Copyright Consultations Submissions

This submission details the reforms that the author believes are necessary in order to ―rationalize‖ the Copyright Act. It attempts to answer five questions which have been posed by the Ministers of Industry and Heritage in connection with the public consultation on the need to ―modernize‖ the Copyright Act. The author is concerned that the ‘modernization‘ that is called for may simply serve to protect powerful interest groups such as the MPAA. A variety of reforms are suggested, including: protection from any form of government censorship; a functional definition of ‘works‘ which focuses on originality, self-expression and fixation; minimum benefit guarantees for users; an extension of the blank storage device levy; streamlining the acquisition and use of works commissioned for commercial purposes; and the recognition of the right to create and publish works of parody. The author concludes by noting that the whole point of copyright is to obtain the widest access to published works

An investigation of the propagation of radio waves at frequencies in the VHF and UHF bands within certain British cities

Unmodulated carrier waves at frequencies of 75.375, 85.875, 167.2 and 441.025 MHz have been radiated by aerials mounted on tall buildings or prominent terrain features in the British cities of Birmingham, Bath and Bradford. The spatial distribution of the r.f. signal envelope existing within urban and suburban areas at these frequencies has been recorded using a vehicle-mounted receiver with a aerial fixed to the vehicle's roof. An analysis of these measurements has shown the distance over which the envelope may be anticipated to be Rayleigh distributed to be less than 75 m. A median signal prediction model is derived from the measured data and its performance is statistically assessed with the experimental values. The measurements and the predictions have been found to be·in close agreement. Comparison of the Okumura model with measured values has demonstrated that the proposed model exhibits similar prediction errors to those obtained by the more widely used Okumura model. The Okumura model is therefore concluded to be more complex, and hence more costly to use, than is necessary for applications in British cities

QPRTase: quinolinic acid analogue synthesis and non-enzymic decarboxylation of N-alkylquinolinic acids

Quinolinate phosphoribosyltransferase (QPRTase, E.C. 2.4.2.19) is considered to be a unique enzyme in that it is thought to catalyse two distinct chemical reactions. Both the transfer of a phosphoribosyl group from 5-phosphoribosyl-1- pyrophosphate onto the nitrogen of quinolinic acid and the subsequent decarboxylation of the intermediate to form nicotinic acid mononucleotide are thought to be catalysed by the QPRTase system. Analogues of quinolinic acid were designed as potential inhibitors of QPRTase. These contain acidic groups at the 2- and 3- positions but are unable to decarboxylate. However, such compounds may be able to undergo the phosphoribosyl transfer reaction, potentially increasing their inhibitory potency. These compounds may be useful as "biological tools" allowing the neurological effects of an increase in quinolinic acid levels to be investigated. The compounds may show anti-fungal activity blocking the kynurenine pathway for NAD production. 2-Sulfonicotinic acid was synthesised by the oxidation of 2-mercaptonicotinic acid by either basic potassium permanganate, or iodine, with the structure was confirmed by X-ray crystallography. In biological testing the acid was shown to be neither an agonist nor antagonist of the NMDA receptor, or to be neurotoxic. A number of synthetic routes towards 2-phosphononicotinic acid, an alternative quinolinic acid analogue, were attempted though none were successful. These included orthometallation strategies and palladium coupling reactions to incorporate the phosphonic acid group at the 2- position. Nucleophilic addition routes, methods of building up the pyridine ring and including non-selective phosphonic acid addition were also examined. However, a related derivative, 2-(phosphonomethyl)nicotinic acid, was successfully synthesised. The non-enzymic decarboxylation of N-alkyl quinolinic acids was investigated, for comparison with the decarboxylation reaction catalysed by QPRTase. Both N- methyl and N-ethylquinolinic acid were synthesised, and the pH versus rate profiles measured. The rate maximum for both compounds was at pH 1.5, with the rate decreasing both above and below the maximum. N-Methylquinolinic acid was 10 times faster than quinolinic acid itself, demonstrating the effect of the nitrogen substituent. The N-ethyl derivative decarboxylated a further 1.5 times faster, showing the effect of increasing the size of the substituent. An Arrhenius plot was also carried out, giving an activation energy for the reaction of 153 kJ mol-1. Attempts to prepare the N-propyl derivative were unsuccessful, as decarboxylation occurred very readily to give N- propylnicotinic acid

Transforming first year chemistry laboratory assessment to enhance the student experience

Chemistry teaching labs are highly valuable and rewarding but bring with them challenges including: • Student anxiety within a new environment • Low levels of student preparation and engagement • Perceived deadline pressure • Insufficient or delayed feedback Addressing these issues requires creativity and innovation. In this session we will explore tailored e-learning solutions that we have introduced into first year chemistry laboratory teaching, in collaboration with Learning Science Ltd., which have reduced student anxiety in the lab and enhanced the student learning experience. Students complete online pre-lab quizzes prior to each practical session that represent a blended-learning environment, including interactive simulations, allowing students to investigate new practical skills in a risk-free environment, and answer focused questions related to upcoming experiments. By completing Smart Worksheets, which break down multi-step calculations, students have greater understanding of complex analytical questions before attending the lab. Online post-lab reporting, with a 24 hour submission deadline has replaced paper result sheets. Students use their own data to complete quizzes with a style consistent with the pre-lab quizzes. The range and flexibility of the question styles designed, provides an opportunity for students to reflect on their laboratory learning, to receive on-going detailed feedback and increases marking consistency

Candide and Botanical Software: technology cultivating garden visitation and collection management

Abstract It is clear that the biodiversity crisis and overarching threat of climate change are having a fundamental impact on the biology of the planet. Botanic gardens, and related institutions, are uniquely positioned as centres of expertise in plant biodiversity. Their efforts in the exploration and documentation of biodiversity are also a fundamental prerequisite for the conservation of plants. The systematised and structured documentation of a garden’s collection of plant material, together with the collection policy and overall mission, characterises an institution as a botanic garden. However, the currently available tools and processes are not cost-effective, accessible at a global level, and do not provide the necessary efficiency for the needs and workflows of botanic gardens and plant collection management. In the context of gardens and visitation, there is also a growing disconnection between people and plants, particularly in an increasingly urbanised world. Here, we present numerous innovative initiatives towards tackling these challenges, assisted by technology. We discuss the application of machine-learning in the automatic identification of plants (including composite tools such as Augmented Reality), and digital engagement through mobile-based complementations to visitors’ experiences. We also explore the documentation of quality data for botanical collections, and how advancements in collection management systems will play a major role in the efforts of the botanic garden community, and use of their richly-diverse plant collections in the vanguard of research, conservation, education, and visitation. Thus, ongoing technological developments in tools for botanic gardens and their visitors, present positive and influential contributions in tackling global challenges associated with plant conservation and engaging the broadest and most diverse audiences