bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Free fatty acid suppositories are as effective as docusate sodium and sorbitol enemas in treating constipation in children
Authors: Ormarsson Orri Thor , Asgrimsdottir Gudrun Marta , Loftsson Thorsteinn , Stefansson Einar , Lund Sigrun Helga , Bjornsson Einar Stefan
Published: March 2016

Aim

A well‐documented, clinically proven per rectum treatment for childhood constipation is needed. This phase two clinical trial evaluated the efficacy of suppositories containing free fatty acids (FFA) compared with Klyx docusate sodium and sorbitol enemas.

Methods

A randomised, controlled, single‐blind study was undertaken on 77 children aged between one and 17 who presented to an emergency department in Iceland and were diagnosed with constipation. In stage one, 23 patients were randomised to receive lower dose FFA suppositories or Klyx (n = 33). In stage two, 21 different patients were randomised to receive higher dose suppositories and compared with the same Klyx control subjects.

Results

The suppositories were effective at bowel emptying in 39% of the group who received the lower FFA doses and 81% of the group receiving higher doses, compared with 88% in the Klyx control group. Symptom relief was obtained in 30% of the group receiving the lower doses and 71% of the group receiving the higher doses, compared with 73% in the control group.

Conclusion

The higher dose FFA suppositories were as effective as the Klyx enemas with regard to bowel emptying and symptom relief and might provide an important and less invasive alternative for childhood constipation.
Present and future of molecular monitoring in chronic myeloid leukaemia
Authors: Soverini Simona , De Benedittis Caterina , Mancini Manuela , Martinelli Giovanni
Published: March 2016

Currently, physicians treating chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) patients can rely on a wide spectrum of therapeutic options: the best use of such options is essential to achieve excellent clinical outcomes and, possibly, treatment‐free remission (TFR). To accomplish this, proper integration of expert clinical and laboratory monitoring of CML patients is fundamental. Molecular response (MR) monitoring of patients at defined time points has emerged as an important success factor for optimal disease management and BCR‐ABL1 kinase domain mutation screening is useful to guide therapeutic reassessment in patients who do not achieve optimal responses to tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy. Deeper MRs might be associated with improved long‐term survival outcomes. More importantly, they are considered a gateway to TFR. In molecular biology, novel procedures and technologies are continually being developed. More sophisticated molecular tools and automated analytical solutions are emerging as CML treatment endpoints and expectations become more and more ambitious. Here we provide a critical overview of current and novel methodologies, present their strengths and pitfalls and discuss what their present and future role might be.
Rattling the cage and opening the door
Authors: Heyes Cecilia
Published: March 2016

I share with Poulin‐Dubois and with Sabbagh, Koenig and Kuhlmeier the conviction that more research is needed on the mechanisms supporting selective social learning in infants and children. However, my plea is more specific: for research that tests domain‐specific hypotheses about mechanism against domain‐general hypotheses derived from other fields of cognitive science. Many, but not all, of these alternative hypotheses relate to domain‐general mechanisms of attention.
Moving from health disparities to health inequities – and why it matters
Authors: Hatton Chris
Published: March 2016

This commentary is on the original article by Harris and Lord on pages 774–779 of this issue.
Comparative evaluation of custom and standard boil and bite (self‐adapted) mouthguards and their effect on the functioning of the oral cavity
Authors: Gawlak Dominika , Mańka‐Malara Katarzyna , Kamiński Tomasz , Łuniewska Magdalena , Mierzwińska‐Nastalska Elżbieta
Published: March 2016

Background

Mouthguards provide an effective preventive method against the effects of injuries sustained during sports activities, in particular cycling, football, basketball, skiing or hockey. However, when placed in the oral cavity, they can induce disorders in basic physiological functions.

Aim

The objective of this clinical study was to compare the effects of various custom mouthguards with generally available standard boil and bite mouthguards on the functions of the oral cavity.

Material and methods

A total of a 168 mouthguards (five custom and three standard boil and bite mouthguards) were assessed in a questionnaire‐based survey. Their negative effects on the integrity of mucosa, speech, breathing, salivary flow and taste as well as in terms of inducing gag reflex, tooth clenching and temporomandibular joint complaints were compared.

Results

Porida mouthguard was reported to have the most adverse effects on oral functions. In the majority of the respondents, the remaining mouthguards did not have any adverse effects on the stomatognathic system functions.

Conclusions

Mouthguards do not significantly disturb basic functions of the stomatognathic system. Standard Porida mouthguards were shown to have the most unfavourable effect on oral functions.
Corporate Governance and Firm‐specific Stock Price Crashes
Authors: Andreou Panayiotis C. , Antoniou Constantinos , Horton Joanne , Louca Christodoulos
Published: March 2016

We investigate whether ownership structure, accounting opacity, board structure & processes and managerial incentives attributes relate to future stock price crash risk. Principal component analysis on the 21 attributes that comprise these four corporate governance dimensions reveals that they can explain between 13.1% and 23.0% of a one standard deviation in crash risk. Transient institutional ownership, CEO stock option incentives and the proportion of directors that hold equity increase crash risk, whilst insiders' ownership, accounting conservatism, board size and the presence of a corporate governance policy mitigate crash risk. Overall these relationships are more pronounced in environments that accentuate agency risk.
Is cloning horses ethical?
Authors: Campbell M. L. H.
Published: March 2016

This paper assesses whether cloning horses is ethical by reviewing ethical arguments against cloning of nonequine species and determining whether they apply to horses, analysing ethical arguments about horse cloning which do not apply to noncompetitive species and considering the ethical dilemmas faced by veterinarians involved in horse cloning. The author concludes that concerns about the health and welfare of cloned horses render the technique ethically problematic and that the onus is on those providing commercial equine cloning services to collate data and provide a stronger evidence base for ethical decision‐making.
Cilostazol exerts antiplatelet and anti‐inflammatory effects through AMPK activation and NF‐kB inhibition on hypercholesterolemic rats
Authors: da Motta Nadia Alice Vieira , de Brito Fernanda Carla Ferreira
Published: March 2016

This work presents a model of rats fed a high‐cholesterol diet, receiving a long‐term oral administration of cilostazol, a PDE3‐inhibitor. The aim of this study was to evaluate the molecular mechanisms by which cilostazol interferes with platelets signaling pathways to avoid atherosclerosis early development. Male Wistar rats were divided into 3 groups: Control group received standard rat chow (C), hypercholesterolemic group (HCD), and HCD+CIL (cilostazol group) received hypercholesterolemic diet for 45 days. HCD+CIL group received cilostazol (30 mg/kg/p.o.) once daily in the last 15 days. Platelet aggregation, lipid profile, lipid peroxidation, and cytokine serum levels were assessed. Expression of P‐selectin, CD40L, PKC‐α, IkB‐α, and iNOS and activation of AMPK, NF‐κB, and eNOS in the platelets were assessed using Western blot analysis. Cilostazol reduced the levels of total cholesterol (361.0 ± 12.8 vs. 111.5 ± 1.6 mg/dL), triglycerides (186.9 ± 17.7 vs. 55.4 ±3.1 mg/dL), cLDL (330.9 ± 9.7 vs. 61.5 ± 3.5 mg/dL), cVLDL (45.0 ± 4.6 vs. 11.1 ± 0.6 mg/dL), and malondialdehyde (9.4 ± 0.5 vs. 3.2 ± 0.3 nmol/mL) compared to the HCD group. Cilostazol presented antiplatelet properties and decreased inflammatory markers levels. These effects seem to be related to AMPK activation, NF‐kB inhibition, and eNOS activation.
Effects of plant architecture and water velocity on sediment retention by submerged macrophytes
Authors: Rovira Albert , Alcaraz Carles , Trobajo Rosa
Published: March 2016

Studies quantifying the content of fine particulate matter (organic and inorganic) retained in macrophyte stands are scarce. Thus, little is known about the relationship between retention of fine particulate matter and macrophyte architecture, especially in rivers. Here, we quantified the amount of organic and inorganic fine particulate matter retained by three different macrophyte species having two contrasting plant architectures (‘mesh‐like’ and ‘strap‐like’), to test the role of plant architecture on retention.

Results showed that plant architecture and water velocity were related and their interaction was important for particle sedimentation/retention by macrophyte leaves and stems. The complexity of plant architecture appeared to be the main factor explaining variation in the amount of trapped matter.

Increases in water velocity led to a decline of both the organic and the inorganic particulate matter retained by macrophytes, while a decrease in water velocity was related to an increase in macrophyte cover. The concentrations of trapped matter (both organic and inorganic) also differed significantly among seasons, indicating the existence of a seasonal cycle in the retention of fine particulate matter mainly associated with macrophyte cover (and biomass) and water velocity.

Although there were seasonal and spatial variations in sediment retention in both ‘mesh‐like’ and ‘strap‐like’ architectures, macrophytes were effective sediment traps.
Devon's desert ‘worms’
Authors: Coram Robert A. , Radley Jonathan D.
Published: March 2016

Worm‐like trace fossils, sometimes of large size, have regularly been reported from the otherwise generally poorly‐fossiliferous Permo‐Triassic continental red beds of the East Devon coast, southwest England. Selected examples are discussed here to outline the difficulties involved in elucidating the true producers of these burrows and interpreting their significance in the local palaeoenvironment.
Ikaite: enigmatic crystals of cold waters
Authors: Brooks Kent
Published: March 2016

Ikaite, found as a constituent of tufa chimneys and mounds in Ikka Fjord, Greenland, is only formed in waters close to freezing point. At higher temperatures it inverts to calcite, forming impressive pseudomorphs which have been found at a large number of locations world‐wide of varying ages, sometimes in association with glacial deposits. The Ikka Fjord deposits, first described by the Danish geologist Hans Pauly, were key to understanding the nature of these widely reported pseudomorphs.
Outcomes of exertional rhabdomyolysis following high‐intensity resistance training
Authors: Huynh A. , Leong K. , Jones N. , Crump N. , Russell D. , Anderson M. , Steinfort D. , Johnson D. F.
Published: March 2016

Background

High‐intensity resistance training (HIRT) programmes are increasingly popular amongst personal trainers and those attending gymnasiums. We report the experience of exertional rhabdomyolysis (ER) at two tertiary hospitals in Melbourne, Australia.

Aims

To compare the clinical outcomes of ER with other causes of rhabdomyolysis.

Methods

Retrospective cross‐sectional study of patients presenting with a serum creatine kinase (CK) of greater than 25 000 units/L from 1 September 2013 to 31 August 2014 at two tertiary referral hospitals in Melbourne, Australia. Records were examined to identify care measures implemented during hospital stay, clinical outcomes during admission and on subsequent follow up.

Results

Thirty four cases of rhabdomyolysis with a CK of greater than 25 000 units/L (normal range: 20–180 units/L) were identified during the 12‐month study period. Twelve of the 34 cases (35%) had ER with 10 of 12 related to HIRT. No acute kidney injury, intensive care admission or death were seen among those with ER. All cases were managed conservatively, with 11 admitted and 9 receiving intravenous fluids only. In contrast, patients with rhabdomyolysis from other causes experienced significantly higher rates of intensive care admission (64%, P = 0.0002), acute kidney injury (82%, P = 0.0001) and death (27%, P = 0.069).

Conclusion

ER resulting from HIRT appears to have a benign course compared with rhabdomyolysis of other aetiologies in patients with a serum CK greater than 25 000 units/L. Conservative management of ER appears to be adequate, although this requires confirmation in future prospective studies.
A Comparison of Two Methods for Generating Descriptive Attributes with Trained Assessors: Check‐All‐That‐Apply (CATA) vs. Free Choice Profiling (FCP)
Authors: Lazo Oxana , Claret Anna , Guerrero Luis
Published: March 2016

The quality and reliability of descriptive profiles are closely linked to an accurate selection of the attributes included therein. Descriptive profiles with trained assessors often face challenges stemming from consensual procedures and the risk of forgetting some relevant descriptors. To overcome these problems, the suitability of two nonconsensual methods performed by trained assessors, namely free choice profiling (FCP) and check‐all‐that‐apply (CATA), are examined and compared when building a sensory profile for fish.

Eighteen trained panelists having similar training were randomly split into two groups of nine assessors each. One group evaluated different fish species using CATA and the other using FCP, with both groups adopting the same experimental design.

Although both methodologies generated an important number of sensory descriptors for the tested products, noticeable differences among methods were observed. CATA performed better than FCP in terms of the descriptive ability and slightly better regarding the discriminant capacity. Both methods provided similar product location in the multidimensional space. The RV coefficient was significantly different from zero for all the sensory modalities except for odor and texture. However, noticeable differences were observed in product description. The main limitations of the study were also discussed.

Practical Applications

Sensory descriptive analysis is normally the first step in the characterization of a food product, thus providing valuable information for food companies when designing and/or improving a product. This study shows and compares the usefulness of two methods, namely CATA and FCP, to obtain descriptive profiles, thus avoiding some of the bias linked to consensual procedures. Both methods are suitable for product discrimination, although they provide different sensory characterization for the different samples. The use of trained assessors, both with CATA and FCP, might increase the quality of a descriptive profile by avoiding useless terms and, especially in the case of CATA, ensuring that the most relevant descriptors are included.
Plant hormones: a fungal point of view
Authors: Chanclud Emilie , Morel Jean‐Benoit
Published: March 2016

Most classical plant hormones are also produced by pathogenic and symbiotic fungi. The way in which these molecules favour the invasion of plant tissues and the development of fungi inside plant tissues is still largely unknown. In this review, we examine the different roles of such hormone production by pathogenic fungi. Converging evidence suggests that these fungal‐derived molecules have potentially two modes of action: (i) they may perturb plant processes, either positively or negatively, to favour invasion and nutrient uptake; and (ii) they may also act as signals for the fungi themselves to engage appropriate developmental and physiological processes adapted to their environment. Indirect evidence suggests that abscisic acid, gibberellic acid and ethylene produced by fungi participate in pathogenicity. There is now evidence that auxin and cytokinins could be positive regulators required for virulence. Further research should establish whether or not fungal‐derived hormones act like other fungal effectors.
Meloidogyne graminicola: a major threat to rice agriculture
Authors: Mantelin Sophie , Bellafiore Stéphane , Kyndt Tina
Published: March 2016

Taxonomy

Superkingdom Eukaryota; Kingdom Metazoa; Phylum Nematoda; Class Chromadorea; Order Tylenchida; Suborder Tylenchina; Infraorder Tylenchomorpha; Superfamily Tylenchoidea; Family Meloidogynidae; Subfamily Meloidogyninae; Genus Meloidogyne.

Biology

Microscopic non‐segmented roundworm. Plant pathogen; obligate sedentary endoparasitic root‐knot nematode. Reproduction: facultative meiotic parthenogenetic species in which amphimixis can occur at a low frequency (c. 0.5%); relatively fast life cycle completed in 19–27 days on rice depending on the temperature range.

Host range

Reported to infect over 100 plant species, including cereals and grass plants, as well as dicotyledonous plants. Main host: rice (Oryza sativa).

Symptoms

Characteristic hook‐shaped galls (root swellings), mainly formed at the root tips of infected plants. Alteration of the root vascular system causes disruption of water and nutrient transport, stunting, chlorosis and loss of vigour, resulting in poor growth and reproduction of the plants with substantial yield losses in crops.

Disease control

Nematicides, chemical priming, constant immersion of rice in irrigated fields, crop rotation with resistant or non‐host plants, use of nematode‐free planting material. Some sources of resistance to Meloidogyne graminicola have been identified in African rice species (O. glaberrima and O. longistaminata), as well as in a few Asian rice cultivars.

Agronomic importance

Major threat to rice agriculture, particularly in Asia. Adapted to flooded conditions, Meloidogyne graminicola causes problems in all types of rice agrosystems.
COLLECTIVE DECISION MAKING IN AN INTERNATIONAL RIVER POLLUTION MODEL
Authors: VAN DER LAAN GERARD , MOES NIGEL
Published: March 2016

In this paper, we study international river pollution problems. We introduce a model in which countries located along a river from upstream to downstream derive benefits from causing pollution, but also incur environmental costs from experiencing its own pollution and the pollution of all its upstream countries. The total welfare, being the sum of all benefits minus the sum of all costs, is maximized when all countries cooperate. Several principles from international water law are applied to find reasonable and fair distributions of the total welfare that can be obtained under full cooperation. Such a distribution of the welfare at efficient pollution levels can be implemented by monetary compensations.
Using open‐ended geographic information system assessments to allow students to construct relevant geographies given the internationalisation of tertiary education in New Zealand
Authors: Etherington Thomas R.
Published: March 2016

The geospatial skills shortage in New Zealand requires the development of more undergraduate geographic information system (GIS) courses. However, the internationalisation of New Zealand's tertiary education system has resulted in an increasingly diverse tertiary student population, which makes it challenging to teach GIS in a way that maximises relevance to all tertiary students. One approach to this challenge is to make use of the recent proliferation of openly available GIS data, and to internationalise GIS curricula by using open‐ended assessments that provide students with the opportunity to learn GIS by constructing their own geographies of relevance.
Systematic review and meta‐analysis of internet‐delivered interventions providing personalized feedback for weight loss in overweight and obese adults
Authors: Sherrington A. , Newham J. J , Bell R. , Adamson A. , McColl E. , Araujo‐Soares V.
Published: March 2016

Background

Obesity levels continue to rise annually. Face‐to‐face weight loss consultations have previously identified mixed effectiveness and face high demand with limited resources. Therefore, alternative interventions, such as internet‐delivered interventions, warrant further investigation. The aim was to assess whether internet‐delivered weight loss interventions providing personalized feedback were more effective for weight loss in overweight and obese adults in comparison with control groups receiving no personalized feedback.

Method

Nine databases were searched, and 12 studies were identified that met all inclusion criteria.

Results

Meta‐analysis, identified participants receiving personalized feedback via internet‐delivered interventions, had 2.13 kg mean difference (SMD) greater weight loss (and BMI change, waist circumference change and 5% weight loss) in comparison with control groups providing no personalized feedback. This was also true for results at 3 and 6‐month time points but not for studies where interventions lasted ≥12 months.

Conclusion

This suggests that personalized feedback may be an important behaviour change technique (BCT) to incorporate within internet‐delivered weight loss interventions. However, meta‐analysis results revealed no differences between internet‐delivered weight loss interventions with personalized feedback and control interventions ≥12 months. Further investigation into longer term internet‐delivered interventions is required to examine how weight loss could be maintained. Future research examining which BCTs are most effective for internet‐delivered weight loss interventions is suggested.
Sentinel lymph node biopsy for head and neck mucosal cancers – an update on the current evidence
Authors: Green B , Blythe JNStJ , Brennan PA
Published: March 2016

Regional metastases are a prominent feature of mucosal‐associated head and neck squamous cell carcinomas and are an important prognostic factor. Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) is one modality that has potential to add to the accuracy of neck staging, although it is currently not used as widely in the head and neck as it is in other areas such as breast cancer. We review the efficacy of SLNB in head and neck mucosal squamous cell carcinomas and provide an overview of current practice and include details of technical advances.
Complementary clinical effects of red complex bacteria on generalized periodontitis in a caucasian population
Authors: Lanza E , Magan‐Fernandez A , Bermejo B , de Rojas J , Marfil‐Alvarez R , Mesa F
Published: March 2016

Objectives

To relate five periodontopathogenic bacteria, including the red complex, to the severity, extent, and inflammation of the periodontal lesion in Caucasian patients with generalized aggressive and chronic periodontitis and to explore whether tobacco use is associated with a specific bacterial profile.

Materials and Methods

A cross‐sectional and analytic study was conducted in patients with aggressive and chronic periodontitis. Data were gathered on socio‐demographic and periodontal variables, and RH‐PCR was used to determine subgingival bacterial profile. Linear and logistic regression analyses were performed.

Results

The study included 60 patients with aggressive and 123 with chronic periodontitis. Total red complex bacteria count was higher in aggressive periodontitis, mainly due to T. denticola (P = 0.015). In both periodontitis types, models showed an association between T. forsythia count and probing depth (B = 0.157, P = 0.030) and between T. denticola count and higher bleeding scores (B = 2.371, P = 0.027). Smoking did not affect the red complex bacteria count in either disease.

Conclusions

The prevalence of red complex bacteria was similar between aggressive and chronic periodontitis, but their count was higher in the former. In both diseases, T. forsythia was associated with greater severity and T. denticola with more severe bleeding. Tobacco smoking was not associated with the presence of red complex bacteria in either disease.
Edgar Allan Poe: vers une poétique du maelström
Authors: Küpper Achim
Published: March 2016

L’œuvre d'Edgar Allan Poe contient une série d’éléments qui peuvent être décrits comme des espaces clos littéraires : ces espaces textuels ne s'ouvrent pas au mouvement libre, à la communication, à l’échange, mais ils restent fermés sur eux et sont marqués d'un mouvement en spirale. La présente contribution ambitionne de mettre en relief cette caractéristique de l’œuvre littéraire de Poe en se fondant en particulier sur le conte The Purloined Letter et prenant aussi en compte la traduction française du texte par Charles Baudelaire. Celle‐ci sert en même temps de base pour une réflexion sur des aspects de traductibilité.

L'article part d'une microanalyse du premier paragraphe du récit de Poe pour montrer à quel point ce passage est composé selon une logique de la circularité et de la fermeture. Dans une deuxième étape, l'examen des espaces clos s’étend au niveau du récit global ainsi qu’à d'autres textes de Poe. L'analyse se focalise en particulier sur la structure de la mise en abyme et sur les formes de la spirale, du tourbillon, du maelström comme géométries immanentes, autoréflexives de l’œuvre littéraire de Poe. C'est en ce sens que cette œuvre laisse entrevoir une poétique du maelström, aquatique, abyssale, hermétique.
Deviance and the Subversive Grotesque in Barbara Gowdy's We So Seldom Look on Love
Authors: Staels Hilde
Published: March 2016

This article examines We So Seldom Look on Love, a short story collection by the Canadian author Barbara Gowdy who displays a strong interest in extreme forms of physical and mental deviance in relation to the act of looking. Discursive forms are analyzed that revolve around the tyranny of the normative gaze and the fear of deviance, the bounded bodily ideal as opposed to the body in pieces. Kaja Silverman's psychoanalytic theory of the field of vision in relation to deviant bodies throws light on these recurring issues in Gowdy's short stories. Additionally, contemporary theories of the grotesque inform the analysis of the Gothic‐Carnivalesque, a subversive strategy with which the author provokes our perception and classification of humans, identities, and sexes. The collection will be shown to culminate in the final story that contains a scene in which a female protagonist bestows “the productive look” (Silverman) upon her transsexual husband.
The Silence of the Night
Authors: McGregor Rafe
Published: March 2016

Towards the end of the twentieth century, the issue of collaboration with the Third Reich became particularly problematic for deconstructive criticism. The distinction between collaboration and cooperation is often far from clear, however, and in borderline cases the opacity of the motives behind the alleged collaboration may be such that retrospective historical judgements run the risk of appearing arbitrary. In contrast, the decision to remain silent about alleged collaboration can – and should – invite negative moral judgement. On the one hand silence offers evidence of deceit; on the other, silence speaks of an absence of regret or remorse; and in the case with which this paper is primarily concerned, silence is indicative of both deceit and remorselessness.
TRANSNATIONAL BUREAUCRATIC POLITICS: AN INSTITUTIONAL RIVALRY PERSPECTIVE ON EU NETWORK GOVERNANCE
Authors: BACH TOBIAS , DE FRANCESCO FABRIZIO , MAGGETTI MARTINO , RUFFING EVA
Published: March 2016

This contribution introduces our symposium by highlighting four distinctive aspects of transnational governance from a bureaucratic politics perspective: the emergence of transnational institutions, their functioning, their impact on the domestic level, and the diffusion of regulatory standards. The general argument is that many accounts of transnational governance seem to be overly optimistic about the conditions for effective problem‐solving and fail to take into account that institutional rivalry may either support or constrain the implementation of supranational policies. The aim of this piece is to review existing research, to highlight the contribution of the symposium articles in furthering an institutional rivalry perspective on transnational governance, and to sketch pertinent areas for further research building upon this perspective.
Comparison of outcome measures in allergic rhinitis in children, adolescents and adults
Authors: Devillier Philippe , Bousquet Philippe‐Jean , Grassin‐Delyle Stanislas , Salvator Hélène , Demoly Pascal , Bousquet Jean , de Beaumont Olivier
Published: March 2016

Background

Grass pollen‐induced allergic rhinoconjunctivitis (AR) is very common worldwide. However, its symptoms may vary with the patient's age. The present study compared symptom profiles and quality of life (QoL) in children, adolescents and adults with grass pollen‐induced AR.

Methods

This was a four‐week, multicentre, observational study of children (aged 6–11), adolescents (12–17) and adults (18–65) consulting specialist physicians in France. The management of AR was at the physicians’ discretion. Participants regularly rated their symptoms (the rhinoconjunctivitis total symptom score (RTSS) and a visual analogue scale (VAS)) and QoL (the Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire (RQLQ).

Results

A total of 806 patients (253 children, 250 adolescents and 303 adults, of whom 83.5% suffered from moderate‐to‐severe, persistent AR) provided data for at least the first 2 weeks of the study. Ocular pruritus (the most bothersome symptom in children (35%), adolescents (22%) and adults (16%)) was associated with poor QoL in all groups, whereas nasal obstruction and pruritus were associated with poor QoL in adolescents and children. Over 4 weeks, the weekly mean RTSS and VAS scores fell by around half. This change was associated with an improvement in the RQLQ scores. In all age groups, the VAS score was well correlated with the weekly mean RTSS score (Pearson's r: 0.79–0.88) and moderately correlated with the weekly mean RQLQ score (Pearson's r: 0.64–0.80).

Conclusions

In moderate‐to‐severe grass pollen‐induced AR, symptom perception differs in children vs. older patients. However, the assessments of treatment outcomes (using the RTSS, VAS and RQLQ) were similar in all age groups.
Production of highly bioactive resveratrol analogues pterostilbene and piceatannol in metabolically engineered grapevine cell cultures
Authors: Martínez‐Márquez Ascensión , Morante‐Carriel Jaime A. , Ramírez‐Estrada Karla , Cusidó Rosa M. , Palazon Javier , Bru‐Martínez Roque
Published: March 2016

Grapevine stilbenes, particularly trans‐resveratrol, have a demonstrated pharmacological activity. Other natural stilbenes derived from resveratrol such as pterostilbene or piceatannol, display higher oral bioavailability and bioactivity than the parent compound, but are far less abundant in natural sources. Thus, to efficiently obtain these bioactive resveratrol derivatives, there is a need to develop new bioproduction systems. Grapevine cell cultures are able to produce large amounts of easily recoverable extracellular resveratrol when elicited with methylated cyclodextrins and methyl jasmonate. We devised this system as an interesting starting point of a metabolic engineering‐based strategy to produce resveratrol derivatives using resveratrol‐converting enzymes. Constitutive expression of either Vitis vinifera resveratrol O‐methyltransferase (VvROMT) or human cytochrome P450 hydroxylase 1B1 (HsCYP1B1) led to pterostilbene or piceatannol, respectively, after the engineered cell cultures were treated with the aforementioned elicitors. Functionality of both gene products was first assessed in planta by Nicotiana benthamiana agroinfiltration assays, in which tobacco cells transiently expressed stilbene synthase and VvROMT or HsCYP1B1. Grapevine cell cultures transformed with VvROMT produced pterostilbene, which was detected in both intra‐ and extracellular compartments, at a level of micrograms per litre. Grapevine cell cultures transformed with HsCYP1B1 produced about 20 mg/L culture of piceatannol, displaying a sevenfold increase in relation to wild‐type cultures, and reaching an extracellular distribution of up to 45% of total production. The results obtained demonstrate the feasibility of this novel system for the bioproduction of natural and more bioactive resveratrol derivatives and suggest new ways for the improvement of production yields.
Perception and Knowledge in Plato's Theaetetus
Authors: Thaler Naly
Published: March 2016

In this paper, I examine several key issues relating to the definition of knowledge as perception in the first part of Plato's Theaetetus. I begin by explaining the workings of the ‘secret doctrine’ of perception, which is introduced in order to support the idea that perception is incorrigible (and hence worthy to the title of knowledge), and then turn to examine the two refutations of the definition of knowledge as perception which appear at the end of the first part of the Theaetetus. I shall present and explain distinct lines of interpretation pertaining to these passages and explore the consequences they attempt to draw regarding Plato's views on the perceptual world, the nature of perception and how these bear on his conception of knowledge.
The Epistemology of Education
Authors: Watson Lani
Published: March 2016

The landscape of contemporary epistemology has significantly diversified in the past 30 years, shaped in large part by two complementary movements: virtue and social epistemology. This diversification provides an apt theoretical context for the epistemology of education. No longer concerned exclusively with the formal analysis of knowledge, epistemologists have turned their attention towards individuals as knowers, and the social contexts in which epistemic goods such as knowledge and understanding are acquired and exchanged. As such, the concerns of epistemology have once again aligned with questions lying at the heart of the philosophy of education regarding the nature, aims and practice of education. Employing the conceptual tools and frameworks of the contemporary field, these questions are addressed by both epistemologists and education theorists in the emerging epistemology of education literature.
Co‐ and Post‐Translational Protein Folding in the ER
Authors: Ellgaard Lars , McCaul Nicholas , Chatsisvili Anna , Braakman Ineke
Published: March 2016

The biophysical rules that govern folding of small, single‐domain proteins in dilute solutions are now quite well understood. The mechanisms underlying co‐translational folding of multidomain and membrane‐spanning proteins in complex cellular environments are often less clear. The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) produces a plethora of membrane and secretory proteins, which must fold and assemble correctly before ER exit – if these processes fail, misfolded species accumulate in the ER or are degraded. The ER differs from other cellular organelles in terms of the physicochemical environment and the variety of ER‐specific protein modifications. Here, we review chaperone‐assisted co‐ and post‐translational folding and assembly in the ER and underline the influence of protein modifications on these processes. We emphasize how method development has helped advance the field by allowing researchers to monitor the progression of folding as it occurs inside living cells, while at the same time probing the intricate relationship between protein modifications during folding.
The risk of allowing blood donation from men having sex with men after a temporary deferral: predictions versus reality
Authors: Germain Marc
Published: March 2016

BACKGROUND

In most industrialized countries, men who had sex with men (MSM) are permanently deferred from blood donation. Some countries have adopted a temporary deferral after the MSM behavior, thus avoiding donations made during the window period of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. However, one concern with this approach is the possible increase in the number of HIV‐positive donations obtained from unknowingly infected, abstinent MSM; such donations might inadvertently be made available for transfusion, a risk that was previously estimated through mathematical modeling.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

Model predictions were compared to the actual donor rate of HIV in three countries that went from a permanent to a temporary deferral: Australia, the United Kingdom, and Canada.

RESULTS

Depending on the model, a temporary deferral should have increased the rate of HIV in the male donor pool by 73% to more than 3400%. In reality, the very low baseline rate of HIV before the change in these three countries (22 cases/year) remained unchanged 2 years after the revised policy (16 cases/year).

CONCLUSION

These observations strongly suggest that a temporary deferral for MSM incurs zero risk to recipients, at least in jurisdictions where HIV epidemiology is comparable to that of countries where the change happened.
Poroelastic Effects in Reactivation of a Fingerlike Hydraulic Fracture
Authors: Sarvaramini Erfan , Garagash Dmitry I.
Published: March 2016

This paper studies the transient pressurization of a pre-existing, fingerlike crack in a poroelastic, permeable rock due to a fluid injection, the problem previously considered in the nonporoelastic reservoir context in the companion paper (Sarvaramini and Garagash, 2015, “Breakdown of a Pressurized Fingerlike Crack in a Permeable Solid,” J. Appl. Mech., 82(6), p. 061006). Large-scale fluid leak-off from the crack and the associated pore-fluid diffusion within the permeable rock formation lead to dilation of the pore volume, which acts to additionally confine/close the crack. The influence of this so-called “poroelastic backstress” on the evolution of the fluid pressure in the crack and the onset of the fracture propagation are investigated. We first revisit the existing solution to an auxiliary problem of a poroelastic crack subjected to a step pressure increase and generalize it to account for the full-space fluid leak-off diffusion. This solution is then used to formulate the solution to the transient pressurization of the crack due to a constant rate of fluid injection via the Green's function approach. Comparison to the reference solution for a fingerlike crack in a nonporoelastic reservoir shows that the poroelasticity has a minor effect on the fluid pressure evolution in the crack. However, the evolution of the fracture volume and the onset of the fracture propagation are shown to be significantly hindered by the poroelastic backstress at large enough injection time when fluid diffusion becomes fully two- or three-dimensional.
Magnetorheological (MR) Damping for Vibration Mitigation: Experimental Analysis
Authors: Kaul Sudhir , Deaton William , Stewart Benjamin
Published: March 2016

Magnetorheological (MR) dampers have emerged as a viable means of semi-active damping in multiple industry applications. The semi-active nature of these dampers is a significant attribute since the damper functions as a passive damper in the event of a failure. While there have been other smart materials like ferroelectric, piezoelectric, shape memory alloys, etc. that have been successfully used, MR fluids exhibit a unique combination of completely reversible effect, very low response time, high durability and very low energy requirements that make them suitable for vibration control in a wide variety of applications. This paper presents results from an experimental investigation that has been carried out to evaluate the performance of a MR damper for vibration mitigation. The capability of a commercial MR damper to isolate a payload from base excitation is analyzed and the damper parameters are identified to simulate the capability of the damper with regards to transmissibility. Multiple iterations of testing are performed in order to evaluate the influence of variables such as input current to the electromagnet, mass of the payload, excitation frequency and excitation amplitude. Results indicate that the MR damper is successful in mitigating vibrations transmitted to the payload. Vibration mitigation is quantified through multiple means such as comparing the root mean square (RMS) of the time history of acceleration of the base with that of the payload, comparing the frequency response and evaluating the hysteresis plots. Displacement transmissibility results directly demonstrate the variable damping capability of the MR damper. Although the stiffness constant of the damper may also change, it is not seen to vary appreciably in this study since the excitation amplitude is limited to a low threshold. The damper is found to be robust with an inherent ability of handling payload and excitation variability. It is observed that increasing the input current to the electromagnet around the MR fluid results in an increase in damping, therefore, making the use of these dampers viable in applications where payloads and excitation inputs are expected to change during operation.
Comparison of Eulerian-Granular and Discrete Element Models for Simulation of Proppant Flows in Fractured Reservoirs
Authors: Basu Debashis , Das Kaushik , Smart Kevin , Ofoegbu Goodluck
Published: March 2016

Numerical simulations provide an effective technique to understand the proppant behavior within hydraulic fractures and determine fracking efficiency. Numerical techniques currently available for simulating particulate flow include a range of methods, from resolved direct numerical simulation (DNS) to Eulerian-Eulerian models. Employing high fidelity techniques, such as DNS, that fully resolve the physics are most often impractical for regular engineering applications due to exorbitant computational resource requirements. Hence, alternative simplified methods with reasonable computing power are generally used in regular engineering practice and design. In the present study, the Eulerian-Granular method, which is based on a simplified continuum approximation of the particulate phase, is compared with a relatively more detailed discrete element method (DEM), where individual particles are tracked in a Lagrangian sense. Numerical simulation of proppant flow through a representative fracture has been carried out to understand the relative suitability of these two different multiphase flow simulation techniques. Simulations are carried out for an idealized fracture geometry with a specified leak-off rate along the fracture wall. Computed results for the spreading rate of the proppant obtained from the Eulerian-Granular method are found to be marginally higher than the spreading rate of the proppant obtained from the DEM simulations. As DEM explicitly simulates particle movement; it is expected to provide results that are closer to the actual physical processes. The computational time required to perform the DEM simulations, however, is almost an order of magnitude greater than for the Eulerian-Eulerian technique. Hence, the efficiency of the Eulerian-Granular method probably offsets some modeling shortcomings in resolving particle setting characteristics for regular engineering applications.
Ultra High-Speed Micro-Milling of Aluminum Alloy
Authors: Jahanmir Said , Tomaszewski Michael J. , Heshmat Hooshang
Published: March 2016

Small precision parts with miniaturized features are increasingly used in components such as sensors, micro-medical devices, micro-fuel cells, and others. Mechanical micromachining processes, e.g., turning, drilling, milling and grinding are often used for fabrication of miniaturized components. The small micro-tools (50 μm to 500 μm diameter) used in micromachining limit the surface speeds achieved at the cutting point, unless the rotational speeds are substantially increased. Although the cutting speeds increase to 240 m/min with larger diameter tools (e.g., 500 μm) when using the highest available spindle speed of 150,000 rpm, the cutting speed with the smaller 50 μm tools is limited to 24 m/min. This low cutting speed at the tool tip is much smaller than the speeds required for efficient cutting. For example, in macro-milling of aluminum alloys the recommended speed is on the order of 60–200 m/min. The use of low cutting speeds limits the production rate, increases tool wear and tendency for burr formation, and limits the degree of dimensional tolerance and precision that can be achieved. The purpose of the present paper is to provide preliminary results that show the feasibility of ultra high-speed micro-milling of an aluminum alloy with respect to surface quality and burr formation. A new ultra high-speed spindle was used for micro-milling of an aluminum alloy with micro-end-mills ranging in diameter from 51 μm to 305 μm. Straight channels were machined to obtain an array of square patterns on the surface. High surface cutting speeds up to 340 m/min were achieved at 350,000 rpm. Inspection of the machined surfaces indicated that edge quality and burr formation tendency are related to the undeformed chip thickness, and therefore the cutting speed and feed rate. The quantity of burrs observed on the cut surfaces was generally small, and therefore, the burr types were not systematically determined. Cutting with the 305 μm tool at a cutting speed of 150 m/min produced an excellent cut quality using a chip thickness of 0.13 μm. However, the cut quality deteriorated as the chip thickness was decreased to 0.06 μm by increasing the cutting speed to 340 mm/min. This result is consistent with published data that show the dependence of bur formation on ratio of chip thickness to tool tip radius. The channel widths were also measured and the width of channels cut with the small diameter tools became larger than the tool diameter at higher speeds. The dependence of the channel widths on rotational speed and the fact that a similar variation was not observed for larger diameter tools, suggested that this phenomena is related to dynamic run-out of the tool tip, which increases the channel width at higher speeds.