Diagnostic tools in Rhinology EAACI position paper

This EAACI Task Force document aims at providing the readers with a comprehensive and complete overview of the currently available tools for diagnosis of nasal and sino-nasal disease. We have tried to logically order the different important issues related to history taking, clinical examination and additional investigative tools for evaluation of the severity of sinonasal disease into a consensus document. A panel of European experts in the field of Rhinology has contributed to this consensus document on Diagnostic Tools in Rhinology

The resource potential of in-situ shallow ground water use in irrigated agriculture: a review.

The original publication can be found at www.springerlink.comShallow ground water is a resource that is routinely overlooked when water management alternatives are being considered in irrigated agriculture. Even though it has the potential to provide significant quantities of water for crop use under the proper conditions and management. Crop water use from shallow groundwater is affected by soil water flux, crop rooting characteristics, crop salt tolerance, presence of a drainage system, and irrigation system type and management. This paper reviews these factors in detail and presents data quantifying crop use from shallow ground, and describes the existing state of the art with regard to crop management in the presence of shallow ground water. The existing data are used to determine whether in-situ crop water use from shallow ground water is suitable for a given situation. The suggested methodology uses ratios of ground water electrical conductivity to the Maas– Hoffman yield loss threshold values, the day to plant maturity relative to plant growth period, and the maximum rooting depth relative to the nearly saturated zone. The review demonstrates that for in-situ use to be feasible there has to be good quality ground water relative to crop salt tolerance available for an extended period of time. Shallow ground water availability is one area that can be managed to some extent. Crop selection will be the primary determinant in the other ratios.J. E. Ayars , E. W. Christen, R. W. Soppe and W. S. Meye

Severe Autoimmune Diseases

This section deals with ovarian protection in non-malignant, rheumatic or other autoimmune diseases. Since these diseases are disproportionately common in young women, knowledge of the negative effects of immunosuppressive agents on the ovarian reserve, as well as the possibilities and limitations of ovarian protective measures, even in this particular patient population, is essential. According to current data, we should offer patients at increased risk of POI treatment with GnRH analogues when using cyclophosphamide. In addition, the use of ovarian cryopreservation (short time frame, sufficiently high ovarian reserve) should be generously considered. Ovarian stimulation therapy is only advisable in rare cases, as many patients are at risk of exacerbation of the underlying disease

The influence of warm forming in natural aging and springback of Al-Mg-Si alloys

International audienceWarm forming is a very interesting solution to improve formability and reduce springback. Natural aging is an open issue for heat treatable aluminum alloys, since it causes variability in sheet metal forming operations, namely in the parts shape, as well as in-service behavior. Therefore, this work aims to study the contribution of warm forming to minimize the variability caused by natural aging and reduce the springback in sheet metal forming operations. The thermo-mechanical behavior of two Al-Mg-Si alloys, EN AW 6016-T4 and EN AW 6061-T6, is studied in function of temperature (from 22 to 300 °C) using uniaxial tensile tests, cylindrical cup tests and split ring (springback) tests. Moreover, for the EN AW 6016-T4, the study was also performed in function of the storage time (from 1 to 18 months). At 22 °C, the increase of the storage time leads to a clear increase of the yield stress and of the work hardening and, consequently, of the springback. Warm forming at temperatures between 200 and 250 °C, using a short exposure time, reduces the yield stress and the work hardening and, consequently, springback for both alloys. Moreover, the effect of natural aging is minimized. Thus, warm conditions can be used as an effective solution to minimize the variability caused by the natural aging and reduce the springback in forming operations of heat treatable aluminum alloys