A content-linking-context model for “notice-and-takedown” procedures

The US Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) of 1998 adopted a notice-and-take-down procedure to help tackle alleged online infringements through online service providers’ actions. The European Directive 2000/31/EC (e-Commerce Directive) introduced similar liability exemptions, but did not specify any take-down procedure. Many intermediary (host, and online search engine) service providers even in Europe have followed this notice-and-take-down procedure to enable copyright owners to issue notices to take down allegedly infringing Web resources. However, the accuracy of take-down is not known, and notice receivers do not reveal clear information about how they check the legitimacy of these requests, about whether and how they check the lawfulness of allegedly infringing content, or what criteria they use for these actions. In this paper, we use Google’s Transparency Report as the benchmark to investigate the information content of take-down notices and the accuracy of the resulting take-downs of allegedly infringing Web resources. The analysis of copyright infringement is limited to the five scenarios most frequently encountered in our study of Web resources. Based on our investigation, we propose a Content-Linking-Context (CLC) model of the criteria to be considered by intermediary service providers to achieve more accurate take-down

Muscle Fatigue Affects the Interpolated Twitch Technique When Assessed Using Electrically-Induced Contractions in Human and Rat Muscles

The interpolated twitch technique (ITT) is the gold standard to assess voluntary activation and central fatigue. Yet, its validity has been questioned. Here we studied how peripheral fatigue can affect the ITT. Repeated contractions at submaximal frequencies were produced by supramaximal electrical stimulations of the human adductor pollicis muscle in vivo and of isolated rat soleus fiber bundles; an extra stimulation pulse was given during contractions to induce a superimposed twitch. Human muscles fatigued by repeated 30-Hz stimulation trains (3 s on-1 s off) showed an ~80% reduction in the superimposed twitch force accompanied by a severely reduced EMG response (M-wave amplitude), which implies action potential failure. Subsequent experiments combined a less intense stimulation protocol (1.5 s on-3 s off) with ischemia to cause muscle fatigue, but which preserved M-wave amplitude. However, the superimposed twitch force still decreased markedly more than the potentiated twitch force; with ITT this would reflect increased "voluntary activation." In contrast, the superimposed twitch force was relatively spared when a similar protocol was performed in rat soleus bundles. Force relaxation was slowed by >150% in fatigued human muscles, whereas it was unchanged in rat soleus bundles. Accordingly, results similar to those in the human muscle were obtained when relaxation was slowed by cooling the rat soleus muscles. In conclusion, our data demonstrate that muscle fatigue can confound the quantification of central fatigue using the ITT

Effect of oral nitrate supplementation on pulmonary hemodynamics during exercise and time trial performance in normoxia and hypoxia: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Hypoxia-induced pulmonary vasoconstriction increases pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP) and may impede right heart function and exercise performance. This study examined the effects of oral nitrate supplementation on right heart function and performance during exercise in normoxia and hypoxia. We tested the hypothesis that nitrate supplementation would attenuate the increase in PAP at rest and during exercise in hypoxia, thereby improving exercise performance. METHODS: Twelve trained male cyclists [age: 31 ± 7 year (mean ± SD)] performed 15 km time-trial cycling (TT) and steady-state submaximal cycling (50, 100, and 150 W) in normoxia and hypoxia (11% inspired O2) following 3-day oral supplementation with either placebo or sodium nitrate (0.1 mmol/kg/day). We measured TT time-to-completion, muscle tissue oxygenation during TT and systolic right ventricle to right atrium pressure gradient (RV-RA gradient: index of PAP) during steady state cycling. RESULTS: During steady state exercise, hypoxia elevated RV-RA gradient (p > 0.05), while oral nitrate supplementation did not alter RV-RA gradient (p > 0.05). During 15 km TT, hypoxia lowered muscle tissue oxygenation (p < 0.05). Nitrate supplementation further decreased muscle tissue oxygenation during 15 km TT in hypoxia (p < 0.05). Hypoxia impaired time-to-completion during TT (p < 0.05), while no improvements were observed with nitrate supplementation in normoxia or hypoxia (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that oral nitrate supplementation does not attenuate acute hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction nor improve performance during time trial cycling in normoxia and hypoxia

Aspects of HF radio propagation

The propagation characteristics of radio signals are important parameters to consider when designing and operating radio systems. From the point of view Working Group 2 of the COST 296 Action, interest lies with effects associated with propagation via the ionosphere of signals within the HF band. Several aspects are covered in this paper: a) The directions of arrival and times of flight of signals received over a path oriented along the trough have been examined and several types of propagation effects identified. Of particular note, combining the HF observations with satellite measurements has identified the presence of irregularities within the floor of the trough that result in propagation displaced from the great circle direction. An understanding of the propagation effects that result in deviations of the signal path from the great circle direction are of particular relevance to the operation of HF radiolocation systems. b) Inclusion of the results from the above mentioned measurements into a propagation model of the northerly ionosphere (i.e. those regions of the ionosphere located poleward of, and including, the mid-latitude trough)and the use of this model to predict the coverage expected from transmitters where the signals impinge on the northerly ionosphere. c) Development of inversion techniques enabling backscatter ionograms obtained by an HF radar to be used to estimate the ionospheric electron density profile. This development facilitates the operation of over the horizon HF radars by enhancing the frequency management aspects of the systems. d) Various propagation prediction techniques have been tested against measurements made over the trough path mentioned above, and also over a long-range path between Cyprus and the UK. e) The effect of changes in the levels of ionospheric disturbances on the operational availability at various data throughput rates has been examined for the trough path mentioned earlier. The topics covered in this paper are necessarily brief, and the reader is referred to full papers referenced herein on individual aspects

Ionospheric scintillation monitoring and modelling

This paper presents a review of the ionospheric scintillation monitoring and modelling by the European groups involved in COST 296. Several of these groups have organized scintillation measurement campaigns at low and high latitudes. Some characteristic results obtained from the measured data are presented. The paper also addresses the modeling activities: four models, based on phase screen techniques, with different options and application domains are detailed. Finally some new trends for research topics are given. This includes the wavelet analysis, the high latitudes analysis, the construction of scintillation maps and the mitigation techniques

Inhibition of S6K1 accounts partially for the anti-inflammatory effects of the arginase inhibitor L-norvaline

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Pharmacological inhibition of endothelial arginase-II has been shown to improve endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) function and reduce atherogenesis in animal models. We investigated whether the endothelial arginase II is involved in inflammatory responses in endothelial cells.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Human endothelial cells were isolated from umbilical veins and stimulated with TNFα (10 ng/ml) for 4 hours. Endothelial expression of the inflammatory molecules i.e. vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), and E-selectin were assessed by immunoblotting.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The induction of the expression of endothelial VCAM-1, ICAM-1 and E-selectin by TNFα was concentration-dependently reduced by incubation of the endothelial cells with the arginase inhibitor L-norvaline. However, inhibition of arginase by another arginase inhibitor S-(2-boronoethyl)-L-cysteine (BEC) had no effects. To confirm the role of arginase-II (the prominent isoform expressed in HUVECs) in the inflammatory responses, adenoviral mediated siRNA silencing of arginase-II knocked down the arginase II protein level, but did not inhibit the up-regulation of the adhesion molecules. Moreover, the inhibitory effect of L-norvaline was not reversed by the NOS inhibitor L-NAME and L-norvaline did not interfere with TNFα-induced activation of NF-κB, JNK, p38mapk, while it inhibited p70s6k (S6K1) activity. Silencing S6K1 prevented up-regulation of E-selectin, but not that of VCAM-1 or ICAM-1 induced by TNFα.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The arginase inhibitor L-norvaline exhibits anti-inflammatory effects independently of inhibition of arginase in human endothelial cells. The anti-inflammatory properties of L-norvaline are partially attributable to its ability to inhibit S6K1.</p

Late-Medieval Horse Remains at Cesis Castle, Latvia, and the Teutonic Order's Equestrian Resources in Livonia

EXCAVATIONS AT the castle complex of Cēsis, Latvia, uncovered an unusual find of large quantities of horse bones, some of which were partially articulated, along with equestrian equipment. These were associated with a destroyed building at the edge of the southern outer bailey. The horses included large males, most probably stallions, and pathology on several of the recovered vertebrae suggests these individuals had been used for riding. The size of the horses was within the range for medieval war horses, and the associated tack also pointed to prestigious riding animals. Radiocarbon dating of the bones placed them firmly within the Teutonic Order's period of rule. We conclude here that these horses fulfilled a military role in the final decades of the Teutonic Order’s rule in Livonia in the late 15th/early 16th century and that the better-known equestrian culture of late-medieval Prussia was comparable in character, if not in scale, to that in Livonia

Poor Children in Rich Households and Vice Versa: A Blurred Picture or Hidden Realities?

An expanding evidence base suggests that children experiencing monetary and multidimensional poverty are not the same. This article breaks new ground by providing a unique mixed methods investigation of drivers of child poverty mismatch in Ethiopia and Vietnam, considering the role of measurement error and individualistic and structural factors. The analysis capitalises on large-scale secondary quantitative panel data and combines this with purposively collected primary qualitative data in both countries. It finds that factors at the household and structural level can mediate the effects of monetary poverty in terms of multidimensional poverty and vice versa, but that the size and sign of these effects are specific to place and time. The policy mix aiming to reduce all forms of child poverty need to be targeted on the basis of a multidimensional assessment of poverty and reflect the complex and contextspecific interactions between determinants of child poverty