Protecting U.S. Intellectual Property Rights and the Challenges of Digital Piracy

According to U.S. industry and government officials, intellectual property rights (IPR) infringement has reached critical levels in the United States as well as abroad. The speed and ease with which the duplication of products protected by IPR can occur has created an urgent need for industries and governments alike to address the protection of IPR in order to keep markets open to trade in the affected goods. Copyrighted products such as software, movies, music and video recordings, and other media products have been particularly affected by inadequate IPR protection. New tools, such as writable compact discs (CDs) and, of course, the Internet have made duplication not only effortless and low-cost, but anonymous as well. This paper discusses the merits of IPR protection and its importance to the U.S. economy. It then provides background on various technical, legal, and trade policy methods that have been employed to control the infringement of IPR domestically and internationally. This is followed by an analysis of current and future challenges facing U.S. industry with regard to IPR protection, particularly the challenges presented by the Internet and digital piracy.Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies,

Effects of Potassium Source and Secondary Nutrients on Potato Yield and Quality in Southcentral Alaska.

Calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and sulfur (S) are required for the growth and development of all higher plants. They are commonly referred to as secondary nutrients because they are less often limiting to plant growth than the primary nutrients nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K), although secondary nutrients are as critical for crop growth and development as the primary nutrients. There is limited information available concerning secondary nutrient requirements of potatoes grown in southcentral Alaska. Laughlin (1966) conducted studies between 1961 and 1963 comparing potassium chloride (KCl) and potassium sulfate (K2SO4) as potassium sources for Green Mountain potatoes, and determined the effects of varying rates of magnesium sulfate (MgSO4) and K2SO4 on Kennebec potatoes. Since these studies were conducted without irrigation and at production levels about one-half those obtained by top producers in the Matanuska Valley today, it was considered appropriate to expand upon the previous work using current production practices. Potassium was supplied as KCl and K2 SO4 to explore the need for additional S under local potato production conditions and to determine the effects of the chloride (Cl) and sulfate (SO4) anions on production and quality of potato tubers. In addition, Mg and Ca were added to determine whether the background levels of these nutrients were adequate for optimum production

Rates and Methods of Application of Nitrogen and Phosphorus for Commercial Field Production of Head Lettuce in Southcentral Alaska

Head lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) is one of the major agricultural crops grown in Alaska. In 1992, its wholesale value was approximately $314,000, second only to potatoes among Alaska’s commercially field grown vegetables (Brown et al., 1992). The quality of head lettuce is as important as yield, as lettuce heads that do not meet minimum size and weight standards are unmarketable. Head size and weight are strongly influenced by management practices, dictating a high level of management for successful commercial production. Among manageable cultural variables, rate of fertilizer application and the method of fertilizer placement are two of the most critical. Despite the value of the head lettuce crop to Alaska vegetable growers and the importance of fertilization as a management practice, little research has been published on rates of application and method of applying nitrogen and phosphorus to commercially grown head lettuce

AFES Circular 80

To remain competitive, commercial vegetable producers require updated information on the performance of new vegetable varieties under the soil and climatic conditions of southcentral Alaska. Variety trials provide the opportunity to evaluate potentially adapted plant material. Although many varieties are developed in environments considerably different from that of southcentral Alaska, some may prove to be useful to commercial growers in Alaska. The information on new varieties must be collected over several growing seasons to provide sufficient confidence in the observed performance. Additionally, each year of the performance trials, new varieties are grown with traditional or standard varieties which are used to compare the quality of the new varieties. Commercial production of new varieties should be considered after several years of variety trial work with initial plantings on a small production scale.Introduction -- Overview -- Seed Source List -- Weather Summary -- Broccoli -- Cabbage -- Carrots -- Lettuce -- Potatoe

Circular 111

In 1995, 27 head lettuce varieties were evaluated in a replicated study at the Palmer Research Center, and two growers’ fields in the Matanuska Valley. The 15 varieties that performed best in 1995 were selected for evaluation in 1996 and 1997. The performance of those 15 varieties in 1997 is summarized in this report. Results from the 1995 and 1996 trials may be found in UAF circulars 106 and 108 respectively

A cross-linguistic database of phonetic transcription systems

Contrary to what non-practitioners might expect, the systems of phonetic notation used by linguists are highly idiosyncratic. Not only do various linguistic subfields disagree on the specific symbols they use to denote the speech sounds of languages, but also in large databases of sound inventories considerable variation can be found. Inspired by recent efforts to link cross-linguistic data with help of reference catalogues (Glottolog, Concepticon) across different resources, we present initial efforts to link different phonetic notation systems to a catalogue of speech sounds. This is achieved with the help of a database accompanied by a software framework that uses a limited but easily extendable set of non-binary feature values to allow for quick and convenient registration of different transcription systems, while at the same time linking to additional datasets with restricted inventories. Linking different transcription systems enables us to conveniently translate between different phonetic transcription systems, while linking sounds to databases allows users quick access to various kinds of metadata, including feature values, statistics on phoneme inventories, and information on prosody and sound classes. In order to prove the feasibility of this enterprise, we supplement an initial version of our cross-linguistic database of phonetic transcription systems (CLTS), which currently registers five transcription systems and links to fifteen datasets, as well as a web application, which permits users to conveniently test the power of the automatic translation across transcription systems

Comment on “The complex effects of ocean acidification on the prominent N2-fixing cyanobacterium Trichodesmium”

Author Posting. © The Author(s), 2017. This is the author's version of the work. It is posted here under a nonexclusive, irrevocable, paid-up, worldwide license granted to WHOI. It is made available for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Science 357 (2017): eaao0067, doi:10.1126/science.aao0067.Hong et al. (Reports, 5 May 2017, p. 527) suggested that previous studies of the biogeochemically significant marine cyanobacterium Trichodesmium showing increased growth and nitrogen fixation at projected future high CO2 levels suffered from ammonia or copper toxicity. They reported that these rates instead decrease at high CO2 when contamination is alleviated. We present and discuss results of multiple published studies refuting this toxicity hypothesis

Assessing Undergraduate Nonprofit Management Education Programs: Combining Industry and Student Perspectives

Given the role of the nonprofit sector in the U.S. economy, as well as the growth of nonprofit management education (NME) programs, there is a need to specifically assess undergraduate NME programs. This study addresses the current research gap by examining the undergraduate nonprofit studies minor at the University of Arkansas. An assessment of the minor was conducted by surveying three groups: nonprofit professionals, current students pursuing the nonprofit studies minor, and alumni of the minor. These groups were surveyed to understand why students pursue the minor, what students want or gain from the experience, as well as what skills are most important in the nonprofit sector and in nonprofit management education (by using the NACC Undergraduate Curricular Guidelines). Results show that there are similarities in what competencies are most important in the nonprofit sector and for NME curriculum: ethics and values, nonprofit finance and fundraising, nonprofit governance and leadership, and leading and managing organizations. The results lead to recommendations for additional research and utilizing the framework of this study to assess other nonprofit education programs

Regulating Aesthetics Of Coastal Maine: Kroeger v. Department Of Environmental Protection

In Kroeger v. Department of Environmental Protection, the Maine Supreme Judicial Court, sitting as the Law Court, held that the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) had appropriately denied a private landowner a permit to build a dock. Out of nine permitting criteria enforced by the DEP, the court held that the structure would violate one criterion: the unreasonable interference with the scenic uses of Somes Sound. The majority cited the enjoyment of the Sound by boaters and recreationalists, as well as the nearby tourist attraction of Acadia National Park as factors supporting the area’s scenic use. The majority found that the DEP had not arbitrarily denied the permit and that the plaintiff had practicable alternatives to building the proposed dock, including utilizing a local marina and making boat launches from the shore. The dissenting opinion, however, argued the plaintiff’s application satisfied the DEP’s wetland permitting criteria and that no perceptible visual impairment would occur by constructing the plaintiff’s proposed dock. The dissent maintained that the plaintiff had no practicable alternatives by which to reasonably access and utilize the waterfront. In addition, the dissent criticized the majority for overlooking the plaintiff’s property rights as a landowner and instead deferring too readily to the DEP’s decision regarding scenic uses. The Kroeger decision highlights the ongoing debate over the use of aesthetics as a legitimate basis for regulations protecting visual resources. The subject of aesthetics is by its nature controversial: at its heart are questions and subjective assessments pertaining to beauty - its value, importance, and whether it should or should not be afforded protection in particular situations. Nonetheless, aesthetic regulations have existed throughout this country’s history, gaining traction in the early 20th century. The United States Supreme Court has addressed the issue of aesthetic regulations, first via zoning cases, and then by way of dicta forceful enough to inspire the growth of aesthetic regulations by state governments. Aesthetic regulations have been and continue to be utilized in Maine, as demonstrated by Kroeger. Indeed, much of the case law surrounding aesthetics in Maine involves the DEP’s scenic uses provision, and often focuses on coastal locales. However, Kroeger offers a new dimension because it involves the issue of tourism along Maine’s coast. The question now arises: given the important role tourism plays in this state’s economy, how should the Law Court weigh the competing interests of preserving both aesthetic value and land owners’ rights when the protected area is near a coastal tourist destination? This Note considers where Maine generally stands in the national debate regarding aesthetic regulation after Kroeger, and where it may be headed in terms of coastal aesthetic regulation. First, this Note chronicles how aesthetic regulations slowly developed from the general laws of nuisance into the legitimate exercise of the police powers. It then describes the two different approaches taken by various jurisdictions in this country for validating aesthetic regulations. The first approach is premised on the belief that aesthetic regulations on their face fit securely within the general welfare prong of the police powers. The other approach relegates aesthetics to a secondary role, not allowing them to stand alone, but rather to play an ancillary role in the government interests of health, safety, moral, or general welfare. This Note then chronicles how Maine specifically has interpreted aesthetic regulations, analyzing the approaches in Kroeger that the Law Court’s majority and dissent utilized, and criticizing both sides for not more fully explaining their rationales. In conclusion, this Note contends that in its next relevant case the Law Court should more fully detail the preferred basis for aesthetic regulations in Maine, potentially creating a litmus test for cases involving popular coastal scenic areas. In addition, this Note suggests that the Maine Legislature could include the promotion of the economy, which would encompass tourism, as a legitimate category within the state’s police powers. Such a specific governmental directive would decidedly aid the Law Court in future coastal aesthetic regulations cases