Flexible modes of governance: Making CFSP and ESDP work

The European Union and the United States are on the verge of agreeing to a transatlantic free trade agreement. The proposed Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership is aimed at boosting EU and US economic growth, but the negotiating partners have not excluded the defence sector from negotiations. Europe is at a tipping point regarding the rationale for its defence-industrial integration efforts. Any TTIP extending to the defence sector will raise questions about the nature of the European Defence Technological and Industrial Base, and, crucially, how it impacts the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation and the Common Security and Defence Policy.     

On Moral Thoughts,Feelings and Actions—A Review of The Social Psychology of Morality by Joseph Forgas,Lee Jussim,and Paul van Lange (Eds)

Social Justice Research -     

Assaults in the elderly--a population-based study with victim and perpetrator characteristics

The aim of the present epidemiological study was to investigate characteristics of assaults in the elderly aged 65 years and above from the perspective of the victim and perpetrator. This population-based study included 23,142 assaults (according to §§ 224/226 StGB of German criminal law) that were recorded in Bavaria, Germany, from 1999 to 2005. The population-based ratio of serious crimes of battery for the elderly in comparison with the reference population was markedly lower (0.10; 95% CI: 0.09-0.11) in suspects aged more than 65 years and 0.08 (95% CI: 0.07-0.09) for the injured above 65 years. Elderly perpetrators differed significantly concerning the manner of the assault (p < 0.001). They committed less crimes in urban areas (56.1% vs. 68.8%) and were victimized significantly more in rural areas (p < 0.001; 41.2% vs. 30.2%). Violence in the elderly differs from that of the younger population. Further research is warranted to establish prevention measures.     

A proposal for standardization in forensic canine DNA typing: allele nomenclature of six canine-specific STR loci

In this study a proposal for the allele nomenclature of six polymorphic short tandem repeat (STR) loci (PEZ3, PEZ6, PEZ8, PEZ10, FHC2161, and FHC2328) for canine genotyping (Canis lupus familiaris) is presented. The nomenclature is based on the sequence data of the polymorphic region of the microsatellite markers as recommended by the DNA commission of the International Society of Forensic Haemogenetics (ISFH) in 1994 for human DNA typing. To cover commonly and rarely occurring alleles, a selection of homozygous and heterozygous animals were analyzed and subjected to sequence studies. The alleles consisted of simple tri- and tetra-nucleotide repeat patterns as well as compound and highly complex repeat patterns. Several alleles revealing the same fragment size but different repeat structures were found. The allele designation described here was adopted to the number of repeats, including all variable regions within the amplified fragment. In a second step the most commonly occurring alleles were added to an allelic ladder for each marker allowing a reliable typing of all alleles differing in size. A total number of 142 unrelated dogs from surrounding municipal animal homes, private households, and canines in police duty were analyzed. The data were added to a population database providing allele frequencies for each marker.     

Information Technology Transfer to African Nations: An Economic Development Mandate

The global revolution caused by the advancement and deployment of information technology (IT) demands the full involvement of the entire international community if the technology is to be ultimately effective. IT which continues to revolutionize all facets of life in the developed world has the potential to affect African countries in historic proportions. IT presents several opportunities and challenges for developing African countries, including Africa. There are opportunities for fostering technological capabilities, and thus enhancing the prospect of economic development. This paper highlights the opportunities facing African countries in the information age. The challenges that African countries must face in order to experience the full impact of the technology are discussed. A policy framework for the transfer of IT to African countries is presented and several Internet resources relating to IT transfer in Africa are provided.     

STOCK OPTIONS IN THE CORPORATE GOVERNANCE PROCES S--BLES S1NG OR CURSE？

One of the main control mechanisms that shareholders have used to rein in rogue managers is compensation. Stock options play an important role in a typical managerial compensation package. In this paper, we discuss the advantages and disadvantages of stock options, which is widely used in the US. We analyze the importance of stock options in the corporate governance process and provide implications for the future use of stock options.     

Male Victims of Domestic Violence

Most studies regarding DV focused mainly on female victims. To gain more insight into the problems male victims encounter, this study investigated the characteristics of this group in the Netherlands. Adult male victims of DV filled out an online questionnaire regarding the characteristics of the abuse (N?=?372). When men are victims of DV, they are physically as well as psychologically abused with the female (ex)-partners often being their perpetrator. The most important reason for men not to report the abuse is the belief the police would not take any action. Our findings suggest society should be aware that men are also victims of DV and feel the need to talk about it and desire support.