Patent trolls and non-practicing entities: a tale of intellectual property excesses

A “patent troll” is a company that obtains a variety of patents without conducting research and development, e. g. by acquiring them in the market, and without any intention to work the underlying inventions by producing and/or selling products. Such company then approaches other firms which are merely suspected of using the patented invention with threats of patent infringement suits and demands for (often high) royalties. This article looks into this phenomenon criticising what many views as an abusive behaviour by non-practicing entities. It builds upon the US case Blackbird v. Cloudflare, started by a boutique law firm which is well-known for taking lawsuits against more than 50 different defendants in a single year

Geographical Indications Between the Old World and the New World, and the Impact of Migration

The article focuses on the use of European geographical names in certain countries of the so-called ‘New World’ (i.e. nations reached in the past by waves of European migration) and the impact of such migration on the debate around the protection of geographical indications (GIs). Specifically, the article analyses four GIs case studies – ‘Prosecco’, ‘Budweiser’, ‘Rioja’ and 'Parmesan' – which highlight the role of migration in this context and how countries of the New World (e.g. US, Canada, Australia, etc.) emphasise this role to argue that several European geographical names of food and wine products are just the generic terms for the products themselves. The ‘migration’ factor however is downplayed by the EU (i.e. the Old World), which stresses that European GIs still have a distinctive function linked to the geographical origin of the underlying product and should be protected in Europe and beyond

Jornada "Hacia una Historia de la Cultura Impresa en la Argentina (1810-1950)" : relato de las investigaciones presentadas

Fil: Giunti, Graciela M.Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Filosofía y Letras. Instituto de Bibliotecología y Ciencia de la Información; Argentina.Fil: Contardi, Silvia.Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Filosofía y Letras. Instituto de Bibliotecología y Ciencia de la Información; Argentina.Fil: Parada, Alejandro E..Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Filosofía y Letras. Instituto de Bibliotecología y Ciencia de la Información; Argentina.El presente artículo constituye un resumen de las ponencias presentadas en la Jornada "Hacia una Historia de la Cultura Impresa en la Argentina (1810-1950)", realizada el día 22 de agosto de 2012 en el Instituto de Investigaciones Bibliotecológicas (INIBI) de la Facultad de Filosofía y Letras de la Universidad de Buenos Aires, en el marco del Proyecto UBACYT titulado "Historia de la Edición y de la Lectura desde los espacios públicos e institucionales. La participación de la ciudadanía en el ámbito de la Cultura Impresa en la Argentina" (Código 20020100200004 [01/K004] - Proyectos trienales de Programación científica 2011-2014)

Glycine Receptor Antibody-Associated Progressive Encephalomyelitis with Rigidity and Myoclonus (PERM) During SARS-CoV-2 Infection: a Video-Case Report

n.a

Can Disruption of Basal Ganglia-Thalamocortical Circuit in Wilson Disease Be Associated with Juvenile Myoclonic Epilepsy Phenotype?

In this paper, we describe the multimodal MRI findings in a patient with Wilson disease and a seizure disorder, characterized by an electroclinical picture resembling juvenile myoclonic epilepsy. The brain structural MRI showed a deposition of ferromagnetic materials in the basal ganglia, with marked hypointensities in T2-weighted images of globus pallidus internus bilaterally. A resting-state fMRI study revealed increased functional connectivity in the patient, compared to control subjects, in the following networks: (1) between the primary motor cortex and several cortical regions, including the secondary somatosensory cortex and (2) between the globus pallidus and the thalamo-frontal network. These findings suggest that globus pallidus alterations, due to metal accumulation, can lead to a reduction in the normal globus pallidus inhibitory tone on the thalamo-(motor)-cortical pathway. This, in turn, can result in hyperconnectivity in the motor cortex circuitry, leading to myoclonus and tonic-clonic seizures. We suppose that, in this patient, Wilson disease generated a ‘lesion model’ of myoclonic epilepsy

First report of Berkeleyomyces basicola (synonymous: Thielaviopsis basicola) on roots of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam) in Argentina

Symptomatic sweet potato cv Arapey INIA samples were collected from a commercial production field in Colonia Molina, Guaymallén department, Mendoza province, Argentina. They showed dark rounded lesions, sometimes coalescing with white granular mycelium. Fungus was obtained from symptomatic sweet potatoes, which represented the generalized infection that affected the crop. They were seeded in PDA with streptomycin sulfate and incubated for seven days at 21°C, alternating white/black (UV400nm) light. Observations with an optical microscope revealed the presence of hyaline, not septated, cylindrical endoconidia with rounded ends. They were 8-16 μm length and 4–6 μm width. Phialides were 43-46 μm length, rounded bases (7-9 μm width) and tapering to the neck´s tip (4-6 μm width). Brown chlamydospores (aleuriospores), 9-13 μm length and 8-12 μm width, in chains of 2-8 spores were observed. For molecular identification, total genomic DNA was extracted. ITS fragment of 565 pb was amplified using ITS5/ITS4 primers and sequenced. The sequence indicated 99% identity with Berkeleyomyces basicola (synonymous: Thielaviopsis basicola). This was deposited in GenBank as (KX580957) (CBS: C430.74, Gen Bank accession number AF275482.1). This is the first report of B. basicola in sweet potato in Argentina, a potential threat to storage root yields. Highlights: Sweet potato black root rot, new disease in Argentina. First report of Berkeleyomyces basicola  causing black root rot on sweet potato in Mendoza, Argentina.Symptomatic sweet potato cv Arapey INIA samples were collected from a commercial production field in Colonia Molina, Guaymallén department, Mendoza province, Argentina. They showed dark rounded lesions, sometimes coalescing with white granular mycelium. Fungus was obtained from symptomatic sweet potatoes, which represented the generalized infection that affected the crop. They were seeded in PDA with streptomycin sulfate and incubated for seven days at 21°C, alternating white/black (UV400nm) light. Observations with an optical microscope revealed the presence of hyaline, not septated, cylindrical endoconidia with rounded ends. They were 8-16 μm length and 4–6 μm width. Phialides were 43-46 μm length, rounded bases (7-9 μm width) and tapering to the neck´s tip (4-6 μm width). Brown chlamydospores (aleuriospores), 9-13 μm length and 8-12 μm width, in chains of 2-8 spores were observed. For molecular identification, total genomic DNA was extracted. ITS fragment of 565 pb was amplified using ITS5/ITS4 primers and sequenced. The sequence indicated 99% identity with Berkeleyomyces basicola (synonymous: Thielaviopsis basicola). This was deposited in GenBank as (KX580957) (CBS: C430.74, Gen Bank accession number AF275482.1). This is the first report of B. basicola in sweet potato in Argentina, a potential threat to storage root yields. Highlights: Sweet potato black root rot, new disease in Argentina. First report of Berkeleyomyces basicola  causing black root rot on sweet potato in Mendoza, Argentina

Improving access to and reuse of research results, publications and data for scientific purposes – Study to evaluate the effects of the EU copyright framework on research and the effects of potential interventions and to identify and present relevant provisions for research in EU data and digital legislation, with a focus on rights and obligations (Publications Office of the European Union)

This report supports ERA Policy Agenda 2022-2024, aiming at an EU framework for copyright and data fit for research. It analyses barriers to accessing and reusing publicly funded research, evaluating EU copyright and data legislation, along with regulatory frameworks. Presented measures aim to enhance the current framework, aligning it with scientific research and open data principles. It offers a comprehensive overview of the EU's research and innovation legal landscape, providing insights for policymakers, researchers, and research organisations

Condiciones de suelo y vegetación en tres bosques quemados de Nothofagus pumilio en Argentina y experiencias para su restauración activa

El fuego es un disturbio importante en bosques de lenga de Chubut y Santa Cruz, en la Patagonia argentina. Según del tipo de bosque y la severidad del fuego, el sistema resultante puede diferir en gran medida respecto del original. En este trabajo se evaluaron condiciones post-fuego (vegetación y suelo) que afectarían el restablecimiento de Nothofagus pumilio en tres zonas del gradiente latitudinal de su distribución: La Colisión (LC) 42°56’ S, Monte Zeballos (MZ) 46°49’ S y Río Turbio (RT) 51°29’ S, luego de incendios ocurridos uno, setenta, y veintisiete años atrás, respectivamente. En cada sitio se caracterizó la riqueza de especies y su cobertura en áreas quemadas, y se analizaron 12 propiedades físico-químicas de los primeros 10 cm del suelo en las áreas quemadas y en las adyacentes no quemadas. En áreas quemadas se realizó la restauración activa a través de plantines de N. pumilio con diferentes dispositivos de protección individual. La cobertura total del suelo fue mayor en RT, la cobertura relativa según hábito y origen de las especies fue diferente entre sitios, mientras que la riqueza y la diversidad fueron similares. Las diferencias en las propiedades del suelo entre áreas quemadas y no quemadas se podrían asociar con la antigüedad del incendio. En todos los sitios, la supervivencia de plantines fue alta (>80%) después del primer año, independientemente del tipo de protector, y disminuyó levemente en los años posteriores. En LC, el crecimiento fue mayor en plantines protegidos con tubos de polipropileno. En MZ y RT, el crecimiento fue limitado por el ramoneo de liebres, aun con protectores individuales. En zonas quemadas y con ganado, la herbivoría restringe, e incluso llega a imposibilitar, la regeneración natural de la lenga. La plantación es una alternativa viable si los plantines están protegidos y se realiza algún control de herbivoría por liebres.Fire is an important disturbance affecting Nothofagus pumilio (lenga) forests in Chubut and Santa Cruz provinces of Patagonia, Argentina. Depending on the forest structure and the level of fire severity, the resulting stands could substantially differ from the original. In this study, we evaluated post-fire effects on soil and vegetation conditions that might affect reestablishment of lenga plants in three latitudinal areas of its natural distribution in Patagonia: La Colisión (LC) 42°56’ S, Monte Zeballos (MZ) 46°49’ S and Río Turbio (RT) 51°29’ S. The fire events occurred one (LC), seventy (MZ), and twenty-seven (RT) years before treatments establishment, respectively. In each site, we characterized species richness and cover at burned areas, and analyzed 12 physicochemical properties of the first 10 cm of soil depth at burned and adjacent unburned (control) areas. In burned areas, we performed active restoration experiments by planting lenga seedlings using different protection devices. Soil cover was higher in RT. While plant relative cover according to habit and origin differed between sites, species richness and diversity were similar. Differences in soil physicochemical properties between burned and unburned areas could be associated to the time passed since fire occurrence. At the end of the first growing season, and regardless of the protection device used, survival was high at all sites (>70%). This percentage slightly decreased in the subsequent years. In MZ and RT, European hares browsing limited seedling growth. In burned and grazed lenga forests, herbivores restrict the natural regeneration. Restoration by planting lenga seedlings could be a viable alternative by providing protection to hare browsing.EEA Santa CruzFil: Urretavizcaya, María F. Centro de Investigación y Extensión Forestal Andino Patagónico (CIEFAP); Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas de Argentina; ArgentinaFil: Peri, Pablo Luis. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Santa Cruz; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia Austral; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Monelos, Lucas H. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia Austral; ArgentinaFil: Arriola, Hernán. Consejo Agrario Provincial de Santa Cruz; ArgentinaFil: Oyharçabal, María Florencia. Centro de Investigación y Extensión Forestal Andino Patagónico (CIEFAP); ArgentinaFil: Contardi, Liliana. Centro de Investigación y Extensión Forestal Andino Patagónico (CIEFAP); Argentina. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia San Juan Bosco; ArgentinaFil: Muñoz, Miriam. Consejo Agrario Provincial de Santa Cruz; ArgentinaFil: Sepúlveda, Eduardo. Consejo Agrario Provincial de Santa Cruz; ArgentinaFil: Defosse, Guillermo. Centro de Investigación y Extensión Forestal Andino Patagónico (CIEFAP); Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas de Argentina; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia San Juan Bosco; Argentin