Positive value of information in games

We exhibit a general class of interactive decision situations in which all the agents benefit from more information. This class includes as a special case the classical comparison of statistical experiments à la Blackwell. AMS 2000 Subject Classification:Primary 91A35.The work of Bruno Bassan and Marco Scarsini was partially supported by MIUR-COFIN. The authors express their thanks to Sylvain Sorin for enlightening comments.     

An investigation of tautomeric equilibria by means of mass spectrometry

Changes in the mass spectra with inlet temperature were used in this work to demonstrate the dependence of keto-enol tautomerism of acetylacetone, 3-methyl acetylacetone and 3-allyl acetylacetone on temperature. The largest dependence of temperature were shown by the ion [M ? 42]^+. arising from a McLafferty type rearrangement and by the ion [M ? Me]⁺ resulting from simple α-cleavage. The ion [M ? 42]^+. peak increases with the temperature of the inlet system while the ion [M ? Me]⁺ peak decreases. By assuming that the ion [M ? 42]^+. represents the keto form and that the ion [M ? Me]⁺ represents the cis-enol form (stabilized by the hydrogen bond) one sees that the direction of the intensity variation of these peaks with temperature is in accord with the expected change of keto-enol tautomerism with temperature. A quantitative correlation on the basis of the above assumptions is also approached. Recording of the mass spectra of these three β-diketones at different energies of the incident electrons enables us to estimate whether or not the particular ions present in the mass spectra result from energetically favourable processes. The variation of the intensities of the peaks with the temperature of the inlet at different electron energies is also discussed.     

A colorimetric method for the estimation of glutamic acid in protein hydrolyzates

On heating with hydroxylamine and on subsequent treatment with ferric chloride, pyrrolidonecarboxylic acid gives a colour reaction. This reaction can be used for the quantitative estimation of glutamic acid in protein hydrolyzates since this acid is almost completely converted into pyrrohdonecarboxylic acid at 125° and pH 3–4.     

Triflic Acid-Promoted Formylation of Ceramide in Dimethylformamide

The protected ceramide: N‐((2S,3S,4R)‐3,4‐bis(benzyloxy)‐1‐hydroxyoctadecan‐2‐yl)tetracosanamide, was attempted to introduce a triflate as a leaving group followed by a nucleophilic substitution with azido group in one‐pot manner. Unexpectedly, the oxazole ring formed via a thermodynamically favored intramolecular cyclization was opened to generate the original ceramide by triflic acid. In addition, the residual acid promoted a formylation of the primary hydroxy group in DMF.     

Viscosity of Alkali–Metal Iodides in Propionitrile and Acetonitrile Mixtures at 25°C

The relative viscosities were measured for LiI, NaI, KI, RbI, Bu₄NBPh₄, and Bu₄NI in a wide range of mixtures of propionitrile and acetonitrile at 25°C to obtain Jones–Dole Bcoefficients. The Bcoefficients of these electrolytes were large and positive. The values of ionic Bcoefficients allow us to assess the behavior of ions in the solvent mixtures.     

High-performance liquid chromatographic analysis of free palmitic and stearic acids in cerebrospinal fluid

A relatively simple method for extraction of free fatty acids from cerebrospinal fluid with aminopropyl bonded-phase columns, and the estimation of palmitic acid (C16:0) and stearic acid (C18:0) concentrations by high-performance liquid chromatographic analysis is described. The values of C16:0 and C18:0 in patients with non-neurological disorders lie within a narrow range, with a mean (+/- S.D.) of 4.02 +/- 0.33 micrograms/ml for C16:0 and 2.72 +/- 0.39 micrograms/ml for C18:0.