Browse Articles

Specific Position of Halogen in Crystalline TADF Scintillators Enables Efficient Triplet Harvesting Through Vibrational Modulation of Spin–Orbit Coupling

ABSTRACT Thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) offers a powerful route for harvesting triplet excitons in organic scintillators, yet achieving simultaneously small singlet–triplet gaps and efficient spin–orbit coupling (SOC) in rigid molecular crystals remains a fundamental challenge. Here we demonstrate that targeted halogen substitution can activate vibrationally assisted spin‐flip channels that dramatically enhance triplet harvesting in crystalline donor‐acceptor emitters, tailoring them for scintillators with higher light yield and faster response times. Using DMAC‐TRZ derivatives bearing fluorine or chlorine substituents, we combine single‐crystal structural analysis, temperature‐resolved photoluminescence, radioluminescence spectroscopy, and quantum‐chemical calculations to reveal how subtle changes in halogen chemistry control excited‐state dynamics. Fluorination lowers the rISC activation barrier to 7.1 meV, consistent with an almost degenerate emissive singlet–triplet manifold, whereas chlorine additionally introduces dynamic SOC enhancement mediated by Cl‐atom vibrations within the crystal lattice. As a result, the chlorinated crystal exhibits an exceptionally small E a of 3.9 meV, (sub)microsecond‐scale delayed fluorescence, and a scintillation yield of 26 000 photons MeV −1 . These results reveal a powerful, targeted approach to achieving near S 1 ‐T 1 degeneracy combined with vibrationally activated heavy‐atom effects, enabling high‐performance TADF scintillators in organic crystals.

A soliton based hybrid image encryption technique using Cellular Automata and DNA encoding

Encapsulating Hollow Perovskite Fluorides in Atomic Mn‐Embedded N‐Doped Carbon Fibers for Anode‐Less 5 V‐Class Li Metal Batteries

ABSTRACT Anode‐less Li metal batteries (ALLMBs) guarantee high energy density but face critical challenges such as dendrite growth, large volume change, and energy density sacrifice imposed by heavy Cu current collectors. Herein, we report a three‐dimensional (3D) lightweight host comprising N‐doped carbon macroporous fibers encapsulating atomically dispersed Mn‐N sites and hollow NaMg(Mn)F 3 cubes (NMMF@Mn/N‐CMFs) for ALLMBs. The well‐dispersed Mn‐N sites and hollow NMMF cubes function as lithiophilic nucleation sites to promote uniform Li nucleus growth on both the external and internal surfaces of the hollow fibers. The 3D macroporous networks and internal hollow structures mitigate structural stress and uniformize Li growth by accommodating volume change and decreasing local current density. As a result, the NMMF@Mn/N‐CMFs host displays an average Coulombic efficiency of 98.9% for 1500 cycles at 5.0 mA cm −2 . When paired with a LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 cathode, the assembled 5 V‐class anode‐less pouch cell delivers enhanced stability with 95.8% capacity retention over 120 cycles. Besides, a 0.31 Ah pouch cell under anode‐less conditions shows an energy density of 536 Wh kg −1 , calculated based on the active materials of electrodes.

Ecological water requirements and the water–carbon–economy coupling in rubber plantations: estimation and optimization in Southwestern China

Confined Solid‐State Polyiodide Deposition Enables Durable Electrochromic Smart Windows

ABSTRACT Electrochromic smart windows are promising for dynamic building energy management. Yet, conventional ion‐intercalation systems suffer from structural degradation, while reversible metal electrodeposition systems are limited by dendrite growth and poor durability. Here, we report a Zn‐coupled electrochemical device, enabled by coordination‐governed reversible polyiodide deposition. By introducing a highly symmetric tetramethylammonium cation ([N 1111 ] + ), precise spatial matching with linear I 5 − is achieved, inducing the formation of a highly stable solid‐state [N 1111 ] + I 5 − complex. This effectively suppresses the shuttle effect of polyiodides and enables highly reversible I − /I 5 − conversion. Meanwhile, [N 1111 ] + further regulates the solvation structure at the Zn electrode via interfacial adsorption, constructing a water‐deficient inner Helmholtz layer that promotes uniform Zn 2+ deposition. Benefiting from the synergistic stabilization of the solid‐state polyiodide deposition/dissolution and reversible Zn plating/stripping process, the assembled device delivers a high optical contrast of 75.5% at 650 nm, fast switching speeds (3.9/6.5 s), and 84.9% retention after 20 000 cycles. The device blocks 93.6% of solar irradiation in the colored state, enabling a 4°C–10°C cooling effect and 16.4% annual energy savings. This work establishes a new design paradigm for Zn‐coupled electrochromic devices based on confined solid‐state polyiodide chemistry, providing a promising strategy for constructing durable and scalable smart windows.

Sugar-based natural deep eutectic solvent immobilized on Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles for one-pot synthesis of xanthene derivatives

Far‐Infrared Hyperbolic Phonon–Polaritons in Zirconium Disulfide

ABSTRACT Group‐IVB transition‐metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have recently emerged as a promising material platform for extreme light confinement, with Hf‐based compounds demonstrating confinement factors exceeding two orders of magnitude in the far‐infrared. As a complementary Zr‐based member of this material family, zirconium disulfide () combines a comparably broad first Reststrahlen band with semiconducting electronic character, providing a wide spectral window for phonon‐dominated far‐infrared hyperbolic polaritonics. Here, we report the first experimental demonstration of far‐infrared hyperbolic phonon polaritons in the group‐IVB TMD using a resonator‐assisted far‐field spectroscopy platform. An unpatterned flake integrated with a metallic ribbon array forms a phonon polariton resonator, enabling efficient far‐field excitation of phonon polaritons while suppressing extrinsic scattering losses. This high coupling efficiency enables far‐field observation of multiple polaritonic resonances beyond the fundamental branch. The large normalized light–matter coupling strength of enables ultrahigh in‐plane momenta, with effective refractive indices as high as 223. Despite this extreme confinement, linewidth analysis indicates that the measured damping is primarily governed by intrinsic propagation loss, corresponding to a sub‐picosecond polariton lifetime. These results establish as a van der Waals hyperbolic material platform for ultraconfined far‐infrared phonon polaritons and highlight the potential of group‐IVB TMDs for compact far‐infrared nanophotonic and thermal photonic applications.

Challenges of implementing plasma cfDNA HPV testing in resource limited settings for locally advanced cervical cancer

Metal Oxide Nano‐Interface Boosting the Deep Ultraviolet Adjustable Noise‐Filtering In‐Sensor Computing

ABSTRACT Long‐afterglow light‐emitting devices (LALEDs), which combine the capabilities of sensing, memory, processing, and display integration, allow for the simultaneous implementation of optical and electrical in‐sensor computing. However, the inherently low conductivity of conventional deep‐ultraviolet (DUV) responsive materials hinders their use in the DUV‐responsive LALEDs (DUV‐LALEDs). Herein, we demonstrate that sol‐gel‐fractured indium‐magnesium oxide (InMgO) concurrently exhibits ideal nano‐interface for DUV photon absorption and semiconductor crystal for efficient charge transport via hopping, enabling to reach high mobility (0.6 cm 2 V −1 s −1 ), excellent memory dynamic range (70 dB), and responsivity (523.7 A/W). The InMgO‐based DUV‐LALEDs display an electrical and optical post‐synaptic output when irradiated with DUV light. Moreover, hardware‐level noise‐filtering processes to the pre‐synaptic weight are revealed in the DUV‐LALEDs, emerging as the inhibition of light emission due to the insufficient post‐synaptic charge injection from the channel layer. Consequently, an adjustable noise‐filtering in‐sensor computing is successfully achieved by modulating the channel length. By taking advantage of the DUV‐LALED multifunctional nature, fusion‐node reservoir computing networks are employed to accomplish multi‐dimensional recognition tasks, displaying a high recognition accuracy of 99%. These findings demonstrate that the joint materials and devices optimization is a powerful strategy for fabricating cost‐efficient DUV analytical chips.

A network analysis of physical activity, self-control, problematic social media use, and sleep disturbance in college students

Single Atoms Functioning as Catalysts Inside Living Matter

ABSTRACT Single‐atom catalysts represent the ultimate limit of materials miniaturization, yet their functionality has been confined to well‐defined abiotic environments. Whether atomically dispersed metal centers can preserve catalytic identity within the chemically crowded, dynamically regulated milieu of living matter remains unknown. Here we show that Fe–N x single atoms embedded in graphene quantum dots operate as catalytic entities inside the cytoplasm of bacteria. Following cellular internalization, these isolated sites establish a light‐driven intracellular redox cycle that accelerates NADH oxidation while maintaining cellular viability. Time‐resolved fluorescence measurements reveal pronounced excited‐state quenching in the biohybrid, supporting close material–cell coupling and light‐driven charge consumption within the cellular environment. The resulting perturbation propagates through endogenous biochemical networks, producing a programmable redistribution of reducing equivalents and enhanced succinate biosynthesis without genetic modification. Structural analyses confirm that atomic dispersion of Fe centers is preserved under biological conditions. These findings demonstrate that atomically defined materials can function within living systems while retaining both structural integrity and catalytic activity, thereby extending single‐atom catalysis from abiotic interfaces to biological environments. Living matter thus emerges as a viable reaction field for atomic‐scale materials, opening opportunities for designing functional materials capable of operating within complex biological settings.

Nitrogen-doped transition-metal biochars from wheat straw and coffee grounds for aqueous Cr(VI) removal

Giant‐Exchange‐Driven Vectorial Control of a Minimal Topological Magnet in Eu ₃ In ₂ As ₄

ABSTRACT The interplay between magnetism and band topology provides a route to controlling quantum states of matter, yet its realization in materials is often constrained by weak exchange coupling and complex electronic structures. Here, a giant exchange coupling is identified in the newly predicted topological magnet Eu 3 In 2 As 4 , giving rise to magnetization‐dependent band shifts of up to 300 meV. Together with its intrinsically soft magnetic response, this strong coupling enables systematic tuning of topological phases by both the magnitude and orientation of applied magnetic fields. The magneto‐topological phase diagram is mapped out in which an antiferromagnetic topological insulator ground state evolves, under modest fields, into a proposed intermediate 2/3‐ferrimagnetic phase, and further into fully polarized ferromagnetic states predicted to host either Weyl or nodal‐ring semimetals. Notably, the Weyl phase corresponds to a minimal model hosting a single pair of Weyl nodes. Quantum oscillations, anomalous Hall transport and magneto‐infrared spectroscopy consistently reveal exchange‐driven band reconstruction across these transitions. Rotation of the magnetization theoretically provides an efficient means to tune the momentum‐space positions and separations of the Weyl nodes. These results establish Eu 3 In 2 As 4 as a model system for exploring how strong exchange coupling can be used to control topological band structures with minimal complexity.

Pathogenic bacterial profile and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns in odontogenic facial cellulitis among Egyptian patients: A cross-sectional study

Abstract Odontogenic facial cellulitis is the most common facial space infection worldwide, originating from untreated dental caries and progressing to life-threatening complications. This stems from the polymicrobial nature of the disease, along with the widespread and over-the-counter misuse of antibiotics in Egypt. This study aims to identify the pathogenic bacterial species involved in odontogenic facial cellulitis in an Egyptian patient sample. Forty-four samples were collected from patients presenting with odontogenic facial cellulitis. Bacterial profiles were investigated using selective media, Gram staining/colony identification, biochemical tests, and Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute standardized antibiotic susceptibility testing. Resistant strains (≥ 3 agents) were identified using 16 S rRNA sequencing and deposited in the NCBI GenBank. Odontogenic cellulitis originated primarily from lower posterior teeth, specifically the lower first molar, and spread commonly in the submandibular and submental spaces. Regarding bacterial profile, the Gram-positive cocci were the predominant ones. Complete resistance to metronidazole was reported, while previous antibiotic administration showed no statistically significant association with susceptibility to amoxicillin and clindamycin. Among multidrug-resistant isolates, 16 S rRNA sequencing identified predominantly Bacillus , Enterococcus , and Staphylococcus species. Two isolates showed < 90% identity to known species, suggesting possible novel taxa and informing empirical therapy through phenotypic resistance profiles.

Uniaxial Strain Tuned Magnetism of the Altermagnet Candidate H‐FeS

ABSTRACT Altermagnets are a newly recognized class of magnetic materials characterized by compensated spin configurations while still breaking time‐reversal symmetry and exhibiting unconventional transport phenomena. Hexagonal FeS (h‐FeS) is a recently identified altermagnet candidate that shows a spontaneous anomalous Hall effect (AHE) accompanied by a tiny net magnetization. Here, we show that both the spontaneous AHE and magnetization can be effectively suppressed by an in‐plane compressive strain. Since neutron diffraction measurements show that the applied uniaxial strain only modifies the in‐plane domain population but does not affect the in‐plane magnetic structure, the major effect of the applied strain is to tune the small ‐axis ferromagnetic moment. Our results demonstrate a strong correlation between the tiny net magnetization and the spontaneous AHE in h‐FeS, and show that uniaxial strain provides an effective knob to tune both properties in this altermagnet candidate for spintronic applications.

Interpretable prediction of mortality in zinc phosphide poisoning using combined statistical and machine learning models: a retrospective observational study

Abstract Zinc phosphide poisoning is associated with high mortality due to rapidly evolving multi-organ dysfunction, yet reliable early risk stratification remains limited. This retrospective observational study evaluated the feasibility of combining conventional statistical modelling with interpretable machine learning (ML) for prediction of in-hospital mortality. A total of 290 adults with confirmed zinc phosphide poisoning admitted to a tertiary care hospital between January 2016 and November 2022 were included. In-hospital mortality occurred in 88 patients (30.3%). Demographic, physiological, and laboratory variables recorded within the first 48 h of hospitalization were analysed. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify independent predictors of mortality. Subsequently, ML models (logistic regression, Random Forest, and Extreme Gradient Boosting [XGBoost]) were developed using repeated stratified cross-validation, and model discrimination was assessed using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC), calibration analysis, and bootstrap-derived confidence intervals. Explainable artificial intelligence using SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) was applied to the best-performing model. Serum lactate remained the only independent predictor of in-hospital mortality in the multivariable logistic regression analysis. Among the ML models, XGBoost achieved the highest numerical AUROC (0.745; 95% confidence interval, 0.680–0.807), although differences between models (DeLong’s test) were not statistically significant. SHAP analysis identified bicarbonate, lactate, potassium, creatinine, and activated partial thromboplastin time as the largest contributors to the mortality predictions generated by the optimized XGBoost model. These findings suggest that interpretable ML may complement conventional regression by providing transparent, individualized mortality prediction while preserving clinical interpretability. However, these exploratory findings require prospective multicentre validation before routine clinical implementation.

From Salinity Gradients to Sustainable Power: A Paradigm Shift in Materials, Thermodynamics, and System Design in Next‐Generation Osmotic Energy Harvesting

ABSTRACT Osmotic energy, arising from the Gibbs free energy of mixing between solutions of differing salinity, is an entropy‐driven resource that can, in principle, deliver continuous baseload power at river‐sea interfaces, desalination brine outlets, and wastewater discharges. Despite this attractive thermodynamic ceiling, practical deployment of pressure‐retarded osmosis, reverse electrodialysis, and emerging osmotic architectures has long been constrained by membrane resistance, concentration polarization, fouling, and limited operational stability. This Review traces the evolution of osmotic energy conversion through the lens of materials science, from early polymeric and ion‐exchange membranes to contemporary highly selective ion pathways. By correlating pore size, surface charge density, interfacial chemistry, and hierarchical morphology with ion selectivity, power density, and durability under realistic salinity gradients, we distil general design principles that reconcile the classical permeability selectivity trade‐off and mitigate fouling and internal resistance. We further discuss the integration of molecular dynamics and multiscale transport modelling to rationalize ion migration in confined geometries and to guide the atomic‐scale engineering of nanochannels. Finally, we assess emerging directions, including scalable fabrication routes, and data‐driven optimization of membrane and module design that define a materials‐centered roadmap for translating osmotic energy from laboratory prototypes to technologically and economically relevant blue energy infrastructures.

AI guided trust evaluation and quantum resistant certificate management for next-generation PKI security

Dual‐Site Synergistic Regulation Enabled Interface Passivation and Strain Release Toward Efficient Perovskite Solar Cells

ABSTRACT The continuous breakthroughs in photovoltaic conversion efficiency (PCE) of inverted perovskite solar cells (PSCs) demonstrate the enormous potential for commercial application. However, accumulating numerous defects at the buried interface and residual strain within the perovskite film severely constrain the further improvement in PCE and stability of the optoelectronic device. Herein, two benzyl phosphoric acids, brominated benzyl phosphate (4‐BrBPA) and methoxy‐substituted benzyl phosphate (4‐MeOBPA), both containing double binding sites were assembled between [4‐(3,6‐dimethyl‐9 H ‐carbazol‐9‐yl)butyl]phosphonic acid (Me‐4PACz) hole transport layers (HTLs) and perovskite as buried interface modifiers. More interestingly, the dipole orientation of 4‐BrBPA aligned with Me‐4PACz, which can promote interface energy level alignment, and facilitate carrier extraction and transport. In addition, the phosphate groups (─PO 3 H 2 ) group and Br atom in 4‐BrBPA can chelate with uncoordinated Pb 2+ and vacancy I − , which will effectively achieve perovskite interfacial defect passivation and strain release. Consequently, the PSCs based on 4‐BrBPA interface layer achieve champion efficiency of 26.62% (certified 26.22%). Moreover, this strategy is extended to wide‐bandgap (1.77 eV), large‐area (1 cm 2 ) PSCs, and mini‐module (11.3 cm 2 ), resulting in PCEs of 21.64%, 24.43%, and 21.08%, respectively. The optimized PSCs demonstrate excellent operational and storage stability. This work provides an effective strategy for interface modification and strain regulation.

Non-mannitol-fermenting Staphylococcus aureus strains: a new perspective on diagnostic challenge