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Law, Language, and Terminology. Challenges of Generative AI
No full textThe paper reflects an interdisciplinary dialogue between legal science, terminology
science and computer science aimed at analyzing one specific aspect within the
process of digitization of legal operations, in particular via AI: what is the role of
labelling and categorization in language and law, and how might legal interpretation
be influenced by AI?. We show how a potential challenge in legal AI lies in the
obliteration of a certain indeterminacy in legal terms (both concrete and abstract),
by arguing that terminology could help controlling the use AI systems make of
legal language (via the distinction and systematization of simple terms, concepts,
etc.). Terminology-aware generative models would allow more controlled reason-
ing across languages and jurisdictions and could facilitate explainability by linking
each generated statement to a definitional network, thereby exposing the underlying
semantic structure of the legal domain. This might help build a trustworthy, explain-
able AI for law. In this view, terminology could provide an epistemic infrastructure
for legal language within an AI operated world, by anchoring generative systems
to the conceptual order of law, and by preserving the necessary interplay between
determination and indeterminacy that characterises legal language, preventing the
risk of current hallucination, over determinacy or the complete loss of penumbra
and indeterminacy
“Il diritto del beneficiario di protezione temporanea a richiedere protezione internazionale dopo la pronuncia della Corte di giustizia UE nella causa AA e altri c. Migrationsverket”
No full textL’articolo analizza la sentenza della Corte di giustizia dell’Unione europea nella causa C-195/25, AA e altri, concernente il diritto dei beneficiari di protezione temporanea a presentare una domanda di protezione internazionale. La pronuncia si inserisce nel contesto dell’attivazione della direttiva 2001/55/CE a seguito dell’afflusso massiccio di persone in fuga dal conflitto in Ucraina e affronta il coordinamento tra strumenti emergenziali e procedure ordinarie del sistema europeo comune di asilo. La Corte chiarisce che la protezione temporanea non può tradursi in una limitazione del diritto di accesso alla procedura di asilo, riaffermando i principi di effettività e di tutela giurisdizionale. L’articolo esamina criticamente la decisione, soffermandosi sulle sue implicazioni sistemiche e sugli effetti per gli ordinamenti nazionali e per l’evoluzione del diritto dell’asilo dell’Unione
A novel “cut and sew” procedure for the natural reconstitution of essential oils prior to biological assays
No full textBackground: Given the increasing interest in natural compounds for therapeutic applications, understanding the contribution of individual components within complex essential oils (EOs) is crucial. The isolation is often achieved through bio-guided fractionation, typically using flash chromatography to target chemical classes. To refine this, some methods rely on customized reconstitution using reference standards, which is challenging due to issues with preserving natural abundances and enantiomeric ratios. Results: This study compares conventional flash chromatography with an advanced preparative multidimensional gas chromatography (prep-GC) system, equipped with a novel collection setup. This prep-GC approach enabled the isolation of sub-fractions at the milligram scale for biological assays. Critically, it preserved the natural distribution of chiral components, eliminating the need for standard-based reconstitution and its associated challenges. Mentha × piperita L. EO, known for its inhibitory activity against butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), an enzyme relevant to Alzheimer's disease, was chosen as a case study. The novel approach allowed for a comprehensive investigation by isolating the oxygenated fraction devoid of menthol. This facilitated a direct comparison of the biological activity of the whole EO against the total oxygenated fraction (from flash chromatography) and the menthol-devoid fraction (from prep-GC), as well as pure (−)-menthol, pure (−)-menthone, and their mixture. Significance: The results clearly indicate that (−)-menthol, (−)-menthone, and other terpenes within the oxygenated fraction jointly contribute to the overall BChE inhibitory activity. These findings highlight the complex interplay among Mentha × piperita L. EO constituents. Furthermore, this study underscores the potential of this new prep-GC technology for uncovering the biological roles of minor constituents in complex natural mixtures, by removing the contribution of the main representative components
Where Saints Show Respect. Mafia, Modernity, and Rituals of Power
No full textWhere Saints Show Respect reveals the penetration of mafia values in Sicilian society. Instead of focusing on sensational criminality, this study considers rituals through which local society learns deep respect – sometimes fearful, but often playful or pious – for those values and their enforcers. State and Church misconstrue these values as vestiges of a society morally damned and left behind in a pagan past. This study draws on three decades of ethnographic research to explore a strikingly different Sicily from the self-congratulatory version of government and religious leaders, where a seemingly obscure set of rural practices offers a critical perspective on modernity itself
Phenolic Profile and Biological Evaluation of Salvia ceratophylloides Ard.: A Novel Source of Rosmarinic Acid
No full textSalvia ceratophylloides Ard. (Sc), a rare endemic species from Southern Italy, has been chemically unexplored. We report the first analysis of its polyphenolic profile, antioxidant potential, and preliminary toxicity, compared with the well-studied Salvia officinalis L. (So). Plants were cultivated under identical Mediterranean conditions to minimize variability. Leaf hydroalcoholic extracts were examined for polyphenols (high-performance liquid chromatography with photodiode array detection and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry [HPLC-PDA/ESI-MS]), antioxidant activity (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl [DPPH], reducing power, Fe2+ chelation), and toxicity (Artemia salina lethality bioassay). Although differing qualitatively, both species showed nearly identical total phenolic content (So 274.59 mg/g; Sc 274.27 mg/g). Notably, Sc was rich in rosmarinic acid and consistently exhibited superior antioxidant activity. It was also nontoxic against A. salina, in contrast to So (LC50 = 79.27 ± 11.62 μg/mL). These findings highlight Sc as a promising source of bioactive compounds and warrant further pharmacological and conservation studies
Vitex agnus‐castus in Menopause: Phytochemistry, Mechanistic Insights, Clinical Applications, and Safety Perspectives
No full text: Herbal remedies are increasingly adopted as alternatives to conventional pharmacological treatments, particularly among women seeking natural approaches to managing menopausal symptoms. This interest is driven by perceptions of greater safety, affordability, and fewer adverse effects associated with medicinal plants. Vitex agnus-castus (VAC), commonly known as chaste tree, is one of the most widely utilized botanical agents for women's health. VAC is rich in diverse bioactive constituents, including flavonoids, iridoids, diterpenes, and essential oils, which collectively contribute to its complex pharmacological profile. Emerging evidence from in vitro, in vivo, and clinical studies suggests that VAC may modulate key neuroendocrine pathways involved in menopause through dopaminergic, phytoestrogenic, opioidergic, and indirect serotonergic mechanisms. These actions are proposed to influence prolactin regulation, estrogen receptor activity, mood stability, vasomotor symptoms, and overall hormonal balance during the menopausal transition. This review synthesizes current knowledge on the phytochemical composition and mechanistic pathways of VAC relevant to menopausal symptom management, alongside an evaluation of its safety and clinical tolerability. Although VAC extracts appear generally safe, effective, and well tolerated, further research is needed to clarify molecular targets, determine optimal dosing strategies, identify responsive patient subgroups, and standardize outcome measures to strengthen evidence-based clinical use
Hybrid films of Co–C60 preparation and changes induced by external stimuli
No full textIn this work, we report on the study on organic-metal hybrid systems, in particular Co–C60 fullerene thin films. This study mainly focused on the investigation of the morphological and structural evolution of the film surface after various external stimuli designed to provide energy to the system. For film growth, we adopted an innovative approach, combining ion beam sputtering of a pure metal target with thermal evaporation of C60 in a co deposition setup. The films underwent a series of treatments to induce modifications. Laser and ion irradiations were performed using a pulsed laser, a continuous Ar beam, and a pulsed C beam. In addition, thermal annealing in vacuum was performed to examine the long-term effects of temperature. The composition of deposited film was investigated using ion beam analysis, the morphology and the structure, and the effects of treatments on the films were studied using scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscopies and Raman spectroscopy. Changes in electrical resistance were also measured to explore potential applications of these films after treatment
La dilazione di pagamento del debito erariale nella liquidazione giudiziale. A margine di una recente sentenza
No full textLo scritto analizza una recente pronuncia del giudice di legittimità sull’applicazione
della soglia minima di indebitamento di cui all’art. 15, comma 9, l. fall. (applicabile
ratione temporis alla fattispecie in esame), oggi riprodotta nell’art. 49, comma 5,
CCII, in presenza della dilazione di pagamento del debito erariale ex art. 19 D.P.R.
n. 602/1973
Evaluating longshore sediment transport: A comparison between empirical formulas and XBeach 2DH numerical model
No full textLongshore sediment transport (LST) is a crucial process shaping coastal environments. As multiple site-specific factors (e.g. wave height, coastal topography) influence the LST, an accurate estimation of LST rate represents a scientific challenge. This research evaluates the predictive capacity of three widely used empirical formulas (CERC, 1984; Kamphuis, 1991; Van Rijn, 2014) and the XBeach 2DH numerical model for estimating the LST rate by comparing the obtained results with field LST data. We chose three coastal sites in Malta Island (Għadira Bay, GB) and northern Sicily (Cefalù, CF, and Campofelice di Roccella, CR) based on different sediment grain size, coastal type (open or embayed) and morpho-bathymetry. For each site, we analysed wave parameters, grain size of the beach and seabed sediments, coastal morphology, and marine vegetation distribution. Furthermore, we used field measurements to calibrate the numerical model's sediment transport and morphological parameters. The calibrated numerical model provides greater accuracy in LST rate estimation than the empirical formulas. The latter overestimates the LST rates by factors ranging from 435 to 7885, whereas the numerical model overestimates by factors of 1.8 and 1.9 at the CF site and GB, respectively, and underestimates by a factor of 0.5 at the CR site. The good performance of the numerical model is due to its consideration of site-specific factors. The parameter values for the model calibration can be used successfully in embayed fine/coarse sandy beaches. Moreover, the numerical model, tested so far only for sandy beaches, also works well on gravelly beaches