Lethal small bowel obstruction due to pica

Up to 25% of institutionalized patients with cognitive deficiencies display pica-like behavior, with an estimated annual incidence of small bowel obstruction of 2%. We present a case based on the forensic autopsy of a 41-year-old woman who died as a result of a missed diagnosis of small bowel obstruction after ingesting a foreign body. The case underlines the importance of precaution when treating patients with cognitive deficiency and/or language deficits and gastrointestinal symptoms. In such cases, it is important to employ a liberal threshold for radiological investigations and, if possible, obtain a medical history from a person close to the patient.     

A view from the policy community: a new strategic narrative for Europe?

ABSTRACT

Reflecting on the results presented in articles in this special issue, European leaders should take greater account of external perceptions in crafting the European Union's strategic narrative and guiding its actions. Failure to do so has impaired external policies like the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership, the European Neighbourhood Policy and Eastern Partnership. Leaders emerging from the Arab uprisings perceived the EU as complicit with their countries’ former anciens régimes and Russian leaders see EU support for democracy and the market economy in former Soviet states as duplicitous and instrusive. Awareness of such perceptions should be filtered into EU decision-making, without validating views that European officials and diplomats consider misleading.     

Beyond royal politics: state transformation and foreign policy in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Saudi politics is commonly portrayed as reflecting a system of centralised personal rule in which decision-making power trickles down from the tightly knit power circles within the House of Saud. In contrast, this paper draws attention to the empowerment of quasi-autonomous state organisations in Saudi Arabia as a result of state transformation and regional integration. At its most extreme, state transformation in Saudi Arabia has created institutional and regulatory enclaves with vested interests and areas of competence that cross Saudi borders. This paper illustrates the foreign policy ramifications of transformed statehood in Saudi attempts to further Gulf regional integration in the context of the Gulf Monetary Union project.     

中国利用外资新特点及其思考

随着改革开放的更进一步纵深展开,中国利用外资在近几年也呈现出了一些新特点。本文旨在介绍我国在利 用外资上的新模式和新领域,并针对这些新特点,对外资的宏观管理提出一些建议。     

中国外资银行监管与中国入世承诺的履行

WTO规则促进了国际金融一体化的进程 ,加入WTO对我国金融业既是机遇又意味着挑战 ,本文针对WTO规则中有关银行业的规定与我国相关承诺中涉及的外资银行监管问题进行了客观分析 ,并就我国完善对外资银行的监管提出了自己的看法。     

观念在外交决策中的作用--对《观念与外交政策》一书的解读

如何看待观念在外交决策中的作用一直是西方国际关系理论中争论的焦点问题之一.理想主义和建构主义强调观念建构是第一性的,现实主义强调物质实力至上,美国学者戈尔茨坦和基欧汉在主编的<观念与外交政策>一书中则强调物质因素和观念因素同是影响外交决策的重要变量.他们还将观念分解为世界观、原则性信念和因果信念3种形式,它们通过提供行动指南,增进共识和建构制度等方式对外交决策产生影响.这些争论提示我们,我国的外交战略既要立足于物质实力的增强,又不能忽视观念的作用;既要积极参与国际社会的观念建构,又要避免意识形态对抗.     

总结历史经验坚定社会主义信念

正确评价社会主义实践，是坚定社会主义信念的必要前提；正确分析苏东剧变的根本原因．有利于坚定社会主义的必胜信念：正确理解社会主义必然代替资本主义的客观规律．则是坚定社会主义信念的理论基础。     

法官的经验与理性

初民社会是以人神互相感应的方法来解决诉讼问题的,当今一些西方国家司法制度中仍然可以看到它的遗迹。大陆法系的司法最显著的特征是重演绎,重视法律的理论体系;而英美司法则完全是经验性的,强调遵循先例,而不注重体系。法官对法律的思辩是依赖于经验的,但是经验却不总是足以对思辩的疑惑提供裁决,所以真正的法官思辩是经验与理性的结合。法官对经验与理性的追求体现的是法律所固有的规则性及其内在的逻辑力量。理想的法官给人最深刻的印象是他们的理性,那种清晰的、冷静的经验理性。     

俄罗斯外债问题研究

自20世纪90年代以来,俄罗斯走上了从计划经济向市场经济转轨的道路,并迅速积累了巨额外债。近年来,俄罗斯外债余额递减,但规模仍然庞大,外债结构亦日趋合理。俄罗斯外债危机后的外债重组任务艰巨,解决外债问题,可以考虑以货抵债、以股抵债和外债资本化。综观俄罗斯国内外形势,从总体上看,俄罗斯外债形势仍不容乐观。2003年是俄罗斯的偿债高峰年,其1 301亿美元巨额外债的偿还进程举世瞩目,对世界各国的外债实践都有着重要的借鉴意义     

Stories as Lived Experience: Narratives in Forced Migration Research

Stories are part of everyday life and constitute means for actorsto express and negotiate experience. For researchers, they providea site to examine the meanings people, individually or collectively,ascribe to lived experience. Narratives are not transparentrenditions of ‘truth’ but reflect a dynamic interplaybetween life, experience and story. Placed in their wider socio-politicaland cultural contexts, stories can provide insights into howforced migrants seek to make sense of displacement and violence,re-establish identity in ruptured life courses and communities,or bear witness to violence and repression. The researcher mustpay particular attention to his/her own role in the productionof narrative data and the representation of lived experienceas text.