The neural basis of economic decision-making in the Ultimatum Game

The nascent field of neuroeconomics seeks to ground economic decision making in the biological substrate of the brain. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging of Ultimatum Game players to investigate neural substrates of cognitive and emotional processes involved in economic decision-making. In this game, two players split a sum of money;one player proposes a division and the other can accept or reject this. We scanned players as they responded to fair and unfair proposals. Unfair offers elicited activity in brain areas related to both emotion (anterior insula) and cognition (dorsolateral prefrontal cortex). Further, significantly heightened activity in anterior insula for rejected unfair offers suggests an important role for emotions in decision-making.     

Tropomyosin paracrystals formed by divalent cations

Rabbit tropomyosin exhibits a polymorphism dependent on divalent cations and pH. Above a critical divalent cation concentration fibers with a period of about 400 angstroms are formed. Below this concentration, and near the isoelectric point, lattices are formed. Implications for the morphology and function of striated and smooth muscle are discussed.     

Pyroclastic activity at Home Plate in Gusev Crater, Mars

Home Plate is a layered plateau in Gusev crater on Mars. It is composed of clastic rocks of moderately altered alkali basalt composition, enriched in some highly volatile elements. A coarsegrained lower unit lies under a finer-grained upper unit. Textural observations indicate that the lower strata were emplaced in an explosive event, and geochemical considerations favor an explosive volcanic origin over an impact origin. The lower unit likely represents accumulation of pyroclastic materials, whereas the upper unit may represent eolian reworking of the same pyroclastic materials.     

Role for the membrane receptor guanylyl cyclase-C in attention deficiency and hyperactive behavior

Midbrain dopamine neurons regulate many important behavioral processes, and their dysfunctions are associated with several human neuropsychiatric disorders such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and schizophrenia. Here, we report that these neurons in mice selectively express guanylyl cyclase-C (GC-C), a membrane receptor previously thought to be expressed mainly in the intestine. GC-C activation potentiates the excitatory responses mediated by glutamate and acetylcholine receptors via the activity of guanosine 3',5'-monophosphate-dependent protein kinase (PKG). Mice in which GC-C has been knocked out exhibit hyperactivity and attention deficits. Moreover, their behavioral phenotypes are reversed by ADHD therapeutics and a PKG activator. These results indicate important behavioral and physiological functions for the GC-C/PKG signaling pathway within the brain and suggest new therapeutic targets for neuropsychiatric disorders related to the malfunctions of midbrain dopamine neurons.     

Enhanced enantioselectivity in excitation of chiral molecules by superchiral light

A molecule or larger body is chiral if it cannot be superimposed on its mirror image (enantiomer). Electromagnetic fields may be chiral, too, with circularly polarized light (CPL) as the paradigmatic example. A recently introduced measure of the local degree of chiral dissymmetry in electromagnetic fields suggested the existence of optical modes more selective than circularly polarized plane waves in preferentially exciting single enantiomers in certain regions of space. By probing induced fluorescence intensity, we demonstrated experimentally an 11-fold enhancement over CPL in discrimination of the enantiomers of a biperylene derivative by precisely sculpted electromagnetic fields. This result, which agrees to within 15% with theoretical predictions, establishes that optical chirality is a fundamental and tunable property of light, with possible applications ranging from plasmonic sensors to absolute asymmetric synthesis.     

Alkaloids from catecholamines in adrenal tissue: possible role in alcoholism

Epinephrine and norepinephrine condensed with acetaldehyde or with formaldehyde in dilute aqueous solution at neutral pH and room temperature to form 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroiso-quinoline alkaloids. Similar condensation reactions occurred in cow adrenal glands perfused with dilute aldehyde solutions at 37 degrees C. Biosynthesis of these alkaloids in vivo could play a role in altering an individual's behavior during and after the ingestion of alcohol.