Using monkeys to explore perceptual "loss" versus "learning" models in English and Spanish voice-onset-time perception

Cross-language research using synthetic voice-onset-time series over the past 40 years suggests that the Spanish lead contrast is acoustically less salient than the English lag contrast. This study examined monkey identification of a labial consonant-vowel voice-onset-time (CV VOT) series (-60 to +70 ms) in order to obtain a linguistically unbiased estimate of lead versus lag salience. Comparisons were made with both English and Spanish adult human listeners. In a classic two-choice identification test, monkey and Spanish functions were quite variable and showed evidence of sensitivity to three types of voicing cues (lead versus simultaneous versus lag). In contrast, English functions were highly categorical and showed sensitivity to only two types of cues (combined lead/simultaneous versus lag). Next, listeners were explicitly trained via feedback to differentiate stimuli crossing lead and lag boundaries. Here, monkey and Spanish performance was initially more symmetrical than English performance, with the latter showing reduced sensitivity to the lead boundary, but group differences disappeared after extended training. These results provide evidence for perceptual loss in English listeners for aspects of Spanish voicing lead perception.     

Fiber-optic infrared reflectance spectroelectrochemical studies of osmium and ruthenium nitrosyl porphyrins containing alkoxide and thiolate ligands

We have examined the redox behavior of the osmium and ruthenium compounds (OEP)M(NO)(OEt) and (OEP)M(NO)(SEt) (OEP = octaethylporphyrinato dianion; M = Os, Ru) by cyclic voltammetry and infrared spectroelectrochemistry. The compound (OEP)Os(NO)(OEt) undergoes a single reversible oxidation process in dichloromethane. In contrast, the thiolate compound (OEP)Os(NO)(SEt) undergoes a net irreversible oxidation resulting in formal loss of the SEt ligand. Extended Hückel calculations on crystal structures of these two compounds provide insight into the nature of their HOMOs. In the case of the alkoxide compound, the HOMO is largely metal centered, with 70% of the charge located in the metal's orbital and approximately 25% on the porphyrin ring. However, the HOMO of the thiolate compound consists of a pi bonding interaction between the metal dxz orbital and the px orbital on the sulfur, and a pi antibonding interaction between the metal d orbital and a pi* orbital on NO. The redox behavior of the Ru analogues have been determined, and are compared with those of the Os compounds.     

Dependence of the AES backscattering correction factor on the experimental configuration

We present an analysis of the dependence of the backscattering correction factor (BCF) in Auger-electron spectroscopy (AES) on the analyzer acceptance angle. Illustrative BCF calculations are presented for Pd M₅N₄₅N₄₅ Auger electrons as a function of primary-electron energy for primary-electron angles of incidence, θ₀, of 0° and 80° and for various values of the analyzer acceptance angle. It was necessary to generalize the BCF definition for the case of an analyzer with an arbitrarily large acceptance angle; this was done with a new function, the integral emission depth distribution function. BCFs calculated from an advanced model of electron transport in the surface region of the Pd sample varied weakly with analyzer half-cone angle for θ₀ = 0° but more strongly for θ₀ = 80° where there were BCF differences varying between 19% at a primary energy of 1 keV and 6% at a primary energy of 5 keV. These BCF differences are due in part to variations of the BCF with emission angle and in part to variations of the density of inner-shell ionizations within the information depth for the detected Auger electrons. The latter variations are responsible for differences larger than 10% between BCFs from the widely used simplified BCF model and those from the more accurate advanced model for primary energies less than about 5 keV for θ₀ = 80°. For normal incidence of the primary beam, differences greater than 10% between BCFs from the simplified and advanced models were found for primary energies between 1 keV and 4 keV. These BCF differences indicate that the simplified model can provide only approximate BCF values. In addition, the simplified model does not provide any BCF dependence on Auger-electron emission angle or analyzer acceptance angle.     

A note on the finitization of Abelian and Tauberian theorems

We present finitary formulations of two well known results concerning infinite series, namely Abel's theorem, which establishes that if a series converges to some limit then its Abel sum converges to the same limit, and Tauber's theorem, which presents a simple condition under which the converse holds. Our approach is inspired by proof theory, and in particular Gödel's functional interpretation, which we use to establish quantitative versions of both of these results.     

Pan-H-Linked Graphs

Let H be a multigraph, possibly containing loops. An H-subdivision is any simple graph obtained by replacing the edges of H with paths of arbitrary length. Let H be an arbitrary multigraph of order k, size m, n ₀(H) isolated vertices and n ₁(H) vertices of degree one. In Gould and Whalen (Graphs Comb. 23:165–182, 2007) it was shown that if G is a simple graph of order n containing an H-subdivision H{\mathcal{H}} and d(G) 3 \fracn+m-k+n₁(H)+2n₀(H)2{\delta(G) \ge \frac{n+m-k+n_1(H)+2n_0(H)}{2}}, then G contains a spanning H-subdivision with the same ground set as H{\mathcal{H}} . As a corollary to this result, the authors were able to obtain Dirac’s famed theorem on hamiltonian graphs; namely that if G is a graph of order n ≥ 3 with d(G) 3 \fracn2{\delta(G)\ge\frac{n}{2}} , then G is hamiltonian. Bondy (J. Comb. Theory Ser. B 11:80–84, 1971) extended Dirac’s theorem by showing that if G satisfied the condition d(G) 3 \fracn2{\delta(G) \ge \frac{n}{2}} then G was either pancyclic or a complete bipartite graph. In this paper, we extend the result from Gould and Whalen (Graphs Comb. 23:165–182, 2007) in a similar manner. An H-subdivision H{\mathcal{H}} in G is 1-extendible if there exists an H-subdivision H^*{\mathcal{H}^{*}} with the same ground set as H{\mathcal{H}} and |H^*| = |H| + 1{|\mathcal{H}^{*}| = |\mathcal{H}| + 1} . If every H-subdivision in G is 1-extendible, then G is pan-H-linked. We demonstrate that if H is sufficiently dense and G is a graph of large enough order n such that d(G) 3 \fracn+m-k+n₁(H)+2n₀(H)2{\delta(G) \ge \frac{n+m-k+n_1(H)+2n_0(H)}{2}} , then G is pan-H-linked. This result is sharp.     

Sobolev Duals in Frame Theory and Sigma-Delta Quantization

A new class of alternative dual frames is introduced in the setting of finite frames for ? ^d . These dual frames, called Sobolev duals, provide a high precision linear reconstruction procedure for Sigma-Delta (ΣΔ) quantization of finite frames. The main result is summarized as follows: reconstruction with Sobolev duals enables stable rth order Sigma-Delta schemes to achieve deterministic approximation error of order $\mathcal{O}(N^{-r})$ for a wide class of finite frames of size N. This asymptotic order is generally not achievable with canonical dual frames. Moreover, Sobolev dual reconstruction leads to minimal mean squared error under the classical white noise assumption.     

The distribution of k-free numbers

Let k ∈ {3; 4; 5}. Let $$ R_k (x) = \sum\limits_{n \leqq xnisk - free} {1 - \frac{x} {{\zeta (k)}}} . $$ We give new upper bounds for R _k (x) conditional on the Riemann hypothesis, improving work of S. W. Graham and J. Pintz. The method stays close to that devised by H. L. Montgomery and R. C. Vaughan, with the improvement depending on exponential sum results.     

High-pressure NMR study of water exchange on magnetic resonance imaging contrast agents

Abstract

The knowledge of water exchange reaction mechanism in aqueous solutions of Gd³⁺ polyaminocarboxylates is important for the understanding of the relatively slow water exchange rates measured for these complexes. Variable ressure measurements show a change of mechanism from associatively activated on [Gd(H₂O)₈]³⁺ and [Gd(PDTA)(H₂O₂)₂]^? to probably limiting dissociative on the MRI contrast agents [Gd(DOTA)(H₂O)]^?, [Gd(DTPA)(H₂O)]^2? and [Gd(DTPA-BMA)(H₂O)].