Citizens and the future of multilateralism in a polycentric world at 2030: the perspectives of emerging countries for the trading system: the impasse of WTO, the trends of mega agreements, the logic of value chains and the advent of consumers concerns on international trade

A new paradigm is modeling the World: evolutionary innovations in all fronts, new information technologies, huge mobility of capital, use of risky financial tools, globalization of production, new emerging powers and the impact of consumer concerns on governmental policies. These phenomena are shaping the World and forcing the advent of a new World Order in the Multilateral Monetary, Financial, and Trading System. The effects of this new paradigm are also transforming global governance. The political and economic orders established after the World War and centered on the multilateral model of UN, IMF, World Bank, and the GATT, leaded by the developed countries, are facing significant challenges. The rise of China and emerging countries shifted the old model to a polycentric World, where the governance of these organizations are threatened by emerging countries demanding a bigger participation in the role and decision boards of these international bodies. As a consequence, multilateralism is being confronted by polycentrism. Negotiations for a more representative voting process and the pressure for new rules to cope with the new demands are paralyzing important decisions. This scenario is affecting seriously not only the Monetary and Financial Systems but also the Multilateral Trading System. International trade is facing some significant challenges: a serious deadlock to conclude the last round of the multilateral negotiation at the WTO, the fragmentation of trade rules by the multiplication of preferential and mega agreements, the arrival of a new model of global production and trade leaded by global value chains that is threatening the old trade order, and the imposition of new sets of regulations by private bodies commanded by transnationals to support global value chains and non-governmental organizations to reflect the concerns of consumers in the North based on their precautionary attitude about sustainability of products made in the World. The lack of any multilateral order in this new regulation is creating a big cacophony of rules and developing a new regulatory war of the Global North against the Global South. The objective of this paper is to explore how these challenges are affecting the Tradinge System and how it can evolve to manage these new trends.

Trade and economic growth: a Latin American perspective on rhetoric and reality

Incluye Bibliografía

The impact of privatisation on the banking sector in the Caribbean

Includes bibliography

An assessment of the economic impact of climate change on the Agriculture Sector in Jamaica

The agricultural sector‟s contribution to GDP and to exports in Jamaica has been declining with the post-war development process that has led to the differentiation of the economy. In 2010, the sector contributed 5.8% of GDP, and 3% to the exports (of goods), but with 36% of employment, it continues to be a major employer. With a little less than half of the population living in rural communities, agricultural activities, and their linkages with other economic activities, continue to play an important role as a source of livelihoods, and by extension, the economic development of the country. Sugar cane cultivation has, with the exception of a couple of decades in the twentieth century when it was superseded by bananas, dominated the agricultural export sector for centuries as the source of the raw materials for the manufacture of sugar for export. In 2005, sugar cane itself accounted for 6.4% of the sector‟s contribution to GDP, and 52% of the contribution of agricultural exports to GDP. Production for the domestic market has long been the larger subsector, organized around the production of root crops, especially yams, vegetables and condiments. To analyse the potential impact of climate change on the agricultural sector, this study selected three important crops for detailed examination. In particular, the study selected sugar cane because of its overwhelming importance to the export subsector of agriculture, and yam and escallion for both their contribution to the domestic subsector as well as the preeminent role yams and escallion play in the economic activities of the communities in the hills of central Jamaica, and the plains of the southwest respectively. As with other studies in this project, the methodology adopted was to compare the estimated values of output on the SRES A2 and B2 Scenarios with the value of output on a “baseline” Business As Usual (BAU), and then estimate the net benefits of investment in the relevant to climate change for the selected crops. The A2 and B2 Scenarios were constructed by applying forecasts of changes in temperature and precipitation generated by INSMET from ECHAM inspired climate models. The BAU “baseline” was a linear projection of the historical trends of yields for each crop. Linear models of yields were estimated for each crop with particular attention to the influence of the two climate variables – temperature and precipitation. These models were then used to forecast yields up to 2050 (table1). These yields were then used to estimate the value of output of the selected crop, as well as the contribution to overall GDP, on each Scenario. The analysis suggested replanting sugar cane with heat resistant varieties, rehabilitating irrigation systems where they existed, and establishing technologically appropriate irrigation systems where they were not for the three selected crops.

An outbreak of Portuguese man-of-war (Physalia physalis - Linnaeus, 1758) envenoming in Southeastern Brazil

Introduction Portuguese man-of-war, Physalia physalis (Linnaeus, 1758), are cnidarians capable of discharging intracellular organelles filled with venom, resulting in severe envenomation in humans. Methods We report the clinical and therapeutic aspects of 331 accidents involving Portuguese man-of-war in an outbreak on the coast of the State of São Paulo, Brazil. Results The clinical manifestations of envenomation were rare and mild and mostly local, systemic reactions; there was a low rate of late complications. Conclusions The consequences of envenomation were of moderate severity, and first aid measures were effective in controlling the pain. Outbreaks of accidents involving Portuguese man-of-war occur periodically in the area without a clear explanation.

Ultrasonic waves: Bioeffects on yeast cells

Applications of ultrasound were starting from 1912 with the primary objective the detection of icebergs on prevention of maritime accidents. Algae, fish deaths and destruction were observed in the vicinity of sonar that equipped ships and submarines during the First World War.The evolutions of research and studies with ultrasound have big advances following the discovery of piezoelectric transducers in science and technology. As an example we can mention its application in microsurgery, fatigue detection in aerospace mechanics, catalysis sonochemical, biotechnology and others.The work presented here aims to demonstrate the application of ultrasonic in pulsed mode beams in biotechnology with the aim of improving the fermentation of a culture broth containing biological agents. In these experiments we used as ultrasound equipment and oscilator Sonics VCX-600 (20KHz), probe type wave guide. The experiments were conducted in a glass reactor of 200 mL of biomaterial containing cane juice and Saccharomyces cerevisiae in suspension. The parameters analyzed were related to the content Alcohlic (FID gas chromatography), and cell viability (Neubauer chamber), TRS (refractometry). Analysis of results showed that the total production exceeded in irradiated samples compared to normal fermentation (without ultrasound), suggesting additional advantage of ultrasound activation. Lastin Trials 1400 min, showed ethanol production systems 12% more than non-enabled systems. In this context alternatives for ethanol production, bio fuel and many other byproducts of the alcohol industries and chemicals could benefit from the use of ultrasound beams in this range of frequencies.

Players, Mao II e Falling Man: O terror em três versões (publicado em 2014)

This paper aims at analyzing the different approaches to terror in the novels Players (1977), Mao II (1991) and Falling Man (2007), by the American writer Don DeLillo. In Players, terror is shown as something attractive and exciting to a character who leads a very tedious personal and professional life; in Mao II, it is connected to the kidnapping of a poet and the text brings up relevant debates focusing on the contrast related to the power of novelists and terrorists in society; and in Falling Man, the author reviews the tragedy of September 11, in an attempt to try to understand the reasons why the attacks happened. The novels show terrorist actions connected to historical processes and also to the present form of capitalism and globalization. Theoretical texts by Bauman (1998), Eagleton (2005), Freitas (1989), Fraser (2000) will be used to discuss the issues addressed in this paper.

Locating control points in aerial images with a multi-scale approach based on terrestrial image patches

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Masculinities in Conflict: Representations of the Other in Narrative during the Spanish Civil War

In this article, I analyze the representation of the Other in three texts that were published during the Spanish Civil War: El infierno azul (1938?), by Republican Isidro R. Mendieta, and two closely related works by Falangist Jacinto Miquelarena: Cómo fui ejecutado en Madrid (1937) and El otro mundo: La vida en las embajadas de Madrid (1938). Although these texts adhere to different political ideologies and are stylistically very divergent, they are similar in their constant criticisms of the enemy. Furthermore, both Republicans and rebels tend to depict the enemy as possessing an inadequate masculinity. He is described, on one hand, as a beast or an animal, unable to control his instincts, and, on the other hand, as an unmanly and effeminate coward. Thus, for the construction of the nation, the Other presents an inappropriate masculinity, which is either excessive and uncontainable, or insufficient. Therefore, national ideologies seem to propose a normative masculinity that is located in an ambiguous middle ground: a masculinity that is able to control animal instincts yet capable of heroic acts.

Observations on Chromosomes of Dicrostonyx torquatus stevensoni Nelson and Chromosomal Diversity in Varying Lemmings = Untersuchungen an den Chromosomen von Dicrostonyx torquatus stevensoni Nelson und chromosomale Unterschiede bei Halsbandlemmingen

English abstract: The cytogenetic characteristics of the varying lemming, Dicrostonyx torquatus stevensoni, (2n = 34), were investigated, and diploid chromosomal numbers were reported for four other nominal subspecies (exsul, nelsoni, richardsoni, and rubricatus) of the torquatus-group in North America. The diploid complements ranged from 30 to 44 chromosomes, and the fundamental number from 50 to 55. Chromosomal polymorphism was observed in all forms. In cross-breeding experiments, the mating of F1 progeny was not productive. The findings support the zoogeographic concept that populations of Dicrostonyx became fragmented or displaced southward during Würm time, with relict stocks persisting in unglaciated refugia or periglacial tundra. Speciation in the isolates led to chromosomal evolution, with the result that populations spreading from refugia in post-glacial time are reproductively isolated. The torquatus-group in North America appears to be a superspecies. German title: Untersuchungen an den Chromosomen von Dicrostonyx torquatus stevensoni Nelson und chromosomale Unterschiede bei Halsbandlemmingen German abstract: Die cytogenetischen Merkmale des Halsbandlemmings, Dicrostonyx torquatus stevensoni, (2n = 34) wurden eingehend untersucht, und für vier andere nordamerikanische Unterarten der torquatus-Gruppe wurden die somatischen Chromosomensätze festgestellt. Die Chromosomenzahl der untersuchten Populationen schwankte zwischen 30 und 44, der NF (Nombre Fondamental) zwischen 50 und 55. Zuchttiere der verschiedenen Populationen wurden erfolgreich gekreuzt, aber Sterilität der F1 Unterartbastarde war typisch. Die Halsbandlemminge wiesen Karyotypenverschiedenheiten auf, die sich durch Variationen des Robertsonschen Typus, Deletionen oder möglicherweise durch perizentrische Inversionen erklären. Die Ergebnisse sprechen dafür, daß das ursprüngliche Verbreitungsgebiet von Dicrostonyx in Nordamerika durch die letzte (Würm) Vereisung getrennt wurde, und daß die Reliktpopulationen die letzte Glazial-Phase in eisfreien Refugien oder in periglazialer Tundra überlebten, wo Karyotypevolution durch lokale Anpassungsbedürfnisse gefördert wurde. Die in der Postglazialzeit aus den Refugien sich verbreitenden Populationen von Dicrostonyx scheinen reproduktiv isoliert zu sein. Die torquatus-Gruppe in Nordamerika gilt also als Superspecies.

Review of: Solving the Mysteries of the Dead Sea Scrolls: New Light on the Bible, by Edward M. Cook

Edward M. Cook's new book makes an excellent addition to the growing list of "introductions" to the Dead Sea Scrolls. Aimed primarily at a Christian lay and clerical audience, it succeeds admirably in leading its readers through the labyrinthine world of Scroll scholarship and controversy. The book divides itself into two uneven parts. In the first part, chapters 1-4, Cook deals with the discovery of the Scrolls in 1947 and the subsequent history of their decipherment and (often delayed) publication. Cook's treatment of this controversial topic is the most fair and evenhanded I have ever read; he has done meticulous research, reading many accounts of the Scrolls, from Edmund Wilson's in the 1950's to the latest journal articles from 1993. The result is a highly readable account of the finding and purchase of the Scrolls, the appointment of an international team of scholars to decipher and publish them, the delays in publication (including the results of the Six Day War in 1967, when most of the Scroll fragments fell into Israeli hands), and the controversy surrounding then editor-in-chief John Strugnell and the release of the photographs in the late 1980's and early 1990's. Cook is objective and fair throughout, but particularly striking is his sympathetic portrayal of the original seven member editorial team.

Rituals and Knowledge Construction: Ethical Dilemmas on Creating Oppositions

What is knowledge construction for? Mesopotamian rituals were practiced in order to grasp the future and guide war strategies. Nowadays, scientific rules are developed to avoid mysticism-constructing more accurate laws to explain the reality. Both rituals and science were, and usually are, grounded in a conception that to know is to decipher the correct meaning behind the expressive relief of the world. Contemporary studies on anthropology have shown that the opposition between nature and culture is the basis of a number of problems in human sciences aiming to comprehend the intricate relation between body and violence and overcome ethical dilemmas.

Sedimentary processes on the NW Iberian Continental Shelf since the Little Ice Age

The OMEX core CD110 W90, retrieved from the Douro Mud Patch (DMP) off the River Douro in the north of Portugal, records the period since the beginning of Little Ice Age (LIA). The core chronology is based upon the data attributes for Pb-210, Cs-137 and a C-14 dating from a level near the core base. Geochemical, granulometric, microfaunal (benthic foraminifera) and compositional data suggest the occurrence of precipitation changes which may have been, at least partially, influenced by the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), that contributes to the regulation of the ocean-atmosphere dynamics in the North Atlantic. Southwesterly Atlantic storm track is associated with the negative phases of the NAO, when the Azores High is anomalously weak, higher oceanographic hydrodynamism, downwelling events and increased rainfall generally occurs. Prevalence of these characteristics during the LIA left a record that corresponds to phases of major floods. During these phases the DMP received a higher contribution of relatively coarse-grained terrigenous sediments, enriched in quartz particles, which diluted the contribution of other minerals, as indicated by reduced concentrations of several lithogenic chemical elements such as: Al, As, Ba, Ce, Co, Cu, Fe, K, La, Li, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, P, Rb, Sc, Sn, Th, V and Y. The presence of biogenic carbonate particles also underwent dilution, as revealed by the smaller abundance of foraminifera and correlative lower concentrations of Ca and Sr. During this period, the DMP also received an increased contribution of organic matter, indicated by higher values of lignin remains and a benthic foraminifera high productivity index, or BFHP, which gave rise to early diagenetic changes with pyrite formation. Since the beginning of the 20th century this contribution diminished, probably due to several drier periods and the impact of human activities in the river basins, e.g. construction of dams, or, on the littoral areas, construction of hard-engineering structures and sand extraction activities. During the first half of the 20th century mainly positive phases of the NAO prevailed, caused by the above normal strengthening of the subtropical high pressure centre of the Azores and the deepening of the low pressure centre in Iceland. These phases may have contributed to the reduction in the supply of both terrigenous sediments and organic matter from shallow water to the DMP. During the positive phases of the NAO, sedimentation became finer. The development of mining and industrial activities during the 20th century is marked, in this core, by higher concentrations of Pb. Furthermore, the erosion of heaps resulting from wolfram exploitation leaves its signature as a peak of W concentrations recorded in the sediments of the DMP deposited between the 1960s and the 1990s. Wolfram exploitation was an important activity in the middle part of the 20th century, particularly during the period of the Second World War. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Experimental investigation into the effect of stress on dissolution and growth of very soluble brittle salts in aqueous solution

Das Studium der Auflösungs- und Wachstumsprozesse an Feststoff-Flüssigkeits-Grenzflächen unter nicht-hydrostatischen Beanspruchungen ist wesentlich für das Verständnis von Defor-mationsprozessen, die in der Erde ablaufen. Unter diesen genannten Prozessen gehört die Drucklösung zu den wichtigsten duktilen Deformationsprozessen, von der Diagenese bishin zur niedrig- bis mittelgradigen metamorphen Bedingungen. Bisher ist allerdings wenig darüber bekannt, welche mechanischen, physikalischen oder chemischen Potentialenergie-Gradienten die Drucklösung steuern. I.a. wird angenommen, daß die Drucklösung durch Un-terschiede kristallplastischer Verformungsenergien oder aber durch Unterschiede der Normal-beanspruchung an Korngrenzen gesteuert wird. Unterschiede der elastischen Verformungs-energien werden dabei allerdings als zu gering erachtet, um einen signifikanten Beitrag zu leisten. Aus diesem Grund werden sie als mögliche treibende Kräfte für die Drucklösung vernachlässigt. Andererseits haben neue experimentelle und theoretische Untersuchungen gezeigt, daß die elastische Verformung in der Tat einen starken Einfluß auf Lösungs- und Wachstumsmechanismen von Kristallen in einer Lösung haben kann. Da die in der Erdkruste vorherrschenden Deformationsmechanismen überwiegend im elastischen Verformungsbereich der Gesteine ablaufen, ist es sehr wichtig, das Verständnis für die Effekte, die die elastische Verformung verursacht, zu erweitern, und ihre Rolle während der Deformation durch Drucklösung zu definieren. Die vorliegende Arbeit beschäftigt sich mit Experimenten, bei denen der Effekt der mechanisch kompressiven Beanspruchung auf Lösungs- und Wachstumsprozesse von Einzelkristallen unterschiedlicher, sehr gut löslicher, elastisch/spröder Salze untersucht wurde. Diese Salze wurden als Analoga gesteinsbildender Minerale wie Quarz und Calcit ausgewählt. Der Einfluß von Stress auf die Ausbildung der Oberflächenmikrostrukturen in einer untersättigten Lösung wurde an Kaliumalaun untersucht.Lösungsrillen (20 – 40 µm breit, 10 – 40 µm tief und 20 – 80 µm Abstand) entwickelten sich in den Bereichen, in denen die Beanspruchung im Kristall am größten war. Sie verschwanden wieder, sobald der Kristall entlastet wurde. Diese Rillen entwickelten sich parallel zu niedrig indizierten kristallographischen Richtungen und sub-perpendikular zu den Trajektorien, die der maximalen, lokalen kompressiven Beanspruchung entsprachen. Die Größe der Lösungsrillen hing von der lokalen Oberflächenbeanspruchung, der Oberflächenenergie und dem Untersättigungsgrad der wässrigen Lösung ab. Die mikrostrukturelle Entwicklung der Kristalloberflächen stimmte gut mit den theoretischen Vorhersagen überein, die auf den Modellen von Heidug & Leroy (1994) und Leroy & Heidug (1994) basieren. Der Einfluß der Beanspruchung auf die Auflösungsrate wurde an Natriumchlorat-Einzelkristallen untersucht. Dabei wurde herausgefunden, daß sich gestresste Kristalle schneller lösen als Kristalle, auf die keine Beanspruchung einwirkt. Der experimentell beobachtete Anstieg der Auflösungsrate der gestressten Kristalle war ein bis zwei Größenordnungen höher als theoretisch erwartet. Die Auflösungsrate stieg linear mit dem Stress an, und der Anstieg war um so größer, je stärker die Lösung untersättigt war. Außerdem wurde der Effekt der Bean-spruchung auf das Kristallwachstum an Kaliumalaun- und Kaliumdihydrogenphosphat-Ein-zelkristallen untersucht. Die Wachstumsrate der Flächen {100} und {110} von Kalium-alaun war bei Beanspruchung stark reduziert. Für all diese Ergebnisse spielte die Oberflächenrauhigkeit der Kristalle eine Schlüsselrolle, indem sie eine nicht-homogene Stressverteilung auf der Kristalloberfläche verursachte. Die Resultate zeigen, daß die elastische Verformung eine signifikante Rolle während der Drucklösung spielen kann, und eine signifikante Deformation in der oberen Kruste verursachen kann, bei Beanspruchungen, die geringer sind, als gemeinhin angenommen wird. Somit folgt, daß die elastische Bean-spruchung berücksichtigt werden muß, wenn mikrophysikalische Deformationsmodelle entwickelt werden sollen.

A molecular dynamics study of the influence of chain branching on the properties of polymer systems

Die vorliegende Arbeit beschäftigt sich mit dem Einfluß von Kettenverzweigungen unterschiedlicher Topologien auf die statischen Eigenschaften von Polymeren. Diese Untersuchungen werden mit Hilfe von Monte-Carlo- und Molekular-Dynamik-Simulationen durchgeführt.Zunächst werden einige theoretische Konzepte und Modelle eingeführt, welche die Beschreibung von Polymerketten auf mesoskopischen Längenskalen gestatten. Es werden wichtige Bestimmungsgrößen eingeführt und erläutert, welche zur quantitativen Charakterisierung von Verzweigungsstrukturen bei Polymeren geeignet sind. Es wird ebenso auf die verwendeten Optimierungstechniken eingegangen, die bei der Implementierung des Computerprogrammes Verwendung fanden. Untersucht werden neben linearen Polymerketten unterschiedliche Topolgien -Sternpolymere mit variabler Armzahl, Übergang von Sternpolymeren zu linearen Polymeren, Ketten mit variabler Zahl von Seitenketten, reguläre Dendrimere und hyperverzweigte Strukturen - in Abhängigkeit von der Lösungsmittelqualität. Es wird zunächst eine gründliche Analyse des verwendeten Simulationsmodells an sehr langen linearen Einzelketten vorgenommen. Die Skalierungseigenschaften der linearen Ketten werden untersucht in dem gesamten Lösungsmittelbereich vom guten Lösungsmittel bis hin zu weitgehend kollabierten Ketten im schlechten Lösungsmittel. Ein wichtiges Ergebnis dieser Arbeit ist die Bestätigung der Korrekturen zum Skalenverhalten des hydrodynamischen Radius Rh. Dieses Ergebnis war möglich aufgrund der großen gewählten Kettenlängen und der hohen Qualität der erhaltenen Daten in dieser Arbeit, insbesondere bei den linearen ketten, und es steht im Widerspruch zu vielen bisherigen Simulations-Studien und experimentellen Arbeiten. Diese Korrekturen zum Skalenverhalten wurden nicht nur für die linearen Ketten, sondern auch für Sternpolymere mit unterchiedlicher Armzahl gezeigt. Für lineare Ketten wird der Einfluß von Polydispersität untersucht.Es wird gezeigt, daß eine eindeutige Abbildung von Längenskalen zwischen Simulationsmodell und Experiment nicht möglich ist, da die zu diesem Zweck verwendete dimensionslose Größe eine zu schwache Abhängigkeit von der Polymerisation der Ketten besitzt. Ein Vergleich von Simulationsdaten mit industriellem Low-Density-Polyäthylen(LDPE) zeigt, daß LDPE in Form von stark verzweigten Ketten vorliegt.Für reguläre Dendrimere konnte ein hochgradiges Zurückfalten der Arme in die innere Kernregion nachgewiesen werden.