Examining the Role of Fairness in High Stakes Allocation Decisions

Recent experimental evidence has led to a debate about the nature of utility functions in which people are concerned about the amount others earn, and what factors heighten or diminish social preference. We explore fairness by examining behavior across three variants of the dictator game. Using data from nearly 200 dictators allocating as much as $100 each, we observe that fairness considerations are very powerful—when subjects could reasonably believe that disproportionately low offers are “fair”, only 8-12 percent of dictators make positive offers. Examining the comparative static results from these allocation decisions, we find that recent theoretical models of inequality do a respectable job of explaining the data patterns.

The Trigonometric Parallax of the Brown Dwarf Planetary System 2MASSW J1207334-393254

We have measured a trigonometric parallax to the young brown dwarf 2MASSW J1207334-393254. The distance [54.0 (+3.2,-2.8) pc] and space motion confirm membership in the TW Hydrae Association. The primary is a ~25 M_jup brown dwarf. We discuss the "planetary mass" secondary, which is certainly below the deuterium-burning limit but whose colors and absolute magnitudes pose challenges to our current understanding of planetary-mass objects.Comment: Accepted to the Astrophysical Journal Letter

Integrating Science and Practice in Pharmacy Curricula

An integrated curriculum is one where the summation of different academic disciplines forms a co- herent whole and, importantly, where the relationships between the different disciplines have been carefully and strategically considered when forming the composite. Within pharmacy curriculum in- tegration is important in order to produce graduates who have the capacity to apply their knowledge to a range of complex problems where available information is often incomplete. This paper discusses the development of an integrated curriculum in which students are presented with an organized, logical sequence of material, but still challenged to make their own integrations and develop as integrative thinkers. An evidence-based model upon which an interdisciplinary undergraduate pharmacy curric- ulum can be built is presented

Dissociating the Role of the Orbitofrontal Cortex and the Striatum in the Computation of Goal Values and Prediction Errors

To make sound economic decisions, the brain needs to compute several different value-related signals. These include goal values that measure the predicted reward that results from the outcome generated by each of the actions under consideration, decision values that measure the net value of taking the different actions, and prediction errors that measure deviations from individuals' previous reward expectations. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging and a novel decision-making paradigm to dissociate the neural basis of these three computations. Our results show that they are supported by different neural substrates: goal values are correlated with activity in the medial orbitofrontal cortex, decision values are correlated with activity in the central orbitofrontal cortex, and prediction errors are correlated with activity in the ventral striatum

Academic Research and Reform: A History of the Empirical Basis for NCAA Academic Policy

The purpose of this article is to provide an historical overview of the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s (NCAA) academic reform, with a particular focus on the empirical basis for the decisions made. The authors outline four eras of academic reform, examine the types of information the NCAA has collected and used to make decisions about academic policy, and explore the limits of such academic data

Value Computations in Ventral Medial Prefrontal Cortex during Charitable Decision Making Incorporate Input from Regions Involved in Social Cognition

Little is known about the neural networks supporting value computation during complex social decisions. We investigated this question using functional magnetic resonance imaging while subjects made donations to different charities. We found that the blood oxygenation level-dependent signal in ventral medial prefrontal cortex (VMPFC) correlated with the subjective value of voluntary donations. Furthermore, the region of the VMPFC identified showed considerable overlap with regions that have been shown to encode for the value of basic rewards at the time of choice, suggesting that it might serve as a common valuation system during decision making. In addition, functional connectivity analyses indicated that the value signal in VMPFC might integrate inputs from networks, including the anterior insula and posterior superior temporal cortex, that are thought to be involved in social cognition

The Fecundity and Reproductive Season of \u3ci\u3eFundulus sciadicus\u3c/i\u3e in Nebraska (Actinopterygii: Fundulidae)

The reproductive season of Fundulus sciadicus in Nebraska was investigated using preserved materials. Ovarian eggs matured in late March or early April. By mid-July all adult females were spent. Females with enlarged eggs were in their second, third, and fourth seasons of life. Eggs were classified on the basis of their morphology and the presence or absence of oil droplets and yolk. Mature eggs ranged in size from 1.6 to 2.0 mm in diameter. The largest ovarian complement (mature eggs only) was 88. Evidence of reabsorption (large eggs that have collapsed and have only small amounts of yolk) was seen in fish collected in June, July, and August, and suggests that clutch size is smaller than the ovarian complement in this species