An inventive step for the patent system?

The inventive step is the critical variable in determining balance between patent costs and patent benefits. Set at the right level it ensures that the knowledge spillovers from new inventions offset the costs of restraining competition. But asking the question "is it obvious?" sets a far lower standard for patent grant than asking "is it inventive?" The author argues that for benefits to offset costs the minimum standard of inventiveness must be a contribution to new knowledge. Without such new knowledge there can be no benefits to justify the cost of the restraint on competition.Copyright Information: Author holds the copyright of the work (From author's email of 3/01/2013

Introducing Inventiveness into the Patent System: Submission to the Review of the National Innovation System

Because of the potential impact of the patent system on innovation diffusion, particularly on continuous and/or incremental innovation, patent policy should be of central importance to the review of the national innovation system. Substantial empirical evidence shows that most industrial innovations are not induced by the patent system. Even in very large markets, such as the USA, only a minority of patents are likely to be induced by the patent system. To the extent that patents do induce innovations, it is the inventiveness of the innovation which gives rise to possible social benefits (externalities, mainly in the form of knowledge spillovers) which may offset the costs of a patent system and thus give rise to a net economic benefit. On the basis of this evidence about the inducement effect of the patent system, and evidence on the current very low inventiveness standard for patent grant, policy proposals are put forward to re-introduce inventiveness into the patent system, thus making it potentially welfare-enhancing. These proposed changes would also have a major impact in ameliorating the negative impact of the patent system on continuous/incremental innovation

Copyright in the digital environment

This submission briefly reviews the dearth of empirical evidence that copyright policy is either effective or efficient. It then focuses on consumer rights, how these are unnecessarily undermined by copyright policy, and how this lack of balance between producer and consumer rights is radically worsened in a digital environment with legislated monopoly privileges. A poor consumer environment will impede the development of a flourishing digital sector. A range of specific issues are discussed briefly: double-dipping through technological protection measures (TPMs), the right for communities to access cultural material sold using copyright privileges, the excessive strength of copyright privileges, compliance costs and the proportionality of penalties

Prediction of rice texture from starch profiles measured using high-performance liquid chromatography

Starch determines a large proportion of the textural properties of cooked rice. The amylose: amylopectin ratio plays a significant role in the functionality of native starch. In this study a medium-grain rice cultivar, ‘Bengal’, was used for starch structure characterization using high performance size-exclusion chromatography (HPSEC). This cultivar is characterized by having lower amylose content (15% to 20%) than long grain cultivars and being sticky when cooked, similar to short-grain cultivars. Rice samples were harvested in 1999 from five locations around Arkansas at state verification trials where cultural practices are closely monitored. Samples of this cultivar stored at a specified moisture level for a pre-determined period of time were also subjected to texture analysis by means of a Texture Analyzer. The data measured with the HPSEC was related to instrumental texture attributes. Chemical characterization data (carbohydrate profiles) of rice samples were used to predict texture attributes of cooked rice such as hardness and stickiness. Instrumental texture attributes of hardness and stickiness were successfully predicted for Bengal rice from starch-profile data obtained though HPSEC analyses. Both attributes proved to be well predicted, based on their high coefficients of determination of 0.97 and 0.85, respectively. The statistical analysis indicates that starch structure characterization using HPSEC may be related to instrumental measurements of texture attributes

Practical guidelines for modelling post-entry spread in invasion ecology

In this article we review a variety of methods to enable understanding and modelling the spread of a pest or pathogen post-entry. Building upon our experience of multidisciplinary research in this area, we propose practical guidelines and a framework for model development, to help with the application of mathematical modelling in the field of invasion ecology for post-entry spread. We evaluate the pros and cons of a range of methods, including references to examples of the methods in practice. We also show how issues of data deficiency and uncertainty can be addressed. The aim is to provide guidance to the reader on the most suitable elements to include in a model of post-entry dispersal in a risk assessment, under differing circumstances. We identify both the strengths and weaknesses of different methods and their application as part of a holistic, multidisciplinary approach to biosecurity research

Some calculations on the ground and lowest-triplet state of the helium isoelectronic sequence with the nucleus in motion

The method described in the preceding paper for the solution of two-electron atoms, which was used to calculate the 1 1S and 2 3S states of helium and heliumlike atoms within the fixed-nucleus approximation, has been applied to the case where all three particles are in relative motion. The solutions in the present case automatically include the effects of the mass polarization term and are compared with the results obtained for the term by using first-order perturbation theory with the fixed-nucleus wave functions. The input data for a particular atom consist of the atomic number, as before, but now the corresponding mass of the nucleus must be given also. Nonrelativistic energies with the nuclear mass included in the calculation have been obtained for the 1 1S and 2 3S states for Z ranging from 1 to 10. The energy with the nucleus in motion can be expressed only to eight significant figures (SF's) given the accuracy with which the relevant physical constants are known at present. All the results given here are computed as if these constants were known to ten SF's so that errors not incurred due to rounding. Convergence of the energies to ten SF's for both the singlet and triplet state was reached with a matrix of size 444 for Z values from 2 to 10. Convergence for the H- ion was a little slower

ELISA detection of phenazepam, etizolam, pyrazolam, flubromazepam, diclazepam and delorazepam in blood using Immunalysis® benzodiazepine kit

Phenazepam and etizolam were the first uncontrolled benzodiazepines available for sale in the UK. Pyrazolam, flubromazepam and diclazepam are not used medicinally anywhere in the world; they are produced exclusively for the uncontrolled, recreational market. It is important to know whether potentially abused drugs like these can be detected in routine toxicological screening tests. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether the Immunalysis® Benzodiazepines ELISA kit could detect phenazepam, etizolam, pyrazolam, flubromazepam, diclazepam and its metabolite delorazepam. Their cross-reactivity was assessed by comparing the absorbance of the drug with that of oxazepam, the reference standard. This study found that these uncontrolled benzodiazepines cross-react sufficiently to produce a positive result with the Immunalysis® Benzodiazepine ELISA kit. Cross-reactivity ranged from 79 to 107% for phenazepam, etizolam, pyrazolam, flubromazepam, diclazepam and delorazepam fortified into blood. The results show that it is possible to detect these newer benzodiazepines with traditional forensic toxicology laboratory tools and it is important to include these benzodiazepines in the confirmation tests

Comparison of effectiveness of two methods of presenting new words in reading in middle grade one.

Thesis (Ed.M.)--Boston Universit

Communication barriers inhibiting sex education in the home

Dissertation (Ph.D.)--University of Kansas, Speech and Drama, 1981.Past research has shown that adolescents gain the majority of their sex education from peers not parents. This study investigates the effect of four variables on the amount of sex education provided at home: (1) defensive communication climate, (2) sex of the parent, (3) degree of religiosity of the parents, and (4) degree of attitude similarity between parents and children about sexuality. A descriptive questionnaire with Likert scales was administered to 194 undergraduates at the University of Kansas. Based on a factor analysis, Jack Gibb's 12 categories of supportive and defensive behaviors were collapsed into one communication climate score. The results of t-tests and one-way analyses of variance showed that: (1) Peers not parents provide the majority of sex information (p < .001). (2) Mothers provide more sex information than fathers (p < .001). (3) During discussions of sexuality, the communication climate between adolescents and parents is more defensive than the climate between peers (p < .001). (4) The degree of religiosity of parents does not affect the amount of sex information conveyed or the degree of defensiveness in the communication climate during discussions of sexuality between parents and children. (5) Parents who share similar sexual values with their children also provided more sex information (p < .001). (6) Supportive communication climates between parents and children correlate with parents sharing more sex information with their children. (7) Males have a more supportive communication climate with their fathers than females during sex talks (p < .001). However, females have a more supportive communication climate when discussing sexuality with their same-sex friends than do males (p < .001). Thus, while defensive communication climates may be a barrier to parent-child interactions about sexuality, shared sexual values enhance parent-child communication. Males gain little sex education from parents and have a defensive climate with same-sex peers. Suggestions are given for future research and for sex education seminars to combat these barriers

A Clinico-Pathologic Study of Botulism in Ring-Necked Pheasants

Toxins were produced from 6 strains of Cl. Botulinum, 2 of which killed pheasants. Inoculated birds were observed and a description of the progression of signs of the disease is given. Juvenile pheasants were inoculated with Types A and C toxin intramuscularly and were given the toxin orally. These birds were observed and their clinical signs noted. Adult pheasants were inoculated with toxoid prepared from type C toxin and commercial toxoid; injections were repeated in 21 days. Fourteen days following the final injection, the birds were challenged with toxin. Those protected with toxoid survived, while those receiving saline succumbed. Gross necropsy findings, bacteriologic and histopathologic examinations on all birds were negative