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A lot of publications, devoted to international sanctions, appeared at the beginning of XXI century. Still, in connection with the recent "sanction events" in the international life, it is necessary to devote them the additional judgment, point of view. Especially because in respect to Russia they are of political nature, which is underlined by the "sanctionaries" themselves. The judged should be both the nature and the form of corresponding sanctions as well as perspectives of their stability in the future development of contemporary international law, which is often named "new" in a certain respect under the influence of the sanction mechanism discussed.

This study attempts to examine the significance of recent research that has focused on efforts to estimate values for global and surface heat transfer coefficients under forced convection heating induced by end-over-end rotation in retorting of canned peas in brine. The study confirms the accuracy of regression analysis used to predict values for heat transfer coefficients as a function of rotating speed and headspace, and uses them to predict values over a range of process conditions, which make up the search domain for process optimization. These coefficients were used in a convective heat transfer model to establish a range of lethality-equivalent retort temperature–time processes for various conditions of retort temperature, rotating speed, and headspace. Then, they were coupled with quality factor kinetics to predict the final volume average and surface quality retention resulting from each process and to find the optimal thermal process conditions for canned fresh green peas. Results showed that maximum quality retention (surface and volume average retention) was achieved with the shortest possible process time (made possible with highest retort temperature), and reached the similar level in all cases with small difference between surface and volume average quality retention. The highest heat transfer coefficients (associated with maximum rotating speed and headspace) showed a 10% reduction in process time over that required with minimum rotating speed and headspace. The study concludes with a discussion of the significance of these findings and degree to which they were expected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the barriers to mitigating mercury pollution at small-scale gold mines in the Guianas (Guyana, French Guiana and Suriname), and prescribes recommendations for overcoming these obstacles. Whilst considerable attention has been paid to analysing the environmental impacts of operations in the region, minimal research has been undertaken to identify appropriate policy and educational initiatives for addressing the mounting mercury problem. Findings from recent fieldwork and selected interviews with operators from Guyanese and Surinamese gold mining regions reveal that legislative incapacity, the region's varied industry policy stances, various technological problems, and low environmental awareness on the part of communities are impeding efforts to facilitate improved mercury management at small-scale gold mines in the Guianas. Marked improvements can be achieved, however, if legislation, particularly that pertaining to mercury, is harmonised in the region; educational seminars continue to be held in important mining districts; and additional outlets for disseminating environmental equipment and mercury-free technologies are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper critiques the approach taken by the Ghanaian Government to address mercury pollution in the artisanal and small-scale gold mining sector. Unmonitored releases of mercury—used in the gold-amalgamation process—have caused numerous environmental complications throughout rural Ghana. Certain policy, technological and educational initiatives taken to address the mounting problem, however, have proved marginally effective at best, having been designed and implemented without careful analysis of mine community dynamics, the organization of activities, operators’ needs and local geological conditions. Marked improvements can only be achieved in this area through increased government-initiated dialogue with the now-ostracized illegal galamsey mining community; introducing simple, cost-effective techniques for the reduction of mercury emissions; and effecting government-sponsored participatory training exercises as mediums for communicating information about appropriate technologies and the environment. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

While the literature on rhetorical questions (RQs) is quite extensive, one type has received virtually no attention: the RQ used in response to a preceding question and whose answer is to be recognized as precisely the same as the first question’s (called here the RQ-as-retort). An analysis of 178 RQ tokens suggests certain structural and semantic patterns, as well as common functions, some of which differ from those of other RQ types: question words and question type (yes-no or wh-) usually match between prompting and responding questions; most yes-no RQs rely on the semantic property of syntheticity, though several employ analyticity; and while all RQs seem to be used specifically to imply that the answer to the prompting question should have been obvious to the asker, many are also clearly exploited in different ways to create humor. Further study of these RQs should broaden understanding of RQ variety and uses, especially in conversation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Some of the technical issues involved in the design and operation of low temperature biomass pyrolysis units are reviewed and discussed critically. It is shown that a range of technical options for charcoal production linked with the production of fuel gas and liquid streams exists, but much of the currently available technology is thermodynamically inefficient. Some of the possible technologies for low-cost production units are described. The development of rigorous design procedures is discussed, together with some implications for related processes such as gasification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]