An fMRI investigation of the neural correlates underlying the autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR)

Introduction: The "autonomous sensory meridian response" (ASMR) is a neologism used to describe an internal sensation of deep relaxation and pleasant head tingling which is often stimulated by gentle sounds, light touch, and personal attention. Methods: An fMRI-based methodology was employed to examine the brain activation of subjects prescreened for ASMR-receptivity (n=10) as they watched ASMR videos and identified specific moments of relaxation and tingling. Results: Subjects who experienced ASMR showed significant activation in regions associated with both reward (NAcc) and emotional arousal (dACC and Insula/IFG). Brain activation during ASMR showed similarities to patterns previously observed in musical frisson as well as affiliative behaviors. Conclusion: This is the first study to measure the activation of various brain regions during ASMR and these results may help to reveal the mechanistic underpinnings of this sensation

THE VACUUM ULTRAVIOLET PHOTOLYSIS OF GeH3ClGeH_{3}Cl AND GeH2BrGeH_{2}Br: THE INFRARED SPECTRA OF MATRIX-ISOLATED GeH3ClGeH_{3}Cl AND GeH2BrGeH_{2}Br

Author Institution: Department of Chemistry, Drexel UniversityThe vacuum ultraviolet photolysis of $GeH_{3}Cl$, $GeH_{2}Br$ and the corresponding deuterium substituted compounds $GeD_{3}Cl$ and $GeD_{3}Br$ have been performed between 4 and $25^{\circ} K$ in argon and carbon monoxide matrices. The major products of photolysis appear to be the free radical species $GeH_{2}Cl$, $GeH_{2}Br$, and their deuterium counterparts, $GeD_{2}Cl$ and $GeD_{2}Br$. Evidence that H atom detachment plays a major role in the photodissociation process is obtained by the formation of HCO in carbon monoxide matrix experiments. Tentative assignments for the Ge-H stretching frequencies, on the basis of a normal coordinate calculation suggests that the radicals are pyramidal in shape. The structure and bonding properties are compared to $CH_{2}Cl$ and $CH_{2}Br$

Collisionless Formation and Rovibronic Relaxation of CH and OH from the IR Multiphoton Photolysisof CH\u3csub\u3e3\u3c/sub\u3eOH

A CO2 TEA laser has been used to initiate the collisionless multiphotondissociation of CH3OH between 1000 and 10 mtorr. The appearance of OH(X  2Π i ) 50±20 nsec after the laser pulse, independent of initial CH3OH pressure (50–200 mtorr), suggests the primary dissociative channel CH3OH+n hν→CH3 +OH(X  2Π i ); although CH3 could not be correspondingly confirmed. The appearance of CH(X  2Π r ) 70±20 nsec after the OH(X) appearance, independent of initial CH3OH pressure (70–400 mtorr), suggests secondary collisionless dissociation. Initial rovibronic distributions of OH(X) and CH(X) were determined, as well as characteristic decay time constants. The observation of the relaxation of OH(X) over a 10 μsec time interval after radical onset, allowed the separate characterization of collisional rotational relaxation and translational diffusion

THE VACUUM ULTRAVIOLET PHOTOLYSIS OF GeCl4GeCl_{4}, HGeCl4HGeCl_{4}, AND H2GeCl2H_{2} GeCl_{2}: THE MATRIX-ISOLATED INFRARED SPECTRA OF GeCl3GeCl_{3} AND GeCl2GeCl_{2}

Author Institution: Department of Chemistry, Drexel University; Department of Chemistry, Howard UniversityThe vacuum-ultraviolet photolysis of $HGeCl_{2}$ and $GeCl_{2}$ has resulted in evidence suggesting the stabilization of $GeCl_{2}$ in argon, nitrogen, and carbon monoxide matrices at $4^\circ K$. Dichlorogermane photolysis has led to the stabilization and isolation of $GeCl_{2}$. Additional evidence has been obtained for H-atom photodetachment resulting in the isolation of a $GeCl_{4}$, species having two stretching frequencies, and therefore, pyramidal in shape. A normal coordinate calculation using a four-constant valence potential function suggests that the angle between the threefold symmetry axis and any of the GeCl bonds is approximately $73^\circ$ (Cl-Ge-Cl angle, $111^\circ$), slightly greater than the $sp^{2}$hybridization angle. The structural parameters of $GeCl_{3}$ are compared with those of $CCl_{2}$ and $SiCl_{4}$

THE MATRIX ISOLATED FAR-INFRARED SPECTRA OF SOME STABLE AND UNSTABLE GERMANIUM HALIDES

Author Institution: Department of Chemistry, Drexel UniversityThe infrared spectra of several germanium halides, and their associated dehydrogenated radicals, isolated in Ar matrices at $20^{\circ} K$ , have been investigated in the region between 500 and $75 cm^{-1}$. The spectra were recorded by use of a Digilab FTS-16 Far-Infrared Fourier Trans form Spectrometer. While the spectra of such species as $GeBr_{2}$ and $GeCl_{3}$ will be discussed at some length, the emphasis will be on the experimental details

Selection Rules and Linestrength Factors for Multiphoton Transitions in Gas Phase MolecularSpectroscopy

Multiphoton transitions are discussed in terms applicable to experimental spectroscopy. A simple tensor operator for the equations governing multiphoton transitions in molecules is obtained. Selection rules for these processes are derived by symmetry considerations and procedures for calculation of rotational line-strength factors are given. For the general transition, the rovibronic n-photon selection rules can be determined by the symmetry product of a n-photon operator with the rovibronic wavefunctions. The line-strength factors are found by considering the integral over rotations of the nth rank tensor operators. The line-strength evaluations do not depend on exact knowledge of the vibronic overlap, to within a constant factor

Absolute rate constants of CFCI(X̃ \u3c sup\u3e 1 \u3c/sup\u3e A \u3c inf\u3e 1 ) reaction with nitrogen oxides

The chlorofluoromethylene (CFCl) molecule has been generated from the infrared multiple-photon dissociation (IRMPD) of 1,2-dichloro-1,2-difluoroethylene (CFCl=CFCl) with an apparent nascent vibrational temperature above 300 K. The overall vibrational rate constant of CFCl for relaxation into v″ = 0 has been determined to be kv = (6.8 ± 0.7) × 10-14 cm3 molecule-1 s-1. Decay rates of CFCl(X̃1A1,000) with the stratospheric gases present in significant concentrations, N2, N2O, NO, NO2, and O2, are also reported. Of these substrate gases, only NO and NO2 were observed to have significant rates of reaction. The others were found to be relatively unreactive. The decay rate constants for reaction with NO and NO2 were found to be k = (8.7 ± 0.7) × 10-15 and (1.6 ±0.2) × 10-14 cm3 molecule-1 s-1, respectively, obtained at room temperature and 100-torr total pressure. © 1982 American Chemical Society