Fatal poisoning due to ingestion of boiled oleander leaf extract

Nerium oleander is an ornamental evergreen shrub belonging to the family Apocynaceae. The Apocynaceae family includes the attractive evergreen shrub known as oleander. The cardiotoxic glycoside, oleandrin, is present in all portions of the common oleander plant. Oleander consumption can result in deadly situations accidentally or as a suicide attempt. After consuming kettle-boiled oleander leaf extract as part of a suicide attempt, an 80-year-old man was discovered comatose in his home and taken to our emergency room. The patient's heart rate was 30 beats per minute, and he had hypotension. Arterial blood gas analysis revealed remarkable metabolic acidosis and hyperkalemia (K: 7.7 mEq/L). An electrocardiogram showed a wide QRS wave, similar to a sine curve. The patient collapsed following cardiac arrest soon after hospital arrival. Veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation was initiated; however, the patient eventually died. The serum level of oleandrin at hospital arrival, subsequently measured by LC–MS/MS, was found to be 33.4 ng/mL, far above the levels reported in previous fatal cases.     

Theory and Practice of Public Administration in the Philippines: Concerns for an Identity Crisis

Abstract

The discipline of public administration in the Philippines has been undergoing its version of an ‘identity crisis’ over the past decade. This crisis has been manifested in four areas: (1) the inordinate influence of mostly American public administration theories and concepts upon Philippines public administration has led Filipino academics in the early to mid-1980s to ask the question ‘is there a Philippine public administration?’; (2) the perceived disconnect between theories of public administration as taught in schools and the realities in the outside world has raised questions of the relevance of the discipline to real world challenges; (3) the continued frustration over the perception that in spite of many public administration and governance reforms, the Philippines continues to be among the more corrupt nations in the region; and (4) the recent fascination of academics in other disciplines, especially economists, that ‘institutions matter’, has led some public administration scholars to argue that their discipline has been arguing precisely the same point since the 1950s.     

Legislative Oversight under the Nigerian Presidential System

Oversight function is a major component of the activities of modern legislatures irrespective of the form of government in practice. This study examines the extent to which the Nigerian legislature, characterised by infrequent appearances on the political scene and operating in an environment largely dominated by the executive arm, has performed its oversight role. The study, which is basically empirical, argues that the Nigerian legislature has been incapable of effectively performing its oversight role because, in addition to constraints like executive interference, crippling internal conflict, inexperience and high rate of members turnover hampering legislative efficiency, the legislature has compromised its role. However, occasional flashes of a measure of assertiveness by the legislature suggest that with effective mitigation of its internal problems its performance will improve as legislative culture deepens.     

Can participation be induced? Some evidence from developing countries 1

Influenced by Amartya Sen, over the last decade, The World Bank has allocated nearly US$80 billion to local participatory development projects targeting poverty, improved public service delivery, and strengthened social cohesion and government accountability. But the success of these programs is hindered by both endogenous local factors and flawed program design and implementation. Two especially important local obstacles are (1) entrenched interests of political agents, civil bureaucrats, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) with either incentives to resist or capabilities to appropriate program resources, and (2) poverty and illiteracy, as the poor and illiterate participate less and benefit less from participatory projects than do the wealthier, more educated, and more connected. After reviewing hundreds of participatory projects, three lessons are clear for program planning. First, contextual factors like inequality, history, geography, and political systems (among others) are important. Second, communities do not necessarily have a ready stock of ‘social capital’ to mobilize. Third, induced participatory interventions work best when supported by a responsive state – donors cannot substitute for a non-functional state, and successful programs combine enlightened state action from above with social mobilization from below. Future participatory development projects would benefit substantially from revised planning and considerably more attention paid to evaluation and monitoring. Project managers have historically paid little attention to context, monitoring, or evaluation, in part because The World Bank’s operational policies did not provide incentives to do so. Donor agencies should also exercise greater patience and allow for flexible, long-term engagement to facilitate contextual and programmatic learning, including learning from failure.     

"得依法律限制之":《临时约法》基本权利条款源流考

《临时约法》与晚清的《钦定宪法大纲》不同,将基本权利一章置于国家机构之前,以宣示人民对于政府的前提性与根本性。但《临时约法》第十五条　“得依法律限制之”的规定,却为政府立法侵蚀宪法基本权利提供了借口。《临时约法》第十五条　的规定,在法例上,可追溯到日本明治宪法第二十九条　“在法律范围内”和普鲁士宪法第二十七条　“非依法律不得设之”的规定;在思想上,源于清末民初国情论下的自由观。经过民国三十多年的立宪论争,《临时约法》第十五条　“得依法律限制之”被1947年《中华民国宪法》第二十三条　“不得以法律限制之”取代。这对现行《中华人民共和国宪法》第五十一条　等条款的修改与完善,不无借鉴意义。     

专利联营概念的探析与界定

专利联营是一种非常重要而复杂的产业组织形式,对其进行深入的研究具有重要的现实意义。我国对专利联营的研究才刚刚起步,甚至缺少对专利联营概念的基础性研究。从词源学的角度入手,通过对专利联营的成因、国内外相关概念的梳理及其属性的分析,试图对专利联营的概念进行科学的界定。     

当代“啃老族”思想政治教育的现实难点及路径选择

当代“啃老族”的形成不仅是个人问题或家庭问题,更是一个社会问题。日益激烈的社会竞争,不当的教育,弱化的舆论压力以及对自身状况形成的归因偏差,导致“啃老族”难于走出“啃食”困境。为了使“啃老”不再是青年的一种选择,思想政治教育工作者应树立“以人为本”的观念,重视“啃老族”的个体价值定位和开发,着重培养其独立、自强意识;主动与家庭、学校、社区合作,营造“合力”,增加“啃老族”“啃食”的成本;同时,还要注重思想政治工作与解决“啃老族”实际问题相结合;参照国外“NEET”教育的成功经验,创新中国“啃老族”的思想政治教育。     

我国银行业滥用市场支配地位的反垄断法分析

我国银行业的竞争日益激烈,然而又频频出现银行依据自身在特定条件下的优势地位损害消费者利益的行为,这种行为符合《反垄断法》规制的“滥用市场支配地位”的行为。银行业相关市场的构成应考虑产品和地域因素,市场支配地位的认定应结合我国的具体国情,判断滥用行为应正确区分合理正当的商业经营行为与限制、排除竞争的经营行为。     

苏军驻中国东北研究述略

1945年8月苏联出兵中国东北,直到1946年5月撤出除旅大外的东北地区,而全部撤出旅大地区则在1955年5月.苏军在对日宣战和驻扎东北期间,为反法西斯战争和中国抗战的胜利作出了重大贡献,对中国革命事业的发展也起了积极的作用,但与此同时也做出一些令人遗憾的事情.