Absolute Novelty Research Articles

DISSIMILAR HARDOX AND LOW-ALLOY STEEL IN EXCAVATOR STRUCTURES

In the structure of excavators and other transport vehicles, it is observed that there is an increasing necessity to weld elements from the Hardox steels. The paper verifies the possibility to obtain accurate DMW (dissimilar metal welds from totally different grades of Hardox 450 steel with S355J2 steel). The microstructure and mechanical tests of the obtained various welds were analysed. Argon-based shielding gases with micro nitrogen additions were used for MAG welding. Gas mixtures with micro nitrogen additions of up to even 2000 ppm and their use in welding are an absolute novelty. The purpose of the manuscript was to find the correct parameters of making dissimilar joints with such modern mixtures and to determine the most suitable mixture for welding Hardox steel and low-alloy steel for use in the automotive industry.

First Description of Mycoplasma agalactiae Anatomical Localization in Naturally Infected Hard Ticks (Rhipicephalus bursa).

Mycoplasma agalactiae (Ma) is considered the primary causative agent of contagious agalactia (CA) in sheep and goats, which causes severe losses to the small ruminant dairy industry. As early as 1816, it was thought that environmental factors played a role in pathogen maintenance in endemic areas. Specifically, recent studies hypothesized a vector role for arthropods in the epidemiology of disease. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence and anatomical localization of Ma in naturally infected Riphicephalus bursa ticks to better evaluate tick-pathogen interactions. Salivary glands and ovaries of confirmed Ma-positive R. bursa were analyzed to look for the Ma antigen using immunohistochemistry (IHC). IHC showed strong positivity to Ma in the cytoplasm of salivary cells as well as in cells from the ovary. Our work demonstrated for the first time the crossing of the tick midgut barrier by Ma and the subsequent infection of organs capable of spreading the infection, and this result represents an absolute novelty in disease-related knowledge. Our preliminary results provide conclusive evidence of the potential vector role represented by hard ticks in the epidemiology of CA. Further field and laboratory investigations are necessary to confirm the tick role in the transmission of clinical CA.

Theoretico-experimental analysis of bistability in the oscillatory response of a TaOx ReRAM to pulse train stimuli

Fading memory is the capability of a physical system to approach a unique asymptotic behaviour, irrespective of the initial conditions, when stimulated by an input from a certain class. Standard stimuli from the AC periodic class typically induce fading memory effects in non-volatile memristors, as uncovered for the first time back in 2016. Very recently, a deep investigation of resistance switching phenomena in a TaOx resistive random access memory cell revealed the capability of the nano-device to exhibit one of two possible oscillatory behaviours, depending upon the initial condition, when subject to a particular periodic excitation. This interesting finding was, however, left unexplained. Bistability is the simplest form of local fading memory. In a system, endowed with local fading memory under a given stimulus, the initial condition does not affect the long-term behaviour of the state as long as it is drawn from the basin of attraction of either of the distinct coexisting state-space attractors (two limit cycles for the periodically forced memristor acting as a bistable oscillator). Here, the history of the system, encoded in the initial condition, is, thus, erasable only locally through ad hoc stimulation. Motivated by the discovery of local history erase effects in our resistive random access memory cell, this study applies a powerful system-theoretic tool, enabling the analysis of the response of first-order systems to square pulse train-based periodic stimuli, known as the time-average state dynamic route, to an accurate physics-based mathematical model, earlier fitted to the nano-device, to determine a strategy for specifying the parameters of an excitation signal, consisting of the sequence of two square pulses of opposite polarity per period so as to induce various forms of monostability or multistability in the non-volatile memristor. In particular, as an absolute novelty in the literature, experimental measurements validate the theoretical prediction on the capability of the device to operate as one of two distinct oscillators, depending upon the initial condition, under a specific pulse train excitation signal. The coexistence of multiple oscillatory operating modes in the periodically forced resistive random access memory cell, an example par excellence of their unique non-linear dynamics, may inspire the development and circuit implementation of novel sensing and mem-computing paradigms.

First Case of Medically Assisted Suicide in Italy Set New Legal Perspectives.

The first act of assisted suicide in Italy was recently carried out. This event is an absolute novelty for the country, affected by recent legislative changes aimed only at introducing the right to interrupt health treatments and, therefore, carry out exclusively omissive end-of-life acts. These normative provisions lay their foundations in a cultural context centered on the protection of the right to life and health; however, the cases that have occurred over time, including the famous story of DJ Fabo, have led the Constitutional Court to re-evaluate these dictates, introducing in 2019 the right to resort to assisted suicide procedures within well-defined areas, including incurability of the condition, the serious suffering of the individual and the retained ability to stand trial. The case addressed concerns a quadriplegic subject who was the victim of a road accident. Following consultation with a specialized institution, the subject made the decision to undergo an assisted sui-cide procedure in Italy. Having obtained the authorization from the competent authorities, he started a fundraiser to finance the devices and drugs required and, finally, he died. The opening by Italy towards the assisted suicide procedure represents a great step towards a broad context, as well as a decisive act for the purpose of protecting the right to self-determination of the individual. However, the current legislative framework presents significant criticalities and shortcomings. In first place, the dissonance between the laws in force and the judicial sentences is likely to generate problems of uneven application of the rules in a country dominated by the principle of Civil Law. Furthermore, the need for the applicant to fully self-finance the procedure clearly clashes with the constitutional principle of free access to care. Then emerges the need for a guideline document regarding the completion of the procedure itself, the times, methods and drugs implied, in order to significantly reduce the decision-making process by the ethics committees that still weighs on each individual case. Finally, conside-ring what has been observed on the subject of voluntary termination of pregnancy, it is necessary to ask what will be the general orientation of the doctors called to perform the act and whether they will be given the opportunity to express their refusal. The case analyzed could represent the beginning of a new era for Italian culture, but the large-scale application of assisted suicide procedures requires the introduction of legislative provisions that definitively eliminate the critical issues that have emerged so far.

The teacher training in the face of the reform of middle school (1962)

Although recent literature has brought to the attention of scholars the need of a long-term reflection on the history of secondary school teacher training in Italy, many issues remain to be investigated. Among these, of significant importance is the establishment of the unified middle school in 1962, presented as an absolute novelty in the national education system. From this point of view, the reconstruction of the debate that arose in those years in pedagogical environments shows the limits of an inadequate education, conceived since ever as a response to an elitist school and heedless of the curricula inaugurated by the reform. The paper proposes to investigate these aspects in relation to the definition of an unprecedented image of the teacher, to be delineated also – and above all – in its initial acculturation. The aim is to bring out the cultural changes, the identity representations of teachers and their social recognisability, in a period that marks the crisis of the neo-idealist model and the slow affirmation of a new way of conceiving the teaching function.

Additive Manufacturing Through 3D Printing FDM-Fused Deposit Modeling of Lubrication Ring

It presents an element of absolute novelty for industrial scientific research in Romania, the fact that the housing of the washing head and other landmarks of the washing head from the FA100 water well drilling installations. FA125, FH150 and FG40 were made by additive manufacturing by 3D printing with PETG and ABS+ filament.

Being as Absolute Beginning: Metaphysical Considerations Regarding the Gifted Character of Being Ex Nihilo

The metaphysical crisis that Western thought is going through—whose main sign is nihilism—can be overcome through an understanding of the finite being that, precisely understood as ex nihilo, excludes nothingness from itself. This paper analyzes the notion of being ex nihilo and its real dynamism through the contributions provided by the metaphysics of the gift. The origin of being ex nihilo as donatio essendi is addressed first; we then move on to a reflection of finite being as given and absolute beginning. In this paper, I will aim to show that (§1) the notion of donatio essendi is a radical way of conceiving being as an absolute novelty that safeguards God’s freedom while securing the proper novelty of created being, (§2) then illustrate how created being is an absolute gift wholly dependent on the divine being, especially if the created being is a person, and (§3) finally, explain how these theses are compatible with an existential interpretation of the actus essendi according to the first principle of metaphysics, i.e., being as noncontradiction.

Life Cycle Impact Assessment of Solution Combustion Synthesis of Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles and Its Comparison with More Conventional Strategies.

This paper represents the first attempt to quantitatively and reliably assess the environmental sustainability of solution combustion synthesis (SCS) with respect to other soft chemistry strategies, which are more conventionally employed in the preparation of engineered oxide nanomaterials, namely hydrolytic and non-hydrolytic sol-gel syntheses (i. e., HSGS and NHSGS). Indeed, although SCS is well known to rely on significant reduction in the energy as well as time required for the obtainment of the desired nanocrystals, its quantitative environmental assessment and a detailed comparison with other existing synthetic pathways represents an absolute novelty of high scientific desirability in order to pursue a more sustainable development in the inorganic chemistry as well as materials science research fields. TiO2 nanoparticles were selected as the material of choice, for the production of which three slightly modified literature procedures were experimentally reproduced and environmentally evaluated by the application of the comprehensive life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology. Particularly, SCS was compared from an environmental perspective with sol-gel approaches performed both in water and in benzyl alcohol. The results of the present study were also framed among those recently obtained in a systematic study assessing seven further chemical, physical, and biological routes for the synthesis of TiO2 nanoparticles, comprising also flame spray pyrolysis (typically used in industrial productions), highlighting and quantifying the excellent environmental performances of SCS.

An Interpretation of Articles 18-23 of Directive (EU) 2019/790: Open Issues in Contractual Copyright and Related Rights Law

Abstract Although creators have always been placed at the centre of the copyright system, they generally face difficulties in being fairly remunerated for their work. Articles 18-23 Directive (EU) 2019/790 require Member States to establish a series of protective measures in favour of authors and performers who license or transfer the exclusive economic rights to their works or performances to third parties for the purpose of exploitation. These measures constitute an absolute novelty at the European Union level and at the level of most Member States, and present a potential which must not be wasted. However, these provisions are in many ways complex and ambiguous, so that their effectiveness could be undermined in various ways. This article focuses on some still open issues concerning Arts. 18-23 Directive (EU) 2019/790 and attempts to provide the most appropriate interpretation in order to achieve the intended goals. In doing so, particular attention is paid to previous fragmented national and European experiences in the field of contractual copyright and related rights law.

Цифровая компетенция как один из компонентов профессиональной подготовки инспектора ПДН

Today, many researchers note the trend of digitalization, which represents the introduction of innovative technologies in all spheres of public life, while law enforcement is no exception. An absolute novelty of the current time has become the need for the interaction of the PDN inspector with the digital space, which is justified primarily by the increase in the activity of minors in the information space. In modern realities, the PDN inspector must be competent in matters of the digital space, moreover, the digital competence of an employee can help improve the efficiency of professional activities in general. The article substantiates the importance of the formation of digital competence in the PDN inspector, as one of the components of professional training. The subject of the study is digital competence as an integral element of the professional activity of a PDN inspector. 
 The purpose of the study is to substantiate the importance of the digital competence of the PD inspector, to determine the components of digital competence, as well as to identify the main components of the formation of digital competence. 
 Based on the results of the study, it was revealed that the formation of digital competence even at the stage of professional training of a PDN inspector allows a specialist to rationally interact with innovative products and apply digital technologies in the process of performing job duties, thus increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of professional activities in general.

Development of Neural Network Prediction Models for the Energy Producibility of a Parabolic Dish: A Comparison with the Analytical Approach

Solar energy is one of the most widely exploited renewable/sustainable resources for electricity generation, with photovoltaic and concentrating solar power technologies at the forefront of research. This study focuses on the development of a neural network prediction model aimed at assessing the energy producibility of dish–Stirling systems, testing the methodology and offering a useful tool to support the design and sizing phases of the system at different installation sites. Employing the open-source platform TensorFlow, two different classes of feedforward neural networks were developed and validated (multilayer perceptron and radial basis function). The absolute novelty of this approach is the use of real data for the training phase and not predictions coming from another analytical/numerical model. Several neural networks were investigated by varying the level of depth, the number of neurons, and the computing resources involved for two different sets of input variables. The best of all the tested neural networks resulted in a coefficient of determination of 0.98 by comparing the predicted electrical output power values with those measured experimentally. The results confirmed the high reliability of the neural models, and the use of only open-source IT tools guarantees maximum transparency and replicability of the models.

Criminal law characterization of civil combat immunity

The study recognizes that the need for normative regulation of combat immunity is determined by the external aggression against Ukraine, which began in 2014. After a full-scale invasion of the enemy in Ukraine, it became necessary to engage not only military personnel, but also civilians that caused the need for legislative regulation of civilian combat immunity. The article deals with the problems of criminal law regulation of civilian combat immunity. The complex of normative legal acts that define the legal nature, the content and the basis of the civil combat immunity. It is defined that due to connection with the fact that the civil combat immunity is an absolute novelty for the national legislation, in the scientific space there are no scientific works devoted to the analysis of this topic and related to it. It is justified why this particular immunity is combative and civil. The problematic features of the subject composition of persons that have the right for civilian combat immunity. The conclusion is made about the possibility of granting such immunity to any person who performs acts of defense of Ukraine against an act of external aggression against it. Emphasis is also placed on the peculiarities of the definition of a person as civilian, which gives the right to receive exactly this type of immunity. The need to use the provisions of international humanitarian law to define this category of person is also determined. Problems of interpretation and practical application of certain criminal law norms regulating the exemption from criminal responsibility of a person who has civilian combat immunity are established. It is defined that the key to the solution of this issue is not the possession of Ukrainian citizenship, but the desire to defend Ukraine from aggression and to protect its territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine.

Historical Use of the Ashlar Limestone at Piatra Roșie Dacian Fortress; Interdisciplinary Approach in a World Heritage Site

One of the main forms of expression of the power of the Dacian Kingdom, with its capital at Sarmizegetusa Regia, was represented by the monumental constructions built in ashlar stone, the result of a mixture between local traditions and Greek and Roman influences. The fortified acropolis at Piatra Roșie is one of the main components of this center of power and one of the most important archaeological sites from the Late Iron Age in Romania. In 1999 it was inscribed on the World Heritage List as part of the serial site “Dacian Fortresses in the Orăștie Mountains”. This paper presents the most recent data regarding the stones used in the construction of the Piatra Roșie fortress, the most important building material from the point of view of volume and durability. The historiographical and archaeological data, the field investigations and measurements, together with the mineralogical analysis of stone varieties have been corroborated with specific interpretations for construction engineering and 3D modeling applied in the evaluation of the dimension stone volume. The present approach constitutes an absolute novelty for the site of Piatra Roșie, and, also, a model that can be applied to the specific conditions of the other Dacian Fortresses.

STUDY OF ZONED VARIETIES OF FRUIT AND VEGETABLE PRODUCTS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF TECHNOLOGIES FOR OBTAINING BIOECOLOGICAL PRODUCTS WITH FUNCTIONAL PROPERTIES

This article presents the results of patent and information research with the study of scientific and technical literature of domestic and foreign researchers, with the study of materials of Internet resources, available statistical data on the processing and development of technologies for obtaining fruit and vegetable jams, purees, juices from fruits and vegetables (apples, carrots, table beets, etc.) enriched with pectin extract from secondary raw materials of the sugar industry. At the same time, the absolute novelty in the Republic of Kazakhstan has been established for the development of technologies for the production of fruit and vegetable jams, purees, juices from fruits and vegetables (apples, carrots, table beets, etc.) enriched with pectin extract from secondary raw materials of the sugar industry. As a result of the research carried out, 3 zoned apple varieties were selected for the development of technology for the production of jam, puree and juices with functional, bioecological and natural health properties, in particular, Golden Delicious, Star-Crimson, Idared, 1 - carrot varieties: Alau, 1 beet varietу: "Bordeaux", 1 plum variety: "Stanley" and 2 varieties of currants: "Golden", "Altai", which, according to the content of the pectin extract, will make it possible to make more acceptable compositions of them in order to achieve an effective balanced composition of the target product for biologically active substances.

Near-infrared fluorescence imaging with intraoperative administration of indocyanine green for laparoscopic radical prostatectomy: Is it a useful weapon for pelvic lymph node dissection?

Near-infrared fluorescence imaging with indocyanine green has emerging applications in urologic surgery. This technology is strongly used in robotic surgery for several ablative and reconstructive procedures. On the contrary, it is not used at all in the urological laparoscopic surgery. To date, bilateral pelvic lymph node dissection represents the most accurate and reliable staging procedure for the detection of lymph node invasion in prostate cancer and bladder cancer. However, it is not devoid of complications. In this field, indocyanine green fluorescence-guided sentinel lymph node identification is an emerging technique, as accurate staging of urologic cancer could be enhanced by an intraoperative lymphatic mapping. Our goal was to show a high spatial resolution, real-time intraoperative imaging technique to recognize the main lymphatic drainage networks, avoiding at same time lymphatic vessel damage. Furthermore, the use of such an imaging system represents an absolute novelty in the field of urological laparoscopy.

When speed matters: a discussion on the benefits of a grace period in patent law to accelerate pharmaceutical innovation in times of pandemic.

The unprecedented coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is a solemn reminder of the need to accelerate pharmaceutical innovation. The desire for fast access to vaccines triggered discussion of unrestricted access to research findings with the hope of facilitating the drug discovery process to combat COVID-19. Increasingly, abolition of the patent system is being discussed in connection with the fight against the pandemic. This may accelerate discovery of and increase access to medicines. However, society's desire for immediate disclosure of research findings conflicts with the inventor's legitimate interest to protect his or her invention as well as the need to recover investments made to develop the drug. The call for immediate disclosure of research results contradicts the interest of the inventor, whose primary goal is to secure his intellectual property rights, usually by applying for patent protection. In Europe, where patent law is based on the principle of absolute novelty, disclosure of the results reduces novelty and prevents subsequent patenting. Consequently, patenting remains the top priority for pharmaceutical companies in Europe, while disclosure of the results is secondary. The following article looks critically at the idea of using the grace period in European patent law to reconcile the conflicting interests of society and inventors in times of pandemic. In this paper, we investigate whether the implementation of a grace period in European patent law like that known in the USA, Japan, or Korea benefits the disclosure of results and increases the flow of information, ultimately leading to the promotion of innovation and rapid drug discovery. This article questions whether the use of a grace period provides a sufficient incentive to the inventor for rapid disclosure.

FEATURES OF THE ACTIVITIES CARRIED OUT BY THE PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE OF CHUVASHIA IN 2000–2010

The purpose of the research conducted by the author is to clarify the distinctive features in the development of the prosecutor’s office of the Chuvash Republic in the first decade of the 2000s. This topic has an absolute novelty and is raised for the first time in Russian historical science. The author of the article is a member of the author’s group consisting of lecturers of I.N. Ulianov Chuvash State University, which conducted a comprehensive study of the history of the Prosecutor’s office of Chuvashia in 2021. The article contains interim results of the study reflecting the main facts and events of the history of the Republican Prosecutor’s Office in the period under review. A number of facts analyzed in the article, which were revealed by the author thanks to archival documents introduced into scientific circulation for the first time, have novelty as well.
 The main methods used in the study were the traditional methods for the Russian historical science problem – chronological and comparative-historical methods. The first of them made it possible to trace the consistent nature of historical events reflecting the development of the Prosecutor’s Office of Chuvashia in 2000–2010. Thanks to the second method, the facts of regional history were considered in comparison with the general processes that took place in the life of the Russian Federation during the period under review. In addition, the author applied a systematic approach, which was expressed in studying the activities of the state legal institution of the Prosecutor’s Office as an integral part of the country’s legal system.
 The result of the study was identifying the characteristic features in the development process of the Prosecutor’s Office of the Chuvash Republic in 2000–2010. These include strengthening state government institutions both in Chuvashia and in Russia as a whole. Against this background, there was a significant reorganization of the prosecutor’s office. Some changes occurred in determining the main priorities of activity. The evolution in the nature of activity is also significant. The prosecutor’s offices became noticeably more open to the public, this is manifested, among other things, in the use of modern information technology opportunities. Special attention was paid to the moral and ethical qualities of the prosecutor’s office staff. The research topic has a high degree of relevance, practical significance and the prospect of continuation in connection with preparing a monographic publication by the author’s group.

«Ренессанс» категории «умное регулирование» в отечественной правотворческой теории и практике: предпосылки и факторы влияния

The main subject of the current issue of the journal “Legal Concept = Pravovaya paradigma” – “ ‘Smart Regulation’ As an Intersectoral Category of Modern Law” - was not chosen by the editorial board by chance. This annotation is a justification of the choice made. The author considers an objective need to popularize the intersectoral category of “smart regulation” in the Russian legal space as a significant argumentative factor, which has long been of key importance in foreign law-making theory and practice and has only recently begun to attract the attention of domestic researchers. The author announces the project supported by the Russian Scientific Foundation in 2021 which is offered by the scientists of the Department of Constitutional and Municipal Law of Volgograd State University, aimed at the comprehensive development of a system of smart regulation tools, the study of their legal nature, interrelation and correlation with the classical categories of jurisprudence, the justification of the criteria for the assessment of their efficiency and features of the application in the branches of private and public law. It is noted that the concept of “smart regulation” does not have an absolute novelty. On the one hand, according to the author, it is organically growing out of the ideas that have long been developed in detail in the world political and legal studies. On the other hand, the complex of tools used in the framework of smart regulation includes, along with the new ones, the entire system of classical legal instruments. Some of them acquire a different sound in the conditions of information technology development, including digitalization; for others, the limits and methods of their application are specified. The papers presented in the main topic of the issue and the rest of its headings illustrate numerous options for using modern and classical means of legal regulation in various spheres of public relations, taking into account new information technology opportunities. It is noted that the term “smart regulation”, taking into account the great challenges of modern realities, is often transformed into the term “smart technologies of legal regulation” and is also used in various combinations with different industry and disciplinary concepts. The paper substantiates the inexpediency of using the term “smart technologies” concerning legal regulation in such a narrow sense, limiting it to the context of total informatization of society and technological development. It is argued that we should be talking about the totality of literally all modern legal technologies. It is recommended to interpret “technologies” in a broad sense as a certain method of human activity. And these methods, according to the author, are made smart by the fact that they are chosen, created, and proposed by the representatives of law-making theory and practice as determined by the state of modern scientific knowledge and society. It is also recommended to take into account the subordination of the proposed legal methods and means to the value dominants which are characteristic of modern culture, as well as their ability to act as the organizing core of a particular sphere of the legal regulation of public life.

The “MemO” Project: the Study, Digitalisation and Value Enhancement of Greek and South-Italian Pottery in Veneto. The Issue of Forgery

In archaeology, the topic of fakes, copies, and imitations has been around since the 18th century. Recent studies have found that the phenomenon of counterfeit pottery worked in the ancient Greek world is very present in private and public collections, thus showing the extent of an issue that, in fact, pervades the history of archaeology.One of the MemO Project pillars, launched in March 2018 by the Department of Cultural Heritage of the University of Padova, stems from an awareness of this reality. The MemO Project is dedicated to enhancing the effectuation of archaeological artefacts (especially ceramics) within academic training and research.Accessing the technical, formal and iconographic universe of objects made thousands of years ago requires a wide-ranging apprenticeship: this is why the “Laboratory of Authentication of Archaeological Heritage” was created, an absolute novelty in the Italian academic panorama. Through the analysis of concrete cases, teachers and students can work systematically on each artefact using techniques that integrate humanistic diagnostics with the most advanced analytical and digital imaging techniques. The workshop experience is an essential practical activity essential to which students are introduced to the drawing up of concrete expert reports to training increasing professionals to defend the genuineness of art.In addition, all materials inspected in the Laboratory and archived due to forgeries will be included in an accessible database. This tool will contribute to the defence of cultural heritage.

A Forgotten ‘Romantic’ Excursion: Joseph Blanco White's A Journey to the Trosacks in 1816

In 1816 Joseph Blanco White visited the Trossachs, having travelled to Edinburgh as a member of the household of Lord and Lady Holland. Soon afterwards he wrote A Journey to the Trosacks in 1816, a short but fascinating account of his trip which has remained unpublished until now. Lucidly penned, this autograph text shows admiration for the Scottish wilderness and interest in technological feats such as the steamboat that he takes on the Firth of Forth, an absolute novelty at the time. Observations on Highlands customs and language, and literary allusions to Sterne, Scott, Johnson and Boswell add to the interest of this forgotten piece, as do remarks about John Murray the publisher and Dugald Stewart the philosopher. The aim of this article is to present for the first time this work as a document of literary and cultural importance, given the renewed interest of Romantic era scholarship in travel writing and in Blanco White, the most important Spanish cultural mediator in Britain during the first decades of the 19th century.