FAIR USE AND THE DIGITAL DISTRIBUTION OF MUSIC - RECORDING INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA v. NAPSTER, INC. (A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF A RESTRAINT ON COPYRIGHT IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO)

The purpose of this thesis is to undertake a critical analysis of the Napster judgment and its treatment of the doctrine of fair use, to determine whether the doctrine can retain its integrity in the internet age. It is proposed that as technology advances, U.S. policymakers are moving away from the constitutional objectives of U.S. copyright law and are equating copyright interests with property rights, to the detriment of noncommercial users of copyrighted works. Further, it is suggested that the decision in the Napster litigation is important for the evolving landscape of U.S. copyright law, as it signals the difficulty in establishing a fair use of a copyrighted work when such use is not authorized by the copyright owner. While the focus of this thesis is an analysis of U.S. copyright law, a brief review of copyright law in Trinidad and Tobago is undertaken for comparative purposes. In Trinidad and Tobago, the impact of new digital technologies has not been as dramatic for the recording industry and industry participants as it has been in the U.S., primarily because the internet is not widely utilized as a distribution outlet for that country\u27s music. Unlike the U.S. position, the fair use doctrine does not exist in the copyright law of Trinidad and Tobago. However, there are recognized limitations on the exclusive rights of the copyright holder, one of which is the permitted, unauthorized use of a copyrighted work for personal purposes . This Thesis will also seek to examine whether this limitation on copyright in the Trinidad and Tobago legislation is relevant in the online world of digital music downloading. Chapter I of this thesis is divided into two sections. The first section will suggest a few of the economic factors which may have influenced the Napster litigation. This section will highlight the dollar value of the music industry, the major beneficiaries of the economic gains to be made from the industry, and the financial interests at stake. The second section will identify recent improvements made in digital technology and the impact such improvements have had on vested economic interests. Chapter II will describe the statutory framework on which copyright holders rely, while Chapter III will focus on the District Court and Ninth Circuit decisions in the Napster litigation, and their treatment of the fair use doctrine. As part of this analysis, select the Supreme Court and other judicial decisions will be examined to see whether the treatment of the fair use doctrine in the Napster litigation was consistent with established authorities. In the Trinidad and Tobago context, the concept of personal purposes will be discussed and relevant English judicial decisions interpreting the concept will be highlighted. Chapter IV will consider the future of the fair use doctrine and the treatment of the concept in legislation specifically drafted as a response to the internet age. It is to be emphasized that this Thesis is not intended to provide an in-depth exposition of copyright law or its limitations, in either the U.S. or Trinidad and Tobago. Instead, it is intended that this work will provide a provocative analysis of a judicial decision that is significant for its influence far beyond the limits of music distribution, as it touches upon the manner in which all types of information will be transmitted and received over the internet

Inklusiver Unterricht mit Digitalen Spielen

Die Vorstellung unterschiedlicher Möglichkeiten des Einsatzes von digitalen Spielen für soziale Inklusion bildet den Fokus dieses Artikels. In dem Zusammenhang wird beschrieben, was soziale Inklusion ist und das Potenzial von digitalen Spielen für soziale Inklusion umrissen. Anschließend werden erprobte Unterrichtsszenarien vorgestellt. Diese setzen sich zusammen aus, dem Setting, dem Ablauf und den zentralen Elementen der Szenarien sowie digitalen Spielen und spielbasierter Dialoge. Es wird gezeigt, wie sich Spiele und spielbasierte Dialoge kombinieren lassen und welche didaktischen Verläufe im Unterricht einsetzbar sind. Abschließend werden erste Forschungsergebnisse zum Einsatz von digitalen Spielen für soziale Inklusion diskutiert. Die Erprobung der inklusiven Unterrichtsszenarien hat gezeigt, dass der Einsatz von Spielen in Kombination mit spielbasierten Dialogen einen wichtigen Anstoß für die Thematisierung von zentralen Problemlagen gibt bzw. geben kann. Gleichzeitig hilft das Herstellen einer spielerischen und angenehmen Atmosphäre, frei über die Auswirkungen von Krisen auf die persönliche Lebenswelt sowie den Schulalltag zu sprechen. Spiele bieten dabei einen Anlass, bestehende Konflikte in der Klasse sichtbar zu machen. Gleichzeitig kann dadurch sichergestellt werden, dass eine handhabbare Eskalationsstufe nicht überschritten wird. Spielbasierte Dialoge sind dabei ein unverzichtbarer Bestandteil von inklusiven Unterrichtsszenarien, weil in dieser Phase zentrale Emotionen, Problemlagen, Bedürfnisse und Konflikte, die in den Spieleinheiten aufgekommen sind, thematisiert und ggf. aufgelöst werden können. Gleichzeitig bieten die spielbasierten Dialoge einen Anlass, die spielerische und lustvolle Atmosphäre in der gemeinsamen Diskussion weiterzuführen und weiterhin Freude aneinander zu haben

Neuronal Mitochondrial Dysfunction Activates the Integrated Stress Response to Induce Fibroblast Growth Factor 21.

Stress adaptation is essential for neuronal health. While the fundamental role of mitochondria in neuronal development has been demonstrated, it is still not clear how adult neurons respond to alterations in mitochondrial function and how neurons sense, signal, and respond to dysfunction of mitochondria and their interacting organelles. Here, we show that neuron-specific, inducible in vivo ablation of the mitochondrial fission protein Drp1 causes ER stress, resulting in activation of the integrated stress response to culminate in neuronal expression of the cytokine Fgf21. Neuron-derived Fgf21 induction occurs also in murine models of tauopathy and prion disease, highlighting the potential of this cytokine as an early biomarker for latent neurodegenerative conditions

A Qualitative Analysis of Motivators to Participation in Suicide-Focused Research from a Community-Based Australian Sample

Suicide prevention strategies internationally appear to be falling short of making a meaningful impact on global suicide deaths. Increasing the rates of general community participation in suicide research may improve knowledge generalisability as it relates to suicidal behaviour and leads to new suicide prevention approaches. This study aims to explore the motivations of a community-based sample to participate in suicide research. A subsample of the Australian general population took part in an online survey which is part of a multilevel suicide prevention trial. The survey concluded with an optional open-text question asking about peoples' motivations for participating in the study; 532 participants left a response to this question. These responses were qualitatively analysed using Thematic Network Analysis. Motivations to participate in suicide research were represented by four global themes: altruism, solve systemic problems, lived experience, and personal benefit. Of these themes, three were focused on the benefit of others, while only the final theme articulated motivation to participate that was self-focused. The impact of suicide is felt throughout the wider community. This new understanding of the motivations of community-based samples to participate in suicide research should be used to increase participation rates and reach people who would not normally contribute their voice to suicide research

PARP1 catalytic variants reveal branching and chain length-specific functions of poly(ADP-ribose) in cellular physiology and stress response

Poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation regulates numerous cellular processes like genome maintenance and cell death, thus providing protective functions but also contributing to several pathological conditions. Poly(ADP-ribose) (PAR) molecules exhibit a remarkable heterogeneity in chain lengths and branching frequencies, but the biological significance of this is basically unknown. To unravel structure-specific functions of PAR, we used PARP1 mutants producing PAR of different qualities, i.e. short and hypobranched (PARP1\G972R), short and moderately hyperbranched (PARP1\Y986S), or strongly hyperbranched PAR (PARP1\Y986H). By reconstituting HeLa PARP1 knockout cells, we demonstrate that PARP1\G972R negatively affects cellular endpoints, such as viability, cell cycle progression and genotoxic stress resistance. In contrast, PARP1\Y986S elicits only mild effects, suggesting that PAR branching compensates for short polymer length. Interestingly, PARP1\Y986H exhibits moderate beneficial effects on cell physiology. Furthermore, different PARP1 mutants have distinct effects on molecular processes, such as gene expression and protein localization dynamics of PARP1 itself, and of its downstream factor XRCC1. Finally, the biological relevance of PAR branching is emphasized by the fact that branching frequencies vary considerably during different phases of the DNA damage-induced PARylation reaction and between different mouse tissues. Taken together, this study reveals that PAR branching and chain length essentially affect cellular functions, which further supports the notion of a ‘PAR code’

Codesigning a systemic discharge intervention for inpatient mental health settings (MINDS): a protocol for integrating realist evaluation and an engineering-based systems approach

© 2023 The Author(s). Published by BMJ. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY), https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Introduction: Transition following discharge from mental health hospital is high risk in terms of relapse, readmission and suicide. Discharge planning supports transition and reduces risk. It is a complex activity involving interacting systemic elements. The codesigning a systemic discharge intervention for inpatient mental health settings (MINDS) study aims to improve the process for people being discharged, their carers/supporters and staff who work in mental health services, by understanding, co-designing and evaluating implementation of a systemic approach to discharge planning. Methods and analysis: The MINDS study integrates realist research and an engineering-informed systems approach across three stages. Stage 1 applies realist review and evaluation using a systems approach to develop programme theories of discharge planning. Stage 2 uses an Engineering Better Care framework to codesign a novel systemic discharge intervention, which will be subjected to process and economic evaluation in stage 3. The programme theories and resulting care planning approach will be refined throughout the study ready for a future clinical trial. MINDS is co-led by an expert by experience, with researchers with lived experience co-leading each stage. Ethics and dissemination: MINDS stage 1 has received ethical approval from Yorkshire & The Humber—Bradford Leeds (Research Ethics Committee (22/YH/0122). Findings from MINDS will be disseminated via high-impact journal publications and conference presentations, including those with service user and mental health professional audiences. We will establish routes to engage with public and service user communities and National Health Service professionals including blogs, podcasts and short videos. Trial registration number: MINDS is funded by the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR 133013) https://fundingawards.nihr.ac.uk/award/NIHR133013. The realist review protocol is registered on PROSPERO. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42021293255.Peer reviewe

Intranasal oxytocin in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder

BACKGROUND Experimental studies and small clinical trials have suggested that treatment with intranasal oxytocin may reduce social impairment in persons with autism spectrum disorder. Oxytocin has been administered in clinical practice to many children with autism spectrum disorder. METHODS We conducted a 24-week, placebo-controlled phase 2 trial of intranasal oxytocin therapy in children and adolescents 3 to 17 years of age with autism spectrum disorder. Participants were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio, with stratification according to age and verbal fluency, to receive oxytocin or placebo, administered intranasally, with a total target dose of 48 international units daily. The primary outcome was the least-squares mean change from baseline on the Aberrant Behavior Checklist modified Social Withdrawal subscale (ABC-mSW), which includes 13 items (scores range from 0 to 39, with higher scores indicating less social interaction). Secondary outcomes included two additional measures of social function and an abbreviated measure of IQ. RESULTS Of the 355 children and adolescents who underwent screening, 290 were enrolled. A total of 146 participants were assigned to the oxytocin group and 144 to the placebo group; 139 and 138 participants, respectively, completed both the baseline and at least one postbaseline ABC-mSW assessments and were included in the modified intention-to-treat analyses. The least-squares mean change from baseline in the ABC-mSW score (primary outcome) was −3.7 in the oxytocin group and −3.5 in the placebo group (least-squares mean difference, −0.2; 95% confidence interval, −1.5 to 1.0; P=0.61). Secondary outcomes generally did not differ between the trial groups. The incidence and severity of adverse events were similar in the two groups. CONCLUSIONS This placebo-controlled trial of intranasal oxytocin therapy in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder showed no significant between-group differences in the least-squares mean change from baseline on measures of social or cognitive functioning over a period of 24 weeks

Consumer Response to Drug Risk Information:The Role of Positive Affect

Risk disclosure is an essential element of the marketing of prescription drugs and other medical products. This study examines how consumers respond to verbal information about the frequency and severity of medical-product risks and how media-induced affect can moderate such responses. The study finds that consumers tend to overestimate the actual likelihood of adverse events described with words such as “common” or “rare” (compared with the probabilities such terms are typically intended to convey) and that consumers tend to give little weight to such probability language when forming product use intentions. However, consumers in positive media-induced moods seem to engage in more nuanced evaluation of product risk information, weighing both frequency and severity information and using such information to make inferences about other product attributes (e.g., product efficacy). These findings suggest that medical marketers and regulators need to devise more effective means of communicating risk probability to consumers and that positive mood induction (e.g., by placing advertisements in upbeat media environments) can enhance consumers' ability to process product risk information

LSST: from Science Drivers to Reference Design and Anticipated Data Products

(Abridged) We describe here the most ambitious survey currently planned in the optical, the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST). A vast array of science will be enabled by a single wide-deep-fast sky survey, and LSST will have unique survey capability in the faint time domain. The LSST design is driven by four main science themes: probing dark energy and dark matter, taking an inventory of the Solar System, exploring the transient optical sky, and mapping the Milky Way. LSST will be a wide-field ground-based system sited at Cerro Pach\'{o}n in northern Chile. The telescope will have an 8.4 m (6.5 m effective) primary mirror, a 9.6 deg$^2$ field of view, and a 3.2 Gigapixel camera. The standard observing sequence will consist of pairs of 15-second exposures in a given field, with two such visits in each pointing in a given night. With these repeats, the LSST system is capable of imaging about 10,000 square degrees of sky in a single filter in three nights. The typical 5$\sigma$ point-source depth in a single visit in $r$ will be $\sim 24.5$ (AB). The project is in the construction phase and will begin regular survey operations by 2022. The survey area will be contained within 30,000 deg$^2$ with $\delta<+34.5^\circ$, and will be imaged multiple times in six bands, $ugrizy$, covering the wavelength range 320--1050 nm. About 90\% of the observing time will be devoted to a deep-wide-fast survey mode which will uniformly observe a 18,000 deg$^2$ region about 800 times (summed over all six bands) during the anticipated 10 years of operations, and yield a coadded map to $r\sim27.5$. The remaining 10\% of the observing time will be allocated to projects such as a Very Deep and Fast time domain survey. The goal is to make LSST data products, including a relational database of about 32 trillion observations of 40 billion objects, available to the public and scientists around the world.Comment: 57 pages, 32 color figures, version with high-resolution figures available from https://www.lsst.org/overvie