Dynamics of Si-H vibrations in an amorphous environment

We present results of the first vibrational photon-echo, transient-grating, and temperature dependent transient-bleaching experiments on a-Si:H. Using these techniques, and the infrared light of a free electron laser, the vibrational population decay and phase relaxation of the Si-H stretching mode were investigated. Careful analysis of the data indicates that the vibrational energy relaxes directly into Si-H bending modes and Si phonons, with a distribution of rates determined by the amorphous host. Conversely, the pure dephasing appears to be single exponential, and can be modeled by dephasing via two-phonon interactions.     

Vibrational energies for triatomic molecules using a semi-classical trajectory method

Previously proposed, semi-classical quantization conditions are further examined and then used to calculate low-lying vibrational energy levels of SO₂ and H₂O. Results are compared with variational quantum-mechanical results, using various realistic analytic potentials.     

Regulation of glutamatergic signalling by PACAP in the mammalian suprachiasmatic nucleus

Background  

Previous studies indicate that light information reaches the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) through a subpopulation of retinal ganglion cells that contain both glutamate and pituitary adenylyl cyclase activating peptide (PACAP). While the role of glutamate in this pathway has been well studied, the involvement of PACAP and its receptors are only beginning to be understood. Speculating that PACAP may function to modulate how neurons in the suprachiasmatic nucleus respond to glutamate, we used electrophysiological and calcium imaging tools to examine possible cellular interactions between these co-transmitters.     

The semiclassical determination of potential surfaces from observed spectra. I

A semiclassical method of calculating polyatomic molecular potential energy surfaces from observed vibration-rotation data is presented. It is based on EBK quantization of invariant tori and on a classical analogue of the Hellman-Feynman theorem. Applications to model potentials and the diatomics CO and I₂ compared well with other calculations.     

A jump diffusion model for spot electricity prices and market price of risk

We construct a jump-diffusion model with seasonality, mean-reversion, time-dependent jump intensity and heteroskedastic disturbance for electricity spot prices, while keeping the analytical tractability of futures prices. We find that the jump component plays a considerably larger role than the diffusion component in the variance of spot prices. Moreover, the jump intensity is much higher during summer and winter. We also explore the seasonal market price of risk (MPR) with different maturities, from one month to five months. Our results show that the diffusion risk and the jump risk are priced quite differently.     

Profluorescent nitroxides: Thermo-oxidation sensors for stabilised polypropylene

The profluorescent nitroxide, 1,1,3,3-tetramethyldibenzo[e,g]isoindolin-2-yloxyl (TMDBIO) was investigated as a probe for the radical-mediated degradation of stabilised polypropylene. TMDBIO has been previously shown to be a sensitive probe for free-radical degradation during the thermo-oxidation of unstabilised polypropylene. Here we report on the effect that adding hindered phenol or phosphite stabilisers to polypropylene has on the free-radical sensing ability of TMDBIO during thermo-oxidation. In addition, novel dual-functional, hindered phenol containing profluorescent nitroxides, 5-[2-(4-hydroxy-3,5-di-tert-butylphenyl)ethenyl]-1,1,3,3-tetramethylisoindolin-2-yloxyl (HSTMIO) and its derivatives were investigated as probes for the radical-mediated degradation of polypropylene. These dual-functional probes were shown to be efficient stabilisers for polypropylene during thermo-oxidation at 150 °C in oxygen and sensors of thermo-oxidation during its early stages, in the so-called “induction period”.