Conventional polyimides (PIs) exhibit excellent thermal stability and mechanical performance, yet their dielectric properties (dielectric constant (D_k) > 3.2, dissipation factor (D_f) > 0.005 @ 10 GHz). In previous reports, the introduction of trifluoromethyl reduced the dielectric constant and dissipation factor, but it increased chain rigidity, weakened hydrogen bonds interaction, and reduced free volume, which definitely reduced mechanical performance (such as poor toughness leading to crack risks in advanced packaging). Therefore, it is necessary to design PI materials with high toughness and low dielectric properties to meet the demands of advanced packaging technologies evolving towards millimeter-wave frequencies and heterogeneous integration. A research team has developed a novel fluorinated polyimide that reduces the material's dielectric constant and dissipation factor while enhancing its mechanical properties. Their work is published in the journal Industrial Chemistry & Materials on 03 Jun 2025.

Hypertension has long affected communities across China, contributing to 60% of strokes and half of all heart attacks nationwide.

As a leading cardiovascular expert, Prof. Feng Yingqing of Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital is transforming chronic disease management through innovative strategies like genetic sequencing and systematic prevention to effectively reducing cardiovascular risks.

Cirrhosis is a life-threatening liver disease that affects millions worldwide and is often accompanied by complications such as malnutrition, muscle loss, and cognitive decline. In a comprehensive narrative review, researchers from China highlight that handgrip strength measurements can serve as a powerful predictor of cirrhosis progression and mortality. This simple, non-invasive test reinforces traditional muscle mass measures and offers a cost-effective tool to guide early intervention and improve patient outcomes.

In a paper published in National Science Review, an international team of scientists provide an overview of the advances in optical two-way time-frequency transfer based on optical fiber, which is a representative of state-of-the-art clock synchronization technology. This review gives a comprehensive discussion of the field from principles, experiments, to future applications, offering a detailed insight into this advanced technology.

A new review scrutinizes recent fossil and genomic evidence to address the long-standing debate over the origin of modern birds. It highlights growing support for a Late Cretaceous origin of major avian lineages, predating the K/Pg mass extinction. This early diversification coincided with the Cretaceous Angiosperm Terrestrial Revolution, a period of rapid ecological change prompting the emergence of flowering plants, insects, mammals, and ray-finned fishes. The review emphasizes the critical role of newly discovered Mesozoic bird fossils in clarifying the timing of the modern bird radiation.

Researchers have created graphene-based membranes that mimic the chemical gating effect in biological membranes, achieving record ion selectivity (>10,000) between monovalent and bivalent metal ions including Li⁺ and Mg²⁺ ions. The membrane allows adaptive ion permeation in response to certain signaling ions like Al³⁺, thus enables smart and ultrafast ion separation for applications in filtration, sensing, and energy technologies.

Monitoring the vitality of shellfish during cold storage is critical for ensuring seafood quality, yet conventional methods remain invasive, subjective, and slow. 

Chinese researchers identified histone demethylase LSD1 as a critical guardian of ovarian reserve. When deleted in mouse oocytes, LSD1 deficiency disrupted mitochondrial homeostasis and triggered ferroptosis, causing massive loss of dormant primordial follicles. This discovery explains how dormant follicles ("second wave") are maintained differently from active follicles ("first wave") and provides a foundation for treating premature ovarian insufficiency.

A low-field anomalous quantum oscillation is discovered at ultra-clean LaAlO3/SrTiO3 interfaces, which is attributed to the time-reversal symmetry-protected transport along quasi-1D ferroelastic domain walls.