Charge-separated state: Excited-state traps enhancing radio-luminescence of organic scintillators
Peer-Reviewed Publication
Updates every hour. Last Updated: 1-May-2025 11:08 ET (1-May-2025 15:08 GMT/UTC)
Due to the inherent low atomic number of organic materials, their ability to absorb high-energy rays is relatively weak. Coupled with the low utilization rate of excited-state excitons, the radio-luminescence intensity of organic scintillators is generally lower than that of inorganic scintillators. Recently, the research team led by Professor Shuang-Quan Zang from Zhengzhou university innovatively utilized charge-separated (CS) state traps to capture high-energy carriers, significantly enhancing the radio-luminescence intensity of organic scintillators. The related paper was published in National Science Review.
This work demonstrates a novel method of manipulating the QDs’ optical properties beyond controlling their size, composition or structure, and reveals great potential for achieving full-color emission using monodisperse QDs.
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Key findings
• The bibliometric analysis summarized the major areas and promising research directions on chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) over the past two decades.
What is known and what is new?
• Studies on CTEPH have increased in number over the last two decades.
• The USA is the most prolific country with the most influential institutions in the field. The diagnosis and treatment of CTEPH are significant topics in the field.
What is the implication, and what should change now?
• Future research will continue to focus on elucidating the pathophysiological mechanisms, improving diagnostic accuracy, and developing novel imaging techniques. The integration of existing therapeutic modalities and the elucidation of right ventricular dysfunction are key areas of research.
Keywords: Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH); chronic thromboembolism; pulmonary hypertension (PH); pulmonary embolism (PE); bibliographic
The South Atlantic Anomaly represents a region within near-Earth space characterized by a significantly weaker geomagnetic field and a higher flux of energetic particles compared to other areas. It is a space weather hazards to Low-Earth-Orbit satellites. There has been evidence that the Very Low Frequency (VLF) waves from the powerful ground VLF radio transmitter in Australia, known as NWC, have the capacity to scatter energetic electrons’ pitch angle in the inner radiation belt. In a paper published in Science China: Earth Sciences, scientists report the initial observation of a 'wisp' precipitation resulted from NWC, an unusual occurrence with peak intensity detected inside the SAA. With the full pitch angle distribution observed via the Macao Science Satellite – 1 at Low-Earth-Orbit, scientists attribute the 'wisp' within the anomaly to a specific pitch angle range just outside the drift loss cone.
Keywords: Artificial intelligence (AI); DeepSeek; catfish effect; open source; medical applications During the 2025 Chinese Spring Festival, a topic that garnered widespread attention was DeepSeek. On January 20, the Hangzhou-based DeepSeek company released its latest large language model, DeepSeek-R1. This release sent shockwaves through the technology sector and attracted attention from top scientific journals such as Nature and Science (1,2). With its powerful performance and open-source characteristics, DeepSeek-R1 has created substantial pressure on existing artificial intelligence (AI) competitors, exemplifying the “catfish effect” in the AI domain. This concept originates from a classical management theory: Norwegian fishermen placed catfish, a natural predator, in sardine transport tanks, significantly reducing mortality rates by triggering the sardines’ survival instincts. By analogy, in other fields, the introduction of strong competitors often activates industry innovation dynamics. DeepSeek’s emergence has injected new momentum into the AI field, driving rapid technological iteration and innovation.
DeepSeek is an AI platform based on deep learning and natural language processing, featuring core products DeepSeek-R1 and DeepSeek-V3 models. Using efficient Mixture of Experts (MoE) architecture and multimodal data fusion capabilities, it achieves performance comparable to OpenAI's GPT-4o-mini while significantly reducing training costs .
In healthcare applications, DeepSeek rapidly extracts valuable information from massive datasets, providing intelligent information retrieval and analysis solutions that:
- Assist physicians with diagnosis and treatment - Optimize doctor-patient communication - Improve medical efficiency - Supplement professional knowledge - Provide humanized medical interactions - Identify potential blind spots
DeepSeek enhances clinical decision-making efficiency, supports scientific research, optimizes patient management and assists patients with medical decision-making .
However, the platform faces challenges including data quality issues, algorithm stability and accuracy concerns, multimodal data fusion problems, lack of automated information collection, and dynamic update delays .
Future developments may bring breakthroughs in personalized medicine, telemedicine, and public health management .
This study achieved CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing in grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella), China's most economically vital freshwater fish. Targeting the tyrb gene critical for pigmentation were performed. Mutations confirmed by sequencing caused a golden phenotype with melanophore reduction. Using multiple gRNAs enhanced mutation rates (88.9%) and triggered large DNA deletions. This successful gene editing in grass carp enables rapid creation of golden germplasm, addressing industry demands for improved aquaculture varieties.
Austrian researchers have successfully converted a by-product of wood gasification into high-quality activated carbon. The material, known for its ability to capture micropollutants, was produced by physical activation using hot gases that create fine pores. Their method increased the adsorption capacity by 11 times, outperforming commercial alternatives. With growing demand in water treatment, this discovery offers a renewable alternative to fossil-based activated carbon.
A research team has developed innovative photonic crystal designs that significantly improve laser performance by mitigating finite-size effects.
Iron-dependent ferroptosis, a non-apoptotic cell death mechanism, is gaining attention for its role in immune suppression. Ferroptosis, driven by excessive lipid peroxides and iron-dependent reactive oxygen species (ROS), differs from other cell death forms in its immunogenicity. It involves the regulation of the cystine/glutamate transport system xc−, with glutathione (GSH) and glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) preventing toxic lipid peroxide accumulation. Ferroptosis-related factors are implicated in various diseases, including cancer and cardiovascular diseases.