Assessing Bias in Regression Estimates Using Monte Carlo Simulations: Examples in Criminal Justice Research

Can we trust published results? Problems with bias in reported results: “Do social scientists even know anything?” Failed replications (“repligate”). Inaccurate inferences about important relationships (Type I and Type II errors). Inaccurate power analyses for future studies. To avoid these problems, researchers need tools to rigorously evaluate statistical models. The Monte Carlo method is one tool that can be used to evaluate bias in model estimateshttps://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/gcua_symposium/1008/thumbnail.jp

Use of endocrine and immune responses as predictors of bull sperm motility

Research has shown that peripheral blood cell populations change in response to an immune challenge, and hormone concentrations directly affect sperm characteristics. The objective of this study was to utilize immune responses and hormone concentrations as biomarkers for yearling bull sperm motility. Seventeen Brahman-influenced bulls (mean age 1.1 ± 0.1 yr; body weight 478 ± 38 kg) were administered an intraperitoneal injection of lipopolysaccharide (Salmonella typhimirium 0.7 µg/kg of body weight). Blood was collected 0, 3, 6, 9, and 24 h after LPS injection then analyzed for differential cell count and endocrine concentrations of prolactin, insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF), and cortisol. Semen was collected using electroejaculation every month for five months then analyzed for motility and morphology characteristics. Hormone concentrations and immune response had an effect on sperm characteristics. Number of sperm was correlated (r \u3e 0.65; P \u3c 0.01) with the IGF to prolactin ratio. Using stepwise regression analysis, we predicted that number of sperm = 172.43 + 12.8 (IGF:prolactin), r2 = 0.43, and progressive sperm motility = -1469.6 + 1.63 (IGF:cortisol) + 14.41 (average temperature during immune challenge), r2 = 0.43. This study showed that endocrine response to stress and activation of the immune system was associated with subsequent sperm motility characteristics. Our results suggest that endocrine and immune responses may be used as biomarkers for sperm motility. Those biomarkers may be useful in selecting replacement bulls

Psychodynamic Psychotherapy for Personality Disorders: A Systematic Review

Personality disorders in general, and borderline personality disorder specifically, are one of the most commonly treated patients in outpatient mental health clinics. As such, this is a population within clinical practice that all mental health professionals will encounter, and will benefit from knowledge of best available treatment options. Over the past 15 years, numerous studies on different types of psychoanalytically informed psychotherapies have been done. Through attachment theory, self psychology, and psychodynamic concepts in general, promising new treatment approaches have been developed and researched. New treatment approaches for personality disorders in particular are important because personality disorders have long been thought to be conditions that are difficult, if not impossible, to treat. This systematic review examined peer-reviewed journal articles and research studies from the past ten years. Types of studies included were systematic reviews, meta analyses, random controlled trials, and cohort studies. Studies were focused on adult populations with a diagnosed personality disorder, and without other comorbid mental health conditions. The results of this study indicate that psychodynamic psychotherapy is an effective intervention for people with personality disorders. Two specific types of psychodynamic psychotherapy, Mentalization Based Treatment and Transference Focused Treatment, showed positive results for people with personality disorder. Positive results included improvements such as reduction of suicidality, and improved interpersonal and global functioning, as well as reduction of borderline personality disorder symptoms. At the time of follow up, a majority of participants in both Mentalization Based and Transference Focused treatments no longer met the diagnostic criteria for personality disorders

Psychodynamic Psychotherapy for Personality Disorders: A Systematic Review

Personality disorders in general, and borderline personality disorder specifically, are one of the most commonly treated patients in outpatient mental health clinics. As such, this is a population within clinical practice that all mental health professionals will encounter, and will benefit from knowledge of best available treatment options. Over the past 15 years, numerous studies on different types of psychoanalytically informed psychotherapies have been done. Through attachment theory, self psychology, and psychodynamic concepts in general, promising new treatment approaches have been developed and researched. New treatment approaches for personality disorders in particular are important because personality disorders have long been thought to be conditions that are difficult, if not impossible, to treat. This systematic review examined peer-reviewed journal articles and research studies from the past ten years. Types of studies included were systematic reviews, meta analyses, random controlled trials, and cohort studies. Studies were focused on adult populations with a diagnosed personality disorder, and without other comorbid mental health conditions. The results of this study indicate that psychodynamic psychotherapy is an effective intervention for people with personality disorders. Two specific types of psychodynamic psychotherapy, Mentalization Based Treatment and Transference Focused Treatment, showed positive results for people with personality disorder. Positive results included improvements such as reduction of suicidality, and improved interpersonal and global functioning, as well as reduction of borderline personality disorder symptoms. At the time of follow up, a majority of participants in both Mentalization Based and Transference Focused treatments no longer met the diagnostic criteria for personality disorders

Spectroscopic studies of the model traction fluid bis(cyclohexyl) succinate and related molecules

Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy/microscopy and Raman scattering/microscopy have been used to try and relate the microscopic behaviour (i.e. the molecular properties) with the macroscopic behaviour (i.e. the viscosity) of the model traction fluid Bis(cyclohexyl) Succinate. Other structurally related compounds have also been studied to assist with interpretation. Variable temperature studies produced few conclusive changes, with the balance between density and temperature effects giving rise to few spectroscopically visible changes. Some correlation between the viscosity of the molecules studied and the changes observed was seen. The appearance of two distinct carbonyl stretching bands which change in intensity with temperature indicates an intramolecular conformational change. There is considerable broadening of all the vibrational bands of the molecules studied as the pressure is increased indicating an increase in the vibrational relaxation rate. Repulsive interactions are also seen to dominate as the pressure is increased. Analysis using the Kubo model has shown that the carbonyl stretching band is more likely to be formed in the slow modulation regime. Unusual behaviour is exhibited in some spectra obtained from the dynamic pressure studies including unusual band shapes and negative going bands. The combination of high pressure, shear rate, and temperature in the centre of the elastohydrodynamic contact only allows the bis(cyclohexyl) succinate molecules to assume a single conformation. As these conditions lessen, the molecules become less constrained and different behaviour is observed. Three dimensional pressure and film thickness profiles have been used to explain the changes seen in terms of a combination of pressure and film thickness changes. Solution studies show there are strong attractive dipole-dipole interactions, probably localised at the carbonyl group, between the bis(cyclohexyl) succinate molecules. Using the Eyring fluid model and viscosity data, the molecular behaviour has been related to the viscosity of the molecules

Regulating a “Pariah” Industry: The Need for a Responsive Approach in Gambling Markets

Gaming regulators are uniquely positioned state agents, who must consider contradictory goals in their day-to-day actions. They must protect the public (and maintain the legitimacy of government) but are also responsible for ensuring that the gaming industry provides needed revenue to the state. To that end, regulators are not only responsible for promoting the legitimacy of the government but also, to some extent, must consider how they can encourage the legitimization of a previously illegal behavior. Prior research has examined regulators’ attempts to balance such “structural contradictions” through their licensing process, but little research has been done on regulatory responses to licensee violations. The present review suggests that a transparent and “responsive” regulatory response to such violations would benefit regulators, the industry, and the public. I review the contradictions inherent in regulating the gaming industry, describe the “Responsive Regulation” approach, and then detail how “Responsive Regulation” could uniquely benefit gaming. I conclude with a call for more collaboration between regulators, practitioners (including industry participants), and academics

TIDAK MAMPU BERTANGGUNG JAWAB DALAM HUKUM PIDANA DAN PENGATURANNYA DI MASA MENDATANG

Tujuan penelitian ini untuk mengetahui bagaimana jiwanya cacat dalam pertumbunuhan dan jiwanya terganggu karena penyakit mengakibatkan orangnya tidak dapat dipertanggungjawabkan dalam hukum pidana dan bagaimana pengaturan hal tersebut di masa mendatang. Penulisan ini menggunakan metode kualitatif dapat disimpulkan bahwa: 1. Keadaan jiwa cacat dalam pertumbuhan yang dimaksudkan oleh Pasal 44 ayat (1) KUHPidana adalah keterbelakangan perkembangan sejak yang telah dibawa sejak lahir. 2. Dalam Pasal 34 RUU KUHPidana 1999/2000 tidak lagi digunakan istilah “pertumbuhan jiwanya cacat atau terganggu karena penyakit”, melainkan menyebut sebagai alasan untuk tidak dapat dipertanggungjawabkan adalah : gangguan jiwa, penyakit jiwa dan retardasi mental. Kata kunci: Tidak mampu bertanggung jawab

TESTING THE INFLUENCE OF VARIOUS "LICENSES" IN MOTIVATING CORPORATE ENVIRONMENTAL BEHAVIOR

In this dissertation, I test a framework of corporate environmental compliance put forth by Gunningham, Kagan, and Thornton in their 2003 book called Shades of Green. However, this dissertation moves beyond a mere test of theory by integrating the corporate-level license framework with the individual-level Rational Choice Theory. In doing so, this integration portrays how individuals within corporations decide to comply or overcomply with environmental regulations while accounting for the organizational context. Specifically, external pressures from the legal, social, and economic domains as well as corporation-wide policies and culture impact individual-level cost-benefit analyses. In turn, these cost-benefit calculations impact the decisions made by corporate managers. I propose five hypotheses based on this integration and test them using an environmental vignette survey of individuals as well as meta-analytical data. The vignette survey provides a randomly-generated hypothetical scenario and asks respondents (here, environmentally-minded business people) to predict their likelihood of offending or overcomplying as the depicted manager in the scenario did. Results provide mixed support for the impact of the external license pressures and more support for the rational choice theory measures. I also compare similarities and differences between the offending and overcompliance models. I conducted a test of the robustness of hypothesis 1 results using meta-analysis of studies collected through 2006. These studies use actual firm-level behaviors as their outcomes and therefore overcame some of the limitations of the vignette study. I found additional support for the relationship between external pressures and offending, although more analysis is needed to assess how effects differ by study methodologies and samples. Overall, this integrated theory is worthy of further empirical testing and has important implications for both theories of corporate crime as well as prevention and control policies. Future research should examine the interactions between factors affecting the corporation, those affecting the individuals in charge of the corporation, and interactions between these factors and levels. The theory proffered here provides a clear, comprehensive, yet fairly parsimonious foundation for doing so

The extractive metallurgy of brannerite: Leaching kinetics, reaction mechanisms and mineralogical transformations

Brannerite, ideally UTi2O6 is a refractory uranium mineral found in many uranium and rare earth element ore deposits around the world, including many in Australia. As brannerite is refractory, ores containing brannerite require more intense leaching conditions than typical uranium ores. Brannerite is the most common refractory uranium mineral, and the most important uranium ore mineral after uraninite (UO2) and coffinite (U(SiO4)1-x(OH)4x). Several high-brannerite uranium deposits in Australia remain un-developed, despite being discovered as early as the 1950s. The aim of this study was to understand the leaching chemistry of brannerite in a variety of systems, starting with the conventional acidic ferric sulphate system and alternatives including the ferric chloride-hydrochloric acid system and the alkaline-carbonate system. The principal assumption is that an improved understanding of the leaching chemistry of brannerite will lead to more effective extraction processes, improving the extractions at existing mines, and enabling the development of new ones. Brannerite was found to undergo congruent dissolution in acid, contrary to the often-reported mechanism in which a titanium oxide coating forms on the surface. Phosphate released by gangue minerals such as apatite can cause the formation of this layer however. When leaching with acidic ferric solutions, sulphate media is superior to chloride media. Alkaline carbonate leaching was also found to be effective for brannerite leaching, albeit much slower than acid leaching. These same alkaline leaching conditions were applied to a sample of refractory uranium ore from Queensland high in acid soluble gangue and shown to be effective. These findings are discussed in detail below. A sample of brannerite from the Dieresis deposit in the Sierra Albarrana region of Spain was characterised in detail by XRD and SEM-EDX methods. The brannerite was found to be altered and metamict (rendered amorphous by self-irradiation), as is typical for brannerite. Many brannerite particles contained linear zones of titanium oxide surrounded by silicon enriched and uranium depleted brannerite, consistent with descriptions of naturally altered brannerite. These altered zones were more susceptible to leaching, regardless of the leaching conditions. All leached residues were analysed by the same methods to understand the changes taking place in the solid phase during leaching. This suggests that the extent of natural alteration influences the leachability of a particular brannerite. The leaching of brannerite was studied in acidic ferric sulphate media (0.05 mol/L or 2.8 g/L Fe3+) over a range of temperatures (25-96°C) and acid concentrations (10-200 g/L H2SO4) for five hours. Leached brannerite was pitted and corroded. The rate of leaching was strongly dependent on temperature and weakly dependent on acid concentration. At lower temperatures, brannerite dissolved incongruently in the early stages of leaching. At higher temperatures brannerite dissolved congruently for the entirety of the leaching experiment. The transition between these two mechanisms happened at lower temperatures when the acid concentration was higher. In the incongruent dissolution reaction, the activation energies for uranium and titanium release were 36 and 48 kJ/mol respectively. In the congruent dissolution process, the activation energy was 23 kJ/mol for both uranium and titanium dissolution. At high temperatures (>75°C) and low acid concentrations (<25 g/L H2SO4), the concentration of titanium dropped after the first hour of leaching and some secondary anatase (TiO2) formed. This anatase was distinct from the anatase in the original material in that it contained iron and did not contain uranium, confirming that it formed during leaching. Ferric chloride and cupric sulphate lixiviants were studied over a similar range of temperatures and acid concentrations. As with the ferric sulphate leaching tests, the oxidising cation concentration was kept constant at 0.05 mol/L. The leaching behaviour of brannerite in cupric sulphate media was quite similar to what was observed in ferric sulphate media; the rate of leaching was slightly lower than what was observed in ferric sulphate media under comparable conditions. In chloride media, the rate of leaching was slow compared to sulphate media at the same temperature and acid concentration. This suggests that the formation of stable uranium complexes is an important part of the dissolution process. Uranyl sulphate complexes are much stronger than uranyl chloride complexes. Certain leaching experiments were repeated with the addition of minerals commonly associated with brannerite to gain a clearer understanding of the effects of deleterious gangue. These experiments were run at the extremes and middle of the range of temperatures and acid concentrations studied. Ilmenite accelerated the precipitation of anatase while fluorite significantly increased the rate of uranium and titanium dissolution. Fluorapatite greatly reduced the rate of brannerite dissolution. These results showed a previously unknown interaction between phosphorus and titanium. Phosphate helped to initiate the formation of a titanium oxide coating on the leached brannerite, inhibiting the leaching reaction. Higher concentrations of sulphuric acid reduced these negative effects. Interestingly, phosphate improved the rate of leaching in chloride media, suggesting that chloride leaching may be a viable option when processing high-phosphate refractory uranium ores. Alkaline leaching may be an effective alternative processing option. While it is often reported that brannerite and similar minerals will not readily dissolve in alkaline media, leaching experiments with sodium carbonate based lixiviants showed that alkaline leaching of brannerite is possible. Compared with acid leaching, it is slow however. Uranium extractions of 83% were achieved over 24 hours of leaching at 90°C in sodium carbonate media. These leaching experiments were repeated with a high-carbonate refractory uranium ore from Queensland and resulted in comparable extractions. Alkaline leaching is a viable alternative when dealing with high-acid consuming ores that contain brannerite. This study has shed more light on the reaction mechanisms involved in brannerite leaching in typical industrial leaching systems, resulting in a much clearer understanding of brannerite leaching chemistry, potentially enabling the extraction of uranium from overlooked ore deposits. Mineral texture and alteration were also found to influence brannerite leaching. The negative and positive effects of certain gangue minerals have been understood in greater detail, and ways of mitigating or utilising these effects have been devised. Finally, alkaline leaching has been tested and shown to be effective for the leaching of brannerite and refractory uranium ores. Further work is needed to establish the most effective range of conditions and reagent dosages for the leaching of refractory uranium ores and develop economically viable processes based on this new information