In vivo screening of mangrove plants for anti WSSV activity in Penaeus monodon, and evaluation of Ceriops tagal as a potential source of antiviral molecules

The objective of the study was to find out a natural way to fight white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) in cultured shrimps, as the present scenario necessitated an organic remedy for the devastating pathogen in crustaceans. Under this research programme seven mangrove plants were collected, identified and aqueous extracts screened for their protective effect on the giant tiger shrimp Penaeus monodon against WSSV. The experimental design consisted two modes of application, such as exposure of the virus to the extract and injection challenge, and oral administration of the extract coated feed followed by oral challenge. All experimental animals were monitored through a nested diagnostic PCR analysis. Of the seven mangrove extracts screened aqueous extract from Ceriops tagal imparted total protection to shrimp from WSSV when challenged by both methods. Shrimps administered with the aqueous extract from C. tagal were devoid of virions. The HPLC fingerprint of the aqueous extracts from C. tagal showed more than 25 peaks and 7 of them were larger and well separated. Preliminary phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, polyphenolics, cardiac glycosides, saponins and sterols. The study indicated suitability of the aqueous extract of C. tagal as a possible prophylaxis for WSSV infection in shrimp. This is the first report on the anti WSSV property of the mangrove plant C. tagal

In vivo screening of mangrove plants for anti WSSV activity in Penaeus monodon, and evaluation of Ceriops tagal as a potential source of antiviral molecules

The objective of the study was to find out a natural way to fight white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) in cultured shrimps, as the present scenario necessitated an organic remedy for the devastating pathogen in crustaceans. Under this research programme seven mangrove plants were collected, identified and aqueous extracts screened for their protective effect on the giant tiger shrimp Penaeus monodon against WSSV. The experimental design consisted two modes of application, such as exposure of the virus to the extract and injection challenge, and oral administration of the extract coated feed followed by oral challenge. All experimental animals were monitored through a nested diagnostic PCR analysis. Of the seven mangrove extracts screened aqueous extract from Ceriops tagal imparted total protection to shrimp from WSSV when challenged by both methods. Shrimps administered with the aqueous extract from C. tagal were devoid of virions. The HPLC fingerprint of the aqueous extracts from C. tagal showed more than 25 peaks and 7 of them were larger and well separated. Preliminary phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, polyphenolics, cardiac glycosides, saponins and sterols. The study indicated suitability of the aqueous extract of C. tagal as a possible prophylaxis for WSSV infection in shrimp. This is the first report on the anti WSSV property of the mangrove plant C. tagal

A computer-algebraic approach to the study of the symmetry properties of molecules and clusters

This thesis work is dedicated to use the computer-algebraic approach for dealing with the group symmetries and studying the symmetry properties of molecules and clusters. The Maple package Bethe, created to extract and manipulate the group-theoretical data and to simplify some of the symmetry applications, is introduced. First of all the advantages of using Bethe to generate the group theoretical data are demonstrated. In the current version, the data of 72 frequently applied point groups can be used, together with the data for all of the corresponding double groups. The emphasize of this work is placed to the applications of this package in physics of molecules and clusters. Apart from the analysis of the spectral activity of molecules with point-group symmetry, it is demonstrated how Bethe can be used to understand the field splitting in crystals or to construct the corresponding wave functions. Several examples are worked out to display (some of) the present features of the Bethe program. While we cannot show all the details explicitly, these examples certainly demonstrate the great potential in applying computer algebraic techniques to study the symmetry properties of molecules and clusters. A special attention is placed in this thesis work on the flexibility of the Bethe package, which makes it possible to implement another applications of symmetry. This implementation is very reasonable, because some of the most complicated steps of the possible future applications are already realized within the Bethe. For instance, the vibrational coordinates in terms of the internal displacement vectors for the Wilson's method and the same coordinates in terms of cartesian displacement vectors as well as the Clebsch-Gordan coefficients for the Jahn-Teller problem are generated in the present version of the program. For the Jahn-Teller problem, moreover, use of the computer-algebraic tool seems to be even inevitable, because this problem demands an analytical access to the adiabatic potential and, therefore, can not be realized by the numerical algorithm. However, the ability of the Bethe package is not exhausted by applications, mentioned in this thesis work. There are various directions in which the Bethe program could be developed in the future. Apart from (i) studying of the magnetic properties of materials and (ii) optical transitions, interest can be pointed out for (iii) the vibronic spectroscopy, and many others. Implementation of these applications into the package can make Bethe a much more powerful tool.

Effect of dressing on high-order harmonic generation in vibrating H2 molecules

Wir entwickeln die Starkfeldnäherung für die Erzeugung hoher Harmonischer in Wasserstoffmolekülen, wobei die Vibrationsbewegung berücksichtigt wird, sowie die laserinduzierte Kopplung zwischen den beiden untersten Born-Oppenheimer-Zuständen im Molekülion, das durch die anfängliche Ionisation des Moleküls erzeugt wird. Wir zeigen, dass die Kopplung bei längeren Laserwellenlängen (≈ 2 μm) wichtig wird und zu einer Reduzierung der Erzeugung von Harmonischen führt, sowie zu einer Änderung des Verhältnisses von Harmonischen in verschiedenen Isotopen. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- We develop the strong-field approximation for high-order harmonic generation in hydrogen molecules, including the vibrational motion and the laser-induced coupling of the lowest two Born-Oppenheimer states in the molecular ion that is created by the initial ionization of the molecule. We show that the field dressing becomes important at long laser wavelengths (≈ 2 μm), leading to an overall reduction of harmonic generation and modifying the ratio of harmonic signals from different isotopes.

Relativistic Dirac-Fock-Slater program to calculate potential-energy curves for diatomic molecules

A LCAO-MO (linear combination of atomic orbitals - molecular orbitals) relativistic Dirac-Fock-Slater program is presented, which allows one to calculate accurate total energies for diatomic molecules. Numerical atomic Dirac-Fock-Slater wave functions are used as basis functions. All integrations as well as the solution of the Poisson equation are done fully numerical, with a relative accuracy of 10{^-5} - 10{^-6}. The details of the method as well as first results are presented here.

Solution of the Hartree-Fock equations for atoms and diatomic molecules with the finite element method

The finite element method (FEM) is now developed to solve two-dimensional Hartree-Fock (HF) equations for atoms and diatomic molecules. The method and its implementation is described and results are presented for the atoms Be, Ne and Ar as well as the diatomic molecules LiH, BH, N_2 and CO as examples. Total energies and eigenvalues calculated with the FEM on the HF-level are compared with results obtained with the numerical standard methods used for the solution of the one dimensional HF equations for atoms and for diatomic molecules with the traditional LCAO quantum chemical methods and the newly developed finite difference method on the HF-level. In general the accuracy increases from the LCAO - to the finite difference - to the finite element method.

Accurate Hartree-Fock-Slater calculations on small diatomic molecules with the finite-element method

We report on the self-consistent field solution of the Hartree-Fock-Slater equations using the finite-element method for the three small diatomic molecules N_2, BH and CO as examples. The quality of the results is not only better by two orders of magnitude than the fully numerical finite difference method of Laaksonen et al. but the method also requires a smaller number of grid points.

Spin-polarized Hartree-Fock-Slater calculations in atoms and diatomic molecules with the finite element method

We present spin-polarized Hartree-Fock-Slater calculations performed with the highly accurate numerical finite element method for the atoms N and 0 and the diatomic radical OH as examples.

Finite element method for the accurate solution of diatomic molecules

We present the Finite-Element-Method (FEM) in its application to quantum mechanical problems solving for diatomic molecules. Results for Hartree-Fock calculations of H_2 and Hartree-Fock-Slater calculations of molecules like N_2 and C0 have been obtained. The accuracy achieved with less then 5000 grid points for the total energies of these systems is 10_-8 a.u., which is demonstrated for N_2.

Solution of the Hartree-Fock-Slater equations for diatomic molecules by the finite-element method

We present the finite-element method in its application to solving quantum-mechanical problems for diatomic molecules. Results for Hartree-Fock calculations of H_2 and Hartree-Fock-Slater calculations for molecules like N_2 and CO are presented. The accuracy achieved with fewer than 5000 grid points for the total energies of these systems is 10^-8 a.u., which is about two orders of magnitude better than the accuracy of any other available method.

Relativistic molecular calculations of superheavy molecules

Relativistic molecular calculations within the Dirac-Slater scheme have been used in a study of the electronic structure of 6d-metal superheavy hexafluorides. The theoretical results are compared with calculations and measurements of the homolog 4d- and 5d-metal hexafluorides. Large spin-orbit splitting dominates the electronic structure and even has the same order of magnitude as the crystal-field splitting for the valence electrons for the superheavy molecules. Ionization energies have been calculated using a transition state procedure.

Self-consistent relativistic molecular calculations of superheavy molecules: (_110 X)F_6

Using new relativistic molecular calculations within the Dirac-Slater scheme it is now feasible to study theoretically molecules containing superheavy elements. This opens a new era for the prediction of the physics and chemistry of superheavy elements. As an example we present the results for (_110 X) F_6, where it is shown that relativistic effects are nearly of the same order of magnitude as the crystal-field splitting.

Fundamental interactions of molecules (Na_2, Na_3) with intense femtosecond laser pulses

The real-time dynamics of multiphoton ionization and fragmentation of molecules Na_2 and Na_3 has been studied in molecular beam experiments employing ion and electron spectroscopy together with femtosecond pump-probe techniques. Experiments with Na_2 and Na_3 reveal unexpected features of the dynamics of the absorption of several photons as seen in the one- and three-dimensional vibrational wave packet motion in different potential surfaces and in high laser fields: In Na_2 a second major resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization (REMPI) process is observed, involving the excitation of two electrons and subsequent electronic autoionization. The possibility of controlling a reaction by controlling the duration of propagation of a wave packet on an electronically-excited surface is demonstrated. In high laser fields, the contributions from direct photoionization and from the second REMPI process to the total ion yield change, due to different populations in the electronic states participating in the multiphoton ionization (MPI) processes. In addition, a vibrational wave packet motion in the electronic ground state is induced through stimulated emission pumping by the pump laser. The 4^1 \summe^+_g shelf state of Na_2 is given as an example for performing frequency spectroscopy of highlying electronic states in the time domain. Pure wave packet effects, such as the spreading and the revival of a vibrational wave packet, are investigated. The three-dimensional wave packet motion in the Na_3 reflects the normal modes in the X and B states, and shows in addition the pseudorotational motion in the B state in real time.

Femtosecond dynamics of molecules and clusters

The real-time dynamics of multiphoton ionization and fragmentation of molecules - Na_2 , Na_3 - and clusters - Na_n, Hg_n - has been studied in molecular beam experiments employing ion and electron spectroscopy together with femtosecond pump-probe techniques. Experiments with Na_2 and Na_3 reveal unexpected features of the dynamics of the absorption of several photons as seen in the one- and three dimensional vibrational wave packet motion in different potential surfaces and in high laser fields. Cluster size dependent studies of physical properties such as absorption resonances, lifetimes and decay channels have been performed using tunable femtosecond light pulses in resonance enhanced multiphoton ionization (REMPI) of the cluster size under investigation. This method failed in ns-laser experiments due to the ultrafast decay of the studied cluster. For Na_n, cluster we find that for cluster sizes n \le 21 molecular excitations and properties prevail over collective excitations of plasmon-like resonances. In the case of Hg_n cluster prompt formation of singly and doubly charged cluster are observed up to n \approx 60. The transient multiphoton ionization spectra show a 'short' time wave packet dynamics, which is identical for singly and doubly charged mercury clusters while the 'long' time fragmentation dynamics is different.