Public Policy Analysis in Contemporary France: Academic Approaches, Questions and Debates

Today French academic studies of government are dominated by a particular form of public policy analysis which cannot be explained using literal translations. Instead this article endeavours to explain the nature of French research carried out in this vein by tracing its development over the last thirty years and focusing in particular upon the role of conflict within political science and sociology. Despite the considerable strengths of public policy analysis, however, doubts have recently emerged as to its capacity to adapt to the theoretical and empirical challenges raised by contemporary politics     

Tissue distribution of tramadol and metabolites in an overdose fatality

Tramadol (Ultram) is a centrally acting, synthetic analgesic agent. Although it has some affinity for the opiate receptors, tramadol is believed to exert its analgesic effect by inhibiting the re-uptake of norepinephrine and serotonin. There are several published cases of tramadol's involvement in drug-related deaths and impairment. Reports of deaths involving tramadol alone with associated tissue concentrations are rare. This report documents a case in which tramadol overdose was identified as the cause of death. The following tramadol concentrations were found in various tissues: blood, 20 mg/L; urine, 110.2 mg/L; liver, 68.9 mg/kg; and kidney, 37.5 mg/kg. Tissue distributions of the two primary metabolites, N-desmethyl and O-desmethyl tramadol, are also reported. In each tissue or fluid except urine, the tramadol concentration was greater than either metabolite, consistent with other reports of drug-impaired drivers and postmortem cases. The O-desmethyl metabolite concentration was greater than the N-desmethyl metabolite concentration in all tissues; this is in contrast to other postmortem reports, in which the majority of cases report concentrations of O-desmethyl as less than those of N-desmethyl. This may be useful as an indicator of time lapse between ingestion and death.     

Reviews

Terrorism in Mozambique by Alex Vines. Centre for Southern African Studies, University of York, in association with James Currey, London, 1991. xiv plus 176pp. including maps, figures, tables, appendices, bibliography and index. R47.25. Paperback.

Kwame Nkrumah, the Conakry Years: His Life and Letters compiled by June Milne. Panaf, an imprint of Zed Press Ltd., London, 1990. x plus 422pp. including notes, bibliography and index.

Towards Economic Recovery in Sub‐Saharan Africa: Essays in Honour of Robert Gardiner edited by James Pickett and Hans Singer. Routledge, London, 1990. xv plus 273pp. including tables, notes, bibliography and index. £35.00. Hardback.

Chronicles of Darkness by David Ward. Routledge, London and New York, 1989. xii plus 191pp. including notes and index. £30. Hardback.

Towards Justice? Crime and State Control in South Africa edited by Desiree Hansson and Dirk van Zyl Smit. Oxford University Press, Cape Town, 1990. iv and 278pp. R34.95. Paperback.

The Politics of Reconciliation: Zimbabwe's First Decade by Victor de Waal. David Philip Publishers (Pty) Ltd., Cape Town, 1990. xiv plus 146pp. including prologue, acknowledgements, list of acronyms, endnotes and index of names. R39.95. Paperback.

Civil Service Pay in Africa by Derek Robinson. International Labour Office, Geneva, 1990. xi plus 220pp. including 58 tables. Paperback.

No Place to Rest: Forced Removals and the Law in South Africa edited by Christina Murray and Catherine O'Reagan. Oxford University Press, Cape Town, pp. 248. R24.95. Paperback.

People and Violence in South Africa edited by B. McKendrick and W. Hoffman. Oxford University Press, 1990. 495 pp. R49.95. Paperback.

The Elusive Search for Peace ‐ South Africa, Israel, Northern Ireland edited by H. Giliomee and J. Gagiano. Oxford University Press, 1990. viii plus 328 pp. R29.95. Paperback.

Southern Africa at the Crossroads. Prospects for the Political Economy of the Region edited by Anthoni van Nieuwkerk and Gary van Staden. South African Institute of International Affairs, Johannesburg, 1991.267 pp. including tables, notes and bibliographies. Paperback.

South Africa's Informal Economy edited by Eleanor Preston‐Whyte and Christian Rogerson. Contemporary South African Debates, Oxford University Press, Cape Town, 1991. vi plus 410pp. including 25 chapters with editors’ introductions, figures, tables, photographs, index. Each chapter has its own bibliography and notes. R43.95. Paperback.

Protecting Human Rights in a New South Africa by Albie Sachs. Oxford University Press, Cape Town, 1990. viii plus 208pp. including appendices and index. R21.95. Paperback.

The Igbos of Nigeria by John E. Eberegbulam Njoku. African Studies, (Vol. 14, 1990), The Edwin Mellen Press, New York. $69.95. Hardback.

La France et l'Afrique du Sud: Histoire, Mythes et Enjeux Contemporains edited by Daniel C. Bach. Karthala, Paris, 1990.432pp. Paperback.     

Hmong folk remedies: limited acetylation of opium by aspirin and acetaminophen.

The traditional folk medicine of the Hmong and other Southeast Asian refugees has accompanied them during their immigration in this country over the past two decades. In two recent cases involving Hmong defendants, unknown solids, resembling charcoal in consistency and purported to be "backache remedies," were analyzed and found to be complex mixtures of aspirin, acetaminophen, caffeine and partly acetylated opium. In particular, significant amounts of acetylacetaminophen, 3-O-acetylmorphine, 6-O-acetylcodeine, 6-O-acetylmorphine, and heroin were identified by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Heating approximately equal weights of solid opium, aspirin, and acetaminophen at 130 degrees C for several hours produced a mixture of compounds showing a similar acetylation pattern.