Mental representations of important real-life decisions

Two studies investigated how decision makers characterize alternatives in important real-life decisions, which they themselves had made (to leave a partner, to choose an education and to choose a home). First, the participants indicated a very high degree of involvement in the decisions studied and about half of the participants gave maximum involvement ratings for the partner decision. Second, the results showed that concepts that are essential in most decision theories, such as, consequence, probability and value were important characteristics of the decisions. Third, emotion, positive and negative affect were also important characteristics. Fourth, value and emotion were uncorrelated. Fifth, the patterns of characteristics of decisions made in the past did not differ markedly from the characteristics given to future decisions. Principal component analyses were performed on the ratings of applicability of the different characteristics across participants for each decision situation. Three factors were extracted. There was one factor for positive affect/emotions and another factor for negative affect/emotions verified in oblique solutions. Thus, different scales are needed to represent emotion/affect components (and not bipolar scales) in real-life important decisions. The third factor represented the way in which a decision was represented (moving pictures dialogue etc.). An analysis restricted to the participants who rated 100% involvement showed an additional fourth factor with “what others would think”, “similar situations”, “values” and “money” as the most prominent characteristics. This points to the importance of controlling for participant involvement in studies of human decision making to enable generalizations to real-life decisions.     

ABSORPTION SPECTRAL SHIFTS OF CAROTENOIDS RELATED TO MEDIUM POLARIZABILITY

Abstract–Solvent induced absorption spectral shifts of the electronic transition from ground 1 A_g state to the excited 1B_u state in carotenoids have been studied. It is shown that the shift depends only on dispersion interactions in non-polar solvents. In polar media there is just a small extra contribution to the red-shift, due to other forms of interactions. The spectral shifts are well described by the theory, which expresses the shift relative to the gas phase value, as a function of solvent polarizability. The main conclusion is that the dominating mechanism behind the large red-shifted absorbance of carotenoids in the proteinacous environment, in vivo, is the mutual polarizability interactions between the carotenoids and the surrounding medium. The solution-phase values of the dipole moments of the lA_g to 1B_u transitions and the differences of isotropic polarizability between 1B_u and lA_g states of carotenoids in non-polar solvents are calculated and found to be around 13 D and 360 ų respectively. From the great overlap of absorption spectra between carotenoids in quinoline and carotenoids in vivo in purple bacterial antenna complexes, it can be expected that the carotenoids are surrounded by several aromatic amino acids in vivo. Comparisons have been done between the exicted states in carotenoids and in linear conjugated polyenes.     

Phage-display selection of a human single-chain fv antibody highly specific for melanoma and breast cancer cells using a chemoenzymatically synthesized G(M3)-carbohydrate antigen

Overexpression of the cell-surface glycosphingolipid G(M3) is associated with a number of different cancers, including those of the skin, colon, breast, and lung. Antibodies against the G(M3) epitope have potential application as therapeutic agents in the treatment of these cancers. We describe the chemoenzymatic synthesis of two G(M3)-derived reagents and their use in the panning of a phage-displayed human single-chain Fv (scFv) antibody library derived from the blood of cancer patients. Three scFv-phage clones, GM3A6, GM3A8, and GM3A15, were selected for recombinant expression and were characterized using BIAcore and flow cytometry. BIAcore measurements using the purified, soluble scFvs yielded dissociation constants (K(d)) ranging from 4.2 x 10(-7) to 2.1 x 10(-5) M. Flow cytometry was used to evaluate the ability of each scFv to discriminate between normal human cells (human dermal fibroblast, HDFa), melanoma cells (HMV-1, M21, and C-8161), and breast cancer cells (BCM-1, BCM-2, and BMS). GM3A6 displayed cross-reactivity with normal cells, as well as tumor cells, and GM3A15 possessed little or no binding activity toward any of the cell lines tested. However, GM3A8 bound to five of the six tumor cell lines and showed no measurable reactivity against the HDFa cells. Hence, we have demonstrated that a synthetic G(M3) panning reagent can be used to isolate a fully human scFv that is highly specific for native G(M3) on the surface of tumor cells. The result is a significant step toward effective immunotherapies for the treatment of cancer.     

Enhancement of the catalytic activity of [Cu2(TS)(OH)2(OAc)] using superconductor cuprate sample

A superconducting sample (Nd_0.1Y_0.9Ba₂Cu₃O_7-δ) has been tried as a catalyst for H₂O₂ decomposition. All parameters affecting the reaction rate (concentration of H₂O₂, weight of catalyst, temperature and pH) were studied and the optimum conditions were evaluated. A mixture of the superconducting cuprate with [Cu₂(TS)(OH)(OAc)] using different percentages of the sample has been prepared and tried kinetically under the same mentioned conditions. An attempt was made to increase the activity of the complex. The data show that the cuprate sample alone was found to be almost inactive when compared with that of the mixture. The catalytic mechanism in the absence and presence of the complex was suggested.     

Unbounded derivations and invariant states

Let be a von Neumann algebra with a cyclic and separating vector . Let =i[H, ·] be the spatial derivation implemented by a selfadjoint operatorH, such thatH=0. Let be the modular operator associated with the pair (, ). We prove the equivalence of the following three conditions:1)H is essential selfadjoint onD(), andH commutes strongly with .2) The restriction ofH toD() is essential selfadjoint onD(^1/2) equipped with the inner product(|)_#=(|)+(^1/2|^1/2), , D(^1/2).3) exp (itH) exp (–itH)= for anyt.We show by an example, that the first part of 1),H is essential selfadjoint onD(), does not imply 3). This disproves a conjecture due to Bratteli and Robinson [3].Part of this work was done while O.B. was a member of Zentrum für interdisziplinäre Forschung der Universität Bielefeld     

On the possible temperatures of a dynamical system

A simpleC*-algebra and a continuous one-parameter automorphism group are constructed such that the set of inverse temperatures at which there exist equilibrium states (i.e., KMS states, or, for =±, ground or ceiling states) is an arbitrary closed subset of IR{±}.With partial support of the National Science Foundation     

A peptide-derived strategy for specifically targeting the mitochondria and ER of cancer cells: a new approach in fighting cancer

An effective anti-cancer therapy should exclusively target cancer cells and trigger in them a broad spectrum of cell death pathways that will prevent avoidance. Here, we present a new approach in cancer therapy that specifically targets the mitochondria and ER of cancer cells. We developed a peptide derived from the flexible and transmembrane domains of the human protein NAF-1/CISD2. This peptide (NAF-1^44-67) specifically permeates through the plasma membranes of human epithelial breast cancer cells, abolishes their mitochondria and ER, and triggers cell death with characteristics of apoptosis, ferroptosis and necroptosis. In vivo analysis revealed that the peptide significantly decreases tumor growth in mice carrying xenograft human tumors. Computational simulations of cancer vs. normal cell membranes reveal that the specificity of the peptide to cancer cells is due to its selective recognition of their membrane composition. NAF-1^44-67 represents a promising anti-cancer lead compound that acts via a unique mechanism.

An effective anti-cancer therapy should exclusively target cancer cells and trigger in them a broad spectrum of cell death pathways that will prevent avoidance.     

Incorporation of nanogels within calcite single crystals for the storage,protection and controlled release of active compounds

Nanocarriers have tremendous potential for the encapsulation, storage and delivery of active compounds. However, current formulations often employ open structures that achieve efficient loading of active agents, but that suffer undesired leakage and instability of the payloads over time. Here, a straightforward strategy that overcomes these issues is presented, in which protein nanogels are encapsulated within single crystals of calcite (CaCO₃). Demonstrating our approach with bovine serum albumin (BSA) nanogels loaded with (bio)active compounds, including doxorubicin (a chemotherapeutic drug) and lysozyme (an antibacterial enzyme), we show that these nanogels can be occluded within calcite host crystals at levels of up to 45 vol%. Encapsulated within the dense mineral, the active compounds are stable against harsh conditions such as high temperature and pH, and controlled release can be triggered by a simple reduction of the pH. Comparisons with analogous systems – amorphous calcium carbonate, mesoporous vaterite (CaCO₃) polycrystals, and calcite crystals containing polymer vesicles – demonstrate the superior encapsulation performance of the nanogel/calcite system. This opens the door to encapsulating a broad range of existing nanocarrier systems within single crystal hosts for the efficient storage, transport and controlled release of various active guest species.

Nanocarriers have tremendous potential for the encapsulation, storage and delivery of active compounds.     

Sialoside analogue arrays for rapid identification of high affinity siglec ligands

The siglec family of sialic acid binding proteins participates in diverse cell surface biology that includes regulation of immune cell signaling and the interaction of neuronal cells with glial cells. The weak intrinsic affinity of the natural sialoside ligands has hampered the development of synthetic ligand based probes needed to elucidate their roles in siglec function. In this report, we describe a glycan microarray comprising a library of 9-acyl-substituted sialic acids incorporated into sialosides containing the Neu5Acalpha2-3Gal and Neu5Acalpha-6Gal linkages commonly recognized by the siglecs. The array is demonstrated to exhibit utility for detecting 9-acyl substituents that increase the affinity of siglecs for their ligands. Substituents that increase affinity are anticipated to be useful for the design of high affinity ligand based probes of siglec function.     

Synthesis and characterisation of PC(sp3)P phosphine and phosphinite platinum(II) complexes. Cyclometallation and simple coordination

New and improved preparative routes to the previously known PCP ligands cis-1,3-bis(di-isopropylphosphinito)cyclohexane and cis-1,3-bis[(di-tert-butylphosphino)methyl]cyclohexane are reported. They react with 1 equivalent of dichloro(1,5-cyclooctadiene)platinum(II) [(COD)PtCl2] to give the cis coordinated complex cis-[PtCl2{cis-1,3-bis(di-isopropylphosphinito)}cyclohexane] and the C(sp3)-H activated complex trans-[PtCl{cis-1,3-bis(di-tert-butylphosphino)}cyclohexane]. The new PCP ligand cis-1,3-bis(di-tert-butylphosphinito)cyclohexane was synthesised and reacts with [(COD)PtCl2] giving the di-nuclear trans-[PtCl2{cis-1,3-bis(di-tert-butylphosphinito)cyclohexane}]2, which is highly insoluble. All metal complexes were characterised with X-ray crystallography. DFT calculations indicate that the inability of the phosphinite ligands to cyclometallate is due to a kinetic barrier, possibly involving an axial-equatorial conformational change necessary for the C-H activation process.