Is international investment threatening or under threat?

An increasing number of countries establish FDI screening mechanisms to manage threats to security interests associated with international investment. Multiple reviews in different jurisdictions may delay or derail transactions unless governments cooperate, harmonize their policies and potentially recognize partly or in full their peers’ decisions

国际投资协定中的环境问题：“新时代”来临，协调尚遥远

在哥伦比亚FDI展望系列37一文中，Daniel M. Firer基于在近期制定的投资协定中观察到的“明确无误的趋同迹象”，预言了气候变化政策与国际投资法“高度协调为特征的新时代”。 OECD刚刚公布的一项研究表明投资条约制定与环境政策的融合约开始于十年前，但投资与气候变化政策要达到高度协调尚需时日

The response to the global crisis and investment protection: evidence

The authors, presenting findings of the OECD, challenge the claim that investment policy measures taken during the crisis were driven by a protectionist agenda but caution that crisis response and exit policies pose a potential threat to investment openness

Photoinactivation and Recovery in Skin Fibroblasts after Formation of Mono- and Bifunctional Adducts by Furocoumarins-Plus-UVA

Cultured skin fibroblasts from young male guinea pigs were irradiated with UVA light in the presence of 8-methoxypsoralen (8-MOP) or angelicin. As compared to 8-MOP 30 times higher concentrations of angelicin were needed to obtain comparative inhibition rates of DNA-synthesis. Complete cellular recovery could be observed when the cell cultures were treated with angelicin-plus-UVA (320–400 nm) or 8-MOP-plus-395nm. Both treatment schedules are known to cause monofunctional photoreactions, In contrast to this, bifunctional photoreactions caused by 8-MOP-plus-365nm produced an inhibition of DNA synthesis which lasted more than four days. Also, UVA (320–400 nm) applied to cells treated with 3H-labeled 8-MOP resulted in a dose-dependent binding of 8-MOP molecules again lasting several days.Application of 8-MOP-plus-UVA (320–400 nm) to cells growing in log-phase showed a characteristic change in morphology. An increasing number of polynuclear and hyperchromatic cells appeared with time after treatment. In this subpopulation of cells DNA synthesis continued without division as revealed by DNA measurements and autoradiography.It is concluded that monofunctional adducts caused by angelicin-plus-UVA as well as 8-MOP-plus-395 urn permit cellular recovery whereas bifunctional photoadducts remained without recovery. In the latter case semicon-servative DNA synthesis continued leading to hyperchromatic cells which could serve as a parameter for the presence of cross-linked nuclear DNA strands

Photoinactivation of Skin Fibroblasts by Fractionated Treatment with 8-Methoxypsoralen and UVA

Guinea pig skin fibroblasts treated with low doses of 8-methoxypsoralen (8-MOP) and long-wave ultraviolet light (UVA) showed a dose-dependent inhibition of 3H-Thymidine incorporation as determined by liquid scintillation counting. The minimum incubation time necessary to obtain constant inhibition rates was 60min. By washing the drug was removed from the reactive sites within 30min. Repeated light exposure at a constant concentration of 8-MOP caused a cumulative inhibition of DNA synthesis. Irradiation of 8-MOP-plus-UVA treated cells, from which the drug was removed, produced a small increase in photoinhibition. Split dose treatment at various time intervals (ranging from 1–48 hr) revealed inhibitory rates, which correspond to the total amount of UVA applied. No recovery effects were seen in cultures treated by single or multiple applications of 8-MOP-plus-UVA

对全球金融危机的应对和投资保护：一些证据

作者介绍了经合组织的调查结果，对在经济危机期间采取的保护主义投资政策提出了质疑，但同时指出，要对危机的应对政策和退出政策对国际投资的开放可能造成的潜在威胁保持警惕

Environmental concerns in international investment agreements: The "new era" has commenced, but harmonization remains far off

In Columbia FDI Perspective No.37, Daniel M. Firger foretells "a new era characterized by profound harmonization" between climate change policy and international investment law, based on what he sees as "unmistakable signs of convergence" in recent investment treaty making. A study just released by the OECD suggests that convergence of investment treaty making toward environmental policy began about a decade ago, but also that “profound harmonization“ of investment and climate change policy is still some time away