Emergence of acronyms in a community of language users

Language is a complex system that evolves over time, due to several phenomena. In recent years, new communication media are affecting interpersonal written communication. In particular, mobile phones and internet-based communication media are leading people to use a small number of characters when writing messages. Hence, acronyms or abbreviations are used in most cases. In particular, a mobile phone message is usually composed by short phrases, the social network Twitter only allows 140 characters per message and in many online forums users have limited space for questions and answers. Although the use of acronyms dates back to ancient times, nowadays this type of linguistic sign is gaining prestige. In this work, we study the introduction of acronyms in social systems. In particular, we define a simple game for the purpose of analyzing how the use of an acronym spreads in a population, considering its ability to create a shared meaning. We performed many numerical simulations according to the proposed model, showing the creation of acronyms to be the result of collective dynamics in a population.     

Lyapunov exponent for Lipschitz maps

Nonlinear Dynamics - It is well known that the Lyapunov exponent plays a fundamental role in dynamical systems. In this note, we propose a definition of Lyapunov exponent for Lipschitz maps, which...     

Crystal and molecular structure of nitrosyl(1,10-phenanthroline)-bis(triphenylphosphine)iridium(I) Dihexafluorophosphate, [Ir(NO)(phen)(PPh3)2][PF6]2

Summary The structure of [Ir(NO)(phen)(PPh₃)₂][PF₆]₂ has been determined from x-ray diffractometer data. The compound crystallizes in space groupPnam with four molecules in a unit cell witha = 19.924(12),b = 14.793(9) andc = 16.348(9) A. Full-matrix least-squares refinement has led to a final R value of 0.061 for the 4796 observed reflections. The structure consists of well-separated ions, and the geometry around the metal is trigonal bipyramidal with nitrosyl and bidentate 1,10-phenanthroline (in spite of the very narrow bite angle of 75.8°) ligands occupying the equatorial positions and the triphenylphosphine ligands the axial positions. The cation has an imposed crystallographicm symmetry. Important bond lengths are as follows: Ir-P, 2.391(3): Ir-N (nitrosyl) 1.700(12): Ir-N (1,10-phenanthroline) 2.103(12) and 2.142(11): N-O, 1.201(18)A. The nitrosyl ligand is linear [Ir-N-O = 179.9(9)°] so that this complex can be formulated as an NO⁺ complex of iridium(I).     

The crystal structure of tris(acetonitrile)nitrosylbis(triphenylphosphine)iridium(III) dihexafluorophosphate. An unusual iridium nitrosyl hexacoordinate complex

Summary The structure of [Ir(NCMe)₃(NO)(PPh₃)₂][PF₆]₂ has been ] determined by x-ray methods. Crystals are orthorhombic, space groupPca 2₁ , witha = 21.753(14),b = 11.678(10),c = 18.474(12) Å and Z = 4. The structure has been solved from diffractometer data and refined by full-matrix leastsquares to R = 0.076 for 2776 observed reflections. The cation is a hexacoordinate and not a pentacoordinate species as expected. The extra acetonitrile molecule,trans to the nitrosyl ligand, is much more weakly bound to the metal atom [Ir-N 2.360(26) against 1.965(20) and 1.912(14) Å for the other two acetonitriles]. The nitrosyl is bent [Ir-N-O 111(1)° Å] and acts as the formally one-electron donor NO^–.     

Solid-state structures and conformational studies of four 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroacridine Alzheimer's disease therapeutics

The solid-state structures of four 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroacridines [tacrine hydrochloride monohydrate (1), 7-methoxytacrine hydrochloride monohydrate (2), velnacrine hydrogenmaleate (3) and suronacrine hydrogenmaleate (4)] were determined from single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. (1): monoclinic,P2₁/n, a=8.778(1),b=8.521(1),c=17.603(2)Å, =101.34(1)°. (2): monoclinic,C2/c, a=12.326(7),b=18.050(9),c=13.822(8)Å, =113.70(4)°. (3): triclinic, ,a=7.349(2),b=9.417(3),c=12.557(4)Å, =109.62(2), =98.12(2), =101.18(2)°. (4): monoclinic,P2₁/n, a=8.513(6),b=18.74(1),c=13.401(6)Å, =91.21(5)°. FinalR factors for compounds(1)–(4) are 0.047, 0.057, 0.057, 0.11, respectively. The overall arrangement of the common aminotetrahydroacridine skeleton looks similar in all derivatives. However, whereas enantiomerization of the unsubstituted cyclohexenyl rings occurs in (1) and (2), onlyquasi-axially hydroxyl substituted diastereomers are found for (3) and (4). This is presumably due to the different propensities for hydrogen bonding of axially vs. equatorially disposed hydroxyl groups with the hydrogenmaleate anions. Empirical and semiempirical calculations were performed to examine the conformational behavior of the four compounds, bothin vacuo and in solution.     

Solid state conformational parameters in dibenzo[b,f]heteroepin drugs: Crystal structures of 3-methoxy-10-methyl-11-phenyldibenzo[b,f]thiepine and 3-allyloxy-10-ethyl-11-phenyldibenzo[b,f]oxepine

The structures of 3-methoxy-10-methyl-11-phenyldibenzo[b, f]thiepine (I) [C₂₂H₁₈OS, tetragonal,I4₁/a, witha=33.81(1),c=6.065(5)Å,Z=16] and 3-allyloxy-10-ethyl-11-phenyldibenzo[b,f]oxepine (II) [C₂₅H₂₂O₂, mono-clinic,P2₁/c,a=12.115(7),b=16.316(9),c=10.136(7)Å,=105.05(9)°,Z=4] have been determined by the symbolic addition procedure and refined by least-squares method to anR of 0.090 for 784 diffractometer-measured reflections (I) and to anR of 0.083 for 442 reflections (II). The dihedral angle between the phenyl-ring mean planes is 111.3° in (I) and 121.1° in (II), the middle seven-membered ring has the boat conformation, and the tricyclic moiety has twist and skew values of 6° and 0.42 Å in (I) and 0.3° and 0.79 Å in (II). The overall conformational characteristic for the tricyclic (6, 7, 6)-dibenzo[b,f]heteroepin derivatives have been reviewed to gain a better understanding of what requirements may be important for interaction of drugs of this class at the receptor site.     

Multitechnique investigation of conformational features of small molecules: the case of methyl phenyl sulfoxide

The conformational distribution of methyl phenyl sulfoxide (a molecule representative of a very important class of reagents widely used in asymmetric synthesis) has been studied in two different phases of matter (gas phase and solution) by a comprehensive approach including theoretical calculations, microwave spectroscopy, liquid crystal NMR experiments, and atomistic molecular dynamics computer simulations. The aim was to investigate the combined action of intra- and intermolecular interactions in determining the molecule's conformational equilibrium, upon which important physicochemical properties (inter alia, the chemoselectivity) significantly depend. Basically, the results converge in describing the tendency of the molecule to favor stable conformations governed by intramolecular interactions (in particular, the expected optimization between steric repulsion and conjugation of pi systems). However, significant solvent effects (whose "absolute" magnitude is actually difficult to assess, due to a certain "method-dependence" of the results) have been also detected.     

Molecular recognition of chiral conformers: a rotational study of the dimers of glycidol

Two homochiral dimers of glycidol, deriving from two different conformers, have been characterized by rotational spectroscopy in a supersonic expansion.     

Sn-centred icosahedral Rh carbonyl clusters: synthesis and structural characterization and 13C-{103Rh} HMQC NMR studies

The reaction of [Rh(7)(CO)(16)](3-) with SnCl(2).2H(2)O in a 1 : 1 molar ratio under N(2) results in the formation of the new heterometallic cluster, [Rh(12)Sn(CO)(27)](4-), in very high yield (ca. 86%). Further controlled additions of SnCl(2).2H(2)O, or solutions of HCl, or [RhCl(COD)](2), give [Rh(12)(micro-Cl)(2)Sn(CO)(23)](4-). Similarly, addition of HBr to [Rh(12)Sn(CO)(27)](4-) gives the related cluster [Rh(12)(micro-Br)(2)Sn(CO)(23)](4-). Notably, if the addition of SnCl(2).2H(2)O to [Rh(12)Sn(CO)(27)](4-) is carried out under a CO atmosphere, the reaction takes a different course and leads to the formation of the new cluster, [Rh(12)Sn(micro(3)-RhCl)(CO)(27)](4-). All the above clusters have been shown by single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies to have a metal framework based on an icosahedron, which is centred by the unique Sn atom. Their chemical reactivity and (13)C-{(103)Rh} HMQC NMR spectroscopic characterization are also reported.