Vitreous humor magnesium in alcoholics

Postmortem vitreous humor magnesium concentrations were determined in 27 alcoholics and in 27 nonalcoholics who died of various causes. No significant differences in magnesium values were present between these two groups. The concentrations in those dying with alcohol withdrawal syndrome or in those with postmortem findings limited to hepatic fatty change did not differ significantly from those in the nonalcoholic group or from those of the alcoholics dying of other causes. There was no correlation between vitreous humor magnesium concentrations and postmortem interval in any group. We conclude that vitreous humor magnesium determination is not helpful in the postmortem evaluation of suspected alcohol-related deaths or in determining postmortem interval.     

Navigating the dilemmas of politically smart,locally led development: the Pacific-based Green Growth Leaders’ Coalition

Abstract

Iterative approaches to development under banners such as ‘thinking and working politically’ and ‘doing development differently’ build upon decades-old commitments to fostering locally led and -owned development. These approaches are increasingly popular with academics and development practitioners. In this paper we argue that outsiders seeking to deliver locally led, politically smart programmes need to either accept that competing priorities, results and values will work to limit the extent of true local ownership, or be sufficiently committed to true local leadership to accept that this may well cut against organisational imperatives. Using the example of the Pacific-based Green Growth Leaders’ Coalition, we discuss how politically tricky partnerships challenge tenets of local leadership and ownership.     

Emotions in the Early Common Law (c. 1166–1215)

Beyond dealing with wrongdoing and litigation, law has many other functions. It can be designed to make life more predictable, it can facilitate and promote certain actions, it can seek to prevent disputes by laying down rules, and provide routes to solutions other than litigation should disputes arise. All of these can have connections to matters of emotion. Using both lawbooks and records of cases from the Angevin period, the present article begins by looking at issues of land law rather than crime, and at law outside rather than inside court. It then returns to crime and litigation before exploring the significance of the nature of legal records for the relationship between emotion and law. In doing so, it pays attention to emotion in action, to uses of emotionally charged language, to appearances of the vocabulary of emotions, and to the routinized use of words that might at other times or in other contexts have an emotional element. Underlying the analysis is an exploration of the ways in which some aspects of law became more discrete from ordinary social practice and discourse, in this instance through elements of distancing from emotion.     

A Normative Approach to the Quistclose Trust

This is the first article to undertake a sustained analysis of normative justifications for the Quistclose trust. Whilst much of the existing writing on this topic has focused on the better classification of such trusts – for instance, whether they are express, resulting, constructive or sui generis – this article asks why the law should recognise a trust in addition to any underlying legal relationship. Four key justifications are addressed, based on respecting party intention, unconscionability, fairness, and the incentivisation of desirable transactions. It will be argued that: (i) there are difficulties with each of these justifications, although an intention‐focused explanation is probably the most convincing; and (ii) the existing law and commentary lacks coherence and consistency, as seen in the mismatch between normative and doctrinal analysis, and the failure to properly address the ramifications of the Quistclose trust during insolvency.     

Preventing child sexual abuse through education: the work of Stop it Now! Wales

This paper presents the findings from an evaluation of education and awareness-raising programmes delivered by Stop it Now! Wales, aimed at engaging parents, carers and professionals in an informed discourse about child sexual abuse (CSA) and how to prevent it. Crucially, the findings presented in this paper show that the majority of research participants saw benefits in attending a programme. However, this varied by the type of programme attended and the nature of the impact reported. These variations are discussed in order to contribute to our understanding about how CSA issues are experienced and understood by parents and professionals; how they experience the transition of new knowledge; and what, if any, preventative action is taken by parents and professionals as a result of attending a Stop it Now! Wales CSA education and awareness-raising programme.     

Finkelhor's precondition model of child sexual abuse: A critique

Abstract

This paper critically discusses an extremely influential multi-factorial theory of child molestation, Finkelhor's Precondition Model. This model was one of the first comprehensive theories of the sexual abuse of children and represents a significant achievement. It provides a clear framework for approaching the study of men who have sexually abused children and has lead to both clear treatment goals and clinical innovations. It has rarely, however, been systematically critically examined and the cogency of its core constructs evaluated. Our analysis suggests that alongside its strengths, Finkelhor's Precondition Model has some conceptual problems. It suffers from vagueness; contains overlapping constructs; and a rich array of vulnerability factors that require teasing out and clarification. The model's attempts to provide a taxonomy highlight the diversity inherent in child sexual abuse, but it has not yet provided a structure to adequately inform treatment.     

Granger causality,rational expectations and aversion to unemployment and inflation

This paper presents a new test for rational expectations. This is done within the context of public concern, or aversion, over inflation and unemployment. It is found that inflation aversion Granger causes inflation, but unemployment aversion does not Granger cause unemployment. This implies both that inflation aversion is partially determined by expected inflation and that such expectations have a rational element. However, rational expectations of unemployment do not determine unemployment aversion. The consequences of these results for political business cycle theory are then examined.     

Evaluating The Bush Menu for Change in the Middle East

These contributions were presented at a roundtable of the Conference Group on the Middle East, "Evaluating the Bush Menu for Change in the Middle East," at the American Political Science Association Annual Meeting, Chicago, September 5, 2004.