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Fall detection and physical activity (PA) classification are important health maintenance issues for the elderly and people with mobility dysfunctions. The literature review showed that most studies concerning fall detection and PA classification addressed these issues individually, and many were based on inertial sensing from the trunk and upper extremities. While shoes are common footwear in daily off-bed activities, most of the aforementioned studies did not focus much on shoe-based measurements. In this paper, we propose a novel footwear approach to detect falls and classify various types of PAs based on a convolutional neural network and recurrent neural network hybrid. The footwear-based detections using deep-learning technology were demonstrated to be efficient based on the data collected from 32 participants, each performing simulated falls and various types of PAs: fall detection with inertial measures had a higher F1-score than detection using foot pressures; the detections of dynamic PAs (jump, jog, walks) had higher F1-scores while using inertial measures, whereas the detections of static PAs (sit, stand) had higher F1-scores while using foot pressures; the combination of foot pressures and inertial measures was most efficient in detecting fall, static, and dynamic PAs.

For early prevention, information regarding the incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) in middle-aged patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) may be more beneficial than that regarding MACE prevalence. But, literature comparing the incidence and risk of MACEs in middle-aged patients with CKD with the controls using a population-based cohort study is scant. Our aim was to estimate the incidence and risk of MACEs, such as congestive heart failure (CHF) and ischemic heart disease (IHD), in middle-aged patients with advanced (stages 3–5) CKD. From the National Health Insurance Research Database, 261 patients aged 35–65 years who had received advanced CKD diagnoses in 2000 and 1305 age-, sex-, and comorbidity-matched controls were recruited. Patients with CHF alone (MACE 1), IHD alone (MACE 2), or CHF and IHD (MACE 3) diagnoses between January 1, 2001, and December 31, 2008, were identified in the CKD and control groups. Patients (mean age ± standard deviation, 50.0 ± 8.3 years; female, 56%) exhibited a higher incidence of MACE 1, MACE 2, and MACE 3 (11.9 vs. 1.4/1000, 30.7 vs. 13.4/1000, and 13.4 vs. 1.7/1000 person-years, respectively, all p

We examine the relation between reserve management and a set of audit committee characteristics of property–liability insurers, using reserve errors as a proxy for reserve management. We find that insurers with three audit committee characteristics have more conservative loss reserve estimations: larger audit committee size and more members with accounting expertise, and more audit committee meetings. Our results also find that three recommendations of the 1999 Blue Ribbon Committee can make corporate audit committees more effective: a minimum audit committee size, a minimum level of accounting expertise, and a minimum number of audit committee meetings. These results were obtained when we controlled for board of director characteristics, firm‐specific characteristics, and Sarbanes–Oxley. Some board composition variables (e.g., director ownership) also have an impact on reserve management during our study period. The evidence overall suggests that the audit committee and some board characteristics have an impact on reserve management (earnings management) even in a regulated environment such as the insurance industry.

The realization of Ge n-channel MOSFETs (nMOSFET) encounters many challenges, such as poorer interface quality and thermal stability, in comparison with Ge p-channel MOSFETs. Since the oxygen vacancy and interface trap in gate dielectric can be effectively passivated by a nitrogen incorporation, a germanium oxynitride (GeON) starting interfacial layer with suitable nitrogen content was proposed to improve the interface quality of Ge nMOSFETs in this work. A low equivalent oxide thickness of ~0.6 nm, a low gate leakage current of ~6 × 10−4 A/cm2, and a low subthreshold swing of ~120 mV/dec in Ge nMOSFET can be simultaneously achieved by incorporating a nitrogen content of ~20.4% in the GeON starting interfacial layer.

Effects of interfacial layer on p-substrate germanium (pGe) metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) device were studied in this work. Although excellent characteristics in n-substrate Ge MOS device were reported, pGe MOS device often suffers a poor interface quality and large gate leakage current, while the equivalent oxide thickness (EOT) is scaled down below 1 nm. A novel hafnium nitride (HfN) interfacial layer (IL) is proposed to replace the traditional germanium dioxide thanks to its good thermal stability. As a result, the pGe MOS device with HfN IL exhibits a low EOT of 0.58 nm, a low leakage current density of 2.4 × 10−4 A/cm2, a lower hysteresis value of 150 mV, a better frequency dispersion, and lower oxide/border traps. Therefore, HfN is a promising IL to achieve high performance pGe MOS device.

Audit fee research has shed light on the relationship between unobserved audit effort and underlying factors such as incentive conflicts, risk and complexity, and auditor reputation. However, few studies have examined the audit fee within the context of a specific industry, particularly a regulated industry such as insurance. This paper presents an endogenous switching model derived from a sample of 2993 US property-liability firm-years for insurers filing required Annual Statements in years 2006 and 2007. A first-stage auditor choice regression (Big 4 versus Non-Big 4) is followed by a second-stage model of the audit fee, with separate equations for Big 4 and Non-Big 4 clients. The results indicate that both choice and the fee depend on industry-specific client characteristics. Insurance-related measures of risk and complexity are associated with the choice of a large auditor, while opportunistic behavior and owner-manager incentive conflicts are associated with the choice of a smaller auditor. Insurers that resemble typical Big 4 clients are subject to a large-auditor premium, while those that resemble typical Non-Big 4 clients are subject to a Non-Big 4 auditor premium. Auditors profit from their pricing strategies, since the main drivers of the Big 4 premium (the Non-Big 4 premium) are the factors that led the insurer to choose the large auditor (the smaller auditor) in the first place.

To determine whether therapeutic taping, which includes elastic (Kinesio tape) and non-elastic (Leukotape) taping, is superior to control taping in improving pain and functions for patients with knee arthritis. To understand whether both elastic and non-elastic taping are beneficial.We searched the PubMed and Scopus databases from their earliest record to 31 May 2017 for randomized controlled and cross-over studies that used taping to treat knee osteoarthritis. We extracted the mean differences and SD between baseline and posttreatment for selected outcomes measured in the experimental and control groups for subsequent meta-analyses.In total, 11 studies were included in the review. Of which, five Leukotaping and five Kinesio taping studies involving 379 participants were used in the meta-analysis. PEDro scores of the Leukotaping and Kinesio taping studies were 4.2 and 7.8, respectively. Overall, therapeutic taping exhibited significantly greater pain reduction than control taping with a significant weighted mean difference of 12.8 mm on a 0- to 100-mm visual analogue scale. Compared to control taping, Leukotaping produced a significant weighted mean difference of 11.6 mm regarding pain with a large effect size of 0.89 and ITherapeutic taping seemed to be superior to control taping in pain control for knee osteoarthritis. Non-elastic taping, but not elastic taping, provides benefits in pain reduction and functional performance.

Objective To identify the association between body composition and newly developed carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) and to search for the best probabilistic cutoff value of associated factors to predict subjects with physical disabilities developing new CTS. Design Longitudinal. Setting University-affiliated medical center. Participants Subjects with physical disabilities (N=47; mean age ± SD, 42.1±7.7y). Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures Median and ulnar sensory nerve conduction velocity (SNCV) were measured at the initial and follow-up tests (interval >2y). Total and regional body composition were measured with dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry at the initial test. Leg lean tissue percentage was calculated to delineate each participant's manual loading degree during locomotion. Leg lean tissue percentage is the lean tissue mass of both legs divided by body weight. Results Based on median SNCV changes, we divided all participants into 3 groups: subjects with bilateral CTS (median SNCV value 37.8m/s) in the initial test (n=10), subjects with newly developed CTS in the follow-up test (n=8), and subjects without additional CTS in the follow-up test (n=27). Eight of 35 subjects not having bilateral CTS initially developed new CTS (8.8% per year; mean follow-up period, 2.6y). Leg lean tissue percentage was associated with the probability of newly developed CTS (adjusted odds ratio, .64; P 12% were less likely to have developed new CTS at the follow-up test (sensitivity, .75; specificity, .85; area under the curve, .88; P Conclusions Leg lean tissue percentage may be useful for early identification of developing new CTS in subjects with physical disabilities. Therefore, a preventive program for those subjects at risk can start early.

Starting in 2009, the Labor Insurance (LI) program in Taiwan has allowed workers to choose between pension old-age benefits and one-time old-age benefits. The introduction of the pension option not only mitigates longevity risk for workers but also provides a higher expected present value of old-age benefits to workers than the one-time benefit option (on average). Based on a lifecycle model with uncertain lifespan, we expect that workers will increase current consumption and reduce saving in response to this policy intervention. We use data from the Survey of Family Income and Expenditure in Taiwan to empirically test this prediction. In order to isolate other systematic structural changes or economic shocks from the true impact of the pension option on saving and consumption, we adopt a difference-in-differences approach in this study. Our results indicate that the implementation of pension benefits in LI lowers households' saving by 8.41 percent (NT$50,587) and raises consumption by 5.73 percent (NT$42,897) for LI workers. In addition, we find that, in general, households with less saving or consumption tend to be more responsive to this policy in terms of reducing saving or increasing consumption.

Purpose – The main purposes of this study are to develop a knowledge governance mechanism-fit-barrier matrix mode to resolve transfer problems resulting from knowledge characteristics and to clarify the relationship among knowledge characteristics, barriers of knowledge transfer, and effective knowledge transfer in inter-organizational contexts. Design/methodology/approach – The vast literature on knowledge transfer in inter-organizational context has been reviewed. Moreover, to develop a theoretical framework, the authors developed a set of arguments based on literature pertaining to the knowledge-based view of knowledge characteristics and barriers and the response of network to inter-organizational knowledge transfer. Findings – Knowledge-based view of knowledge characteristics and barriers and knowledge governance may provide a new understanding for network organizations seeking effective knowledge transfer strategies in inter-organizational context. Research limitations/implications – The main contribution to organizational theory is extending information-processing theory to form a new strategic model for inter-organizational knowledge transfer. Practical implications – The fit model of governance mechanisms may help managers to make effective strategies for inter-organizational knowledge transfer. Originality/value – Theoretically, this paper extends Information Processing Theory to inter-organizational relationships research. The developed model here also helps to explain the importance of cognitive dimensions for successful inter-organizational knowledge transfer. In KM practice, the proposed well-developed strategic models may help managers to link inter-organizational knowledge transfer processes to business strategy, and validate of the way to convert the goal of making their network organizations more intelligent into a strategic action.

Aims. This study was designed to assess the prevalence and correlates of self-induced vomiting to control body weight among adolescents in Taiwan. Background. Over the past decades, the rate of obesity among children in Taiwan has nearly tripled. Educational authorities have devoted considerable effort to prevent the increase in childhood obesity. Design. An observational exploratory design to investigate the problem of using unhealthy weight-reduction strategy. Methods. This study consists of a cross-sectional study aimed at collecting national representative data. We chose 120 representative schools using a three-stage stratified systematic sampling design with probability proportionate to the size of the population in Taiwan. Participants consisted of 8673 girls and 7043 boys, aged 10–18 old. Results. Of the participants, 13% reported using self-induced vomiting, the prevalence being highest in participants aged 10–12 (15·9%) and lowest in participants aged 16–18 (7·5%). Several factors were significantly and positively associated with the use of self-induced vomiting as a weight-loss strategy, specifically subjects who (1) watched television, used computer, surfed the Internet or played video games for greater than or equal to two hours/day, (2) consumed fried food every day and (3) ate night-time snacks every day (odds ratio = 1·55, 2·10 and 1·51, respectively; p

This paper examines the relation between corporate governance and efficiency performance of public non-life insurance companies in Thailand over the period 2000–2007. Data envelopment analysis is used to compute an insurer's efficiency performance including technical, allocative, cost, and revenue efficiency. We then employ truncated bootstrapped regression to test the relation between efficiency performance and corporate governance. The results show that the characteristics of corporate governance influence the efficiency performance of non-life insurers. In particular, board independence, diligence, and firm size have a positive impact on the efficiency performance of the Thai non-life insurance companies. However, audit committee size, diligence, divergence between voting rights and cash flow rights, board tenure, board age, as well as board ownership have a negative impact on the efficiency performance. Finally, our empirical evidence also indicates that there is an unclear relation between an insurer's efficiency performance and the board size, the proportion of financial expertise on an audit committee, and the board compensation.

Objective: To determine the probability of spontaneous disc regression among each type of lumbar herniated disc, using a systematic review. Data sources: Medline, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, and Web of Science were searched using key words for relevant original articles published before March 2014. Articles were limited to those published in English and human studies. Review methods: Articles had to: (1) include patients with lumbar disc herniation treated conservatively; (2) have at least two imaging evaluations of the lumbar spine; and (3) exclude patients with prior lumbar surgery, spinal infections, tumors, spondylolisthesis, or spinal stenosis. Two reviewers independently extracted study details and findings. Thirty-one studies met the inclusion criteria. Furthermore, if the classification of herniation matched the recommended classification of the combined Task Forces, the data were used for combined analysis of the probability of disc regression of each type. Nine studies were applicable for probability calculation. Results: The rate of spontaneous regression was found to be 96% for disc sequestration, 70% for disc extrusion, 41% for disc protrusion, and 13% for disc bulging. The rate of complete resolution of disc herniation was 43% for sequestrated discs and 15% for extruded discs. Conclusions: Spontaneous regression of herniated disc tissue can occur, and can completely resolve after conservative treatment. Patients with disc extrusion and sequestration had a significantly higher possibility of having spontaneous regression than did those with bulging or protruding discs. Disc sequestration had a significantly higher rate of complete regression than did disc extrusion.

Electrocardiogram (ECG) has been widely used in clinical diagnosis of cardiac arrhythmia. In particular, real-time detection of lethal cardiac arrhythmia such as ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation is important for patients with cardiovascular diseases. In addition, ST deviation during exercise indicates insufficient blood supply or infarction in myocardium, and autonomic imbalance implied from heart rate variability is associated with the mortality. However, physical activity (PA) usually confuses these interpretations. In this study, PA-related ECG analyses and real-time implementation on mobile devices will be addressed. Incorporating PA into ECG analysis not only avoids the confounding interpretation caused by PA, but also provides a way to probe cardiac functions during different PAs.

The main purpose of this proposal is to develop a value co-creation model in the hospital sector. For this purpose, guided by knowledge-based view, institutional theory & transaction cost theory, t...

To identify the pathogens that frequently cause infection and to explore their clinical features in acute stroke patients.From June 1, 1999 to December 31, 2008, we reviewed medical records of 263 patients with acute stroke and 351 controls. Within 30 days from admission, 109 and 107 patients had one or more bacterial cultures, respectively. The cumulative bacteria-free probability of all patients and the incidence of each isolated pathogen were assessed. We searched for the factors associated with isolation of different Gram-negative bacilli (GNB).Patients with recent stroke were prone to healthcare-associated colonization within 2 weeks from admission. One-fourth of stroke patients had positive bacterial culture. Stroke patients had a high incidence of Staphylococcus aureus and various GNB in their sputum. When urinary tract infections (UTIs) began 9 days or more after admission, the contributory pathogens were most often glucose-nonfermenting bacilli. However, if UTIs occurred within 9 days after admission, the pathogens were likely to be Enterobacteriaceae bacilli.Stroke patients had high incidence of pathogenic bacteria in their sputum which might be prone to pneumonia. The time after admission of the onset of UTI is useful information for predicting contributory pathogens and planning for appropriate treatment.

Starting in 2009, the Labor Insurance (LI) program in Taiwan has allowed workers to choose between pension old‐age benefits and one‐time old‐age benefits. The introduction of the pension option not only mitigates longevity risk for workers but also provides a higher expected present value of old‐age benefits to workers than the one‐time benefit option (on average). Based on a lifecycle model with uncertain lifespan, we expect that workers will increase current consumption and reduce saving in response to this policy intervention. We use data from the Survey of Family Income and Expenditure in Taiwan to empirically test this prediction. In order to isolate other systematic structural changes or economic shocks from the true impact of the pension option on saving and consumption, we adopt a difference‐in‐differences approach in this study. Our results indicate that the implementation of pension benefits in LI lowers households' saving by 8.41 percent (NT$50,587) and raises consumption by 5.73 percent (NT$42,897) for LI workers. In addition, we find that, in general, households with less saving or consumption tend to be more responsive to this policy in terms of reducing saving or increasing consumption.

This study was designed to assess the prevalence and correlates of self-induced vomiting to control body weight among adolescents in Taiwan.Over the past decades, the rate of obesity among children in Taiwan has nearly tripled. Educational authorities have devoted considerable effort to prevent the increase in childhood obesity.An observational exploratory design to investigate the problem of using unhealthy weight-reduction strategy.This study consists of a cross-sectional study aimed at collecting national representative data. We chose 120 representative schools using a three-stage stratified systematic sampling design with probability proportionate to the size of the population in Taiwan. Participants consisted of 8673 girls and 7043 boys, aged 10-18 old.Of the participants, 13% reported using self-induced vomiting, the prevalence being highest in participants aged 10-12 (15·9%) and lowest in participants aged 16-18 (7·5%). Several factors were significantly and positively associated with the use of self-induced vomiting as a weight-loss strategy, specifically subjects who (1) watched television, used computer, surfed the Internet or played video games for greater than or equal to two hours/day, (2) consumed fried food every day and (3) ate night-time snacks every day (odds ratio = 1·55, 2·10 and 1·51, respectively; p0·05). Eating breakfast every day and sleeping for more than eight hours a day were both protective factors against the use of self-induced vomiting to control body weight (odds ratio = 0·43 and 0·86, respectively; p0·05).Self-induced vomiting was prevalent among adolescents who had tried to lose weight; sedentary lifestyle, shorter sleep length and unhealthy eating habits may contribute significantly to this behaviour among these adolescents.School nurses who are helping adolescents lose weight should also pay attention to the possibility they are using self-induced vomiting as a weight-control strategy.

Automobile and workers' compensation insurance are relatively homogeneous products sold under varying regulatory systems among the states. This paper investigates how price regulation affects the capital structure decisions of profit-maximizing insurers who sell insurance in both competitive and/or regulated markets. Specifically, we test the hypothesis that insurers subject to price regulation will choose to hold less capital. In addition, we hypothesize insurers subject to more stringent regulatory pricing constraints will choose even higher degrees of leverage because the benefits of holding additional amounts of capital are suppressed. We conduct empirical tests using cross-sectional data on insurers and find evidence consistent with both hypotheses. These findings have important implications for insurance price and solvency regulation. Stricter price regulation increases the default risk (i.e., reduces the financial quality) of insurance contracts purchased by individuals and firms.

Previous scholar uses the term productive dialogue to refer to a person's exchanging one's insights into a problem with related others. Based on arguments from the dialogical theory of new knowledge creation and the theory of creativity, we propose that a personi¦s involving into productive dialogues with colleagues can enhance one's creativity performance in a work team. Then, drawing on the literature about social psychology and cognitive psychology, we argue that the person's cognitive empathy and need for cognition can amplify the positive effect of productive dialogue with one's creativity performance in a work team. With time-lagged data surveyed from different sources in Taiwanese electronic product manufacturers, we show that productive dialogue is positively related to creativity performance and that need for cognition positively moderates the relationship between productive dialogue and creativity. The significance and limitations of our study are discussed.

This study follows previous research to call a set of coherent human resource management practices as the high performance work system (HPWS). Based on arguments in the situational strength theory,...