The main goal of this thesis was to discover the relationships between MU characteristics and MUP features. To reach this goal, several features explaining the anatomical structure of the muscle were introduced. Additionally, features representing specific properties of the EMG signal detected from that muscle, were defined. Since information regarding the underlying anatomy was not available from real data, a physiologically based muscle model was used to extract the required features. This muscle model stands out from others, by providing similar acquisition schemes as the ones utilized by physicians in real clinical settings and by modelling the interactions among different volume conductor factors and the collection of MUs in the muscle in a realistic way. Having the features ready, several relationship discovery techniques were used, to reveal relationships between MU features and MUP features. To interpret the results obtained from the correlation analysis and pattern discovery techniques properly, several algorithms and new statistics were defined. The results obtained from correlation analysis and pattern discovery technique were similar to each other, and suggested that to maximize the inter-relationships between MUP features and MU features, MUPs could be filtered based on their slope values, specifically MUPs with slopes lower than 0. 6 v/s could be excluded. Additionally PDT results showed that high slope MUPs were not as informative about the underlying MU and could be excluded to maximize the relationships between MUP features and MU characteristics. Certain MUP features were determined to be highly related to certain MU characteristics. MUP <em>area</em> and <em>duration</em> were shown to be the best representative feature for the MU size and <em>average fiber density</em>, respectively. For the distribution of fiber diameter in the MU, <em>duration</em> and <em>number of turns</em> were determined to reflect <em>mean fiber diameter</em> and <em>stdv of fiber diameter</em> the best, correspondingly.

It has been theorized that muscles generate more force on bone than body weight alone and therefore it is likely that muscle contraction drives and sustains bone adaptation (Frost 1999). Purpose: To investigate the relationship between the timing and tempo of peak growth velocities of lean tissue (LT) and bone mineral content (BMC) in boys and girls at three sites using data derived from individual growth curves. Methods: 72 boys and 70 girls were fitted with growth curves that had a distinguishable peak. Height and weight were measured for each participant and tissue assessment was performed annually using DXA. Factorial ANOVAs were completed to analyse data for differences in age, while forward regression analyses was used between LT and BMC. Results: The peak growth velocity for lean occurred significantly (P<0.05) earlier than the peak growth velocity for bone at all locations except the legs. There was a difference (P<0.001) between genders in the age of peak for both lean tissue and bone tissue at all locations with females peak growth occurring before that of males. When aligned by PHV a significant difference (P<0.05) in the timing of PBMCV was found between the arms and the legs with the peak in bone growth in the legs occurring significantly before peak bone growth in the arms. PLTV was independently associated with PBMCV at the arms (r2= .71, p<0.001), legs (r2= .53, p<0.001) and trunk (r2= .52, p<0.001). Conclusion: In conclusion, LT growth precedes BMC growth and after controlling for gender, size and maturity the magnitude of LT growth is associated with BMC growth. The findings of this study are in support the Muscle-bone Unit (Frost and Schoenau, 2000), which theorizes that localised muscle action is a driving force for bone growth. Future studies are needed to analyse bone strength as it relates to local muscle strength and usage while controlling for confounding variables.

This paper investigates the purchasing power parity (PPP) hypothesis using panel data. Under PPP the real exchange rate is stationary around a constant mean. Recent panel data unit root tests are employed to test the PPP proposition where, under the conventional null hypothesis of a unit root, the real exchange rate is not stationary and PPP does not hold. In this case, as the time period t + n approaches infinity, its variance relative to period t will also approach infinity. The usual alternative in unit root tests is stationarity around a constant mean or a linear trend. The paper brings innovation into the PPP and panel unit root testing literature by allowing for possible nonlinear deterministic trends in the alternative hypothesis (as advanced by Cushman (2004)). If the null hypothesis is rejected in favour of the alternative of a non-linear trend, PPP still does not hold, but does at least revert back to a meaningful, stable long-run equilibrium. Given this non-linear trend, the variance of the real exchange rate as t + n approaches infinity, conditional on that trend, remains finite. Overall, evidence for stationarity in exchange rates is found in four out of six panels under consideration, including both support for stationary processes with no trend or a linear trend as well as for processes following a non-linear deterministic trend, in particular at time orders 5 and 6. The rejections are, in fact, most consistent at the nonlinear orders. Given nonlinear trends, PPP as usually defined does not hold, despite the rejection of unit roots. It is also found that stronger evidence for stable long-run equilibria in real exchange rates appears when the German Deutschmark is chosen as a base currency instead of the US Dollar. Finally, it appears that a very recent panel unit root test that takes account of cross-sectional dependencies delivers more consistent and sensible results.

Purchasing power parity (PPP) is considered as an important theory of explaining how exchange rate varies in the long run. Most of empirical studies in the past adapted linear cointegration method to test the purchasing power parity. However, there are papers point out that exchange rate exists non-linear cointegration and unexplainable bias might exist in testing the purchase power parity theory while using linear cointegration test. The methodology of this study is based on an application of ESTR ECM proposed by Kapetaniosetet al. to enhance the inadequate of linear cointegration test. We analyze the dynamic adjusting behavior of short-term nominal exchange rate with ESTR ECM model while the non-linear cointegratoin exists. The empirical result indicates that the purchase power parity between Taiwan and its major trading countries is confirmed. Among the trading countries, American, Japan and Hong Kong are suitable for using linear error correction model and non-linear error correction model for Singapore and Korea.

In today¡¦s modern society, our latest up-to-date technology contains various types of multimedia applications. These applications don¡¦t necessarily have to be executed with the most precise accuracy. In short, they are fault tolerant. As a consequence, this thesis proposes a multi-precision iterative floating-point special function unit, which can be executed under different modes to meet the error requirements of each specific application, and also achieve power reduction during the process. In order to minimize the area of our design, we have developed two iterative architectures to implement the multi-precision floating point special function unit. The first proposed architecture can perform three kinds of operations, which include a reciprocal operation, a reciprocal square root operation, and last but not least, a logarithm operation. After deciding which function is to be performed, the user can choose four precision modes to execute the special function unit. According to each mode from lowest precision to highest, we name them the first mode, the second mode, the third mode, and the fourth mode. During implementation, a C model has also been designed to evaluate the maximum error of each mode by making comparisons with the most accurate software result, which is the 23 bit result. When the reciprocal function is chosen, and the user defines that application to be performed in full precision, the multi-precision special function operator needs to be executed twice, and it has the error rate of approximately 0.0001%. When less precision is required, we can choose from two intermediate modes, one offers 15 bit accuracy, and the other can guarantee a 12 bit precision. The former precision mode also required the hardware to be executed twice, but the latter only once. The 15 bit accuracy mode has an error rate around 0.01¢H, and the 12 bit mode has the error rate roughly around 0.05¢H. In addition, when visual effects or even audio effects are not our greatest concern, we provide a least accurate mode for the users to pick to execute the special function operator. This mode can maintain 8 bit accuracy, and has the error rate of approximately 0.8%. Other operations including the reciprocal square root, and the logarithm also have four precision modes to choose from. The reciprcocal square root operation can guarantee the same accuracy in each mode as the reciprocal operation, and their error rates are 0.004%, 0.01%, 0.06%, and 0.5% from the highest precision mode to the lowest one. The precisions the logarithm operation can guarantee from highest accuracy to the lowest one are 23, 16, 12, and 8 bits, respectively, and have error rates including 0.00003%, 0.002%, 0.06%, and 0.3%. These different precision choices are built in the proposed structure mainly to reduce the power consumption. The main concept is to pick a low precision mode in order shut down some components in our design. In addition to switching modes, we¡¦ve also added tri-state buffers in certain components as another means to decrease power. Through experimental results we¡¦ve discovered that the proposed architecture¡¦s affect on power reduction was not as we¡¦ve expected. Due to the integration of the Newton Raphson Method and the Piecewise Polynomial Approximation Method, our architecture¡¦s delay and area have largely increased, and causing a bad influence on saving power. As a consequence, we¡¥ve developed a second architecture to meet our demands. This architecture is mainly based on the Piecewise Polynomial Approximation Method. From this method, we¡¦ve implemented an iterative design which also supports three kinds of operations, the same as the first architecture. It also provides three precision modes for the user to choose. The lowest precision mode provides 8 bit accuracy. The second mode provides 14 bit accuracy, and the third mode, which is the most precise mode, can provide 22 bit accuracy. According to our C model, we can specify our maximum error rate in each function while executing under different modes. When the reciprocal function is executed, the largest error rate in from the lowest mode to the highest mode is 0.19%, 0.00006% and 0.000015% , and the error rate for reciprocal square root from lowest precision mode to the highest is 0.09%, 0.000022% and 0.000014%, and the error rate for the logarithm function is 0.33%, 0.000043% and 0.000015%, from the lowest to the highest. From experimental results we can discover that the newly proposed architecture is better in comparison with the traditional Piecewise Polynomial Approximation architecture. The proposed architecture has a smaller area, and a faster delay, and most important of all, it reduces power and energy affectively.

This paper applies both the Engle-Granger and Johansen cointegration test procedures to determine the existence of market linkage among high-valued ( Scomberomorus commerson, milkfish ) and low-valued (cod, Taiwan Tilapia ) fish species using monthly average wholesale price data recorded on the Taipei fisheries wholesale market. If the markets for high-valued and low-valued species are linked, say through commodities arbitrage, individual fish prices cannot diverge ¡§too far¡¨ from other fish prices before market forces to operate to restore equilibrium. From the empirical results, it indicates the existence of only one cointegrating vector involving the prices of these species in Taipei fisheries wholesale market, and that a long-run and stable substitute relationship may exist for the Scomberomorus commerson and other low-valued and high-valued species.

It has been confirmed that reconfigurable computing system has potential to accelerate in large amounts of data computing. However, current trend is towards combining a microprocessor with one or many reconfigurable computing units. Thus, it might cause multiple devices to compete for System Bus that caused bus collision. And then the system performance will be limited on the bandwidth. Based on these shortcomings, this paper proposes an architecture which combines DDRx memory with a reconfigurable FPGA to construct a module with both storage and computing functions called Brain module. Brain module¡¦s instruction set is created through the extension of DDRx memory instruction. We also design the brain module controller and Hardware Management Unit. According to the definition of Software-Hardware Co-communication, the dynamically constructed Hardware Management Unit will create a hardware function call mechanism. We also establish internal data switching mechanism to achieve transmission data between memory and reconfigurable computing internal the controller. Thus, it can reduce the workload of System Bus and integrate hardware and software work. In software structure, we inherit the traditional programming language and integrate program data area and reconfigurable computing data area. Brain module data is accessed through memory mapping I/O. User can implement the software-hardware co-work by integrated programming environment,

The researcher has worked as a Japanese cram school teacher in Taiwan for nine years since 2002. In these nine years, the researcher has encountered different kinds of students and earned myriad of experience in this path. The researcher found that Japanese learners in Taiwan, no matter what age or what level, made almost the same mistakes. The commonality of making errors caused the researcher¡¦s curiosity. The researcher took this opportunity to seek for the reasons that caused these common mistakes. One of the most common mistakes they made is the use of the ¡§particle¡¨. Japanese¡¦s particle was classified neatly, especially ¡§prepositions¡¨ which were the most difficult to learn. When students first learn prepositions, they always get confused; the catachreses of the "De (で)" and "Ni (に)¡¨ were often brought to discussion. In the previous studies, many scholars have focused on this topic and done many researches (Sakota, 1998;Sugiyama, 2002). Based on those studies, with the writer¡¦s practical experience, she analyzed and probed the misuse of De and Ni through testing students. In the test, the researcher differentiated the students into three levels to see how different levels of students react to the use of prepositions, De and Ni ; the researcher then analyzed if there were any special tendency to the use of those preposition from the collected data. The testing method was to ask each levels of students to fill in the blank of a preposition quiz and then interview them about why did they pick those certain preposition to fill in the blank. Using fill-in the blank tests, the researcher found that the student's frequency of use of De and Ni and the frequency of incorrect answers were different. Through introspective investigation, the researcher found that the student's thinking process when using De and Ni are "Noun+ preposition" , "verb+ preposition". After interviewing the students, the researcher found that most subjects have a stereotyped "image of place or name of building + De", and "position or abstract places + Ni". The researcher hoped to understand the reason of the preposition mistake, De and Ni, in Japanese leaner of Taiwan by the research and find the solution of this common mistake. The writer wished that this could benefit not only teachers but students and provide them directions for teaching and learning.

In the early years of human society, all natural resources such as agriculture, animals, forestry, and fisheries were considered to be public property and the treasure belonged to all people. One branch of these natural resources threatened by over-development is straddling and highly migratory fish species, like tuna, which cannot be protected by a single government. While discussing fishery management, we review the change in tuna catches of thirteen countries in Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC), as it represents the impacts from different policies and events during a specific period of time. We reference the method applied in economics science by testing for the existence of stochastic convergence and addressing these break points, which are the important targets due to external shocks or internal influence. The characteristic of the method is in testing both time series and panel data by following the traditional unit root tests methods and unit root tests while considering structural breaks. We are able to conclude in preliminary estimates that some serious historical fishery events happened at the break point time, and if we take these structural breaks into consideration, then the growth of tuna catches will be stationary. In other words, if shocks to relative tuna catches are temporary, then the series stochastically converges, meaning that the manager does not need to intervene in the development of tuna fishery, because temporary shocks do not affect the stationarity of tuna catches¡¦ levels. Once the structural breaks occurred in the past, it is not necessary for these government and international organizations to change fishery policies in order to respond to the breaks. They should realize the meaning of the stationary panel instead of enacting an over-intervening policy based on temporary shocks.

Human society in the 21st century, population pressures brought about by globalization, the unequal distribution of environmental hazards, and a variety of public issues become not by the traditional government alone; has been, non-governmental organization (NGO) in the global the role in a variety of topics, are the key to lead the relationship between state and society in the discussions of civil society and international governance, the NGO has become increasingly critical, even in order to achieve democracy, with human rights, a indicators. After 1978, the Communist Party power succession by designated has passed three generations. 2012, mainland China's power struggle with severe economic test can reveal the opportunity for Chinese mainland state machine transition is not yet known; But no matter how, recalling the moment in 2008, it was a in the north hosting the Olympic Games to the international community show the elements of national power, surprisingly actually first in the Southern earthquake relief shown. The Corporatism defined the mode of interdependence between the NGOs and the government is built on the concept of exchange, of which the most important connotation is the country's laws, institutions and regulations; the organization can not just exist with its own objectives and efficiency relevant professional space must comply with the external specification, which includes the cultural system, moral values. National units the role of classification screening system for the development of mainland China NGO, the NGO in the process of development, whether it can have more than "Legitimacy" is even more important.