The Communicational Paradigm of the Information Society: The case of Media Pluralism in Europe and in Latin America

Whereas the development of Information Society has caused a deep change in the communicational paradigm of the twentieth century, the predominance of neoliberal economic policies has allowed a significant market concentration. All at national, regional and international levels, both in Europe and in Latin America, policy makers have responded to these two factors, designing policies that are aimed at allowing not only individual’s freedom of expression but also pluralism in a field where digitalization and convergence can only enhance the effects of economic concentration. In the following paragraphs we analyze the case of Media Pluralism since it appears to be a meaningful example of what has, has not and should be done in order to face the expected and emerging consequences of the ongoing changes.Sociedad Argentina de Informática e Investigación Operativ

The Communicational Paradigm of the Information Society: The case of Media Pluralism in Europe and in Latin America

Whereas the development of Information Society has caused a deep change in the communicational paradigm of the twentieth century, the predominance of neoliberal economic policies has allowed a significant market concentration. All at national, regional and international levels, both in Europe and in Latin America, policy makers have responded to these two factors, designing policies that are aimed at allowing not only individual’s freedom of expression but also pluralism in a field where digitalization and convergence can only enhance the effects of economic concentration. In the following paragraphs we analyze the case of Media Pluralism since it appears to be a meaningful example of what has, has not and should be done in order to face the expected and emerging consequences of the ongoing changes.Sociedad Argentina de Informática e Investigación Operativ

The Communicational Paradigm of the Information Society: The case of Media Pluralism in Europe and in Latin America

Whereas the development of Information Society has caused a deep change in the communicational paradigm of the twentieth century, the predominance of neoliberal economic policies has allowed a significant market concentration. All at national, regional and international levels, both in Europe and in Latin America, policy makers have responded to these two factors, designing policies that are aimed at allowing not only individual’s freedom of expression but also pluralism in a field where digitalization and convergence can only enhance the effects of economic concentration. In the following paragraphs we analyze the case of Media Pluralism since it appears to be a meaningful example of what has, has not and should be done in order to face the expected and emerging consequences of the ongoing changes.Sociedad Argentina de Informática e Investigación Operativ

Idiopathic pleuroparenchymatous fibroelastosis: A case report and brief review of the literature

AbstractWe describe a patient with idiopathic pleuroparenchymal fibroelastosis (IPPFE). This rare clinicopathological syndrome is characterized by typical apical alterations op chest imaging, such as pleural thickening and subpleural fibrosis. Thickened visceral pleura and subpleural fibrosis consisting of dense collagen and elastin, are the main histopathological features. Etiology is unknown but a link between recurrent infections (in particular aspergillosis) and autoimmune diseases is suspected. At this time there is no standardized treatment regimen and the prognosis is variable

The crazy-paving pattern: a radiological-pathological correlation

The crazy-paving pattern is a linear pattern superimposed on a background of ground-glass opacity, resembling irregularly shaped paving stones. The crazy-paving pattern is initially described as the pathognomonic sign of alveolar proteinosis. Nowadays this pattern is a common finding on high-resolution CT imaging, and can be seen in a number of acute and chronic diseases. The purpose of this paper is to illustrate different diseases that cause this crazy-paving pattern and to correlate the radiological findings from computed tomography with the histopathological findings

Pictorial essay. Pathology of the thymus on CT-imaging.

A number of masses arise in relation to the thymus. The radiologist has an important role regarding the differential diagnosis between non-tumoral thymic pathology and malignant thymic tumors. In general, a benign hyperplasia of the thymus occurs in children and young adults, while in adults the thymoma is the most common tumor. Furthermore imaging is of great importance in the preoperative staging and oncological follow-up. To evaluate the thymus CT scan is used in the majority of the cases. MRI or PET-CT can have an added value in the differential diagnosis of various thymic pathologies in some cases. We present an overview of thymic masses with typically imaging features: thymic hyperplasia, thymomas, thymic carcinoma, thymic non-hodgkin lymphoma, thymolipoma and thymic carcinoid

Quantitative analysis of airway obstruction in lymphangio-leio-myomatosis

Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) is a rare, cystic lung disease with progressive pulmonary function loss caused by progressively proliferating LAM cells. The degree of airway obstruction has not been well investigated within the pathogenesis of LAM. Using a combination of ex vivo computed tomography (CT), microCT and histology, the site and nature of airway obstruction in LAM explant lungs was compared with matched control lungs (n=5 each). The total number of airways per generation, total airway counts, terminal bronchioles number and surface density were compared in LAM versus control. Ex vivo CT analysis demonstrated a reduced number of airways from generation 7 on (p<0.0001) in LAM compared with control, whereas whole-lung microCT analysis confirmed the three- to four-fold reduction in the number of airways. Specimen microCT analysis further demonstrated a four-fold decrease in the number of terminal bronchioles (p=0.0079) and a decreased surface density (p=0.0079). Serial microCT and histology images directly showed the loss of functional airways by collapse of airways on the cysts and filling of the airway by exudate. LAM lungs show a three- to four-fold decrease in the number of (small) airways, caused by cystic destruction which is the likely culprit for the progressive loss of pulmonary function

Inflammatory activity assessment by F18 FDG-PET/CT in persistent symptomatic sarcoidosis

SummaryBackgroundEstablishing inflammatory activity in sarcoidosis patients with persistent disabling symptoms is important. Whole body F18-FDG PET/CT (PET) appeared to be a sensitive method to detect inflammatory activity in newly diagnosed symptomatic sarcoidosis. The aim was to assess the presence of inflammatory activity using PET in sarcoidosis patients with unexplained persistent disabling symptoms and the association between PET findings and serological inflammatory markers.MethodsSarcoidosis patients who underwent a PET between June 2005 and June 2010 (n = 89), were retrospectively included. All PET scans were examined and positive findings were classified as thoracic and/or extrathoracic. As serological markers of inflammatory activity angiotensine-converting enzyme (ACE), soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R), and neopterine were considered.ResultsIn 65/89 (73%) of the studied patients PET was positive, 52 of them (80%) had serological signs of inflammatory activity. In 14/15 patients with a Chest X-ray stage IV PET was positive. In 80% of the PET positive patients extrathoracic inflammatory activity was found. Sensitivity of combined serological inflammatory markers for the presence of inflammatory activity as detected by PET was 80%, specificity 100%, positive predictive value 100%, negative predictive value 65%.ConclusionsThe majority of sarcoidosis patients with persistent disabling symptoms, even those with radiological stage IV, had PET positive findings with remarkably 80% extrathoracic lesions. In 20% PET was positive without signs of serological inflammatory activity. PET appeared to be of additional value to assess inflammatory activity in patients with persistent symptoms in the absence of signs of serological inflammatory activity and to detect extrathoracic lesions