The Effect of Legal and Extralegal Factors on Prosecutors\u27 Charging Decisions in Sexual Assault Cases

Most studies of criminal justice decision making have focused on the decision to arrest, the pretrial release decision, the decision to enter a guilty plea, and the sentencing decision. There has been very little research on the prosecutor\u27s decision to file charges against persons suspected of crimes. The present study examined the effect of legal and extralegal variables on the prosecutor\u27s decision to file charges in sexual assault cases. Using a sample of all complaints in sexual assaults received by the Detroit Police Departments in 1989, we tested the hypothesis that prosecutors\u27 charging decisions are related to the strength of evidence in the case. We also tested the hypothesis that victim characteristics influence the decision to charge. Lastly, we tested the hypothesis that victim characteristics will only have an influence in cases with weak evidence

Plastic Deformation, Wrinkling, and Recovery in Microgel Multilayers

Microgel multi-layer films assembled from anionic particles and linear polycation were prepared on elastomeric substrates and their self-healing properties studied. Dried films were imaged in situ during mechanical deformation and were determined to undergo plastic deformation in response to linear strain, leading to film buckling upon strain relaxation. Hydration leads to rapid reorganization of the film building blocks, permitting recovery of the film to the undamaged state. Additionally, films were determined to heal in the presence of high relative humidity environments, suggesting that film swelling and hydration is a major factor in the restoration of film integrity, and that full immersion in solvent is not required for healing. Films prepared from microgels with lower levels of acid content and/or polycation length, factors strongly connected to the charge density and presumably the connectivity of the film, also display self-healing characteristics

First-in-Human Studies of MW01-6-189WH, a Brain-Penetrant, Antineuroinflammatory Small-Molecule Drug Candidate: Phase 1 Safety, Tolerability, Pharmacokinetic, and Pharmacodynamic Studies in Healthy Adult Volunteers

MW01-6-189WH (MW189) is a novel central nervous system-penetrant small-molecule drug candidate that selectively attenuates stressor-induced proinflammatory cytokine overproduction and is efficacious in intracerebral hemorrhage and traumatic brain injury animal models. We report first-in-human, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 1 studies to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics (PK) of single and multiple ascending intravenous doses of MW189 in healthy adult volunteers. MW189 was safe and well tolerated in single and multiple doses up to 0.25 mg/kg, with no clinically significant concerns. The most common drug-related treatment-emergent adverse event was infusion-site reactions, likely related to drug solution acidity. No clinically concerning changes were seen in vital signs, electrocardiograms, physical or neurological examinations, or safety laboratory results. PK analysis showed dose-proportional increases in plasma concentrations of MW189 after single or multiple doses, with approximately linear kinetics and no significant drug accumulation. Steady state was achieved by dose 3 for all dosing cohorts. A pilot pharmacodynamic study administering low-dose endotoxin to induce a systemic inflammatory response was done to evaluate the effects of a single intravenous dose of MW189 on plasma cytokine levels. MW189 treatment resulted in lower levels of the proinflammatory cytokine TNF-α and higher levels of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 compared with placebo treatment. The outcomes are consistent with the pharmacological mechanism of MW189. Overall, the safety profile, PK properties, and pharmacodynamic effect support further development of MW189 for patients with acute brain injury

Effects of microbiota-directed foods in gnotobiotic animals and undernourished children

To examine the contributions of impaired gut microbial community development to childhood undernutrition, we combined metabolomic and proteomic analyses of plasma samples with metagenomic analyses of fecal samples to characterize the biological state of Bangladeshi children with severe acute malnutrition (SAM) as they transitioned, after standard treatment, to moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) with persistent microbiota immaturity. Host and microbial effects of microbiota-directed complementary food (MDCF) prototypes targeting weaning-phase bacterial taxa underrepresented in SAM and MAM microbiota were characterized in gnotobiotic mice and gnotobiotic piglets colonized with age- and growth-discriminatory bacteria. A randomized, double-blind controlled feeding study identified a lead MDCF that changes the abundances of targeted bacteria and increases plasma biomarkers and mediators of growth, bone formation, neurodevelopment, and immune function in children with MAM

Village Sanitation and Children's Human Capital: Evidence from a Randomized Experiment by the Maharashtra Government

Open defecation is exceptionally widespread in India, a county with puzzlingly high rates of child stunting. This paper reports a randomized controlled trial of a village-level sanitation program, implemented in one district by the government of Maharashtra. The program caused a large but plausible average increase in child height (95 percent confidence interval [0.04 to 0.61] standard deviations), which is an important marker of human capital. The results demonstrate sanitation externalities: an effect even on children in households that did not adopt latrines. Unusually, surveyors also collected data in districts where the government planned but ultimately did not conduct an experiment, permitting analysis of the importance of the set eligible for randomization

Doctor of Philosophy

dissertationThis study examined the use of the Internet using a random sample of 339 baby boomers aged 55-70 living in Salt Lake County, Utah. The study analyzed the linear relationship of two independent variables-gender and ethnicity-and as dependent variables four factor scores associated with Internet use from the 20-question Survey on Older Adults' Use of the Internet: self-efficacy, financial information, social connectedness, and health information. Next, the research study examined three continuous variables-hours on the Internet, income, and health condition scores-with the four factor scores. A cross-sectional quantitative design was used to answer the research questions. Four sampling sources were used to complete the survey. Snowball sampling occurred when the online survey link was emailed to Salt Lake County Aging Services (Source 1) and American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) Utah (Source 2). The researcher also attended the annual Senior Expo to survey baby boomers in person (Source 3). Finally, a sample was purchased from Survey Sampling International (SSI; Source 4). Results indicated no difference between gender and the four factor scores. A significant difference existed in self-efficacy factor scores between ethnic groups. As related to health conditions, a significant negative linear relationship existed between health condition and the financial information factor. A significant linear relationship iv existed between income and self-efficacy, financial information, and health information. Lastly, hours on the Internet had a significant linear positive relationship with all four factor scores