La nuova scena tecnologica e l'eredità wagneriana

Saggio introduttivo alla ristampa e nuova edizione de L'opera d'arte del futuro di R. Wagner. Il saggio recupera riferimenti, pensieri, utopie wagneriane quali il concetto di Opera d'arte totale per applicarli alla nuova scena video interattiva e video musicale contemporanea

The Sandblaster Software-Defined Radio Platform for Mobile 4G Wireless Communications

We present a tier 2 Software Defined-Radio platform (SDR), built around the latest Sandbridge Technologies' multithreaded Digital Signal Processor (DSP) SB3500, along with the description of major design steps taken to ensure the best radio link and computational performance. This SDR platform is capable of executing 4G wireless communication standards such as WiMAX Wave 2, WLAN 802.11 g, and LTE. Performance results for WiMAX are presented in the conclusion section

Posttransplantation chronic renal damage in nonrenal transplant recipients

Background. The growing problem of relentless deterioration of renal function in patients who undergo transplantation of nonrenal solid organs is bound to have an increasingly important impact as it may not only worsen patient morbidity and mortality but also increase transplantation costs. Methods. We reviewed the literature in order to provide a sumof the most important data on the incidence, clinical picture, renal pathology pattern, damage mechanisms, and risk factors, along with strategies for prevention and treatment of chronic renal damage following nonrenal solid organ transplantation. Results. Literature data report that 10% to 80% of transplanted patients have some degree of renal dysfunction and that they share a common clinical picture characterized by relentless asymptomatic progression, frequent hypertension, mild urinary abnormalities, and pathology features of vascular, glomerular, tubular, and interstitial involvement. These changes are very similar to those reported for chronic nephrotoxicity from calcineurin inhibitors. The occurrence of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) requiring chronic dialysis has been reported in up to 20%of nonrenal transplant recipients. Although there are some organ-specific differences, a group of common risk factors has been recognized, including the use of calcineurin inhibitors as immunosuppressive agents, age, pretransplantation renal function, intraoperative/perioperative factors, concomitant use of other nephrotoxic drugs, infections, and posttransplantation acute renal failure. Conclusion. Calcineurin inhibitor\u2013induced nephrotoxicity is a growing problem and, as the age of recipients of nonrenal organs is increasing, this problem is destined to increase. It would therefore be advisable for nephrologists to share their experiences in immunomodulation with other specialties, so as tofavor the cautious extension of calcineurin inhibitor\u2013sparing protocols to the area of life-saving transplants

Feasibility and safety of G-CSF administration to induce bone marrow-derived cells mobilization in patients with end stage liver disease

BACKGROUND/AIMS: To evaluate feasibility, safety and pattern of bone marrow-derived cells (BMC) mobilization in patients with end stage liver cirrhosis following granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) administration. METHODS: Eight patients with severe liver cirrhosis (Child-Pugh score B-C, spleen diameter less than 170 mm) were included. They were treated with G-CSF (5 microg/kg b.i.d for three consecutive days) to mobilize BMC, evaluated as circulating CD34+ve cells (flow cytometry) and myeloid CFU-GM progenitors (in vitro colony growth assay). Co-expression in CD34+ve cells markers of differentiation (Thy1, CD133, CXCR4, c1qRp) were investigated on CD34+ve cells by double direct immunofluorescence. Data from 40 healthy haematopoietic stem cell donors were used as controls. RESULTS: Mobilization of CD34+ve cells occurred in all patients. It was paralleled by expansion of circulating CFU-GM progenitors. Circulating CD34+ve cells co-expressed epithelial and stem cell markers in both cirrhotics and volunteer stem cell donors. G-CSF was well tolerated, no adverse event occurred, a significant reversible increase of splenic longitudinal diameter was observed. CONCLUSIONS: (i) G-CSF mobilization of BMC co-expressing epithelial and stem markers occurred in all cirrhotic patients; (ii) splenomegaly up to 170 mm does not prevent safe BMC mobilization following G-CSF in patients with end stage liver disease; (iii) mobilized BMC may represent an easy immature cell source potentially useful for novel approaches for liver regeneration