Edublogs, a website that supports approximately 1.45 million student- and teacher-created blogs, recently received a Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) takedown notice in regard to a mental health questionnaire that was posted without proper permission. Even though the content was only published on a single site, and was promptly taken down upon request, a series of miscommunications led to all 1.45 million blogs being taken offline by their web hosting provider.

The Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) was founded in 2007 and assured $3 billion of state funding over the next 10 years. Since 2009, the organization trails only the National Institutes of Health as the nation's largest distributor of cancer research grants. However, several prominent scientists have resigned from their positions at CPRIT and have suggested the agency may be perverting its scientific mission and focusing too heavily on the commercialization of medical innovations.

Later this month, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear an appeal regarding the first-sale doctrine of copyright law as it applies to college textbooks. However, museums and art institutions may have the most riding on the court's decision.

The pharmaceutical sector is no stranger to mergers and acquisitions, but a continued consolidation of the marketplace could have adverse effects for consumers. These issues took center stage earlier in the week as the Federal Trade Commission worked with four pharmaceutical companies to settle charges that a proposed acquisition may be anticompetitive.

Magnolia Solar, a pioneer in the development of affordable solar cells, recently received its second $750,000 award from the U.S. Air Force (USAF) to help apply its proprietary technologies toward deep space exploration. According to Mass High Tech, the goal of the grant is to foster the creation of solar cells that are 20 percent more efficient than current state-of-the-art designs.

The U.S. patent system has had no shortage of detractors in recent months, with several supposed experts painting a direct correlation between high-tech infringement cases and market stagnation. However, several industry veterans believe the facts support the thesis that intellectual property management fuels innovation rather than restricts it.

Bridging the gap between a promising idea and a patented product can be an exciting time for any first-time inventor. But, as with any business venture, it is important to choose partners wisely. As Palo Alto Software founder and intellectual property advisor Tim Berry explained in a recent guest post for Business Insider, aspiring applicants could quickly find themselves swimming in "shark-filled waters."

If there were any lingering doubts as to the gravity of patent controversies currently circulating Silicon Valley, one only needs to consider the audience that is now hearing the debates. Delegates from Apple, Google, Microsoft, Intel and Motorola were all summoned to Geneva this week for a roundtable discussion hosted by the United Nations' International Telecommunications Union (ITU).

The 50th session of the Assemblies of World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) member states is taking place in Geneva this week, gathering delegates from 185 countries to discuss and resolve several pressing issues. So far at this year's conference, member states have already made important breakthroughs regarding the distribution of copyrighted works to visually impaired audiences and renewed their commitment to the development of simplified industrial design registration procedures.

The America Invents Act has fundamentally changed how inventors obtain, protest and defend patents. But, as the March 2013 implementation deadline comes into view, some are wondering if the small business community will realize the anticipated benefits of the legislative reforms.