In Search of Paradise

<正>When winter rolls over northern China and endless days of smog have you wandering around in a comatose state,there is only one remedy—and it doesn’t come in a bottle.It’s sunshine,blue skies,and beaches.I conducted a survey amongst my friends regarding the best place to catch some waves and the same location kept coming up.     

Loss Aversion in Politics

We study loss aversion in elections by investigating a median voter model (full convergence in a two‐candidate election) and a model of partial divergence of policy proposals. First, we show a status quo bias, an endowment effect, and a moderating effect of policies. Second, we show the occurrence of “long‐term cycles” in policies with self‐supporting movements to the right or the left. Finally, we prove that younger societies should be more prone to change and less affected by the status quo bias than older ones.     

BRICS MEANS BUSINE

In Africa they say it is a positive sign if it rains at the start of an important event. That certainly seemed to hold true in South Africa’s premier eastern port city, where the Fifth BRICS Summit began with thunderous skies and unrelenting showers. As the flags of the five member     

Just a Walk in the Park

One of the things that makes living in Beijing enjoyable is being able to walk through a public park on the way to work.The park in the northwestern part of the cityisasanctuaryforseniorcitizens,who pour down from the surrounding high-rise apartment blocks that characterize Beijing,to go through their time-honored morning rituals.At the park entrance are the"bird men."Most people who imagine life in China will no doubt have an image somewhere in their minds of elderly,vest-wearing men     

Pitbull mauling deaths in Detroit

Between the years 1987 and 2005, there were 6 deaths reported in Wayne County, Michigan, associated with pitbull dog attacks. This article discusses the age incidence, scene investigation, nature of the injuries, and discussion relative to fatal dog attacks, an unusual accidental type of death.     

Screening and quantification of antipsychotic drugs in human brain tissue by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry: application to postmortem diagnostics of forensic interest

A quantitative LC-MS/MS method has been developed for the simultaneous determination of 17 antipsychotic drugs in human postmortem brain tissue. Sample preparation was performed using Hybrid Solid Phase Extraction-Precipitation technology for the removal of endogenous protein and phospholipid interferences. The chromatographic separation was performed for 16 min on a C8 column, which used a gradient elution of formate ammonium and acetonitrile, and a flow rate gradient. Triple quadrupole mass spectrometry was employed to generate tandem mass spectrometric (MS/MS) data of the target analytes to select the ion m/z signals. Quantitation of the analytes was performed by operating in the dynamic multiple reaction monitoring (dMRM) mode using an electrospray ionization interface. Calibration curves prepared in the spiked brain tissue were linear in the range 20-8000 ng/g (r(2)>0.993) for all drugs (except olanzapine). Within- and between-day coefficients of variation were lower than 25% for all drugs at the LOQ. The LOQ in the matrix ranged between 2 ng/g and 80 ng/g. The method was successfully applied to the unequivocal identification and accurate quantification of antipsychotic drugs in human postmortem brain tissues: therefore, this method can be used in forensic investigations.     

Identification of a tooth-like foreign body in Swine sausage

A tooth-like foreign body (FB) was found inside a sausage bread. Analysis aimed to investigate whether the FB was a tooth and its origin. The FB was measured, weighed, photographed, and radiographed. Macroscopic findings were suggestive of an anterior tooth. Histological slides of undecalcified cross-sections of the FB and samples of human and swine teeth were prepared. Histological features of the FB (in light microscopy, 125× magnification) were discrepant from human tissues. Compared histological analysis displayed majority of features consistent with a hypsodont swine tooth, probably a canine. Cellularized cementum in crown region, adjacent to the enamel, and shape of the cementocytes were the main criteria excluding the possibility of human origin of the FB. Scanning electronic microscopy and energy-dispersive spectroscopy were not performed because of fewer features to be analyzed and FB size. It was concluded that the FB may have been incorporated during meat grinding of the sausage.     

Evidence of Haldol (haloperidol) long-term intoxication

A case of intoxication by haloperidol is reported. Haloperidol is a butyrophenone derivative commonly used in many hospital units as an antipsychotic agent. Adverse reactions due to haloperidol intoxication include drowsiness, blurred vision, extrapyramidal effects, tardive dyskinesia, tachycardia, hypotension and muscular rigidity. In August 2008, a 49 year-old female nurse started feeling various symptoms such as muscular rigidity, drowsiness and buccal dyskinesia. After 3 months, she was hospitalized for the worsening of these symptoms. Four months later, she showed once more the same symptoms. Two open water bottles from which the nurse used to drink in the hospital were confiscated and analyzed. Moreover, the nurse was asked to give a sample of her hair for executing the inherent toxicological analyses. Haloperidol was found in both bottles 1 and 2 at a concentration of 31.5 μg/mL and 43.6 μg/mL, respectively. Based on segmental hair analysis, it was deduced that the nurse consumed haloperidol in the approximate period from August 2008 to March 2009. The higher levels of haloperidol in hair were found in accordance with the periods of most severe appearance of symptoms, requiring the hospitalization of the nurse. The analysis of preservatives and excipients led us to conclude that the pharmaceutical drug was probably added to the water bottles as "Haldol 2mg/mL oral solution".     

Thinking Big

Huge Hisense Appliance Industrial Park in South Africa entrenches the brand’s successful globalimage It’s 2:30 p.m. and the large red electronic counter board on the factory wall registers the day’s 439th flat-screen TV as it rolls off the assembly line. Above that figure glows the daily target of 700. The uniformed staff are bustling in the sanitized, climate-controlled environment-excitedly motivating each other to reach the target, eyes constantly flicking up to the counter.