Le indagini sotto copertura

2007/2008Il lavoro di stesura della tesi si è proposto, in particolare, di analizzare e approfondire la tematica dell’agente undercover – oggetto di copiosi studi nell’ambito sostanziale – sotto il meno esplorato profilo del suo inquadramento nelle dinamiche processuali, al fine di verificare la legittimità del ricorso al tale strumento, i limiti operativi dello stesso nonché il suo apporto gnoseologico alla fase dibattimentale. A tale fine, si è proceduto attraverso una iniziale ricognizione evolutiva dell’istituto partendo dalle prime ricostruzioni dottrinali dell’ottocento sino alla normativa attuale. Gli aspetti di maggiore interesse procedimentale hanno avuto ad oggetto, innanzitutto, il tentativo di chiarire i dubbi ermeneutici relativi alla sua classificazione come attività di prevenzione, ovvero come vera e propria ricerca della prova, in funzione repressiva, all’interno di un procedimento penale regolarmente instaurato. Inoltre, si è proceduto all’analisi delle diverse normativa speciali – relative, tutte, a reati di particolare gravità o allarme sociale – che sotto la vigenza del nuovo codice hanno provveduto ad introdurre la possibilità di ricorrere all’agente undercover e, nel dettaglio, a verificare quali siano i rapporti fra i diversi soggetti protagonisti delle indagini preliminari alla luce del necessario inquadramento della disciplina speciale nell’ordinario ambito codicistico di svolgimento delle investigazioni stesse. Un altro importante aspetto della ricerca riguarda la posizione processuale che l’agente sotto copertura, una volta esaurita la sua attività mascherata, viene ad assumere. In tal senso si sono registrate le diverse ricostruzioni dottrinali e giurisprudenziali da un lato orientate al principio del cosiddetto “recupero del sapere investigativo” e dall’altro rivolte a non limitare il diritto di difesa e, ancor di più, il principio del contraddittorio nella formazione della prova, senza dimenticare i fisiologici problemi relativi alla tutela dell’identità dell’agente sotto copertura e della propria incolumità. Tali problematiche sono state affrontate al fine di porre in luce quali siano i riflessi sull’aspetto che indubbiamente suscita il maggior interesse per la sua capacità di influenzare la decisione: l’utilizzazione probatoria dell’attività undercover. Si è infine concluso con una breve indagine comparatistica degli ordinamenti continentali e di common law al fine di trarne utili indicazioni per apporti normativi de iure condendo.XXI Ciclo197

G.I.S. and Modeling for Studying Saltwater Intrusion in the Capoterra Alluvial Plain (Sardinia - Italy)

Previous experience at a regional scale has demonstrated that the greater the possibility of analyzing and managing information utilized for saltwater intrusion modeling in coastal aquifers, the more comprehensive and reliable the end results are likely to be. The contribution offered by Geographical Information Systems (G.I.S.) for achieving this goal is crucial. A G.I.S. allows to acquire, store, process and represent spatial information in real time and in a form suitable for further use in different application contexts. A wide range of problems can be addressed within the philosophy of a G.I.S., thematic mapping, land planning, environmental impact studies, natural resources management, location of environmental risk areas, demographic studies, modeling. The information acquired during earlier hydrogeological studies in the Capoterra alluvial plain have been organized into a G.I.S. for the purpose of modeling saltwater intrusion. The paper describes the modeling procedure adopted

Prima esperienza di sviluppo di un sistema informativo geografico della piana di Capoterra (Sardegna)

Le informazioni acquisite in occasione di studi idrogeologici precedentemente svolti sulla piana alluvionale di Capoterra sono stati organizzati in un sistema informativo geografico, la cui prima esperienza ha riguardato lo studio della vulnerabilità intrinseca dell’acquifero superficiale all’inquinamento.The information acquire in occasion of hydrogeological studies previously carried out in the alluvial plain of Capoterra has stayed organized in a geographical information system, whose first experience has concerned the study of the intrinsic vulnerability of the phreatic aquifer to the pollution

Predicting groundwater salinity changes in the coastal aquifer of Arborea (Central Western Sardinia)

The area of Arborea, extending over roughly 70 km2, is located in the Northern Campidano plain (central-western Sardinia - Italy). The plain, that was formed in a tectonic trough of the Tertiary, is characterised by Quaternary deposits of fluvial, lacustrine, marine and eolian facies. The Quaternary formation is several hundred meters thick. The stratigraphic sequence, whose characteristics vary from one place to another, is generally represented by gravelly, sandy, silty and clayey deposits. The aquifer basin consists of two main units, a shallow phreatic aquifer (around ten meters thick) and a deeper semiconfined - confined unit, separated by a variable thickness aquitard. The system is recharged by rainfall, irrigation and by lateral inflow from the volcanic rock aquifers bordering the plain. Owing to inadequate water management policies, the Arborea coastal aquifer system has been contaminated by seawater intrusion as a result of overexploitation during the frequent droughts that affect Sardinia. Groundwater withdrawals have caused saltwater to encroach landward and upward toward the withdrawal points. Periodic monitoring, carried out for several years by the Department of Land Engineering at the University of Cagliari showed a varying degree of salt water intrusion along the coast. High electrical conductivity values were found mostly in the deeper aquifer, as it is locally overexploited, whereas lower values were recorded in the shallow phreatic aquifer. Nevertheless, in the shallow aquifer the extension of contaminated areas is larger than in the deep aquifer. In this work an extensive quality assessment of the data was performed to characterise the area overlying the Arborea aquifer system. In this context we set up a geographical information system and applied an environmental model to study the migration of the contaminants. A preliminary model, elaborated with the CODESA 3D code, was implemented to simulate the impact of land management (different groundwater abstraction schemes, artificial recharge etc.) on the salt dispersion process.243-25

Protecting The EU’s financial interests: from the very beginning to the birth of The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO)

EPPO’s first annual report shows that 2,832 crime reports have been processed, 576 investigations opened since June 1, 2021, 515 investigations active as of December 31, 2021, € 5.4 billion of estimated damages in active investigations, 147.3 million euro of seizures, three times the actual 2021 budget of the EPPO. We seem to have waited too long for a centralized body to protect the EU budget. This document tries to explain why such a long process was necessary and what criticalities can exist in this matter

“Acquired” hepatocerebral degeneration in a patient heterozygote carrier for a novel mutation in <i>ATP7B</i> gene

Acquired hepatocerebral degeneration (AHD) is a rare type of hepatic encephalopathy characterized by neuropsychiatric symptomatology, and peculiar neuroradiologic findings, without the clinical evidence of Wilson’s disease (WD). We studied a patient with AHD responsive to penicillamine who was heterozygote carrier for a novel mutation in the ATP7B gene, and discussed the possible role of the mutation in facilitating the appearance of the syndrome. A 37-year-old man with liver cirrhosis related to chronic hepatitis C was admitted because of progressive consciousness impairment. Family history was negative for WD. Ammoniemia was 176 lmol/L (NR, 9–33 lmol/L); total bilirubin 1.71 mg/dL (NR, 0.2–1.3 mg/dL); serum albumin 2.6 g/dL (NR, 3.3–5 g/dL); AST 62 U/L (NR, 10–45 U/L). Electroencephalogram disclosed diffuse slow wave activity. After rifaximin, lactulose, and branched chain amino acid infusion, his arousal state went back normal in about 12 hours, and ammonia levels decreased to 94 lmol/L

The control of allergic rhinitis in real life: a multicenter cross-sectional Italian study

Abstract Background Allergic Rhinitis (AR) is a high-prevalence disease. In Europe about 25% of the general population is affected, and in Italy the prevalence is estimated to be 19.8%. The Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma (ARIA) international document underlined that the prevalence of severe or refractory or overlapping rhinitis is increasing and represents a non-negligible socio-economic burden. In general, despite the social healthcare costs, allergic rhinitis remains underestimated, not sufficiently controlled and often undertreated. Aim of the study In this multi-center Italian observational and prospective study we assessed the control of AR in patients (> 16 years) without previous asthma diagnosis, referred to Allergy Centers. Methods Patients of both sexes and older than 16 with rhinitis symptoms and without asthma were studied. A Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and the CARAT (Control of Allergic Rhinitis and Asthma Test) were used as patient reported outcome. The possible causes of poor control of AR, as per protocol, were assessed accordingly. Results We observed 250 patients in a real-life setting: more than 60% of them had an uncontrolled AR, only about 50% used multiple medications, and only a minority were receiving allergen immunotherapy. Conclusion This survey, conducted in a real-life setting, confirmed that AR is overall poorly controlled. The VAS assessment well correlates with the structured CARAT questionnaire and with the relevant symptoms of AR