The stabilising role of the costovertebral joints and spinous processes on thoracic spine stability

Introduction The importance of in vitro biomechanical testing in today’s understanding of spinal pathology and treatment modalities cannot be stressed enough. Different studies have used differing levels of dissection of their spinal segments for their testing protocols[1, 2]. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of removing the costovertebral joints and partial resection of the spinous process sequentially, on the stiffness of the immature thoracic bovine spinal segment. Materials and Methods Thoracic spines from 6-8 week old calves were used. Each spine was dissected and divided into motion segments with 5cm of attached rib on each side and full spinous processes including levels T4-T11 (n=28). They were potted in polymethylemethacrylate. An Instron Biaxial materials testing machine with a custom made jig was used for testing. The segments were tested in flexion/extension, lateral bending and axial rotation at 37⁰C and 100% humidity, using moment control to a maximum 1.75 Nm with a loading rate of 0.3 Nm per second. They were first tested intact for ten load cycles with data collected from the tenth cycle. Progressive dissection was performed by removing first the attached ribs, followed by the spinous process at its base. Biomechanical testing was carried out after each level of dissection using the same protocol. Statistical analysis of the data was performed using repeated measures ANOVA. Results In combined flexion/extension there was a significant reduction in stiffness of 16% (p=0.002). This was mainly after resection of the ribs (14%, p=0.024) and mainly occurred in flexion where stiffness reduced by 22% (p=0.021). In extension, stiffness dropped by 13% (p=0.133). However there was no further significant change in stiffness on resection of the spinous process (<1%) (p=1.00). In lateral bending there was a significant decrease in stiffness of 13% (p<0.001). This comprised a drop of 11% on resection of the ribs (p=0.009) and a further 8% on resection of the spinous process (p=0.014). There was no difference between left and right bending. In axial rotation there was no significant change in stiffness after each stage of dissection (p=0.253). There was no difference between left and right rotation. Conclusion The costovertebral joints play a significant role in providing stability to the bovine thoracic spine in both flexion/extension and lateral bending, whereas the spinous processes play a minor role. Both elements have little effect on axial rotation stability.

Promotion of Homologous Recombination and Genomic Stability by RAD51AP1 via RAD51 Recombinase Enhancement

Homologous recombination (HR) repairs chromosome damage and is indispensable for tumor suppression in humans. RAD51 mediates the DNA strand-pairing step in HR. RAD51 associated protein 1 (RAD51AP1) is a RAD51-interacting protein whose function has remained elusive. Knockdown of RAD51AP1 in human cells by RNA interference engenders sensitivity to different types of genotoxic stress, and RAD51AP1 is epistatic to the HR protein XRCC3. Moreover, RAD51AP1-depleted cells are impaired for the recombinational repair of a DNA double-strand break and exhibit chromatid breaks both spontaneously and upon DNA-damaging treatment. Purified RAD51AP1 binds both dsDNA and a D loop structure and, only when able to interact with RAD51, greatly stimulates the RAD51-mediated D loop reaction. Biochemical and cytological results show that RAD51AP1 functions at a step subsequent to the assembly of the RAD51-ssDNA nucleoprotein filament. Our findings provide evidence that RAD51AP1 helps maintain genomic integrity via RAD51 recombinase enhancement.

A comparison of stability and bifurcation criteria for inflated spherical elastic shells

The nonlinear stability analysis introduced by Chen and Haughton [1] is employed to study the full nonlinear stability of the non-homogeneous spherically symmetric deformation of an elastic thick-walled sphere. The shell is composed of an arbitrary homogeneous, incompressible elastic material. The stability criterion ultimately requires the solution of a third-order nonlinear ordinary differential equation. Numerical calculations performed for a wide variety of well-known incompressible materials are then compared with existing bifurcation results and are found to be identical. Further analysis and comparison between stability and bifurcation are conducted for the case of thin shells and we prove by direct calculation that the two criteria are identical for all modes and all materials.

Structural, electronic, and optical properties of wurtzite and rocksalt InN under pressure

Structural stability, electronic, and optical properties of InN under high pressure are studied using the first-principles calculations. The lattice constants and electronic band structure are found consistent with the available experimental and theoretical values. The pressure of the wurtzite-to-rocksalt structural transition is 13.4 GPa, which is in an excellent agreement with the most recent experimental values. The optical characteristics reproduce the experimental data thus justifying the feasibility of our theoretical predictions of the optical properties of InN at high pressures.

Human single-stranded DNA binding protein 1 (hSSB1/NABP2) is required for the stability and repair of stalled replication forks

Aberrant DNA replication is a primary cause of mutations that are associated with pathological disorders including cancer. During DNA metabolism, the primary causes of replication fork stalling include secondary DNA structures, highly transcribed regions and damaged DNA. The restart of stalled replication forks is critical for the timely progression of the cell cycle and ultimately for the maintenance of genomic stability. Our previous work has implicated the single-stranded DNA binding protein, hSSB1/NABP2, in the repair of DNA double-strand breaks via homologous recombination. Here, we demonstrate that hSSB1 relocates to hydroxyurea (HU)-damaged replication forks where it is required for ATR and Chk1 activation and recruitment of Mre11 and Rad51. Consequently, hSSB1-depleted cells fail to repair and restart stalled replication forks. hSSB1 deficiency causes accumulation of DNA strand breaks and results in chromosome aberrations observed in mitosis, ultimately resulting in hSSB1 being required for survival to HU and camptothecin. Overall, our findings demonstrate the importance of hSSB1 in maintaining and repairing DNA replication forks and for overall genomic stability.

Internal oscillating current-sustained RF plasmas : Parameters, stability, and potential for surface engineering

A new source of low-frequency (0.46 MHz) inductively coupled plasmas sustained by the internal planar "unidirectional" RF current driven through a specially designed internal antenna configuration has been developed. The experimental results of the investigation of the optical and global argon plasma parameters by the optical and Langmuir probes are presented. It is shown that the spatial profiles of the electron density, the effective electron temperature and plasma potential feature a great deal of the radial and axial uniformity compared with conventional sources of inductively coupled plasmas with external at coil configurations. The measurements also reveal a weak azimuthal dependence of the global plasma parameters at low values of the input RF power, which was earlier predicted theoretically. The azimuthal dependence of the global plasma parameters vanishes at high input RF powers. Moreover, under certain conditions, the plasma becomes unstable due to spontaneous transitions between low-density (electrostatic, E) and high-density (electromagnetic, H) operating modes. Excellent uniformity of high-density plasmas makes the plasma reactor promising for various plasma processing applications and surface engineering.

Buffer scheme with battery energy storage capability for enhancement of network transient stability and load ride-through

This paper examines a buffer scheme to mitigate the negative impacts of power-conditioned loads on network voltage and transient stabilities. The scheme is based on the use of battery energy-storage systems in the buffers. The storage systems ensure that protected loads downstream of the buffers can ride through upstream voltage sags and swells. Also, by controlling the buffers to operate in either constant impedance or constant power modes, power is absorbed or injected by the storage systems. The scheme thereby regulates the rotor-angle deviations of generators and enhances network transient stability. A computational method is described in which the capacity of the storage systems is determined to achieve simultaneously the above dual objectives of load ride-through and stability enhancement. The efficacy of the resulting scheme is demonstrated through numerical examples.

Morphometric stability of the corneal subbasal nerve plexus in healthy individuals a 3-year longitudinal study using corneal confocal microscopy

Purpose We examined the age-dependent alterations and longitudinal course of subbasal nerve plexus (SNP) morphology in healthy individuals. Methods Laser-scanning corneal confocal microscopy, ocular screening, and health and metabolic assessment were performed on 64 healthy participants at baseline and at 12-month intervals for 3 years. At each annual visit, eight central corneal images of the SNP were selected and analyzed using a fully-automated analysis system to quantify corneal nerve fiber length (CNFL). Two linear mixed model approaches were fitted to examine the relationship between age and CNFL, and the longitudinal changes of CNFL over three years. Results At baseline, mean age was 51.9 ± 14.7 years. The cohort was sex balanced (χ2 = 0.56, P = 0.45). Age (t = 1.6, P = 0.12) and CNFL (t = -0.50, P = 0.62) did not differ between sexes. A total of 52 participants completed the 36-month visit and 49 participants completed all visits. Age had a significant effect on CNFL (F1,33 = 5.67, P = 0.02) with a linear decrease of 0.05 mm/mm2 in CNFL per one year increase in age. No significant change in CNFL was observed over the 36-month period (F1,55 = 0.69, P = 0.41). Conclusions The CNFL showed a stable course over a 36-month period in healthy individuals, although there was a slight linear reduction in CNFL with age. The findings of this study have implications for understanding the time-course of the effect of pathology and surgical or therapeutic interventions on the morphology of the SNP, and serves to confirm the suitability of CNFL as a screening/monitoring marker for peripheral neuropathies.

Hydrolysis of genotoxic methyl-substituted oxiranes : Experimental kinetic and semiempirical studies

The kinetics of acid-catalyzed hydrolysis of seven methylated aliphatic epoxides - R1R2C(O)CR3R4 (A: R1=R2=R3=R4=H; B: R1=R2=R3=H, R4=Me; C: R1=R2=H, R3=R4=Me; D: R1=R3=H, R2=R4=Me(trans); E: R1=R3=H, R2=R4=Me(cis); F: R1=R3=R4=Me, R2=H; G: R1=R2=R3=R4=Me) - has been studied at 36 ± 1.5°C. Compounds with two methyl groups at the same carbon atom of the oxirane ring exhibit highest rate constants (k(eff) in reciprocal molar concentration per second: 11.0 ± 1.3 for C, 10.7 ± 2.1 for F, and 8.7 ± 0.7 for G as opposed to 0.124 ± 0.003 for B, 0.305 ± 0.003 for D, and 0.635 ± 0.036 for E). Ethylene oxide (A) displays the lowest rate of hydrolysis (0.027 M-1 s-1). The results are consistent with literature data available for compounds A, B, and C. To model the reactivities we have employed quantum chemical calculations (MNDO, AM1, PM3, and MINDO/3) of the main reaction species. There is a correlation of the logarithm k(eff) with the total energy of epoxide ring opening. The best correlation coefficients (r) were obtained using the AM1 and MNDO methods (0.966 and 0.957, respectively). However, unlike MNDO, AM1 predicts approximately zero energy barriers for the oxirane ring opening of compounds B, C, E and G, which is not consistent with published kinetic data. Thus, the MNDO method provides a preferential means of modeling the acidic hydrolysis of the series of methylated oxiranes. The general ranking of mutagenicity in vitro, A > B > C, is in line with the concept that this sequence also gradually leaves the expoxide reactivity optimal for genotoxicity toward reactivities leading to higher biological detoxifications.

Can measures of limb loading and dynamic stability during the squat maneuver provide an index of early functional recovery following unilateral total hip arthroplasty?

Objective: To investigate limb loading and dynamic stability during squatting in the early functional recovery of total hip arthroplasty (THA) patients. Design: Cohort study Setting: Inpatient rehabilitation clinic. Participants: A random sample of 61 THA patients (34♂/27♀; 62±9 yrs, 77±14 kg, 174±9 cm) was assessed twice, 13.2±3.8 days (PRE) and 26.6±3.3 days post-surgery (POST), and compared with a healthy reference group (REF) (22♂/16♀; 47±12yrs; 78±20kg; 175±10cm). Interventions: THA patients received two weeks of standard in-patient rehabilitation. Main Outcome Measure(s): Inter-limb vertical force distribution and dynamic stability during the squat maneuver, as defined by the root mean square (RMS) of the center of pressure in antero-posterior and medio-lateral directions, of operated (OP) and non-operated (NON)limbs. Self-reported function was assessed via FFb-H-OA 2.0 questionnaire. Results: At PRE, unloading of the OP limb was 15.8% greater (P<.001, d=1.070) and antero-posterior and medio-lateral center of pressure RMS were 30-34% higher in THA than REF P<.05). Unloading was reduced by 12.8% towards a more equal distribution from PRE to POST (P<.001, d=0.874). Although medio-lateral stability improved between PRE and POST (OP: 14.8%, P=.024, d=0.397; NON: 13.1%, P=.015, d=0.321), antero-posterior stability was not significantly different. Self-reported physical function improved by 15.8% (P<.001, d=0.965). Conclusion(s): THA patients unload the OP limb and are dynamically more unstable during squatting in the early rehabilitation phase following total hip replacement than healthy adults. Although loading symmetry and medio-lateral stability improved to the level of healthy adults with rehabilitation, antero-posterior stability remained impaired. Measures of dynamic stability and load symmetry during squatting provide quantitative information that can be used to clinically monitor early functional recovery from THA.

Design of a nonlinear excitation controller using inverse filtering for transient stability enhancement

This paper proposes a nonlinear excitation controller to improve transient stability, oscillation damping and voltage regulation of the power system. The energy function of the predicted system states is used to obtain the desired flux for the next time step, which in turn is used to obtain a supplementary control input using an inverse filtering method. The inverse filtering technique enables the system to provide an additional input for the excitation system, which forces the system to track the desired flux. Synchronous generator flux saturation model is used in this paper. A single machine infinite bus (SMIB) test system is used to demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed control method using time-domain simulations. The robustness of the controller is assessed under different operating conditions.

Great Expectations : stability and change in English teaching : the teacher as chameleon

Curriculum is always in a state of flux and so often the moves to ‘reform’ it are political rather than pedagogical. So often in these days of accountability we focus on the learner. I want to focus on the teacher in this presentation. As English educators we have to ‘fit’ whatever new policy model comes our way. The Australian curriculum seems to have tried to please every stakeholder in its process and as such has been formed without a single, unifying coherent theoretical basis. How do we challenge this paper tiger? We have to find the pedagogical models within the current framework and see what still works in practice. At the chalk-face there are still teaching, learning and assessment practices in English surviving from the last few decades of pedagogical change; and there is also room for accommodating new practices. Embracing and adapting the old and the new may be the key to staying creative and passionately engaged with our subject area.