Towards an Intellectual Property Rights Strategy for Innovation in Europe

On October 13, 2009 the Science and Technology Options Assessment Panel (STOA) together with Knowledge4Innovation/The Lisbon Forum, supported by Technopolis Consulting Group and TNO, organised a half-day workshop entitled ‘Towards an Intellectual Property Rights Strategy for Innovation in Europe’. This workshop was part of the 1st European Innovation Summit at the European Parliament which took place on 13 October and 14 October 2009. It addressed the topics of the evolution and current issues concerning the European Patent System as well as International Protection and Enforcement of IPR (with special consideration of issues pertaining to IP enforcement in the Digital Environment). Conclusions drawn point to the benefits of a comprehensive European IPR strategy, covering a broad range of IP instruments and topics

Integrating Intellectual Property into Innovation Policy Formulation in Jamaica.

Part of a series of WIPO-produced country reports, reviewing IP in national innovation systems. Each report offers country-specific recommendations for more effectively using the IP system to strengthen national innovation systems

Country Perspectives ::Switzerland's Journey.

Switzerland’s Journey in the “Unlocking IP-backed Financing Series” gives an account of Switzerland’s financing journey, the initiatives and the challenges faced, as well as the next steps to improve access to financing to commercialize Swiss innovation

The Bet v 1 fold: an ancient, versatile scaffold for binding of large, hydrophobic ligands

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The major birch pollen allergen, Bet v 1, is a member of the ubiquitous PR-10 family of plant pathogenesis-related proteins. In recent years, a number of diverse plant proteins with low sequence similarity to Bet v 1 was identified. In addition, determination of the Bet v 1 structure revealed the existence of a large superfamily of structurally related proteins. In this study, we aimed to identify and classify all Bet v 1-related structures from the Protein Data Bank and all Bet v 1-related sequences from the Uniprot database.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Structural comparisons of representative members of already known protein families structurally related to Bet v 1 with all entries of the Protein Data Bank yielded 47 structures with non-identical sequences. They were classified into eleven families, five of which were newly identified and not included in the Structural Classification of Proteins database release 1.71. The taxonomic distribution of these families extracted from the Pfam protein family database showed that members of the polyketide cyclase family and the activator of Hsp90 ATPase homologue 1 family were distributed among all three superkingdoms, while members of some bacterial families were confined to a small number of species. Comparison of ligand binding activities of Bet v 1-like superfamily members revealed that their functions were related to binding and metabolism of large, hydrophobic compounds such as lipids, hormones, and antibiotics. Phylogenetic relationships within the Bet v 1 family, defined as the group of proteins with significant sequence similarity to Bet v 1, were determined by aligning 264 Bet v 1-related sequences. A distance-based phylogenetic tree yielded a classification into 11 subfamilies, nine exclusively containing plant sequences and two subfamilies of bacterial proteins. Plant sequences included the pathogenesis-related proteins 10, the major latex proteins/ripening-related proteins subfamily, and polyketide cyclase-like sequences.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The ubiquitous distribution of Bet v 1-related proteins among all superkingdoms suggests that a Bet v 1-like protein was already present in the last universal common ancestor. During evolution, this protein diversified into numerous families with low sequence similarity but with a common fold that succeeded as a versatile scaffold for binding of bulky ligands.</p

The possibilities and limits of trade secrets to protect data shared between firms in agricultural and food sectors

Both public policy and business management are increasingly interested in how to manage trade secrets. One of the driving forces is the growing significance of data as an asset, as ‘oil of the 21st century'. Trade secrets are often seen as the major Intellectual Property (IP) tool for protecting data. There is also the understanding that the need to share data is increasing to allow for new types of innovation. This paper seeks to understand how data sharing practices and the use of trade secrets are evolving in the agricultural industries. Using explorative empirical data from four in-depth case studies, the paper develops a framework for data sharing practices, value sharing, and trade secrets use. We find that current data sharing practices pool around two scenarios, where data is not shared or shared only with limited partners (hence closed) and there are differences whether value created from the data is shared. We conclude that a nuanced view on the use of trade secrets in data sharing is mandated for both IP/data managers and scholars analysing the topic

The use of trade secrets to protect data shared between firms in agricultural and food sectors

Both public policy and business management are increasingly interested in how to manage trade secrets. One of the driving forces is the growing significance of data as an asset, as ‘oil of the 21st century'. Trade secrets are often seen as the major Intellectual Property (IP) tool for protecting data. There is also the understanding that the need to share data is increasing to allow for new types of innovation. This paper seeks to understand how data sharing practices and the use of trade secrets are evolving in the agricultural industries. Using explorative empirical data from four in-depth case studies, the paper develops a framework for data sharing practices, value sharing, and trade secrets use. We find that current data sharing practices pool around two scenarios, where data is not shared or shared only with limited partners (hence closed) and there are differences whether value created from the data is shared. We conclude that a nuanced view on the use of trade secrets in data sharing is mandated for both IP/data managers and scholars analysing the topic

Herzratenvariabilität bei PatientInnen mit Depression oder der Doppeldiagnose Depression - somatoforme Störungen im Therapieverlauf

Theoretischer Hintergrund: Die Herzratenvariabilität (HRV) gibt Aufschluss über die sympathische und parasympathische Aktivität des autonomen Nervensystems. Eine niedrige HRV stellt ein Mortalitäts- und Morbiditätsrisiko dar und wird auch mit Depression und verschiedenen funktionelle Syndromen in Verbindung gebracht, wobei die Ergebnisse zur HRV bei Depression heterogen sind und eine mögliche komorbide somatoforme Störung oft unberücksichtigt bleibt. Die HRV gilt als Parameter für Gesundheit und Anpassungsfähigkeit und dürfte sich zur Therapieevaluation eignen. Fragestellung: Ziel war es, die HRV bei PatientInnen mit Depression sowie der Doppeldiagnose Depression und somatoforme Störung im Therapieverlauf zu untersuchen und im speziellen auf die Veränderungen durch einen mehrwöchigen stationären Therapieaufenthalt einzugehen. Zudem wurde auch auf die prognostische Bedeutung der HRV für den Therapieerfolg eingegangen werden. Methode: Es nahmen 32 PatientInnen mit depressiver Erkrankung (15 mit Depression, 17 mit Depression und somatoforme Störung) an der Studie teil. Für diese quasiexperimentelle Studie fanden zu Beginn und zu Ende eines etwa neunwöchigen stationären Aufenthalts Messungen statt. Für die 24-Stunden-HRV-Messung wurde der Medilog® AR12plus Digitaler Holter Rekorder eingesetzt. Es wurden neben den Zeit- und Frequenzbereichsparametern SDNN, pNN50, HF-HRV, LF-HRV und VLF-HRV auch die SD1 und SD2 aus dem Poincarégraph sowie die nichtlinearen Parameter DFA α1 und α2 und die Sample Entropie ausgewertet. Als psychologisch-diagnostische Verfahren wurden die Symptomcheckliste-90-Revidiert (SCL-90-R) sowie der Fragebogen zum Gesundheitszustand SF-36 verwendet. Ergebnisse: Die HRV von PatientInnen mit und ohne somatoformer Störung unterschied sich weder in Variabilität noch Komplexität. PatientInnen die Antidepressiva einnahmen hatten eine deutlich reduzierte HRV, wobei diese Unterschiede nicht auf unterschiedliche Schweregrade der Depression zurückgeführt werden konnten. In der Gesamtstichprobe kam es im Therapieverlauf zu einer signifikanten Steigerung der nächtlichen Gesamt- und langfristigen Variabilität wie auch der VLF-HRV. PatientInnen die Antidepressiva einnahmen, zeigten zudem in der Gesamtmessung eine Steigerung des Vagotonus. PatientInnen mit höheren HRV-Werten zu Therapiebeginn konnten besser vom stationären Aufenthalt profitieren. Die SDNN eignete sich zudem zur Vorhersage einer Verbesserung der grundsätzlichen psychischen Belastung und der Depressivität sowie der Werte für Somatisierung, körperlicher Gesundheit und der Beeinträchtigung durch körperliche Schmerzen.Theoretical background: Heart rate variability (HRV) provides information about the sympathetic and parasympathetic activity of the autonomic nervous system. A low HRV poses a mortality and morbidity risk. It is associated with depression and various functional disorders. However, results for HRV in depression are heterogeneous and a possible comorbid somatoform disorder is often disregarded. Moreover, HRV is considered to be an indicator for health and flexibility and should be suitable for the evaluation of therapy. Objectives: The aim was to analyze the HRV of inpatients with depression or with the double diagnosis of depression and somatoform disorder in the course of treatment. A focus lay on examining changes due to a nine week treatment phase. Additionally, the prognostic value of HRV for therapy outcome was evaluated. Method: 32 patients with depressive disorders (15 with depression, 17 with depression and somatoform disorder) were included in the study. In this quasi-experimental study, assessment took place at the beginning and the end of a nine week clinical treatment. To measure the HRV over the course of 24 hours a Medilog® AR12plus digital holter recorder was used. Parameters analyzed were the time and frequency domain measures SDNN, pNN50, HF-HRV, LF-HRV and VLF-HRV, the SD1 und SD2 from the Poincaré plot as well as the nonlinear measures DFA α1 and α2 and the Sample Entropy. The Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R) and the SF-36 Health Survey were used for psychological assessment. Results: The HRV of patients with and without somatoform disorder differed neither in variability nor in complexity. Patients taking antidepressants had a significantly reduced HRV, which was not attributable to severity of depression. Overall, we observed a significant increase in the nocturnal total variability and the long-term variability as well as the VLF-HRV throughout the course of therapy. Patients taking antidepressants showed an increase in vagal tone. Patients with higher HRV at the beginning of the treatment benefitted more from treatment. SDNN was found to predict improvements with regard to overall psychological distress and the depression as well as somatization, physical health, and bodily pain

Hagenbeck's anthropologisch-zoologische Kalmücken Ausstellung

Die Völkerschau der KalmückInnen von 1883 wird untersucht und analysiert. Die Anwerbung, Anreise, der Aufenthalt und die Durchführung der Völkerschau sowie deren Rezeption bei dem Publikum, den Medien und WissenschafterInnen werden thematisiert

Effects of Supplementary Protection Mechanisms for Pharmaceutical Products

Rapport over beschermingsmechanismen op het gebied van intellectueel eigendom met betrekking tot medicijnen

Current (Food) allergenic risk assessment: is it fit for novel foods? status quo and identification of gaps

Food allergies are recognized as a global health concern. In order to protect allergic consumers from severe symptoms, allergenic risk assessment for well-known foods and foods containing genetically modified ingredients is installed. However, population is steadily growing and there is a rising need to provide adequate protein-based foods, including novel sources, not yet used for human consumption. In this context safety issues such as a potential increased allergenic risk need to be assessed before marketing novel food sources. Therefore, the established allergenic risk assessment for genetically modified organisms needs to be re-evaluated for its applicability for risk assessment of novel food proteins. Two different scenarios of allergic sensitization have to be assessed. The first scenario is the presence of already known allergenic structures in novel foods. For this, a comparative assessment can be performed and the range of cross-reactivity can be explored, while in the second scenario allergic reactions are observed toward so far novel allergenic structures and no reference material is available. This review summarizes the current analytical methods for allergenic risk assessment, highlighting the strengths and limitations of each method and discussing the gaps in this assessment that need to be addressed in the near future.Austrian Science Fund [FWF SFB F4603]; Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia [OI172024]; MINECO, Spain [AGL2014-59771-R]; PROMAR: Projetos Pilotos e a Transformacao de Embarcacoes de Pesca [31-03-05-FEP-0060]info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio