The rising demand for radiation detection materials in many applications has led to extensive research on scintillators. The ability of a scintillator to absorb high-energy (kiloelectronvolt-scale) X-ray photons and convert the absorbed energy into low-energy visible photons is critical for applications in radiation exposure monitoring, security inspection, X-ray astronomy and medical radiography. However, conventional scintillators are generally synthesized by crystallization at a high temperature and their radioluminescence is difficult to tune across the visible spectrum. Here we describe experimental investigations of a series of all-inorganic perovskite nanocrystals comprising caesium and lead atoms and their response to X-ray irradiation. These nanocrystal scintillators exhibit strong X-ray absorption and intense radioluminescence at visible wavelengths. Unlike bulk inorganic scintillators, these perovskite nanomaterials are solution-processable at a relatively low temperature and can generate X-ray-induced emissions that are easily tunable across the visible spectrum by tailoring the anionic component of colloidal precursors during their synthesis. These features allow the fabrication of flexible and highly sensitive X-ray detectors with a detection limit of 13 nanograys per second, which is about 400 times lower than typical medical imaging doses. We show that these colour-tunable perovskite nanocrystal scintillators can provide a convenient visualization tool for X-ray radiography, as the associated image can be directly recorded by standard digital cameras. We also demonstrate their direct integration with commercial flat-panel imagers and their utility in examining electronic circuit boards under low-dose X-ray illumination.

We discuss the mass splittings for the S-wave triply heavy pentaquark states with the Q Q Qqq (Q = b, c; q = u, d, s) configuration which is a mirror structure of QQqqq. The latter configuration is related with the nature of P c (4380) observed by the LHCb Collaboration. The considered pentaquark masses are estimated with a simple method. One finds that such states are probably not narrow even if they do exist. This leaves room for molecule interpretation for a state around the low-lying threshold of a doubly heavy baryon and a heavy-light meson, e.g. cc D, if it were observed. As a by product, we conjecture that upper limits for the masses of the conventional triply heavy baryons can be determined by the masses of the conventional doubly heavy baryons. * c 2518.4

In the simple color-magnetic interaction model, we investigate possible ground cscs tetraquark states in the diquark-antidiquark basis. We use several methods to estimate the mass spectrum and discuss possible assignment for the X states observed in the J/ψφ channel. We find that assigning the Belle X(4350) as a 0 ++ tetraquark is consistent with the tetraquark interpretation for the X(4140) and X(4270) while the interpretation of the X(4500) and X(4700) needs orbital or radial excitation. There probably exist several tetraquarks around 4.3 GeV that decay into J/ψφ or ηcφ.

BackgroundMany drug delivery systems are based on the ability of certain macrocyclic compounds – such as cyclodextrins (CDs) – to act as molecular containers for pharmaceutical agents in water. Indeed β-CD and its derivatives have been widely used in the formulation of hydrophobic pharmaceuticals despite their poor abilities to act as a molecular container (e.g., weak binding (Ka<104 M−1) and their challenges toward chemical functionalization. Cucurbit[n]urils (CB[n]) are a class of molecular containers that bind to a variety of cationic and neutral species with high affinity (Ka>104 M−1) and therefore show great promise as a drug delivery system.MethodologyIn this study we investigated the toxicology, uptake, and bioactivity of two cucurbit[n]urils (CB[5] and CB[7]) and three CB[n]-type containers (Pentamer 1, methyl hexamer 2, and phenyl hexamer 3). All five containers demonstrated high cell tolerance at concentrations of up to 1 mM in cell lines originating from kidney, liver or blood tissue using assays for metabolic activity and cytotoxicity. Furthermore, the CB[7] molecular container was efficiently internalized by macrophages indicating their potential for the intracellular delivery of drugs. Bioactivity assays showed that the first-line tuberculosis drug, ethambutol, was as efficient in treating mycobacteria infected macrophages when loaded into CB[7] as when given in the unbound form. This result suggests that CB[7]-bound drug molecules can be released from the container to find their intracellular target.ConclusionOur study reveals very low toxicity of five members of the cucurbit[n]uril family of nanocontainers. It demonstrates the uptake of containers by cells and intracellular release of container-loaded drugs. These results provide initial proof-of-concept towards the use of CB[n] molecular containers as an advanced drug delivery system.

No abstract