Academic literature on the topic 'Vis attractiva concursu'

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 virus (SARS-CoV-2) infection, the causative agent of COVID-19, now represents the sixth Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)—as declared by the World Health Organization (WHO) since 2009. Considering that SARS-CoV-2 is mainly transmitted via the mucosal route, a therapy administered by this same route may represent a desirable approach to fight SARS-CoV-2 infection. It is now widely accepted that genetically modified microorganisms, including probiotics, represent attractive vehicles for oral or nasal mucosal delivery of therapeutic molecules. Previous studies have shown that the mucosal administration of therapeutic molecules is able to induce an immune response mediated by specific serum IgG and mucosal IgA antibodies along with mucosal cell-mediated immune responses, which effectively concur to neutralize and eradicate infections. Therefore, advances in the modulation of mucosal immune responses, and in particular the use of probiotics as live delivery vectors, may encourage prospective studies to assess the effectiveness of genetically modified probiotics for SARS-CoV-2 infection. Emerging trends in the ever-progressing field of vaccine development re-emphasize the contribution of adjuvants, along with optimization of codon usage (when designing a synthetic gene), expression level, and inoculation dose to elicit specific and potent protective immune responses. In this review, we will highlight the existing pre-clinical and clinical information on the use of genetically modified microorganisms in control strategies against respiratory and non-respiratory viruses. In addition, we will discuss some controversial aspects of the use of genetically modified probiotics in modulating the cross-talk between mucosal delivery of therapeutics and immune system modulation.

In recent years, the field of nanoporous metals has undergone accelerated developments as these materials possess high specific surface areas, well-defined pore sizes, functional sites, and a wide range of functional properties. Nanoporous gold (NPG) is, surely, the most attractive system in the class of nanoporous metals: it combines several desired characteristics as occurrence of surface plasmon resonances, enormous surface area, electrochemical activity, biocompatibility, in addition to feasibility in preparation. All these properties concur in the exploitatiton of NPG as an efficient and versatile sensong platform. In this regard, NPG-based sensors have shown exceptional sensitivity and selectivity to a wide range of analytes ranging from molecules to biomolecules (and until the single molecule detection) and the enormous surface/volume ratio was shown to be crucial in determining these performances. Thanks to these characteristics, NPG-based sensors are finding applications in medical, biological, and safety fields so as in medical diagnostics and monitoring processes. So, a rapidly growing literature is currently investigating the properties of NPG systems toward the detection of a multitude of classes of analytes highlighting strengths and limits. Due to the extension, complexity, and importance of this research field, in the present review we attempt, starting from the discussion of specific cases, to focus our attention on the basic properties of NPG in connection to the main sensing applications, i.e., surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy-based and electrochemical-based sensing. Owing to the nano-sized pore channels and Au ligaments, which are much smaller than the wavelength of visible light (400–700 nm), surface plasmon resonances of NPG can be effectively excited by visible light and presents unique features compared with other nanostructured metals, such as nanoparticles, nanorods, and nanowires. This characteristics leads to optical sensors exploiting NPG through unique surface plasmon resonance properties that can be monitored by UV-Vis, Raman, or fluorescence spectroscopy. On the other hand, the catalytic properties of NPG are exploited electrochemical sensors are on the electrical signal produced by a specific analyte adsorbed of the NPG surface. In this regard, the enourmous NPG surface area is crucial in determining the sensitivity enhancement. Due to the extension, complexity, and importance of the NPG-based sensing field, in the present review we attempt, starting from the discussion of specific cases, to focus our attention on the basic properties of NPG in connection to the main sensing applications, i.e., surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy-based and electrochemical-based sensing. Starting from the discussion of the basic morphological/structural characteristics of NPG as obtained during the fabrication step and post-fabrication processes, the review aims to a comprehensive schematization of the main classes of sensing applications highlighting the basic involved physico-chemical properties and mechanisms. In each discussed specific example, the main involved parameters and processes governing the sensing mechanism are elucidated. In this way, the review aims at establishing a general framework connecting the processes parameters to the characteristics (pore size, etc.) of the NPG. Some examples are discussed concerning surface plasmon enhanced Uv-Vis, Raman, fluorescence spectroscopy in order to realize efficient NPG-based optical sesnors: in this regard, the underlaying connections between NPG structural/morphological properties and the optical response and, hence, the optical-based sensing performances are described and analyzed. Some other examples are discussed concerning the exploitation of the electrochemical characteristics of NPG for ultra-high sensitivity detection of analytes: in this regard, the key parameters determing the NPG activity and selectivity selectivity toward a variety of reactants are discussed, as high surface-to-volume ratio and the low coordination of surface atoms. In addition to the use of standard NPG films and leafs as sensing platforms, also the role of hybrid NPG-based nanocomposites and of nanoporous Au nanostructures is discussed due to the additional increase of the electrocatalytic acticvity and of exposed surface area resulting in the possible further sensitivity increase.

La questione delle azioni individuali che derivano direttamente dal fallimento e ad esso ineriscono (nel seguito, c.d. “azioni ancillari”) nel contesto europeo è stata storicamente affrontata con riferimento all’ambito di applicazione della Convenzione di Bruxelles del 1968 sulla competenza giurisdizionale, il riconoscimento e l’esecuzione delle decisioni in materia civile e commerciale (la “Convenzione di Bruxelles”). In mancanza (all’epoca) di una disciplina comunitaria sull’insolvenza transfrontaliera, con la nota sentenza Gourdain, la CGE ha interpretato la nozione di azione ancillare sotto il prisma dell’esclusione relativa a “i fallimenti, i concordati e le procedure affini”, prevista dall’articolo 1(2)(2) della Convenzione di Bruxelles. È stato in quell’occasione che la Corte ha ritenuto che le azioni in qualche modo riferibili al fallimento sono escluse dal campo di applicazione della Convenzione di Bruxelles (oggi Regolamento Bruxelles Ibis) a condizione che esse derivino direttamente dal fallimento e si inseriscano stretta¬mente nell'ambito del procedimento concorsuale (così coniando quella che, negli anni, è stata definita la “Formula Gourdain”). Le incertezze interpretative derivanti da una formulazione così ambigua, allora riferita al solo ambito di applicazione della Convenzione di Bruxelles, non venivano rimosse (e, anzi, forse erano acuite) dall’introduzione di una specifica disciplina relativa alle procedure di insolvenza. Ed infatti, il successivo Regolamento (CE) 1346/2000 (il “Regolamento Insolvenza”), da un lato conteneva una grave lacuna normativa, poiché nulla diceva in tema di giurisdizione sulle azioni ancillari e, dall’altro lato, anche laddove le menzionava (per fini diversi dalla giurisdizione), si limitava a riprodurre la Formula Gourdain. Il nebuloso quadro normativo appena descritto è stato in parte chiarito dal Regolamento (UE) 2015/848 (il “Regolamento Recast”), che ha provveduto a rimediare alla predetta omissione, prevedendo espressamente la vis attractiva (dimezzata) europea, ai sensi della quale la competenza giurisdizionale sulle azioni ancillari spetta ai giudici dello Stato membro in cui è aperta la procedura. Se è stato così chiarito l’aspetto “dinamico”, relativo alla giurisdizione, resta, invece, parzialmente immutato il problema di una definizione autonoma di azione ancillare, i cui confini, anche nel Regolamento Recast, continuano ad essere delineati dalla Formula Gourdain. Indicazioni solo parziali possono trarsi dal Considerando 35 Regolamento Recast e, soprattutto, dalle pronunce della CGE, che pur consentendo, in parte, di avanzare una più definita sistematizzazione della nozione di azioni ancillari, rivelano sostanzialmente un orientamento ondivago, che non consente di rintracciare (ancora) un criterio generale, certo e condiviso sul punto. Si può allora ipotizzare che, ai fini della normativa europea, ancillari siano quelle azioni che sottendono una pretesa che sorge ex novo dal fallimento, il cui DNA, potremmo dire, è ontologicamente legato all’insolvenza. Si tratta di un numero assai ridotto di azioni quali (prevedibilmente) la revocatoria; le azioni di responsabilità nei confronti di organi della procedura, e le azioni che derivano dallo scioglimento dei contratti esercitato dal curatore per un’espressa previsione della legge concorsuale. Per contro, non sarebbero ancillari tutte le altre azioni rispetto a cui il fallimento si pone quale evento neutro (es. quelle che presentano con il fallimento un legame solo occasionale e quelle che preesistevano nel patrimonio del fallito). Permangono, tuttavia, notevoli dubbi rispetto a quelle azioni, collocabili in un’incerta twilght-zone, al confine tra il diritto civile, commerciale e il diritto fallimentare che, preesistenti al fallimento, sono in qualche misura influenzate dall’apertura di una procedura concorsuale. Nel solco di queste preliminari osservazioni, la tesi si ripropone di analizzare specificatamente il tema delle azioni ancillari nella disciplina europea, non solo indagandone gli aspetti processuali (in particolare, della giurisdizione), ma valutando anche una possibile individuazione di una nozione autonoma di azione ancillare e l’elaborazione di un catalogo di azioni che, pur nelle differenze proprie di ogni ordinamento nazionale, rivelino uno jus commune europaeum che consenta di inquadrarle nell’ambito di applicazione del Regolamento Recast.
Historically, the topic of individual actions directly deriving from and closely linked with insolvency proceedings (hereinafter referred to as “Annex Actions”) has been addressed in the European scenario with reference to the scope ratione materiae of the Brussels Convention dated 1968 on the jurisdiction, recognition and enforcement of judgments in civil and commercial matters (the “Brussels Convention”). In the absence (at that time) of Community rules on cross-border insolvencies, in the Gourdain judgment the ECJ interpreted the notion of Annex Actions under the prism of the exception relating to “bankruptcy, proceedings relating to the winding-up of insolvent companies or other legal persons, judicial arrangements, compositions and analogous proceedings”, set forth by Article 1(2)(2) Brussels Convention. It was on that occasion that the Court held that actions which are related to insolvency proceedings are excluded from the scope of the Brussels Convention (now the Brussels 1a Regulation), with the proviso that they derive directly from insolvency proceedings and are closely linked with them (thus coining what has been called, over the years, the “Gourdain Formula”). The interpretative uncertainties arising from such an ambiguous wording - at the time referring only to the scope of application of the Brussels Convention - were not removed (and possibly were even exacerbated) by the introduction of the European regime on insolvency proceedings. Indeed, the Regulation (EC) 1346/2000 (the “Insolvency Regulation”), on the one hand, revealed a serious regulatory gap, since it did not provide for a rule on the jurisdiction of Annex Actions and, on the other hand, even where it mentioned them (for purposes other than jurisdiction), it laconically restated the Gourdain Formula, with no further clarifications. The nebulous legislative framework described above has been partly clarified by Regulation (EU) 2015/848 (the “Recast Regulation”), which has remedied the aforementioned omission, expressly providing for the (halved) European vis attractiva concursus. According to that principle, the courts of the Member State in the territory of which insolvency proceedings are opened, are vested with the jurisdiction to hear and determine Annex Actions. The impact of the reform over the “dynamic” profile of the vis attractiva concursus must be positively assessed since it has dispelled many of the doubts concerning the allocation of jurisdiction on Annex Actions. Yet, the problem of the autonomous definition of Annex Actions remains partially unsolved, because also under the Recast Regulation, the contours of that concept continue to be defined by the vague Gourdain Formula. Only partial indications can be drawn from Recital 35 Recast Regulation and, above all, from the extensive case-law of the ECJ. The latter, however, allows only to some extent to draw a systematic notion of Annex Actions, as it substantially reveals a wavering orientation, which does not permit to trace (yet) a general criterion, certain and shared on this point. It is suggested that, for the purposes of the European legislation, Annex Actions are those actions underpinning a right or obligation which stems from the opening of insolvency proceedings, whose DNA, we might say, is ontologically linked to insolvency proceedings. They would count a very small number of actions such as (predictably) avoidance actions, liability actions against the trustee and other bodies of the procedure, and actions arising from the termination of contracts exercised by the trustee by virtue of the express powers conferred upon him by insolvency law. On the contrary, all other actions in respect of which the procedure is a neutral (legal) event should not be characterised as Annex Actions (e.g. actions that have only an occasional link with insolvency proceedings and those that existed in the legal sphere of the insolvent debtor prior to the opening of the procedure). However, considerable doubts remain with respect to the characterisation of some actions, which can be placed in an uncertain twilight-zone at the crossline between civil, commercial law and bankruptcy law. Although the legal foundation of those action exists even before insolvency proceedings, they prove to be affected by the opening of the procedure to such an extent that they may be considered as different actions. In the wake of these preliminary observations, the thesis aims to specifically analyse the topic of Annex Actions under the European regime of cross-border insolvencies. Not only it investigates the procedural aspects of the issue (in particular, the jurisdiction), but it also assesses whether it is possible to draw an autonomous notion of Annex Action and elaborate a catalogue of actions, which, despite the differences inherent in each national system, reveal a jus commune europaeum that allows to trace them back under the umbrella of the Recast Regulation.
La thèse intitulé « les actions qui découlent directement de la procédure d’insolvabilité et qui y sont étroitement liées dans le cadre du Règlement UE 2015/848 sur les procédures d'insolvabilité » se concentre sur les critères de détermination des juridictions compétentes en matière de litiges découlant de la procédure d’insolvabilité dans le contexte de procédures transfrontalières. Selon son Article 1(1)(b), les procédures d’insolvabilité sont exclues du Règlement (UE) n° 1215/2012 concernant la compétence judiciaire, la reconnaissance et l’exécution des décisions en matière civile et commerciale (« Règlement Bruxelles ») et devraient relever du champ d’application du Règlement (UE) n° 848/2015 relatif aux procédures d’insolvabilité (« Règlement Refondu »). Pour cette raison, en principe, l’interprétation de deux susmentionnés Règlements devrait, autant que possible, combler les lacunes entre les deux instruments. Le texte du nouvel article 6 du Règlement Refondu prévoit désormais que les juridictions compétentes en vertu de son article 3 soient compétentes également pour toutes les actions qui découlent directement de la procédure d’insolvabilité et y sont étroitement liées. Toutefois, ce principe (appelé la vis attractiva concursus européenne), malgré quelques clarifications ont été fournies par la Cour de Justice, ne résoudre pas la question et l’interprétation du champ d’application du Règlement Refondu par rapport au Règlement Bruxelles est encore douteuse, car il y a encore beaucoup de zones grises dans l’interprétation de cette règle. L'objectif de la thèse est d'analyser quel type d'actions doit être considéré comme « découlant directement » et « étroitement lié » aux procédures d'insolvabilité, et d'analyser les cas où il est controversé de savoir si l'action doit entrer dans le champ d'application du Règlement Refondu plutôt que dans celui du Règlement Bruxelles.

Martina Smržová, 2011/2012 Abstract International Insolvency Law Key Words: COMI, Establishment, Vis Attractiva Concursus With regard to the broad extent of international insolvency law, the author focuses mainly on the Court's jurisdiction in the context of the European insolvency law. The subject of interest is therefore the EC Regulation No. 1346/2000 on insolvency proceedings (the "insolvency regulation"). The aim of this thesis is (1) to summarise development of interpretation of the most important terms concerning the court's jurisdiction to open the main insolvency proceedings, the secondary proceedings and proceedings which relate to the insolvency proceedings; and (2) to propose amendments to the insolvency regulation especially regarding the Report which will be prepared by the Commission on application of the insolvency regulation no later than the 1 June 2012. The work is divided into five main chapters. A short introduction in the first chapter is followed by the second chapter which deals with an introduction on the international insolvency law. The theories and the most important legal instruments on this area of law are introduced. The third and key chapter deals with the European insolvency law; it consists of eight subchapters. In the first subchapter the development and principles of...