La relevancia del Protocolo Facultativo del Pacto Internacional de Derechos Económicos, Sociales y Culturales en el ordenamiento italiano: perspectiva jurisprudencial

El presente estudio examina las oportunidades y dificultades a las que se enfrenta la entrada en vigor en el ordenamiento italiano del Protocolo facultativo relativo al Pacto internacional de derechos económicos, sociales y culturales (PF-PIDESC), el 5 de mayo de 2013. En especial, estudia el indispensable compromiso de los jueces ordinarios y las técnicas interpretativas de las que pueden valerse a la luz de la jurisprudencia de la Corte Constitucional italiana, para hacer efectiva la tute-la de los derechos reconocidos en este Pacto. Un ejemplo de los desafíos que se suscitan para la tutela de los derechos sociales en el actual marco de pluralismo jurídico y constitucional.---------------------------------------------------------------------------The present essay examines the opportunities and difficulties facing the entry into force under the Italian legal system of the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, May 3, 2013. In particular, it studies the essential commitment of judges and the interpretative techniques ac-cording to the Italian Constitutional Court¿s case law, so as to enforce the protec-tion of the rights recognized in the present Covenant. An example of the challeng-es that arise for the protection of social rights in the current framework of consti-tutional and legal pluralism.Artículo revisado por pare

El derecho a la vivienda en la Carta Social Europea : a propósito de una reciente condena a Italia del Comité Europeo de Derechos

En este trabajo se abordan los problemas relativos al derecho a la vivienda como derecho social reconocido en diversos textos normativos, especialmente la Carta Social Europea. En concreto, se analiza la situación en Italia, como consecuencia de las medidas tomadas por las autoridades italianas relativas a los campamentos de diversas poblaciones nómadas. Estas medidas han provocado una condena a Italia por parte de los órganos jurisdiccionales europeos.This paper addresses problems related to housing rights and social rights recognized in different pieces of legislation, especially the European Social Charter. Specifically, it analyzes the situation in Italy, as a result of measures taken by the Italian authorities concerning various nomadic camps. These measures have led to a condemnation of Italy by European courts

A jurisprudência do Comité Europeu de Direitos Sociais em tempos de crise económica: as decisões relativas à Grécia

Artículo revisado por pare

Il contributo della giurisprudenza e degli studi giuridici all’effettività della Carta Sociale Europea nell’ordinamento italiano: cenni ricostruttivi

El il presente studio considera nella sua prima parte la giurisprudenza italiana che a vario titolo ha preso in considerazione la Carta sociale europea, mettendone in evidenza l’evoluzione. In primo luogo, vengono richiamate le pronunce della Corte di cassazione che reputano le norme della Carta prive di effetti in capo ai cittadini, cioè incapaci di creare diritti e obblighi in mancanza di un intervento preventivo, attuativo, da parte del legislatore domestico; e ciò anche quando tale intervento non sia necessario, alla luce del contenuto e dei termini impiegati in tale trattato. In secondo luogo, viene evidenziata una tendenza opposta a quella appena ricordata, recente, sempre della Corte di cassazione, volta a collocare la Carta e gli altri strumenti internazionali posti a garanzia dei diritti umani nella dimensione che mira all’integrazione delle garanzie tratte dai vari livelli ordinamentali, allo scopo di ottenere la maggior tutela possibile per ciascun individuo. Infine, viene presa in considerazione una recente sentenza della Corte costituzionale, la n. 178 del 2015, dalla quale emerge la ricerca di un’integrazione sistematica delle tutele, che coinvolge anche la Carta sociale e che è a sua volta coerente con la ricerca della massima garanzia possibile per i diritti coinvolti nei singoli casi di specie. Nella seconda parte del saggio, viene invece illustrato sinteticamente il contributo della letteratura giuridica italiana a favore del pieno riconoscimento della Carta nell’ordinamento interno. Emergono così tre importanti filoni. Il primo è rappresentato dal tentativo di scardinare l’idea che occorra sempre un intervento del legislatore italiano prima di poter dare effetto diretto alla Carta nel nostro ordinamento o per poter invocare di fronte ad un giudice nazionale la tutela più favorevole offerta dalle sue disposizioni. Il secondo filone teorico, che si collega al primo e in un certo senso è volto a superarlo, prescinde da una considerazione casistica degli effetti diretti della Carta nel nostro ordinamento, per proiettare invece tale strumento nel sistema globale di tutela dei diritti umani, laddove, nel momento della soluzione di casi concreti, il giudice ispira la propria interpretazione del diritto domestico rilevante anche alle norme esterne (internazionali e sovranazionali) pertinenti, nella prospettiva della massima espansione delle tutele. Il terzo filone teorico si fonda sulle interpretazioni che il Comitato europeo dei diritti sociali (CEDS) ha dato alla Carta nel corso della sua complessa e articolata attività di controllo. Vari autori hanno cercato – e seguitano a cercare – di estrapolare dalle complesse attività di controllo del Comitato dei canoni interpretativi che possano essere generalizzati e fatti quindi circolare tra gli studiosi, ma soprattutto accolti dai tribunali internazionali (Corte EDU e CGUE) e dai giudici di tutti gli Stati contraenti. In conclusione, si può affermare che la giurisprudenza rilevata e gli studi giuridici compiuti finora in Italia manifestano segni di un inesausto e profondo impegno, teso a dare piena effettività alla Carta sociale europea nell’ordinamento interno. Manca tuttavia un univoco e inequivoco riconoscimento della sua efficacia giuridica ad opera dei giudici comuni e della nostra Corte costituzionale, insieme ad un esplicito riconoscimento dell’efficacia vincolante delle decisioni rese dal CEDS nella sede dei reclami collettivi.----------------------------------------------------------------------The present study considers, in its first part, the Italian case-law which, for various purposes, has taken into consideration the European Social Charter, highlighting its evolution. Firstly, it presents the Court of Cassation's judgments that comply with the rules of the Charter but which have no effect on citizens. In other words, they are incapable of creating rights and obligations in the absence of a prior implementation by the domestic legislator; and this, even when such legal action is not necessary in the light of the content and terms used in that treaty. Secondly, there is a tendency opposite to the one recently and above-mentioned by the Court of Cassation that put the Charter and other international aiming to safeguard human rights in the dimension that integrate the guarantees derived from the various levels of legal orders in order to obtain the greatest possible protection for individuals. Finally, the study takes into account the recent ruling no. 178/2015 of the Constitutional Court which highlights the pursuit for systematic integration of the safeguards, and which also involves the Social Charter, consistent therefore with the pursuit for the maximum possible protection for the rights involved in the specific cases. In the second part of the essay is briefly illustrated the contribution of Italian legal literature in favor of the full recognition of the Charter in domestic law. Therefore, there are three important features. The first is the attempt to undermine the idea that an action by the Italian legislator is always necessary before giving direct effect to the Charter, or before invoking the most favorable protection afforded by its provisions before a national court. The second theoretical approach in relationship with the first, and in some way aiming to overcome it, is independent of the cases on direct effects of the Charter in our system.  Instead, this tool is placed into the global system of human rights protection, in which, in the instant of solving concrete cases, the court’s interpretation of domestic law considers relevant external (international and supranational) norms in the perspective of the maximum extension of protection. The third theoretical aspect is based on the interpretations that the European Committee of Social Rights (ECSR) gave to the Charter during its complex and multifaceted control. Various scholars have sought and continue to extrapolate interpretative models from the Committee’s complex activities of control in order to generalize, promote a debate among them, as well as to mostly be welcomed by international courts (ECtHR and ECJ) and judges of all Contracting States. In conclusion, it can be argued that the jurisprudence and the legal studies carried out in Italy demonstrate an inexhaustible and profound commitment in order to give full effect to the European Social Charter in domestic law. However, there is no single and unequivocal recognition of its legal effectiveness by the judges and the Constitutional Court, along with an explicit recognition of the binding effect of the decisions made by the ECSR within the framework of collective complaints

Osteoporosis, jawbones and periodontal disease

The association between osteoporosis and jawbones remains an argument of debate. Both osteoporosis and periodontal diseases are bone resorptive diseases; it has been hypothesized that osteoporosis could be a risk factor for the progression of periodontal disease and vice versa. Hypothetical models linking the two conditions exist: in particular, it is supposed that the osteoporosis-related bone mass density reduction may accelerate alveolar bone resorption caused by periodontitis, resulting in a facilitated periodontal bacteria invasion. Invading bacteria, in turn, may alter the normal homeostasis of bone tissue, increasing osteoclastic activity and reducing local and systemic bone density by both direct effects (release of toxins) and/or indirect mechanisms (release of inflammatory mediators). Current evidence provides conflicting results due to potential biases related to study design, samples size and endpoints. The aim of this article is to review and summarize the published literature on the associations between osteoporosis and different oral conditions such as bone loss in the jaws, periodontal diseases, and tooth loss. Further well-controlled studies are needed to better elucidate the inter-relationship between systemic and oral bone loss and to clarify whether dentists could usefully provide early warning for osteoporosis risk

Pathophysiology of age-related diseases

A Symposium regarding the Pathophysiology of Successful and Unsuccessful Ageing was held in Palermo, Italy on 7-8 April 2009. Three lectures from that Symposium by G. Campisi, L. Ginaldi and F. Licastro are here summarized. Ageing is a complex process which negatively impacts on the development of various bodily systems and its ability to function. A long life in a healthy, vigorous, youthful body has always been one of humanity's greatest dreams. Thus, a better understanding of the pathophysiology of age-related diseases is urgently required to improve our understanding of maintaining good health in the elderly and to program possible therapeutic intervention

Update on gingival overgrowth by cyclosporine A in renal transplants

Severe gingival overgrowth is one of the most frequent side effects in renal transplant patients associated with assumption of cyclosporine A. Several associations with age, sex, dosage, duration of therapy or interval since transplantation have been hypothesized. The introduction of alternative immunosuppressant drugs have been suggested to permit better long-term transplant outcomes and a decrease in incidence of gingival overgrowth. The aim of the present paper is to summarize current knowledge regarding aetiology, pathogenesis and management of gingival overgrowth induced by Cyclosporine A

Mechanical adaptation of trabecular bone morphology in the mammalian mandible

Alveolar bone, together with the underlying trabecular bone, fulfils an important role in providing structural support against masticatory forces. Diseases such as osteoporosis or periodontitis cause alveolar bone resorption which weakens this structural support and is a major cause of tooth loss. However, the functional relationship between alveolar bone remodelling within the molar region and masticatory forces is not well understood. This study investigated this relationship by comparing mammalian species with different diets and functional loading (Felis catus, Cercocebus atys, Homo sapiens, Sus scrofa, Oryctolagus cuniculus, Ovis aries). We performed histomorphometric analyses of trabecular bone morphology (bone volume fraction, trabecular thickness and trabecular spacing) and quantified the variation of bone and tooth root volumes along the tooth row. A principal component analysis and non-parametric MANOVA showed statistically significant differences in trabecular bone morphology between species with contrasting functional loading, but these differences were not seen in sub-adult specimens. Our results support a strong, but complex link between masticatory function and trabecular bone morphology. Further understanding of a potential functional relationship could aid the diagnosis and treatment of mandibular diseases causing alveolar bone resorption, and guide the design and evaluation of dental implants