Once Dishonest, Always Dishonest? The Impact of Perceived Pervasiveness of Moral Evaluations of the Self on Motivation to Restore a Moral Reputation

PublishedFour studies specify how moral evaluations of the self regulate behavior aimed at restoring a moral reputation. We propose that people care about evaluations of themselves as moral or immoral because these are perceived as more consequential than other types of information. Therefore people are more inclined to restore their image after being negatively evaluated in terms of morality rather than competence. Studies 1 and 2 revealed that moral information was perceived as having a more enduring impact on one’s reputation, and was more strongly related to anticipate intra-group respect and self-views, than competence and sociability information. This perceived pervasiveness of moral (vs. competence) evaluations mediated intentions to justify and explain one’s behavior (Study 3). Study 4 finally showed that being seen as lacking in morality elicited threat and coping responses, which induced subsequent tendencies to repair one’s moral reputation.This work was made possible due to a FIRB 2012 grant from the Italian Ministry of Education and Research (number RBFR128CR6) awarded to SP and a Spinoza award from the Dutch National Science Foundation (NWO) to NE

Once dishonest, always dishonest? The impact of perceived pervasiveness of moral evaluations of the self on motivation to restore a moral reputation

PublishedArticleFour studies specify how moral evaluations of the self regulate behavior aimed at restoring a moral reputation. We propose that people care about evaluations of themselves as moral or immoral because these are perceived as more consequential than other types of information. Therefore people are more inclined to restore their image after being negatively evaluated in terms of morality rather than competence. Studies 1 and 2 revealed that moral information was perceived as having a more enduring impact on one’s reputation, and was more strongly related to anticipate intra-group respect and self-views, than competence and sociability information. This perceived pervasiveness of moral (vs. competence) evaluations mediated intentions to justify and explain one’s behavior (Study 3). Study 4 finally showed that being seen as lacking in morality elicited threat and coping responses, which induced subsequent tendencies to repair one’s moral reputation.This work was made possible due to a FIRB 2012 grant from the Italian Ministry of Education and Research (number RBFR128CR6) awarded to SP and a Spinoza award from the Dutch National Science Foundation (NWO) to NE

Oral platelet gel supernatant plus supportive medical treatment versus supportive medical treatment in the management of radiation-induced oral mucositis: a matched explorative active control trial by propensity analysis

OBJECTIVES:: In this active control trial, the rate of radio-induced WHO grade 3/4 oral mucositis and the change in quality of life, assessed by OMWQ-HN, were measured in subjects with head and neck cancer treated by platelet gel supernatant (PGS) and supportive medical treatment versus subjects treated by supportive medical treatment alone. MATERIALS AND METHODS:: Eighty patients with nonmetastatic head and neck cancer underwent curative or adjuvant radiotherapy. All patients underwent supportive medical treatment and/or PGS at the beginning and during radiotherapy. Sixteen patients received PGS in association with supportive medical treatment. To obtain 2 groups virtually randomized for important clinical characteristics subjects were matched, by propensity analysis, with a group of subjects (64 patients) treated with supportive medical treatment alone. RESULTS:: Subjects treated with standard supportive treatment experienced significant higher WHO grade 3/4 toxicity (55%; 35/64) than subjects treated by PGS (13%; 3/16). The reduced toxicity found in PGS group paralleled with the evidence that they developed later symptoms with respect to controls. The Cox proportional hazard model indicated that patients treated with standard supportive medical treatment experienced 2.7-fold increase (hazard ratio=2.7; 95% confidence interval, 1.3-5.7) in the occurrence of WHO grade 3/4 toxicity. PGS group significantly experienced higher quality of life than control groups as measured by OMWQ-HN. A significant decrease in the opioid analgesics usage was found in the PGS group. CONCLUSIONS:: These preliminary data should be interpreted with caution and could serve as a framework around which to design future trials

Measurement of the neutron detection efficiency of a 80% absorber - 20% scintillating fibers calorimeter

The neutron detection efficiency of a sampling calorimeter made of 1 mm diameter scintillating fibers embedded in a lead/bismuth structure has been measured at the neutron beam of the The Svedberg Laboratory at Uppsala. A significant enhancement of the detection efficiency with respect to a bulk organic scintillator detector with the same thickness is observed.Comment: 10 pages, 7 figure

The effect of imatinib mesylate on the proliferation, invasive ability, and radiosensitivity of retinoblastoma cell lines

Purpose Our aim was to evaluate the potential effect of imatinib mesylate (IM), a small molecule that specifically inhibits the tyrosine quinase receptors, on the proliferation and invasive abilities of two human retinoblastoma (Rb) cell lines. Furthermore, the ability of IM to radiosensitize Rb cells was evaluated. the potential targets of IM (C-kit, PDGRF-alpha and -beta, and c-Abl) were also investigated in these cell lines.Methods Two human Rb cell lines (WERI-RB-1 and Y79) were cultured under normal growth conditions. An MTT-based proliferation assay and a Matrigel invasion assay were performed with and without exposure to 10 mu M of IM. the cells were also irradiated with graded dosages of 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 Gy with and without IM and their proliferations rates were analyzed. Western blot and immunocytochemical analysis of cytospins were performed to evaluate the expression of C-kit, PDGRF-alpha and -beta, and c-Abl.Results When IM was added to both cell lines a statistically significant (P<0.05) reduction in proliferation and invasive ability were observed. Exposure to IM also significantly increased the radiosensitivity of both Rb cell lines. the c-Abl expression was strongly positive, PDGRF-alpha and -beta expression were also positive but the C-kit expression was negative in both cell lines.Conclusions These results indicate that Gleevec may be useful as an adjuvant treatment in Rb patients, specially those considered for radiation therapy. Eye (2013) 27, 92-99; doi:10.1038/eye.2012.231; published online 16 November 2012PAAOMcGill UniversityMcGill Univ, Ctr Hlth, Dept Ophthalmol & Pathol, Montreal, PQ, CanadaHenry C Witelson Ocular Pathol Lab, Montreal, PQ, CanadaInst Brasileiro Oftalmol, Rio de Janeiro, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo UNIFESP EPM, Dept Ophthalmol, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo UNIFESP EPM, Dept Ophthalmol, São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc

A class of pyrrole derivatives endowed with analgesic/anti-inflammatory activity

We report the synthesis and bio-pharmacological evaluation of a class of pyrrole derivatives featuring a small appendage fragment (carbaldehyde, oxime, nitrile) on the central core. Compound 1c proved to be extremely effective in vivo, showing an interesting anti-nociceptic profile that is comparable to reference compounds already marketed, hence representing a great stimulus for a further improvement of this class of molecules

Defective B-cell proliferation and maintenance of long-term memory in patients with chronic granulomatous disease

Background: Chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) is a primary immune deficiency characterized by a defect in reactive oxygen species production. Although the effect of CGD mainly reflects on the phagocytic compartment, B-cell responses are also impaired in patients with CGD. Objective: We sought to investigate how defective gp91phox expression in patients with CGD and CGD carriers might affect the B-cell compartment and maintenance of long-term memory. Methods: We studied the B-cell compartment of patients with CGD in terms of phenotype and ability to produce reactive oxygen species and proliferate on stimuli differently directed to the B-cell receptor and Toll-like receptor 9. We further studied their capacity to maintain long-term memory by measuring cellular and serologic responses to measles. Results: We show that the memory B-cell compartment is impaired among patients with CGD, as indicated by reduced total (CD191CD271) and resting (CD191CD271CD211) memory B cells in parallel to increased naive (CD191CD272IgD1) B-cell frequencies. Data on CGD carriers reveal that such alterations are related to gp91phox expression. Moreover, proliferative capabilities of B cells on selective in vitro stimulation of B-cell receptor or Toll-like receptor 9 pathways were reduced in patients with CGD compared with those seen in age-matched healthy control subjects. Significantly lower measles-specific antibody levels and antibody-secreting cell numbers were also observed, indicating a poor ability to maintain long-term memory in these patients. Conclusion: Altogether, our data suggest that patients with CGD present a defective B-cell compartment in terms of frequencies of memory B cells, response to in vitro stimulation, and maintenance of long-term antigen-specific memory

INTEGRAL high energy monitoring of the X-ray burster KS 1741-293

KS 1741-293, discovered in 1989 by the X-ray camera TTM in the Kvant module of the Mir space station and identified as an X-ray burster, has not been detected in the hard X band until the advent of the INTEGRAL observatory. Moreover this source has been recently object of scientific discussion, being also associated to a nearby extended radio source that in principle could be the supernova remnant produced by the accretion induced collapse in the binary system. Our long term monitoring with INTEGRAL, covering the period from February 2003 to May 2005, confirms that KS 1741-293 is transient in soft and hard X band. When the source is active, from a simultaneous JEM-X and IBIS data analysis, we provide a wide band spectrum from 5 to 100 keV, that can be fit by a two component model, a multiple blackbody for the soft emission and a Comptonized or a cut-off power law model for the hard component. Finally, by the detection of two X-ray bursters with JEM-X, we confirm the bursting nature of KS 1741-293, including this source in the class of the hard tailed X-ray bursters.Comment: 7 pages, accepted for publication on MNRA

Improving the solubility of a new class of antiinflammatory pharmacodynamic hybrids, that release nitric oxide and inhibit cycloxygenase-2 isoenzyme

The development of a novel class of pharmacodynamic hybrids that inhibits COX-2 isoform is reported. These molecules display enhanced nitric oxide releasing properties due to the presence of an ionisable moiety. The in vivo analgesic/anti-inflammatory activity was maintained in relation to the parent compounds

Novel analgesic/anti-inflammatory agents: 1,5-diarylpyrrole nitrooxyalkyl ethers and related compounds as cyclooxygenase-2 inhibiting nitric oxide donors

A series of 3-substituted 1,5-diarylpyrroles bearing a nitrooxyalkyl side chain linked to different spacers were designed. New classes of pyrrole-derived nitrooxyalkyl inverse esters, carbonates, and ethers (7-10) as COX-2 selective inhibitors and NO donors were synthesized and are herein reported. By taking into account the metabolic conversion of nitrooxyalkyl ethers (9, 10) into corresponding alcohols, derivatives 17 and 18 were also studied. Nitrooxy derivatives showed NO-dependent vasorelaxing properties, while most of the compounds proved to be very potent and selective COX-2 inhibitors in in vitro experimental models. Further in vivo studies on compounds 9a,c and 17a highlighted good anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive activities. Compound 9c was able to inhibit glycosaminoglycan (GAG) release induced by interleukin-1β (IL-1β), showing cartilage protective properties. Finally, molecular modeling and (1)H- and (13)C-NMR studies performed on compounds 6c,d, 9c, and 10b allowed the right conformation of nitrooxyalkyl ester and ether side chain of these molecules within the COX-2 active site to be assessed