The secret weapon: When to choose a trade secret over a patent
Introduction In the world of intellectual property, the patent is king. It is the shiny, government-stamped document that investors love to see. But sometimes, the smartest move isn’t to tell the world how you did it. sometimes, the best protection is silence. This brings us to the trade secret, the quiet, often misunderstood sibling of the patent family. While patents grant you a monopoly in exchange for public disclosure, a trade secret offers potentially infinite protection, provided you can keep your mouth shut. For innovators in biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, the choice between these two paths is a high-stakes gamble. Do you lock down a 20-year monopoly, or do you roll the dice on...
Beating back the Aedes aegypti mosquito
Scientists are taking a multipronged approach to tackle this dangerous carrier of dengue, yellow fever and other noxious viruses Deep in northwestern Africa, a high-pitched hum pierces the moist forest. It is the mosquito Aedes aegypti, laying its eggs inside water-filled tree holes and feeding on various animals, posing little danger to any person it encounters. But that is a scene from the distant past. Everything changed about 5,000 years ago, scientists reckon, when the African climate shifted, and this area — the Sahel — like the Sahara region farther north, became a drier place. Even A. aegypti, whose eggs can dry out and survive for months, couldn’t tolerate nine months of hot, dry...
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Jupiter Medical Center and Hospital for Special Surgery join forces
Jupiter Medical Center (JMC) and Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) are teaming up to expand access to the highest quality musculoskeletal care in South Florida. The alliance brings together Jupiter Medical Center, the region’s leading independent medical center, and HSS, ranked No. 1 in orthopedics by U.S. News & World Report for 16 straight years. Together, they will offer patients comprehensive orthopedic care—from diagnosis and surgery to rehabilitation—delivered with the highest standards of quality, safety and patient experience. “Jupiter Medical Center and HSS share a commitment to excellence in patient care,” said Amit Rastogi, MD, MHCM, President and CEO of Jupiter Medical...
These 3 policy moves are likely to change healthcare for older people
Month after month, Patricia Hunter and other members of the Nursing Home Reform Coalition logged onto video calls with congressional representatives, seeking support for a proposed federal rule setting minimum staff levels for nursing homes. Finally, after decades of advocacy, the Biden administration in 2023 tackled the problem of perennial understaffing of long-term care facilities. Officials backed a Medicare regulation that would mandate at least 3.48 hours of care from nurses and aides per resident, per day, and would require a registered nurse on-site 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The mandated hours were lower than supporters hoped for, said Hunter, who directs Washington...
