International environmental agreements between developing countries only: learning from the Brazil–Uruguay case over the suspicion of acid rain

This article is about the process of negotiation and implementation of a bilateral environmental agreement between two developing countries. It analyzes the case of the Act of Jaguarão between Brazil and Uruguay on assessing the risk of transboundary air pollution by the President Medici (UTPM) coal-powered thermo-electrical facility in the Candiota region of southern Brazil. The article adds to the scarce literature on international environmental conflict resolution and negotiations between developing countries, especially in Latin America. First, it explains that even with the asymmetry of power between Brazil and Uruguay, negotiation was possible due to a series of factors, such as the interest of Brazilian environmental agencies in improving the monitoring of emissions from UTPM and the international scrutiny of Brazil prior to the upcoming Rio-92 Earth Summit. Both states obtained mutual gains from the agreement by developing ‘joint fact finding’ research and monitoring. Second, different from most of the mainstream literature, the research reveals that weaknesses in institutional agreements, such as a lack of sanctions or deadlines, were not an implementation impediment. In fact, the very weaknesses of the agreement actually enabled authorities in both countries to cooperate in the development of an acid rain monitoring program in the Candiota region, and as a result, to improve air monitoring capacities in both countries. Third, this research shows that the implementation process (1991–2003) produced different results and impacts: it helped to develop technical capacities of environmental agencies in both countries, increased the political power of Brazilian environmental agencies to control UTPM, and pushed for behavioral changes to enable UTPM to respond to the demands of both governments.     

A more sensitive modification of the zinc test for seminal traces suitable for stable test paper strips.

A more sensitive modification of the zinc test for semen has been developed, which can be used either as a solution or incorporated into test papers. The latter retain their sensitivity for at least 3 months.     

Lessons from institution building in Kenya

Participant observation of institution building in a public sector organization in Kenya provides a basis for a critical discussion of key facets of the institution-building process. Problems identified include: flawed needs assessments; overambitious project designs; poor selection and briefing of consultants; and countervailing vested interests on the parts of external agents. Recommendations include narrowing the gap between development rhetoric and reality; more careful project formulation; greater emphasis on in-house training; more careful selection of project team leaders; and the provision of funding for post-project sustainability evaluations.     

The Open Method of Coordination in the New Member States—the Perspectives for its Use as a Tool of Soft Law

Abstract:   The open method of coordination (OMC) has introduced a shift with the traditional legal instruments set up by the Treaty. Its introduction was initially supposed to favour more 'flexibility' and 'openness' in the community legal order. After a presentation of the OMC, this article intends to provide an assessment of the OMC's implementation in the ten new Member States. It displays that the OMC is sometimes far from his initial purposes, and in consequence needs to a certain extend, to adapt some of the guidelines and to clarify its legal bases. It concludes with a critical appraisal of the use of the OMC as itself, which should be imbricated in the community.     

Direct-broadcast satellites and cultural integrity

Electronic and mass media create counterweights to established authorities. Ithiel de Sola Pool is professor of political science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. A fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, he is also a member of the following: American Political Science Association; Council on Foreign Relations; American Association for Public Opinion Research and American Sociological Association. He is the author of Satellite Generalsand editor of Handbook of Communications. [Deceased]     

A single-column procedure on Bond Elut Certify for systematic toxicological analysis of drugs in plasma and urine.

A single-column solid-phase extraction procedure was developed for the screening of acidic, neutral, and basic drugs from plasma. The recoveries of all 25 tested drugs exceeded 82%. After the plasma had been diluted with phosphate buffer (pH 6.0), the drugs were extracted using a single Bond Elut Certify column. The acidic and most of the neutral drugs were eluted by acetone/chloroform (1:1) and the basic drugs were eluted by 2% ammoniated ethyl acetate. Some neutral drugs appeared in both fractions. The two fractions were collected separately and evaporated until approximately 100 microL of solvent remained in the tube. Both fractions were analyzed separately on a gas chromatograph equipped with a wide-bore capillary column and a flame ionization detector. The procedure could also be used for urine samples.