Evaluating nonlinear variability of mental fatigue behavioral indices during long‐term attentive task

This study investigates the behavioral indices of attention. A simple repetitive attentive task that resulted in mental fatigue was used consecutively in four trials. In the first step, reaction time and error responses were recorded to evaluate differences among trials. During the task, subjects showed different responses to stimulations. In the second part, to recognize the strategies, multiple clustering methods such as k‐means and fuzzy c‐means were performed in which behavioral indices and nonlinear features were used. In the last section, mental behavior was identified as a result of the chaotic properties of variations in reaction time. Therefore, the Lyapunov exponent of reaction times was evaluated. Results revealed that behavioral indices could distinguish attention from the occurrence of mental fatigue in trials. In addition, the three strategies used by subjects during the test protocol were assessed. Finally, variation of indices extracted from nonlinear analysis, that is, decrease in degree of chaotic behavior determined the transition from attention to mental fatigue. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Complexity, 2012     

Do we know the mass of a black hole? Mass of some cosmological black hole models

Using a cosmological black hole model proposed recently, we have calculated the quasi-local mass of a collapsing structure within a cosmological setting due to different definitions put forward in the last decades to see how similar or different they are. It has been shown that the mass within the horizon follows the familiar Brown–York behavior. It increases, however, outside the horizon again after a short decrease, in contrast to the Schwarzschild case. Further away, near the void, outside the collapsed region, and where the density reaches the background minimum, all the mass definitions roughly coincide. They differ, however, substantially far from it. Generically, we are faced with three different Brown–York mass maxima: near the horizon, around the void between the overdensity region and the background, and another at cosmological distances corresponding to the cosmological horizon. While the latter two maxima are always present, the horizon mass maxima is absent before the onset of the central singularity.     

Efficient Chemoselective Mild Deprotection of S,Sand S,O-Acetals and Ketals with Electrophilic Halogens

A novel and simple method for the chemoselective deprotection of S,S- and S,O-acetals and ketals in the presence of their O,O-analogs with electrophilic halogens to their corresponding carbonyl compounds is described using N-bromosuccinimide, N-chlorosuccinimide, 2,4,4,6-tetrabromo-2,5-cyclohexen-1-one, trichlorocyanuric acid, or molecular bromine in aqueous acetonitrile. The use of these reagents in the presence of hydrated silica gel provide efficient, novel, and mild procedures for the deprotection of cyclic and acyclic O,O-, S,S-, and S,O-acetals and ketals in excellent yields in short reaction times.     

Highly Regioselective Ring Opening of Epoxides with Thiols Catalyzed by SbCl3 Under Solvent-Free Conditions

The ring-opening reaction of epoxides with thiols by SbCl ₃ supported on Kieselguhr under solvent-free conditions, afforded high yields of β-hydroxy sulfides. Nucleophilic attack of the thiols occurs regioselectively at the less hindered side of the epoxides.     

Reaction in Dry Media: Silica Gel Supported Ferric Chloride Catalyzed Synthesis of 1,8-Dioxo-octahydroxanthene Derivatives

Herein, we describe a green procedure for the one-pot preparation of 1,8-dioxo-octahydroxanthene derivatives by condensation of dimedone and substituted benzaldehydes in the presence of FeCl ₃ -SiO ₂ as an efficient and heterogeneous catalyst under microwave irradiation and thermal conditions. This method has the advantages of high yields, cleaner reactions, efficient and cost-effective method, simple methodology, short reaction times, easy workup, and greener conditions.     

One-Pot Stereoselective Synthesis of Alkyl Z-2-[2-Amino-4-oxo-1,3-selenazol-5(4H)-yliden] Acetates

Abstract

Selenourea reacts with dialkyl acetylenedicarboxylates in acetone to form 1:1 adducts, which undergo a cyclization reaction to produce alkyl Z-2-(2-amino-4-oxo-1,3-selenazol-5(4H)-yliden) acetates in fairly good yields. The reaction is completely stereoselective.     

Stereoselective Synthesis of Alkyl Z -2-(2-Amino-4-oxo-1,3-thiazol-5(4 H )-yliden)Acetates in Solventless Conditions

Tiourea reacts with dialkyl acetylenedicarboxylates in solventless conditions to form 1:1 adducts, which undergo a cyclization reaction to produce alkyl Z-2-(2-amino-4-oxo-1,3-thiazol-5(4H)-yliden)acetates in fairly good yields. The stereochemistry of the ethyl Z-2-(2-amino-4-oxo-1,3-thiazol-5(4H)-yliden)acetate was established by the use of X-ray single crystal structure analysis. The reaction is completely stereoselective.     

KF/Al2O3 as an Efficient,Green, and Reusable Catalytic System for the Solvent-Free Synthesis of N-Alkyl Derivatives of Sulfonamides via Michael Reactions

KF/Al ₂ O ₃ efficiently catalyzes the microwave-assisted Michael addition of sulfonamides to α,β-unsaturated esters under solvent-free conditions to afford N-alkyl derivatives of sulfonamides as biologically interesting compounds in high yields and in short reaction times. In this reaction, N,N-dialkylsulfonamides are also produced, but in very low yields.     

Ab Initio Study of Structures,Metallotropic 1,2-Shifts and Prototropic 1,2-Shifts of Cyclopentadienyl(trimethyl)silane, -germane and -stannane

Molecular structures, metallotropic and prototropic shifts of cyclopentadienyl(trimethyl)silane ( 1 ), cyclopentadienyl(trimethyl)germane ( 2 ), and cyclopentadienyl(trimethyl)stannane ( 3 ) were investigated using ab initio molecular orbital and the Becke, Lee, Yang, and Parr density functional (B3LYP) methods. The results show that the most stable structure of compounds 1-3 has the (CH 3 ) 3 M fragment in the allylic position. The energy barrier of metallotropic shifts in compound 1 is higher than in 2 , and in compound 2 higher than in 3 , in good agreement with experimental data. The cyclopentadienyl rings in compounds 1-3 are found to be planar but this result contradicts the reported experimental data.