A ‘pivot’ that never existed: America’s Asian strategy under Obama and Trump

This article argues that Donald Trump’s Asian strategy hardly marks a radical transformation from Barack Obama’s ‘pivot to Asia’. This is because the ‘pivot to Asia’ never really existed. Although Obama was successful in building legitimacy for the strategy through international norms, he failed to translate his lofty rhetoric into practice. Much of his original pivot components (building a constructive relationship with China, coordinating with Asian allies and multilateralism in the Association of South East Asian Nations and the Trans-Pacific Partnership) has either failed or did not live up to expectations. Donald Trump was adamant that the Asian pivot was a bad strategy and that he would not follow it. But although he completely discarded Obama’s legitimization of the rebalance (as Trump speaks pragmatically and does not care about international norms), in actuality he has followed many of Obama’s policies, and even improved on some of them. That being said, Trump’s ‘pivot actions’ appear to be erratic, pragmatic short-term actions rather than a meticulously planned long-term strategy similar to Obama’s rebalance (which did not materialize). Thus, while Obama failed to transform the pivot into an effective strategy, neither is Trump’s effectiveness backed by a coherent Asian strategy.     

Distribution of the Minutiae in Hypothenar Palm Prints in Slovak Adults: Indications for Personal Identification

Minutiae are small distinguishing features found along every ridge flow, which make each friction ridge print unique. The most common friction ridge prints found at the crime scene are fingerprints; therefore, the most of the minutiae studies are focused exactly on this kind of prints. The authors believe that further examination and enlargement of the palm print database could result in better use of the palm prints for personal identification. We analyzed a total of 160 palm prints from 40 females and 40 males aged between 18 and 70 years from Slovakia. For the evaluation of the minutiae, the area of the hypothenar had to be marked out. The classification of the minutiae used for this study was based on a modified version of the classification system using the total of 13 types of minutiae. The frequency of every minutiae type was calculated and, using the chi-square test with Yates's correction, bilateral and sex differences were assessed. The relationship between the different types of minutiae was examined with Pearson's correlation test. During the initial phases of the identification process, the focus should be on the least common types of minutiae (Y or M and return), which were found not to correlate; thus, their mutual occurrence is random (e.g., overlap—Y or M, crossbar—return, or Y or M—dock). The results of the present study show which specific minutiae types are the most suitable for personal identification. These findings may be beneficial in more effective outcome of the identification process.     

Sleep Quantity and Problems as Mediators of the Eveningness-Adjustment Link during Childhood and Adolescence

Journal of Youth and Adolescence - Chronotype, or morningness/eveningness, has been associated with adjustment in both children and adolescents. Specifically, eveningness has been linked to...     

Competing Norms and Strategic Visions: A Critical Appraisal of V4 Security Potential

Abstract

Despite shared historical experience and cultural proximity, the Visegrad group (V4) struggles to institutionalise its cooperation through stable mechanisms ensuring internal cohesion and external credibility. This is especially evident in the field of security and defence, which requires a shared strategic vision, in particular, common norms regarding the legitimate use of military force. While in the 1990s the four countries exhibited solidarity and unity in their collective ambition under the narrative of the ‘Return to Europe’, their general perception of security threats and strategic culture prevents deeper integration into a security community.     

从国家社科基金立项项目看法学研究状况——一种知识社会学的视角

通过对1993-2004年来国家社会科学基金立项的法学类项目类立项资助项目相关指标的分析,来展现我国目前法学学术生产格局的大致状况及其背后动因;并通过与经济学社科基金立项项目的比较以及对法学类社科基金立项项目在社科基金项目中所占比例等数据的分析,来呈视法学作为一门独立学科在整个人文社会科学界的地位变迁,以及这种变迁背后的权力———知识格局。     

和而不同助推非洲发展——"中国-非洲-美国三方对话会"综述

为密切配合“中国-非洲-美国三方对话会”的成功召开,本刊特发表关于这次会议的综述性文章《和而不同助推非洲发展——“中国-非洲-美国三方对话会”综述》。文中综合介绍的观点和看法仅代表发言者本人。希望广大读者能对文中的观点进行甄别与研判,并从中得到有益的启示。     

宁夏羊胃肠道线虫对现行驱虫药的抗药性调查

采用粪便虫卵减少试验对宁夏地区所属灵武、贺兰、盐池、吴忠、中宁、中卫、永宁和银川市郊8个县(市)的12个绵羊场、6个山羊场进行了丙硫苯咪唑和阿维菌素抗药性的随机调查。结果表明:在用丙硫苯咪唑调查的10个绵羊场和6个山羊场中,虫卵减少率在95%以下和95%的置信域下限在90%以下的有山羊场2个、绵羊场2个,证明对丙硫苯咪唑有抗药性;1个绵羊场和1个山羊场的虫卵减少率是96.3%、95.9%,但95%置信域的下限在90%以下,具有抗药性可疑;山羊群中丙硫苯咪唑的抗药性为33.3%,绵羊群为20.0%。用同样的方法调查了1个山羊场和5个绵羊场(其中有4个羊场曾执行了丙硫苯咪唑的试验),查出1个山羊场和1个绵羊场对阿维菌素具有抗药性可疑,其虫卵减少率分别为97.3%和95.5%,置信域下限在90%以下。揭示了宁夏地区羊消化道线虫对现行驱虫药的抗药状态,为今后防治提供了依据。     

番鸭花肝病病原的研究

从广西患花肝病的雏番鸭肝、脾分离到 3株病毒 ,定名为NM1、NM2 、NM3。这 3株病毒能在番鸭胚和番鸭胚成纤维细胞上增殖 ,并产生细胞病变。人工感染 1日龄番鸭致死率达 10 0 % ,但对鸡、康贝尔鸭和鹅不致病。分离毒对氯仿不敏感 ,耐热、耐酸 ,不被DNA抑制物所抑制。分离毒的细胞培养物经超薄切片 ,磷钨酸负染 ,在电镜下观察到大量球形、实心 (少量空心 )的病毒粒子 ,其直径 6 6～ 70nm ,无囊膜 ,属无囊膜的RNA病毒     

中东石油的新时代与新石油时代的中东

中东再次出现新的"石油繁荣",被称为"新石油时代"。中东油气业已形成较完整的产业链,改变了昔日单一出口原油的局面。20世纪70年代油价高涨是对在这之前国际石油垄断资本长期强加的超低油价的补偿,存在与外国资本之间的对抗;而这一次"新石油时代"则主要靠石油经济实力的支撑,随着经济的全球化,与外国资本之间的关系也已有所改变。评价高油价需扣除美元贬值的因素。20世纪"高油价—经济滞涨—石油供过于求—油价回跌"局面不会简单重复。政治仍然是影响中东油气业发展的重要因素。