O Projeto Rio Formoso e a reprodução ampliada do capital no entorno da Ilha do Bananal: concentração da riqueza, exclusão e resistência

El objetivo de ésta disertación de maestría es analisar el proceso de expansión territorial de la agricultura regada productora de granos en el entorno de la Ilha do Bananal, donde se encuentra el Proyecto Río Formoso, en el município de Formoso do Araguaia – TO. El avance de la frontera agrícola del agronegócio en el entorno de la Ilha do Bananal, se aprovecha de los abundantes recursos hídricos presentes en la región del medio Araguaia y de la buena calidad para la platación de los suelos hidromórficos, que posibilitan la realización de dos safras diferentes de granos por año (soja y arroz), con elevados índices de productividad agrícola por hectarea de tierra. El proceso de desarrollo de la agricultura regada productora de granos, se inició a partir de la implantación del Proyecto Río Formoso en el año de 1979, posibilitando la llegada de infraestructuras sociales basicas, en una región marcada historicamente por el aislamiento económico y social. La introducción del modelo del agronegócio con base en la mecanización, manipulación genética de semillas y utilización de insumos químicos, contribuyó para generar conflictos sociales y territoriales con los otros sujetos sociales presentes desde mucho tiempo atrás en la región del medio Araguaia: las comunidades indígenas y los campesinos que residen en los asentamientos de la reforma agrária. Buscamos analisar como el proceso de desarrollo económico há impactado en la vida de los diversos sujetos sociales presentes en aquel território, y como nuevos ordenamientos territoriales se han configurado en el campo en el município de Formoso do Araguaia – TO.O objetivo desta dissertação de Mestrado é analisar o processo de expansão territorial da agricultura irrigada produtora de grãos no entorno da Ilha do Bananal, onde se localiza o Projeto Rio Formoso, no município de Formoso do Araguaia – TO. O avanço da fronteira agrícola do agronegócio no entorno da Ilha do Bananal, aproveita a abundância de recursos hídricos presentes na região do médio Araguaia e a boa qualidade para o plantio dos solos hidromórficos, que possibilitam a realização de duas safras diferentes de grãos por ano (arroz e soja), com elevados índices de produtividade agrícola por hectare de terra. O processo de desenvolvimento da agricultura irrigada produtora de grãos, iniciou-se a partir da implantação do Projeto Rio Formoso no ano de 1979, e trouxe a chegada de infraestruturas sociais básicas, em uma região marcada historicamente pelo isolamento econômico e social. A chegada do modelo agronegócio baseado na mecanização, manipulação genética de sementes e utilização de implementos e insumos químicos, acabou por outro lado por gerar conflitos sociais e territoriais com os outros sujeitos sociais presentes há muito tempo na região do médio Araguaia: as comunidades indígenas e os camponeses que residem nos assentamentos de reforma agrária. Analisamos como o processo de desenvolvimento econômico tem impactado a vida dos outros sujeitos sociais presentes naquele território, e como novos arranjos territoriais têm sido configurados no campo no município de Formoso do Araguaia - TO

Pyrolysis of Large Black Liquor Droplets

This paper presents the results of experiments involving the pyrolysis of large black liquor droplets in the NASA KC-135 reduced gravity aircraft. The reduced gravity environment facilitated the study of droplets up to 9 mm in diameter extending the results of previous studies to droplet sizes that are similar to those encountered in recovery boilers. Single black liquor droplets were rapidly inserted into a 923 K oven. The primary independent variables were the initial droplet diameter (0.5 mm to 9 mm), the black liquor solids content (66.12% - 72.9% by mass), and the ambient oxygen mole fraction (0.0 - 0.21). Video records of the experiments provided size and shape of the droplets as a function of time. The results show that the particle diameter at the end of the drying stage (D(sub DRY) ) increases linearly with the initial particle diameter (D(sub O)). The results further show that the ratio of the maximum swollen diameter (D(sub MAX)) to D(sub O) decreases with increasing D(sub O) for droplets with D(sub O) less than 4 mm. This ratio was independent of D(sub O) for droplets with D(sub O) greater than 4 mm. The particle is most spherical at the end of drying, and least spherical at maximum swollen size, regardless of initial sphericity and droplet size

Macrolide-Resistant Bordetella pertussis Infection in Newborn Girl, France

A macrolide antimicrobial drug was administered to a newborn with cough. On day 23 of hospitalization, macrolide-resistant Bordetella pertussis was isolated from nasopharyngeal aspirates. DNA sequencing and PCR–restriction fragment length polymorphism showed a 2047 A-to-G mutation in the 3 copies of the 23S rRNA gene. Monitoring for macrolide resistance is essential in infants <6 months of age

Hyperthermophilic Carbamate Kinase Stability and Anabolic In Vitro Activity at Alkaline pH

Carbamate kinases catalyze the conversion of carbamate to carbamoyl phosphate, which is readily transformed into other compounds. Carbamate forms spontaneously from ammonia and carbon dioxide in aqueous solutions, so the kinases have potential for sequestrative utilization of the latter compounds. Here, we compare seven carbamate kinases from mesophilic, thermophilic, and hyperthermophilic sources. In addition to the known enzymes from Enterococcus faecalis and Pyrococcus furiosus, the previously unreported enzymes from the hyperthermophiles Thermococcus sibiricus and Thermococcus barophilus, the thermophiles Fervidobacterium nodosum and Thermosipho melanesiensis, and the mesophile Clostridium tetani were all expressed recombinantly, each in high yield. Only the clostridial enzyme did not show catalysis. In direct assays of carbamate kinase activity, the three hyperthermophilic enzymes display higher specific activities at elevated temperatures, greater stability, and remarkable substrate turnover at alkaline pH (9.9 to 11.4). Thermococcus barophilus and Thermococcus sibiricus carbamate kinases were found to be the most active when the enzymes were tested at 80°C, and maintained activity over broad temperature and pH ranges. These robust thermococcal enzymes therefore represent ideal candidates for biotechnological applications involving aqueous ammonia solutions, since nonbuffered 0.0001 to 1.0 M solutions have pH values of approximately 9.8 to 11.8. As proof of concept, here we also show that carbamoyl phosphate produced by the Thermococcus barophilus kinase is efficiently converted in situ to carbamoyl aspartate by aspartate transcarbamoylase from the same source organism. Using acetyl phosphate to simultaneously recycle the kinase cofactor ATP, at pH 9.9 carbamoyl aspartate is produced in high yield and directly from solutions of ammonia, carbon dioxide, and aspartate.We acknowledge financial support of this work by the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC), the Australian Research Council (ARC), the Australian National University, and CSIRO

Response to the Proposal for a Directive on Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence by Nordic and Baltic Company Law Scholars

On February 23, 2022, The EU Commission published its Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence and amending Directive (EU) 2019/1937 (“CSDDD” or “the Proposal”). The purpose of the Proposal, to further the “Union’s transition to a climate-neutral and green economy in line with the European Green Deal and in delivering on the UN Sustainable Development Goals”, is of great importance, and the Commission’s initiative is therefore commendable. However, it is our firm opinion that the Proposal should not be enacted in its present form, and that if it were to be, it would not only damage European businesses but also run the risk of having an adverse effect on both the transition to a climate-neutral economy as well as the goal of delivering on the UN Sustainable Development Goals. This is to a large extent because many of the Proposal’s provisions are excessive, unfounded and disproportionate and as such in violation of the fundamental principles of subsidiarity and proportionality safeguarded by Art. 5 TEU as well as having a questionable basis in Art. 50 TFEU. Furthermore and in regard of procedure, we find that the presentation of the Proposal by the Commission represents a disregard for the principles of better regulation that should not pass unnoticed and must be observed in the future to maintain trust in the legislative process of the Union.In this response to the consultation, we have presented an analysis of the key issues of the Proposal from a corporate governance perspective. We have divided the response into two parts: one on the pure corporate governance parts of the Proposal (article 15, 25 and 26) and one of the due diligence parts of the Proposal. With regards to the corporate governance parts of the Proposal, our conclusion is that they, by and large, should not be included in the proposed directive at all. Including them would in several ways be in breach of the EU principles on subsidiarity and proportionality, but perhaps more importantly, they are not only unsubstantiated by available empirical evidence on corporate behaviour, but also refuted by what we know. There is also good reason to believe that the proposed rules on director’s duties and environmental remuneration would risk decreasing the effectiveness of the stock markets within the EU contrary to the goal of a Capital Market Union, which also risk slowing down the necessary transition to a green economy and the goals of the EU Green Deal. The regulation necessary for the Capital Market Union and the EU Green Deal should complement each other, not collide as would be the outcome if the Proposal is adopted in its present form.With regards to the due diligence parts of the Proposal, our criticism is limited to corporate governance aspects and far less fundamental. We primarily believe that grounds for harmonisation needs further consideration in the present very challenging times, that Article 22 on Civil Liability might in several ways be counter-productive to the goals of the Proposal, that the effects on SMEs as well as for the financial companies included covered by the Proposal warrants further analysis, that the choice to focus the Proposal on individual companies instead of company groups needs to be reviewed, and that a risk based approach should be taken rather than an approach were companies are unable to focus their efforts to where they can be most effective. Overall, these issues can be worked out, but if they are not, then the proposed directive would not only have a severe adverse impact on EU companies and possibly capital markets, but might actually hinder EU companies from acting in the way that the Proposal aims for them to do.This joint response to the public consultation is made by a group of Nordic and Baltic company law scholars who, although we may not agree on every detail, do share the main arguments and grave concerns expressed here