The electoral connection in presidential systems: non-legislative actions inside the Chilean congress

The purpose of this article is to explore how the features of districts affect representation activities in the Chilean Congress. Based on an analysis of interventions by deputies in the so-called Incidents Hour (Hora de Incidentes), we argue that district conditions affect the kind of appeals that deputies make. Specifically, we test two main hypotheses: a) that the degree of rurality of districts predicts greater use of policy intervention at the local level (local credit claiming), and b) that distance from the centre is an incentive for deputies to taking a position on local issues (local position taking). This article contributes to an understanding of how institutional spaces in the Congress serve not only as instruments for legislation but also, and with equal relevance, for representing constituents at the district level.     

A Time-Series Analysis of Terrorism: Intervention,Displacement, and Diffusion of Benefits

This paper discusses the perception that displacement in terrorism is inevitable; that antiterrorism efforts merely relocate terrorism in some way. Using quarterly time-series data from the Global Terrorism Database (1994–2013) and the vector autoregression framework, we test the following hypothesis: the target-hardening efforts within the United States (US) after September, 11, 2001 reduce attacks on domestic US targets, but increase attacks on US targets abroad. To provide a more comprehensive test, we also provide dynamic impact factors and variance decompositions. The results of this intervention analysis show no support for displacement, and instead provide support for a diffusion-of benefits hypothesis. We also discuss how criminological and especially crime-prevention knowledge can guide and encompass the study of terrorism.     

Do Work-Family Conflict and Resiliency Mediate Police Stress and Burnout: a Study of State Police Officers

Occupational stress and burnout have long been recognized as common hazards among police officers. The present study examines whether demographic characteristics and assignment affect police officers’ work-family conflict (WFC), resiliency, stress and burnout, and whether WFC and resiliency mediate the stress and burnout of police officers. The data were collected from a Mid-Atlantic state police agency in the United States of America through a web-based survey. Regression results revealed that minority officers tended to have lower levels of WFC and burnout and better educated officers reported lower degrees of WFC and stress. WFC was positively related to stress and burnout, while resilience was inversely linked to stress and burnout. The effects of race and education disappeared when WFC and resiliency entered the regression, suggesting that their impact was largely mediated by WFC and resiliency. Lastly, stress was found to be positively associated with burnout. Implications for research and policy are discussed.     

Philippine population database at nine microsatellite loci for forensic and paternity applications

Allele frequency distributions for a Filipino population from the National Capital Region (NCR) were determined for eight STR loci: HUMF13A01, HUMFES/FPS, HUMvWA, HUMFOLP23, HUMD8S306, HUMCSFIPO, HUMTPOX and HUMTHO1; and a VNTR locus: D1S80. Statistical analysis showed that the nine loci showed no deviations from Hardy-Weinberg and linkage equilibrium rules. The average power of paternity exclusion for the nine loci is 0.9962 and the discriminating power is 1-2 x 10(-9). The data obtained from this study will be used as reference data for forensic DNA typing in the Philippines.     

我国个人所得税制改革再思考

我国已成为WTO成员,其市场经济体制不断完善。然而,令人费解的是,个人所得税制至今却维持原样,未见任何实质性更改。这种现象,既不利国,也不利民,更不利于工薪阶层人员,还有碍于WTO公平原则的有效实施。本文针对现行个人所得税制的存在问题,比较与借鉴发达国家的相关立法经验,提出改革我国个人所得税制的新思路。     

Histamine effects on pulmonary blood vessels in strangulation

Endothelial cells of asphyxial pulmonary veins possess abundant pores and intracytoplasmic vacuoles. The present radioassay demonstrated an increase in histamine concentrations of the pulmonary tissue in asphyxia. These morphological changes, therefore, appear to represent an enhancement of the endothelial permeability induced by high histamine concentrations in blood plasma. The present immunoelectron microscopy study demonstrated heavy reactions of histamine exclusively on the endothelial surface of the asphyxial pulmonary veins. This may support the endothelial cell-dependent vasodilation mediated by histamine in asphyxial pulmonary veins.     

坚持"两个毫不动摇"的统一--深化对社会主义基本经济制度的认识

必须毫不动摇地巩固和发展公有制经济，必须毫不动摇地鼓励、支持和引导非公有制经济发展，是坚持社会主义基本经济制度的必然要求，也是贯彻党的十六大精神的具体体现。     

Large scale public projects—The personal connection

The paper expands on an interesting phenomenon accompanying large-scale projects, namely, the parallel inflation in costs and deflation in benefits from initiation to implementation and final evaluation or elimination altogether. Historically, three explanations have been provided for the above phenomenon: the deterministic effects of uncertainty; self-interest evaluators; and the ‘vision’ factor. We claim that on face value one cannot accept as scientifically sound evidence the above three explanations of the constant decline in actual benefits. The ‘acceptance-avoidance’ model which we bring to bear predicts a constant deterioration in actual benefits as the project develops. This psychological factor results in the use of the three above-mentioned explanations as a ‘cover-up’ for real underlying human doubts regarding the chances of success of crucial decisions taken by individuals.