The Devil You Know: The Effects of Identifiability on Punishment

Prior research has confirmed Thomas Schelling\u27s observation that people are more sympathetic and hence generous toward specific identified victims than toward “statistical” victims who are yet to be identified. In the study presented in this article we demonstrate an equivalent effect for punitiveness. We find that people are more punitive toward identified wrongdoers than toward equivalent, but unidentified, wrongdoers, even when identifying the wrongdoer conveys no meaningful information about him or her. To account for the effect of identifiability on both generosity and punitiveness, we propose that affective reactions of any type are stronger toward an identified than toward an unidentified target. Consistent with such an account, the effect of identifiability on punishing behavior was mediated by self‐reported anger

Heart Strings and Purse Strings: Carryover Effects of Emotions on Economic Decisions

We examined the impact of specific emotions on the endowment effect, the tendency for selling prices to exceed buying or “choice” prices for the same object. As predicted by appraisal-tendency theory, disgust induced by a prior, irrelevant situation carried over to normatively unrelated economic decisions, reducing selling and choice prices and eliminating the endowment effect. Sadness also carried over, reducing selling prices but increasing choice prices—producing a “reverse endowment effect” in which choice prices exceeded selling prices. The results demonstrate that incidental emotions can influence decisions even when real money is at stake, and that emotions of the same valence can have opposing effects on such decisions

The Role of Phagocytes in Immunity to Candida albicans

Body clearance of fungi such as Candida albicans involves phagocytosis by fixed tissue macrophages as well as infiltrating monocytes and neutrophils. Through phagocytosis, the fungi are confined and killed by the oxidative and non-oxidative anti-microbial systems. These include oxygen derived reactive species, generated from the activation of the NADPH oxidase complex and granule constituents. These same mechanisms are responsible for the damage to hyphal forms of C. albicans. Complement promotes phagocytosis, through their interaction with a series of complement receptors including the recently described complement receptor immunoglobulin. However, it is also evident that under other conditions, the killing of yeast and hyphal forms can occur in a complement-independent manner. Phagocytosis and killing of Candida is enhanced by the cytokine network, such as tumour necrosis factor and interferon gamma. Patients with primary immunodeficiency diseases who have phagocytic deficiencies, such as those with defects in the NADPH oxidase complex are predisposed to fungal infections, providing evidence for the critical role of phagocytes in anti-fungal immunity. Secondary immunodeficiencies can arise as a result of treatment with anti-cancer or other immunosuppressive drugs. These agents may also predispose patients to fungal infections due to their ability to compromise the anti-microbial activity of phagocytes

The S. pombe translation initiation factor eIF4G is sumoylated and associates with the SUMO protease Ulp2

SUMO is a small post-translational modifier, that is attached to lysine residues in target proteins. It acts by altering proteinprotein interactions, protein localisation and protein activity. SUMO chains can also act as substrates for ubiquitination, resulting in proteasome-mediated degradation of the target protein. SUMO is removed from target proteins by one of a number of specific proteases. The processes of sumoylation and desumoylation have well documented roles in DNA metabolism and in the maintenance of chromatin structure. To further analyse the role of this modification, we have purified protein complexes containing the S. pombe SUMO protease, Ulp2. These complexes contain proteins required for ribosome biogenesis, RNA stability and protein synthesis. Here we have focussed on two translation initiation factors that we identified as co-purifying with Ulp2, eIF4G and eIF3h. We demonstrate that eIF4G, but not eIF3h, is sumoylated. This modification is increased under conditions that produce cytoplasmic stress granules. Consistent with this we observe partial co-localisation of eIF4G and SUMO in stressed cells. Using HeLa cells, we demonstrate that human eIF4GI is also sumoylated; in vitro studies indicate that human eIF4GI is modified on K1368 and K1588, that are located in the C-terminal eIF4A- and Mnk-binding sites respectively

Selfish Or Selfless? on the Signal Value of Emotion in Altruistic Behavior

We examine when consumers gain credit for good deeds. Contrary to theories that decry emotions as selfish, people view emotions as authentic, and therefore deserving of charitable credit. Further, feeling good as a result of giving is viewed positively, unless someone explicitly claims to have been motivated by emotional benefits. [to cite]