Great expectations: Specific lexical anticipation influences the processing of spoken language

Background  

Recently several studies have shown that people use contextual information to make predictions about the rest of the sentence or story as the text unfolds. Using event related potentials (ERPs) we tested whether these on-line predictions are based on a message-level representation of the discourse or on simple automatic activation by individual words. Subjects heard short stories that were highly constraining for one specific noun, or stories that were not specifically predictive but contained the same prime words as the predictive stories. To test whether listeners make specific predictions critical nouns were preceded by an adjective that was inflected according to, or in contrast with, the gender of the expected noun.     

Microwave heating of ceramic composites

The microwave heating of a ceramic composite is modelled andanalysed. The composite consists of many small ceramic particlesembedded in a ceramic cement. The composite is assumed to bewell insulated, and each particle is assumed to be in imperfectthermal contact with the surrounding cement. Based on thesetwo assumptions an asymptotic theory exploiting the small Biotnumber and small non-dimensional contact conductance is developed.Our asymptotic theory yields a set of nonlinear partial differentialequations which govern the temperature in the composite. Theseare reduced to a set of coupled nonlinear ordinary differentialequations in which the surface area of each particle entersas a parameter. Recent experiments with such composites haveshown that the steady-state temperature of the composite isstrongly dependent upon the radii of the embedded particles.Our model captures this effect. In fact, our analysis showsthat the assumption of imperfect thermal contact between theparticles and the ceramic cement is essential for this trendto be established.     

Anomalous atomic hydrogen shock pattern in a supersonic plasma Jet

A two-photon laser-induced fluorescence study on the transport of ground-state atomic hydrogen in a supersonic plasma jet, generated from an Ar-H (2) mixture, reveals an unexpected shock pattern. Whereas both the axial-velocity profile and the temperature profile of hydrogen atoms along the jet centerline can be interpreted in terms of a supersonic expansion of an Ar-H gas mixture, the H-atom density profiles do not satisfy the well established Rankine-Hugoniot relation leading to a nonconservation of the forward flux. The experimental results show that H atoms escape from the supersonic expansion by a diffusion process due to strong density gradients between the core of the jet and its vicinity.     

Pyrazole complexes as anion receptors: effects of changing the metal, the pyrazole substitution pattern, and the number of pyrazole ligands

Compound cis,fac-[Mo(eta3-allyl)(CO)2(Hdmpz)3]BAr'4 (1) (Hdmpz = 3,5-dimethylpyrazole, Ar' = 3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl) undergoes rapid substitution of one of the pyrazole ligands by anions, including the low nucleophilic ReO4-, a reaction that afforded [Mo(OReO3)(eta3-allyl)(CO)2(Hdmpz)2] (2), structurally characterized by X-ray diffraction. The new compounds fac-[Mn(CO)3(Hdmpz)3]BAr'4 (4a) and fac-[Mn(CO)3(HtBupz)3]BAr'4 (4b) (HtBupz = 3(5)-tert-butylpyrazole) also undergo pyrazole substitution with most anions, and the product from the reaction with nitrate was crystallographically characterized. Compounds 4a,b were found to be substitutionally stable toward perrhenate, and the adducts [Mn(CO)3(Hdmpz)3].[ReO4] (7a) and [Mn(CO)3(HtBupz)3].[ReO4].[Bu4N].[BAr'4] (7b), crystallographically characterized, display hydrogen bonds between one of the perrhenate oxygens and the N-H groups of two of the pyrazole ligands. The structurally similar adduct [Re(CO)3(Hdmpz)3].[ReO4] (8) was found to result from the interaction of [Re(CO)3(Hdmpz)3]BAr'4 with perrhenate. The reaction of [Re(OTf)(CO)5] with 3,5-dimethylpyrazole (Hdmpz) afforded [Re(CO)5(Hdmpz)]OTf (9). The reaction of 9 with Hdmpz and NaBAr'4 yielded [Re(CO)4(Hdmpz)2]BAr'4 (10), which was found to be unstable toward chloride anion. In contrast, the new compound fac,cis-[Re(CO)3(CNtBu)(Hdmpz)2]BAr'4 (11) is stable in solution in the presence of different anions. Binding constants for 11 with chloride, bromide, and nitrate are 1-2 orders of magnitude lower than those found for these anions and rhenium tris(pyrazole) hosts, indicating that the presence of the third pyrazole ligand is crucial. Compounds fac-[Re(CO)3(HPhpz)3]BAr'4 (14) (HPhpz = 3(5)-phenylpyrazole) and fac-[Re(CO)3(HIndz)3]BAr'4 (15) (HIndz = indazole) are, in terms of anion binding strength and selectivity, inferior to those with dimethylpyrazole or tert-butylpyrazole ligands.     

Different cyclic motifs in phosphoric triamides containing a C(O)NHP(O)(NH)2 skeleton and an R22(10) graph set in three new compounds: a database analysis of hydrogen‐bond strengths based on motifs

In the crystal networks of N,N′‐bis(2‐chlorobenzyl)‐N′′‐(2,6‐difluorobenzoyl)phosphoric triamide, C₂₁H₁₈Cl₂F₂N₃O₂P, (I), N‐(2,6‐difluorobenzoyl)‐N′,N′′‐bis(4‐methoxybenzyl)phosphoric triamide, C₂₃H₂₄F₂N₃O₄P, (II), and N‐(2‐chloro‐2,2‐difluoroacetyl)‐N′,N′′‐bis(4‐methylphenyl)phosphoric triamide, C₁₆H₁₇ClF₂N₃O₂P, (III), C=O...H—N_C(O)NHP(O) and P=O...H—N_amide hydrogen bonds are responsible for the aggregation of the molecules. This is the opposite result from that commonly observed for carbacylamidophosphates, which show a tendency for the phosphoryl group, rather than the carbonyl counterpart, to form hydrogen bonds with the NH group of the C(O)NHP(O) skeleton. This hydrogen‐bond pattern leads to cyclic R₂²(10) motifs in (I)–(III), different from those found for all previously reported compounds of the general formula RC(O)NHP(O)[NR¹R²]₂ with the syn orientation of P=O versus NH [R₂²(8)], and also from those commonly observed for RC(O)NHP(O)[NHR¹]₂ [a sequence of alternate R₂²(8) and R₂²(12) motifs]. In these cases, the R₂²(8) and R₂²(12) graph sets are formed through similar kinds of hydrogen bond, i.e. a pair of P=O...H—N_C(O)NHP(O) hydrogen bonds for the former and two C=O...H—N_amide hydrogen bonds for the latter. This article also reviews 102 similar structures deposited in the Cambridge Structural Database and with the International Union of Crystallography, with the aim of comparing hydrogen‐bond strengths in the above‐mentioned cyclic motifs. This analysis shows that the strongest N—H...O hydrogen bonds exist in the R₂²(8) rings of some molecules. The phosphoryl and carbonyl groups in each of compounds (I)–(III) are anti with respect to each other and the P atoms are in a tetrahedral coordination environment. In the crystal structures, adjacent molecules are linked via the above‐mentioned hydrogen bonds in a linear arrangement, parallel to [010] for (I) and (III) and parallel to [100] for (II). Formation of the N_C(O)NHP(O)—H...O=C instead of the N_C(O)NHP(O)—H...O=P hydrogen bond is reflected in the higher N_C(O)NHP(O)—H vibrational frequencies for these molecules compared with previously reported analogous compounds.     

K⋅⋅⋅F/O Interactions Bridge Copper(I) Fluorinated Alkoxide Complexes and Facilitate Dioxygen Activation

Seven E[Cu(OR)₂] copper(I) complexes (E=K⁺, {K(18C6)}⁺ (18C6=[18]crown‐6), or Ph₄P⁺; R=C₄F₉, CPhMe^F₂, and CMeMe^F₂) have been prepared and their reactivity with O₂ studied. The K[Cu(OR)₂] species react with O₂ in a copper‐concentration‐dependent manner such that 2:1 and 3:1 Cu/O₂ adducts are observed manometrically at ?78 °C. Analogous reactivity with O₂ is not observed with the {K(18C6)}⁺ or Ph₄P⁺ derivatives. Solution conductivity data demonstrate that these K[Cu(OR)₂] complexes do not behave as 1:1 electrolytes in solution. The K⁺ ions induce aggregation of multiple [Cu(OR)₂]^? units through K???F/O interactions and thereby effect irreversible O₂ reduction by multiple Cu centers. Bond valence analyses for the potassium cations confirm the dominance of the fluorine interactions in the coordination spheres of K⁺ ions. Intramolecular hydroxylation of ligand aryl and alkyl C? H bonds is observed. Nucleophilic reactivity with CO₂ is observed for the oxygenated Cu complexes and a Cu^II carbonate has been isolated and characterized.     

Synthesis, crystal structure, spectroscopic and photoluminescence studies of manganese(II), cobalt(II), cadmium(II), zinc(II) and copper(II) complexes with a pyrazole derived Schiff base ligand

Varying coordination modes of the Schiff base ligand H₂L [5-methyl-1-H-pyrazole-3-carboxylic acid (1-pyridin-2-yl-ethylidene)-hydrazide] towards different metal centers are reported with the syntheses and characterization of four mononuclear Mn(II), Co(II), Cd(II) and Zn(II) complexes, [Mn(H₂L)(H₂O)₂](ClO₄)₂(MeOH) (1), [Co(H₂L)(NCS)₂] (2), [Cd(H₂L)(H₂O)₂](ClO₄)₂ (3) and [Zn(H₂L)(H₂O)₂](ClO₄)₂ (4), and a binuclear Cu(II) complex, [Cu₂(L)₂](ClO₄)₂ (5). In the complexes 1-4 the neutral ligand serves as a 3N,2O donor where the pyridine ring N, two azomethine N and two carbohydrazine oxygen atoms are coordinatively active, leaving the pyrazole-N atoms inactive. In the case of complex 5, each ligand molecule behaves as a 4N,O donor utilizing the pyridine N, one azomethine N, the nitrogen atom proximal to the azomethine of the remaining pendant arm and one pyrazole-N atom to one metal center and the carbohydrazide oxygen atom to the second metal center. The complexes 1-4 are pentagonal bipyramidal in geometry. In each case, the ligand molecule spans the equatorial plane while the apical positions are occupied by water molecules in 1, 3 and 4 and two N bonded thiocyanate ions in 2. In complex 5, the two Cu(II) centers have almost square pyramidal geometry (τ = 0.05 for Cu1 and 0.013 for Cu2). Four N atoms from a ligand molecule form the basal plane and the carbohydrazide oxygen atom of a second ligand molecule sits in the apex of the square pyramid. All the complexes have been X-ray crystallographically characterized. The Zn(II) and Cd(II) complexes show considerable fluorescence emission while the remaining complexes and the ligand molecule are fluorescent silent.