformity index (CI) and homogeneity index (HI) in target volume, and the dose and volume of the organs at risk (OAR) irradiated including small bowel, bladder and bilatera1 femoral heads were compared among the three plans. Results: The CI for planning target volume (PTV) 2 and HI for PTV1 of VMRT and 5F-IMRT were superior to 3D-CRT. The CI of VMAT, 5F-IMRT and 3D-CRT plans were 0.71, 0.69 and 0.62 (p = 0.011 and p = 0.019, respectively). The HI of the VMAT and 5F-IMRT plans were both 1.04 and 3D-CRT planning was 1.06 (p = 0.022 and p = 0.006, respectively). The V35 - V45 of small bowel in VMAT were significantly less than in 5F-IMRT and 3D-CRT. V35 was 47.0, 56.4, and 72.8 cm3 for VMAT, 5F-IMRT, and 3D-CRT (p = 0.021 and p = 0.034, respectively), while V40 was 30.5, 35.5, 45.1 cm3 (p = 0.024 and p = 0.032, respectively) and V45 was 15.1, 18.1, 30.0 cm3 (p = 0.033 and p = 0.032, respectively). The D5, V30 and V50 of bladder in 3D-CRT were less than in VMAT and 5F-IMRT planning (p = 0.034, 0.004, 0.002 and p = 0.027, 0.003, 0.002, respectively). The Dmean of left femoral head in VMAT and 5F-IMRT were less than in 3D-CRT planning (p = 0.028 and p = 0.022, respectively) and the Dmean, V30 of right femoral head in VMAT and 5F-IMRT were better than in 3D-CRT planning (p = 0.044, 0.036 and p = 0.023, 0.028, respectively). Conclusions: Dosimetric analyses demonstrated that IMRT is superior to 3D-CRT in the conformity and homogeneity of dose distribution to the target volume, and provide a better protection to OARs sparing in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer for preoperative radiotherapy. With similar target coverage, VMRT is superior to 5F-IMRT in normal tissue sparing.
文摘Objective In this study,we aimed to determine the incidence of adverse drug reactions(ADRs)of atezolizumab,identify ADR signals that are significantly related to atezolizumab,and provide a reference for the rational use of atezolizumab in the clinic through the statistical analysis of its adverse drug events(ADEs)reported in the American Food and Drug Administration(FDA)Adverse Event Reporting System(FAERS)database.Methods In total,4796 cases of atezolizumab ADEs reported in the American FAERS database from 2017 to 2019 were retrospectively analyzed.Results The top three ADEs were febrile neutropenia(3.7%),anemia(2.9%),and acute renal failure(2.3%).In addition,the incidence rates of some ADEs were significantly different according to sex and age.The systematic organ classification of atezolizumab ADEs involved 32 systems,among which the top three were blood and lymphatic system disorders(585 cases,12.2%),gastrointestinal disorders(433 cases,9.0%),and infections and infestations(401 cases,8.4%).The reporting odds ratio(ROR)method was used to detect the ADR signals of atezolizumab.The ROR(95%confidence interval)of the top ADE,febrile neutropenia,was 39.236(33.757–45.604).In addition,we found 121 cases of complications associated with immune-related ADEs.Conclusion The ADRs of atezolizumab reported in the FAERS database were consistent with those mentioned in the instructions for atezolizumab use,suggesting that atezolizumab has an acceptable and controllable drug effect.
基金supported by the National Key R&D Program of China(Grant No.2022YFB3204800).
文摘Stress tolerance plays a vital role in ensuring the effectiveness of piezoresistive sensing films used in flexible pressure sensors.However,existing methods for enhancing stress tolerance employ dome-shaped,wrinkle-shaped,and pyramidal-shaped microstructures in intricate molding and demolding processes,which introduce significant fabrication challenges and limit the sensing performance.To address these shortcomings,this paper presents periodic microslits in a sensing film made of multiwalled carbon nanotubes and polydimethylsiloxane to realize ultrahigh stress tolerance with a theoretical maximum of 2.477 MPa and a sensitivity of 18.092 kPa−1.The periodic microslits permit extensive deformation under high pressure(e.g.,400 kPa)to widen the detection range.Moreover,the periodic microslits also enhance the sensitivity based on simultaneously exhibiting multiple synapses within the sensing interface and between the periodic sensing cells.The proposed solution is verified by experiments using sensors based on the microslit strategy for wind direction detection,robot movement sensing,and human health monitoring.In these experiments,vehicle load detection is achieved for ultrahigh pressure sensing under an ultrahigh pressure of over 400 kPa and a ratio of the contact area to the total area of 32.74%.The results indicate that the proposed microslit strategy can achieve ultrahigh stress tolerance while simplifying the fabrication complexity of preparing microstructure sensing films.
基金This work was supported by the Young Scientists Fund of the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.31801103)the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Initiative for Innovative Medicine(Grant No.2016-I2M-1-016).We acknowledge Dr.Adam Yongxin Ye at Harvard Medical School,Boston Children’s Hospital for his support and contribution to the project,and Dr.Ge Gao at Peking University for assistance with database comparison.
文摘Congenital heart disease(CHD)is one of the most common causes of major birth defects,with a prevalence of 1%.Although an increasing number of studies have reported the etiology of CHD,the findings scattered throughout the literature are difficult to retrieve and utilize in research and clinical practice.We therefore developed CHDbase,an evidence-based knowledgebase of CHD-related genes and clinical manifestations manually curated from 1114 publications,linking 1124 susceptibility genes and 3591 variations to more than 300 CHD types and related syndromes.Metadata such as the information of each publication and the selected population and samples,the strategy of studies,and the major findings of studies were integrated with each item of the research record.We also integrated functional annotations through parsing50 databases/tools to facilitate the interpretation of these genes and variations in disease pathogenicity.We further prioritized the significance of these CHD-related genes with a gene interaction network approach and extracted a core CHD sub-network with 163 genes.The clear genetic landscape of CHD enables the phenotype classification based on the shared genetic origin.Overall,CHDbase provides a comprehensive and freely available resource to study CHD susceptibilities,supporting a wide range of users in the scientific and medical communities.CHDbase is accessible at http://chddb.fwgenetics.org.
基金supported by a China Scholarship Council-Massey University PhD Scholars Programme(CSC No.201806660018)to J.L.,a Guangxi University Foundation Strengthening Program Postgraduate Overseas Research Project to Y.Z.,a Guangxi Scholarship Fund of Guangxi Education Department to X.-L.Z.,and Massey University Research Funds to Q.W.and X.Z.H.
文摘Male animals often adjust their sperm investment in response to sperm competition environment.To date,only a few studies have investigated how juvenile sociosexual settings affect sperm production before adulthood and sperm allocation during the first mating.Yet,it is unclear whether juvenile sociosexual experience(1)determines lifetime sperm production and allocation in any animal species;(2)alters the eupyrene:apyrene sperm ratio in lifetime ejaculates of any lepidopteran insects,and(3)influences lifetime ejaculation patterns,number of matings and adult longevity.Here we used a polygamous moth,Ephestia kuehniella,to address these questions.Upon male adult emergence from juveniles reared at different density and sex ratio,we paired each male with a virgin female daily until his death.We dissected each mated female to count the sperm transferred and recorded male longevity and lifetime number of matings.We demonstrate for the first time that males ejaculated significantly more eupyrenes and apyrenes in their lifetime after their young were exposed to juvenile rivals.Adult moths continued to produce eupyrene sperm,contradicting the previous predictions for lepidopterans.The eupyrene:apyrene ratio in the lifetime ejaculates remained unchanged in all treatments,suggesting that the sperm ratio is critical for reproductive success.Male juvenile exposure to other juveniles regardless of sex ratio caused significantly shorter adult longevity and faster decline in sperm ejaculation over successive matings.However,males from all treatments achieved similar number of matings in their lifetime.This study provides insight into adaptive resource allocation by males in response to juvenile sociosexual environment.
基金supported by grants from the Major Scientific Research Program for Young and Middle-aged Health Professionals of Fujian Province,China(grant number:2022ZQNZD002)the Fujian Key Laboratory of Intelligent Imaging and Precision Radiotherapy for Tumors(Fujian Medical University)and Clinical Research Center for Radiology and Radiotherapy of Fujian Province(Digestive,Hematological and Breast Malignancies).
文摘Background:Approximately 10%–30%of patients with Hodgkin’s lymphoma(HL)experience relapse or refractory(R/R)disease after first-line standard therapy.Brentuximab vedotin(BV)and immune checkpoint inhibitors(ICIs)have important roles in the salvage treatment of R/R HL.However,subsequent treatment for HL refractory to BV and/or ICI treatment is challenging.Methods:We retrospectively analyzed patients in two institutions who had R/R HL,experienced BV or ICI treatment failure,and received radiotherapy(RT)thereafter.The overall response rate(ORR),duration of response(DOR),progression-free survival(PFS),and overall survival(OS)were analyzed.Results:Overall,19 patients were enrolled.First-line systemic therapy comprised doxorubicin,bleomycin,vinblastine,and dacarbazine(ABVD,84.2%);AVD plus ICIs(10.5%);and bleomycin,etoposide,doxorubicin,cyclophosphamide,vincristine,procarbazine,and prednisone(BEACOPP,5.3%).After first-line therapy,15(78.9%)and four patients(21.1%)had refractory disease and relapsed,respectively.After R/R HL diagnosis,six(31.6%),two(10.5%),and 11(57.9%)patients received BV and ICIs concurrently,BV monotherapy,and ICI monotherapy,respectively.All patients received intensity-modulated RT(n=12,63.2%)or volumetric modulated arc therapy(VMAT;n=7,36.8%).The ORR as well as the complete response(CR)rate was 100%;the median DOR to RT was 17.2 months(range,7.9–46.7 months).Two patients showed progression outside the radiation field;one patient had extensive in-field,out-of-field,nodal,and extranodal relapse.With a median follow-up time of 16.2 months(range,9.2–23.2 months),the 1-year PFS and OS were 84.4%and 100%,respectively.PFS was associated with extranodal involvement(P=0.019)and gross tumor volume(P=0.044).All patients tolerated RT well without adverse events of grade≥3.Conclusion:RT is effective and safe for treating HL refractory to BV or ICIs and has the potential to be part of a comprehensive strategy for HL.
基金This work was supported by grants from the National Basic Research Program(973 Program)(No.2014CB542300)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.31200969,31200874,81101330,31271378,and 81250044)+2 种基金the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars(81025019)the Natural Science Foun-dation of Jiangsu Province(BK2011013 and BK2012014)the Research Fund for the Doctoral Program of Higher Education of China(20120091120044).
文摘Tumor-associated macrophages(TAMs)mostly exhibit M2-like(alternatively activated)properties and play posi-tive roles in angiogenesis and tumorigenesis.Vascular en-dothelial growth factor(VEGF)is a key angiogenic factor.During tumor development,TAMs secrete VEGF and other factors to promote angiogenesis;thus,anti-treatment against TAMs and VEGF can repress cancer development,which has been demonstrated in clinical trials and on an experimental level.In the present work,we show that miR-150 is an oncomir because of its promotional effect on VEGF.MiR-150 targets TAMs to up-regulate their secre-tion of VEGF in vitro.With the utilization of cell-derived vesicles,named microvesicles(MVs),we transferred an-tisense RNA targeted to miR-150 into mice and found that the neutralization of miR-150 down-regulates miR-150 and VEGF levels in vivo and attenuates angiogenesis.There-fore,we proposed the therapeutic potential of neutralizing miR-150 to treat cancer and demonstrated a novel,natu-ral,microvesicle-based method for the transfer of nucleic acids.
基金supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (2014CB542300)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81602697)+1 种基金the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province (BE2016737) the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (020814380070)
文摘Ophiocordyceps sinensis is well known as a traditional Chinese medicine and has widely been used for over 2,000 years to stimulate immune system, decrease blood pressure and to inhibit tumor growth. While miRNAs are increasingly recognized for their roles in post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression in animals and plants, miRNAs in fungi were less studied until the discovery of microRNA-like RNA(milRNA). High-throughput sequencing and bioinformatics approaches were used to identify conserved and novel milRNAs in O. sinensis. 40 conserved milRNAs were identified, while 23 pre-miRNA candidates encoding 31 novel milRNAs were predicted. Furthermore, the potential target genes of milRNAs in human were predicted and gene ontology analysis was applied to these genes. Enrichment analysis of GO-represented biological process showed that target genes of both conserved and novel milRNAs are involved in development, metabolic and immune processes, indicating the potential roles of milRNAs of O. sinensis in pharmacological effects as health food and traditional Chinese medicine. This study is the first report on genome-wide analysis of milRNAs in O. sinensis and it provides a useful resource to further study the potential roles of milRNAs as active components of O. sinensis in health food or traditional Chinese medicine.
文摘MicroRNAs （miRNAs） are small, non-coding RNAs that function as post-transcriptional regulators of gene expression. The deregulated expression of miRNAs is associated with a variety of diseases, including breast cancer. In the present study, we found that miR-495 was markedly up-regulated in clinical breast cancer samples by quantitative real time-PCR （qRT-PCR）. Junctional adhesion molecule A （JAM-A） was predicted to be a potential target of miR-495 by bioinformatics analysis and was subsequently verified by luciferase assay and Western blotting. JAM-A was found to be negatively correlated with the migration of breast cancer cells through loss-of-function and gain-offunction assays, and the inhibition of JAM-A by miR- 495 promoted the migration of MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells. Furthermore, overexpression of JAM-A could restore miR-495-induced breast cancer cell migration. Taken together, our findings suggest that miR-4g5 could facilitate breast cancer progression through the repression of JAM-A, making this miRNA a potential therapeutic target.
文摘T At the forefront of energy storage field, developing sodium ion batteries （SIBs） has drew a wide concern due to relatively low cost and abundant resource, comparing with lithium ion batteries （LIBs）. Serious volume expansion constraints the electrochemical performance of the conver- sion/alloying materials, despite of their high reversible capacities or theoretical capacities. Here, from the perspective of structural designs, we systemat- ically study four types of routes to accommodate volume expansion. Delicate and peculiar nanostructures based on nanocrystallization engineering are widely focused on, covering nanosheet assembly and nanoarray construction. Robust materials such as carbon-based materials can be utilized as the buffer matrix, mitigating the mechanical stress during the charge/discharge process. Besides, recent studies have demonstrated void space reservation in nanostructures was also beneficial for adapting to volume changes. Moreover, for conversion materials, numerous works have confirmed the advanta- geous influence of interlayer spacing regulation. We also explained the superiority and challenges for further giving scope to structural designs. Sketching out the future studies in SIBs, in situ characterizations are supposed to be highlighted, as well as in-depth researches on the stress evolution caused by volume expansion.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.51801102,U1832191,12004179,and 11974184)the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province(Nos.BK20180491 and BK20180418)+1 种基金the Open Fund of Large Facilities in Nanjing University of Science and Technologythe Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Neutron Scattering Science and Technology。
文摘Magnetocaloric materials undergoing reversible phase transitions are highly desirable for magnetic refrigeration applications.(Mn,Fe)_(2)(P,Si)alloys exhibit a giant magnetocaloric effect accompanied by a magnetoelastic transition,while the noticeable irreversibility causes drastic degradation of the magnetocaloric properties during consecutive cooling cycles.In the present work,we performed a comprehensive study on the magnetoelastic transition of the(Mn,Fe)_(2)(P,Si)alloys by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy,in situ field-and temperature-dependent neutron powder diffraction as well as density functional theory calculations(DFT).We found a generalized relationship between the thermal hysteresis and the transition-induced elastic strain energy for the(Mn,Fe)_(2)(P,Si)family.The thermal hysteresis was greatly reduced from 11 to 1 K by a mere 4 at.%substitution of Fe by Mo in the Mn_(1.15)Fe_(0.80)P_(0.45)Si_(0.55)alloy.This reduction is found to be due to a strong reduction in the transition-induced elastic strain energy.The significantly enhanced reversibility of the magnetoelastic transition leads to a remarkable improvement of the reversible magnetocaloric properties,compared to the parent alloy.Based on the DFT calculations and the neutron diffraction experiments,we also elucidated the underlying mechanism of the tunable transition temperature for the(Mn,Fe)_(2)(P,Si)family,which can essentially be attributed to the strong competition between the covalent bonding and the ferromagnetic exchange coupling.The present work provides not only a new strategy to improve the reversibility of a first-order magnetic transition but also essential insight into the electron-spin-lattice coupling in giant magnetocaloric materials.
基金financially supported by the National Key R&D Program of China(No.2021YFB3502500)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.51802155 and 51801103)+5 种基金the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province(No.BK20180443)the"Shuangchuang Doctor"Foundation of Jiangsu Provincethe Aeronautical Science Foundation of China(No.2018ZF52078)the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(No.2020M671478)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(No.NT2021023)a project funded by the Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions(PAPD)。
文摘Considerable microwave absorption performance at elevated temperatures is highly demanded in both civil and military fields.Single dielectric or magnetic absorbers are difficult to attain efficient and broadband microwave absorption at the high temperature range of 373 K-573 K,and the evolution mechanism of the microwave absorption is still unclear especially for the magnetic absorbers.Herein,ZnO coated flaky-FeCo composite is proposed to break through the bottleneck,which possesses microwave absorption(RL<-10 dB)that covering the whole X band(8.2 GHz-12.4 GHz)at the temperature range of 298 K-573 K with a thickness of only~2 mm.Moreover,attenuation mechanism and evolution of the microwave absorption properties for the FeCo@ZnO flaky material at elevated temperature has been clearly disclosed by the composition and microstructure characterizations,electromagnetic performance measurements and first principles calculations for the first time.Moreover,the Poynting vector,volume loss density,magnetic field(H)and electric field(E)are simulated by HFSS to understand the interaction between EM waves and the samples at different temperatures,further elaborating the attenuation mechanism in high-temperature environment.This study provides guidance in designing and developing high-temperature microwave absorbers for the next generation.
基金This work was supported by a China Scholarship Council-Massey University PhD Scholars Programme(CSC No.201806660018)。
文摘Socio-sexual environment can have critical impacts on reproduction and survival of animals.Consequently,they need to prepare themselves by allocating more resources to competitive traits that give them advantages in the particular social setting they have been perceiving.Evidence shows that a male usually raises his investment in sperm after he detects the current or future increase of sperm competition because relative sperm numbers can determine his paternity share.This leads to the wide use of testis size as an index of the sperm competition level,yet testis size does not always reflect sperm production.To date,it is not clear whether male animals fine-tune their resource allocation to sperm production and other traits as a response to social cues during their growth and development.Using a polygamous insect Ephestia kuehniella,we tested whether and how larval social environment affected sperm production,testis size,and body weight.We exposed the male larvae to different juvenile socio-sexual cues and measured these traits.We demonstrate that regardless of sex ratio,group-reared males produced more eupyrenes(fertile and nucleate sperm)but smaller testes than singly reared ones,and that body weight and apyrene(infertile and anucleate sperm)numbers remained the same across treatments.We conclude that the presence of larval social,but not sexual cues is responsible for the increase of eupyrene production and decrease of testis size.We suggest that male larvae increase investment in fertile sperm cells and reduce investment in other testicular tissues in the presence of conspecific juvenile cues.
