Comunione legale e partecipazioni societarie

Il regime giuridico delle partecipazioni sociali acquistate in regime di comunione legale dei beni costituisce uno dei più spinosi problemi che si presentano all’interprete in sede di ricostruzione della disciplina della comunione dei beni tra coniugi. Il silenzio del legislatore della riforma del diritto di famiglia – legge 19 maggio 1975 n. 151 - ha fatto sorgere questioni di non poco interesse in relazione alla caduta in comunione degli acquisti di partecipazioni sociali. L’analisi suddetta coinvolge un aspetto che costituisce il dato peculiare del tema in oggetto, vale a dire, l’applicabilità di normative differenti - disciplinanti gli istituti in esame – in un unico contesto, le cui possibili conseguenze risiedono in eventuali incompatibilità, deroghe e interferenze delle regole del diritto societario con il regime comunitario. Pertanto, la scelta tra le possibili relazioni tra partecipazioni societarie ed oggetto della comunione legale è resa incerta sia dal silenzio del legislatore che dalle molteplici qualificazioni astrattamente ascrivibili alle situazioni giuridiche soggettive, descritte con il termini “partecipazioni sociali”, e alle regole di appartenenza, sintetizzate dalla locuzione “comunione legale”. L’intensità dell’intreccio disciplinare impone operazioni ermeneutiche, che sciolgano le difficoltà e trovino un equilibrio tra previsioni normative diverse, secondo esiti di condivisibile certezza. Si tratta di un argomento che ha suscitato l’attenzione della dottrina e della giurisprudenza, testimoniato da una copiosa letteratura e da numerose pronunce giurisprudenziali, per cui l’ulteriore approfondimento deve essere inteso quale mezzo idoneo per individuare nel variegato panorama delle ipotesi ricostruttive, quella che sembra armonizzarsi con il sistema. L’intensificarsi degli interventi della Cassazione consente la ricostruzione degli elementi della fattispecie proposta e permette, altresì, di delineare, attraverso un corretto procedimento ermeneutico, una prospettiva pragmatica più accurata

A study on prophagic and chromosomal sodC genes involvement in Escherichia coli O157:H7 biofilm formation and biofilm resistance to H2O2

Introduction. Escherichia coli O157:H7 possesses one chromosomal and two prophagicsodC genes encoding for Cu,Zn superoxide dismutases. We evaluated the contribution ofsodC genes in biofilm formation and its resistance to hydrogen peroxide.Methods. The biofilm of sodC deletion mutants has been studied, in presence or absenceof hydrogen peroxide, by crystal violet in 96-well plates and Scanning Electron Microscopyon glass coverslips.Results. Deletion of prophagic sodC genes had no effect on biofilm construction, in contrastto the chromosomal gene deletion. Hydrogen peroxide treatment showed highercell mortality and morphological alterations in sodC deletion mutants respect to wildtype. These effects were related to the biofilm development stage.Conclusion. The role of the three SodCs is not redundant in biofilm formation and theresistance to oxidative damage. The stage of biofilm development is a crucial factor foran effective sanitization

Role of ZnuABC and ZinT in Escherichia coli O157:H7 zinc acquisition and interaction with epithelial cells

BACKGROUND: Zinc is an essential element for all living cells. Recent studies have shown that the ZnuABC zinc uptake system significantly contributes to the ability of several pathogens to multiply in the infected host and cause disease, suggesting that zinc is scarcely available within different tissues of the host. To better understand the role of zinc in bacterial pathogenicity, we have undertaken a functional characterization of the role of the ZnuABC-mediated zinc uptake pathway in enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7. RESULTS: In this work we have analyzed the expression and the role in metal uptake of ZnuA, the periplasmic component of the ZnuABC transporter, and of ZinT, another periplasmic protein which has been shown to contribute to zinc recruitment. We report that the expression of zinT and znuA, regulated by Zur, is induced in zinc-poor media, and that inactivation of either of the genes significantly decreases E. coli O157:H7 ability to grow in zinc depleted media. We also demonstrate that ZinT and ZnuA have not a redundant function in zinc homeostasis, as the role of ZinT is subordinated to the presence of ZnuA. Moreover, we have found that znuA and zinT are strongly induced in bacteria adhering to cultured epithelial cells and that lack of ZnuA affects the adhesion ability. In addition we have found that a fraction of apo-ZinT can be secreted outside the cell where the protein might sequester environmental zinc, inducing a condition of metal starvation in surrounding cells. CONCLUSIONS: The here reported results demonstrate that ZnuABC plays a critical role in zinc uptake also in E. coli O157:H7 and that ZinT contributes to the ZnuA-mediated recruitment of zinc in the periplasmic space. Full functionality of the zinc import apparatus is required to facilitate bacterial adhesion to epithelial cells, indicating that the microbial ability to compete with the host cells for zinc binding is critical to establish successful infections. The observation that ZinT can be secreted when it is in the apo-form suggests that its presence in the extracellular environment may somehow contribute to metal uptake or facilitate bacterial colonization of the intestinal epithelia

Regulatory and structural properties differentiating the chromosomal and the bacteriophage-associated Escherichia coli O157:H7 Cu, Zn Superoxide Dismutases

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Highly virulent enterohemorrhagic <it>Escherichia coli </it>O157:H7 strains possess three <it>sodC </it>genes encoding for periplasmic Cu, Zn superoxide dismutases: <it>sodC</it>, which is identical to the gene present in non-pathogenic <it>E. coli </it>strains, and <it>sodC</it>-F1 and <it>sodC</it>-F2, two nearly identical genes located within lambdoid prophage sequences. The significance of this apparent <it>sodC </it>redundancy in <it>E. coli </it>O157:H7 has not yet been investigated.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We report that strains deleted of one or more <it>sodC </it>genes are less resistant than the wild type strain to a challenge with hydrogen peroxide, thus confirming their involvement in the bacterial antioxidant apparatus. To understand if the different <it>sodC </it>genes have truly overlapping functions, we have carried out a comparison of the functional, structural and regulatory properties of the various <it>E. coli </it>O157:H7 SodC enzymes. We have found that the chromosomal and prophagic <it>sodC </it>genes are differentially regulated <it>in vitro</it>. <it>sodC </it>is exclusively expressed in aerobic cultures grown to the stationary phase. In contrast, <it>sodC</it>-F1 and <it>sodC</it>-F2 are expressed also in the logarithmic phase and in anaerobic cultures. Moreover, the abundance of SodC-F1/SodC-F2 increases with respect to that of SodC in bacteria recovered from infected Caco-2 cells, suggesting higher expression/stability of SodC-F1/SodC-F2 in intracellular environments. This observation correlates with the properties of the proteins. In fact, monomeric SodC and dimeric SodC-F1/SodC-F2 are characterized by sharp differences in catalytic activity, metal affinity, protease resistance and stability.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our data show that the chromosomal and bacteriophage-associated <it>E. coli </it>O157:H7 <it>sodC </it>genes have different regulatory properties and encode for proteins with distinct structural/functional features, suggesting that they likely play distinctive roles in bacterial protection from reactive oxygen species. In particular, dimeric SodC-F1 and SodC-F2 possess physico-chemical properties which make these enzymes more suitable than SodC to resist the harsh environmental conditions which are encountered by bacteria within the infected host.</p

Observations on different post-fire bio-engineering interventions and vegetation response in a Pinus canariensis C. Sm. forest

On the Canary Islands, during the 2007 (30 July - 2 August) wildfire, about 18.000 hectares of forest were destroyed. After the event, to avoid erosion, a series of mixed check dams (wooden elements and stones with a core filled with forest residues) were built in the gullies created by the surface runoff. This first study aims to investigate the different responses of vegetation and its recovery after fire, with three different types of structures. We analyzed the performance and evolution of the mixed check dams nine years after their construction and the post-fire response of vegetation with the different types of bio-engineering techniques applied. The effects of the mixed check dams are expressed in terms of plant density, frequency, and cover both in absolute and in relative terms and the same effects were compared with those of the rocks, check dams, wattle fences, and structure in the surrounding areas. Our observations show that fire adaptation in the Canary Islands vegetation (pyrophyte plants), coupled with selected bio-engineering techniques, facilitated resprouting, seeds germination and a quick restoration of the forest ecosystem. The study confirms that simple, nature-based and low cost bio-engineering measures, which use local materials and are consistent with traditional building experiences effectively contribute to site restoration

A cascade of complications in a hospitalized frail older patient: is a better management possible?

Methods. Describing the complications that an older patient under- went during his hospital stay.Results. An 87-year-old man was admitted to the San Raffaele Hos- pital for a transient loss of consciousness (LOC). He was hospitalized for assessing the causes of the LOC. The LOC lasted 2 minutes, was associated with bilateral upper limb clonus and subsequent confu- sion. The patient was severely comorbid: he suffered from metabolic syndrome, chronic kidney failure, hemodynamically significant carotid atheromasia, anemia, and he had a dubious history of epilepsy. More- over, the patient was cognitively impaired and many episodes of LOC were reported in his medical history. During the hospital stay the patient developed many complications: a fall, nosocomial pneumonia, urinary retention and deconditioning.Conclusions. Global aging poses several challenges to society and public health systems. The traditional models of care are not suitable to face the complex needs of frail older people for whom standard deci- sional algorithms are seldom applicable. The context of hospitalization, though necessary, may be hazardous risky for the health of older peo- ple, especially the frailer ones

Dyspnea as a symptom of progressive chronic myeloproliferative disease: a rare case of hemorrhagic alveolitis and pulmonary fibrosis, due to extramedullary erythropoiesis

n/

Loco regional failure pattern after lumpectomy and breast irradiation in 4185 patients with T1 and T2 breast cancer. Implications for nodal irradiation

The aim of this study is to determinate incidence and risk factors for loco regional failure (LRR) (breast, supraclavicular, axillary and internal mammary nodes) and indications for nodal irradiation. From January 1980 to December 2001, 4,185 patients with T1-T2 breast cancer were treated with conservative surgery and whole breast radiotherapy without nodal irradiation at the University of Florence. The median age was 55 years (range 19-86). All patients were followed for a median of eight years (range 3 months to 20 years). Multivariate analysis showed as independent prognostic factors for isolated nodal relapse (NR) the presence of more than three positive lymph nodes (PAN) (p = 0.001), angiolymphatic invasion (p = 0.002) and pT2 (p = 0.02). However, only 4.8% of patients with more than three PAN developed NR as the only site of recurrence. Having one to three PAN was not associated with an increased risk of NR. We believe that it is not necessary to prescribe nodal irradiation to patients with negative or one to three PAN. Regarding patients with more than three PAN, the number of isolated NR is also small to routinely justify a node irradiation

Neural stem cell transplantation in patients with progressive multiple sclerosis: an open-label, phase 1 study

Innovative pro-regenerative treatment strategies for progressive multiple sclerosis (PMS), combining neuroprotection and immunomodulation, represent an unmet need. Neural precursor cells (NPCs) transplanted in animal models of multiple sclerosis have shown preclinical efficacy by promoting neuroprotection and remyelination by releasing molecules sustaining trophic support and neural plasticity. Here we present the results of STEMS, a prospective, therapeutic exploratory, non-randomized, open-label, single-dose-finding phase 1 clinical trial (NCT03269071, EudraCT 2016-002020-86), performed at San Raffaele Hospital in Milan, Italy, evaluating the feasibility, safety and tolerability of intrathecally transplanted human fetal NPCs (hfNPCs) in 12 patients with PMS (with evidence of disease progression, Expanded Disability Status Scale &gt;= 6.5, age 18-55 years, disease duration 2-20 years, without any alternative approved therapy). The safety primary outcome was reached, with no severe adverse reactions related to hfNPCs at 2-year follow-up, clearly demonstrating that hfNPC therapy in PMS is feasible, safe and tolerable. Exploratory secondary analyses showed a lower rate of brain atrophy in patients receiving the highest dosage of hfNPCs and increased cerebrospinal fluid levels of anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective molecules. Although preliminary, these results support the rationale and value of future clinical studies with the highest dose of hfNPCs in a larger cohort of patients