Temporal Trends in Rainwater Tank Suicides in Rijeka,Croatia—A 30‐year Study

Although drowning in rainwater tanks is a generally rare phenomenon, this method for suicide has been observed in parts of Croatia. Review of autopsy records at the University of Rijeka, Croatia, was undertaken from 1987 to 2016 to examine this phenomenon. Of 469 drowning deaths, there were 35 suicides in rainwater tanks (7.5%). Overall drowning deaths showed no temporal trends. In contrast, suicidal drownings in rain water tanks showed a marked decline over the years, with 15 cases in 1987–1991, seven in 1992–1996, six in 1997–2001, six in 2002–2006, one in 2007–2011, and none in 2012–2016. Thus, suicidal drowning cases as a percentage of overall drownings dropped from 18% to zero (p<0.001). This study reports a very unusual method of suicide that may have occurred because of the ready availability of large water reservoirs in homes. The recent fall in numbers may relate to less reliance on domestic reservoirs of water.     

Associations between different motivations for animal cruelty,methods of animal cruelty and facets of impulsivity

ABSTRACT

Associations between specific motivations for animal cruelty, particular methods of animal cruelty and different facets of impulsivity were explored among 130 undergraduate students. Participants completed an adapted version of the Boat Inventory on Animal-Related Experiences (BIARE) which asked participants to state whether they had intentionally harmed or killed an animal, the species of animal(s) involved, their motivations for harming or killing the animal(s) and the method(s) used. Participants also completed the Impulsive Behavior scale (UPPS-P) which assesses five facets of impulsivity. Over half of the sample (55%) reported committing at least one act of animal cruelty, and dogs were the most commonly abused species of animal. The most frequently reported motivations were Prejudice, Amusement, Control (of an animal), and Retaliation (against an animal), and the most frequently reported methods were Beating/Kicking, Squashing, Throwing an object at an animal, Shooting, Drowning and Burning. Significant associations were found between particular motivations and methods, as well as between particular methods of animal cruelty and facets of impulsivity. Findings have implications for theoretical models of animal cruelty perpetration as well as offender assessment and treatment.     

Combining the Strengths of Qualitative Comparative Analysis with Cluster Analysis for Comparative Public Policy Research: With Reference to the Policy of Economic Convergence in the Euro Currency Area

Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) is a well-established method for comparing national public policy similarities and differences. It is argued that Cluster Analysis can add additional benefits to such research when used concurrently with QCA. Cluster Analysis provides a better method for the initial exploration of multivariate data and examining how countries compare because it can work with the full range of available interval data while patterns are created and viewed. This provides the best first method for exploring patterns and likely groupings of countries. QCA then provides a more robust method for theorizing about the construction of such groupings and their relationship around similar variable scores. QCA makes such theorizing transparent. The research example used to illustrate the benefits of combining Cluster Analysis and QCA is an analysis of the evolving of macroeconomic policy for the countries sharing the Euro, comparing 2005 (precrisis) with 2010 (postcrisis).     

政党适应性视角下的党内巡视制度

改革开放以来,面对不断变迁的社会结构和充满挑战的外部环境,我党一直在进行着适应性变革。党内巡视制度的建立符合政党适应性的要求,可以消解党适应性变革中社会基础扩大给党执政带来的影响,是提高党的建设科学化水平的重要一环。从政党适应性视角看,党内巡视制度面临一些挑战,包括存在陷入＂钱穆制度陷阱＂的可能,存在信息化时代的挑战,对巡视制度的理论研究尚显薄弱,等等。因此,应加强党内监督制度体系建设,坚持群众路线,通过改革的进一步深入完善党内巡视制度,从而提高政党适应性。     

Core Consensus,Strategic Variations: Mapping Arts Management Graduate Education in the United States

This study is the first comprehensive curricular comparison of graduate arts management programs in the United States. Its principal finding is that there exists considerable curricular convergence among arts management programs and that their differences may be exploited strategically. Through extensive curricular analysis and in-depth conversations with faculty, this study makes both conceptual and methodological contributions to the field—conceptual because it provides an empirical basis for the definition of arts management as a formal academic discipline in its own right and methodological because it proposes a framework to effect a systematic comparison of arts management program curricula.     

社会管理创新试点工作调研——以贵州警官职业学院开展政法挂帮工作实效性为视角

面对社会主义市场经济条件下构建和谐社会的新形势新任务,从全局和战略的高度,认真贯彻落实中央和省委的决策部署,准确把握新时期赋予的社会管理创新的历史使命和重大责任,紧密结合实际,找准政法挂帮着力点,发挥自身职能优势,突出特色,着力在推动社会管理的创新发展、维护和谐稳定、改善民生、服务基层上下功夫,力求社会管理创新取得实效。     

法治方略下的社会管理方法创新

创新社会管理方法对推进我国社会主义事业发展有重要的影响。依法治国、建设社会主义法治国家已成为我国现阶段的治国方略及奋斗目标,运用法治能够有效的调整社会关系,达到平衡、完善社会管理的状态。     

A Review of: “Rogelio Alonso. The IRA and Armed Struggle.”

ABSTRACT

In the conceptual literature on terrorism, there is no shortage of answers to the question: “What is terrorism?” Indeed, the terrorism literature has been heavily criticized for a deluge of definitions. And yet the booming quantitative terrorism literature generally examines a narrow set of “what is terrorism?”: how country-level factors explain variation in the number of terrorist attacks. This article demonstrates the variety of ways in which scholars currently operationalize terrorism and compares them to the ways it could be operationalized. I replicate studies using alternative operationalizations of terrorism to examine the consequences of the terrorism literature’s collective bet to focus on attack counts at the country level. Finally, I discuss the implications of the narrow set of operational choices with an eye towards how a greater variety of approaches would produce a more robust research agenda.     

The history of devolution of powers to local authorities in South Africa: The shifting sands of state control

Urban waste services in Portugal have historically been provided together with other services, such as the water services. Despite the lack of discussion on this subject in the literature, some questions have been raised about the gains, in terms of efficiency, of this policy. Following a recent and robust partial nonparametric frontier model, based on order-α, we intend to evaluate the presence of economies of scope in the Portuguese waste sector. Furthermore, we also estimate the economies of scale using the traditional data envelopment analysis. The results show the absence of economies of scope between waste and water (and wastewater) services. In addition, we identify the presence of economies of scale in smaller municipalities. These outcomes might be useful for policy and decision makers in further reforms.     

《国际贸易实务》课程实践教学改革初探--以职业技能竞赛为推手

目前,我国对外贸易形势日益严峻,企业对优秀外贸人才的需求也更加迫切。对于高职院校国际贸易实务专业而言,核心课程《国际贸易实务》实践教学改革的效果将直接影响到人才的培养质量。职业技能竞赛,以提高学生的职业岗位实际操作能力水平为目标,对该课程的实践教学改革有着积极的促进作用。