Ann. Geophys. Discuss., https://doi

Abstract. For the first time, direct comparisons of the equatorial ion partial pressure and pitch angle anisotropy observed by TWINS and simulated by CIMI are presented. The TWINS ENA images are from a 4-day period, 7–10 September 2015. The simulations use both the empirical Weimer 2K and the self-consistent RCM electric potentials. There are two moderate storms in succession during this period. In most cases, we find that the general features of the ring current in the inner magnetosphere obtained from the observations and the simulations are similar. Nevertheless, we do also see consistent contrasts between the simulations and observations. The simulated partial pressure peaks are often inside the observed peaks and more toward dusk than the measured values. There are also cases in which the measured equatorial ion partial pressure shows multiple peaks that are not seen in the simulations. This occurs during a period of intense AE index. The CIMI simulations consistently show regions of parallel anisotropy spanning the night side between approximately 6 and 8 RE, whereas the parallel anisotropy is seen in the observations only during the main phase of the first storm. The evidence from the unique global view provided by the TWINS observations strongly suggests that there are features in the ring current partial pressure distributions that can be best explained by enhanced electric shielding and/or spatially localized, short-duration injections.

To gain superior signal-enhanced performance, metal nanocrystals serving as building blocks can be collectively assembled into a hierarchically ordered structure for creating multiple hotspots. However, the collaborative assembly of anisotropic crystals to form a hotspot-rich structure remains a challenging task. In this study, controllable shear was introduced to a soft liquid−liquid interface to provide a unique environment for the snowball assembly of silver pompon architectures (Ag-PAs). Micrometer-scale 3D plasmonic Ag pompon architectures composed of densely packed nanoparticles (NPs) are fabricated using shear-mediating crystal growth dynamics. The crystal morphology and size are easily controlled by tuning the interfacial shear and diffusion pathways. The hotspot-rich Ag-PAs with high sensitivity (LOD = 1.1 × 10 −13 mol/L) exhibit a superior Raman enhancement performance, which is comparable to some bimetals.

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to study mechanisms of VNS modulation from a single neuron perspective utilizing a practical observation platform with single neuron resolution and widefield, real-time imaging coupled with an animal model simultaneously exposing the cerebral cortex and the hippocampus.MethodsWe utilized the observation platform characterized of widefield of view, real-time imaging, and high spatiotemporal resolution to obtain the neuronal activities in the cerebral cortex and the hippocampus during VNS in awake states and under anesthesia.ResultsSome neurons in the hippocampus were tightly related to VNS modulation, and varied types of neurons showed distinct responses to VNS modulation.ConclusionWe utilized such an observation platform coupled with a novel animal model to obtain more information on neuron activities in the cerebral cortex and the hippocampus, providing an effective method to further study the mechanisms of therapeutic effects modulated by VNS.

We demonstrate a mobile system for large-scale neuron recording with simultaneous deep nucleus stimulation. With the device, cortical-wide Ca2+ activity under vagus nerve stimulation was recorded in freely behaving mice.