Non-linear laws of echoic memory and auditory change detection in humans

Background  

The detection of any abrupt change in the environment is important to survival. Since memory of preceding sensory conditions is necessary for detecting changes, such a change-detection system relates closely to the memory system. Here we used an auditory change-related N1 subcomponent (change-N1) of event-related brain potentials to investigate cortical mechanisms underlying change detection and echoic memory.     

Current-voltage characteristics of charge-ordered organic crystals

The current-voltage characteristics of layered organic crystals theta-(BEDT-TTF)2MZn(SCN)4 (M = Cs, Rb) follow the power law with a large exponent (e.g., 8.4 at 0.29 K for M = Cs) over a wide range of currents in the low-temperature insulating state. The power-law characteristics are attributed to electric field-induced unbinding of electron-hole pairs that are thermally excited in the background of the two-dimensional charge order. The magnitude of crossover electric fields from Ohmic to the power-law characteristics indicates that the electron-electron Coulomb interaction is significantly long-ranged: The screening length is greater than 10 molecule sites.     

twins in Mo-doped TiSi 2 thin films with the C54 structure

The defect structures in orthorhombic C54 crystallites in thin films of Mo-doped TiSi 2 produced by co-sputtering have been investigated by transmission electron microscopy. Almost all C54 crystallites contain a twin boundary parallel to (101), dividing a crystallite into two regions, each of which also contains many thin twins with the habit plane parallel to (001), which is inclined by about 45° from (101). Both of the two regions divided by the twin boundary parallel to (101) tend to have facets on (001) as well as thin twins with the habit plane parallel to (001). As a result, C54 crystallites exhibit a characteristic shape just like an oak leaf. While twins with the (001) habit plane have been observed in C54 crystallites in both binary and Mo-doped TiSi 2 thin films, those with the (101) habit plane are present only in Mo-doped TiSi 2 thin films. The twinning elements for (101) twins are determined to be K 1 = (101), , K 2 = (001) and m2 = [100]. The origin of (101) twins in Mo-doped TiSi 2 is discussed in terms of the change in the c / a axial ratio upon alloying TiSi 2 with Mo.     

Initial quantum levels of captured muons in CO,CO2, and COS

The role of valence electrons for the muon capture process by molecules is experimentally investigated with the aid of cascade calculations. Low-momentum muons are introduced to gas targets of CO, CO₂, and COS below atmospheric pressure. The initial states of captured muons are determined from the measured muonic X-ray structure of the Lyman and Balmer series. We propose that the lone pair electrons in the carbon atom of CO significantly contribute to the capture of a muon with large angular momenta.

     

A simple high‐performance liquid chromatography for the determination of linezolid in human plasma and saliva

Linezolid is an antimicrobial agent for the treatment of multiresistant Gram‐positive infections. A practical high‐performance liquid chromatography method was developed for the determination of linezolid in human plasma and saliva. Linezolid and an internal standard (o‐ethoxybenzamide) were extracted from plasma and saliva with ethyl acetate and analyzed on a Capcell Pak C₁₈ MG column with UV detection at 254 nm. The calibration curve was linear through the range 0.5–50 µg/mL using a 200 μL sample volume. The intra‐ and interday precisions were all <6.44% for plasma and 5.60% for saliva. The accuracies ranged from 98.8 to 110% for both matrices. The mean recoveries of linezolid were 80.8% for plasma and 79.0% for saliva. This method was used to determine the plasma and saliva concentrations of linezolid in healthy volunteers who were orally administered a 600 mg dose of linezolid. Our liquid–liquid extraction procedure is easy and requires a small volume of plasma or saliva (200 μL). This small volume can be advantageous in clinical pharmacokinetic studies, especially if children participate. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Hausdorff measures and packing measures of limit sets of CIFSs of generalized complex continued fractions

ABSTRACT

We consider a certain family of CIFSs of the generalized complex continued fractions with a complex parameter space. We show that for each CIFS of the family, the Hausdorff measure of the limit set of the CIFS with respect to the Hausdorff dimension is zero and the packing measure of the limit set of the CIFS with respect to the Hausdorff dimension is positive (main result). This is a new phenomenon of infinite CIFSs which cannot hold in finite CIFSs. We prove the main result by showing some estimates for the unique conformal measure of each CIFS of the family and by using some geometric observations.     

Design and synthesis of a biphenyl-based chiral amino sulfonamide with high catalytic performance in Mannich reactions

A biphenyl-based amino sulfonamide was designed to improve the intrinsic low catalytic activity of amine organocatalysts. The newly synthesized amino sulfonamide catalyst promoted the Mannich reaction in a highly enantioselective fashion and a remarkable catalyst turnover number was achieved.     

EXAFS measurements for liquid As2Se3 at high temperatures and pressures

Extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectra from liquid As₂Se₃ around both the As and Se K-edges in the temperature-pressure range up to 1400°C and about 60 bar were measured. For the EXAFS measurements, a new type of high pressure vessel and a sample cell of own design made of polycrystalline sapphire were developed. Distinct EXAFS oscillations were obtained even at 1400°C. When the semiconductor-to-metal transition occurs at about 1000°C, the local environment around a central As atoms is substantially changes and a new As neighbor site is induced.     

Thiophene donor-acceptor [2]rotaxanes

A series of the thiophene donor-acceptor [2]rotaxanes have been synthesized based on the inclusion complexes of cyclobis(paraquat- p-phenylene) (CBPQT4+) with thiophene, bithiophene, and terthiophene. The maximum wavelength of the charge-transfer band strongly depends on the number of thiophene units, while the association constant does not. These donor-acceptor pairs will be fascinating constituents for optoelectronic and electromechanical materials.     

Design of chiral bifunctional secondary amine catalysts for asymmetric enamine catalysis

A series of binaphthyl-based secondary amine catalysts containing various functional groups have been designed as new chiral bifunctional amine catalysts. These chiral organocatalysts have been successfully applied to several asymmetric reactions via enamine intermediates and exhibit unique reactivity and selectivity in comparison with proline and its derivatives.