Identification and characterization of two Bacillus anthracis bacteriophages.

Anthrax is an acute infectious zoonotic disease caused by Bacillus anthracis, a bacterium that is considered a potential biological warfare agent. Bacillus bacteriophages shape the composition and evolution of bacterial communities in nature and therefore have important roles in the ecosystem community. B. anthracis phages are not only used in etiological diagnostics but also have promising prospects in clinical therapeutics or for disinfection in anthrax outbreaks. In this study, two temperate B. anthracis phages, vB_BanS_A16R1 (A16R1) and vB_BanS_A16R4 (A16R4), were isolated and showed siphovirus-like morphological characteristics. Genome sequencing showed that the genomes of phages A16R1 and A16R4 are 36,569 bp and 40,059 bp in length, respectively. A16R1 belongs to the genus Wbetavirus, while A16R4 belongs to the genus Hubeivirus and is the first phage of that genus found to lyse B. anthracis. Because these two phages can comparatively specifically lyse B. anthracis, they could be used as alternative diagnostic tools for identification of B. anthracis infections.

GSOOA-1DDRSN: Network traffic anomaly detection based on deep residual shrinkage networks.

One of the critical technologies to ensure cyberspace security is network traffic anomaly detection, which detects malicious attacks by analyzing and identifying network traffic behavior. The rapid development of the network has led to explosive growth in network traffic, which seriously impacts the user's information security. Researchers have delved into intrusion detection as an active defense technology to address this challenge. However, traditional machine learning methods struggle to capture complex threats and attack patterns when dealing with large-scale network data. In contrast, deep learning methods have the advantages of automatically extracting features from network traffic data and strong generalization capabilities. Aiming to enhance the ability of network anomaly traffic detection, this paper proposes a network traffic anomaly detection based on Deep Residual Shrinkage Network (DRSN), namely "GSOOA-1DDRSN". This method uses an improved Osprey optimization algorithm to select the most relevant and essential features in network traffic, reducing the features' dimensionality. For better detection performance of network traffic anomalies, a one-dimensional deep residual shrinkage network (1DDRSN) is designed as a classifier. Validation is performed using the NSL-KDD and UNSW-NB15 datasets and compared with other methods. The experimental results show that GSOOA-1DDRSN has improved multi-classification accuracy, precision, recall, and F1 Score by approximately 2 % and 3 %, respectively, compared to the 1DDRSN model on two datasets. Additionally, it reduces the time computation costs by 20 % and 30 % on these datasets. Furthermore, compared to other models, GSOOA-1DDRSN offers superior classification accuracy and effectively reduces the number of features.

[Effects and Mechanisms of Polystyrene Microplastics on Extracellular Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Wastewater].

Microplastics (MPs) and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) are typical co-existing emerging pollutants in wastewater treatment plants. MPs have been shown to alter the distribution pattern of ARGs in sludge, but their effects on free extracellular ARGs (feARGs) in wastewater remain unclear. In this study, we used fluorescence quantitative PCR to investigate the dynamics of feARGs (including tetC, tetO, sul1, and sul2) in wastewater and their transition mechanisms after 60 d of exposure to typical MPs (polystyrene, PS). The results showed that the absolute abundance of tetracycline feARGs decreased by 28.4 %-76.0 % and 35.2 %-96.2 %, respectively, under nm-level and mm-level PS exposure and changed by -55.4 %-122.4 % under µm-level PS exposure. The abundance of sul1 showed a trend of nm-level > µm-level > mm-level upon PS exposure, and the changes in sul1 abundance was greater with ρ(PS)=50 mg·L-1 exposure. The relative abundance of sul2 was reduced by 25.4 %-42.6 % and 46.1 %-90.3 % after µm-level and mm-level PS exposure, respectively, and increased by 1.9-3.9 times after nm-level PS exposure, and the sul2 showed a higher reduction at ρ (PS)=50 mg·L-1 exposure than that at ρ (PS)=0.5 mg·L-1. The Pearson correlation analysis showed that the relative abundance of feARGs during PS exposure was positively correlated with cell membrane permeability and typical mobile genetic elements (intI1) abundance and negatively correlated with reactive oxygen species level. Our findings elucidated the effects and corresponding mechanisms of PS on the growth and mobility of feARGs in wastewater, providing a scientific basis for the control of the combined MPs and ARGs pollution in wastewater.

Impact of obesity on sentinel lymph node biopsy outcomes and survival in breast cancer patients: A single-center retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) is a common choice for axillary surgery in patients with early-stage breast cancer (BC) who have clinically negative lymph nodes. Most research indicates that obesity is a prognostic factor for BC patients, but studies assessing its association with the rate of positive sentinel lymph nodes (SLN) and the prognosis of patients with early BC undergoing SLNB are limited. METHODS: Between 2013 and 2016, 7062 early-stage BC patients from the Shanghai Cancer Center of Fudan University were included. Based on the Chinese Body Mass Index (BMI) classification standards, the patients were divided into three groups as follows: normal weight, overweight, and obese. Propensity score matching analysis was used to balance the baseline characteristics of the participants. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the association between obesity and positive SLN rate. Cox regression analysis was used to investigate whether obesity was an independent prognostic factor for early-stage BC patients who had undergone SLNB. RESULTS: No significant association was observed between obesity and positive SLN rate in early-stage BC patients who had undergone SLNB. However, multivariate analysis revealed that compared to patients with normal BMI, the overall survival (hazard ratio (HR) 2.240, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.27-3.95, p = 0.005) and disease-free survival (HR 1.750, 95% CI 1.16-2.62, p = 0.007) were poorer in patients with high BMI. CONCLUSION: Obesity is an independent prognostic factor for early-stage BC patients who undergo SLNB; however, it does not affect the positive SLN rate.

Intrinsically Stretchable Organic Thermoelectric Polymers Enabled by Incorporating Fused-Ring Conjugated Breakers.

While research on organic thermoelectric polymers is making significant progress in recent years, realization of a single polymer material possessing both thermoelectric properties and stretchability for the next generation of self-powered wearable electronics is a challenging task and remains an area yet to be explored. A new molecular engineering concept of "conjugated breaker" is employed to impart stretchability to a highly crystalline diketopyrrolepyrrole (DPP)-based polymer. A hexacyclic diindenothieno[2,3-b]thiophene (DITT) unit, with two 4-octyloxyphenyl groups substituted at the tetrahedral sp3-carbon bridges, is selected to function as the conjugated breaker that can sterically hinder intermolecular packing to reduce polymers' crystallinity. A series of donor-acceptor random copolymers is thus developed via polymerizing the crystalline DPP units with the DITT conjugated breakers. By controlling the monomeric DPP/DITT ratios, DITT30 reaches the optimal balance of crystalline/amorphous regions, exhibiting an exceptional power factor (PF) value up to 12.5 µW m-1 K-2 after FeCl3-doping; while, simultaneously displaying the capability to withstand strains exceeding 100%. More significantly, the doped DITT30 film possesses excellent mechanical endurance, retaining 80% of its initial PF value after 200 cycles of stretching/releasing at a strain of 50%. This research marks a pioneering achievement in creating intrinsically stretchable polymers with exceptional thermoelectric properties.

Volunteering among Older Adults and Effects of Ethnic Minority Status before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Longitudinal Analyses of the CLSA.

The COVID-19 pandemic has presented numerous challenges to older adults in Canada, including the ability to volunteer. The purpose of this study is to improve the understanding of the social context surrounding volunteering in Canada, by (a) determining changes in associations between human, social, and cultural capital and volunteering among older adults; and (b) examining the relationship between ethnic minority status and volunteering, using data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA), collected prior to and during the pandemic. This study utilized data from 24,306 CLSA Baseline, Follow-up 1 (FUP1), and COVID-19 Baseline Survey participants (aged 55+). Results confirm a decrease in volunteering during the early stages of the pandemic. Compared to pre-pandemic associations, volunteers during the early stages of the pandemic were more likely to be young-old, male, employed, and not involved in religious activities. Findings provide evidence of pandemic effects on volunteering among older adults in Canada.

Comparison of neoadjuvant chemotherapy response and prognosis between HR-low/HER2-negative BC and TNBC: an exploratory real-world multicentre cohort study.

Objective: Hormone receptor (HR)-low/HER2-negative breast cancers (BCs) are more likely to be basal-like BCs, with similar molecular features and gene expression profiles to HR-negative (estrogen receptor <1% or negative and progesterone receptor <1% or negative) BCs. Recently, with the clinical application of adjuvant intensive therapy for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), the prognosis of TNBC patients without pathological complete response (pCR) has significantly improved. Therefore, it is necessary to reanalyse the prognostic characteristics of clinically high-risk HR-low/HER2-negative BC. Methods: According to the inclusion and exclusion standards, 288 patients with HR-low/HER2-negative BC and TNBC who received NAC and were followed up between 2015 and 2022 at three breast centres in Hunan Province, China, were enrolled. Inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) was utilized to mitigate imbalances in baseline characteristics between the HR-low/HER2-negative BC group and TNBC group regarding event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS). The primary clinical endpoints were pCR and EFS, while the secondary endpoints included OS, objective response rate (ORR), and clinical benefit rate (CBR). Results: The pCR rate (27.1% vs. 28.0%, P = 1.000), ORR rate (76.9% vs. 78.3%, P = 0.827) and CBR rate (89.7% vs. 96.5%, P = 0.113) after NAC were similar between the HR-low/HER2-negative BC and the TNBC group. EFS in patients with non-pCR from the 2 groups was significantly inferior in comparison to patients with pCR (P = 0.001), and the 3-year EFS was 94.74% (95% CI = 85.21% to 100.00%) and 57.39% (95% CI =43.81% to 75.19%) in patients with pCR and non-pCR from the HR-low/HER2-negative BC group, respectively, and 89.70% (95% CI = 82.20% to 97.90%) and 69.73% (95% CI = 62.51% to 77.77%) in the TNBC patients with pCR and non-pCR, respectively. Conclusions: In the real world, the therapeutic effects of NAC for HR-low/HER2-negative BCs and TNBCs were similar. EFS of patients with non-pCR in the HR-low/HER2-negative BC group was inferior to that of the TNBC group with non-pCR, suggesting that it is necessary to explore new adjuvant intensive therapy strategies for these patients.

Consulting doctors online after offline treatment: investigating the effects of online information on patients' effective use of online follow-up services.

Introduction: The use of online follow-up services (OFUS) is becoming an increasingly important supplement to hospital care. Through OFUS, patients can find their doctors in online health communities (OHCs) and receive remote medical follow-ups after hospital treatment. However, the rate of effective use of OFUS by current patients is still low, and there is an urgent need for research to investigate the online information factors that affect patients' effective use of OFUS. Methods: Based on the elaboration likelihood model (ELM) of persuasion and an analysis of a panel dataset including 3,672 doctors in a leading OHC in China, this study explores how online information from doctors' knowledge contributions and patient feedback influences patients' effective use of OFUS. Results: The results show that both doctors' knowledge contributions and patient feedback positively influence patients' effective use of OFUS. Doctors' paid knowledge contributions and patients' paid feedback have stronger persuasive effects than doctors' free knowledge contributions and patients' free feedback, respectively. Moreover, there is a substitutional relationship between doctors' paid and free knowledge contributions and between patients' paid and free feedback in influencing patients' effective use of OFUS. Discussion: The findings of this study suggest that OHC platforms and healthcare providers should account not only for the persuasive effects of doctors' knowledge contributions and patient feedback but also for influential differences and relationships between the types of doctors' knowledge contributions and patient feedback to better persuade patients to effectively use OFUS.

Catalytic asymmetric construction of helicenes via transformation of biaryls.

This review showcases a systematic overview of the available tools for the catalytic asymmetric transformation of biaryl substrates toward the construction of challenging enantioenriched helicenes and the conceptual aspects associated with each type of transformation. Depending on the properties of the biaryl and the nature of the process, several methodologies have been developed, including olefin metathesis, hydroarylation of alkynes, C-X (X = C, O, N) coupling, and C-H functionalization. Pioneering studies and an array of representative reactions are discussed to underscore the potential of these synthetic protocols.

Treatment of malignant airway obstruction with Y-shape sigma stent loaded with I125 seeds installed via rigid bronchoscopy.

PURPOSE: To summarize and analyze the safety and efficacy of a Y-shape Sigma stent loaded with I125 in patients with inoperable malignant main airway obstruction. METHODS: This study was approved by the Institutional Ethics Committee, and a written informed consent was obtained from each participant. A Y-shape Sigma stent loaded with I125 was placed under vision from rigid bronchoscopy. The primary endpoint was alleviation of symptoms and improvement of Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) score, and the secondary endpoint was complications and technical success. RESULTS: From November 2018 through June 2023, total 33 patients with malignant airway obstruction were palliatively treated by installing Y-shape Sigma stents loaded with I125. The airway lumen was immediately restored and the average airway opening significantly increased to 70 ± 9.4% after the procedure from baseline 30.2 ± 10.5% (p < 0.05). Average KPS score was improved from baseline 30.0 ± 10.0 to 70.0 ± 10.0 (p < 0.05) as well as PaO2 from baseline 50.1 ± 15.4 mmHg to 89.3 ± 8.6 mmHg (p < 0.05). The technical success rate of placing the stent in this study was 73%, and adverse events or complications including bleeding, I125 loss, and airway infection occurred during or after the procedure. CONCLUSION: Placement of Y-shape Sigma stents under vision from rigid bronchoscopy in the patients with malignant airway obstruction is feasible and it immediately alleviates dyspnea and significantly improves quality of life.

CEPs suppress auxin signaling but promote cytokinin signaling to inhibit root growth in Arabidopsis.

C-terminally encoded peptides (CEPs) are peptide hormones that function as mobile signals coordinating crucial developmental programs in plants. Previous studies have revealed that CEPs exert negative regulation on root development through interaction with CEP receptors (CEPRs), CEP DOWNSTREAMs (CEPDs), the cytokinin receptor ARABIDOPSIS HISTIDINE KINASE (AHKs) and the transcriptional repressor Auxin/Indole-3-Acetic Acid (AUX/IAA). However, the precise molecular mechanisms underlying CEPs-mediated regulation of root development via auxin and cytokinin signaling pathways still necessitate further detailed investigation. In this study, we examined prior research and elucidated the underlying molecular mechanisms. The results showed that both synthetic AtCEPs and overexpression of AtCEP5 markedly supressed primary root elongation and lateral root (LR) formation in Arabidopsis. Molecular biology and genetics elucidated how CEPs inhibit root growth by suppressing auxin signaling while promoting cytokinin signaling. In summary, this study elucidated the inhibitory effects of AtCEPs on Arabidopsis root growth and provided insights into their potential molecular mechanisms, thus enhancing our comprehension of CEP-mediated regulation of plant growth and development.

The beneficial rhizobacterium Bacillus velezensis SQR9 regulates plant nitrogen uptake via an endogenous signaling pathway.

Nitrogen fertilizer is widely used in agriculture to boost crop yields. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPRs) can increase plant nitrogen use efficiency through nitrogen fixation and organic nitrogen mineralization. However, it is not known whether they can activate plant nitrogen uptake. In this study, we investigated the effects of volatile compounds (VCs) emitted by the PGPR strain Bacillus velezensis SQR9 on plant nitrogen uptake. Strain SQR9 VCs promoted nitrogen accumulation in both rice and Arabidopsis. In addition, isotope labeling experiments showed that strain SQR9 VCs promoted the absorption of nitrate and ammonium. Several key nitrogen-uptake genes were up-regulated by strain SQR9 VCs, such as AtNRT2.1 in Arabidopsis and OsNAR2.1, OsNRT2.3a, and OsAMT1 family members in rice, and the deletion of these genes compromised the promoting effect of strain SQR9 VCs on plant nitrogen absorption. Furthermore, calcium and the transcription factor NIN-LIKE PROTEIN 7 play an important role in nitrate uptake promoted by strain SQR9 VCs. Taken together, our results indicate that PGPRs can promote nitrogen uptake through regulating plant endogenous signaling and nitrogen transport pathways.

Acute mountain sickness predicts the emotional state of amateur mountaineers.

Research on amateur mountaineers is scarce, and this study aims to delve into the emotional experiences of ten amateur mountaineers during their ascent using the "Befindlichkeitsskala" (BFS) and Lake Louise Acute Mountain Sickness scoring system (LLS). These subjects were exposed to altitudes of 3140 m, 4300 m, and 5276 m, respectively. We found that LLS scores were negatively correlated with positive emotions (ß = -27.54, p < 0.05) and positively correlated with negative emotions (ß = 21.97, p < 0.05). At an altitude of 4300 m, individuals with AMS exhibited significant differences in depression, anger, excitement, and inactivity compared to climbers without AMS. Upon returning to 3140 m after completing the climb, significant differences were observed in emotions such as happiness, calmness, anger, excitement, and depression. Throughout the three-day climb, noteworthy differences emerged in activity, happiness, calmness, inactivity, positive emotions (p < 0.01), negative emotions, and overall emotional scores (p < 0.05). Our study suggests a decline in the emotional well-being of amateur climbers with increasing altitude, highlighting AMS as a pivotal predictive factor for emotional experiences while climbing.

CRTAM promotes antitumor immune response in triple negative breast cancer by enhancing CD8+ T cell infiltration.

The immunomodulatory (IM) subtype of triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) exhibits high expression of immune cell signaling genes and is more responsive to immunotherapy. However, the specific mechanism underlying this phenomenon remains unclear. One of the potential key genes appears to be the cytotoxic and regulatory T cell molecule (CRTAM). A cohort of 360 previously untreated TNBC patients from Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center (FUSCC) underwent RNA sequencing analysis of their primary tumor tissue. Combined with three RNA-seq datasets obtained from the GEO database, a LASSO regression analysis was conducted to identify genes specific to the IM type of TNBC. Our findings revealed elevated CRTAM expression in the IM-type TNBC, which correlated with a favorable overall survival and recurrence-free survival in TNBC patients. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis indicated a strong association between CRTAM and immune responses as well as immune system processes. Notably, CRTAM overexpression induced STAT1 phosphorylation and upregulation of interferon-stimulated genes. We also found that CRTAM enhanced tumor-associated immune cell infiltration, especially CD8+ T cells, which may be related to the increased expression of MHC class I molecules caused by CRTAM overexpression. These results suggest that CRTAM may serve as a potential biomarker for predicting the efficacy of immunotherapy in TNBC.

Cypin Inhibition as a Therapeutic Approach to Treat Spinal Cord Injury-Induced Mechanical Pain.

Cypin (cytosolic postsynaptic density protein 95 interactor) is the primary guanine deaminase in the central nervous system (CNS), promoting the metabolism of guanine to xanthine, an important reaction in the purine salvage pathway. Activation of the purine salvage pathway leads to the production of uric acid (UA). UA has paradoxical effects, specifically in the context of CNS injury as it confers neuroprotection, but it also promotes pain. Since neuropathic pain is a comorbidity associated with spinal cord injury (SCI), we postulated that small molecule cypin inhibitor B9 treatment could attenuate SCI-induced neuropathic pain, potentially by interfering with UA production. However, we also considered that this treatment could hinder the neuroprotective effects of UA and, in doing so, exacerbate SCI outcomes. To address our hypothesis, we induced a moderate midthoracic contusion SCI in female mice and assessed whether transient intrathecal administration of B9, starting at 1 d postinjury (dpi) until 7 dpi, attenuates mechanical pain in hindlimbs at 3 weeks pi. We also evaluated the effects of B9 on the spontaneous recovery of locomotor function. We found that B9 alleviates mechanical pain but does not affect locomotor function. Importantly, B9 does not exacerbate lesion volume at the epicenter. In accordance with these findings, B9 does not aggravate glutamate-induced excitotoxic death of SC neurons in vitro. Moreover, SCI-induced increased astrocyte reactivity at the glial scar is not altered by B9 treatment. Our data suggest that B9 treatment reduces mechanical pain without exerting major detrimental effects following SCI.

Fast and In-Depth Reconstruction of Two-Dimension Cobalt-Based Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework in Glucose Oxidation Processes.

Currently, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have emerged as viable candidates for enduring electrode materials in nonenzyme glucose sensing. However, given the inherent water susceptibility of MOFs and their complete self-reconstruction during the process of electrochemical oxygen evolution in alkaline conditions, we are motivated to explore the truth of MOFs catalyzing glucose oxidation. In this work, we fabricated a two-dimensional cobalt-based zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF-L) as the electrode material for catalyzing glucose oxidation in alkaline conditions. Our explorations revealed that while the initial glucose catalytic response varied among ZIF-L samples with differing thicknesses, the ultimate steady-state catalytic performance remained largely consistent. This phenomenon arose from the transformation of ZIF-L with distinct thicknesses into CoOOH with uniform morphological and structural characteristics during the glucose catalysis process. And in situ Raman spectroscopy elucidated the sustained equilibrium within the glucose catalytic system, wherein the dynamic interconversion between CoOOH and Co(OH)2 governs the overall process. This study contributes to an enhanced understanding of the glucose catalytic mechanism aspects of nonenzymatic glucose sensor electrode materials, offering insights that serve as inspiration for the development of advanced glucose electrode materials.

Two-Dimensional Asymmetric Multiferroics: Unique Way toward Strong Magnetoelectric Coupling and Multistate Memory.

Two-dimensional (2D) materials have provided a fascinating platform for exploring novel multiferroics and emergent magnetoelectric coupling mechanisms. Here, a novel 2D asymmetric multiferroic based on Janus 2D multiferroic MXene-analogous oxynitrides (InTlNO2) is presented by using first-principles calculations. We find three inequivalent phases for InTlNO2, including two metallic phases (p1 and p2) and one semiconducting phase (p3) with a band gap of 0.88 eV. All phases are room-temperature multiferroics with different Curie temperatures, leading to tunability by phase transitions. We show that there is a 90° rotation of the magnetic anisotropy easy axis between p1 and p2, where p1 favors the in-plane and p2 the out-of-plane easy axis. Therefore, the magnetic anisotropy can be tuned by reversing the out-of-plane polarization. Our strategy provides a unique way toward strong magnetoelectric coupling and multistate memory.

Evaluating the long-term impact of COVID-19-associated public health interventions on zoonotic and vector-borne diseases in China: an interrupted time series analysis.

BACKGROUND: The long-term impact of COVID-19-associated public health interventions on zoonotic and vector-borne infectious diseases (ZVBs) remains uncertain. This study sought to examine the changes in ZVBs in China during the COVID-19 pandemic and predict their future trends. METHODS: Monthly incidents of seven ZVBs (Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome [HFRS], Rabies, Dengue fever [DF], Human brucellosis [HB], Leptospirosis, Malaria, and Schistosomiasis) were gathered from January 2004 to July 2023. An autoregressive fractionally integrated moving average (ARFIMA) by incorporating the COVID-19-associated public health intervention variables was developed to evaluate the long-term effectiveness of interventions and forecast ZVBs epidemics from August 2023 to December 2025. RESULTS: Over the study period, there were 1,599,647 ZVBs incidents. HFRS and rabies exhibited declining trends, HB showed an upward trajectory, while the others remained relatively stable. The ARFIMA, incorporating a pulse pattern, estimated the average monthly number of changes of - 83 (95% confidence interval [CI] - 353-189) cases, - 3 (95% CI - 33-29) cases, - 468 (95% CI - 1531-597) cases, 2191 (95% CI 1056-3326) cases, 7 (95% CI - 24-38) cases, - 84 (95% CI - 222-55) cases, and - 214 (95% CI - 1036-608) cases for HFRS, rabies, DF, HB, leptospirosis, malaria, and schistosomiasis, respectively, although these changes were not statistically significant besides HB. ARFIMA predicted a decrease in HB cases between August 2023 and December 2025, while indicating a relative plateau for the others. CONCLUSIONS: China's dynamic zero COVID-19 strategy may have exerted a lasting influence on HFRS, rabies, DF, malaria, and schistosomiasis, beyond immediate consequences, but not affect HB and leptospirosis. ARFIMA emerges as a potent tool for intervention analysis, providing valuable insights into the sustained effectiveness of interventions. Consequently, the application of ARFIMA contributes to informed decision-making, the design of effective interventions, and advancements across various fields.

MRI log file analysis for workflow improvement.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is an important diagnostic scanning tool for the detection and monitoring of specific diseases and conditions. However, the equipment cost, maintenance and specialty training of the technologists make the examination expensive. Consequently, unnecessary scanner time caused by poor scheduling, repeated sequences, aborted sequences, scanner idleness, or capture of non-diagnostic or low-value sequences is an opportunity to reduce costs and increase efficiency. This paper analyzes data collected from log files on 29 scanners over several years. 'Wasted' time is defined and key performance indicators (KPIs) are identified. A decrease in exam duration results when actively modifying and monitoring the number of sequences that comprise the exam card for a protocol.

Gate-tunable Intrinsic Anomalous Hall Effect in Epitaxial MnBi2Te4 Films.

The anomalous Hall effect (AHE) is an important transport signature revealing topological properties of magnetic materials and their spin textures. Recently, MnBi2Te4 has been demonstrated to be an intrinsic magnetic topological insulator. However, the origin of its intriguing AHE behaviors remains elusive. Here, we demonstrate the Berry curvature-dominated intrinsic AHE in wafer-scale MnBi2Te4 films. By applying back-gate voltages, we observe an ambipolar conduction and n-p transition in ∼7-layer MnBi2Te4, where a quadratic relation between the AHE resistance and longitudinal resistance suggests its intrinsic AHE nature. In particular, for ∼3-layer MnBi2Te4, the AHE sign can be tuned from pristine negative to positive. First-principles calculations unveil that such an AHE reversal originated from the competing Berry curvature between oppositely polarized spin-minority-dominated surface states and spin-majority-dominated inner bands. Our results shed light on the underlying physical mechanism of the intrinsic AHE and provide new perspectives for the unconventional sign-tunable AHE.