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The frustrated magnet Bi2Fe4O9 has been reported to exhibit complex spin dynamics coexisting with conventional spin wave excitations. The magnetic Fe3+ (S = 5/2) ions are arranged into a distorted two-dimensional Cairo pentagonal lattice with weak couplings between the layers, developing long-ranged noncollinear antiferromagnetic order below 245 K. In order to enable studies and modeling of the complex dynamics close to TN, we have reexamined the magnetic excitations across the complete energy scale (0 < homega < 90 meV) at 10 K. We discover two distinct gaps, which can be explained by introducing, respectively, easy axis and easy plane anisotropy on the two unequivalent Fe sites. We develop a refined spin Hamiltonian that accurately accounts for the dispersion of essentially all spin-wave branches across the full spectral range, except around 40 meV, where a splitting and dispersion are observed. Polarization analysis shows that the system has magnetic anisotropic fluctuations, consistent with our model. A continuum of scattering is observed above the spin wave branches and is found to principally be explained by an instrumental resolution effect. The full experimental mapping of the excitation spectrum and the refined spin Hamiltonian provides a foundation for future quantitative studies of spin waves coexisting with unconventional magnetic fluctuations in this frustrated magnet found at higher temperatures.
U-Net is a convolutional neural network model developed in 2015 and has proven to be one of the most inspiring deep-learning models for image segmentation. Numerous U-Net-based applications have since emerged, constituting a heterogeneous set of tools that illustrate the current reproducibility crisis in the deep-learning field. Here we propose a solution in the form of Biom3d, a modular framework for deep learning facilitating the integration and development of novel models, metrics, or training schemes for 3D image segmentation. The new development philosophy of Biom3D provides an improved code sustainability and reproducibility in line with the FAIR principles and is available as a graphical user interface and an open-source deep-learning framework to target a large community of users, from end users to deep learning developers. ### Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest.
In this study, DyCrO3 orthochromite was synthesized via the sol–gel method and its structural and optical properties were examined. Rietveld refinement of X-ray diffraction confirmed an orthorhombic structure with the Pbnm space group. UV–Vis absorption spectroscopy revealed a direct optical band gap of about 3.3 eV, together with estimates of the Urbach energy and refractive index. The observed absorption features were further interpreted using crystal field theory to assign the Cr3⁺ electronic transitions. These findings highlight the promising potential of DyCrO3 as a wide-bandgap perovskite oxide for future optoelectronic applications.
Breast-conserving therapy (BCT), combining breast-conserving surgery (BCS) and radiotherapy (RT), is a standard treatment for early stage breast cancer. Despite its effectiveness, patients remain at risk for ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence (IBTR). While mastectomy is traditionally recommended for IBTR, a second BCS with reirradiation (ReRT) has emerged as an alternative. However, there are limited data on outcomes for second BCS without ReRT in low-risk patients. This study aims to assess the outcomes of second BCS without ReRT in patients with low-risk IBTR. This retrospective cohort study included patients with low-risk IBTR who underwent second BCS without ReRT at the Curie Institute between 2001 and 2023. Eligible patients had hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative tumors with low histological grade and a size ≤ 2 cm without evidence of lymph node involvement. Data were collected on local recurrence-free survival (LRFS), metastatic recurrence-free survival (MFS), and overall survival (OS). Among 154 patients who underwent second BCS without ReRT, 119 had invasive carcinoma and 35 had ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). Over a median follow-up of 50 months, 11 patients (7.1
Intraflagellar transport (IFT) is a fundamental process driving ciliogenesis in most eukaryotic organisms. IFT172, the largest protein of the IFT complex, plays a crucial role in cilium formation, and several disease-causing IFT172 variants have been identified in ciliopathy patients. While IFT172 is tethered to the IFT-B complex via its N-terminal domains, the function of its C-terminal domains has remained elusive. Here, using both human and Chlamydomonas reinhardtii IFT172, we reveal that the C-terminal part of IFT172 interacts with IFT-A complex subunits, providing a molecular basis for the role of IFT172 in bridging IFT-A and IFT-B complexes. We determine the crystal structure of the C-terminal part of IFT172, uncovering a conserved U-box-like domain often found in E3 ubiquitin ligases. This domain exhibits ubiquitin-binding properties, and IFT172 undergoes ubiquitin conjugation in vitro, an activity that is reduced in the C1727R patient ciliopathy variant. We use CRISPR-engineered RPE-1 cells to demonstrate that the U-box-like domain is essential for IFT172 protein stability and proper cilium formation. Notably, RPE-1 cells with heterozygous deletion of the U-box domain show altered TGF-β signaling responses, particularly in SMAD2 phosphorylation levels and AKT activation. Our findings suggest that IFT172, beyond its structural role in bridging IFT-A and IFT-B complexes within IFT trains, harbors a conserved U-box-like domain with potential involvement in ciliary ubiquitination processes and signaling, providing new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying IFT172-related ciliopathies.
