A film with an overt IP theme ...

Not many films have as overt an intellectual property themeas the Oscar-nominated The Man in the White Suit, a sweet-and-sourEaling comedy with compelling social content. The protagonist,Sidney Stratton (played by Sir Alec     

Homogenous Base Rates for Malingering in Neuropsychological Examination of Litigants

Base rates for malingering are often obtained and averaged across multiple clinicians who apply heterogeneous methods for detection (Mittenberg et al., J Clin Exp Neuropsychol 24: 1094?1102, 2002; Young, Psychol Inj Law 8: 200–218, 2015). Our aims of obtaining homogenous base rates included the following: (a) evaluation of all our legal cases in accordance with the guidelines set forth in the position papers by both the National Academy of Neuropsychology and the Association for Psychological Advancement in Psychological Injury and Law, (b) minimal variation between our comprehensive neuropsychological examinations, and (c) determination of base rates of failed effort in 150 consecutively examined legal cases in one medical setting. To assess the various levels of volitional exaggeration, we introduced four gradations of poor effort definitions, which relied on performance validity tests (PVTs). A comparison between two consecutive samples of 75 litigants indicated less frequent poor effort with increasingly more conservative criteria. In our analysis of a subset of litigants who sustained traumatic brain injuries (N?=?115), the four base rates for mild versus moderate-severe TBI groups were equivalent for the two more lenient malingering definitions but varied for the two more conservative definitions. Specifically, for the mild TBI cases investigated, the percentage of three PVT failures (or one PVT failure significantly below chance) arrived at 3.4 %. Our final aim was to compare the base rates of poor effort that were obtained with PVTs to the base rates of emotional and physical symptom endorsement, which were obtained with symptom validity tests (SVTs). No significant correlations emerged in this analysis. The discussion emphasizes the relatively lower base rates of poor effort found in the convenience sample studied in neuropsychological evaluations relative to the higher estimates in the literature (40 +/? 10 %, Larrabee et al., Clin Neuropsychol 23: 841–849, 2009) but not others based on comprehensive review (Young, Psychol Inj Law 8: 200–218, 2015).     

Quantitative PCR overestimation of DNA in samples contaminated with tin

Metals can pose challenges while conducting forensic DNA analysis. The presence of metal ions in evidence-related DNA extracts can degrade DNA or inhibit PCR as applied to DNA quantification (real-time PCR or qPCR) and/or STR amplification, leading to low success in STR profiling. Different metal ions were spiked into 0.2 and 0.5 ng of human genomic DNA in an “inhibition study” and the impact was evaluated by qPCR using the Quantifiler™ Trio DNA Quantification Kit (Thermo Fisher Scientific) and an in-house SYBR Green assay. This study reports on a contradictory finding specific to tin (Sn) ions, which caused at least a 38,000-fold overestimation of DNA concentration when utilizing Quantifiler Trio. This was explained by the raw and multicomponent spectral plots, which indicated that Sn suppresses the Quantifiler Trio passive reference dye (Mustang Purple™, MP) at ion concentrations above 0.1 mM. This effect was not observed when DNA was quantified using SYBR Green with ROX™ as the passive reference, nor when DNA was extracted and purified prior to Quantifiler Trio. The results show that metal contaminants can interfere with qPCR-based DNA quantification in unexpected ways and may be assay dependent. The results also highlight the importance of qPCR as a quality check to determine steps for sample cleanup prior to STR amplification that may be similarly impacted by metal ions. Forensic workflows should recognize the risk of inaccurate DNA quantification of samples that are collected from substrates containing tin.     

Abnormal Daily Temperature and Concern about Climate Change Across the United States

The relatively low level of concern about climate change among Americans has important implications for climate policy. While many studies have examined individual characteristics associated with climate change attitudes, fewer studies have considered the effects of environmental conditions on such attitudes. Here, we use two national samples of American adults to explore the impact of abnormal daily temperatures on levels of concern about climate change. We test the hypotheses that (1) abnormally warm temperatures, and (2) both abnormally warm and abnormally cool temperatures are associated with higher levels of concern. Using a generalized ordinal logit, we find that the quadratic form of deviation from mean temperature on the date of the survey is significantly associated with higher levels of concern, thus supporting the second hypothesis. We discuss several theoretical frameworks that may explain this result including availability bias, mental models, and implicit stimuli, and the implications for climate policy.     

Offenders as victims: post-traumatic stress disorder and substance use disorder among male prisoners

Background: Comorbid substance use disorder(s) and post-traumatic stress disorder (SUD-PTSD) is common among prisoners and linked to an increased risk of criminal recidivism; however, little is known about the characteristics of prisoners with this comorbidity. Aim: This study provides a preliminary examination of the clinical and criminal profile of male inmates with symptoms of SUD-PTSD, and examines whether this profile differs according to whether a person has experienced a trauma while in prison. Methods: Thirty male inmates from two correctional centres in Sydney, Australia, were recruited and assessed using a structured interview. Results: The sample reported extensive criminal, substance use and trauma histories. A history of substance dependence was almost universal (90%) and 56.7% met diagnostic criteria for PTSD with the remainder experiencing sub-threshold symptoms. Forty-three per cent reported a traumatic event while in prison. Those who had experienced trauma in prison, compared to those who had not, were more likely to nominate heroin as their main drug of concern and to be receiving drug treatment in prison. There was also a trend toward inmates who had experienced a trauma in prison being more likely than inmates who had no prison trauma to have experienced a physical assault. Conclusion: Male prisoners with SUD-PTSD are a high-needs group yet treatment responses are poor. Further research examining treatment options for this comorbidity may improve prisoner well-being and reduce recidivism.     

Xuefei Ren,Governing the Urban in China and India: Land Grabs,Slum Clearance,and the War on Air Pollution

Journal of Chinese Political Science -     

Public official associations and professionalism

Associations of public officials have been an important element of public professionalism in the United States since the reform era. This paper examines the ways in which associations of public officials are helping to redefine public professionalism. The focus on the paper is on the promotion of professionalism by association activities, the sense of professional identity fostered by association involvement, and the ways in which associations integrate issues of policy, management, and professional expertise to contribute to the development of true public professionalism. The paper examines ways that professional/specialist and political/generalist associations are converging on issues of policy, strategic thinking, and role effectiveness.     

A Visit to New Zealand

The financial crisis of 1949 threatened to bankrupt Britain and destroy the American economic and political system constructed after 1945. The US government was unable to respond effectively to this challenge. Truman's administration was split, as the Treasury and State Departments advocated diametrically opposing responses. Only the secret British decision to devalue sterling, a judgement not shared with the Americans until much later, stopped Washington from offering aid packages to London that would have totally changed US postwar foreign, economic and strategic policies. Therefore, this episode questions the assertion that national security concerns dominated the American government in the early Cold War.