87 research outputs found
A Brief Essay on the Importance of Time in International Conventions on Intellectual Property Rights
The paper is a philosophical essay on the manner in which time is conceived and manipulated in four international treaties, namely the Paris Convention, the Patent Cooperation Treaty, the Madrid Agreement/Protocol, and the Berne Convention. In particular, the paper discusses the competing concepts of time as linear or circular, and how the treaties sometimes displace a linear concept of time in order to achieve specific goals
Contribution to the Understanding of the Public Domain
The purpose of this article is to understand how the public domain has been construed by the Courts. In the first part of the article, the different ways the public domain has been qualified and construed by scholars are briefly sketched out- for descriptive and introductory purposes to the analyzed cases law. In light of the different ways the public domain has been qualified and characterized by scholars, in the second part of the article, several well-known and often-quoted cases law are analyzed. In this article, it is argued that the public domain, contrary to authoritative schools of thought, is not construed - by Courts - as a rule that determines, in a “binary fashion”, which behaviours “will be coerced by the public power and which behaviours will be allowed.” It is argued – grounding claims on reading the analyzed cases law – that the public domain is used and construed by courts as both a status of the mere negative aspects of IPRs and as an argument (for rhetorical - strictu senso - purposes) that heralds the underlying interest of the “public” in accessing “information”. In light of these findings, this article suggests that it is possible to start building a theory that would render the public domain more apt to make legally relevant the underlying interest (in the access of “information”) if construed not as a rule, but as an interpretative principle (a là Dworkin) that “states a reason that argues in one direction, but does not necessitate a particular decision” and that, once relevant, courts would have to take into account “as a consideration inclining in one direction [rather than] another.
A Brief Essay on the Importance of Time in International Conventions of Intellectual Property Rights
This essay will briefly address the issue of time in some fundamental international conventions on Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs). Primarily, this article concentrates on four current international conventions and discusses the importance and international relevance of the time factor in each convention. The first part introduces two characteristic ideas of time inherited from philosophical thought. It also describes how “linearity,” one characteristic time can assume, might be a way to think of the legal system. This article does not delve into philosophical aspects of this issue; they are merely a cue to analyze the issue of time in the context of intellectual property. The second part details some of the more important international conventions on IPRs regarding the relevant time-related aspects. Other aspects and details of these conventions are left to the existing literature. The third, and final, section asks if time, as implemented in the IPR conventions, might be construed as circular rather than as a unidirectional straight line. It suggests that time, in any form carved out by these conventions, is a fundamental part of IPRs and not merely an ancillary element. All IPRs are deeply embedded in the time factor. Because an inventor’s rights and the concept of time are so interrelated, underestimating time’s role may results in the abridgement of the inventor’s rights
Hybrid Structure of Stretchable Interconnect for Reliable E-skin Application
This paper presents the methodology for realisation of stretchable interconnects based on hybrid thin film stack of spray-coated conductive polymer PEDOT: PSS and evaporated gold (Au) film. The PEDOT: PSS film, with its properties in electrical conductivity and mechanical softness, serves as a stress release buffer in the layered hybrid structure. With the serpentine-shape design, the stretchable interconnects can accommodate larger deformation in comparison with a straight line. The correlation between interconnects' morphology (i.e. cracks propagation) with their electrical behaviour has been studied through microscope in along with electrical characterisation under external strain. Furthermore, a comparison in failure strain among different serpentine-shaped designs has been studied. Higher level in stretchability of interconnects can be achieved with a larger arc degree in design. The fabricated stretchable interconnects can accommodate significant deformations up to 72% external strain while maintaining electrically conductive
Metal-organic dual layer structure for stretchable interconnects
This paper reports a novel method for obtaining stretchable interconnects using gold and organic material (PEDOT:PSS) in a dual-layer structure on PDMS substrate. With an appropriate design and carefully carried out microfabrication steps, the structure was successfully patterned into serpentine shape and highly stretchable interconnects were obtained. The fabricated interconnects can be stretched up to 170% of their original length while retaining an adequate level of conductivity
Printable stretchable interconnects
This article presents recent progress and a comprehensive overview of stretchable interconnects based on printable nanocomposites. Nanocomposite-based inks for printed stretchable interconnects have been categorized according to dispersed filler materials. They comprise of carbon-based fillers and metal-based fillers. Benefits in terms of excellent electrical performance and elastic properties make nanocomposites the ideal candidates for stretchable interconnect applications. Deeper analysis of nanocomposites-based stretchable interconnects includes the correlation between the size of fillers, percolation ratio, maximum electrical conductivity and mechanical elasticity. The key trends in the field have been highlighted using curve fitting methods on large data collected from the literature. Furthermore, a wide variety of applications for stretchable interconnects are presented
Stretchable pH Sensing Patch in a Hybrid Package
This work presents a novel stretchable pH sensing
patch to detect the pH in body fluid which is one of the most
important parameters in human health monitoring. The sensing
patch is a hybrid package comprising of polyimide/gold-based
stretchable interconnects and graphite composite-based flexible
pH sensor. With the integration of stretchable interconnects, the
patch is able to withstand external stretching up to 50% longer
than its original length. Moreover, the electrical behavior of the
patch does not degrade as studied by the real-time resistance
investigation. In order to protect the connecting electrodes and
wirings from direct contacting with solution under analysis, the
sensing patch is encapsulated with elastic polymer with the active
sensing area exposed. The fabricated patch reveals a high pH
sensitivity of 36.2 ÎĽA/pH in the pH range between 5 and 9 which
is validated through electrochemical and electroanalytical studies
Ostruzione polmonare ed aritmia respiratoria
Il monitoraggio di pazienti tramite segnali fotopletismografici (PhotoPlethysmoGram, PPG) acquisiti sul polso, arteria radiale, piuttosto che sulla punta dell’indice, permette di ottenere un segnale più stabile e con maggiori informazioni, come la gittata cardiaca, la durata della contrazione ventricolare e la chiusura dell’aorta. In questo lavoro è presentata un’attività preliminare per rilevare condizioni come l’ostruzione polmonare e le apnee notturne. Si è indagato l’andamento dell’aritmia respiratoria in relazione ad eventuali difficoltà respiratorie. Per il momento ci si è limitati ad osservare soggetti sani e l’ostruzione è stata simulata facendo respirare i soggetti attraverso una cannuccia
Tetracycline Residues in Bovine Muscle and Liver Samples from Sicily (Southern Italy) by LC-MS/MS Method: A Six-Year Study
We examined a total of 369 bovine liver and muscle samples for the detection of
oxytetracycline (OTC), tetracycline (TC), chlortetracycline (CTC), and doxycycline (DOX) residues by
implementation and validation of a LC-MS/MS method. The method showed good recovery values
between 86% and 92% at three levels of concentrations. The linearity tests revealed r2 > 0.996 for all
the tetracyclines examined. Furthermore, the Youden test revealed that the method was robust. Only
14.4% of the samples showed OTC and TC residues in a concentration range of 10.4–40.2 g kg1. No
CTC and DOX residues were found in all the samples analyzed. Liver samples showed the highest
average values (31.5 20.6 and 21.8 18.9 for OTC and TC, respectively). The results showed a
low incidence of TCs in all the samples examined, in comparison with other studies reported in the
literature. A significant decrease in TC residues frequency was found from 2013 (p < 0.05). This work
reports for the first time epidemiological data on the presence of TC residues in liver and muscle
samples of cattle farmed in Sicily (Southern Italy). The very low incidence of TC residues indicates
a continuous improvement in farming techniques in Southern Italy, which is essential to ensure
consumers’ protection
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