The modelling of emission spectra of molecules seen in interstellar clouds requires the knowledge of collisional rate coefficients. Among the commonly observed species, N$_2$H$^+$ is of particular interest since it was shown to be a good probe of the
physical conditions of cold molecular clouds. Thus, we have calculated hyperfine-structure resolved excitation rate coefficients of N$_2$H$^+$(X$^1Sigma^+$) by H$_2(j=0)$, the most abundant collisional partner in the cold interstellar medium. The calculations are based on a new potential energy surface, obtained from highly correlated {it ab initio} calculations. State-to-state rate coefficients between the first hyperfine levels were calculated, for temperatures ranging from 5 K to 70 K. By comparison with previously published N$_2$H$^+$-He rate coefficients, we found significant differences which cannot be reproduced by a simple scaling relationship. As a first application, we also performed radiative transfer calculations, for physical conditions typical of cold molecular clouds. We found that the simulated line intensities significantly increase when using the new H$_2$ rate coefficients, by comparison with the predictions based on the He rate coefficients. In particular, we revisited the modelling of the N$_2$H$^+$ emission in the LDN 183 core, using the new collisional data, and found that all three of the density, gas kinetic temperature and N$_2$H$^+$ abundance had to be revised.
We report the detection in IRC+10216 of lines of HNC $J$=3-2 pertaining to 9 excited vibrational states with energies up to $sim$5300 K. The spectrum, observed with ALMA, also shows a surprising large number of narrow, unidentified lines that arise i
n the vicinity of the star. The HNC data are interpreted through a 1D--spherical non--local radiative transfer model, coupled to a chemical model that includes chemistry at thermochemical equilibrium for the innermost regions and reaction kinetics for the external envelope. Although unresolved by the present early ALMA data, the radius inferred for the emitting region is $sim$0.06 (i.e., $simeq$ 3 stellar radii), similar to the size of the dusty clumps reported by IR studies of the innermost region ($r <$ 0.3). The derived abundance of HNC relative to H$_2$ is $10^{-8} <$ $chi$(HNC) $< 10^{-6}$, and drops quickly where the gas density decreases and the gas chemistry is dominated by reaction kinetics. Merging HNC data with that of molecular species present throughout the inner envelope, such as vibrationally excited HCN, SiS, CS, or SiO, should allow us to characterize the physical and chemical conditions in the dust formation zone.
