After Mischel's (1968) critique of the traditional concept of personality, others have attempted to resolve the apparent discrepancy between intuitive (and theoretical) notions of consistency in the behavior patterns of individuals, and the available empirical evidence, much of which seems to suggest that the intuitive/theoretical notions are erroneous. Virtually all of these attempts have been grounded ultimately in some variation of the individual differences paradigm that has long dominated empirical personality research. In contrast, the present article suggests that this apparent discrepancy results from an attempt to reconcile essentially idiographic intuitions with aggregate empirical findings. Going beyond previous conceptual discussions of this point, the present article offers an empirical illustration of the problem, and suggests that the intuitions vs. empirical evidence discrepancy regarding questions of (in)consistencies in personality reflects the "incorrectness" of neither, but rather the fact that the intuitions and empirical evidence speak to fundamentally different questions. The implications of this fact for programmatic, theoretically oriented personality research are emphasized.


This paper is based on a research held between 2010 and 20111 with the goal to analyze the implementation of Knowledge Management (KM) in Portugal. The research intents to characterize the organizations and the knowledge strategy implemented; it also intends to identify technologies, practices and processes used and to acknowledge benefits and difficulties of knowledge management systems implementation. Other purpose of the research was to identify the job title for those responsible for knowledge management activities. The main findings indicate that job titles are very diverse and in most case don't explicitly refer the expression knowledge management. According to knowledge management technologies, the most commonly used by the organizations are corporate intranets or portals. The study results show that the existence of a knowledge management strategy or a business strategy including a knowledge management dimension in organizations is critical. In that cases the resistance of employees to carry out knowledge management activities is lower. However, only a third part of organizations refers the knowledge management dimension in their business strategy and even fewer organizations have a knowledge management strategy. The main difficulty faced by organizations when it comes to implementing knowledge strategy is the lack of experience and expertise in the area of KM. On the other hand, the main benefit identified was to be able to explore more efficiently the existing knowledge within the organization. Moreover, the study concludes that KM efforts assume different levels in organizations implanted in Portugal. Large organizations seem to have high levels of formalization and implementation of KM activities. However, most organizations still presents very incipient initiatives and results show that the implementation of knowledge activities is mainly a result of informal and isolated initiatives developed by few employees in organizations.


Comparison the use of inflorescence at various stages of development versus meristem of sword suckers of Kluai Khai, as a source of the primary explants for in vitro culture was conducted . For shoot initiation, the explants were cultured on semi solid and liquid medium of Murashige and Skoog (1962) supplemented with 5 ppm. of 6-benzylaminopurine (BA). It was found that on liquid medium, the culture produced the first shoot faster than the ones on semi solid medium. The first shoot of suckers occurred on the 30th and 45th days after culturing on liquid medium, and semi solid medium respectively, while those at the 5th, 3thand 1st days of developmental stage occurred on the 52nd, 52nd and 56th days of culturing respectively. After 2 months, the sucker on liquid medium was noticed to give the shoot number of 1.88 shoots per explant, where as on semi solid medium, it yielded 0.6 shoot per explant. The shoot number of inflorescence at the 5th, 3rd and 1st days of developmental stage cultured on liquid medium were 2.08 (the highest), 1.93 and 1 shoots per explant respectively. At this stage, no development of the shoots on semisolid medium had been found to develop yet. Shoot multiplication was also revealed to be stimulated by transferring explants into semi solid medium, thus yielding such higher shoot number than the others. On the 5th month, the inflorescence at the 5th day of developmental stage gave the highest shoot number of 9.06 shoots per explant which was not significantly different from those of 8.9 shoots per explant at the 3rd day of developmental stage. The shoot number of the others were significantly lower different. 10% off-type shoots, occurred in inflorescence culture. After transplanting plantlets to the nursery, the survival rate was 96 percent.


The exacerbation of climate change effects has rendered the legal adaptation of granting future generations standing in climate change litigation, necessary to achieve intergenerational justice and to protect their human rights. International law and norms do not operate in a legal vacuum. Instead, they possess the evolutionary quality to respond to societal shifts specifically seen in climate change action. This transient quality is greatly questioned in the debate surrounding the current legal lacuna concerning the lack of legal recognition for future generations in climate change actions. This has consequential effects on intergenerational justice and their human rights. Whilst international law has implemented a number of climate change mitigation strategies, these are insufficient in protecting future generations. The granting of standing in climate change litigation adequately complements the current approaches in resolving the lacuna in the law between theory and practice.


Sutureless! Small incision! Clear corneal incision! Foldable lens technology! Now, if you have not seen any of these touted as major advancements (often in the lay press or in throwaway journals, where claims appear to be long on marketing and short on data), you have been visiting another planet for the last several years! Once I start talking about cataract surgery to my patients, they often hold a mini-inquisition with regard to these advances, and, if we are not using them, ask why we are not part of the latest wave. See also p 333. As I see it, two growing camps are developing as a reaction to new surgical trends. One camp will try almost anything, regardless of lack of any solid data, as long as it will give a competitive edge. The second camp has reacted adversely to all of the hoopla and denigrated all new surgical changes


The objective of research is to validate empirically the effect of quality motivation, career motivation, and economic motivation on the interest of accounting students to follow PPAk and to compare what the motivation influences the interest to attend to PPAk among the accounting students of S-1 Program and PPAk Program. Research sample is 82 respondents, consisting of 52 accounting students of S-1 Program and 30 accounting students of PPAk Program. Data analysis method is multiple regression. Result of examination indicates that quality motivation, career motivation, and economic motivation significantly influence the interest of accounting students to attend to PPAk. Among accounting students of S-1 Program, a motivation influencing the interest to attend to PPAk is career motivation, while among accounting students of PPAk program, a motivation influencing their interest for PPAk is quality motivation and career motivation. Keywords:       Quality Motivation, Career Motivation, Economic Motivation, Interest, Accounting Profession Education


The development of resistance to chemotherapy is considered to be one of the most important obstacles to continued effective treatment of cancer in patients. We recently have identified an important mechanism that is responsible for systemic resistance to chemotherapy. Circulating mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) activated by chemotherapy secrete specific polyunsaturated fatty acids that confer resistance to a broad spectrum of anti-cancer agents. These factors were identified to be two distinct platinum-induced polyunsaturated fatty acids (PIFAs) 12-S-keto-5,8,10-heptadecatrienoic acid (KHT) and 4,7,10,13-hexadecatetraenoic acid (16:4(n-3)) that were able to induce chemotherapy resistance in picomolar concentrations. Interestingly, the production of these PIFAs is restricted to MSCs and mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs), other stem cells like hematopoietic stem cells and cancer stem cells are not able to form the PIFAs after cisplatin stimulation. Research from our lab showed that the production of these PIFAs can be blocked by cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1), thromboxane A synthase (TXAS) and intracellular calcium inhibitors, suggesting that these are important in the production of the PIFAs, and indicating that the PIFAs are formed in the pathways of arachidonic acid (AA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). Lipid peroxidation with subsequent release of oxygen radicals could be a trigger for the formation of PIFA. We therefore tested whether reactive oxygen species (ROS) were involved in the production of the PIFAs. Neither increasing ROS by hydrogen peroxide, nor scavenging of ROS by glutathione in the MSCs influenced the level of resistance to chemotherapy in mice. In addition, intracellular ROS levels in the MSCs treated with cisplatin for various intervals did not change as was determined by DCFDA fluorescence. Our findings provide a new paradigm on how MSCs can induce a systemic protection against chemotherapy through the secretion of two distinct fatty acids that are formed in response to platinum-containing chemotherapy. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 800. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-800


The protein and antigenic pattern of adult (female/male) and microfilarial stages of Setaria cervi, a bovine filarial parasite, was studied using certain immunochemical techniques. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoretic analysis showed the presence of 35-40 protein bands in adults and 25-29 protein bands in microfilariae in molecular weight range of 10,000-200,000. Immunoelectrophoresis revealed the presence of 9-10 precipitin lines in adult and only 4 precipitin lines in microfilarial antigenic preparations. Crossed immunoelectrophoresis resolved these antigenic preparations further, and revealed the presence of 22-24 antigens in adults and 12-14 in microfilariae. These results demonstrate complex nature of somatic extracts of adult stage as compared to microfilariae and also reveal some qualitative and quantitative differences between these stages.


Up to now optical spectroscopies have analyzed the scattered light or the heat generated by absorption as a function of the wavelength to get information about the samples. Among the light matter interaction phenomena one that has almost never been used for spectroscopy is the direct photon momenta transfer. Probably because the forces involved are very small, varying from hundreds of femto to tens of pico Newtons. However, the nowadays very popular Optical Tweezers can easily accomplish the task to measure the photon momenta transfer and may be the basis for the Optical Force Spectroscopy. We demonstrate its potential as such a tool by observing more than eight Mie resonance peaks of a single polystyrene microsphere, and showed the capability to selective couple the light to either the TE, TM or both microsphere modes depending of the beam size, the light polarization and the beam positioning. The Mie resonances can change the optical force values by 30-50%. Our results also clearly show how the beam polarization breaks the usually assumed azimuthal symmetry by Optical Tweezers theories. We also obtained the spectrum from the two photon excited luminescence using the Optical Tweezers to hold a single bead suspended and a femtosecond Ti:sapphire laser for the non-linear excitation. This spectrum shows the pair of peaks due to both TE and TM spherical cavity modes. We have been able to observe more than 14 Mie resonance peaks in the TPE luminescence. Our results are in good agreement with optical force calculations using Maxwell stress tensor and partial wave decomposition of the incident beam approximated to a 3th order gaussian beam.


The accurate planning of microcellular mobile radio networks requires a thorough understanding of the mechanisms that govern radio wave propagation in urban environments. Combined measurements of time delays and angles-of-arrival (AoAs), both in azimuth and elevation, of individual multipath contributions are expected to he very helpful in the validation and improvement of existing ray-tracing propagation models. To this end, we have applied the uniform circular array (UCA)-MUSIC angular superresolution algorithm to complex impulse response measurement data obtained from a synthetic uniform circular array. Beamspace processing and forward/backward averaging were applied to cope with strongly correlated signals. The presented experimental results show that our approach is capable of identifying the dominant multipaths in actual mobile propagation environments.


The objectives of this research were to evaluate the socio-economic features of rural women, determine their participation extent in rice farming activities, and find out relationship between socioeconomic features and extent of participation. This survey-based research was conducted in a village called Jahidpur in the Sunamganj district. 80 farm families involved in rice farming were selected by using simple random sampling method. Data were collected from women respondents through direct interviews using questionnaires. To determine participation extent, a rating scale of 5 points was used. Around 22 tasks were categorized into 5 aspects namely pre-planting, planting, intercultural operation, harvesting, and post-harvesting. The report revealed that rural women's participation was maximum in post-harvesting activities. However, no participation was found in some field-level tasks such as seedbed preparation, transplanting, nutrient management, plant protection management, irrigation, and harvesting. A major part of the rural women had medium level participation in rice farming activities 61.25% compared to a low participation rate of 38.75% but nobody had high level participation. Some socio-economic characteristics such as age, farming experience, agricultural knowledge had a significant positive relationship whereas education had a significant negative relationship with rural women's participation in rice farming activities. Tradition (100%), food security (95%), and poverty reduction (92.5%) were the main three reasons for women's participation while male-dominated society (100%), restricted social interaction (95%), and Original Research Article Chakma et al.; ARJA, 14(2): 1-11, 2021; Article no.ARJA.66859 2 limited access to resources (86.5%) acted as top three barriers. Rural women's involvement in rice farming was not at a satisfactory level and proper strategy implementation is required for further increasing the participation extent in rice farming activities.


Several proposals for the design of adaptive systems rely on some kind of feedback loop that monitors the system output and adapts in case of failure. Roadmap papers in the area advocate the need to make such feedback loops first class entities in adaptive systems design. We go further by adopting a Requirements Engineering perspective that is not only based on feedback loops but also applies other concepts from Control Theory to the design of adaptive systems. Our plans include a framework that reasons over requirements at runtime to provide adaptivity to a system proper. In this position paper, we argue for a control-theoretic view for adaptive systems and outline our long-term research agenda, briefly presenting work that we have already accomplished and discussing our plans for the future.


Background: The aim of this study is to determine the antifatigue active fraction from Abelmoschus esculentus. The in vivo antifatigue effects of ethanol extracts and polysaccharides from A. esculentus fruit have been determined. The polysaccharides of A. esculentus were determined as the best effective fractions of antifatigue effects. Materials and Methods: About 360 Kunming male mice were randomly divided into nine subgroups: normal control subgroup, model subgroup, positive subgroup and the ethanol extracts of A. esculentus with high dose (3.2 g/kg) subgroup, medium dose (1.6 g/kg) subgroup and low dose (0.8 g/kg) subgroup, the polysaccharides of high dose (3.2 g/kg) subgroup, medium dose (1.6 g/kg) subgroup, and the low dose (0.8 g/kg) subgroup. The antifatigue effects of ethanol extracts and polysaccharides form A. esculentus were measured by comparing body weight, food intake, swimming time, liver glycogen, serum urea, blood lactic acid as well as visceral parameter in mice. Results: Compared with the model subgroup, other subgroups significantly prolonged swimming time, and high dose polysaccharides administration was the most effective (P < 0.01). High dose polysaccharides significantly increased liver glycogen, serum lactic acid, and serum urea (P < 0.01) in mice. In contrast with model group, the high dose polysaccharides administration could also significantly elevated the parameters of testicles and epididymis (P < 0.01). The study established that the ethanol extracts and polysaccharides of A. esculentus both have antifatigue effects. Conclusions: The results demonstrated that both the ethanol extracts and polysaccharides of A. esculentus have antifatigue effects. The high dosage polysaccharides have significant antifatigue properties. The results will provide the basis for further development and utilization of this plant. SUMMARY The high dosage polysaccharides have restoration ability on kidney yang deficiency mice. The high dosage polysaccharides have significant effects of relieving body fatigue of mice. The polysaccharide of Abelmoschus esculentus showed better antifatigue effects than the ethanol extracts. Abbreviations used: A. esculentus: Abelmoschus esculentus, BUN: Blood urine nitrogen, LD: Lactic Acid dehydrogenase, AE: Abelmoschus esculentus ethanol extracts, AP: Abelmoschus esculentus polysaccharides, LAC: Lactic acid content.


The "similarity-attraction" effect stands as one of the most well-known findings in social psychology. However, some research contends that perceived but not actual similarity influences attraction. The current study is the first to examine the effects of actual and perceived similarity simultaneously during a face-to-face initial romantic encounter. Participants attending a speeddating event interacted with ~12 members of the opposite sex for 4 minutes each. Actual and perceived similarity for each pair were calculated from questionnaire responses assessed before the event and after each date. Data revealed that perceived, but not actual, similarity significantly predicted romantic liking in this speed-dating context. Furthermore, perceived similarity was a far weaker predictor of attraction when assessed using specific traits rather than generally.


Infrastructure systems that use stormwater and recycled water to augment groundwater recharge through spreading basins represent cost-effective opportunities to diversify urban water supplies. However, technical questions remain about how these types of managed aquifer recharge systems should be designed; furthermore, existing planning tools are insufficient for performing robust design comparisons. Addressing this need, we present a model for identifying the best-case design and operation schedule for systems that deliver recycled water to underutilized stormwater spreading basins. Resulting systems are optimal with respect to life cycle costs and water deliveries. Through a case study of Los Angeles, California, we illustrate how delivering recycled water to spreading basins could be optimally implemented. Results illustrate trade-offs between centralized and decentralized configurations. For example, while a centralized Hyperion system could deliver more recycled water to the Hansen Spreading Grounds, this system incurs approximately twice the conveyance cost of a decentralized Tillman system (mean of 44% vs 22% of unit life cycle costs). Compared to existing methods, our model allows for more comprehensive and precise analyses of cost, water volume, and energy trade-offs among different design scenarios. This model can inform decisions about spreading basin operation policies and the development of new water supplies.


We performed a comprehensive study of trichomes considering the medicinal importance of the essential oils produced in glandular trichomes of Salvia aegyptiaca L. and lack of data about leaf trichome characteristics. Micromorphological and histochemical analyses of the trichomes of S. aegyptiaca were carried out using light and scanning electron microscopy. We report that the leaves contained abundant non-glandular unbranched trichomes and two types of glandular trichomes, peltate and capitate, on both leaf surfaces. The abaxial leaf side was covered with numerous peltate and capitate trichomes, while capitate trichomes were more abundant on the adaxial leaf side, where peltate trichomes were rarely observed. The non-glandular trichomes were unicellular papillae and multicellular, uniseriate, two-to-six-celled, erect or slightly leaning toward the epidermis. Peltate trichomes were composed of a basal cell, a short cylindrical stalk cell and a broad head of eight secretory cells arranged in a single circle. Capitate trichomes consisted of a one-celled glandular head, subtended by a stalk of variable length, and classified into two types: capitate trichomes type I (or short-stalked glandular trichomes) and capitate trichomes type II (or long-stalked glandular trichomes). Histochemical tests showed that the secreted material in all types of S. aegyptiaca glandular trichomes was of a complex nature. Positive reactions to lipids for both types of glandular trichomes were obtained, with especially abundant secretion observed in peltate and capitate trichomes type II.


We undertake a multidisciplinary investigation into the distribution of asphalt in the Anacacho Limestone in an effort to decipher the potential roles of fractures and faults on secondary hydrocarbon migration. Field relationships between fractures, faults, and asphalt are evaluated at an asphaltic limestone mine near Uvalde, Texas. Based on their distributions, geometries, and structural relationships, we infer that normal faults provided vertical flow paths through the Anacacho Limestone, whereas strata-bound fractures enhanced lateral permeability. Variograms calculated from 75 subsurface measurements indicate that the asphalt concentration is anisotropically correlated and that the longest correlation length points in the mean strike direction of fractures and faults. A globally positioned laser rangefinder is used to measure faults and stratigraphic contacts within the mine. That data are then combined with lithologic descriptions from surrounding subsurface wells to construct a three-dimensional (3-D) model of the Anacacho Limestone. When an ordinary block-kriging algorithm populates the model with asphalt concentration estimates, the high values align along a trend that connects the two largest normal fault zones at the mine. The 3-D model provides a framework to numerically simulate secondary hydrocarbon migration. We test numerous hydrocarbon migration scenarios by adjusting simulation parameters within physically realistic ranges until producing an oil saturation field that agrees with asphalt concentration estimates. Our best match simulation indicates that oil entered the Anacacho Limestone through normal faults, that regional aquifer flow impacted oil flow, and that fractures increased the horizontal permeability of the formation by an order of magnitude along their strike direction.


Family medicine is a new specialty in Botswana and many African countries and its definition and scope are still evolving. In this region, healthcare is constrained by resource limitation and inefficiencies in resource utilisation. Experiences in countries with good health indicators can help inform discussions on the future of family medicine in Africa. Observations made during a visit to family physicians (FPs) in Denmark showed that the training of FPs, the practice of family medicine and the role of support staff in a family practice were often different and sometimes unimaginable by African standards. Danish family practices were friendly and enmeshed in an egalitarian and efficient health system, which is supported by an effective information technology network. There was a lot of task shifting and nurses and clerical staff attended to simple or uncomplicated aspects of patient care whilst FPs attended to more complicated patient problems. Higher taxation and higher health expenditure seemed to undergird the effective health system. An egalitarian relationship amongst patients and healthcare workers (HCW) may help improve patient care in Botswana. Task shifting should be formalised, and all sectors of primary healthcare should have fast and effective information technology systems. HCW training and roles should be revised. Higher health expenditure is necessary to achieve good health indicators.


Sump can be defined as a reservoir which contains slurry; a mixture of solid and liquid or water, in it. Sump system is an unsteady process owing to the level response. Sump level shall be monitored carefully by using a good controller to avoid overflow. The current conventional controllers would not be able to solve problems with large time delay and nonlinearities, Fuzzy Logic controller is tested to prove its ability in solving the listed problems of slurry sump. Therefore, in order to justify the effectiveness and reliability of these controllers, simulation of the sump system was created by using MATLAB and the results were compared. According to the result obtained, instead of Proportional-Integral (PI) and Proportional-Integral and Derivative (PID), Fuzzy Logic controller showed the best result by offering quick response of 0.32 s for step input and 5 s for pulse generator, by producing small Integral Absolute Error (IAE) values that are 0.66 and 0.36 respectively. Keywords—Fuzzy, sump, level, controller.


Internet Access is now more mobile than ever because of the introduction of internet enabled devices such as Smart-watch, Smartphones, Tablets, Phablets in addition to the Laptops and Palmtops. The study developed a responsive website and provided a website traffic analysis. It employed the descriptive and applied methods of research. Documentary analysis was used to determine the Transparency Seal requirements. The Enidus web application development model was used to develop a responsive website. Google Analytics was used to describe the website traffic. The study found out that the Transparency Seal requirements were divided into seven (7) categories namely: a) Agency's Mandate, Vision, Mission, and List of Officials; b) Annual Financial Reports; c) DBM Approved Budget and Targets; d) Projects, Programs, and Activities, Beneficiaries, and Status of Implementation; e) Annual Procurement Plan 2015; f) System of Ranking Delivery Units and Individuals; and g) Quality Management System certified by international certifying body or Agency Operations Manual. The Enidus model provides a clear perspective regarding the life-cycle of a website. Google Analytics is an excellent tool for Website Administrators to monitor website traffic for it provides data not only on the visitors' sessions, but also to the devices used.


This work addresses the problem of the fundamental limitations to the optimum performance of diplexers employing three-port junctions and preassigned branching filters. In this situation it is a common misconception that optimum results are achieved by utilizing a good power divider closed by two good branching filters. From the properties of the S-matrix of a three-port junction, we show this not to be the case and derive a set of necessary conditions to be satisfied in order that the junction be successfully employed in the realization of diplexers. We derive explicit expressions for the positions at which the filters must be placed in the junction arms for optimum diplexer performance, resulting in considerable simplification of the difficult diplexer synthesis problem. A theorem on the maximum achievable bandwidth is proved and validated by means of two practical examples.


When building a classifier from clean training data for a particular test environment, knowledge about the environmental noise and channel should be taken into account. We propose training a support vector machine (SVM) classifier using a modified kernel that is the expected kernel with respect to a probability distribution over channels and noise that might affect the test signal. We compare the proposed expected SVM to an SVM that ignores the environment, to an SVM that trains with multiple random samples of the environment, and to a quadratic discriminant analysis classifier that takes advantage of environment statistics (Joint QDA). Simulations classifying narrowband signals in a noisy acoustic reverberation environment indicate that the expected SVM can improve performance over a range of noise levels.


This study investigated the use of the QuEChERS method for the analysis of 13 pesticides on apples and lettuces. Comparison between two methods: Citrate- (buffered and unbuffered) and acetate (buffered and unbuffered). A range of pesticides –pirimicarb, diazinon, chlorpyrifos, azoxystrobin, pendimethalin, cyprodinil, boscalid, chlorothalonil, fenhexamid were selected for this study. Triphenyl phosphate was used as the internal standard. Results obtained revealed very high percentage recoveries for the majority of the pesticides screened for with recoveries of 66.3 to 109.8% for the citrate buffered, 72.5 – 120.8% for citrate unbuffered, 53.8 – 102% for acetate buffered and 54 – 105.3% for acetate unbuffered experiments carried out using apple samples. % recoveries obtained for the lettuce samples were 32.2 to 120.5% for the citrate buffered, 33.7 – 115.0% for citrate unbuffered, 53.8 – 107.4% for acetate buffered and 54 – 105.3% for acetate unbuffered experiments. % recoveries obtained for the apple samples were 64.3 – 109.8% for the citrate buffered, 72.5 – 120.8% for the citrate unbuffered, 60.3 – 102.0% for the acetate buffered and 54 – 120.5% for acetate unbuffered. Pendimethalin and cyprodinil gave the poorest recoveries while chlorothalonil gave the best recoveries for both the different methods and samples. The organophosphorus pesticides (diazinon and chlorpyrifos) gave relatively good recoveries especially for the apple samples. Comparison of sample recoveries revealed a more favourable recovery for the apple samples compared to the lettuce samples. The limit of detection was also determined to be ~0.02µg/L (6µg/kg). http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/njt.v35i3.11


treatment of pregnant women with syphilis, and also members of their families is carried out at the expense of budgetary funds. The economic estimation of expenses for treatment of pregnant women sick of syphilis and members of their families who also take place obligatory inspection and preventive treatment has been spent. Various elements of an expense for the medical and medicinal help are thus calculated.


Applying for research funding in the European Union (EU) can be a lengthy, arduous process littered with bureaucratic hurdles and paperwork. Under the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7), the projects need to involve partners from several different European countries, and there is a lot of paperwork for the principal investigator.


We have demonstrated high-performance 1.3-/spl mu/m InAsP strained-layer quantum-well lasers with Al-oxide confined inner stripe (ACIS) structure. The oxidized layers are consisted of strain-compensated AlAs-InP-AlInAs (6 nm/2 ML/3 nm) superlattice (SAS) layers and grown on InP substrate using gas-source molecular beam epitaxy (GS-MBE). For the structural optimization of the ACIS laser, the dependence of quantum efficiency, threshold current and lateral mode characteristics on the initial ridge width and the current aperture width have been investigated. A very low-threshold current of 2.0 mA, a high differential quantum efficiency of 67% and stable single lateral mode operation of over 40 mW were obtained for the optimized ACIS lasers. The excellent characteristics obtained in the ACIS lasers are attributed to both the current and the optical confinements by the Al-oxide layer. In addition, we confirmed high uniformity of the threshold current and the oxidized width. This device is very promising candidate for low-cost access networks and optical interconnects.


Shanks (1991) reported experiments that show selective-learning effects in a categorization task, and presented simulations of his data using a connectionist network model implementing the Rescorla-Wagner (R-W) theory of animal conditioning. He concluded that his results (a) support the application of the R-W theory to account for human categorization, and (b) contradict a particular variant of contingency-based theories of categorization. We examine these conclusions. We show that the asymptotic weights produced by the R-W model actually predict systematic deviations from the observed human learning data. Shanks claimed that his simulations provided good qualitative fits to the observed data when the weights in the networks were allowed to reach their asymptotic values. However, analytic derivations of the asymptotic weights reveal that the final weights obtained in Shanks' Simulations 1 and 2 do not correspond to the actual asymptotic weights, apparently because the networks were not in fact run to asymptote. We show that a contingency-based theory that incorporates the notion of focal sets can provide a more adequate explanation of cue competition than does the R-W model.


We investigated the effects of inflammatory cytokines and periodontopathic bacteria on expression of intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1), vascular cell adhesion molecule 1, and E-selectin (endothelial leukocyte adhesion molecule 1) in cultured human gingival fibroblasts (HGF). Cell surface ICAM-1 was upregulated on HGF under transcriptional control by exposure not only to interleukin-1 beta, tumor necrosis factor alpha, and gamma interferon but also to sonic extracts prepared from Porphyromonas gingivalis and Prevotella intermedia (nigrescens) and lipopolysaccharides from Escherichia coli. However, these stimuli induced only minimal expression of vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 and E-selectin on HGF. Binding assays using HGF and Molt 4, the human T-cell leukemia cell line, showed induced ICAM-1 to be functional, and the increased binding was blocked by a combination of monoclonal antibodies against ICAM-1 and leukocyte function-associated antigen 1. Furthermore, gingival tissues from adult periodontitis patients showed increased mRNA expression of ICAM-1 compared with that in tissues from normal healthy donors. In immunohistological analysis, we also observed in vivo that the expression of ICAM-1 on fibroblasts in adult periodontitis tissues was greater than that in normal gingiva. Thus, the overexpression of ICAM-1 on gingival fibroblasts induced by cytokines and periodontopathic bacteria is speculated to be deeply involved in the accumulation and retention of leukocyte function-associated antigen 1-bearing leukocytes in adult periodontitis lesions.


The approach documented in this article reviews data from earlier process validation lifecycle stages with a described statistical model to provide the "best estimate" on the number of process performance qualification (PPQ) batches that should generate sufficient information to make a scientific and risk-based decision on product robustness. This approach is based upon estimation of a statistical confidence from the current product knowledge (Stage 1), historical variability for similar products/processes (batch-to-batch), and label claim specifications such as strength. The analysis is to determine the confidence level with the measurements of the product quality attributes and to compare them with the specifications. The projected minimum number of PPQ batches required will vary depending on the product, process understanding, and attributes, which are critical input parameters for the current statistical model. This new approach considers the critical finished product CQAs (assay, dissolution, and content uniformity), primarily because assay/content uniformity and dissolution as well as strength are the components of the label claim. The key CQAs determine the number of PPQ batches. This approach will ensure that sufficient scientific data is generated to demonstrate process robustness as desired by the 2011 FDA guidance.


Task-based language fMRI datasets from healthy volunteers (15) and tumour patients (4 with lesions near Wernicke's area, 6 with lesions near Broca's area) were compared, to assess the similarity of activation location and extent. Expected areas of the language network were consistently localised in both patients and volunteers. Although patients showed more variation in the extent and strength of activation, our activation metrics for the full patient cohort show similar amount of overlap compared to a size-matched group of volunteers. Furthermore, patient with lesions near Broca's area had highly consistent activation in specific locations.


The University of Edinburgh has a significant interest in mass storage systems as it is one of the core groups tasked with the roll out of storage software for the UK's particle physics grid, GridPP. We present the results of a development project to provide software interfaces between the SDSC Storage Resource Broker, the EU DataGrid and the Storage Resource Manager. This project was undertaken in association with the eDikt group at the National eScience Centre, the Universities of Bristol and Glasgow, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory and the San Diego Supercomputing Center.


: The article formulates theoretical and methodological conditions for developing subjectivity in future teachers in Ukraine. Therefore, it analyzes the Ukrainian experience of teacher training for primary school, as well as the aspects of the primary school teachers' subjectivity in relevant scientific discourse. Besides, the article contains theoretical generalizations on the issue in question. Research methods include induction and generalization, prognostic methods in combination with modelling of principles of the educational process and sociological methods (used to identify students' motivation towards teaching). The article proves that Ukraine as "a young democracy" must consider new conditions associated with significant socio-cultural, socio-economic and other changes in the society. It is so because they determine new requirements for the professional training of future primary school teachers. On the other hand, the analysis of relevant literary sources indicates insufficient attention to psychological, methodological, social and other aspects of teacher's subjectivity. The authors of the article offer the updated definitions of key concepts on the development of teacher's subjectivity. Also, they summarize theoretical and methodological principles of primary school teachers' subjectivity in Ukraine and justify the new educational conditions for developing such subjectivity. The novelty of the research lies in its addressing the issue of developing subjectivity in future primary school teachers under the realities of Ukrainian education, which is still on the path of development. pedagogical consciousness and self-consciousness, pedagogical goal setting, pedagogical thinking, pedagogical tact, pedagogical technique, pedagogical reflection and self-reflection, pedagogical self-determination and self-regulation, the pedagogical "ego-concept".


Aim  To investigate the influence of sampling and methodological artefacts on the correlation between abundance and occupancy.

Location  Global scope.

Methods  A fixed effects weighted regression model was fitted to standardized effect size for 175 examples of correlations between abundance and occupancy. A regression tree model with standard effect size as the dependent variable was also fitted to the data.

Results  Standard effect size, and therefore the correlation between abundance and occupancy, was found to be strongly influenced by the type of abundance measure used to characterize the abundance–occupancy relationship. Local mean abundance (also referred to as ecological mean abundance) was primarily responsible for negative correlations. Negative correlations also resulted from a mismatch in the sampling extents of abundance and occupancy measures.

Main conclusions  The combination of abundance and occupancy measures selected to characterize the abundance–occupancy relationship for a given set of data has a profound impact on the sign of the correlation between the selected measures. Previous attempts to understand the processes giving rise to the pattern represented by the abundance–occupancy relationship have confounded sampling artefacts (e.g. spatial extent of abundance and occupancy information) and methodological artefacts (e.g. combining a truncated abundance measure such as local mean abundance with an untruncated occupancy measure such as proportion of occupied samples). Thus, a revision of the approach currently used to define and evaluate competing explanatory models of the abundance–occupancy relationship appears to be necessary.


The paper discusses variations in the photosynthesis and water regime for Pinus sylvestris L. under extreme conditions of the forest-steppe zone of the Irkutsk Region. The daily cycle of Pinus sylvestris L. is characterized by variations in net-photosynthesis, which reaches a maximum in the early hours, with a simultaneous decrease of gas-exchange intensity and transpiration. This is evidence of the substantial role the stomata plays in the regulation of these processes. The air temperature (r = –0.65±0.05, n = 12) is the principal negative factor for carbon dioxide gas exchange. The intensity of transpiration is determined by the level of solar radiation coming into the biocenosis. Insufficient soil moisture, and absolute air humidity (r = 0.70±0.04, n = 12) play a very important role in the processes of gas exchange and transpiration, together with such factors as cool cloudy weather. Therefore, with the solar radiation absorbed by the needles and the elevated air temperature, we observed not only an increase in air humidity in the sub-stomata cavities, but also an increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide in the mezophyll of the needles. Variations in the temperature of the needles provoke an increase of transpiration and the decrease in the intensity of gas exchange. In this case, gas exchange is negatively impacted by the re-assimilation of carbon dioxide discharged in the process of respiration. This dependence is seen from the graphics characterizing the dependences of gas exchange and transpiration upon variations of solar radiation and temperatures. Hence, under extreme conditions, the stomatal mechanism acquires a dominant importance and performs an adaptive function.


Axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) is a chronic inflammatory rheumatic disease that predominantly affects the axial skeleton. The advent of biologic drugs has transformed the management of patients with axSpA. However, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs remain the first-line drug treatment for axSpA. The optimal management of patients with axSpA requires a combination of pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment modalities, namely exercise and physical therapy. This review looks at novel therapeutic options in patients with axSpA. It also summarises current evidence regarding radiographic progression and treat-to-target in axSpA.


We explore an instantaneous decoherence correction (IDC) approach for the decoherence and energy relaxation in the quantum-classical dynamics of charge transport in organic semiconducting crystals. These effects, originating from environmental fluctuations, are essential ingredients of the carrier dynamics. The IDC is carried out by measurement-like operations in the adiabatic representation. While decoherence is inherent in the IDC, energy relaxation is taken into account by considering the detailed balance through the introduction of energy-dependent reweighing factors, which could be either Boltzmann (IDC-BM) or Miller-Abrahams (IDC-MA) type. For a non-diagonal electron-phonon coupling model, it is shown that IDC tends to enhance diffusion while energy relaxation weakens this enhancement. As expected, both the IDC-BM and IDC-MA achieve a near-equilibrium distribution at finite temperatures in the diffusion process, while in the Ehrenfest dynamics the electronic system tends to infinite temperature limit. The resulting energy relaxation times with the two kinds of factors lie in different regimes and exhibit different dependences on temperature, decoherence time, and electron-phonon coupling strength, due to different dominant relaxation processes.


Objective:In critically ill patients, hepatic dysfunction is regarded as a late organ failure associated with poor prognosis. We investigated the incidence and prognostic implications of early hepatic dysfunction (serum bilirubin >2 mg/dL within 48 hrs of admission). Design:Prospective, multicenter cohort study. Setting:Thirty-two medical, surgical, and mixed intensive care units. Patients:A total of 38,036 adult patients admitted consecutively over a period of 4 yrs. Interventions:None. Measurements and Main Results:Excluding patients with preexisting cirrhosis (n = 691; 1.8%) and acute or acute-on-chronic hepatic failure (n = 108, 0.3%), we identified 4,146 patients (10.9%) with early hepatic dysfunction. These patients had different baseline characteristics, longer median intensive care unit stays (5 vs. 3 days; p < .001) and increased hospital mortality (30.4% vs. 16.4%; p < .001). Hepatic dysfunction was also associated with higher observed-to-expected mortality ratios (1.02 vs. 0.91; p < .001). Multiple logistic regression analysis showed an independent mortality risk of hepatic dysfunction (odds ratio, 1.86; 95% confidence interval, 1.71–2.03; p < .001), which exceeded the impact of all other organ dysfunctions. A case-control study further confirmed these results: Patients with early hepatic dysfunction exhibited significantly increased raw and risk-adjusted mortality compared with control subjects. Conclusions:Our results provide strong evidence that early hepatic dysfunction, occurring in 11% of critically ill patients, presents a specific and independent risk factor for poor prognosis.


A 3C-type two-centre wavefunction with four parameters that we will call a modified two-centre continuum wavefunction (MTCC) is proposed. This function is constructed in a closed analytical form by solving the Schrödinger equation of an electron (with wave vector and position vector ) in the Coulomb field of two fixed charged nuclei. The obtained solution fulfils the correct boundary conditions asymptotically up to the order O((kr)−2). The MTCC function is applied to calculations of the seven-fold differential cross section of the dissociative ionization of the simplest homo-nuclear diatomic system H+2 by fast electrons. The good agreement of the obtained results with exact ones shows that the MTCC function could be a very elegant and useful compromise in the description of slow electrons emerging from diatomic targets.


It is shown that by adapting the refractive indexes in the vicinity of interfaces, the 2-D beam propagation method based on the finite-difference (FDBPM) scheme can be made much more effective. This holds especially for TM modes propagating in structures with high-index contrasts, such as surface polaritons. A short discussion is given on the applicability of the FDBPM. >


Objectives: To review the role of eustachian tube balloon dilation (ETBD) in the setting of chronic Eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD) and ascertain how ETBD is currently being used in practice today. Methods: An online survey included 20 questions designed by 3 investigators to examine how otolaryngologists utilize ETBD in the management of ETD. The survey was distributed to the members of the American Rhinologic Society (ARS), American Otological Society (AOS), and American Neurotology Society (ANS) in their respective annual electronic mailings in April and May of 2017. Results: A total of 1105 and 633 surveys were sent to ARS and AOS/ANS members, respectively. Of those, 157 surveys were returned (126 from ARS and 31 from AOS/ANS). Of those returning the survey, 72 (50%) had not performed ETBD and were excluded from subsequent analysis. Forty-four (66%) respondents consider ETBD after failure of medical management; conversely, 18 (27%) and 26 (39%) consider ETBD after failure of 1 or more trial of myringotomy tube placement. Routine testing for ETBD includes audiogram with tympanometry 64 (96%) and preoperative computer tomography (CT) 38 (57%). Fifty-three (80%) practitioners only perform ETBD in adults 18 years and older. Thirty-four (53%) respondents describe ETBD as "great" or "good," while 27 (42%) were unsure, and only 3 (5%) did not like ETBD. Conclusions: Eustachian tube balloon dilation is a novel technique for the treatment of chronic ETD, and its role continues to evolve and develop. Current practice patterns demonstrate wide variability in the assessment of ETD, heterogeneity in the timing of ETBD, and controversy in preoperative CT screening.


Recent experiments have shown that substrate permeability can suppress the coffeering pattern that is often left by evaporating droplets and promote more uniform solute deposition. Motivated by these observations, we have developed a lubrication-theorybased model to describe imbibition and evaporation of droplets of colloidal suspensions on permeable substrates. The model consists of a system of one-dimensional partial differential equations accounting for the changing droplet shape and depth-averaged concentration of colloidal particles. We also incorporate a precursor film, disjoining pressure, and substrate topography to control contact-line motion of the droplet. Solvent evaporation is described using the well-known one-sided model, and imbibition of solvent by the substrate is assumed to only depend on the excess pressure on the liquid side. The governing equations are solved with finite-difference methods. Our results reveal that solvent evaporation and solvent imbibition have the same qualitative effect on the final particle deposition pattern. For the case where the substrate is smooth, we find that increasing imbibition or evaporation leads to a transition from a cone-shaped deposition pattern to a ring-shaped deposition pattern. For the case where the substrate is rough, the droplet contact line is pinned at a defect on the substrate, and the pinning-depinning transition leads to the ``bullseye'' deposition pattern often observed in experiments. Finally, we also find that particle adsorption onto the substrate can promote more uniform particle deposition patterns for both smooth and rough substrates, and solvent imbibition can indirectly suppress the coffee-ring pattern by inducing more particle adsorption. 1 Unpublished. ISCST shall not be responsible for statements or opinions contained in papers or printed in its publications.


This research focused on preparing hydrogels with controlled drug release properties to control gastrointestinal tract bacterial infection. Chitosan (CS) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) were used as the base polymers, with the CS component crosslinked by glutaraldehyde for hydrogel preparation using the solution casting technique. The effect of varying glutaraldehyde content in the hydrogels was characterized by the extent of swelling in simulated physiological fluids of pH 1.2, 6.8, and 7.4; the development of porosity; and gel fraction. Functional groups and covalent and hydrogen bonds formed, thermal stability, phase structure, and morphology were characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy. The results show that the components in the hydrogels have good compatibility and formed honeycomb-like structures. In vitro studies confirmed that the hydrogels have good biodegradability at pH 7.4. Based on these properties, a CS/PVP hydrogel of the ratio of 60 : 40 crosslinked with 600 μL glutaraldehyde was selected for the in-situ loading of 200 mg of the drug metronidazole (MTZ). The hydrogel was characterized for cumulative drug release in the simulated physiological fluids and drug release kinetics using different models and for its antibacterial activity. The best-fit Korsmeyer–Peppas model suggests that MTZ release followed diffusion and swelling-controlled time-dependent non-Fickian transport related to hydrogel erosion. This hydrogel displays enhanced antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, and Escherichia coli showed substantial inhibition zones indicating the produced CS/PVP hydrogels are promising candidates for controlled drug release applications.


A high-resolution grating spectrometer has been designed and built for use in the infrared region between 0.8 and 6 µ. A Littrow optical system is employed and a 3-m focal length spherical mirror is utilized as the collimator. By the use of a four-pass optical system and a 17.5-cm grating with 400 lines/mm, a spectral slitwidth of 0.013 cm−1 is obtained in the region of 3.4 µ. Details of the design and operation of the instrument are given and the precision which can be obtained with the mechanical drive system is discussed.


Studies have shown the need to engage the public early in planning new energy development ventures. Many times, this may be critical to the ultimate success of that program. Based on our previous studies of community acceptance of shale development projects, we have undertaken new studies to understand better the communities' views of development in environmentally sensitive areas. Early interviews with key stakeholders and specially conducted focus group meetings helped previously to identify the public's perceptions of such technology and showed that favorable or unfavorable views were based mostly on pre-conceived notions of potential effects rather that factual data. Those findings have shown that a developer should actively work to increase the public's awareness about a potential project. There is a strong need for those who plan new energy development to be completely transparent and to give the public knowledgeable (and credible) information about events and developments that will impact them, not just financial gains, but environmental impacts and overall effects on community.
 Recognizing that sustainable development of energy resources is a sound business strategy, some O&G companies are now incorporating public engagement as part of their business strategy. However, some companies do not. Recent activity in West Texas provides an example of how companies should and should not go about energy development projects.


SUMMARY We evaluated total hip arthroplasty in patients with neglected developmental dislocation of the hip with regard to surgical method and modifications, problems encountered during surgery, and follow-up results. A total of 25 hips (Hartofilakidis type 3, high dislocation) of 22 patients (22 women; mean age 44 years; range 28-61 years) who underwent total hip arthroplasty were clinically and radiologically evaluated. In all cases, cementless acetabular components were placed in the true acetabulum. Only one acetabula required structural autograft. Cementless stems were used on the femoral side. A subtrochanteric osteotomy was performed in 23 hips. The mean follow-up period was five years (range 2 to 10 years). The scale of Merle d'Aubigne and Postel, as modified by Charnley was used to evaluate the clinical results. Pain improved from a mean of 2.3 preoperatively to 5.7 postoperatively. Function improved from 2.3 to 4.5 and mobility from 2.3 to 4.4 at the final follow-up evaluation. No acetabular autograft resorption or non- union were observed. Intraoperatively femoral fissure occurred in 3 cases. One sciatic nerve palsy occurred. Brooker type IV heterotopic ossification was observed in one case. Three polyethylen wear, 1 DVT, 2 osteolysis were observed during the follow-up.Total hip arthroplasty proved successful in neglected developmental dislocation of the hip.


The high popularity of the practice of sirri marriage in Indonesia causes many residents who are not registered in the office of population and civil records (Dukcapil). Siri marriage is a method of marriage that is done religiously, has a guardian, and meets the pillars and conditions of marriage, but does not register the marriage at the Office of Religious Affairs (KUA). It makes the ministry of home affairs Zudan Arif Fakrullah statement on October 07, 2021, that if a married couple carries out the practice of marriage, sirri can get a family card (KK). The issue of legal marriage or not is often a polemic that results in unclear marital status, resulting in a negative impact for the parties involved, both wives, husbands, and children. This study is a qualitative descriptive study using normative phenomenological shorts. The results showed pros and cons among the public about the statement because it is not following the Government's law. The regulation of Law No. 1 of 1974 on Marriage Article 42 paragraph 1 states, "Legitimate children are children born in or as a result of a valid marriage." While what happens in sirri marriage is unrepresented, the child does not get the right. Thus, a new policy for serial marriage couples to get a family card with the provider must meet certain conditions.
Keywords: Siri Marriage; Marriage; Family Card


The active sulfide chimney ore sampled from the flank of the active Tiger chimney in the Yonaguni Knoll IV hydrothermal system, South Okinawa Trough, consists of anhydrite, pyrite, shalerite, galena, chalcopyrite and bismuthinite. Electron microprobe analyses indicated that the chalcopyrite and bismuthinite contain up to 2.4 wt. % Sn and 1.7 wt. % Pt, respectively. The high Sn-bearing chalcopyrite and Pt-bearing bismuthinite are the first occurrence of such minerals on the submarine hydrothermal systems so far reported. The results confirm that the Sn enters the chalcopyrite as a solid solution towards stannite by the coupled substitution of Sn 4+ Fe 2+ for Fe 3+ Fe 3+ while Pt enters the bismuthinite structure as a solid solution during rapid growth. The homogenization temperature of the fluid inclusions in anhydrite (220-310℃) and metasured end-member temperature of the vent fluids (325℃) indicate that the minerals are precipitated as metastable phases at temperature around 300℃. The Sn-bearing chalcopyrite and Pt-bearing bismuthinite expess the original composition of the minerals deposited from a hydrothermal fluid with temperatures of about 300℃.


With the introduction of combination antiretroviral therapy (ART) worldwide, youth with perinatal HIV infection are increasingly surviving childhood and transitioning to adult care. Although a normal life span is anticipated posttransition, successful transition to adult HIV care has proven difficult, with worse outcomes posttransition than in pediatric and adult care. This study is a qualitative analysis of data from 4 focus groups of pre- and posttransition patients, caregivers, and healthcare providers in the Dominican Republic at an institution that provides comprehensive treatment including ART for HIV-infected persons of all ages. All groups discussed the problems and challenges that patients, caregivers, and providers experience while living the transition process and beyond. Five major themes emerged: the trauma of transition itself, ART adherence, experience and impact of stigma, social supports and barriers, and recommendations for improving outcomes. Participants' insights offered approaches for a versatile structured transition process.


In this study a numerical cryptanalysis of a random number generator (RNG) which is built on a continuous-time chaotic oscillator is introduced. In order to scrutinize the security weaknesses of the RNG, a master-slave synchronization approach is presented as the basis of an attack scheme. By proposing this attack scheme, it is aimed to verify whether there exist any possibility to divulge the hidden knowledge about the RNG and to guess the subsequent number by knowing only the RNG structure and any scalar time series obtained from the output of the chaotic system. Simulation results of the attack scheme are presented in this paper, and it is shown that deterministic chaos itself cannot be identified as the source of randomness.


A cystic panfolliculoma is a benign follicular neoplasm which recapitulates several portions of the hair follicle. The patient was a 64‐year‐old Caucasian female who presented with a new growth on her right forearm. The lesion had slowly enlarged over the previous 11 months. She complained of it bleeding on several occasions and being very tender when touched. On exam was an 8 mm firm pink papule which appeared slightly eroded. The growth was excised in clinic. Histology showed a well‐circumscribed neoplasm with foci of matrical, infundibular, inner and outer root sheath differentiation. A BerEp3 labeled focal areas of follicular germinative differentiation at the periphery of the proliferation. The lesion was narrowly excised in the available planes of section. The surgical site healed well and there are no residual symptoms from the tumor.


The canonical acoustic dark energy model (cADE), which is based on a scalar field with a canonical kinetic term that rapidly converts potential to kinetic energy around matter radiation equality, alleviates the Hubble tension found in $\Lambda$CDM. We show that it successfully passes new consistency tests in the CMB damping tail provided by the ACT data, while being increasingly constrained and distinguished from alternate mechanisms by the improved CMB acoustic polarization data from Planck. The best fit cADE model to a suite of cosmological observations, including the SH0ES $H_0$ measurement, has $H_0=70.25$ compared with $68.23$ (km s$^{-1}$ Mpc$^{-1}$) in $\Lambda$CDM and a finite cADE component is preferred at the $2.8\sigma$ level. The ability to raise $H_0$ is now mainly constrained by the improved Planck acoustic polarization data, which also plays a crucial role in distinguishing cADE from the wider class of early dark energy models. ACT and Planck TE polarization data are currently mildly discrepant in normalization and drive correspondingly different preferences in parameters. Improved constraints on intermediate scale polarization approaching the cosmic variance limit will be an incisive test of the acoustic dynamics of these models and their alternatives.


The occurrence of porphyroblastic staurolite-bearing metagreywacke of the Burntwood Group between Duval Lake in northern Manitoba and the Saskatchewan–Manitoba border led previous investigators to suggest the presence of a metamorphic low in the Kisseynew gneiss belt. Thermobarometric measurements on quartz – plagioclase – sillimanite – garnet – biotite assemblages in the Duval Lake area and in the vicinity of Lobstick Narrows (Kisseynew Lake), near the boundary between the Kisseynew gneiss belt and the Flin Flon volcanic belt, gave values of 3000 ± 600 bars and 530° ± 27°C. These values are within measurement uncertainty and suggest a uniform metamorphic grade. We conclude that the occurrence of staurolite is controlled by bulk composition and that there is no metamorphic low at Duval Lake.


Separation and analysis of water-soluble proteins (WSP) are important in understanding wheat grain proteome fundamentals. However, due to their high degree of heterogeneity and complexity in the compositions, separating WSP is generally difficult and relevant methodologies are not efficiently developed yet. Capillary electrophoresis (CE) is one of the analytical methods currently used for protein separation and characterization. In the present study, a CE method is established for rapidly separating and characterizing WSP of wheat grains. The established method was tested in various applications including wheat variety and germplasm identification as well as protein synthesis and accumulation studies during different grain development stages subject to genotypic and environmental variations. As results, the characteristic CE patterns of a range of bread wheat cultivars and related species were readily identified. The synthesis and accumulation patterns of wheat WSP during developing grains as well as their stabilities in different environments were also investigated. The technical advancements present in this article appear to be useful for wheat cultivar and germplasm identification as well as genetics and breeding research.


Plant endophytic bacteria have many vital roles in plant growth promotion (PGP), such as nitrogen (N) fixation and resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses. In this study, the seedlings of sugarcane varieties B8 (requires a low concentration of nitrogen for growth) and GT11 (requires a high concentration of nitrogen for growth) were inoculated with endophytic diazotroph Enterobacter roggenkampii ED5, which exhibits multiple PGP traits, isolated from sugarcane roots. The results showed that the inoculation with E. roggenkampii ED5 promoted the growth of plant significantly in both sugarcane varieties. 15N detection at 60 days post-inoculation proved that the inoculation with strain ED5 increased the total nitrogen concentration in the leaf and root than control in both sugarcane varieties, which was higher in B8. Biochemical parameters and phytohormones in leaf were analyzed at 30 and 60 days after the inoculation. The results showed that the inoculation with E. roggenkampii ED5 improved the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), NADH-glutamate dehydrogenase (NADH-GDH), glutamine synthetase (GS), and endo-β-1,4-glucanase, and the contents of proline and indole acetic acid (IAA) in leaf, and it was generally more significant in B8 than in GT11. Tandem Mass Tags (TMT) labeling and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) were used to perform comparative proteomic analysis in the sugarcane leaves at 30 days after inoculation with strain ED5. A total of 27,508 proteins were detected, and 378 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were found in the treated sugarcane variety B8 (BE) as compared to control (BC), of which 244 were upregulated and 134 were downregulated. In contrast, a total of 177 DEPs were identified in the treated sugarcane variety GT11 (GE) as compared to control (GC), of which 103 were upregulated and 74 were downregulated. The DEPs were associated with nitrogen metabolism, photosynthesis, starch, sucrose metabolism, response to oxidative stress, hydrolase activity, oxidative phosphorylation, glutathione metabolism, phenylpropanoid metabolic process, and response to stresses in Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) database. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first proteomic approach to investigate the molecular basis of the interaction between N-fixing endophytic strain E. roggenkampii ED5 and sugarcane.


OBJECTIVE
To provide the experience for early diagnosis and management of facial nerve neuromas, and to discuss the clinic and imaging feature of facial nerve schwannoma and facial nerve fibroma in 22 cases.

METHODS
Twenty cases facial nerve schwannoma and two cases of facial nerve neurofibroma were diagnosed and reviewed retrospectively. Surgical removal were performed through the middle cranial fossa in 2 cases, through intratemporal approach in 8 cases, through intraparotid approach in 2 cases, and combined intra-temporal with out-temporal approaches in 10 cases. Seventeen cases underwent facial nerve graft for repairing a facial nerve defect. Great auricular nerve was used in 3 cases with intratemporal approach and 1 case with intratemporal combined intraparotid approach. Sural nerve graft was used in 5 cases with intratemporal approach and 8 cases with intra-temporal combined intraparotid approach. Two cases were employed two-stage facial muscle flap-plasty.

RESULTS
Facial nerve neuromas were totally removed in 21 cases and subtotal neuroma removed in 1 case. In these cases, 20 patients were no recurrence and 1 patient was lost follow-up. One patient with subtotal neuroma removal received Gamma Knife treatment before and after surgery, and this case was no recurrence. The CT imaging of the temporal bone showed that schwannoma was separated "white mass" with smooth margin along the region of facial nerve without intact canal. But neurofibroma locate in enlarge fallopian with intact canal. Magnetic resonance imaging had the advantage of evaluating all segments of the facial nerve and showed continuity of intratemporal and intraparotid mass with the facial nerve. Pathological results indicated that 20 cases were diagnosed as facial nerve schwannoma and 2 cases were neurofibroma.

CONCLUSIONS
Although tumors originating from the facial nerve are extremely rare, it is possible to make early diagnosis through finding clinical feature and imaging methods. Generally, systematic surgical approach for tumor removal and facial nerve reconstruction should be considered in the cases with facial neurinoma.


Benign tumors of the esophagus are rare. The conventional surgical trauma during thoracoscopy appears to be huge in proportion to the small tumor. Thus, alternative procedures are mandatory. The combination of thoracoscopic and endoscopic techniques allows the secure tumor removal with minimal surgical trauma and thus increases the patient's comfort. Intraluminal endoscopy in combination with diaphanoscopy clearly facilitates the thoracoscopic preparation in the majority of the intramurally located tumors. Between January 1995 and December 2003, we treated a total of 28 patients using these combined endoscopic procedures. By means of this minimal invasive technique, the tumors could be removed completely. This surgical approach can be used for all benign tumors of the esophagus. The technique is secure, with only minor complications. Moreover, the simultaneous use of diaphanoscopy increases the anatomical preparatory security and is an important facilitation for the surgeon.


We show that the spatially and spectrally resolved near-field images of unstable resonator semiconductor lasers (URSL) can be used to measure the lateral refractive index variation that is intentionally incorporated into these devices. Several URSL lasers, with different lateral index profiles, were measured using this technique and good agreement was found between the designed and actual index variation. This technique also allows the measurement of index changes due to other processes such as thermal effects, nonuniform carrier distribution and material defects.


Tissues were obtained at necropsy from the nasal vestibule, turbinates, nasopharynx, trachea, tracheobronchial bifurcation, and lung from each of 10 clinically healthy calves persistently infected (PI) with bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) serotype 2a. Tissues from the nasal vestibule were obtained by biopsy from five additional PI calves. Formalin-fixed tissues were processed for immunohistochemistry to localize the distribution of BVDV throughout the respiratory tract. Antigen distribution and intensity were subjectively evaluated. Throughout the respiratory tract, mononuclear leukocytes, vascular smooth muscle, and endoneural and perineural cells had BVDV immunoreactivity (BVDV-IR). Multifocally, squamous and ciliated columnar epithelium throughout the respiratory tract contained weak to moderate BVDV antigen. Viral antigen was not seen in goblet cells. BVDV-IR in mixed tubuloalveolar glands of the nasal cavity was weak to strong in serous secretory cells and ductular epithelium. Chondrocytes of the concha often contained BVDV antigen diffusely. Nasal mucus-secreting and tracheobronchial glands multifocally contained weak viral signal. In all cases, alveolar macrophages had moderate to strong BVDV-IR, whereas BVDV-IR in alveolar epithelial cells was weak to moderate. BVDV was present in interalveolar leukocytes and mesenchymal cells. Results indicate that serous secretions of the nasal cavity, productive viral infection of epithelium, and infected leukocytes in respiratory secretions are likely major sources of infectious BVDV from PI calves. The presence of BVDV antigen in respiratory epithelium is, at least, indirect support for the notion that this virus predisposes PI cattle to secondary microbial infections.


Summary In various outcrops along the Black Sea coast, a thick Dinantian shallow water carbonate succession is overlain by four formations of highest Visean to highest Westphalian age. The succession changes upwards from generally shallow marine, to non-marine giving way in the upper levels of flood-plain, lacustrine and fluviatile deposits. All the present outcrops are believed to have belonged to a single large basin in which material was derived from a former Black Sea continent to the north. In contrast to some recent suggestions, the basin was located near the southern edge of the Laurasian plate. A model is discussed in which uplift of the area north of the modern North Anatolian Fault is attributed to dextral strike-slip faulting in approximately E-W and NNE-SSW directions. Although evidence of strike-slip faulting has been obscured by later tectonic events, in general the North Turkish Upper Carboniferous sedimentary rocks were deformed during a late Hercynian phase of large-scale wrench-faulting caused by oblique collision of the Gondwana and Laurasian plates after Carboniferous time, which may have also displayed the former Black Sea continent eastwards.


This study, commissioned by the European Parliament's Policy Department for Citizens' Rights and Constitutional Affairs at the request of the Committee on Petitions, considers the dilemma of a broad or narrow application of the Charter of Fundamental Rights (CFR) to national measures. It considers the way the Court of Justice of the EU (CJ EU) has been interpreting fundamental rights in relation to such measures before and after the Lisbon Treaty and the constitutionalisation of the Charter: currently the CJ EU applies a varied interpretation of the CFR, on the basis of a narrow approach to its applicability to Member States' measures implementing EU law. As a consequence, the Commission's strict approach in relation to a selection of petitions received by the Committee on Petitions raising issues of alleged CFR violations seems justified in the light of the existing law and CJ EU jurisprudence. The analysis, after examining the considerations that militate in favour and against a narrow interpretation of the Charter and of its Article 51, concludes that a more courageous approach should be taken at EU level when examining national implementing measures of EU law raising fundamental rights issues, notably until these are not evenly and properly guaranteed across the EU.


Web information extraction (WIE) is a fundamental problem in web document understanding, with a significant impact on various applications. Visual information plays a crucial role in WIE tasks as the nodes containing relevant information are often visually distinct, such as being in a larger font size or having a brighter color, from the other nodes. However, rendering visual information of a web page can be computationally expensive. Previous works have mainly focused on the Document Object Model (DOM) tree, which lacks visual information. To efficiently exploit visual information, we propose leveraging the render tree, which combines the DOM tree and Cascading Style Sheets Object Model (CSSOM) tree, and contains not only content and layout information but also rich visual information at a little additional acquisition cost compared to the DOM tree. In this paper, we present WIERT, a method that effectively utilizes the render tree of a web page based on a pretrained language model. We evaluate WIERT on the Klarna product page dataset, a manually labeled dataset of renderable e-commerce web pages, demonstrating its effectiveness and robustness.


Corporate governance (CG) needs to acknowledge the intentional part of governance, where an actor of governance uses the set of corporate governance mechanisms in order to influence the agent to create a performance that will satisfy the interest of the principal. This paper offers a conception of this activity through the concept of governance strategy. The concept is derived within the context of agency theory and applied to two empirical organisations seldom investigated in CG research: the organisation of a riding school in a democratic not-for-profit association and the organisation of multinational corporations in a business group.


With recent advances in explainable artificial intelligence (XAI), researchers have started to pay attention to concept-level explanations, which explain model predictions with a high level of abstraction. However, such explanations may be difficult to digest for laypeople due to the potential knowledge gap and the concomitant cognitive load. Inspired by recent work, we argue that analogy-based explanations composed of commonsense knowledge may be a potential solution to tackle this issue. In this paper, we propose analogical inference as a bridge to help end-users leverage their commonsense knowledge to better understand the concept-level explanations. Specifically, we design an effective analogy-based explanation generation method and collect 600 analogy-based explanations from 100 crowd workers. Furthermore, we propose a set of structured dimensions for the qualitative assessment of analogy-based explanations and conduct an empirical evaluation of the generated analogies with experts. Our findings reveal significant positive correlations between the qualitative dimensions of analogies and the perceived helpfulness of analogy-based explanations. These insights can inform the design of future methods for the generation of effective analogy-based explanations. We also find that the understanding of commonsense explanations varies with the experience of the recipient user, which points out the need for further work on personalization when leveraging commonsense explanations.


Abstract:This article argues that the abuse of costume by the women in Lysistrata and Ecclesiazusae displays their dominance over the men while underscoring their femininity. This is particularly important in a genre where women in power are commonly viewed as masculine or androgynous. Furthermore, the use of costume reflects fundamental concerns about female power in each fictional type of gynecocracy. In Lysistrata the handling of costume alludes to ritualistic practices which emphasize the women's (positive) contribution to civic welfare, and articulates the women's efforts towards the restoration of the institution of marriage and the former (male) political order. Conversely, in Ecclesiazusae the mutual cross-dressing highlights the men's impotence and sterility, and reflects the consequences of the abolition of marriage and the subversion of the male order.


This edited volume provides a vehicle for the expression of geographical and historical perspectives on the militarisation of East Asia and the Pacific. Among the questions the authors explore are: How have groups and individuals variously enforced, justified, supported, resisted, and acquiesced in military occupation? How have concepts of nationality, identity, and self-determination been shaped, reshaped, and erased by historical processes? How can communities escape from their perceived or actual dependence on centralised loci of power? Chapters draw upon philosophical, theoretical, empirical, and anecdotal evidence. The book is aimed at, inter alia, activists for social justice and researchers in international and strategic relations, colonial and post-colonial studies, Asian, Okinawan, and Pacific island studies, critical theory, and ethics. Contributors to this volume include David Vine, Douglas Lummis, Miyume Tanji, Kyle Kajihiro, chinin usii, Leevin Camacho, Andrew Yeo, Mitzi Uehara Carter, Gwisook Gwon, Christopher Melley, Yukinori Tokuyama, Kiyomi Maedomari-Tokuyama, Nika Nashiro, Chie Miyagi, Makoto Arakaki, Peter Simpson, and Daniel Broudy.


Polyester is the most used of the synthetic fibers used in the textile industry. Nonetheless, due to its structure, the use of only disperse dyes for dyeing creates a significant weakness in its coloring. In this paper, the utilization of reactive and acid dyes in the dyeing of polyester after chemical modification with guanidine-based polymer is investigated. The dyeing of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) fabrics with reactive and acid dyes was succeeded via modification with guanidine-based polymer. The effects of this polymer on disperse dyeing were also investigated. The effect of various parameters such as temperature, duration, pH, different amounts of salt and alkaline, the different dyes and processes were investigated for modifying and dyeing PET. The optimum parameters for reactive dyeing were found to be modification and dyeing in the same bath at 100° C for 60 minutes without salt and alkaline, for which the obtained color strength (12.87) was higher than that of conventional disperse dyeing with carrier (10.43). In addition, polymer modification at 130° C for 60 minutes before disperse dyeing provided higher color depth (24.39) than dyeing of PET by the conventional disperse high temperature method (22.48). Color fastness in laundering and the perspiration of modified and reactive dyed fabrics reached good to excellent levels (4/5). The modified and dyed samples were characterized using Scanning Electron Microscopy and Fourier Transform Infrared. Tensile tests and flexural rigidity tests for modified and reactive dyed samples were also conducted. The results indicate that the quality of the beginning material was not degraded after being modified and dyed.


Information gatheringfor early warning and crop assessment in Tanzania is based on physical inspection of standing crop in sample yields. This process is subject to human error, inadequate and is also time consuming. Recent developments in computer simulation have paved the way for more efficient methods of analysing data for purposes of early warning and crop assessment. Two such schemes based on soil water balance simulation, viz. IRSIS and CRPSM models were used in this study to see how closely they could predict grain yields for selected stations in Tanzania. Input for the models comprised of weather, crop and soil data collected from five selected stations. Simulation results show that IRSIS model tends to over predict grain yields of maize, sorghum and wheat, a fact that could be attributed to the inadequacy of the model to accurately account for rainfall excess. On the other hand, the CRPSA1 model simulated results were not significantly different (P > 0. 05) from the actual grain yields maize, sorghum, wheat and beans. Although the agreement between actual and simulated yield data was good, it was observed that mean values for predicted grain yields were consistently lower than for actual grain yields. This could be attributed to the use of approximate rather than location specific input parameters required by the CRPSM model. Locally calibrated input parameters in the CRPSM model could further improve the accuracy of the model and hence its ability to predict grain yields. Keywords: Soil water balance, simulation model, crop assessment, yield prediction Tanzania J. Agric. Sc. (2000) Vol. 3, No. 2,129-136


Abstract Wolbachia pipientis is a bacterium that induces cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI), the phenomenon in which infected males are reproductively incompatible with uninfected females. CI spreads in a population of hosts because it reduces the fitness of uninfected females relative to infected females. CI encompasses two steps: modification (mod) of sperm of infected males and rescuing (resc) of these chromosomes by Wolbachia in the egg. Infections associated with CI have mod+resc+ phenotypes. However, mod−resc+ phenotypes also exist; these do not result in CI. Assuming mod/resc phenotypes are properties of the symbiont, theory predicts that mod−resc+ infections can only spread in a host population where a mod+resc+ infection already occurs. A mod−resc+ infection spreads if the cost it imposes on the infected females is lower than the cost inflicted by the resident (mod+resc+) infection. Furthermore, introduction of a mod− Wolbachia eventually drives infection to extinction. The uninfected population that results can be recolonized by a CI-causing Wolbachia. Here, we investigated whether variability for induction of CI was present in two Tetranychus urticae populations. In one population all isofemale lines tested were mod−. In the other, mod+resc+ and mod−resc+ isofemale lines coexisted. We found no evidence for a cost difference to females expressing either type (mod+/−). Infections in the two populations could not be distinguished based on sequences of two Wolbachia genes. We consider the possibility that mod− is a host effect through a population dynamics model. A mod− host allele leads to infection extinction in the absence of fecundity differences. Furthermore, the uninfected population that results is immune to reestablishment of the (same) CI-causing Wolbachia.


We have studied the domain configurations and structures of KNbO3 crystal in orthorhombic and tetragonal phases by polarizing microscopy. The phase transition processes among orthorhombic, tetragonal and cubic phases and thermal hysteresis during phase transitions are observed directly. Domain-pattern changes and the stable domain patterns during the phase transitions are discussed.


PURPOSE
Benign ureteroenteric anastomotic stricture (UEAS) is a common postoperative complication after urinary diversion with an incidence of 3-10%. Our objective is to report long-term follow up of our technique for endoscopically managing UEAS after cystectomy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
Patients with endoscopically managed benign UEAS after cystectomy were included. Intervention entailed anetegrade flexible ureteroscopy with biopsy followed by laser incision of the stricture and of periureteral and peri-ileal tissues 1 cm below and 1 cm above the stricture into fat. Triamcinolone injection was then performed, followed by balloon dilation of the incised area to 24F. Parallel double-J ureteral stents or upside down nephrostomy tubes were placed for 6 weeks. CT scans were obtained at three months and one year after surgery, and renal ultrasound at six and nine months, and then annually.

RESULTS
Twenty one patients, and a total of 24 UEAS were treated. Urinary diversion included ileal conduit (n=12), neobladder (n=7), and Indiana pouch (n=2). Twenty out of 24 strictures had no recurrence, including three patients who had bilateral disease, yielding an overall success rate of 83.3%. The remaining three patients with recurrence had evidence of stricture within three months. Follow-up ranged from eight to 102 months, with a median of 30 months.

CONCLUSIONS
Patients treated endoscopically for UEAS have been shown to have acceptable immediate success with less morbidity when compared to ureteral reimplantation. Our technique of laser incision, triamcinolone injection, balloon dilation, and temporary stent placement has a success rate of over 80% and is unique in that long-term data confirms the durability of this endoscopic procedure.


Primary tumors of the liver in mice have been described several times in the past thirty years. Murray (1) in 1908 described a tumor which originated in the liver of a female mouse, closely resembled normal liver tissue, produced no metastases, and did not grow in any of the 60 mice into which it was transplanted. The tumor, according to the author, was an "adenoma, probably malignant."

Slye, Holmes and Wells (2), in 1915, observed primary liver-cell tumors in 28 of 10,000 mice of all ages examined post mortem. Fourteen of the tumors occurred in males and 14 in females. They ranged in character from simple adenomas to malignant neoplasms with pulmonary metastases. In 1916 Slye (3) reported observations which showed that they were inheritable.

Strong, Smith and Gardner, in a series of papers beginning in 1936, described hepatomas in mice of strain CBA. This strain has been inbred for longevity and low incidence of tumors of all varieties. In their first report (4) these authors showed that hepatomas appeared in 14 descendants of a mouse which had developed a liver tumor at the age of 30.5 months. In a later communication (5) it was stated that 42 mice of the CBA strain had developed spontaneous hepatomas at an average age of 613 days, and that the sexes were affected in approximately equal numbers. Subcutaneous transplantation of one of the neoplasms produced slowly growing tumors in 4 of 16 CBA mice.


The purpose of this paper is to examine the possibility of using waqf to finance the federal government's public expenditures in Malaysia. The arguments were based on the primary data gathered from semi-structured interviews with waqf experts. The result shows that waqf can finance the Malaysian federal government's public expenditure for three reasons; Shari'ah permissibility, there is evidence of implementation in past Muslim economies and political will from the federal government. This study is motivated by Malaysia's persistent primary deficit, Malaysia's rising debt to GDP, and the versatile nature of waqf that could address these problems. Due to the exploratory nature of this study, qualitative research was conducted through the employment of semi-structured interviews. The thematic analysis was then performed on the interview transcripts. Literary evidence was also mentioned to ensure the concurrent validity of the mentioned results. The findings of this paper may add to the existing literature on the solutions to the burgeoning government expenditure and debt. Even more so, this article motivates researchers to explore the arising issues stemming from this particular waqf implementation.

Keywords: waqf, finance, third sector, public goods, public expenditure


This work studies the feasibility to employ a combination of volcanic ash (natural waste) with different raw materials in the production of geopolymers: fly ash and mining tailing (considered hazardous solid waste), natural pozzolan, and metakaolin. This study compares the properties of geopolymers based on volcanic ash with fly ash, pozzolan, metakaolin, and mining tailing in a relation of 1:1 with the addition of NaOH 15M and Na2SiO3 as alkali activators. FTIR and XRD assays and mechanical tests were employed to characterize the geopolymers. The results showed that those materials can be used as raw materials to produce geopolymers. Additionally, the results revealed that prime material composition and their mineralogical characteristics influence the geopolymerization reaction and compression strength, reaching values of 35 MPa for the volcanic ash-pozzolan mixture. The pozzolan is a good source of Al2O3 and SiO2 and is highly reactive to the alkali activators resulting in a better geopolymerization in comparison to the mixtures of volcanic ash with metakaolin, fly ash, or mining tailing.


Background: Many techniques have been described for arthrodesis of the first metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint. The purpose of this study was to determine the results of fixation using a low-profile dorsal titanium plate with locking screws in the phalanx, nonlocking screws in the metatarsal, and a plantar neutralization screw. Methods: Forty-nine consecutive patients (51 feet) underwent a first MTP joint arthrodesis during an enrollment period of 1 year from October 2010 to November, 2011. All patients were evaluated preoperatively for primary pathology, pain, function, radiographic findings, AOFAS scores, and physical exam findings. First MTP joint arthrodesis was performed with a precontoured dorsal titanium plate with preset valgus and dorsiflexion after the joint surfaces were prepared with dome-shaped power reamers to achieve congruous cancellous bone surfaces. At a minimum of 1-year follow-up, patients returned for postoperative evaluation of pain, function, radiographic findings, satisfaction, AOFAS scores, and physical exam findings. Results: Forty-six of 49 (48 feet) patients returned for final follow-up examination at least 12 months after operative intervention. Forty-one patients (89%) reported good to excellent results. Visual analog pain scores improved from an average of 6.6 preoperatively to an average of 1.6 postoperatively (t = −9.3339, df = 45, P < .001). Functional capacity scores improved from a preoperative mean of 2.5 to a postoperative mean of 1.4 (t = −5.2648, df = 46, P < .001). AOFAS hallux MTP joint scores improved from a preoperative mean of 45 to a postoperative mean of 77 (t = 9.9498, df = 46, P < .003). Eighteen of 48 great toes (38%) had preoperative pronation whereas, 2 of 48 great toes (4%) had postoperative pronation. Eleven of 46 patients (24%) were unable to perform preoperative toe rise, and 8 of 46 (17%) were unable to perform postoperative toe rise. Twenty-five of 46 patients (54%) had gait improvement, while 19 patients (44%) had no change in gait, and 2 patients (4%) had gait deterioration. The mean preoperative hallux valgus angle of 27 degrees improved to a mean postoperative angle of 13 degrees (t = −6.1982, df = 46, P < .001). The mean preoperative 1-2 intermetatarsal angle of 12 degrees improved to a mean postoperative angle of 9 degrees (t = −5.2614, df = 46, P < .001). There was 1 delayed union (2%) and 1 nonunion (2%). Conclusion: Our outcome scores indicate that first MTP joint arthrodesis with a precontoured dorsal titanium plate with locking screws in the phalanx and nonlocking screws in the first metatarsal is both reliable and reproducible with a very high bony union rate. Level of Evidence: Level IV, prospective case series.