The Effect of Temporal Discounting and Loss Aversion on Mock Plea Bargain Decision-Making

An overwhelming majority of criminal cases in the United States utilize plea bargaining (90-95%). A plea bargain is an agreement between a criminal defendant and a prosecuting attorney where the defendant agrees to plead guilty, or nolo contendre (no contest), to one or more charges to reduce or drop other charges. The decision to accept a plea bargain must be made by the defendant, so a defendant’s ability to make or communicate competent choices regarding a plea bargain is important. However, defendant decision-making in plea bargaining is not sufficiently prevalent in plea bargaining or decision-making literature. While factors such as strength of evidence and attorney recommendation have been explored in defendant plea bargain decision-making, the same cannot be said of several cognitive biases that have been shown to affect decision-making in defendants. The current study is exploring the role of two such biases, temporal discounting and loss aversion, on defendant decision-making in plea bargaining. Participants in the study were presented with a vignette that details a plea-bargaining scenario and manipulates either temporal discounting or loss aversion, and were asked whether or not they would accept the plea bargain. It was found that more participants accepted a plea bargain when the consequence of doing so was distal rather than proximal, showing that temporal discounting had an effect, but that loss aversion had no effect on plea bargain decision-making. These findings can be used to inform various actors within the criminal justice system on how to frame plea offers in order to not be manipulative towards defendants

The Effects of Ovarian Hormones and Exercise on Gene Markers of Cardiac Dysfunction

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in women in the United States. Premenopausal women appear to have better cardiac function and lower risk of heart disease compared to male postmenopausal female counterparts. Ovarian hormone loss influences blood pressure homeostasis and causes systemic inflammation, which may result in chronic stress on the heart. Two key physiological changes in cardiac dysfunction are reemergence of the fetal gene pattern and myocardial remodeling. Physical activity has been linked to improved cardiac function. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of ovariectomy on early markers of cardiac dysfunction and fibrosis and to determine if voluntary physical activity alters expression patterns in ovariectomized mice. We investigated the effects of ovariectomy and exercise on cardiac expression of fetal genes and markers and mediators of fibrosis in two cohorts of 8-10 week old female mice. Ovariectomized mice had greater expression of cardiac fetal genes and real time-PCR (RT-PCR) results indicated activation of the fibrosis pathway. Exercise was able to influence the expression of some markers of cardiac dysfunction. We concluded that ovarian hormone loss and associated physiological changes such as increased adiposity and systemic inflammation trigger early changes in cardiac gene expression that precede overt cardiac dysfunction

Electroanalytical applications of carbon electrodes

Carbon materials, such as graphite and conducting diamond, are highly popular for analytical and electrochemical applications, and fundamental knowledge of heterogeneous electron transfer is required to understand and optimise applications. In this thesis, the relationship between the structure of HOPG (Highly Oriented Pyrolytic Graphite) and its electrochemical behaviour has been thoroughly studied from the macroscale to the nanoscale. With the use of data collected from a wide range of techniques, spanning voltammetry, electrochemical imaging and high resolution microscopy, on 5 different grades of basal plane HOPG whose surfaces vary in defect density, the contribution of edge plane vs. basal plane on the electrochemical activity of HOPG has been re-examined. The significant body of work presented herein shows, without doubt, that the basal plane of HOPG is a very active electrode for Ru(NH)6 3+/2+; Fe(CN)6 4-/3-; the oxidation of the neurotransmitter, dopamine (DA), and quinones in aqueous solution. This overturns a well-established (textbook) model that the basal surface is inert, which researchers have assumed for two decades, with implications that carry over to related sp2 carbon materials, such as graphene and carbon nanotubes. A second aspect has considered polycrystalline boron-doped diamond (pBDD) to study neurotransmitters, such as DA and serotonin (5-HT). The electrode surface was found to be resistive towards permanent surface blocking during the electrochemical oxidation of these neurotransmitters. The properties of the film formed by 5-HT oxidative products, was thoroughly investigated using voltammetry and high resolution microscopy. It is shown, for the first time, that electro-oxidation of 5-HT results in an electrically insulating, but charged and porous film, but procedures are demonstrated that allow the pBDD to be renewed in-situ for precise electroanalysis

Nanoscale electrochemical patterning reveals the active sites for catechol oxidation at graphite surfaces

Graphite-based electrodes (graphite, graphene, and nanotubes) are used widely in electrochemistry, and there is a long-standing view that graphite step edges are needed to catalyze many reactions, with the basal surface considered to be inert. In the present work, this model was tested directly for the first time using scanning electrochemical cell microscopy reactive patterning and shown to be incorrect. For the electro-oxidation of dopamine as a model process, the reaction rate was measured at high spatial resolution across a surface of highly oriented pyrolytic graphite. Oxidation products left behind in a pattern defined by the scanned electrochemical cell served as surface-site markers, allowing the electrochemical activity to be correlated directly with the graphite structure on the nanoscale. This process produced tens of thousands of electrochemical measurements at different locations across the basal surface, unambiguously revealing it to be highly electrochemically active, with step edges providing no enhanced activity. This new model of graphite electrodes has significant implications for the design of carbon-based biosensors, and the results are additionally important for understanding electrochemical processes on related sp2-hybridized materials such as pristine graphene and nanotubes

Prenatal Virilization Associated with Paternal Testosterone Gel Therapy

Transdermal testosterone gels are used in the treatment of hypoandrogenism of males. Virilization due to exposure to testosterone gels has been reported in children resulting in a US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warning about secondary exposure to these products. At present, we are unaware of prenatal virilization associated with unintentional testosterone gel exposure. We report prenatal virilization in a female infant due to secondary maternal exposure to the father's testosterone gel. We also describe postnatal virilization of the child's twin sister

A case of new-onset vitiligo in a patient on tofacitinib and brief review of paradoxical presentations with other novel targeted therapies

With recent advancements in the understanding of vitiligo pathogenesis, Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors have emerged as a promising new treatment modality, but their effects remain incompletely elucidated. Tofacitinib, an oral JAK 1/3 inhibitor approved for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, has previously been shown to induce significant re-pigmentation in vitiligo. However, as with other novel targeted therapies, cutaneous adverse effects have been observed. We report a 36-year-old woman with a history of rheumatoid arthritis, refractory to multiple pharmacotherapies, who was initiated on tofacitinib and subsequently developed progressive depigmented patches consistent with new-onset vitiligo. Although definitive causation cannot be established in this case without additional studies, it is important to note that many targeted therapies have the potential to induce paradoxical effects, that is, the occurrence or exacerbation of pathologic conditions that have been shown to respond to these medications. Paradoxical findings with other targeted therapies include the occurrence of melanoma during treatment with BRAF inhibitors, keratoacanthomas with PD-1 inhibitors, vitiligo and psoriasis with TNF-alpha inhibitors, and hidradenitis suppurativa with various biologic agents. Although JAK inhibitors hold therapeutic promise in the treatment of inflammatory skin disorders, further research is warranted to more fully comprehend their effects

Ovariectomy Induces Early Changes in Cardiac Fibrosis and Angiotensin II Gene Expression

Postmenopausal women have an increased risk for heart disease. Ovariectomized mouse models show changes in body weight, adipose tissue, and systemic inflammation within 8-12 weeks following ovariectomy. These pathological changes may contribute to cardiac dysfunction after menopause. However, early changes in cardiac markers that may lead to dysfunction and disease remain unclear. Objective: To evaluate differences in cardiac gene expression between 8-week post-ovariectomy and control mice. Methods: Myocardial RNA was isolated from ovariectomized (OVX, n=10) and sham surgery (SHAM, n=10) adult mice 8 weeks following surgery. Fetal gene program, fibrosis, and angiotensin II gene expression were determined via RT-PCR. Differences between groups were analyzed using two sample t-tests. Results: Compared to SHAM, OVX mice exhibited a fetal gene expression pattern similar to that observed in failing hearts including increased B-type natriuretic peptide (p=0.02), atrial natriuretic peptide (p=0.06) and alpha skeletal actin (p=0.01) and decreased alpha and beta myosin heavy chain isoform expression (p=0.05, p=0.02, respectively). Expression of fibrotic genes vimentin (p=0.01), fibronectin (p=0.02), collagen1 (p=0.04), and collagen3 (p=0.03) were greater in OVX compared with SHAM. Lastly, angiotensin II was also significantly greater in OVX (p=0.001). Conclusion: Ovariectomized mice begin to exhibit maladaptive gene expression within 8 weeks after surgery, indicating that ovarian hormone loss initiates a pathological response in the heart at early time points that may be related to angiotensin II-induced cardiac fibrosis

CHARACTERIZATION AND ECONOMIC BURDEN ASSOCIATED WITH PEDIATRIC OPIOID EXPOSURES AND POISONINGS

Introduction The main objectives of this study were: 1) to examine the prevalence and characteristics of opioid exposures, 2) to estimate the economic costs associated with opioid poisonings, and 3) to examine the characteristics associated with opioid poisoning-related health care resource use (HCRU) and costs in children. Methods Data from the National Poison Data System from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2014 were utilized to examine the prevalence and characteristics of opioid exposures and poisonings in children \u3c18 years. Economic costs were estimated using the 2012 Nationwide Emergency Department Sample, Kids’ Inpatient Database, Multiple Cause-of-Death file and other published sources, applying a societal perspective. Direct costs included costs associated with ED visits, hospitalizations and ambulance transports. Indirect cost included productivity costs due to caregivers’ absenteeism and premature mortality among children. Results There were a total of 83,418 pediatric opioid exposures and nearly half of them resulted in poisoning. The epidemiology of opioid exposures differed considerably by age. Opioid exposures were more prevalent and mainly accidental in young children. Exposures in adolescents were more likely to be intentional and severe. The total economic costs of pediatric opioid poisonings in the United States were calculated at $230.8 million in 2012. Total direct costs were estimated to be over$21.1 million. Total productivity costs were calculated at $209.7 million, and 98.6% of these costs were attributed to opioid poisoning-related mortality. Conclusions Opioid exposures and poisonings in children continue to occur and impose an economic burden on the society

Data for Thinking Healthy Programme India trial (THPP-India)

An anonymised dataset of 280 women (one row per woman) who gave informed consent to participate in an individually-randomised, parallel, superiority, controlled trial in Goa, India in 2014-2016. The intervention was an adapted version of the Thinking Healthy Programme, delivered by peers; the control was enhanced usual care. Further details are available in the published protocol and paper. The dataset contains records of variables on stratified randomisation, socio-demographic information, depression and related outcomes, and therapy adherence. Visits occurred at baseline, and 3 and 6 months post-natal

Electrochemistry of Fe3+/2+ at highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) electrodes : kinetics, identification of major electroactive sites and time effects on the response

The electrochemistry of the Fe3+/2+ redox couple has been studied on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) samples that differ in step edge density by 2 orders of magnitude to elucidate the effect of surface structure on the electron transfer (ET) kinetics. Macroscopic cyclic voltammetry measurements in a droplet-cell arrangement, highlight that the Fe3+/2+ process is characterised by slow ET kinetics on HOPG and that step edge coverage has little effect on the electrochemistry of Fe3+/2+. A standard heterogeneous ET rate constant of ~5 × 10-5 cm s-1 for freshly cleaved HOPG was derived from simulation of the experimental results, which fell into the range of the values reported for metal eletrodes, e.g. platinum and gold, despite the remarkable difference in density of electronic states (DOS) between HOPG and metal electrodes. This provides further evidence that outer-sphere redox processes on metal and sp2 carbon electrodes appear to be adiabatic. Complementary surface electroactivity mapping of HOPG, using scanning electrochemical cell microscopy, reveal the basal plane to be the predominant site for the Fe3+/2+ redox process. It is found that time after cleavage of the HOPG surface has an impact on the surface wettability (and surface contamination), as determined by contact angle measurements, and that this leads to a slow deterioration of the kinetics. These studies further confirm the importance of understanding and evaluating surface structure and history effects in HOPG electrochemistry, and how high resolution measurements, coupled with macroscopic studies provide a holistic view of electrochemical processes