How Much Is Really Known About the Meaning of the Term “Conflict of Interest”?

Often codes of ethics require dealing with conflict of interest (CoI) without defining the boundaries of the phenomenon. In this case, CoI recognition is left to the discretion of the individual. The aim of this work is to answer to the following research questions: How much is really known about the meaning of the term CoI? Do individuals share the same CoI definition? In order to address these questions, we use the results of a questionnaire administered to 86 Italian public sector employees during some training courses on conflict of interest and corruption. The choice of this sample is particularly significant in that the Italian regulation provides for all public employees a code of conduct that requests avoiding, or at least disclosing, the CoI without prior definition of the meaning of the term. The results of our analysis show that public employees are uncertain about or come to different considerations of what CoI is and is not; consequently they deal with it in different ways. Thus, codes of conduct and ethics trainers should direct more attention on CoI definition, providing examples to facilitate its identification and resolution.     

Contractual Conditions,Organizational Level,Dimension of Organization,and Work Conflict as Potential Predictors of Job Stress in Public Administration

Job stress is a pervasive problem for employers in the 21st century economy, making it a timely and important topic in organizational settings. The variables influencing job stress are numerous and consequently it may be analyzed from different perspectives, but the root is primarily physical and psychosocial. This study specifically explores three physical sources of job stress—contractual condition of work, organizational position, and dimension of organization—and of one psychosocial source—work conflict. A survey instrument was used to collect information from regional Public Administration employees of South Italy. Data from 1,130 respondents were analyzed. Statistical correlations and hierarchical regression showed that contractual condition of work, organizational position, organizational dimension, and work conflict were all predictive aspects of job stress.     

GC/MS、GC/NPD法检测毛发中的氯胺酮

目的采用液-液萃取、衍生化和GC/MS、GC/NPD方法,进行毛发中氯胺酮定性定量分析。方法选择4-苯基丁胺为内标,毛发样本用NaOH、HCl及芳基硫酸酯酶/β-葡萄糖醛酸酶等3种方式进行水解,再进行衍生化后,采用GC/MS和GC/NPD方法定性定量分析。对不同水解和衍生化条件以及提取溶剂进行比较优化,并考察方法精密度、稳定性和检出限。结果方法的提取回收率大于95%,精密度和样品稳定性良好,日内和日间标准偏差小于6%;采用GC/NPD和GC/MS直接分析毛发中的氯胺酮,检出限为0.2ng/mg和2.0ng/mg,线性范围为10.0～250.0ng/mg,相关系数均大于0.99;采用酰化衍生化后分析,GC/NPD和GC/MS检出限分别提高至0.1ng/mg和0.2ng/mg。结论该方法回收率高、检测限低,可以用于毛发中氯胺酮的定性定量分析检验。     

农村基层组织人员贪污贿赂犯罪立法解释适用问题研究

村民委员会、村党组织、村经济组织的成员和村小组长、村民委员会下设各委员会委员等在农村基层组织中担任一定的职务、履行一定的职责的人都是"村民委员会等农村基层组织人员",其构成贪污贿赂犯罪必然发生在协助人民政府从事行政管理工作的过程中,具有时间性。而对如何认定协助行政管理行为的完成,论文提供了一种路径,即假设不存在村基层组织的协助管理行为,由人民政府直接完成现实中由村基层组织协助完成的行政管理工作,那么在假设条件下,认定人民政府某些具体行政管理工作完成所采用的标准,应适用于村基层组织人员协助管理工作完成的认定。     

Family Relationship Centres: partnerships with Legal Assistance Services

In June 2009, the Commonwealth Attorney General in Australia announced a Family Relationship Centres/ Legal Assistance Partnerships Program, (the “Better Partnerships” program). Its aim was to assist separated or separating families, “by providing access to early and targeted legal information and advice when attending Family Relationship Centres” (McClelland, 2009). After contextualizing this significant shift in policy and practice, the present paper reports on largely positive key results of an evaluation of the program by the Australian Institute of Family Studies. The paper concludes with reflections on future challenges and possibilities regarding ongoing collaboration between Australia's legal and family relationship sectors.     

农民合作行为中的惩罚机制及其实践基础研究

本文引入类型化的视角,对农民合作行为中惩罚机制进行研究与探讨,并考察合作行为中惩罚机制形态、处罚实施主体、惩罚手段以及惩罚机制发生的社会基础。研究发现,在社会关联度较高的村庄之中,村民多群体性地运用软性惩罚的方式对合作行为中的搭便车者进行惩罚;在社会关联度中等的村庄,村庄社区内可能以群体也可能通过单个强互惠者以情、面子来对搭便车者进行惩罚,但由于村庄内规范的约束力降低,其效果往往不及前者;在社会关联度较低的村庄则只能够以个人为单位,或以牺牲自己利益或引入混混来惩罚搭便车者,这种刚性的惩罚方式对合作行为中的搭便车者进行处罚,虽然可能有效,但其惩罚需要支付高昂的成本与代价。     

The collective welfare dimension of dark patterns regulation

Dark Patterns are interface design elements that can influence users' behaviour in digital environments. They can cause harm, not only on an individual but also a collective level, by creating behavioral market failures, reducing trust in markets and promoting unfair competition and data dominance. We contend that these collective effects of Dark Patterns cannot be tackled by existent laws, and thus call for policy intervention. This article reviews how existing and proposed laws in Europe and the US, namely the EU Digital Services Act and Digital Markets Act as well as the U.S. DETOUR and AICO Acts, address these collective dimensions of welfare and add to existing protection. We find that the novel legislative measures attain that goal to varying degrees. However, the collective welfare perspective may prove useful to both support a risk-based approach to the enforcement and provide guidance as to which practices should be addressed as priority.     

Faith,Folie à Famille,and Mummification: A Brief Review of the Literature and a Rare Case Report

Folie à deux is a rare clinical syndrome characterized by the transference of delusional ideas from one person to one or more other people in close association with the primary affected patient. Mummification indicates the preservation of the corpse of a person for a variable period of time. A brief review of the literature in this field is presented, and an exceptional case is described, characterized by the association of both these rare phenomena. The case is an example of folie à fammille which developed out of a condition of extreme religiousness and seclusion of an entire family. The shared psychosis led to the horrible death of some of the family members, while the last surviving member of the family lived for more than a year and a half with their mummified remains. The Judge commissioned a forensic psychiatry assessment to verify the survivor's ability to bear witness. The development of the psychiatric syndrome and its consequences are extensively discussed.     

The Role of Forensic Botany in Crime Scene Investigation: Case Report and Review of Literature

Management of a crime is the process of ensuring accurate and effective collection and preservation of physical evidence. Forensic botany can provide significant supporting evidences during criminal investigations. The aim of this study is to demonstrate the importance of forensic botany in the crime scene. We reported a case of a woman affected by dementia who had disappeared from nursing care and was found dead near the banks of a river that flowed under a railroad. Two possible ways of access to crime scene were identified and denominated “Path A” and “Path B.” Both types of soil and plants were identified. Botanical survey was performed. Some samples of Xanthium Orientalis subsp. Italicum were identified. The fall of woman resulted in external injuries and vertebral fracture at autopsy. The botanical evidence is important when crime scene and autopsy findings are not sufficient to define the dynamics and the modality of death.     

论警民关系对于城区警务改革的意义——以辽宁省改革实践为例

为加强公安工作、更好地服务于人民,辽宁省自2011年开始启动城区警务改革,主要集中在三个方面：警务管理体制、警务运行机制、警务操作模式。城区警务模式的成败关键在于良好和谐的警民关系的构建。文章从辽宁省城区警务改革出发,分析了警民关系的内涵和性质,总结了警民关系对于城区警务模式改革的重要性。