SARS-CoV-2 can infect and damage kidney cells
Researchers have found that the virus that causes COVID can infect kidney cells and hijack the cell’s machinery to replicate.
Examining the Specification
by Dennis Crouch
Earlier this month, I posted a short essay about recent enablement cases at the PTAB. Section 112(a) includes three disclosure requirements: written description; enablement; and best mode. I would further divide written description into two categories: new matter and Ariad-style. Thus we get:
- New Matter Written Description: Any amendments made to the claims during prosecution must be supported by the originally filed specification. In particular, the original specification must show ‘possession’ of the newly claimed invention. During prosecution, this is also captured under 35 U.S.C. 132(a) (“No amendment shall introduce new matter into the disclosure of the invention.”)
- Ariad-Style Written Description: Originally filed claims may also lack written description if the four-corners of the specification fail to show the inventor was in possession. The court in Ariad explained that a “a vague functional description” may be insufficient as it likely describes the unpatentable problem rather than a patentable solution. Ariad Pharmaceuticals et al. v. Eli Lilly and Company, 598 F.3d 1336 (Fed. Cir. 2010) (en banc).
- Enablement: The original specification must enable a person of skill in the art to make and use the invention without undue experimentation.
Distrust may keep families on SNAP from buying groceries online
SNAP-eligible families are less likely to buy fresh foods when grocery shopping online, partly because of worry about getting good fruit and veg.
Droughts to increase human migration at least 200%
Human migration due to droughts will increase by at least 200% as we move through the 21st century, research indicates.
7 things you should know about sleep apnea and CPAP
There are pros and cons to using a CPAP machine for obstructive sleep apnea. But people need to know it’s not the only treatment solution.
Calming excited neurons may improve stroke recovery
New evidence indicates that a decades-old idea about brain injury due to stroke may have been discarded too hastily.
Survey: China public opinion of US nosedives during Trump presidency
The way people in China felt about the United States dropped considerably during Donald Ttrump’s presidency, a new public opinion survey shows.
Microplastics give land pathogens a free ride to the ocean
When microplastics carry land-based parasites to the ocean it not only affects the health of wildlife. It can affect our health, too.
Race skews experimental Alzheimer’s blood test results
Three of four blood tests used to identify people in early stage Alzheimer’s perform differently in Black people, putting them at risk for misdiagnosis.
What is aphasia? Researchers explain
Experts on the language disorder aphasia explain symptoms, diagnosis, and treatments, and dispel some common myths.