Removing and identifying drug contamination in the analysis of human hair

The procedure used in this laboratory for removing and identifying contamination of hair specimens with drugs is demonstrated by its application to hair contaminated by various experimental models. The models include soaking; coating with drug followed by sweat conditions for 6 h; and soaking in a very high concentration of cocaine followed by storage and multiple shampoo treatments. A multi-part wash procedure along with a wash criterion is applied to all samples containing drug above the cutoff. The failure of the wash criterion is a signal that the sample may be positive due to contamination rather than use, and in the absence of other over-riding evidence, the sample would be considered to be negative for drug use. This Wash Criterion has also been tested with hair from subjects demonstrated to be drug users by one or more drug-positive urines; in these studies, all hair samples from demonstrated users passed the Wash Criterion test.     

Sexual sadism

Definitions of sexual sadism in ICD-10 and DSM-IV will be presented as well as the historical routes of the concept. Today studies on differently selected clinical samples reveal a different distribution of sexual sadism versus masochism with masochism prevailing in general especially outpatient psychiatric facilities, and sadism prevailing in forensic settings, thus corroborating the concept of two separated diagnoses sadism versus masochism. In forensic settings the diagnosis of a sadistic character disorder (sadistic personality disorder [SPD] according DSM-III-R) is found to a much higher degree than in other clinical samples (50-fold). Our own follow-up study on a forensic sample implies that sadism as a paraphilia is of relevance for relapse-rates of sex-offenders. Symptoms of SPD can be combined with sexual sadism, or occur independently. This may corroborate arguments in favor of a dimensional concept of sexual sadism. Symptoms of SPD may then be a sign of generalization of sadistic traits at least in some cases. A concept of two factors contributing to sadistic pleasure is suggested, one taking the aspect of bodily gratification by sexual-aggressive stimuli as decisive, and the other taking inner representation of hostile objects into consideration (stressing the antisocial-anger-rage aspect).     

What About Syria?

The following is the edited text of the presentations at the September 30, 1999, meeting of the Sadat Forum at Brookings, cohosted by Richard Haass, vice-president and director of Foreign Policy Studies at the Brookings Institution, and Shibley Telhami, the Anwar Sadat Chairfor Peace and Development at the University of Maryland.     

Kant on Wrongdoing,Desert, and Punishment

Law and Philosophy -     

Women in the public service - a thirty-year perspective

Abstract: Over the last thirty years, there has been a substantial improvement in the representation of women throughout the federal public service. The expectations of and about women in the workplace have also changed immeasurably. However, there are still important differences in the way men and women deal with their environment. The different ways in which men and women are socialized continue to have an impact on women's experience in the workplace. There are still too many places in the public service where a traditional “competitive” (some would say “male”) approach to management prevails. The contrasting “integrative” style of management, which values team-building, participation, responsiveness, and the ability to integrate various points of view, more closely reflects the way in which many women have been socialized and behave in the work environment. It is also the style valued in “well-performing organizations.” In addition, there are important differences in the way many men and women communicate. These differences can lead to misinterpretation and misunderstanding, and, in a culture where “toughness” is valued, this can sometimes result in men underestimating the competence and effectiveness of women. What is required is for management to move beyond employment equity, where the emphasis is on increasing the representation of women and minorities, to a focus on valuing and managing the diversity that women and minority groups bring to the workplace, so that full advantage can be taken of the variety of perspectives, skills and abilities of all employees. Sommaire: Au cours des trente dernières années, la représentation des femmes dans la fonction publique fédérale a connu une amélioration considérable. Ce qu'on attend des femmes sur les lieux de trevail anisi que leurs propres attentes ont grandement évolué. La manière dont les hommes et les femmes réagissent à leur milieu resrte cependant assez différente. La socialisation différente des hommes et des femmes continue à se répercuter sur l'expérience des femmes au travail. Encore aujourd'hui, de nombreux secteurs de la fonction publique font appel à une gestion «compétitive» classique (certains diraient «masculine»). Par contre, le style de ges tion «intégrateur» qui met l'accent sur l'esprit déquipe, la participation, l'ouverture d'esprit et la capacité d'intégrer divers points de vue, reflète de plus prè la manière dont de nombreuses femmes ont été socialisées et dont elles se comportent au travail. D'ailleurs, c'est aussi le style que préfèrent les «organisations performantes». De plus, la manière dont communiquent les hbommes et les femmes peut différer considérablement, ce qui risque de mener à des malentendus et à des mauvaises interprétations; dans une culture ouG l'on admire la «poigne», les hommes en viennent parfois à sous-estimer la compétence et l'efficacité des femmes. La hommes en viennent parfois à sous-estimer la compétence et l'efficacité des femmes. La gestion doit main tenant aller au-delà de l'équité en matière d'emploi, qui met l'accent sur l'augmentation de la représentation des femmes et des minorités, pour gérer la diversité que les femmes et les groupes minoritaires apportent au miliey du travail afin de profiter pleinement de la variété de perspectives, de talents et d'aptitudes de tous les employés.     

Differential effects of high‐quality child care

In policy research a frequent aim is to estimate treatment effects separately by subgroups. This endeavor becomes a methodological challenge when the subgroups are defined by post‐treatment, rather than pre‐treatment, variables because if analyses are performed in the same way as with pre‐treatment variables, causal interpretations are no longer valid. The authors illustrate a new approach to this challenge within the context of the Infant Health and Development Program, a multisite randomized study that provided at‐risk children with intensive, center‐based child care. This strategy is used to examine the differential causal effects of access to high‐quality child care for children who would otherwise have participated in one of three child care options: no non‐maternal care, home‐based non‐maternal care, and center‐based care. Results of this study indicate that children participating in the first two types of care would have gained the most from high‐quality center‐based care and, moreover, would have more consistently retained the bulk of these positive benefits over time. These results may have implications for policy, particularly with regard to the debate about the potential implications of providing universal child care. © 2002 by the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management.     

The agency role of the physician in Ireland,Britain, and the USA

The USA and Britain have medical care delivery and financing systems which are polar opposites. The Irish system incorporates important features of both. Using original household survey data of medical care utilization in Ireland, and published data and studies of the USA and Britain, the effect of the incentive structures in the three systems on physician behavior, especially on the so-called agency role, is examined. We conclude that the incentive structure is of the utmost importance to policy makers concerned with health costs and economic rationality of medical care systems.     

Between Vengeance and Forgiveness: South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission

Citizens of South Africa are confronting a painful past through the new nation's Truth and Reconciliation Commission, or TRC, which thus far has heard thousands of reports (many televised) about murders, torture, and other human rights abuses that took place during the apartheid era. South Africa's TRC is grounded in a constitutional commitment to the African concept of ubuntu, or humaneness. Amnesty is available on a conditional basis to alleged perpetrators. The author assesses the potential restorative power of truth-telling; the significance of sympathetic witnesses; and the tasks of both perpetrators and bystanders in the TRC process. Aspirations for justice are considered along with restoring dignity to victims, offering a basis for individual healing, and promoting reconciliation of a divided society.