Case law of the EPO Boards of Appeal in 2006

Legal context: The article reviews significant decisions handed down by theBoards of Appeal of the European Patent Office (EPO) in 2006,concentrating on decisions of the Enlarged Board and the Boardsof Appeal issued in 2006 and published or to be published inthe OJ EPO. Key points: The article discusses the application of Art. 24 EPC on exclusionand objection to members of the boards of appeal in the lightof the following decisions: G 1/05, T 281/03 and J 15/04; referralspending before the EBA on the subject of divisional applications(Art. 76 EPC and R. 25 EPC) and exclusion from patentabilityunder R. 23d(c) in conjunction with Art. 53a EPC; and decisionsof technical boards of appeal on exclusions from patentability(Arts. 52 (2)(3) and (4) EPC), the requirement of industrialapplicability (Art. 57 EPC) and re-establishment of rights (Art.122 EPC). Practical significance: The article provides an overview of the 2006 case law of theboards of appeal which is particularly useful since most ofthe decisions discussed have not yet been published in the OJEPO. The author is critical of the recent case law on the applicationof Art. 24 EPC (exclusion and objection to members of the boardsof appeal) and reports on several decisions of particular legalinterest.     

Implementation of a semi-automated processing system for DNA profiling of forensic casework samples

The concept for a semi-automated processing system for DNA analysis of crime scene samples was developed at the Landeskriminalamt Baden-Württemberg (LKA BW) and comprises the extraction of genomic DNA from human cells by ChargeSwitch^® magnetic bead technology (CST), quantification of purified DNA by real-time PCR, amplification of short tandem repeats (STRs) by PCR and DNA fragment length analysis of STRs by capillary electrophoresis. Three liquid handling workstations from Tecan, a real-time PCR device and a 16-channel capillary electrophoresis (CE) system, both from Applied Biosystems (AB), are linked via laboratory data network. Transmission and management of sample and analysis data is enabled by a Laboratory Information and Management System (LIMS). Suitability for a wide range of stain types, early exclusion of DNA-free samples, barcode sample identification and prevention of cross-contaminations guarantee efficiency and high quality standards.     

Zum grundbücherlichen Richtigkeitsgebot und seiner amtswegigen Verwirklichung (§ 28 LiegTeilG) (1. Teil)

Die übereinstimmung zwischen Grundbuch, Kataster und Realit?t liegt im Schnittpunkt zwischen Gesetzgebung und ?konomie im ?ffentlichen Interesse. Im LiegTeilG, sohin an unvermuteter Stelle, ist ein Verfahren zur amtswegigen Verwirklichung dieses Kongruenzprinzips normiert, dessen prozessuales Instrumentarium durch auch jüngste Gesetzgebungsakte direkt und indirekt deformiert worden ist. Diese Abhandlung untersucht, ob die ursprünglich verfolgten gesetzgeberischen Intentionen zur Herstellung der Grundbuchsordnung auf der geltenden Rechtslage im judikativen Weg gem §§ 6 f ABGB revitalisierbar sind oder ob es zu deren Reanimation eines legistischen Eingriffs bedarf.     

Breastfeeding Duration and Reported Child Maltreatment in a Population-based Alaskan Birth Cohort

Journal of Family Violence - Research suggests that breastfeeding may reduce child maltreatment risk. Alaska has high rates of both breastfeeding initiation and maltreatment reports to Child...     

Australian Rural Local Governments and Environmental Sustainability: An Evaluation of Progress

Local government is often characterised as being well-placed to enact a successful agenda for environmental sustainability because of its closeness to both people and the environment. The purpose of this article is to examine the extent to which this assumption is correct in terms of local government environmental policies and programs in rural Australia. Using case studies with eight local government authorities in Queensland and New South Wales, the article documents three different positions on a continuum of environmental engagement. These are 'disengaged', 'moving towards engagement' and 'engaged'. The article concludes by arguing that the resource constraints facing rural local councils limit their capacity to engage with environmental management.