From chlorophyll a towards bacteriochlorophyll a: Excited-state processes of modified pigments

By means of fluorescence spectroscopy and nonlinear absorption experiments, excited-state processes of the modified pigments [3-acetyl]-chlorophyll a, [31-OH]-bacteriochlorophyll a and [3-vinyl]-bacteriochlorophyll a were investigated and compared with those of chlorophyll a and bacteriochlorophyll a

Excitated state properties of 20-chloro-chlorophyll a

The excited-state and lasing properties of 20-chloro-chlorophyll a in ether solution were compared to those of chlorophyll a. Desactivation parameters and cross-sections were obtained from non-linear absorption spectroscopy in combination with a physico-mathematical methods package. The Cl substituent at C-20 (1) increases both intersystem crossing and internal conversion, (2) produces a blue-shift of the S1 absorption spectrum, and (3) leads to pronounced photochemistry

Thermal discomfort with cold extremities in relation to age, gender, and body mass index in a random sample of a Swiss urban population

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The aim of this epidemiological study was to investigate the relationship of thermal discomfort with cold extremities (TDCE) to age, gender, and body mass index (BMI) in a Swiss urban population.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In a random population sample of Basel city, 2,800 subjects aged 20-40 years were asked to complete a questionnaire evaluating the extent of cold extremities. Values of cold extremities were based on questionnaire-derived scores. The correlation of age, gender, and BMI to TDCE was analyzed using multiple regression analysis.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A total of 1,001 women (72.3% response rate) and 809 men (60% response rate) returned a completed questionnaire. Statistical analyses revealed the following findings: Younger subjects suffered more intensely from cold extremities than the elderly, and women suffered more than men (particularly younger women). Slimmer subjects suffered significantly more often from cold extremities than subjects with higher BMIs.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Thermal discomfort with cold extremities (a relevant symptom of primary vascular dysregulation) occurs at highest intensity in younger, slimmer women and at lowest intensity in elderly, stouter men.</p

On the mechanisms governing gas penetration into a tokamak plasma during a massive gas injection

A new 1D radial fluid code, IMAGINE, is used to simulate the penetration of gas into a tokamak plasma during a massive gas injection (MGI). The main result is that the gas is in general strongly braked as it reaches the plasma, due to mechanisms related to charge exchange and (to a smaller extent) recombination. As a result, only a fraction of the gas penetrates into the plasma. Also, a shock wave is created in the gas which propagates away from the plasma, braking and compressing the incoming gas. Simulation results are quantitatively consistent, at least in terms of orders of magnitude, with experimental data for a D 2 MGI into a JET Ohmic plasma. Simulations of MGI into the background plasma surrounding a runaway electron beam show that if the background electron density is too high, the gas may not penetrate, suggesting a possible explanation for the recent results of Reux et al in JET (2015 Nucl. Fusion 55 093013)