The cumulation problem

Abstract After a discussion of possible components in a definition of 'cumulation' and the relative lack of cumulation in political science, a scheme for research strategies is outlined with the aim of facilitating cumulation, or at least facilitating a diagnosis of the state of political science in this respect. The scheme includes three types of studies: (1) analysis of the formal properties of theoretical approaches in political science, (2) content analyses in the form of inventories of problems, propositions and concepts in the discipline, (3) evaluational analysis, i.e. an assessment of what 'theory criteria' to use for evaluating the approaches and of the probable relations between these criteria.     

A Prospective Study of Adolescents' Peer Support: Gender Differences and the Influence of Parental Relationships

This longitudinal study investigates parent and child predictors of adolescents' perceived social support from peers. Adolescents (285) and their parents filled out surveys when students were 11 and 15 years of age. Parent reports of their own social support and child reports of parental support to them, depression, and self-esteem were used as predictors of adolescents' peer social support. Path analyses revealed functional dissimilarity in the predictive model, for boys and girls. For boys and girls, the amount of spousal support parents' reported impacted the amount of parent to child support that children reported. For boys, this relationship impacted their perceptions of peer support indirectly through depression. However, for girls, parents' own supportive relationships directly impacted both their self-esteem and depression, above and beyond parent to child support, which then impacted girls' peer social support.     

Distribution of morphine and morphine glucuronides in body tissue and fluids--postmortem findings in brief survival

An intoxication following administration of morphine, tramadol and atracurium in a suicide case is reported. The route of administration and the amount of the particular drug were known from the investigation of the death scene and the findings of the postmortem examination. Tramadol was present in the gastric contents as well as in blood, liver, kidney and brain samples, whereas the drug could not be detected in muscle. All body fluids and tissues investigated contained morphine as well as its 3- and 6-glucuronides with the exception of muscle tissue. The concentrations of morphine and its glucuronide metabolites were determined by LC/MS following solid phase extraction. Interestingly, the concentration of M6G in brain, liver and kidney were close to the concentration of M3G in the particular tissue. This phenomenon might be explained by a preferential hydrolysis of M3G or by a preferential formation of M6G postmortem. Measurement of morphine and M6G in femoral blood and cerebrospinal fluid may be a useful indicator in rapid deaths.     

Synthesis of 2,3- and 3,4-methylenedioxyphenylalkylamines and their regioisomeric differentiation by mass spectral analysis using GC-MS-MS

3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA) derivatives are increasingly abused central nervous system stimulants with neurotoxic properties. In recent years a number of controlled substance analogs (designer drugs) with high structural variety reached the illegal market making their identification an arduous task. The underivatized compounds give very similar or even virtually identical electron impact mass spectra containing mainly intense C(n)H(2n+2)N(+) immonium ions. Using tandem mass spectrometry (MS-MS) the additional structural information contained in the collision induced dissoziation (CID) mass spectra of molecular ions using electron impact (EI) and especially chemical ionization (CI) allowed an unequivocal differentiation of 18 studied regioisomeric 1-(methylenedioxyphenyl)-2-propanamines and 1-(methylenedioxyphenyl)-2-butanamines.Further synthetic methods are presented for 1-(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl)-N-propyl-2-butanamine, N-isopropyl-1-(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl)-2-butanamine and four 1-(2, 3-methylenedioxyphenyl)-2-butanamines. N-alkylated 1-(3, 4-methylenedioxyphenyl)-2-butanamine compounds (e.g. MBDB) are also known to be abused psychoactive agents (entactogenes) without the sympatomimetic effects of the 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamines.     

From military tutelage to civilian control: an analysis of the evolution of Turkish civil–military relations

ABSTRACT

The Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) have been the main discussion topic in the political arena over the last decade in Turkey, with a focus on curtailing military supervision over political life. This article investigates the evolution of civil–military relations (CMR) in Turkey. Thus, the aim of this study is to explore the factors and dynamics that have led to the development and realignment of CMR in Turkey. The focus will be on how military tutelage in Turkey has been ended, what factors have caused this and finally whether Turkish CMR have been normalized.     

Back to the factory: the continuing salience of industrial workplace history

ABSTRACT

Factories remain significant sites of employment, crucial to capitalism. In the twentieth century, scholars registered achievements in documenting their history, but since the late 1980s, and for a generation, the field lost impetus within labour history although insights continued to accumulate through work in adjacent disciplines. The factory has not featured on the agenda of ‘transnational’ and ‘global’ labour history, but we suggest that it can and should contribute to that broader global project, reinvigorating labour history, not least by contributing a dimension close to workers’ everyday experience.     

Strength of belief and risk

The purpose of this paper is to review work on subjective probability and strength of belief, in particular with reference to situations involving a high degree of risk. Work concerned mostly with cognitive limitations and shortcomings is discussed and some implications for societal responses to risky technology are offered. It is concluded that there is, in the literature on subjective probability, a lack of work on small probabilities and on the emotional influence of belief formation to be expected in situations that are related to large social values.This study was supported by a grant from the Committee for Future Oriented Research, Stockholm, Sweden.     

Autoerotic accident by inhalation of propane-butane gas mixture

We present a case of an accidental autoerotic death involving the inhalation of a propane-butane gas mixture, also known as LPG (liquefied petroleum gas). A 19-year-old male was found dead in supine position in his bed in a residential accommodation one day after he was last seen alive. On a personal computer at the end of the bed, a pornographic movie was still running. On his left shoulder, an empty rubber balloon and on the bedside 2 empty "Kisag-Gas" cartridges were found. Toxicologic investigations revealed an intoxication with propane and butane, together with a recent consumption of cannabis. This case report compares the toxicologic findings with other recently published cases, and the theories of the toxic effects are discussed.