Short term impact of Tribulus terrestris intake on doping control analysis of endogenous steroids

Tribulus terrestris is a nutritional supplement highly debated regarding its physiological and actual effects on the organism. The main claimed effect is an increase of testosterone anabolic and androgenic action through the activation of endogenous testosterone production. Even if this biological pathway is not entirely proven, T. terrestris is regularly used by athletes. Recently, the analysis of two female urine samples by GC/C/IRMS (gas chromatography/combustion/isotope-ratio-mass-spectrometry) conclusively revealed the administration of exogenous testosterone or its precursors, even if the testosterone glucuronide/epitestosterone glucuronide (T/E) ratio and steroid marker concentrations were below the cut-off values defined by World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). To argue against this adverse analytical finding, the athletes recognized having used T. terrestris in their diet. In order to test this hypothesis, two female volunteers ingested 500 mg of T. terrestris, three times a day and for two consecutive days. All spot urines were collected during 48 h after the first intake. The (13)C/(12)C ratio of ketosteroids was determined by GC/C/IRMS, the T/E ratio and DHEA concentrations were measured by GC/MS and LH concentrations by radioimmunoassay. None of these parameters revealed a significant variation or increased above the WADA cut-off limits. Hence, the short-term treatment with T. terrestris showed no impact on the endogenous testosterone metabolism of the two subjects.     

Q&A in legislative oversight: A framework for analysis

Parliamentary questions are an essential tool of legislative oversight. However, the extent to which they are effective in controlling the executive remains underspecified both theoretically and methodologically. This article advances a systematic framework for evaluating the effectiveness of parliamentary questions drawing on principal–agent theory, the public administration literature on accountability and communication research. The framework is called the ‘Q&A approach to legislative oversight’ based on the premise that the study of parliamentary questions (Q) needs to be linked to their respective answers (A) and examined together (Q&A) at the micro-level as an exchange of claims between legislative and executive actors. Methodologically, the Q&A approach to legislative oversight offers a step-by-step guide for qualitative content analysis of Q&A that can be applied to different legislative oversight contexts at different levels of governance. It is argued that the effectiveness of Q&A depends on the strength of the questions asked and the responsiveness of answers provided, which are correspondingly operationalised. To illustrate the merits of the approach, the article includes a systematic case study on the relationship between the European Parliament and the European Central Bank in banking supervision (2013–2018), showing the connection between specific institutional settings and the effectiveness of parliamentary questions.     

论重大劳动安全事故罪的立法完善

我国刑法关于重大劳动安全事故罪的规定,存在诸多缺陷,如犯罪主体不明确,处刑较 轻,刑种单一,直接责任人员承担刑事责任的范围狭窄,这些缺陷严重影响了该罪作用的发挥。因 此,我国刑法应对该罪重新设置,扩大责任主体范围及直接责任人员承担刑事责任的范围,科学配 置刑种,重视罚金刑的适用,实行单位和直接人员双罚制,适度加重处罚,做到罪责刑相适应。     

宏观调控的法律规制

宏观调控问题已引起法学界热情的关注 ,但现有研究成果尚不足以形成立法资源 ,且学者间对宏观调控主体、领域、手段的法律规制等问题也存在着认识上的差异。立法上确定宏观调控主体 ,应以宏观调控的价值目标为根据 ;对宏观调控领域的法律规制 ,应把握宏观经济的层面界定 ;从逻辑学角度对现有宏观调控主体的研究成果进行检视 ,有利于确立宏观调控主体法治化的观念     

警察实力强制调查的法律规制

2002年陕西省延安市发生的夫妻在家看黄碟案促使我们反省警察实力强制调查问题。实力强制调查是指行政机关在遭遇被调查人抵抗时,允许使用实力强行进入有关场所,或者强行对被调查人人身及财产进行调查。警察实力强制调查应加强司法监督,遵循法律保留原则、正当程序原则、比例原则,其法律规制的方法有法律的明确规定、程序的严格执行、检查令的使用。     

论治安防控中的时空整合

治安防控是中国公安机关为适应新形势下动态治安管理需要所采取的新举措。在治安防 控中将时空整合,有利于提高快速反应的实战能力,有利于提高发现和预防犯罪的能力,有利于发现 和打击现行犯罪和预谋犯罪。     

关于《劳动合同法》第14条的溯及力的法理分析

《劳动合同法》第14条引起了广泛争议并产生了很大社会影响,争议的焦点是有关年限的规定是否具有溯及力的问题。依据法不溯及既往原则,《劳动合同法》原则上不具有溯及力,但由于《劳动合同法》的立法意图旨在保护劳工利益,加之《劳动合同法》吸收了《劳动法》的有关规定,因而使某些有关年限的起点具有溯及力。这样把握既不违反法不溯及既往原则,同时也保护了劳工的正当权益。不过应该有个过渡办法,《劳动合同法》实施前企业对劳工的福利欠债可以考虑由政府"埋单"而不能完全推给企业。     

Complainants’ Views about Civilian Review of the Police: A Study of the Philippines

In search of effective control of the police, several countries have created civilian review boards. The Philippines recently adopted such an approach by establishing the People’s Law Enforcement Board (PLEB). The board is envisioned to enable citizens to participate in the process of police control. This study examines the perceptions of complainants about the board in a metropolitan area in the Philippines. Using surveys, the study aims to determine the integrity, legitimacy, and efficiency of the board as well as the satisfaction of complainants with the review board. The findings suggest that complainants were highly satisfied with the People’s Law Enforcement Board. Complainants also showed great concern for the legitimacy of the board and the timely resolutions of their cases. In addition, the study confirms previous studies’ findings on the predominant influence of case outcomes on complainants’ satisfaction.

Potential of the state to control privatized firms

The privatization strategy in many transition economies involved the creation of a special government agency that administered state property during privatization programs as well as after the privatization was declared complete. The National Property Fund (NPF) was the agency in the Czech Republic. In many firms the state kept property long after the privatization was completed. We analyze the control potential of the state exercised through the NPF via the control rights associated with capital stakes in firms along with special voting rights provided by law. Based on a complete data set on assets as well as the means of control in privatized firms we conclude that for most of the 1994–2005 period, the state control potential was extensive and certainly larger than has been found by earlier research.