The Interstitial Language and Transnational Experience

In this essay I argue that the idea of inhabiting, and of human individuality as the house of being, are fruitful ideas if located in a space defined by movement, porosity, interstitiality, and in an urban and architectural paradigm which is based on openness and inclusiveness. Transnational experiences and localities can be, to this end, extremely instructive. It is essential to articulate the notion of dwelling within an urban context in which building is the result of complex cultural and social interactions, which are characterised not only by the negotiation of space and materials but also, and more importantly, by a range of symbolic values. The symbolism that I refer to here is the product of mnemonic and emotional experiences marked by time and space, which in the case of the migratory and transnational experiences is arrived at through a delicate negotiation of the past and the present, and the ‘here’ (the current locality) and the ‘there’ (the native locality). The dwelling that I speak of is, therefore, a double dwelling divided between the present at-hand and the remembered past, and as such it inhabits a space, which is both interstitial and liminal, simultaneously in and out-of-place. I have chosen the Italian Forum in Sydney as a working sample of the place-out-of-plac

The Sound of Memory: Thoughts on Benjamin's Berliner Chronik

1. On April 7 1932, Walter Benjamin boarded the steam freighter Catania in Hamburg, en route to Barcelona. From Barcelona, Benjamin made his way to the Island of Ibiza, where his friends the Noeggeraths were waiting for him

Fulminant ischemic colitis with a fatal outcome after cocaine snorting: Case report and literature review

Abstract Snorting represents the most common route of administration for recreational powdered cocaine, and it is considered less dangerous than other routes of intake (i.e., intravenous; crack inhalation; etc.). A case of fulminant ischemic colitis with a fatal outcome, which occurred in a 19-year-old man after cocaine snorting, is presented in this report. Although several cases are reported in the literature, no one has involved people aged less than 20 years. The young man showed unspecific symptoms, which began about 2 h after the cocaine intake and the physicians were unable to make the diagnosis. This report may assist doctors treating young men who have consumed cocaine to consider this possible complication in all young adults (teenagers) in the presence of unspecific symptoms

Protecting sensitive patient groups from imaging using ionizing radiation: effects during pregnancy, in fetal life and childhood

The frequency of imaging examinations requiring radiation exposure in children (especially CT) is rapidly increasing. This paper reviews the current evidence in radiation protection in pediatric imaging, focusing on the recent knowledge of the biological risk related to low doses exposure. Even if there are no strictly defined limits for patient radiation exposure, it is recommended to try to keep doses as low as reasonably achievable (the ALARA principle). To achieve ALARA, several techniques to reduce the radiation dose in radiation-sensitive patients groups are reviewed. The most recent recommendations that provide guidance regarding imaging of pregnant women are also summarized, and the risk depending on dose and phase of pregnancy is reported. Finally, the risk-benefit analysis of each examination, and careful communication of this risk to the patient, is emphasized

Primary hepatitis A vaccination failure is a rare although possible event: results of a retrospective study

A case of Hepatitis A occurred in a traveller in spite of a complete course of immunization with a combined HAV and HBV vaccine [Taliani G, Sbaragli S, Bartoloni A, Santini MG, Tozzi A, Paradisi F Hepatitis A vaccine failure: how to treat the threat. Vaccine 2003;21(31):4505-6]. A retrospective study was per-formed to evaluate whether the failure was primary or could be attributed to a specific lot of vaccine or to its inadequate handling and/or storage. Two distinct populations of vaccinees were selected in a 1:2 proportion. The case group (N=31) included subjects who were vaccinated in the same period and with the same lot and batch of vaccine as the case. The control group (N=62) included subjects who received different lot and batch of the same vaccine as the case group. A persisting antibody response to HAV vaccine was found among all subjects (anti-HAV > 20 mIU/ml). The overall anti-HBs seropositivity rate (anti-HBs > 10 mIU/ml) was 74%, without significant difference between the case (77%) and the control group (73%; P > 0.05). The reported Hepatitis A case can be attributed to a rare primary vaccine failure rather than to inefficacy of a specific lot of vaccine or to inappropriate vaccine handling or storage. Our study supports the indications for use of combined Hepatitis A+B immunization in travellers at risk for both infections, but stresses the need for information on correct hygienic behaviours while abroad. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

High Voltage System for the CMS Electromagnetic Calorimeter

The CMS electromagnetic calorimeter (ECAL) is made of about 75000 lead tungstate crystals. The 61200 crystals of the barrel part are read by avalanche photodiodes (APD) with internal amplification of the signal. Since the gain strongly depends on the bias voltage, the APDs require a very stable power supply system. To preserve the high energy resolution of the calorimeter, a stability of the bias voltage of the order of 10^-4 is required over several months, a typical interval between absolute calibrations of the full read-out chain with physics events. This paper describes the High Voltage power supply system developed for CMS ECAL and its performances as measured in laboratory tests and during test-beam operations of several modules of the calorimeter