Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Watermarking Protocol for Broadcast Monitoring

Digital watermarks have recently been proposed for the purpose of broadcast monitoring and copyright protection for multimedia content. In broadcast monitoring, an advertiser wants to inserts a unique watermark into the advertisement before it is sent to the broadcast station. In view of the fraud between advertiser and broadcast station, authentication of a video clip and an embedding watermark find application in the detected process of broadcast monitoring. For the problem of double authentication, a video watermarking protocol for broadcast monitoring is proposed. In the proposed protocol, the generation and embedding of watermark are based on the homomorphic public-key cryptosystems. Furthermore, the watermark, the advertisement and the transaction are bound according to the embedding of a unique watermark. It can not only deal with the customer’s right problem and unbinding problem, but also avoid the fraud between advertiser and broadcast station.
The Comprehensive Assessment and Referral Evaluation (Care)—Rationale, Development and Reliability

The Comprehensive Assessment and Referral Evaluation (CARE) is a new assessment technique which is intended to reliably elicit, record, grade and classify information on the health and social problems of the older person. The CARE is basically a semi-structured interview guide and an inventory of defined ratings. It is designated comprehensive because it covers psychiatric, medical, nutritional, economic and social problems rather than the interests of only one professional discipline. The style, scope and scoring of the CARE makes it suitable for use with both patients and non-patients, and a potentially useful aid in determining whether an elderly person should be referred, and to whom, for a health or social service. The CARE can also be employed in evaluating the effectiveness of that service if given.
Moving in, managing up: executive job formation and political behaviour

Abstract Public agency executive jobs are temporary matches of individual bureaucrats with government employers. Together, the buyers and sellers of executive labour form jobs in ways that define critical links in the policy process: the relationships between agency administrators and their elected officials. This article argues that when the executive is hired from outside, the job typically carries a mandate for significantly greater engagement with elected officials than when the executive is promoted from within an agency. Analysis of three very different types of agencies demonstrates that individuals who were hired from outside interact with their elected officials more frequently than do those who were promoted from within. These results shed new light on bureaucratic executives’ roles in the policy process, their relationships with the governments that they serve, and the theoretical significance of bureaucratic jobs as units of analysis in public policy studies.
Pricing Options under Generalized GARCH and Stochastic Volatility Processes

In this paper, we develop an efficient lattice algorithm to price European and American options under discrete time GARCH processes. We show that this algorithm is easily extended to price options under generalized GARCH processes, with many of the existing stochastic volatility bivariate diffusion models appearing as limiting cases. We establish one unifying algorithm that can price options under almost all existing GARCH specifications as well as under a large family of bivariate diffusions in which volatility follows its own, perhaps correlated, process. Copyright The American Finance Association 1999.
Modern Approaches to Central Banking

Modern theory has delivered both the conservative central banker and the principal-agent approaches as rationales for the independence of the central bank. The principal-agent approach directs attention to the importance of both clearly defining the goals of the central bank and its command in order to meet the targets assigned to it. The empirical evidence shows not only that greater independence is associated with lower inflation, but also that the central bank's rights not to finance the government and to set interest rates independently increase its effectiveness. The role of inflation targeting and the distinction between price level and inflation targeting are also analyzed.
Control of induction motor drive using space vector PWM

In this paper speed of induction motor is controlled which is fed from three phase bridge inverter. In this paper the speed of an induction motor can be varied by varying input Voltage or frequency or both. Variable voltage and variable frequency for Adjustable Speed Drives (ASD) is invariably obtained from a three-phase Voltage Source Inverter (VSI). Voltage and frequency of inverter can be easily controlled by using PWM techniques, which is a very important aspect in the application of ASDs. A number of PWM techniques are there to obtain variable voltage and variable frequency supply such as PWM, SPWM, SVPWM to name a few, among the various modulation strategies SVPWM is one of the most efficient techniques as it has better performance and output voltage is similar to sinusoidal. In SVPWM the modulation index in linear region will also be high when compared to other.
THE PHQ-2 on OASIS-C: A New Resource for Identifying Geriatric Depression Among Home Health Patients

Since Medicare first implemented the home care Outcome and Assessment Information Set (OASIS) in 1999, we have learned a great deal about depression among the homebound elderly. First, we know that major depression is a highly prevalent illness in home care. With depression rates at almost 15%, home care—along with nursing homes—has among the highest rates of any healthcare setting (Bruce et al., 2002; Parmelee et al., 1992; Jones et al., 2003).
Testing for Unit Roots in Dynamic Panels in the Presence of a Deterministic Trend: Re-examining the Unit Root Hypothesis for Real Stock Prices and Dividends

Abstract In this paper, we suggest a similar unit root test statistic for dynamic panel data with fixed effects. The test is based on the LM, or score, principle and is derived under the assumption that the time dimension of the panel is fixed, which is typical in many panel data studies. It is shown that the limiting distribution of the test statistic is standard normal. The similarity of the test with respect to both the initial conditions of the panel and the fixed effects is achieved by allowing for a trend in the model using a parameterisation that has the same interpretation under both the null and alternative hypotheses. This parameterisation can be expected to increase the power of the test statistic. Simulation evidence suggests that the proposed test has empirical size that is very close to the nominal level and considerably more power than other panel unit root tests that assume that the time dimension of the panel is large. As an application of the test, we re-examine the stationarity of real stock prices and dividends using disaggregated panel data over a relatively short period of time. Our results suggest that while real stock prices contain a unit root, real dividends are trend stationary.
Shock and Volatility Transmission in the Futures and Spot Markets: Evidence from Turkish Markets

This paper examines the volatility transmission mechanism between the futures and corresponding underlying asset spot markets, focusing on Turkish currency and stock index futures traded on the lately established Turkish Derivatives Exchange (TURKDEX). Employing multivariate generalized autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity modeling, which allows for potential spillovers and asymmetries in the variance-covariance structure for the market returns, the paper investigates the volatility interactions among each of the three futures-spot market systems. For all market systems under study, the volatility spillovers are found to be important and bidirectional. For the stock index market system, in line with the previous literature, volatility shows asymmetric behavior and strong asymmetric shock transmission. The main implication is that investors need to account for volatility spillovers and asymmetries among the futures and the spot markets to correctly build hedging strategies.
Implementing Coordinated Team Play

Abstract This note studies a moral hazard model of joint production in which there are strong gains to coordination. The mechanism we propose for resolving the tacit collusion problem that arises in our setting makes use of at-will contracts which provide the agents with the option to quit at any time. Journal of Economic Literature Classification Numbers: C72, D82.
Composition of human pulmonary surfactant varies with exercise and level of fitness.

We have tested the hypothesis that the composition of alveolar surfactant varies with pattern of breathing and level of fitness. We examined three major components of surfactant, surfactant protein A (SP-A), disaturated phospholipids (DSP), and cholesterol (CHOL) in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid from 12 healthy men before and after exercise. Fitness was assessed as work load/heart rate ([kpm.min-1]/[HR.HRmax-1]) achieved during cycling for 30 min at 90% theoretical maximal heart rate. Using a bronchoscope, four 20-ml vols of 0.15 M NaCl at 37 degrees C were instilled and then recovered from first a right upper and then a right lower lobe segmental bronchus. As we found no differences in the BAL from upper and lower lobes, the fluid was combined. We found a direct relationship between CHOL and DSP (rs = 0.84, p < 0.001), SP-A and CHOL (rs = 0.40, p < 0.025), and between SP-A and DSP (rs = 0.44, p < 0.025). The change in the ratios CHOL/DSP, SP-A/CHOL, and SP-A/DSP immediately after exercise was correlated with fitness (rs = -0.56, p < 0.025; rs = 0.75, p < 0.005; rs = 0.62, p < 0.025, respectively). We conclude that the composition of surfactant can change rapidly with exercise in a manner related to fitness, and we suggest that this is consistent with the existence of at least two pools of tissue surfactant of different composition supplying the alveolar compartment.
Governance and Social Capital in Urban Regeneration: A Comparison between Bristol and Naples

In several countries, urban regeneration programmes have become associated with wider policy changes to the governance and social improvement of local communities. These developments have become central to policy implementation in the UK where regeneration planning attempts to use 'social capital' from local networks and associations in new systems of governance connecting central government agencies, local councils and local voluntary and community groups. This article reports on comparative research aimed at assessing whether the new approaches significantly influence democracy and transparency and, correspondingly, responsiveness to power relations and conflicts, and the needs and interests of the previously excluded and often disadvantaged groups. The analysis derives from a contrast between Bristol, a propitious case for the new governance in the UK, and the Italian city of Naples. Similar and problematic developments are identified in both cases despite the pursuit of a radically different 'dirigiste' strategy by the Naples council. The findings suggest that more autonomous local government and greater civil society participation may still be needed to meet local expectations.
Fault Detection for Uncertain Fuzzy Systems: An LMI Approach

This paper studies the problem of designing a robust fault-detection system for uncertain Takagi-Sugeno fuzzy models. The worst case fault sensitivity measure is formulated in terms of linear matrix inequalities. The existence of a robust fault detection system that guarantees i) the L2-gain from a fault signal to a residual signal greater than a prescribed value and ii) the L2-gain from an exogenous input to a residual signal less than a prescribed value is given in terms of the solvability of linear matrix inequalities. Numerical examples are used to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed design techniques.
Corporate governance structure and firm performance in developing economies: evidence from Nigeria

– The purpose of this paper is to examine the link between corporate governance structure and firm performance in Nigeria. , – The present study uses the regression model to analyze publicly available data for a sample of 107 firms quoted in the Nigerian Stock Exchange for the fiscal years 1998 to 2002. , – The empirical investigations showed that ownership concentration has a positive impact on performance. Although the results revealed no evidence to support the impact of board composition on performance, there is significant evidence to support the fact that CEO duality adversely impact firm performance. The result also suggests firm size and leverage to impact on firm performance. A new variable, identified as more than one family member on the board, is found to have an adverse effect on firm performance. , – The study relied much on publicly available data for a sample of 107 listed firms in Nigeria for the fiscal years 1998 to 2002. Thus, effort should be made to look at this study in a more elaborate viewpoint and across borders. , – Good corporate governance standards are imperative to every organization and should be encouraged for the interest of the investors and other stakeholders. , – Interestingly, from a developing country perspective, especially in sub‐Saharan Africa, the paper is the first of its kind and offers evidence on the impact of corporate governance structure on firm performance. The paper provides useful information that is of great value to policy makers, academics and other stakeholders.
Bringing Macroeconomics into the EU Budget Debate: Why and How?

The EMU has been designed without an instrument for automatic fiscal stabilization on the European level. This article highlights the seriousness of this lacuna by new empirical data, which suggest that fiscal stabilization at the national level has also worked insufficiently. This situation will hamper the EU's efforts to achieve the targets set by the Lisbon Agenda: recent theoretical contributions suggest that a positive macroeconomic environment is a prerequisite for productivity growth and structural reform which form the centrepiece of the Agenda. There are thus strong economic arguments for rethinking the set-up for fiscal stabilization policies in the EMU. We suggest three remedies for the underperformance of the automatic stabilizers: making EU expenditure sensitive to the cyclical situation of the recipient country, introducing an EU corporate tax upon the upcoming revision of the EU budget before 2013 and/or setting up a European unemployment scheme.
Construction of biological surface models from cross-sections image processing

An approach improving on existing techniques is presented for blending cross-sections of biological objects to produce a polynomial surface model. As intermediate steps to the final surface skinning, representative data points on the cross-sections are selected for defining piecewise cubic B-splines providing an immediate reduction in storage and computational requirements for the contour representation of the objects. A mesh of quadrilateral patches is subsequently formed over adjacent cross-sections using bicubic B-spline surfaces which exhibit second parametric derivative continuity. The surface model provides a complete and robust representation with significant data reduction. The resulting algorithm is demonstrated using bone data for a human hand. <<ETX>>
Immigrants and the Spatial Mismatch Hypothesis: Employment Outcomes among Immigrant Youth in Los Angeles

This paper examines the effect of space and race/ethnicity on labour force participation outcomes among minority and immigrant youth in the Los Angeles metropolitan areas. This research contributes to the spatial mismatch literature by analysing the differences between firstand second-generation immigrants in addition to exploring the role of race and job accessibility on the likelihood of working. It does so by comparing the employment status of comparable youth (16—21 years of age) who reside in central cities, inner-ring suburbs and outer-ring suburbs using 2000 Census PUMS data. Finally, the decision to attend school and to work is modelled in a bivariate probit framework to discover how the correlation across decisions may change the estimated impact of race and space on employment. The results of this study suggest that both space and race play a role in the probability that a youth will work, but that the decision to attend school does not influence the estimated impact of space and race on employment.
The contribution of GJB2 mutations to slight or mild hearing loss in Australian elementary school children

Background: There is a lack of information on prevalence, cause and consequences of slight/mild bilateral sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) in children. We report the first systematic genetic analysis of the GJB2 gene in a population-derived sample of children with slight/mild bilateral SNHL. Methods: Hearing tests were conducted in 6240 Australian elementary school children in Grades 1 and 5. 55 children (0.88%) were found to have a slight/mild sensorineural hearing loss. 48 children with slight/mild sensorineural hearing loss and a matched group of 90 children with normal hearing participated in a genetic study investigating mutations in the GJB2 gene, coding for connexin 26, and the presence of the del(GJB6-D13S1830) and del(GJB6-D13S1854) deletions in the GJB6 gene, coding for connexin 30. Results: Four of 48 children with slight/mild sensorineural hearing loss were homozygous for the GJB2 V37I change. The four children with homozygous V37I mutations were all of Asian background and analysis of SNPs in or near the GJB2 gene suggests that the V37I mutation arose from a single mutational event in the Asian population. Discussion: Based on the prevalence of carriers of this change we conclude that V37I can be a causative mutation that is often associated with slight/mild sensorineural hearing loss. No other children in the slight/mild hearing loss group had a hearing loss related to a GJB2 mutation. One child with normal hearing was homozygous for the R127H change and we conclude that this change does not cause hearing loss. Two children of Asian background were carriers of the V37I mutation. Our data indicate that slight/mild sensorineural hearing loss due to the GJB2 V37I mutation is common in people of Asian background.
Restricting Ownership of Vacation Homes

One way to enjoy or consume the countryside is through a week's vacation in a cottage or vacation home. The consumer may be the owner of the vacation home or may rent it. This paper focuses on the effects of restricting private ownership of vacation homes with limited supply. It is not surprising that under realistic assumptions a free market will lead to the trading of vacation homes, whereby they will eventually be owned by high-income consumers. In the model presented it is further shown that such trading will increase the demand for weeks in vacation homes, raise the price on the rental market and reduce the number of consumers with this kind of access to the countryside. Thus unrestricted trade may be welfare-reducing and some kind of ownership restriction may have positive welfare effects. However, other ways to secure public access to the countryside might well be preferable to ownership restrictions.
A nested case-control study on relapse predictors among tuberculosis patients treated in Yemen's NTCP.

SETTING The National Tuberculosis (TB) Control Programme in Yemen. OBJECTIVE To identify risk factors associated with TB relapse. METHODS In a prospective nested case-control study, relapse cases were recruited from a cohort of pulmonary TB patients registered between July 2007 and June 2008. Four controls per case were randomly selected from the list of non-relapse patients. Three forms were used for data collection, which included interviews with the participants and review of their medical cards and TB registers. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify independent risk factors for relapse. RESULTS A relapse rate of 5.7% was found. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that unemployment, smoking, presence of cavitations, weight gain, weight loss, non-adherence during the continuation phase and diabetes were significantly associated with relapse (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION Relapse rates can be reduced by ensuring that patients take their treatment regularly and are counselled effectively to stop smoking. Reinforcing the implementation of the DOTS strategy and strengthening the anti-smoking campaigns are important actions. Action to help unemployed patients, including free services and the creation of new job opportunities, should be adopted. Using rifampicin-based regimens in the treatment of cavitary TB and bi-directional screening in TB and diabetes patients are recommended.
Hand Gesture Recognition Approach for ASL Language Using Hand Extraction Algorithm

In a general overview, signed language is a technique used for communicational purposes by deaf people. It is a three-dimensional language that relies on visual gestures and moving hand signs that classify letters and words. Gesture recognition has been always a relatively fearful subject that is adherent to the individual on both academic and demonstrative levels. The core objective of this system is to produce a method which can identify detailed humanoid nods and use them to either deliver ones thoughts and feelings, or for device control. This system will stand as an effective replacement for speech, enhancing the individual’s ability to express and intermingle in society. In this paper, we will discuss the different steps used to input, recognize and analyze the hand gestures, transforming them to both written words and audible speech. Each step is an independent algorithm that has its unique variables and conditions.
Out-of-core GPU ray tracing of complex scenes

Increased demand for global illumination, image based-lighting and simplified workflow have pushed raytracing into mainstream. Many rendering and simulation algorithms that were considered strictly offline are becoming more interactive on massively parallel GPUs. Unfortunately, the amount of available memory on modern GPUs is relatively small. Scenes for feature film rendering and visualization have large geometric complexity and can easily contain millions of polygons and a large number of texture maps and other data attributes. In this talk, we describe a general purpose out-of-core ray tracing engine for the GPU where we address data management, ray-intersection and shading. We utilize a GPU data cache that enables efficient access of out-of-core data. We develop a novel ray intersection algorithm built around acceleration structure that brings needed data on demand using page-swapping. We further reduce memory usage by using a simple geometry quantization. The ray tracing engine is used to implement a variety of rendering and light transport algorithms.