Civil War and the Social Contract

In this contract-theoretic modelthe government promises a transfer to itspotential opponent in return for notengaging in a civil war. Two causes ofcivil war are identified: (i) imperfectcredibility increases the cost of therequired transfer, and may make itunfeasible; (ii) asymmetric informationfaces the government with the classicefficiency/rent-extraction trade off, andcivil war is used as a screening device.This problem can be solved by creating amixed army. The model determines whether amilitary regime or a redistributive stateprevails in a peaceful equilibrium. Astatistical illustration is presented,using African data.     

Strikes and Political Activism of Trade Unions: Theory and Application to Bangladesh

The behavior of Bangladeshi trade unions is characterized bypolitical activism and momentous strikes, called hartalsthere, have played a crucial part in most political changes inthis country. We offer a theoretical framework for discussingthis fact, and we test empirically its main prediction bybringing out the political cycle that characterizes theoccurrence of strikes in Bangladesh.     

Problems and Prospects of Implementing UN Action against Terrorism

The article deals with two related problems in implementingUnited Nations action against terrorism: first, the ineffectivenessof deterrence when terrorism is motivated by beliefs powerfulenough to provoke suicide attacks; second, the risk that therule of law will be undermined if criminal justice measuresdo not prevent terrorism. A prospective common solution is todevelop aggressive and effective preventive measures explicitlydrawn from rule of law standards. A number of preventive strategies,as well as one evidentiary measure and one international cooperationdevelopment, are discussed. The goal to be achieved is the integrationof human rights guaranteed by the rule of law into a preventivecriminal justice strategy. When terrorist violence is preventedrather than merely punished, and human rights are protected,respect for the rule of law will be not merely safeguarded,but enhanced.     

Bromadiolone poisoning: LC-MS method and pharmacokinetic data

Abstract:  Poisoning with superwarfarins, like bromadiolone, is a growing public health problem, and the mortality is high. Pharmacokinetic data on bromadiolone in humans are however scarce, and there are no reports following repeated exposures to bromadiolone. We have developed a method for quantification of bromadiolone in whole blood, using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS). The analytical method is reported. Limit of detection was 0.005 mg/L and limit of quantification was 0.01 mg/L. The concentrations of bromadiolone in whole blood and plasma in serial samples from a 62-year-old woman were measured. The half-life of bromadiolone in blood was estimated to be about 6 days in the initial phase of elimination and about 10–13 days in the terminal phase. The mean plasma/blood ratio of bromadiolone was 1.7 ± 0.6. Stability testing of bromadiolone in whole blood samples after two cycles of freeze and thaw revealed that bromadiolone concentrations decreased.     

The roles of foreign aid and education in the war on terror

This paper presents a theoretical framework and some empirical results showing that the level of foreign aid received reduces the supply of terrorist attacks by recipient countries, as does the recipient country’s level of education. Due account is taken of endogeneity problems in producing these results. They suggest that Western democracies, which are the main targets of terrorist attacks, should invest more funds in foreign aid with a special emphasis on supporting education.