Extended Magnetic Reconnection in Kinetic Plasma Turbulence.

Magnetic reconnection and plasma turbulence are ubiquitous processes important for laboratory, space, and astrophysical plasmas. Reconnection has been suggested to play an important role in the energetics and dynamics of turbulence by observations, simulations, and theory for two decades. The fundamental properties of reconnection at kinetic scales, essential to understanding the general problem of reconnection in magnetized turbulence, remain largely unknown at present. Here, we present an application of the magnetic flux transport method that can accurately identify reconnection in turbulence to a three-dimensional simulation. Contrary to ideas that reconnection in turbulence would be patchy and unpredictable, highly extended reconnection X lines, on the same order of magnitude as the system size, form at kinetic scales. Extended X lines develop through bidirectional reconnection spreading. They satisfy critical balance characteristic of turbulence, which predicts the X-line extent at a given scale. These results present a picture of fundamentally extended reconnection in kinetic-scale turbulence.

Overexpression of OsHsp 18.0 in rice enhanced tolerance to heavy metal stress.

KEY MESSAGE: OsHsp18.0 plays a key role in cross-protection of rice seedlings from damages to photochemical systems and cellular membranes, caused by Cd and Cu stresses.

Separation of C1-C15 Alkanes with a Disk-Shaped Aluminum Column Employing Mesoporous AAO as the Stationary Phase.

A new type of gas chromatographic (GC) column employing a mesoporous anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) layer as the stationary phase was developed. The gas fluidic channels were fabricated on both sides of an aluminum disk via a mechanical stamping process. The tops of the gas fluidic channels were sealed with a thick aluminum foil and a thin glass liner. The cross section of this fluidic channel is triangular in shape and consists of two aluminum surfaces and one glass surface. The diameter of the aluminum disk is 8.7 cm, and the length of the GC column is 6.0 m. The AAO layer was grown on the aluminum surface and had an average pore diameter of 50 nm and a specific surface area of 4.13 m2 g-1. The thickness of the AAO stationary phase ranged from 6-150 µm. Although thin AAO is insufficient for separating light alkanes, methane and ethane can be separated with a resolution of 4.25 using a 150 µm thick AAO stationary phase at room temperature in less than 100 s. C1 to C15 alkanes can be completely separated within 20 min when using a temperature program ramped from room temperature to 350 °C. Some limitations of this preliminary design, such as peak broadening probably arising from the triangular cross section, not yet being suitable for polar compounds, and the lack of a stationary phase on one-third of the column surface are discussed.

First-Principles Theory of the Relativistic Magnetic Reconnection Rate in Astrophysical Pair Plasmas.

We develop a first-principles model for the relativistic magnetic reconnection rate in strongly magnetized pair plasmas. By considering the energy budget and required current density near the x-line, we analytically show that in the magnetically dominated relativistic regime, the x-line thermal pressure is significantly lower than the upstream magnetic pressure due to the extreme energy needed to sustain the current density, consistent with kinetic simulations. This causes the upstream magnetic field lines to collapse in, producing the open outflow geometry which enables fast reconnection. The result is important for understanding a wide range of extreme astrophysical environments, where fast reconnection has been evoked to explain observations such as transient flares and nonthermal particle signatures.

Giant Zeeman Splitting for Monolayer Nanosheets at Room Temperature.

Giant Zeeman splitting and zero-field splitting (ZFS) are observed in 2D nanosheets that have monolayers of atomic thickness. In this study, single-crystalline CdSe(ethylenediamine)0.5 and Mn2+-doped nanosheets are synthesized via a solvothermal process. Tunable amounts of Mn2+(0.5-8.0%) are introduced, resulting in lattice contraction as well as phosphorescence from five unpaired electrons. The exciton dynamics are dominated by spin-related electronic transitions (4T1 → 6A1) with long lifetimes (20.5, 132, and 295 µs). Temperature-varied EPR spectroscopy with spectral simulation reveals large ZFS (D = 3850 MHz) due to axial distortion of substituted Mn2+ (S = 5/2). In the magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) measurements, we observed giant Zeeman splitting with large effective g values (up to 231 ± 21), which implies huge sp-d exchange interactions in 2D monolayer regimes, leading to diluted magnetic semiconductor (DMS) materials.

On the Collisionless Asymmetric Magnetic Reconnection Rate.

A prediction of the steady state reconnection electric field in asymmetric reconnection is obtained by maximizing the reconnection rate as a function of the opening angle made by the upstream magnetic field on the weak magnetic field (magnetosheath) side. The prediction is within a factor of 2 of the widely examined asymmetric reconnection model (Cassak & Shay, 2007, https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2795630) in the collisionless limit, and they scale the same over a wide parameter regime. The previous model had the effective aspect ratio of the diffusion region as a free parameter, which simulations and observations suggest is on the order of 0.1, but the present model has no free parameters. In conjunction with the symmetric case (Liu et al., 2017, https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.118.085101), this work further suggests that this nearly universal number 0.1, essentially the normalized fast-reconnection rate, is a geometrical factor arising from maximizing the reconnection rate within magnetohydrodynamic-scale constraints. PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY: To understand the evolution of many space and astrophysical plasmas, it is imperative to know how fast magnetic reconnection processes the magnetic flux. Researchers found that reconnection in both symmetric and asymmetric geometries exhibits a normalized reconnection rate of order 0.1. In this work, we show that this nearly universal value in asymmetric geometry is also the maximal rate allowed in the magnetohydrodynamic scale. This result has applications to the transport process at plasma boundary layers like Earth's magnetopause.

Why does Steady-State Magnetic Reconnection have a Maximum Local Rate of Order 0.1?

Simulations suggest collisionless steady-state magnetic reconnection of Harris-type current sheets proceeds with a rate of order 0.1, independent of dissipation mechanism. We argue this long-standing puzzle is a result of constraints at the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) scale. We predict the reconnection rate as a function of the opening angle made by the upstream magnetic fields, finding a maximum reconnection rate close to 0.2. The predictions compare favorably to particle-in-cell simulations of relativistic electron-positron and nonrelativistic electron-proton reconnection. The fact that simulated reconnection rates are close to the predicted maximum suggests reconnection proceeds near the most efficient state allowed at the MHD scale. The rate near the maximum is relatively insensitive to the opening angle, potentially explaining why reconnection has a similar fast rate in differing models.

Two-dimensional semiconductor nanocrystals: properties, templated formation, and magic-size nanocluster intermediates.

CONSPECTUS: Semiconductor nanocrystals having an extended length dimension and capable of efficiently transporting energy and charge would have useful applications in solar-energy conversion and other emerging technologies. Pseudocylindrical semiconductor nanowires and quantum wires are available that could potentially serve in this role. Sadly, however, their defective surfaces contain significant populations of surface trap sites that preclude efficient transport. The very large surface area of long wires is at least part of the problem. As electrons, holes, and excitons migrate along a nanowire or quantum wire, they are exposed to an extensive surface and to potentially large numbers of trap sites. A solution to this dilemma might be found by identifying "long" semiconductor nanocrystals of other morphologies that are better passivated. In this Account, we discuss a newly emerging family of flat semiconductor nanocrystals that have surprising characteristics. These thin, flat nanocrystals have up to micrometer-scale (orthogonal) lateral dimensions and thus very large surface areas. Even so, their typical photoluminescence efficiencies of 30% are astonishingly high and are 2 orders of magnitude higher than those typical of semiconductor quantum wires. The very sharp emission spectra of the pseudo-two-dimensional nanocrystals reflect a remarkable uniformity in their discrete thicknesses. Evidence that excitons are effectively delocalized and hence transported over the full dimensions of these nanocrystals has been obtained. The excellent optical properties of the flat semiconductor nanocrystals confirm that they are exceptionally well passivated. This Account summarizes the two synthetic methods that have been developed for the preparation of pseudo-two-dimensional semiconductor nanocrystals. A discussion of their structural features accounts for their discrete, uniform thicknesses and details the crystal-lattice expansions and contractions they exhibit. An analysis of their optical properties justifies the sharp photoluminescence spectra and high photoluminescence efficiencies. Finally, a bilayer mesophase template pathway is elucidated for the formation of the nanocrystals, explaining their flat morphologies. Magic-size nanocluster intermediates are found to be potent nanocrystal nucleants, allowing the synthesis temperatures to be decreased to as low as room temperature. The potential of these flat semiconductor nanocrystals in the form of nanoribbons or nanosheets for long-range energy and charge transport appears to be high.

Cytotoxicity of Postmodified Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework-90 (ZIF-90) Nanocrystals: Correlation between Functionality and Toxicity.

Using a simple method, the aldehyde groups of zeolitic imidazolate framework-90 (ZIF-90) nanocrystals were converted into carboxyl, amino, and thiol groups, without affecting the integrity of the framework. Notably, for the first time, correlations between functionality and cytotoxicity are also demonstrated via in vitro cytotoxicity assays. The positive charged aminated-ZIF-90 presumably results in either perturbation of cell membrane, more efficient cell uptake, or both. Therefore, the half-maximal effective (EC50 ) concentration of aminated-ZIF-90 has a higher cytotoxicity of about 30 µg mL(-1) .

A general method for growing large area mesoporous silica thin films on flat substrates with perpendicular nanochannels.

Here we introduce a new synthetic approach to grow mesoporous silica thin films with vertical mesochannels on centimeter-sized substrates via an oil-induced co-assembly process. Adding an oil, i.e., decane, into a CTAB-EtOH-TEOS ammonia solution leads to thin-film formation of mesoporous silica of controlled thickness between 20 and 100 nm with vertical mesochannels on various surfaces. The vertical mesoporous channels were evidenced by grazing incidence small-angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) characterizations. Decane played two roles: (a) as a pore expansion agent (up to 5.7 ± 0.5 nm) and (b) inducing vertically oriented hexagonal mesophases of micelle-silica composite. The production of periodic and vertical nanochannels is very robust, over many different substrate surfaces (from silicon to polystyrene), various silica precursors (TEOS, fumed silica, or zeolite seed), and many oils (decane, petroleum ether, or ethyl acetate). This wide robustness in the formation of vertical nanophases is attributed to a unique mechanism of confined synthesis of surfactant-silicate between two identical thin layers of oils on a substrate.

Scaling of magnetic reconnection in relativistic collisionless pair plasmas.

Using fully kinetic simulations, we study the scaling of the inflow speed of collisionless magnetic reconnection in electron-positron plasmas from the nonrelativistic to ultrarelativistic limit. In the antiparallel configuration, the inflow speed increases with the upstream magnetization parameter σ and approaches the speed of light when σ>O(100), leading to an enhanced reconnection rate. In all regimes, the divergence of the pressure tensor is the dominant term responsible for breaking the frozen-in condition at the x line. The observed scaling agrees well with a simple model that accounts for the Lorentz contraction of the plasma passing through the diffusion region. The results demonstrate that the aspect ratio of the diffusion region, modified by the compression factor of proper density, remains ∼0.1 in both the nonrelativistic and relativistic limits.

Li intercalation into 1D TiS2(en) chains.

The intercalation of metal cations in 2D layered materials allows for the discovery of unique electronic, magnetic and correlated properties. We demonstrate that reversible Li intercalation is also achievable in the hybrid organic/inorganic dimensionally reduced 1D van der Waals solid TiS2(ethylenediamine). Upon intercalation, electrons are injected into the lattice as Ti(4+) is reduced to Ti(3+) leading to an order of magnitude decrease in electrical resistivity. This reversible intercalation process opens up new opportunities to fine-tune the physical properties in this emerging family of dimensionally reduced materials.

Formation of hard power laws in the energetic particle spectra resulting from relativistic magnetic reconnection.

Using fully kinetic simulations, we demonstrate that magnetic reconnection in relativistic plasmas is highly efficient at accelerating particles through a first-order Fermi process resulting from the curvature drift of particles in the direction of the electric field induced by the relativistic flows. This mechanism gives rise to the formation of hard power-law spectra in parameter regimes where the energy density in the reconnecting field exceeds the rest mass energy density σ ≡ B(2)/(4πnm(e)c(2))>1 and when the system size is sufficiently large. In the limit σ ≫ 1, the spectral index approaches p = 1 and most of the available energy is converted into nonthermal particles. A simple analytic model is proposed which explains these key features and predicts a general condition under which hard power-law spectra will be generated from magnetic reconnection.

Desolvation and dehydrogenation of solvated magnesium salts of dodecahydrododecaborate: relationship between structure and thermal decomposition.

Attempts to synthesize solvent-free MgB12H12 by heating various solvated forms (H2O, NH3, and CH3OH) of the salt failed because of the competition between desolvation and dehydrogenation. This competition has been studied by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and temperature-programmed desorption (TPD). Products were characterized by IR, solution- and solid-state NMR spectroscopy, elemental analysis, and single-crystal or powder X-ray diffraction analysis. For hydrated salts, thermal decomposition proceeded in three stages, loss of water to form first hexahydrated then trihydrated, and finally loss of water and hydrogen to form polyhydroxylated complexes. For partially ammoniated salts, two stages of thermal decomposition were observed as ammonia and hydrogen were released with weight loss first of 14 % and then 5.5 %. Thermal decomposition of methanolated salts proceeded through a single step with a total weight loss of 32 % with the release of methanol, methane, and hydrogen. All the gaseous products of thermal decomposition were characterized by using mass spectrometry. Residual solid materials were characterized by solid-state (11)B magic-angle spinning (MAS) NMR spectroscopy and X-ray powder diffraction analysis by which the molecular structures of hexahydrated and trihydrated complexes were solved. Both hydrogen and dihydrogen bonds were observed in structures of [Mg(H2O)6B12H12]⋅6 H2O and [Mg(CH3OH)6B12H12]⋅6 CH3OH, which were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The structural factors influencing thermal decomposition behavior are identified and discussed. The dependence of dehydrogenation on the formation of dihydrogen bonds may be an important consideration in the design of solid-state hydrogen storage materials.

Streamlining regular liquid chromatography with MALDI-TOF MS and NMR spectroscopy using automatic full-contact splitless spotting interface and flash-tap fractioning collection.

BACKGROUND: High-resolution matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy are powerful tools to identify unknown psychoactive substances. However, in complex matrices, trace levels of unknown substances usually require additional fractionation and concentration. Specialized liquid chromatography systems are necessary for both techniques. The small flow rate of nano LC, typically paired with MALDI-TOF MS, often results in prolonged fractionation times. Conversely, the larger flow rate of semi-preparative LC, used for NMR analysis, can be time-consuming and labor-intensive when concentrating samples. To address these issues, we developed an integrated automatic system that integrated to regular LC. RESULT: Automatic spot collector (ASC) and automatic fraction collector (AFC) were present in this study. The ASC utilized in-line matrix mixing, full-contact spotting and real time heating (50 °C), achieving great capacity of 5 µL droplet on MALDI plate, high recovery (76-116%) and rapid evaporation in 2 min. The analytes were concentrated 4-8 times, forming even crystallization, reaching the detection limit at the concentration of 50 µg L-1 for 12 psychoactive substances in urine. The AFC utilizes flexible tubing which flash-tapped the microtube's upper rim (3 mm depth) instead of reaching the bottom. This method prevents sample loss and minimizes the robotic arm's movement, providing a high fractionating speed at 6 s 12 psychoactive compounds were fractionated in a single round analysis (recovery: 81%-114%). Methamphetamine and nitrazepam obtained from drug-laced coffee samples were successful analyzed with photodiode array (PDA) after one AFC round and NMR after five rounds. SIGNIFICANCE: The ASC device employed real-time heating, in-line matrix mixing, and full-contact spotting to facilitate the samples spotting onto the MALDI target plate, thereby enhancing detection sensitivity in low-concentration and complex samples. The AFC device utilized the novel flash-tapping method to achieve rapid fractionation and high recovery rate. These devices were assembled using commercially available components, making them affordable (400 USD) for most laboratories while still meeting the required performance for advanced commercialized systems.

Wastewater-based epidemiology to monitor 68 NPS/conventional drug use in Taipei metropolitan area in Taiwan during and after COVID-19 pandemic.

Amidst far-reaching COVID-19 effects and social constraints, this study leveraged wastewater-based epidemiology to track 38 conventional drugs and 30 new psychoactive substances (NPS) in northern Taiwan. Analyzing daily samples from four Taipei wastewater plants between September 2021 and January 2024-encompassing club reopenings, holidays, Lunar New Year, an outbreak, and regular periods-thirty-one drugs were detected, including 5 NPS. Tramadol, zolpidem tartrate, CMA, and MDPV were newly detected in Taiwanese sewage with frequency of 1.4 %- 89.0 %. Conventional drug use typically increased post-pandemic, aside from benzodiazepines and methadone. Methamphetamine showed 100 % frequency, indicating ongoing daily consumption despite COVID-19 measures. Methamphetamine and morphine's consumption dipped then rose around club reopening, hinting at limited access. The consumption trend of methadone appeared to compensate for the use of morphine. Ketamine and NPS demonstrated similar patterns throughout the entire period. NPS as party drugs seemed influenced by an unstable supply chain and complexities in implementation. Benzodiazepines, commonly abused alongside synthetic cathinones in Taiwan exhibited an opposing trend to NPS while aligned with acetaminophen, suggesting elevated stress and anxiety levels during the pandemic. No significant differences were observed in drug consumption between weekdays and weekends, potentially indicating that COVID-19 measures blurred the traditional distinctions between these timeframes. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATION: New psychoactive substances refer to chemically modified variants of controlled drugs designed to mimic the effects of the original drugs while evading modern detection methods, categorizing them as hazardous materials. The study presents a sewage monitoring project conducted from 2021 to 2024, collecting samples from four WWTPs to analyze NPS and conventional drug trends during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings uncovered connections between drug consumption patterns and pandemic-related policies. In light of the persistent drug abuse and their environmental presence, the results bear critical importance for both environmental and public health. We provide a thorough assessment of these relationships and prioritize areas for future research.

Loss of Msx2 function down-regulates the FoxE3 expression and results in anterior segment dysgenesis resembling Peters anomaly.

Complex molecular interactions dictate the developmental steps that lead to a mature and functional cornea and lens. Peters anomaly is one subtype of anterior segment dysgenesis especially due to abnormal development of the cornea and lens. MSX2 was recently implicated as a potential gene that is critical for anterior segment development. However, the role of MSX2 within the complex mechanisms of eye development remains elusive. Our present study observed the morphologic changes in conventional Msx2 knockout (KO) mice and found phenotypes consistent with Peters anomaly and microphthalmia seen in humans. The role of Msx2 in cornea and lens development was further investigated using IHC, in situ hybridization, and quantification of proliferative and apoptotic lens cells. Loss of Msx2 down-regulated FoxE3 expression and up-regulated Prox1 and crystallin expression in the lens. The FoxE3 and Prox1 malfunction and precocious Prox1 and crystallin expression contribute to a disturbed lens cell cycle in lens vesicles and eventually to cornea-lentoid adhesions and microphthalmia in Msx2 KO mice. The observed changes in the expression of FoxE3 suggest that Msx2 is an important contributor in controlling transcription of target genes critical for early eye development. These results provide the first direct genetic evidence of the involvement of MSX2 in Peters anomaly and the distinct function of MSX2 in regulating the growth and development of lens vesicles.

Bifurcated structure of the electron diffusion region in three-dimensional magnetic reconnection.

Three-dimensional kinetic simulations of magnetic reconnection reveal that the electron diffusion region is composed of two or more current sheets in regimes with weak magnetic shear angles ϕ≲80°. This new morphology is explained by oblique tearing modes which produce flux ropes while simultaneously driving enhanced current at multiple resonance surfaces. This physics persists into the nonlinear regime leading to multiple electron layers embedded within a larger Alfvénic inflow and outflow. Surprisingly, the thickness of these layers and the reconnection rate both remain comparable to two-dimensional models. The parallel electric fields are supported predominantly by the electron pressure tensor and electron inertia, while turbulent dissipation remains small.