Concepts in soft-tissue reconstruction of the contracted hand and upper extremity after burn injury

Burns and their subsequent contracture result in devastating functional and aesthetic consequences which disproportionally affect the upper extremity. By focusing on reconstruction with analogous tissue and utilizing the reconstructive elevator, function can be restored concomitantly with form and aesthetic appearance. General concepts for soft-tissue reconstruction after burn contracture are presented for different sub-units and joints

A Comparison Of Counseling Using The Cognitive Style Map Of The Educational Sciences And The Traditional Approach In The Educational Setting.

PhDEducationUniversity of Michigan, Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studieshttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/186985/2/7214880.pd

A review of pain outcomes following targeted muscle reinnervation in lower extremity limb pain

Approximately 75% experience phantom (PLP), residual (RLP), or general (GLP) limb pain following lower extremity amputation. Targeted muscle reinnervation (TMR) is a peripheral nerve transfer that reroutes amputated nerves to motor endplates that can prevent or treat limb pain. This systematic review summarizes pain outcomes following primary and secondary treatment of lower extremity PLP, RLP, and GLP. Primary literature review of three databases - PubMed, EMBASE, MEDLINE - were used for all articles related to TMR and lower extremity limb pain, querying the same keywords: “targeted muscle reinnervation” AND “pain”. Citations were then reviewed and eliminated if only upper extremities were studied or the study lacked pain outcomes. Citations were categorized as primary or secondary TMR. Pain outcomes, including Numerical Rating Scales (NRS) and Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Pain scores, were aggregated when appropriate. Ten studies met all inclusion and exclusion criteria after formal review for a total of 431 extremities, of which 79.1% (n = 341 limbs) were lower extremities. Average primary TMR PROMIS scores for PLP and RLP were lower than amputees without primary TMR. Average NRS scores and PROMIS Pain scores in secondary TMR demonstrated improvements in PLP, RLP, and GLP. Primary and Secondary TMR does prevent and improve PLP, RLP, and GLP; however, a minority of studies report quantifiable pain outcomes. All future TMR studies should include validated pain outcomes to better quantify the expected pain and quality of life improvements after lower extremity TMR

AIDS : The Artists' Response

The collected essays attempt to analyse the impact of AIDS on American culture and artistic practices including photography, film, video, performance, theatre, painting and installation. Statements by the 65 participating artists. CIrca 32 bibl. ref

The Potential of Multijunction Perovskite Solar Cells

Metal halide perovskite semiconductors offer rapid, low-cost deposition of solar cell active layers with a wide range of band gaps, making them ideal candidates for multijunction solar cells. Here, we combine optical and electrical models using experimental inputs to evaluate the feasible performances of all-perovskite double-junction (2PJ), triple-junction (3PJ), and perovskite–perovskite–silicon triple-junction (2PSJ) solar cells. Using parameters and design constraints from the current state-of-the-art generation of perovskite solar cells, we find that 2PJs can feasibly approach 32% power conversion efficiency, 3PJs can reach 33%, and 2PSJs can surpass 35%. We also outline pathways to improve light harvesting and demonstrate that it is possible to raise the performances to 34%, 37%, and 39% for the three architectures. Additionally, we discuss important future directions of research. Finally, we perform energy yield modeling to demonstrate that the multijunction solar cells should not suffer from reduced operational performances due to discrepancies between the AM1.5G and real-world spectrum over the course of a year

Singlet Exciton Fission for Solar Cell Applications Energy Aspects of Interchromophore Coupling

Singlet exciton fission, a process that converts one singlet exciton to a pair of triplet excitons has the potential to enhance the efficiency of both bulk heterojunction and dye-sensitized solar cells and is understood in crystals but not well understood in molecules Previous studies have identified promising building blocks for singlet fission in molecular systems but little work has investigated how these individual chromophores should be combined to maximize triplet yield We consider the effects of chemically connecting two chromophores to create a coupled chromophore pair and compute how various structural choices alter the thermodynamic and kinetic parameters likely to control singlet fission yield We use density functional theory to compute the electron transfer matrix element and the thermodynamics of fission for several promising chromophore pairs and find a trade-off between the desire to maximize this element and the desire to keep the singlet fission process exoergic We identify promising molecular systems for singlet fission and suggest future experiment