Trichothecenes NIV and DON modulate the maturation of murinedendritic cells

Nivalenol (NIV) and Deoxynivalenol (DON), mycotoxins of the trichothecene family are considered very common food contaminants. In this work, we investigated whether the immunotoxic effects ascribed to these trichothecenes may be mediated by perturbations in the activity of dendritic cells (DCs). Murine bone marrow-derived DCs were used to evaluate the effects of NIV and DON on the LPS-induced maturation process.We found that the expression of the class II MHC and of the accessory CD11c molecules, but not of the costimulatory CD86 marker, was down-regulated by NIV and DON exposure in LPS-treated DCs, as well as nitric oxide (NO) production. Interestingly, NIV, but not DON, induced DC necrosis. Moreover, the analysis of the cytokine pattern showed that IL-12 and IL-10 expressions induced by LPS exposure were suppressed by both trichothecenes in a dose-dependent fashion. On the other hand, the secretion of the proinflammatory cytokine TNFa was increased as a direct consequence of DON and NIV exposure. Taken together, our data indicated that the immunotoxicity of NIV and DON was related to the capacity of both trichothecenes to interfere with phenotypic and functional features of maturing DCs

CAM04-1: Admission control in self aware networks

The worldwide growth in broadband access and multimedia traffic has led to an increasing need for Quality- of-Service (QoS) in networks. Real time network applications require a stable, reliable, and predictable network that will guarantee packet delivery under QoS constraints. Network self- awareness through on-line measurement and adaptivity in response to user needs is one way to advance user QoS when overall network conditions can change, while admission control (AC) is an approach that has been commonly used to reduce traffic congestion and to satisfy users' QoS requests. The purpose of this paper is to describe a novel measurement-based admission control algorithm which bases its decision on different QoS metrics that users can specify. The self-observation and self- awareness capabilities of the network are exploited to collect data that allows an AC algorithm to decide whether to admit users based on their QoS needs, and the QoS impact they will have on other users. The approach we propose finds whether feasible paths exist for the projected incoming traffic, and estimates the impact that the newly accepted traffic will have on the QoS of pre-existing connections. The AC decision is then taken based on the outcome of this analysis

CAM04-1: Admission control in self aware networks

The worldwide growth in broadband access and multimedia traffic has led to an increasing need for Quality- of-Service (QoS) in networks. Real time network applications require a stable, reliable, and predictable network that will guarantee packet delivery under QoS constraints. Network self- awareness through on-line measurement and adaptivity in response to user needs is one way to advance user QoS when overall network conditions can change, while admission control (AC) is an approach that has been commonly used to reduce traffic congestion and to satisfy users' QoS requests. The purpose of this paper is to describe a novel measurement-based admission control algorithm which bases its decision on different QoS metrics that users can specify. The self-observation and self- awareness capabilities of the network are exploited to collect data that allows an AC algorithm to decide whether to admit users based on their QoS needs, and the QoS impact they will have on other users. The approach we propose finds whether feasible paths exist for the projected incoming traffic, and estimates the impact that the newly accepted traffic will have on the QoS of pre-existing connections. The AC decision is then taken based on the outcome of this analysis

A cooperation-based approach to energy optimization in wireless ad hoc networks

A well known and still open issue for wireless ad hoc networks is the unfair energy consumption among the nodes. The specific position of certain nodes composing an ad hoc network makes them more involved in network operations than others, causing a faster drain of their energy. To better distribute the energy level and increase the lifetime of the whole network, we propose to periodically force the cooperation of less cooperative nodes while overwhelmed ones deliberately stop their service. A dedicated ad hoc network routing protocol is introduced to discover alternative paths without degradation in the overall network performance

Dosimetry by 90Y internal pair production PET imaging after liver radioembolization: How well can we quantify the absorbed dose to lesions?

Radioembolization is a catheter-based liver-directed therapy indicated mainly in a palliative setting for primary and secondary hepatic malignancies. It involves the administration of 90Y-loaded microspheres in the arterial vasculature of the liver by use of percutaneous transarterial techniques. Previous studies showed that the decay of 90Y has a minor branch to the 0+ first excited state of 90Zr at 1.76MeV, that is followed by a β+/β− emission. In recent years, a number of authors have used the small positronic emission of 90Y, (3.186±0.047)·10−5, to obtain highresolution positron emission tomography (PET) images of 90Y biodistribution after liver radioembolization. At present, it is generally accepted that the possibility of detecting β+ emissions from 90Y by PET scanners may pave the way for an accurate patient-specific dosimetry. The present paper has a twofold purpose. Firstly, a brief overview of imaging modalities currently used to assess microsphere biodistribution after liver radioembolization is presented. Secondly, the paper focuses on 90Y-PET dosimetry. A benchmark between a number of dosimetric approaches for accurate dosimetry after liver radioembolization with 90Y-PET dosimetry is presented

Neither secondo Studio Azzurro: un atlante iconografico beckettiano

"Neither", progettato da Studio Azzurro e diretto da Paolo Rosa per l'Opernhaus di Stoccarda nel 2004, costituisce un esempio emblematico della tensione multidisciplinare che caratterizza il gruppo videoartistico milanese, e che lo spinge ad accostarsi, già dalla seconda metà degli anni '80, ai linguaggi dello spettacolo dal vivo. Nell'occorrenza specifica, l'allestimento dell'opera lirica composta da Morton Feldman su testo di Samuel Beckett vede lo Studio impegnato in un lungo processo preparatorio, volto, sin dalle sue fasi embrionali, a saldare l'imbastitura musicale all'atlante immaginifico dell'autore irlandese. La «drammaturgia multimediale» elaborata per la rappresentazione non si limita difatti a materializzare i referenti visivi contenuti nello scheletrico libretto, ma elabora corrispondenze che lo trascendono, attingendo all'intero canone verbo-iconografico di Samuel Beckett. Scopo del saggio è quello di verificare tale prerogativa progettuale e di analizzarne gli sviluppi sul piano scenico, attraverso la rassegna di materiali inediti (appunti preliminari, bozzetti scenici, storyboard) conservati presso l'Archivio Studio Azzurro e presso l'Archivio privato dello scenografo Stefano Gargiulo. A corredo del contributo, si fornisce una rassegna della fortuna critica di "Neither" e la trascrizione di una conversazione inedita tra Paolo Rosa e il Dramaturg dell'allestimento Klaus Zehelein."Neither", designed by Studio Azzurro and directed by Paolo Rosa for the Opernhaus in Stuttgart in 2004, is an emblematic example of the multidisciplinary tension that characterizes the Italian video-artistic group, and that pushes it to approach, since the second half of the '80s, the languages of the live performance. In the specific case, the staging of the opera composed by Morton Feldman on a text by Samuel Beckett, sees Studio Azzurro engaged in a long preparatory process, aimed, since its starting point, to connect the music to the imaginative atlas of the Irish author. The «multimedia dramaturgy» designed for the production not only materializes the visual references contained in the skeletal libretto, but also elaborates correspondences with the entire verbal-iconographic canon of Samuel Beckett. The aim of my essay is to verify this design prerogative and to examine its developments on the stage, through the analysis of unpublished materials (preliminary notes, stage sketches and the storyboard) preserved at the Studio Azzurro Archive and at the private archive of the set designer Stefano Gargiulo. The paper is accompanied by a review of "Neither" 's critical fortune and the transcription of an unpublished conversation between Paolo Rosa and the Dramaturg of the production, Klaus Zehelein

Valutazione di incidenza ambientale e semplificazione procedimentale

Abstract: Nei procedimenti di autorizzazione dei progetti finalizzati alla realizzazione di interventi su siti di rilevanza comunitaria, in ossequio ai principi di prevenzione e precauzione sanciti dall’art. 174 TCE, il rilascio o il perfezionamento del titolo edilizio è subordinato alla verifica dell’acquisizione della valutazione di incidenza ambientale (V.I.A.) non residuando in capo all’amministrazione alcuna possibilità di apprezzamento in  ordine all’opportunità o meno di esercitare la relativa funzione, né sul quando effettuare tale valutazione. Specificamente in tale ambito, l’esigenza di semplificazione non può e non deve tradursi in una illegittima compressione di un valore primario, quale è l’ambiente, né ad una autorizzazione postuma potrebbe riconoscersi efficacia sanante, essendo essa intervenuta in ritardo rispetto alla ordinaria sequenza procedimentale e, comunque, inidonea a stemperare le rilevanti ripercussioni del progetto sull’ambiente. Parole chiave: Ambiente; principio di proporzionalità; prevenzione e precauzione; valutazioni ambientali; tecniche di semplificazione. Abstract: In proceedings for the authorization of projects aimed to the implementation of actions on sites of Community importance, in compliance with the principles of prevention and precaution, according to art. 174 TEC, the issue or the improvement of the building licence is subject to verification of the acquisition of the environment impact assessment (E.I.A.). The public authority has not any discretion as to “if” and “when” making the assessment. Specifically in this context, the need for simplification cannot and must not result in an unlawful compression of a primary value, like the environment. An authorization cannot regularize the measure ex post, since it occurred later than the ordinary and procedural sequence, and, however, it is unable to minimize the significant damages on the environment. Key words: environment; proportionality principle; prevention and precautionary principle; environmental  assessments; simplification methods.&nbsp

Diffrazioni beckettiane: il plesso teatro-schermico di Atom Egoyan

Although primarily known for his work as a filmmaker, Atom Egoyan has staged several theatre plays. In his career, theatre and the screen appear to be intertwined into a practice strongly influenced by Samuel Beckett. The artist adapts Beckett’s texts on two occasions: a work from behind the camera – the film of the drama Krapp's Last Tape – and a staged ver- sion of Eh Joe’s script. This paper aims to analyse how Egoyan transfers Beckett’s teleplay Eh Joe from the television screen to the stage