Does intellectual property lead to economic growth? Insights from a novel IP dataset

While policymakers often make bold claims as to the positive impact of intellectual property (IP) rights on both developed and developing country economies, the empirical literature is more ambiguous. IP rights have both incentive and inhibitory effects that are difficult to isolate in the abstract and are dependent on economic context. To unravel these contradictory effects, this article introduces an index that evaluates the strength of IP protection in 124 developing countries for the years 1995 to 2011. We illustrate the value of this index to economics study and show evidence that is consistent with IP leading to increased growth. Our results are further consistent with two causal pathways highlighted in the literature: that IP leads to greater levels of technology transfer and increased domestic inventive activity. Yet other aspects of our study fit uneasily with this simple story. For example, we find evidence suggesting that increased levels of growth lead to greater levels of IP protection, contradictory evidence in the literature linking IP with growth, a lack of evidence that increased levels of IP protection lead to actual use of the IP system, and problems with what IP indexes measure. Because of this, we suggest another – and so far undertheorized – explanation of the links between IP and growth: that IP may have few direct effects on growth and that any causality is a result of belief rather than actual deployment of IP.     

“六个为什么”的实质及其回答尺度

＂六个为什么＂包含了我们党和国家在指导思想、发展道路、政治制度、政党制度、经济制度、发展动力等重大政治问题上的基本思想观点。科学回答＂六个为什么＂,必须把握历史尺度、实践尺度和国际比较尺度。历史尺度强调必须把现实问题放到较长时段的历史长河中,通过清醒的学理分析,形成切合实际的科学理解;实践尺度就是站在实践立场上,从理论与实践的结合上把握理论认识的真理性和科学性;国际比较即以宽阔的世界视野观察中国,从而保持清醒头脑,坚定理想信念。     

国内四家青年研究类期刊的栏目比较研究

期刊栏目具有内容的定性、发展方向的定位、展示特色的平台、作者投稿的导航和吸引读者的导读等功能。《当代青年研究》、《中国青年研究》、《青少年研究》和《青年探索》作为国内青年研究类期刊的代表,其栏目设置均展现了各自的特色,体现了研究内容分类的科学性,并且一直坚持着栏目应有的定性与分类。     

两种主体立法之比较评价

本文对公民直接立法和代议机关立法的短长及其一般发展趋势进行了对比分析 ,认为 :两种立法形式各有短处和长处 ;从民主政治的要求和发展趋势来看 ,公民直接立法是最理想的立法形式 ,代表着立法形式的发展方向 ;从社会发展的现实来看 ,立法的基本形式只能是代议机关立法 ,但公民直接立法应作为代议机关立法的必要补充。     

数字时代反规避权立法的比较与反思

反规避权系版权法为应对数字时代的挑战而创设的一项与传统的著作权截然不同的权利。反规避权自问世以来,不断受到来自各方面的批评,而且事实上也产生了诸多的消极影响。在各国的立法例中,虽然有关反规避权的制度安排不尽相同,但对于反规避权的消极作用的法律规制均存在一定的缺陷。我国在给予反规避权保护的前提下,更应该尽快完善对于该项权利行使的限制。     

GrinLine Identification Using Digital Imaging and Adobe Photoshop*

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to outline a method by which an antemortem photograph of a victim can be critically compared with a postmortem photograph in an effort to facilitate the identification process. Ten subjects, between 27 and 55 years old provided historical pictures of themselves exhibiting a broad smile showing anterior teeth to some extent (a grin). These photos were termed “antemortem” for the purpose of the study. A digital camera was used to take a current photo of each subject’s grin. These photos represented the “postmortem” images. A single subject’s “postmortem” photo set was randomly selected to be the “unknown victim.” These combined data of the unknown and the 10 antemortem subjects were digitally stored and, using Adobe Photoshop software, the images were sized and oriented for comparative analysis. The goal was to devise a technique that could facilitate the accurate determination of which “antemortem” subject was the “unknown.” The generation of antemortem digital overlays of the teeth visible in a grin and the comparison of those overlays to the images of the postmortem dentition is the foundation of the technique. The comparisons made using the GrinLine Identification Technique may assist medical examiners and coroners in making identifications or exclusions.     

Implant Bone Integration Importance in Forensic Identification

Odontological identification consists of the comparison of antemortem dental information regarding a missing person with postmortem data from an unidentified corpse or human remains. Usually, the comparison concerns morphologic features that the operator chooses among all the visible characteristics because of inter‐individual uniqueness; for this reason, implants can be of enormous assistance. A case concerning the recovery of a burnt oral implant, connected to a bone fragment, among 2780 charred bone fragments, suspected to have belonged to a victim of homicide, is presented to demonstrate that dental implants and their site of bone integration represent a very precious element for personal forensic identification. Because of their morphological invariability in time and because of their morphologic uniqueness, they were used as evidence to associate unidentified human charred remains to a missing person where DNA analysis failed to do so. The case illustrates the fundamental contribution, not yet described in literature, given by the clinical aspects of tooth replacement with dental implants to a forensic discipline. Clinical practitioners should therefore be aware of the great importance of their work and of dental records in a forensic identification scenario.     

Objective Analysis of Impressed Chisel Toolmarks

Historical and recent challenges to the practice of comparative forensic examination have created a driving force for the formation of objective methods for toolmark identification. In this study , fifty sequentially manufactured chisels were used to create impression toolmarks in lead (500 toolmarks total). An algorithm previously used to statistically separate known matching and nonmatching striated screwdriver marks and quasi-striated plier marks was used to evaluate the chisel marks. Impression toolmarks, a more complex form of toolmark, pose a more difficult test for the algorithm that was originally designed for striated toolmarks. Results show in this instance that the algorithm can separate matching and nonmatching impression marks, providing further validation of the assumption that toolmarks are identifiably unique.     

契合与悖反：中国传统法律思想与现代法治理念之比较

中国传统法律思想与现代法治理念在物质条件、社会秩序结构、法律文化本位、法的人性基础以及对法本身的认识等方面存在着悖反与冲突，而在刑罚的谦抑性、对权力的限制以及人权保障等方面又有相契合之处，但冲突与悖反是二者关系的主要方面。应当在现代法治理念指引下，积极探索中国传统法律思想的现代化路径，并对其进行创造性转换，以适应中国现实制度建设的要求。     

中西治学方式之差异

中西治学方式的差异主要表现在三方面 :一是在处理“学” (基础理论研究 )与“术” (应用研究 )关系时有所不同。西方的“学”与“术”是两种不同的层次 ,两者分工明确 ,而且紧密结合。而中国则“学”、“术”不分或有“术”无“学”。二是在对待“博”与“专”的关系时有差异。西方学者大多“先专后博” ,即先进入某一个领域 ,进行深入、细致的研究 ,做出成果后再扩大知识面。中国传统的学者多为“先博后专” ,即先打好扎实的基础 ,掌握广博的知识 ,然后再进入某一个专业领域进行研究。三是研究的注重点不同 ,即“点”与“面”的差异。所谓“点” ,即研究的视角集中在社会或文化的某一要素或某一主题 ;所谓“面” ,即研究的视角大多是一个专题或一个领域。西方学术注重“点” ,而中国学术强调“面”。