Mixing of electronic states in pentacene adsorption on copper

By combining experimental and theoretical approaches, we study the adsorption of pentacene on copper as a model for the coupling between aromatic molecules and metal surfaces. Our results for the interface electronic structure are not compatible with a purely physisorption picture, which is conventionally employed for such systems. Nay, we demonstrate electronic mixing between molecular orbitals and metal electronic states.     

Investigation of Terra Cotta artefacts with terahertz

Terahertz Time Domain Imaging has been used in the last few years for the investigation of cultural heritage. In this article, the authors demonstrate the possibility to apply it for the investigation of clay artifacts. Tomographic images were obtained of a model in reflection, and an Egyptian vessel in transmission.     

Wavelength-agile H2O absorption spectrometer for thermometry of general combustion gases

Using a novel Fourier-domain mode-locking (FDML) laser scanning 1330-1380 nm, we have developed a gas thermometer based on absorption spectroscopy that is appropriate for combustion gases at essentially arbitrary conditions. The path-integrated measurements are particularly useful in homogeneous environments, and here we present measurements in a controlled piston engine and a shock tube. Engine measurements demonstrate a RMS temperature precision of ±3% at 1500 K and 200 kHz bandwidth; the precision is improved dramatically by averaging. Initial shock tube measurements place the absolute accuracy of the thermometer within ∼2% to 1000 K. The sensor performs best when significant H₂O vapor is present, but requires only at 300 K, at 1000 K, or at 3000 K for 2% accurate thermometry, assuming a 4 kHz measurement bandwidth (200 kHz scans with 50 averages). The sensor also provides H₂O mole fraction and shows potential for monitoring gas pressure based on the broadening of spectral features. To aid in designing other sensors based on high-temperature, high-pressure H₂O absorption spectroscopy, a database of measured spectra is included.     

Effects of deafness on acoustic characteristics of American English tense/lax vowels in maternal speech to infants

Recent studies have demonstrated that mothers exaggerate phonetic properties of infant-directed (ID) speech. However, these studies focused on a single acoustic dimension (frequency), whereas speech sounds are composed of multiple acoustic cues. Moreover, little is known about how mothers adjust phonetic properties of speech to children with hearing loss. This study examined mothers' production of frequency and duration cues to the American English tense/lax vowel contrast in speech to profoundly deaf (N?=?14) and normal-hearing (N?=?14) infants, and to an adult experimenter. First and second formant frequencies and vowel duration of tense (/i/,?/u/) and lax (/I/,?/?/) vowels were measured. Results demonstrated that for both infant groups mothers hyperarticulated the acoustic vowel space and increased vowel duration in ID speech relative to adult-directed speech. Mean F2 values were decreased for the /u/ vowel and increased for the /I/ vowel, and vowel duration was longer for the /i/, /u/, and /I/ vowels in ID speech. However, neither acoustic cue differed in speech to hearing-impaired or normal-hearing infants. These results suggest that both formant frequencies and vowel duration that differentiate American English tense/lx vowel contrasts are modified in ID speech regardless of the hearing status of the addressee.     

Lineshape analysis of stimulated Raman spectra of the near‐nozzle region of free jet expansions

An anomalous lineshape of stimulated Raman spectra obtained from the region very close to the nozzle of supersonic pulsed expansions of nitrogen is presented. High‐resolution Raman spectra of the Q branch of the fundamental vibration mode of N₂ have been recorded from two different nitrogen expansions at T₀ = 295 K and P₀ = 1.5–3.5 bar, the lasers crossing the jet axis in the range z/D = 0.25–1.25, where D is the effective nozzle diameter. The combination of Doppler shifts and strong gradients of density and temperature in the near‐nozzle region yield an inhomogeneous broadening and a double peak structure of the recorded Raman line profiles. The comparison of the experimental results with the simulation of the Raman spectrum from this region provides valuable information about the near‐nozzle flow field. The lineshape described here is different from another reported previously in the literature, which is based on a depletion of the density of free molecules on the axis due to condensation. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Fluorescent Probe ABM and Estimation of Immune State in Patients with Different Pathologies (Review Article)

The fluorescent probe ABM (3-aminobenzanthrone derivative) one of the fluorescent probes synthesized in Riga Technical University proved to be an excellent, independent model for studying cell membranes. In our work we have investigated the possibility of using the fluorescent probe ABM for detection of immune state in patients with different pathologies. There is a strong correlation among all studied ABM spectral parameters, immunological characteristics, clinical and laboratory investigations of the all observed patients groups. The obtained results suggest that ABM spectral parameters in cell suspension reflect the alterations of the cellular mechanisms of immunity. Therefore fluorescent method could be used as preliminary screening test in immune diagnostics instead of more expensive, time consuming methods (subset detection, radioisotope method etc.) used as routine in clinics. Spectral parameters of ABM reflect a wide range of interrelated (interdependent) characteristics of cells (physico-chemical state and microviscosity of membrane, proliferating and lipid metabolic activity of cells, distribution of cells among subsets). The observed change of the studied parameters reflects alterations of the cellular mechanisms of immunity which is a main focus for its application as preliminary screening test in immune diagnostics. The fluorescence based method is sensitive, less expensive and time consuming, technically simple and convenient.     

A Three-component Extension of the Camassa–Holm Hierarchy

We introduce a bi-Hamiltonian hierarchy on the loop-algebra of endowed with a suitable Poisson pair. It gives rise to the usual Camassa–Holm (CH) hierarchy by means of a bi-Hamiltonian reduction, and its first nontrivial flow provides a three-component extension of the CH equation.