How Do Host States Respond to Investment Treaty Law?: Some Empirical Observations

The proliferation of international investment treaty practice and the subsequent boom of investor-state arbitration have prompted an explosion of scholarly contributions analysing various aspects of this steadily expanding field of international law. Existing scholarship offers a rich seam of doctrinal, normative and theoretical critique of the evolving international investment law regime. However, with the exception of some recent studies, there have been relatively limited efforts to analyse international investment law empirically and in particular from a developing country perspective. This paper aims to contribute by filling the gap and offering some insights into the currently underexplored issue of how international investment law influences host state behaviour. In particular, the aim of this study is to test existing claims about the transformative impact of international investment law on national governance in developing states. The analysis is carried out through a small-scale empirical case-study which focuses on how international investment law is perceived by government officials in developing countries whilst also elucidating how governments responded to investment treaty disciplines after experiencing the regime’s bite

How Do Host States Respond to Investment Treaty Law? Some Empirical Observations

The proliferation of international investment treaty practice and the subsequent boom of investor-state arbitration have prompted an explosion of scholarly contributions analysing various aspects of this steadily expanding field of international law. Existing scholarship offers a rich seam of doctrinal, normative and theoretical critique of the evolving international investment law regime. However, with the exception of some recent studies, there have been relatively limited efforts to analyse international investment law empirically and, in particular, from a developing country perspective. This paper aims to contribute by filling the gap and offering some insights into the currently underexplored issue of how international investment law influences host-state behaviour. In particular, the aim of this study is to test existing claims about the transformative impact of international investment law on national governance in developing states. The analysis is carried out through a small-scale empirical case study, which focuses on how international investment law is perceived by government officials in developing countries whilst also elucidating how governments responded to investment treaty disciplines after experiencing the regime’s bite

Introducción a la fitopatología

Anexo al informe fina

Microbiological analysis of commercial adult dog pellets sold in Costa Rica

El concentrado empacado en bolsa representa uno de los tipos de alimento para perro más utilizados actualmente. Su formulación incluye carne de origen animal como ingrediente mayoritario y un proceso térmico de extrusión, el cual condiciona la flora final predominante. Este tipo de producto, a pesar de su elaboración, está expuesto a muchas fuentes potenciales de contaminación, razón por la cual se decidió evaluar la carga microbiológica presente en 30 muestras expendidas en el Área Metropolitana de Costa Rica, así como estimar el efecto sobre la carga microbiológica que tiene la manipulación del alimento y determinar la presencia de bacterias resistentes a antibióticos. El análisis incluyó el estudio de indicadores de vida útil: recuento total aerobio y anaerobio mesófilo y de hongos y levaduras; indicadores de contaminación: número más probable de coliformes totales (NMP) y NMP de coliformes fecales; un indicador de manipulación: NMP de Staphylococcus aureus y la presencia de organismos patógenos: Listeria sp. y Salmonella sp, y NMP de Clostridium perfringens productor de enterotoxina, todo según metodología estandarizada. Los resultados obtenidos demuestran una baja carga microbiológica en el producto, así como la ausencia de Salmonella spp., y Listeria monocytogenes. Clostridium perfringens fue aislado de dos muestras, pero ningún aislamiento fue enterotoxigénico. El efecto de la manipulación y almacenaje, así como de la hidratación de los alimentos demuestra un aumento gradual de los recuentos bacterianos. Se aislaron cepas bacterianas resistentes a antibióticos, con idéntico perfil de sensiblilidad provenientes de diferentes lotes y marcas del producto. Se concluye que el alimento seco para perro es de buena calidad microbiológica, no obstante se deben realizar más estudios que permitan confirmar la seguridad de éste tanto para los animales como para el ser humano.Actually, packed pellets represent one of the most used food sources for dogs. Its formulation includes animal origin meat as mayor ingredient and an extrusion thermic treatment, which conditions the final flora present. This type of product is exposed to several potential sources of contamination, reason why an evaluation of the microbiological load present in 30 different samples sold in the Metropolitan Area of Costa Rica was performed. Also, the effect of manipulation of the product over the microbiological load and the presence of antibiotic resistant bacteria was studied. Analysis included shelf life indicators: total mesophilic aerobic and anaerobic counts, molds and yeasts, contamination indicators: Most Probable Number (MPN) of total and fecal coliforms, a manipulation indicator: Staphylococcus aureus MPN, and the presence of pathogenic microorganisms: Listeria sp and Salmonella spp and Clostridium perfringes entorotoxin producer MPN, according to standardized methodology. Results obtained show a low microbiological load in the product, and the absence of Salmonella spp and Listeria monocytogenes. Clostridium perfringes was isolated from two samples, but none was enterotoxigenic. The effects of manipulation and rehydration of the product show a gradual increase of the bacterial counts. Antibiotic resistant bacterial strains were isolated, with identical resistance patterns coming from different lots and brands of the product. Concluding, dog food pellets have good microbiological quality, nevertheless, further research shall be done in order to confirm the security of the product, for animals and human beingsFacultad de Ciencias Veterinaria