Il recepimento italiano della Direttiva 2004/80/CE. Brevi note di carattere pratico relative all’indennizzo delle vittime di reato

La Direttiva 2004/80/CE stabilisce che gli Stati membri dell’Unione Europea mettano in atto sistemi normativi volti a prevedere forme di indennizzo a favore delle vittime di reati violenti e dolosi, quando l’autore del fatto criminale sia sconosciuto o insolvente. Il presente articolo pone l’attenzione sul recepimento nell’ordinamento italiano della norma europea, operato con la Legge n. 122 del 6 luglio 2016,evidenziando gli aspetti critici e le problematiche sollevati dalla dottrina e dalla giurisprudenza. Appare, infatti, concorde la dottrina nel ritenere che tale norma rappresenta una lettura riduzionistica della disciplina europea. I punti critici della legge italiana sono sintetizzabili in particolare: nella generale restrizione del concetto di indennizzo (inteso prevalentemente come rimborso spese), nella limitazione dei reati per i quali è prevista la possibilità di ottenere un ristoro e nelle condizioni previste in capo alla vittima per accedere al beneficio. La Directive n°2004/80/CE prévoit que les États membres mettent en vigueur les dispositions législatives, réglementaires et administratives nécessaires pour indemniser les victimes de délits violents et intentionnels lorsque le contrevenant ne peut pas être identifié ou est insolvable. Cet article porte sur l’intégration de cette Directive dans le système légal italien, par la Loi n°122 du 6 juillet 2016, mettant en relief les aspects les plus critiques et les problèmes envisagés par la littérature et la jurisprudence. La littérature sur le sujet semble, en effet, indiquer que cette loi est réductionniste en comparaison avec la Directive européenne. Les points critiques de la loi italienne peuvent être résumés comme suit : la restriction du concept d’indemnisation (dans la loi italienne il ne couvre que les dépenses) ; le nombre restreint de délits pour lesquels l’indemnisation est prévue ; les caractéristiques de la victime nécessaires à l’obtention de l’indemnisation. The Directive no. 2004/80/CE stipulates that Member States shall bring into force the laws about compensation to violent and intentional crime victims where the offender cannot be identified or is insolvent. This article focuses on the incorporation of this Directive into the Italian legal system, through the law no. 122 of 6 July 2016, highlighting the most critical aspects and the problems unveiled by literature and justice case-law. The literature seems to agree that such a law is reductionist in comparison with the European regulation. The critical points of the Italian law may be summarised as follows: the restriction of the concept of compensation (in the Italian law it is intended as a mere cover expenditure); the few number of crimes for which a compensation can be envisaged; the underlying conditions of the victims for asking for the compensation

Walking direction triggers visuo-spatial orienting in 6-month-old infants and adults: An eye tracking study

a b s t r a c t The present study investigates whether the walking direction of a biological motion point-light display can trigger visuo-spatial attention in 6-month-old infants. A cueing paradigm and the recording of eye movements in a free viewing condition were employed. A control group of adults took part in the experiment. Participants were presented with a central point-light display depicting a walking human, followed by a single peripheral target. In experiment 1, the central biological motion stimulus depicting a walking human could be upright or upside-down and was facing either left or right. Results revealed that the latency of saccades toward the peripheral target was modulated by the congruency between the facing direction of the cue and the position of the target. In infants, as well as in adults, saccade latencies were shorter when the target appeared in the position signalled by the facing direction of the point-light walker (congruent trials) than when the target appeared in the contralateral position (incongruent trials). This cueing effect was present only when the biological motion cue was presented in the upright condition and not when the display was inverted. In experiment 2, a rolling point-light circle with unambiguous direction was adopted. Here, adults were influenced by the direction of the central cue. However no effect of congruency was found in infants. This result suggests that biological motion has a priority as a cue for spatial attention during development

Employment of Oligodeoxynucleotide plus Interleukin-2 Improves Cytogenetic Analysis in Splenic Marginal Zone Lymphoma

To compare the efficiency of novel mitogenic agents and traditional mitosis inductors, 18 patients with splenic marginal zone lymphoma (SMZL) were studied. Three cultures using oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN) plus interleukin-2 (IL-2), or TPA, or LPS were setup in each patient. Seventeen/18 cases with ODN + IL2 had moderate/good proliferation (94, 4%) as compared with 10/18 cases with TPA and LPS (55%) (P = .015); 14/18 (77, 7%) cases with ODN + IL2 had sufficient good quality of banding as compared with 8/18 cases (44, 4%) with TPA and LPS. The karyotype could be defined from ODN + IL2-stimulated cultures in all 18 patients, 14 of whom (77, 7%) had a cytogenetic aberration, whereas clonal aberrations could be documented in 9 and in 3 cases by stimulation with LPS and TPA, respectively. Recurrent chromosome aberrations in our series were represented by aberrations of chromosome 14q in 5 patients, by trisomy 12 and 7q deletion in 4 cases each, and by abnormalities involving 11q and 13q in two cases each. These findings show that stimulation with ODN + IL2 offers more mitotic figures of better quality and results in an increased rate of clonal aberrations in SMZL, making this method ideal for prospective studies aiming at the definition of the prognostic impact of cytogenetic aberrations in this disorder

Freezing of gait in Parkinson’s disease patients treated with bilateral subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation: A long-term overview

Bilateral subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation (STN-DBS) is an effective treatment in advanced Parkinson’s Disease (PD). However, the effects of STN-DBS on freezing of gait (FOG) are still debated, particularly in the long-term follow-up (>/=5-years). The main aim of the current study is to evaluate the long-term effects of STN-DBS on FOG. Twenty STN-DBS treated PD patients were included. Each patient was assessed before surgery through a detailed neurological evaluation, including FOG score, and reevaluated in the long-term (median follow-up: 5-years) in different stimulation and drug conditions. In the long term follow-up, FOG score significantly worsened in the off-stimulation/off-medication condition compared with the preoperative off-medication assessment (z = -1.930; p = 0.05) but not in the on-stimulation/off-medication (z = -0.357; p = 0.721). There was also a significant improvement of FOG at long-term assessment by comparing on-stimulation/off-medication and off-stimulation/off-medication conditions (z = -2.944; p = 0.003). These results highlight the possible beneficial long-term effects of STN-DBS on FOG

Freezing of Gait in Parkinson's Disease Patients Treated with Bilateral Subthalamic Nucleus Deep Brain Stimulation: A Long-Term Overview

Bilateral subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation (STN-DBS) is an effective treatment in advanced Parkinson's Disease (PD). However, the effects of STN-DBS on freezing of gait (FOG) are still debated, particularly in the long-term follow-up (≥5-years). The main aim of the current study is to evaluate the long-term effects of STN-DBS on FOG. Twenty STN-DBS treated PD patients were included. Each patient was assessed before surgery through a detailed neurological evaluation, including FOG score, and revaluated in the long-term (median follow-up: 5-years) in different stimulation and drug conditions. In the long term follow-up, FOG score significantly worsened in the off-stimulation/off-medication condition compared with the pre-operative off-medication assessment (z = -1.930; p = 0.05) but not in the on-stimulation/off-medication (z = -0.357; p = 0.721). There was also a significant improvement of FOG at long-term assessment by comparing on-stimulation/off-medication and off-stimulation/off-medication conditions (z = -2.944; p = 0.003). These results highlight the possible beneficial long-term effects of STN-DBS on FOG

Vitamin C Deficiency in Patients With Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Vitamin C has been shown to play a significant role in suppressing progression of leukemia through epigenetic mechanisms. We aimed to study the role of vitamin C in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) biology and clinical course. To this purpose, the plasma levels of vitamin C at diagnosis in 62 patients with AML (including 5 cases with acute promyelocytic leukemia, APL),7 with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), and in 15 healthy donors (HDs) were studied. As controls, vitamins A and E levels were analysed. Expression of the main vitamin C transporters and of the TET2 enzyme were investigated by a specific RQ-PCR while cytoplasmic vitamin C concentration and its uptake were studied in mononuclear cells (MNCs), lymphocytes and blast cells purified from AML samples, and MNCs isolated from HDs. There were no significant differences in vitamin A and E serum levels between patients and HDs. Conversely, vitamin C concentration was significantly lower in AML as compared to HDs (p<0.0001), inversely correlated with peripheral blast-counts (p=0.029), significantly increased at the time of complete remission (CR) (p=0.04) and further decreased in resistant disease (p=0.002). Expression of the main vitamin C transporters SLC23A2, SLC2A1 and SLC2A3 was also significantly reduced in AML compared to HDs. In this line, cytoplasmic vitamin C levels were also significantly lower in AML-MNCs versus HDs, and in sorted blasts compared to normal lymphocytes in individual patients. No association was found between vitamin C plasma levels and the mutation profile of AML patients, as well as when considering cytogenetics or 2017 ELN risk stratification groups. Finally, vitamin C levels did not play a predictive role for overall or relapse-free survival. In conclusion, our study shows that vitamin C levels are significantly decreased in patients with AML at the time of initial diagnosis, further decrease during disease progression and return to normal upon achievement of CR. Correspondingly, low intracellular levels may mirror increased vitamin C metabolic consumption in proliferating AML cells

Risposte endocrine allo stress durante un test aritmetico semplice e facilmente ripetibile

Obiettivo Il nostro obiettivo era realizzare e validare uno strumento informatico semplice e ripetibile che potesse essere utilizzato per simulare gli effetti endocrini ed emodinamici conseguenti ad uno stress mentale acuto. Materiali e metodi Utilizzando uno strumento web progettato ad hoc, un gruppo di soggetti è stato sottoposto ad un test cognitivo mentale della durata di 10 minuti, che consisteva in una serie di operazioni aritmetiche casuali (addizioni o sottrazioni) tra numeri da una a tre cifre. Durante la prova sono stati dosati i valori plasmatici di adrenalina, noradrenalina, cortisolo e ACTH, e sono state misurate la frequenza cardiaca (FC), la pressione arteriosa sistolica (PAS) e la pressione arteriosa diastolica (PAD). Risultati Il test mentale aritmetico ha rapidamente attivato l'asse simpato-adrenergico e l'asse ipotalamo-ipofisi-corticale del surrene, che a loro volta esercitavano, in tutti i soggetti, effetti eccitatori sul sistema cardiovascolare (frequenza cardiaca, PAS, PAD), indipendentemente dall’abilità di calcolo aritmetico mentale degli individui. Conclusioni Abbiamo realizzato e validato uno strumento informatico che è risultato efficace nell’indurre uno stress mentale acuto e nello stimolare le risposte endocrine ed emodinamiche ad esso associate. Questo strumento è semplice, ripetibile, liberamente accessibile e può essere impiegato per studiare i meccanismi fisiopatologici legati allo stress e il loro ruolo nelle malattie cardiovascolari

Il recepimento italiano della Direttiva 2004/80/CE. Brevi note di carattere pratico relative all’indennizzo delle vittime di reato/L’intégration de la Directive n°2004/80/CE dans le système légal italien. Brefs aperçus sur l’indemnisations des victimes de délits/The incorporation of Directive no. 2004/80/CE into the Italian legal system. Brief outline about compensation to crime victims

La Direttiva 2004/80/CE stabilisce che gli Stati membri dell’Unione Europea mettano in atto sistemi normativi volti a prevedere forme di indennizzo a favore delle vittime di reati violenti e dolosi, quando l’autore del fatto criminale sia sconosciuto o insolvente. Il presente articolo pone l’attenzione sul recepimento nell’ordinamento italiano della norma europea, operato con la Legge n. 122 del 6 luglio 2016,evidenziando gli aspetti critici e le problematiche sollevati dalla dottrina e dalla giurisprudenza. Appare, infatti, concorde la dottrina nel ritenere che tale norma rappresenta una lettura riduzionistica della disciplina europea. I punti critici della legge italiana sono sintetizzabili in particolare: nella generale restrizione del concetto di indennizzo (inteso prevalentemente come rimborso spese), nella limitazione dei reati per i quali è prevista la possibilità di ottenere un ristoro e nelle condizioni previste in capo alla vittima per accedere al beneficio. La Directive n°2004/80/CE prévoit que les États membres mettent en vigueur les dispositions législatives, réglementaires et administratives nécessaires pour indemniser les victimes de délits violents et intentionnels lorsque le contrevenant ne peut pas être identifié ou est insolvable. Cet article porte sur l’intégration de cette Directive dans le système légal italien, par la Loi n°122 du 6 juillet 2016, mettant en relief les aspects les plus critiques et les problèmes envisagés par la littérature et la jurisprudence. La littérature sur le sujet semble, en effet, indiquer que cette loi est réductionniste en comparaison avec la Directive européenne. Les points critiques de la loi italienne peuvent être résumés comme suit : la restriction du concept d’indemnisation (dans la loi italienne il ne couvre que les dépenses) ; le nombre restreint de délits pour lesquels l’indemnisation est prévue ; les caractéristiques de la victime nécessaires à l’obtention de l’indemnisation. The Directive no. 2004/80/CE stipulates that Member States shall bring into force the laws about compensation to violent and intentional crime victims where the offender cannot be identified or is insolvent. This article focuses on the incorporation of this Directive into the Italian legal system, through the law no. 122 of 6 July 2016, highlighting the most critical aspects and the problems unveiled by literature and justice case-law. The literature seems to agree that such a law is reductionist in comparison with the European regulation. The critical points of the Italian law may be summarised as follows: the restriction of the concept of compensation (in the Italian law it is intended as a mere cover expenditure); the few number of crimes for which a compensation can be envisaged; the underlying conditions of the victims for asking for the compensation

Holistic Face Processing in newborns, three-month-old infants and adults: Evidence from the Composite Face Effect

Holistic face processing was investigated in newborns, 3-month-old infants, and adults through a modified version of the composite face paradigm and the recording of eye movements. After familiarization to the top portion of a face, participants (N = 70) were shown 2 aligned or misaligned faces, 1 of which comprised the familiar top part. In the aligned condition, no visual preference was found at any group age. In the misaligned condition, 3-month-olds preferred the face stimulus with the familiar top part, adults preferred the face stimulus with the novel one, and newborns did not manifest any visual preference. Results revealed that both infants\u2019 and adults\u2019 eye movements may be affected by holistic face information and demonstrated holistic face processing in 3-month-olds

Walking direction triggers visuo-spatial orienting in 6-month-old infants and adults: An eye tracking study

The present study investigates whether the walking direction of a biological motion point-light display can trigger visuo-spatial attention in 6-month-old infants. A cueing paradigm and the recording of eye movements in a free viewing condition were employed. A control group of adults took part in the experiment. Participants were presented with a central point-light display depicting a walking human, followed by a single peripheral target. In experiment 1, the central biological motion stimulus depicting a walking human could be upright or upside-down and was facing either left or right. Results revealed that the latency of saccades toward the peripheral target was modulated by the congruency between the facing direction of the cue and the position of the target. In infants, as well as in adults, saccade latencies were shorter when the target appeared in the position signalled by the facing direction of the point-light walker (congruent trials) than when the target appeared in the contralateral position (incongruent trials). This cueing effect was present only when the biological motion cue was presented in the upright condition and not when the display was inverted. In experiment 2, a rolling point-light circle with unambiguous direction was adopted. Here, adults were influenced by the direction of the central cue. However no effect of congruency was found in infants. This result suggests that biological motion has a priority as a cue for spatial attention during development