Multi-National Patent Litigation: Management of Discovery and Settlement Issues and the Role of the Judiciary

National patent laws protect intellectual property rights. However, these rights can only be enforced in the country that granted the patent. Therefore, a patent owner must pursue infringement or revocation proceedings in each country where his patent rights are challenged even if the defendant is the same party. Patent owners are forced to pursue duplicative litigation on a nation-by-nation basis,incurring significant costs and draining valuable judicial resources. Duplicative litigation may result in conflicting outcomes, the impact of which can be complex and costly.... This article will focus on Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. First, we will provide a broad overview of the procedural landscape of these jurisdictions, paying particular attention to discovery and settlement. Then, we will examine the formal and informal mechanisms involved in cross-border discovery and settlement. Finally, we will propose some mechanisms that judges can use to facilitate an efficient discovery process and the settlement of international patent disputes

Multi-national patent litigation : management of discovery and settlement issues and the role of the judiciary

National patent laws protect intellectual property rights. However, these rights can only be enforced in the country that granted the patent. Therefore, a patent owner must pursue infringement or revocation proceedings in each country where his patent rights are challenged even if the defendant is the same party. Patent owners are forced to pursue duplicative litigation on a nation-by-nation basis,incurring significant costs and draining valuable judicial resources. Duplicative litigation may result in conflicting outcomes, the impact of which can be complex and costly.... This article will focus on Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. First, we will provide a broad overview of the procedural landscape of these jurisdictions, paying particular attention to discovery and settlement. Then, we will examine the formal and informal mechanisms involved in cross-border discovery and settlement. Finally, we will propose some mechanisms that judges can use to facilitate an efficient discovery process and the settlement of international patent disputes

Creating an Ideal Workplace Culture: The Keys to Unlocking People Talent

Paper to be presented at the Academic Librarian 2: Singing in the Rain Conference, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, March 11-12, 2010Purpose: This paper examines four key concepts - a description of what constitutes a positive workplace culture, an outline of what employee engagement includes, a framework that outlines the importance of a " spirit of trust" in creating a positive workplace culture, and a view of how core organizational values can be used to drive efforts to create an ideal library culture. Design / Methodology / Approach: This paper provides references to key research results from Harris Interactive and the Great Place to Work Institute, presents the results of an academic library application, draws on the work of noted authors and provides practical techniques gained from the authors' experiences. Findings: Library leaders who want to establish an ideal workplace culture need to focus on activities that generate and demonstrate trust. A strong set of core values, which all employees respect and practice, help to build the organizational trust account. This creates the environment for employee engagement to thrive. Practical Implications: This paper outlines practical frameworks as well as specific techniques that leaders can use to make key contributions towards establishing and sustaining a strong, positive workplace culture. Originality/Value: The authors' practical experiences in applying a values audit and many of these techniques within a library setting demonstrate the usefulness of these tools and concepts for library leaders

TOPS - designing digital tools for personal and social interaction

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Interactions of Water with Mineral Dust Aerosol: Water Adsorption, Hygroscopicity, Cloud Condensation, and Ice Nucleation

Mineral dust aerosol is one of the major types of aerosol present in the troposphere. The molecular level interactions of water vapor with mineral dust are of global significance. Hygroscopicity, light scattering and absorption, heterogneous reactivity and the ability to form clouds are all related to water–dust interactions. In this review article, experimental techniques to probe water interactions with dust and theoretical frameworks to understand these interactions are discussed. A comprehensive overview of laboratory studies of water adsorption, hygroscopicity, cloud condensation, and ice nucleation of fresh and atmspherically aged mineral dust particles is provided. Finally, we relate laboratory studies and theoretical simulations that provide fundemental insights into these processes on the molecular level with field measurements that illustrate the atmospheric significance of these processes. Overall, the details of water interactions with mineral dust are covered from multiple perspectives in this review article.United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Grant NNX13AO15G)Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Victor P. Starr Career Development Chai

Regulation of plant alternative oxidase activity: A tale of two cysteines

AbstractTwo Cys residues, CysI and CysII, are present in most plant alternative oxidases (AOXs). CysI inactivates AOX by forming a disulfide bond with the corresponding CysI residue on the adjacent subunit of the AOX homodimer. When reduced, CysI associates with α-keto acids, such as pyruvate, to activate AOX, an effect mimicked by charged amino acid substitutions at the CysI site. CysII may also be a site of AOX activity regulation, through interaction with the small α-keto acid, glyoxylate. Comparison of Arabidopsis AOX1a (AtAOX1a) mutants with single or double substitutions at CysI and CysII confirmed that glyoxylate interacted with either Cys, while the effect of pyruvate (or succinate for AtAOX1a substituted with Ala at CysI) was limited to CysI. A variety of CysII substitutions constitutively activated AtAOX1a, indicating that neither the catalytic site nor, unlike at CysI, charge repulsion is involved. Independent effects at each Cys were suggested by lack of CysII substitution interference with pyruvate stimulation at CysI, and close to additive activation at the two sites. However, results obtained using diamide treatment to covalently link the AtAOX1a subunits by the disulfide bond indicated that CysI must be in the reduced state for activation at CysII to occur

Month by month overview of UWE Bristol's Green Capital year

The document provides a month-by-month summary of activities which were undertaken by UWE staff and students in support of Bristol's year as European Green Capital. More detail on these activities can be found in the UWE Green Capital Activities Catalogue and accompanying Portfolio