Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
GPU-based X server on top of EGL and openVG

Based on GUI desktop environment, running PC-class applications with rich user experience has become popular in mobile devices. A window system is an essential component of GUI desktop. As a window system for mobile devices, we implemented X server on top of EGL and OpenVG. GPU-based X server described in this paper may serve as a standard model of a window system in future mobile devices because graphics operations can be accelerated with less power consumption.
Loss Reserving Performance within the Regulatory Framework

The strengths and deficiencies of automobile bodily injury liability loss reserving regulation are analyzed in relation to the 1944-1961 reserving performances of a sample of eighty automobile insurers. The study indicates that loss reserving regulation is in need of reform. A pragmatic regulatory approach is needed to replace the traditional reliance upon uniform Convention Annual Statement minimum loss reserve requirements which have often contributed to inadequate unpaid liability valuations. To be effective, loss reserving regulation should be conducted on a firm-by-firm basis, relying upon such flexible tools as financial audits, minimum surplus margins, and contingency reserve requirements.
Registration of Births and Induced Abortions in the Nordic Countries

All the five Nordic countries have a long tradition in health statistics and health monitoring. The cornerstone of the national health information systems is register information. There are, for example, complete population-based registration of births and deaths, cancers, hospital care, and medication (Cappelen and Lysol 2004, Gissler and Haukka. 2004, Mortensen 2004, Otterblad Olausson et al. 2004). The main prerequisites for a functioning register system are its completeness and high quality. These are facilitated by the Nordic legislation allowing mandatory reporting from public and private sector without informed consent and the existence of unique person identity number system.
Exchange rate strategies for small open developed economies such as New Zealand

Changes in the global financial system, together with new experience with fixed and floating exchange rates, have resulted in a reassessment of exchange rate strategies for both developed and emerging market economies. The emergence of a currency union in Europe has been seen by some as showing the path forward in the continuing integration process of developed nations, including New Zealand. In view of the large swings in the New Zealand exchange rate over the past decade, some attention has recently been paid to alternative exchange rate strategies that might allow for reductions in exchange rate variability, and potentially better economic growth performance. This article discusses these issues. It is an edited version of a paper presented by the Reserve Bank to an economic workshop on Exchange Rate Strategies for Developed Open Economies in the New Millennium, held in February 2002. Papers presented at this workshop are available at: http://www.rbnz. govt.nz/research/workshops/111791/0111791-02.html#P99_2657
Magnetoencephalography Phantom Comparison and Validation: Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (HUSM) Requisite.

BACKGROUND Magnetoencephalography (MEG) has been extensively used to measure small-scale neuronal brain activity. Although it is widely acknowledged as a sensitive tool for deciphering brain activity and source localisation, the accuracy of the MEG system must be critically evaluated. Typically, on-site calibration with the provided phantom (Local phantom) is used. However, this method is still questionable due to the uncertainty that may originate from the phantom itself. Ideally, the validation of MEG data measurements would require cross-site comparability. METHOD A simple method of phantom testing was used twice in addition to a measurement taken with a calibrated reference phantom (RefPhantom) obtained from Elekta Oy of Helsinki, Finland. The comparisons of two main aspects were made in terms of the dipole moment (Qpp) and the difference in the dipole distance from the origin (d) after the tests of statistically equal means and variance were confirmed. RESULT The result of Qpp measurements for the LocalPhantom and RefPhantom were 978 (SD24) nAm and 988 (SD32) nAm, respectively, and were still optimally within the accepted range of 900 to 1100 nAm. Moreover, the shifted d results for the LocalPhantom and RefPhantom were 1.84 mm (SD 0.53) and 2.14 mm (SD 0.78), respectively, and these values were below the maximum acceptance range of within 5.0 mm of the nominal dipole location. CONCLUSION The Local phantom seems to outperform the reference phantom as indicated by the small standard error of the former (SE 0.094) compared with the latter (SE 0.138). The result indicated that HUSM MEG system was in excellent working condition in terms of the dipole magnitude and localisation measurements as these values passed the acceptance limits criteria of the phantom test.
Characterization of Sinorhizobium meliloti Triose Phosphate Isomerase Genes

ABSTRACT A Tn5 mutant strain of Sinorhizobium meliloti with an insertion in tpiA (systematic identifier SMc01023), a putative triose phosphate isomerase (TPI)-encoding gene, was isolated. The tpiA mutant grew more slowly than the wild type on rhamnose and did not grow with glycerol as a sole carbon source. The genome of S. meliloti wild-type Rm1021 contains a second predicted TPI-encoding gene, tpiB (SMc01614). We have constructed mutations and confirmed that both genes encode functional TPI enzymes. tpiA appears to be constitutively expressed and provides the primary TPI activity for central metabolism. tpiB has been shown to be required for growth with erythritol. TpiB activity is induced by growth with erythritol; however, basal levels of TpiB activity present in tpiA mutants allow for growth with gluconeogenic carbon sources. Although tpiA mutants can be complemented by tpiB, tpiA cannot substitute for mutations in tpiB with respect to erythritol catabolism. Mutations in tpiA or tpiB alone do not cause symbiotic defects; however, mutations in both tpiA and tpiB caused reduced symbiotic nitrogen fixation.
Four modalities of periodontal treatment compared over five years.

The purpose of the study was to compare, over 5 yr, the results following four conventionally used modalities of treatment for moderate-to-advanced periodontitis. Ninety subjects (53 females and 37 males), age 24 to 68 yr (mean 45) were selected for the study from persons seeking dental care or who were referred for periodontal treatment at The University of Michigan School of Dentistry. To be included, the subjects had to have at least 20 treatable teeth, and some periodontal pockets extending at least 4.0 mm or more apically to the cementoenamel junction. Plaque, gingivitis, calculus, depth of pockets, clinical loss of attachment from the cementoenamel junction and tooth mobility were scored. For the present paper, only pocket depth and attachment level scores were considered. All of the patients then had scaling, root planing and instruction in oral hygiene by a dental hygienist for a total of 5 to 8 h over about 4 wk. A periodontist checked the completeness of calculus removal and did occlusal adjustment if he considered it to be indicated. A rescoring was done 4 wk after completion of the scaling and root planing. Then four types of periodontal treatment were provided by a periodontist. Each quadrant of the patient's dentition was assigned randomly to one of four treatment types: (1) surgical pocket elimination or reduction, including bone surgery, (2) modified Widman flap surgery, (3) subgingival curettage following scaling and root planing, and (4) scaling and root planing only. The teeth were polished once a week for 3 to 4 wk after the periodontal treatment. Then the patients were placed on recall prophylaxis and topical fluoride every 3 months, and scored annually prior to prophylaxis. If, at the time of the routine prophylaxis, pocket exudate could be expressed by moving a ball burnisher against the surface of the gingiva and/or overt bleeding resulted from pocket probing, the patient was rescheduled in 2 to 3 wk for examination and possible retreatment by a periodontist. Data for pocket depth and attachment level were arranged on the basis of the initial measurements in groups of 1-3 mm depth, 4-6 mm and >7 mm depth. One-way analysis of variance was used to test the hypothesis of equal treatment effects in the three levels of pocket depth at the end of the hygienic phase and at each yearly interval following treatment. The test was performed on patient means for changes in pocket depth and attachment level. If the hypothesis of equal treatment effect was rejected at the 0.05 level of significance using ANOVA, Scheffe's method for multiple comparisons was used to determine which of the pairs of treatment differed. Percentage distribution of sites with loss of >2 mm and >3 mm for the various groups also were compared. The measurements for the teeth that were lost were included until the teeth were lost. Seventy-two of the original 90 patients completed the 5-yr study.
Is the Price Level Determined by the Needs of Fiscal Solvency?

A new theory of price determination suggests that if primary surpluses are independent of the level of debt, the price level has to jump' to assure fiscal solvency. In this regime (which we call Fiscal Dominant), monetary policy has to work through seignorage to control the price level. If on the other hand primary surpluses are expected to respond to the level of debt in a way that assures fiscal solvency (a regime we call Money Dominant), then the price level is determined in more conventional ways. In this paper we develop testable restrictions that differentiate between the two regimes. Using post war data, we present what we think is overwhelming evidence that the United States is in a Money Dominant regime; even the post Reagan data (1980 to 1995) seem to support that contention.
Total Quality Management programmes at smaller manufacturers: Benchmarking techniques and results

This article examines the Total Quality Management (TQM) practices employed by the smaller manufacturing firms in American industries and the results of those practices based on the data collected through a survey of APICS member firms. It aims to provide a benchmark of TQM practices for other smaller manufacturers to use. The result of the study should interest managers/policy-makers in small manufacturing firms trying to implement TQM.
Bloodborne viral infection in Irish injecting drug users.

AIMS In Dublin, harm reduction strategies have greatly expanded since 1990. We sought to determine the prevalence of, and factors associated with, hepatitis C (HCV), hepatitis B (HBV) and HIV infections among injecting drug users (IDUs) against this background. DESIGN Cross-sectional survey. SETTING Addiction treatment clinic. PARTICIPANTS Seven hundred and thirty-five IDU tested for antibody to HCV (anti-HCV) between September 1992 and September 1997. MEASUREMENTS Socio-demographic and drug use characteristics. Serology tests for anti-HCV, HBV surface antigen (HBsAg) and HIV. FINDINGS The vast majority (89%) commenced injecting since 1990. Prevalence of anti-HCV was 61.8% (453/733), of HBsAg was 1.0% (7/729) and of HIV was 1.2% (7/600). Logistic regression analyses indicated that longer history of injecting and increased daily drug expenditure were the only independent variables associated with significantly increased risk of HCV. The only characteristic associated with increased prevalence of HBsAg was a history of injecting prior to 1990 (3.8%, 3/80). HIV prevalence was significantly higher when aged over 24 years (3.7%, 6/162), when injecting commenced prior to 1990 (6.3%, 4/64) and when injecting over 5 years (6.5%, 4/62). CONCLUSIONS HIV prevalence has sustained a low level in this population. Interventions which aim to halt transmission of HCV are necessary and will need to target IDU very early in their injecting careers and also those at risk of commencing to inject.
Chronic PTSD in Vietnam combat veterans: course of illness and substance abuse.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to measure the longitudinal course of specific symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and related symptoms of alcohol and substance abuse and the effects of alcohol and substances on the symptoms of PTSD. METHOD A structured interview for the assessment of PTSD and alcohol and substance abuse, as well as other factors such as life stressors and treatment, was administered to 61 Vietnam combat veterans with PTSD. RESULTS Onset of symptoms typically occurred at the time of exposure to combat trauma in Vietnam and increased rapidly during the first few years after the war. Symptoms plateaued within a few years after the war, following which the disorder became chronic and unremitting. Hyperarousal symptoms such as feeling on guard and feeling easily startled developed first, followed by avoidant symptoms and finally by symptoms from the intrusive cluster. The onset of alcohol and substance abuse typically was associated with the onset of symptoms of PTSD, and the increase in use paralleled the increase of symptoms. Patients reported a tendency for alcohol, marijuana, heroin, and benzodiazepines to make PTSD symptoms better, while cocaine made symptoms in the hyperarousal category worse. There was no relationship between treatment interventions and the natural course of PTSD. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that symptoms of PTSD begin soon after exposure to trauma, that hyperarousal symptoms are the first symptoms to occur, that the natural course of alcohol and substance abuse parallels that of PTSD, and that specific substances have specific effects on PTSD symptoms.
Earnings management using asset sales: Interesting issues for further study under unique institutional settings

Purpose - The paper aims to clarify the relationship between earnings management and the sale of long-lived assets and investments for firms listed in Taiwan. In addition, it suggests several interesting issues for further studies by proposing that positive earnings are one of the necessary conditions for the companies to issue bonds or new shares. Design/methodology/approach - The paper uses archival data and regression analysis to document empirical evidence that assets sales are one of the methods to manipulate reported earnings among 12,484 firm-years over the period of 1984-2006. Findings - The paper finds that approximately 54-57 percent of firms in Taiwan with small pre-managed earnings losses manipulate reported earnings to show small positive earnings. This is in contrast to 30-40 percent of firms in the USA as reported by Burgstahler and Dichev. Research limitations/implications - The paper makes a good use of the unique institutional features of Taiwan. It has not produced other unique results that differ significantly from the findings of prior studies. Practical implications - The paper shows that reported earnings are viewed as a primary measure of firm performance and mechanisms behind earnings management have important implications in deriving informative summary measures of firm performance. Originality/value - The paper fulfils an identified need to study how companies listed in Taiwan to beat thresholds by selling long-lived assets and investments and provides a comparison in earnings management with US companies. Moreover, it provides several suggestions for future studies.
Cutting Edge: IL-21 Is a Switch Factor for the Production of IgG1 and IgG3 by Human B Cells1

IL-21 is a cytokine that regulates the activation of T and NK cells and promotes the proliferation of B cells activated via CD40. In this study, we show that rIL-21 strongly induces the production of all IgG isotypes by purified CD19+ human spleen or peripheral blood B cells stimulated with anti-CD40 mAb. Moreover, it was found to specifically induce the production of IgG1 and IgG3 by CD40-activated CD19+CD27− naive human B cells. Although stimulation of CD19+ B cells via CD40 alone induced γ1 and γ3 germline transcripts, as well as the expression of activation-induced cytidine deaminase, only stimulation with both anti-CD40 mAb and rIL-21 resulted in the production of Sγ/Sμ switch circular DNA. These results show that IL-21, in addition to promoting growth and differentiation of committed B cells, is a specific switch factor for the production of IgG1 and IgG3.
The conscience of the world : the influence of non-governmental organisations in the UN system

Private groups, such as Amnesty International and Save the Children Fund, have had a formal consultative status with the United Nations since its founding. Such groups--known as nongovernmental organizations, or NGOs--have come to exert considerable influence on the UN's agenda setting, decisionmaking, and policy implementation. This book examines the role of the NGOs in world politics and the accomplishments of selected groups dealing with the environment, women's rights, children's problems, human rights, and refugee and famine crises. Although these organizations and the UN generally act as partners and collaborators, there are also some tensions, as the NGOs do not have voting status and must remain independent and innovative. In the area of human rights, in particular, the NGOs have applied slow but steady pressure to force the UN to institute real sanctions against individual governments, thus earning the title conscience of the world. Contributors are Seamus Cleary, formerly at the Catholic Fund for Overseas Development; Jane Connors, senior lecturer in law at London University and specialist in women's rights; Helena Cook, former legal officer of Amnesty International; Richard Hoggart, former assistant director-general of UNESCO; Michael Longford, UK representative to several international groups; Sally Morphet, UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office; Angela Penrose, Save the Children Fund; John Sankey, former UK representative to the UN in Geneva; John Seaman, Save the Children Fund; Bill Seary, formerly at the National Council for Voluntary Organizations; Henry Steel, leader of the UK delegation to the UN Human Rights Commission; and Douglas Williams, former deputysecretary of the UK Ministry of Overseas Development. Copublished with the David Davies Memorial Institute of International Studies Available through Brookings in North America only
Association of EVA and accounting earnings with market value: evidence from India

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the claim of economic value added (EVA) proponents about its superiority as a corporate financial performance measure, compared to traditional performance measures in non‐financial Indian companies and provide empirical evidences.Design/methodology/approach – The paper uses a sample of 873 firms‐year observations from the Indian market and applies pooled ordinary least square regression to test the relative and incremental information content of EVA and other accounting‐based measures in explaining the market value added.Findings – The results about relative information content test reveal that NOAPT and OCF outperform EVA in explaining the market value of Indian companies. Incremental information content test shows that EVA makes a marginal contribution to information content beyond traditional performance measures such as NOPAT, OCF, EPS and RONW, etc. Overall the authors' results do not support the hypothesis that EVA is superior to traditional accounti.
Industry Structure, Market Rivalry and Public Policy: Some Australian Evidence

DEMSETZ, in a recent issue of this Journal,' has presented an explanation of profitability and concentration which is based on the notion of competitive superiority. He argues that efficiency is associated with concentration. That is, rates of return earned by the large firms in an industry will be greater than those earned by smaller firms, not because of collusion or abuse of monopoly power by the larger firms, but because of their greater efficiency. He suggests, on the basis of his investigations, that a government following a deconcentration or anti-merger public policy may produce more inefficiency than was present in the situation which it aimed to eliminate. Such a view has important implications both for those concerned with analyzing structure, conduct and performance in Australian industries, and those involved in the implementation of antitrust action in Australia. Australian industries are noted for their comparatively high levels of concentration.2 Several reasons are put forward to explain this, including the relatively small size of the markets which they serve, the need for firms to achieve economies of scale, the wide-scale presence of overseas-owned firms and the almost total absence of any effective government antitrust policy and enforcement until the last few years. The advent to power in December 1972 of Australia's first Labor Government since the 1940's, has resulted in a series of proposals designed to discourage certain types of industry behaviour. Recently passed legislation bans per se many undesirable restrictive practices such as horizontal price agreements, market sharing and exclusive dealing. In addition, companies are prohibited from engaging in acts of merger or monopolization (this term being very broadly defined, leaving the
The life, death and resuscitation of brands

Purpose – By using the metaphor of the human life cycle this paper examines some of the longevity issues of branding. The paper also explores how brands can be resuscitated (or rejuvenated) when in declining health or indeed on the edge of death (brand heart attack). Linked to this is the Darwinian view of adaptability where brands have extended and, indeed, developed their market position through innovation and re‐positioning. Equally, it considers the outcomes when there is little or no hope of resuscitating the brand, and the future of the organization. Mini cases studies are provided throughout that illustrate some of the issues in the life, death and resuscitation of brands. Design/methodology/approach – While using a metaphor the paper is designed to consider real issues that brands face within dynamic highly competitive environments. If brands do not adapt (through innovation and re‐positioning) they risk premature decline and death. Findings – The “health” of a brand is determined by numerous internal and external factors. Some within the control of the organization others not. Simple errors of judgement can have a catastrophic impact on the brand. However, though continual monitoring organizations can adapt the brand to evolve within changing environments. Research limitations/implications – There is potential for future research in two core areas: developing the human life span further as a metaphor for brand existence; and considering the ‘vital’ signs for an ailing brand. This may then lead to a better diagnosis of failing brands and more informed ways of rejuvenating such brands. Practical implications – Organizations must seek to continually monitor the ‘health’ of the brand in relation to its changing environments. Life expectancy can be increased through evolving the brand (innovations and re‐positioning). However, organizations must also recognize when the brand had genuinely reached the end of its life span. Brands that have a lingering decline do little for the brand or the organization. The difficulty for many organizations is really knowing when the brand can no longer be resuscitated. Originality/value – The objective of this paper was to explore the idea of the human life cycle being a metaphor for a brand’s existence. By taking such an approach it may assist managers in determining: the potential longevity of their brand; and rejuvenate ailing brands. Thus the article has a practical application.