In the past decade, we have seen a resurgence of patent pools. These pools have emerged in our high-tech world to overcome a number of transaction costs involved in assembling patents necessary for the creation of new technologies. While patent pools can be pro-competitive; they can also present a number of anti-competitive features, such as sheltering collusion and eliminating competition between rival firms. This has been said to explain the enormous swings in the analytical approach of enforcement agencies with respect to patent pools. The introduction of the Antitrust Guidelines for the Licensing of Intellectual Property by American competition authorities marked an important shift in patent pool enforcement, reflecting the view that intellectual property and competition law are actually complementary, both seeking to enhance innovation as well as competition. Based on these Guidelines, enforcement agencies' identified potential problems and have offered a number of guiding principles and recommendations - in the form of Business Review Letters - to help pooling parties avoid running afoul of competition law. A review of some of these guidelines reveals that following them indiscriminately, without regard to the particular circumstances, can in fact have a negative impact on innovation and industry. Four areas where a clarification and refinement of policy are necessary are highlighted; namely, the essentiality doctrine, pool, independent licensing and grantback clauses. We maintain that guidance from the competition authorities is too rigid, and that a more carefully tailored approach is necessary to achieve an optimal outcome in both competition and innovation. / Au cours de la dernière décennie, nous observons une renaissance de l'institution des communautés de brevets (patent pools), constitués pour surmonter les coûts afférents a la réunion des brevets nécessaires pour la création des nouvelles technologies. Bien que ces communautés de brevets en général favorisent la concurrence, elles peuvent aussi avoir des effets anti-concurrentiels, entre autre, en permettant la collusion et l'élimination de la concurrence entre compagnies rivales. On a dit que ceci explique les étonnantes oscillations dans l'approche analytique qu'ont adoptée les organismes d'application à l'égard des communautés de brevets. L'introduction des Antitrust Guidelines for the Licensing of Intellectual Property par les autorités de la concurrence américaines marque un point tournant dans l'analyse des communautés de brevets, reflétant le fait que les lois de la propriété intellectuelle et celles de la concurrence sont, en réalité, complémentaires en ce qu'elles tendent toutes les deux à améliorer l'innovation et la concurrence. Se basant sur ces lignes directrices, les agences ont identifié les problèmes potentieis et ont offert un certain nombre de directives et de recommandations sous forme de lettres de revue (Business Review Letters) pour aider ceux qui entendent constituer des communautés de brevets à éviter d'enfreindre la Loi. Toutefois, une révision de certaines de ces lignes directrices démontre que, suivies d'une façon inconsiderées, sans égard aux circonstances particulières, elles peuvent avoir un impact négatif sur l'innovation et l'industrie. Quatre sections ont été mises en évidence où les règles doivent être clarifiées et nuancées, à savoir la doctrine de l'essentialité, les droits d'exclusivité, les services indépendants délivrant les licences et les clauses de rétrocession. Nous soutenons que les règles adoptées par les autorités de la concurrence sont trop rigides et qu'une approche plus nuancée est nécessaire pour atteindre un résultat optimal, à la fois pour la concurrence et pour l'innovation. / "Mémoire présenté à la Faculté des études supérieures en vue de l'obtention du grade de maîtrise en droit, option recherche"

Zugl.: Freiburg (Breisgau), Univ., Diss.

Thesis (M.A.)--Southwest Texas State University, 1944. / Various newspaper articles, photographs, and other memorabilia related to Riverside mounted throughout.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Uniwersytet Warszawski, 1986. / Includes bibliographical references and index.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Uniwersytet Warszawski, 1986. / Includes bibliographical references and index.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-02T19:31:43Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 2506.pdf: 900946 bytes, checksum: 97bcd58db188bc414e74218995bbe7c1 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009-05-27 / Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos / A hundred sixty samples of water were collected to assess the sanitary and ecoepidemiological conditions of collective swimming pools in São Carlos SP. The samples were collected between August/2007 and Abril/2008. The pools were characterized by application of a questionnaire, answered by people responsable for the water treatment. Physical and chemical analysis included: pH, temperature, alkalinity, free chlorine concentration and turbidity. All water samples were analyzed for heterotrophic plate counts by pour plate method. Membrane filter technique was used to isolate amoebae and other bacteria. Eleven pools were heated and nine were unheated. Half of the pools was indoors and the other half was outdoors. Seventeen pools were chlorinated and three pools had a combined disinfection, two using chlorine and UV and one using chlorine and ozone. Only 13 samples (8%) conformed within the desired standards for pH, turbidity and free chlorine concentration at the same time. Twelve samples (7.5 %) were unacceptable for heterotrophic bacteria and 63 (39 %) were unsatisfactory for the presence of total coliforms. Escherichia coli was detected in two samples. Moreover, 102 samples (64 %) were contaminated with at least one microorganism.The percentages of occurrence were: 14 % for Staphylococcus spp, 35 % for Pseudomonas spp, 33 % for Mycobacterium spp and 21 % for free-living amoebae. The amoebae identified were used to recover bacteria possibly present intracellularly . Of these 33 samples positive for protozoa, 18 (54 %) harbored Mycobacterium spp, 15 (45 %) harbored Pseudomonas spp and one (3 %) harbored Staphylococcus spp. Escherichia coli was not recovered from amoebae. The physical and chemical parameters most related to the occurrence of microorganisms in the samples studied were pH and chlorine. No significant relationship was identified between water temperature and occurrence of microorganisms. Overall, the inappropriate forms of treatment and maintenance of swimming pools studied might create conditions for the development of microorganisms, including those potentially pathogenic for human. / Com o intuito de avaliar as condições ecoepidemiológicas e sanitárias de piscinas coletivas da cidade de São Carlos SP, foram coletadas 160 amostras de água em 20 piscinas, entre Agosto/2007 e Abril/2008. As piscinas foram caracterizadas através de aplicação de questionário junto aos responsáveis pelo tratamento da água. Os parâmetros físico-químicos analisados foram: pH, temperatura, alcalinidade, concentração de cloro livre e turbidez. A análise microbiológica foi realizada através de contagem de bactérias heterotróficas (método de pour plate ) e de concentração em membrana filtrante para a pesquisa de coliformes totais, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus spp, Pseudomonas spp, Mycobacterium spp e amebas de vida livre. Entre as piscinas analisadas, 11 eram aquecidas e nove não-aquecidas. Metade das piscinas localizava-se em ambiente interno e a outra metade em ambiente externo. Dezessete piscinas eram cloradas e três delas faziam tratamento de desinfecção combinado: duas utilizando cloro e UV e uma utilizando cloro e ozônio. Apenas 13 amostras (8 %) se apresentaram dentro dos padrões desejados para pH, turbidez e concentração de cloro livre ao mesmo tempo. Doze amostras (7,5 %) estavam fora do padrão sugerido para bactérias heterotróficas e 63 (39 %) foram consideradas insatisfatórias quanto à presença de coliformes totais. Escherichia coli foi detectada em duas amostras apenas. Em relação aos outros microrganismos pesquisados, 102 amostras (64 %) apresentaram-se com pelo menos um deles. As porcentagens de ocorrência foram: 14 % para Staphylococcus spp, 35 % para Pseudomonas spp, 33 % para Mycobacterium spp e 21 % para amebas de vida livre. As amebas detectadas foram utilizadas para recuperar bactérias possivelmente presentes em seu interior. Das 33 amostras positivas para esses protozoários, 18 (54 %) demonstraram hospedar Mycobacterium spp, 15 (45 %) abrigavam Pseudomonas spp e uma (3 %) apresentava Staphylococcus spp internalizados. Escherichia coli não foi recuperada a partir de células amebianas. Os parâmetros físico-químicos mais relacionados com a ocorrência de microrganismos nas amostras estudadas foram o pH e o cloro. Não foi identificada relação significativa entre a temperatura da água e a ocorrência de microrganismos. De forma geral, foi possível observar certo descuido quanto às formas adequadas de tratamento e manutenção das águas das piscinas estudadas, o que pode colocar em risco a saúde dos freqüentadores, ao criar condições para o desenvolvimento de microrganismos, inclusive para aqueles potencialmente patogênicos.

Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Technology: Tourism Management Faculty of Business at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2012 / There are 11 thermal springs in the Western Cape, seven of which have been developed into eight resorts. Only one of these resorts has a focus on health and wellness, with appropriate facilities, with the others functioning primarily as family leisure resorts. Internationally there has been a move by traditional thermal spring resorts to begin offering a combination of health (medical and wellness) services in combination with leisure activities. In light of current international trends, as well as perceived domestic needs, it appears that the Western Cape‟s thermal spring resources are not being optimally utilized as tourist attractions, neither for domestic nor for international tourist markets. This research sets out to evaluate the potential for health tourism development of thermal springs in the Western Cape. It analyses relevant aspects of both the supply and demand sides of thermal spring tourism in the Western Cape. A database is compiled of thermal spring resorts and undeveloped thermal springs in the Western Cape, which includes facilities and services, and relative locations with respect to tourist attractions and tourism routes. The mineral and radon gas contents of the respective thermal waters are measured and discussed in relation to known medicinal properties. A questionnaire-based survey was undertaken, involving 383 respondents at six resorts, and activity-based market segmentation was carried out using k-means cluster analysis. A four-segment user profile (typology) of current visitors, based on activity preferences, was compiled. It was found that there is considerable potential for the development of thermal spring health (medical and wellness) tourism products in the Western Cape, based on available resources. A framework for thermal spring health tourism product development in the Western Cape is proposed, and recommendations are made for future development and marketing. Key recommendations include the development of balneological treatments, and radon therapies, at certain resorts, and investigating of the availability of local resources that could be incorporated into medical or wellness tourism products.

O objetivo deste trabalho é investigar o desempenho energético de dois diferentes tipos de sistemas de aquecimento de piscinas: á gás natural e por bomba de calor elétrica. Foi realizada instrumentação em duas piscinas localizadas em uma mesma academia, cada uma delas dotada de um dos tipos de sistema de aquecimento. Além destas duas piscinas, que são objeto de investigação desta pesquisa, outras quatro piscinas, localizadas cada uma em um local distinto na cidade de São Paulo, também receberam instrumentação e a coleta de dados está sendo executada através de sistemas de aquisição de dados, para posterior análise e novos trabalhos de pesquisa. Como resultados da análise das duas piscinas, obteve-se um coeficiente de desempenho - COP, médio para o sistema de aquecimento por bomba de calor igual a 4. Para o sistema a gás natural, os resultados para a eficiência global do sistema indicaram 76%, ao passo que o rendimento apenas dos aquecedores foi de 82%. As análises dos dados permitiram comprovar a influência da temperatura ambiente sobre o COP da bomba de calor. Quanto menor a temperatura do ar, menor o COP. A Temperatura do ar também mostrou forte influência sobre o consumo de energia. / The aim of this research is to investigate the energetic performance of two distinct kinds of swimming pool heating systems: gas-fired and electric heat pump. A practical instrumentation research was prepared in these two indoor swimming pools, placed in the same location. Besides these, other four swimming pool, placed each in a different ambient in the city of São Paulo also received the instrumentation so that it will be possible to run future researches, once the data is already being collected by the data loggers installed. As a result of the data analysis, it was found that the average coefficient of performance of the heat pumps studied is 4. For the natural gas fired system, the global efficiency factor was found to be 76%. The efficiency of the heaters isolated was found to be 82%. This research showed that the COP of heat pump systems has strong correlation with the air temperature. The lower the air temperature, the lower the COP. Temperature also has strong influence on the consumption of energy.

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Atmospheric CO₂ enrichment is employed by greenhouse tomato growers to increase fruit yields, and CO₂ applications are managed according to atmospheric set points or CO₂ injection rates. These methods do not immediately focus on the targets of CO₂ applications: plant performance and the regulation of plant carbon status. This thesis explores several plant-based approaches that may have potential for use in the management of CO₂ in greenhouse tomato production. Three plant-based approaches to CO₂ management were explored in commercial and experimental tomato greenhouses. These were: (1) simulation modeling, (2) non-destructive analysis of growth and (3) the status of plant carbon reserves. A cost and benefit analysis (c/b) using simulation modeling was carried out using grower-collected greenhouse environment and yield data. Simulation modeling was useful for retrospectively determining c/b of several CO₂ scenarios. The model was effective in predicting long term yields, but not short term yield variations, which limits its application for CO₂ management. Non-destructive measures of growth: stem length and diameter, leaf area and fruit load were found to be too sluggish for daily CO₂ dosing decision-making. Finally, plants growing under CO₂ enrichment can deposit substantial carbon as starch in their leaves. Plant carbon status was evaluated by determining the spatial distribution of leaf starch in the shoot and by following its variation diurnally and after the onset of CO₂ enrichment. As starch is difficult to measure by a grower, leaf mass per unit area (LMA) was also monitored for assessment as a surrogate measure for starch. Leaves in positions 7 to 9 were identified as the most meaningful in the shoot to sample. Diurnal profiles indicated these leaves carryover substantial starch from one day to the next. Monitoring starch at its peak time of accumulation (14 h to 16 h), at sunset and sunrise will indicate how much the peak starch reserves are used overnight. If starch remains high between peak and sunrise the following day, then the plants are in a carbon-surplus state and CO₂ enrichment could be postponed. For upper canopy leaves LMA is substantially influenced by starch and thus is a promising surrogate. / Land and Food Systems, Faculty of / Graduate