Synthetic biology and the search for alternative genetic systems : Taking how-possibly models seriously

Peer reviewe

Synthetic biology and the search for alternative genetic systems : Taking how-possibly models seriously

Peer reviewe

Epistemology of Modality : Between the Rock and the Hard Place

We review some of the major accounts in the current epistemology of modality and identify some shared issues that plague all of them. In order to provide insight into the nature of modal statements in science, philosophy, and beyond, a satisfactory epistemology of modality would need to be suitably applicable to practical and theoretical contexts by limited beings. However, many epistemologies of modality seem to work only when we have access to the kind of knowledge that is at least currently beyond our reach. Or, in the extreme case, it is argued that even if we knew all the relevant information about the respective domain – or even the entire state of the world – there would still remain a special class of modal truths that would be left unaccounted for. Neither picture bodes well for practical applicability, nor for the philosophical justification of these epistemologies. This is especially the case as we hold that one of the main motivations for modal inquiry typically arises in cases of imperfect information and limited cognitive resources. We close by providing a partial remedy to the situation by suggesting an overall framework of relative modality (RM) that can be used to both unify some existing modal epistemologies and, at the same time, make them more metaphysically modest.Peer reviewe

Modal Inferences in Science : A Tale of Two Epistemologies

Recent epistemology of modality has seen a growing trend towards metaphysics-first approaches. Contrastingly, this paper offers a more philosophically modest account of justifying modal claims, focusing on the practices of scientific modal inferences. Two ways of making such inferences are identified and analyzed: actualist- manipulationist modality (AM) and relative modality (RM). In AM, what is observed to be or not to be the case in actuality or under manipulations, allows us to make modal inferences. AM-based inferences are fallible, but the same holds for practically all empirical inquiry. In RM, modal inferences are evaluated relative to what is kept fixed in a system, like a theory or a model. RM-based inferences are more certain but framework-dependent. While elements from both AM and RM can be found in some existing accounts of modality, it is worth highlighting them in their own right and isolating their features for closer scrutiny. This helps to establish their relevant epistemologies that are free from some strong philosophical assumptions often attached to them in the literature. We close by showing how combining these two routes amounts to a view that accounts for a rich variety of modal inferences in science.Peer reviewe

Epistemology of Modality : Between the Rock and the Hard Place

We review some of the major accounts in the current epistemology of modality and identify some shared issues that plague all of them. In order to provide insight into the nature of modal statements in science, philosophy, and beyond, a satisfactory epistemology of modality would need to be suitably applicable to practical and theoretical contexts by limited beings. However, many epistemologies of modality seem to work only when we have access to the kind of knowledge that is at least currently beyond our reach. Or, in the extreme case, it is argued that even if we knew all the relevant information about the respective domain – or even the entire state of the world – there would still remain a special class of modal truths that would be left unaccounted for. Neither picture bodes well for practical applicability, nor for the philosophical justification of these epistemologies. This is especially the case as we hold that one of the main motivations for modal inquiry typically arises in cases of imperfect information and limited cognitive resources. We close by providing a partial remedy to the situation by suggesting an overall framework of relative modality (RM) that can be used to both unify some existing modal epistemologies and, at the same time, make them more metaphysically modest.Peer reviewe

Predictors of osteoarthritis following operative treatment of medial tibial plateau fractures

Purpose: To determine factors influencing the development of posttraumatic osteoarthritis (OA) following medial tibial plateau fractures and to evaluate concomitant injuries associated with these fractures. Materials and methods: A chart review of patients with operatively treated medial tibial plateau fractures admitted to our Level I trauma centre from 2002 to 2008 was performed. Of 63 patients, 41 participated in a clinical and radiographic examination. The mean age was 47 years (range 16-78) and the mean follow-up time was 7.6 (range 4.7-11.7) years. All patients had preoperative computed tomography (CT) scans and postoperative radiographs. At the end of follow-up, standing radiographs, mechanical axis, and CT scans were evaluated. Results: Of the 41 patients, 24 had no or mild (Kellgren-Lawrence grade 0-2) OA and 17 had severe (grade 3-4) OA. Initial articular depression measured from preoperative CT scans was a significant predictor of OA (median 1.8 mm vs 4.5 mm, p = 0.009). Fracture line extension to the lateral plateau (p = 0.68) or fracture comminution (p = 0.21) had no effect on the development of posttraumatic OA, nor did articular depression at the end of follow-up (p = 0.68) measured from CT scans. Mechanical axis >4 degrees of varus and >= 2 mm articular depression or step-off were associated with worse WOMAC pain scores, but did not affect other functional outcome scores. Six patients (10%) had permanent peroneal nerve dysfunction. Ten patients (16%) required LCL reconstruction and nine (14%) ACL avulsions were treated at the time of fracture stabilisation. Conclusions: The amount of articular depression measured from preoperative CT scans seems to predict the development of posttraumatic OA, probably reflecting the severity of chondral injury at the time of fracture. Restoration of mechanical axis and articular congruence are important in achieving a good clinical outcome. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.Peer reviewe

A semi-analytical foreshock model for energetic storm particle events inside 1 AU

We have constructed a semi-analytical model of the energetic-ion foreshock of a CME-driven coronal/interplanetary shock wave responsible for the acceleration of large solar energetic particle (SEP) events. The model is based on the analytical model of diffusive shock acceleration of Bell (1978), appended with a temporal dependence of the cut-off momentum of the energetic particles accelerated at the shock, derived from the theory. Parameters of the model are re-calibrated using a fully time-dependent self-consistent simulation model of the coupled particle acceleration and Alfv&eacute;n-wave generation upstream of the shock. Our results show that analytical estimates of the cut-off energy resulting from the simplified theory and frequently used in SEP modelling are overestimating the cut-off momentum at the shock by one order magnitude. We show also that the cut-off momentum observed remotely far upstream of the shock (e.g., at 1 AU) can be used to infer the properties of the foreshock and the resulting energetic storm particle (ESP) event, when the shock is still at small distances from the Sun, unaccessible to the in-situ observations. Our results can be used in ESP event modelling for future missions to the inner heliosphere, like the Solar Orbiter and Solar Probe Plus as well as in developing acceleration models for SEP events in the solar corona.</p

Translation, cross-cultural adaptation, and validation of the sino-nasal outcome test (snot)-22 for Finnish patients

Purpose The Sino-Nasal Outcome Test-22 (SNOT-22) is the most commonly used disease-specific quality of life questionnaire in rhinology. The purpose of this prospective study was to translate and validate SNOT-22 into Finnish. Methods The validation process followed the guidelines proposed for cross-cultural adaptation of health-related measures of quality of life. The study consisted of three groups: rhinologic out-patients (N = 96), FESS patients (N = 49) and healthy controls (N = 79). Out-patient and FESS groups completed the questionnaire twice (answers A and B), out-patients after two weeks and FESS patients after 3 months. Validity, reliability and responsiveness were evaluated. Results The mean SNOT-22 sum score of the out-patient questionnaires were 35.3 points (answer A) and 32.4 points (answer B). ICC in out-patient group was 0.879. For the FESS patients, the mean pre- and postoperative (answer A and B) SNOT-22 sum scores were 46.8 and 21.9 points, respectively (p <0.0001). The mean SNOT-22 of healthy controls was 8.9 points. The out-patients (answer A) and healthy controls had statistically significant difference in SNOT-22 scores (p <0.0001). Conclusions The results of our study show that the validated Finnish version of the SNOT-22 questionnaire demonstrates good validity, reliability and responsiveness.Peer reviewe