bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Governance Problems in Closely Held Corporations
Authors: Nagar Venky , Petroni Kathy , Wolfenzon Daniel 
Published: April 2011

AbstractA major governance problem in closely held corporations is the majority shareholders’ expropriation of minority shareholders. As a solution, legal and finance research recommends that the main shareholder surrender some control to minority shareholders via ownership rights. We test this proposition on a large data set of closely held corporations. We find that shared-ownership firms report a substantially larger return on assets and lower expense-to-sales ratios. These findings are robust to institutionally motivated corrections for endogeneity of ownership structure. We provide evidence on the presence of governance problems and the effectiveness of shared ownership as a solution in settings characterized by illiquidity of ownership.
Spontaneous reversibility of damage to outer hair cells after sodium salicylate induced ototoxicity
Authors: de Almeida-Silva I , de Oliveira J A A , Rossato M , Salata F Fiacadori , Hyppolito M A 
Published: April 2011

AbstractBackground:High sodium salicylate doses can cause reversible hearing loss and tinnitus, possibly due to reduced outer hair cell electromotility. Sodium salicylate is known to alter outer hair cell structure and function. This study determined the reversibility and cochlear recovery time after administration of an ototoxic sodium salicylate dose to guinea pigs with normal cochlear function.Study design:Prospective experimental investigation.Methods:All animals received a single 500 mg sodium salicylate dose, but with different durations of action. Function was evaluated before drug administration and immediately before sacrifice. Cochleae were processed and viewed using scanning electron microscopy.Results:Changes in outer hair cell function were observed to be present 2 hours after drug administration, with recovery of normal anatomy beginning after 24 hours. Subsequently, derangement and distortion of cilia reduced, with effects predominantly in row three. At 168 hours, cilia were near-normal but with mild distortions which interfered with normal cochlear physiology.Conclusions:Ciliary changes persisted for up to 168 hours after ototoxic sodium salicylate administration.
Optimizing T-pod settings and testing range of detection for bottlenose dolphins in Doubtful Sound, New Zealand
Authors: Elliott Riley G. , Dawson Stephen M. , Rayment William J. 
Published: April 2011

Autonomous acoustic data loggers can provide useful data on habitat use and activity patterns of vocalizing cetaceans. One type, the T-POD, uses filters that can be set to match the click characteristics of the target species. We used wideband acoustic recordings to document typical click spectra of bottlenose dolphins in Doubtful Sound, New Zealand, in order to develop T-POD settings optimal for that population. T-PODs at these settings made between 8 and 33 times as many detections as accompanying T-PODs set as in other studies of this species, confirming the value of optimizing settings for a particular dolphin population. Maximum detection range was 1313 m, and mean range of first detection was 593 m. Of 45 groups observed within 500 m of the T-POD, 47% were detected acoustically. Effective detection radius was estimated at 266 m (95% CI 222–317 m).
The Employment Effects of Recession on Couples in the UK: Women's and Household Employment Prospects and Partners’ Job Loss
Authors: HARKNESS SUSAN , EVANS MARTIN 
Published: April 2011

AbstractThe effect that the 2008/09 recession has had on unemployment and, in particular, on the distribution of job losses across households is of key concern to policymakers. During the 1991 recession rising male unemployment was associated with a sharp increase in the number of workless households, with this polarisation of work between ‘work-rich’ and ‘work-poor’ persisting many years later. Part of the reason for this polarisation was that the design of the tax and benefit system produced weak work incentives for women partnered to unemployed men, particularly if the jobs open to them were either part time or low paid. Since 1999, the United Kingdom has undertaken reform of employment and transfer programmes, with a particular focus on boosting incomes and work incentives for families with children. The resulting literature focussed on the impact that these reforms had on women's movements into employment. Since the economy entered recession in 2008, an increasingly important question is how have these reforms affected women's decisions to remain in employment (or enter into work) if their partner becomes unemployed. This paper usesLabour Force Surveydata to assess the effect of male job loss on their partners' employment and to examine the implications for the distribution of jobs across households. Results suggest that working women whose partners lost their jobs in the 2008/09 recession were more likely to remain in work than before and this has helped to mediate the growth in workless couple households.
Roman Grain Pests in Britain: Implications for Grain Supply and Agricultural Production
Authors: Smith David , Kenward Harry 
Published: April 2011

AbstractIt is over 30 years since Paul Buckland first presented a series of arguments concerning beetle (Coleoptera) grain pests: their origin, the timing of their introduction to Britain, and their implications for agricultural production during the Roman occupation. Here we return to the topic in the light of new data from a range of archaeological deposits, including civilian and military sites dating from the earliest period of Roman occupation. Infestation rates and, potentially, grain loss may have been high throughout Roman Britain, though many infestations may have been in equine feed. Beetle grain pests are not recorded in Britain prior to the Roman invasion, and it appears that they were absent, or extremely rare, in the early medieval period and up to the Norman Conquest. This pattern of occurrence is reviewed and it is suggested that ecological theory offers an explanation which is in accord with supposed socio-economic changes and trade. The role of grain pests is considered in the economic modelling of Romano-British agriculture.
TRIPILLAR: a miniature magnetic caterpillar climbing robot with plane transition ability
Authors: Schoeneich Patrick , Rochat Frederic , Nguyen Olivier Truong-Dat , Moser Roland , Mondada Francesco 
Published: April 2011

SUMMARYWe present a miniature magnetic climbing robot with dimensions 96 × 46 × 64 mm3. With two degrees of freedom it is able to climb ferromagnetic surfaces and to make inner plane to plane transitions whatever their inclination is. This robot, named TRIPILLAR, combines triangular-shaped magnetic caterpillars and frame magnets. This particular configuration allows, for example, to move from ground to wall and ceiling and back. This achievement opens new avenues to use mobile robotics for industrial inspection with stringent size restrictions, such as the ones encountered in power plants.
Design of a controller for trajectory tracking for compliant mechanisms with effective vibration suppression
Authors: Boscariol P. , Zanotto V. 
Published: April 2011

SUMMARYIn this paper, a numerical investigation of the Model Predictive Control strategy applied to flexible-link mechanisms is presented. The mechanisms used for all the tests are a planar five-link mechanisms. The tests are aimed at showing how the proposed control system can be used for the trajectory tracking and the vibration suppression. An analysis of the effects of the choice of tuning parameters is presented as well. The design of the predictive controller is based on a linearized version of an accurate nonlinear dynamic model. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is confirmed by extensive numerical results.
Infection and white matter injury in infants with congenital cardiac disease
Authors: Glass Hannah C. , Bowman Chelsea , Chau Vann , Moosa Alisha , Hersh Adam L. , Campbell Andrew , Poskitt Kenneth , Azakie Anthony , Barkovich A. James , Miller Steven P. , McQuillen Patrick S. 
Published: April 2011

AbstractMore than 60% of newborns with severe congenital cardiac disease develop perioperative brain injuries. Known risk factors include: pre-operative hypoxemia, cardiopulmonary bypass characteristics, and post-operative hypotension. Infection is an established risk factor for white matter injury in premature newborns. In this study, we examined term infants with congenital cardiac disease requiring surgical repair to determine whether infection is associated with white matter injury. Acquired infection was specified by site – bloodstream, pneumonia, or surgical site infection – according to strict definitions. Infection was present in 23 of 127 infants. Pre- and post-operative imaging was evaluated for acquired injury by a paediatric neuroradiologist. Overall, there was no difference in newly acquired post-operative white matter injury in infants with infection (30%), compared to those without (31%). When stratified by anatomy, infants with transposition of the great arteries, and bloodstream infection had an estimated doubling of risk of white matter injury that was not significant, whereas those with single ventricle anatomy had no apparent added risk. When considering only infants without stroke, the estimated association was higher, and became significant after adjusting for duration of inotrope therapy. In this study, nosocomial infection was not associated with white matter injury. Nonetheless, when controlling for risk factors, there was an association between bloodstream infection and white matter injury in selected sub-populations. Infection prevention may have the potential to mitigate long-term neurologic impairment as a consequence of white matter injury, which underscores the importance of attention to infection control for these patients.
Middle-school students’ school lunch consumption does not meet the new Institute of Medicine's National School Lunch Program recommendations
Authors: Cullen Karen W , Watson Kathleen B , Dave Jayna M 
Published: April 2011

AbstractObjectiveTo compare the school lunch consumption of Texas middle-school students with the 2009 Institute of Medicine's (IOM) school meal report recommendations. These new lunch menu patterns increase fruit to one serving and vegetables to two servings, with 50 % wholegrain food.DesignLunch food records were collected from middle-school students from four schools in south-east Texas in the spring of 2008, and entered into the Nutrition Data System for Research software. Average intake was calculated for those consuming meals according to the National School Lunch Program (NSLP;n5414) and for those consuming lunch from other sources (n239). The percentage of students selecting each food group was calculated.SettingMiddle schools in south-east Texas.SubjectsMiddle-school students in south-east Texas.ResultsStudents consuming NSLP meals reported consuming almost--><$>\tfrac{1}{2}<$><!--serving of fruit,--><$>\tfrac{3}{4}<$><!--serving of vegetables, 8 oz of milk and--><$>\tfrac{1}{3}<$><!--serving of whole grains at lunch. Non-NSLP consumers reported almost no intake of fruit, vegetables or milk, and consumed--><$>\tfrac{1}{4}<$><!--serving of whole grains at lunch. Among NSLP consumers, about 40 % selected and consumed a fruit serving. About two-thirds of students selected a vegetable, consuming about 67 %. Less than 4 % selected a dark green or orange vegetable.ConclusionsStudents’ lunch intake did not meet the new IOM recommendations. Few students selected dark green or orange vegetables, and only 40 % selected fruit. Whole grains consumption was low. Interventions with all stakeholders will be necessary to improve students’ food and beverage selections overall when school meal patterns are revised.
GaN HFET MMICs with integrated Schottky-diode for highly efficient digital switch-mode power amplifiers at 2 GHz
Authors: Maroldt Stephan , Quay Rüdiger , Haupt Christian , Kiefer Rudolf , Wiegner Dirk , Ambacher Oliver 
Published: April 2011

This work describes the integration of Schottky diodes into fast GaN MMIC process technology suitable for the realization of switch-mode power amplifier core chips for class-S operation at 2 GHz. With the demonstration of this technology, the so-called third-quadrant issue, which reduces the efficiency in band pass-Δ-Σ class-S operation can be diminished on device level. Compared to a hybrid diode assembly, the broadband properties of the amplifier module with on-chip-integrated diode can be improved by the reduction of parasitic losses. The GaN heterostructure field effect transistors (HFETs) with integrated series diode show a cut-off frequency of 28 GHz with drain breakdown voltages exceeding −100 and +100 V and comparable large signal performance to conventional GaN HFETs at 10 GHz. MMIC core chips for class-D and class-S switch-mode power amplifier modules are demonstrated for the operation at mobile communication frequencies between 0.45 and 2 GHz and signal bit rates up to 8 Gbps. The circuits yield broadband output power levels between 4 and 9 W with efficiencies of up to 80%.
A homodyne transceiver MMIC using SiGe:C technology for 60 GHz wireless applications
Authors: Forstner Hans Peter , Ortner Markus , Verweyen Ludger , Knapp Herbert 
Published: April 2011

A highly integrated transceiver microwave monolithic integrated circuit (MMIC) manufactured in a 200-GHz SiGe:C production technology is presented, applicable for sensing- and broadband communication applications. To simplify the analog frontend, the fully differential design is based on a homodyne architecture. It comprises an LO signal generation unit based on a wideband 60 GHz fundamental Voltage Controlled Oscillator (VCO) and an on-chip prescaler, covering the full operational frequency band of 57–64 GHz. Within this bandwidth, the upconverter exhibits an upconversion gain of 23.6–26.4 dB and a maximum output-referred 1-dB compression point of 14 dBm. The downconverter provides a Double Sideband (DSB) noise figure of 9–12 dB with a downconversion gain of 37–71 dB. On chip AC-coupling of the receiver IF-output with a lower −3 dB cut-off frequency as low as 16 kHz eliminates mixer DC-offsets and enables on-chip Intermediate Frequency (IF) amplification. The whole transceiver MMIC draws a current of 415 mA from a single 3.3 V supply and requires few components externally to the chip.
Difference in response reliability predicted by STRFs in the cochlear nuclei of barn owls
Authors: Steinberg Louisa , Pena Jose 
Published: April 2011

AbstractThe brainstem auditory pathway is obligatory for all aural information. Brainstem auditory neurons must encode the level and timing of sounds, as well as their time-dependent spectral properties, the fine structure and envelope, which are essential for sound discrimination. This study focused on envelope coding in the two cochlear nuclei of the barn owl, nucleus angularis (NA) and nucleus magnocellularis (NM). NA and NM receive input from bifurcating auditory nerve fibers and initiate processing pathways specialized in encoding interaural time (ITD) and level (ILD) differences, respectively. We found that NA neurons, though unable to accurately encode stimulus phase, lock more strongly to the stimulus envelope than NM units. The spectrotemporal receptive fields (STRFs) of NA neurons exhibit a pre-excitatory suppressive field. Using multilinear regression analysis and computational modeling, we show that this feature of STRFs can account for enhanced across-trial response reliability, by locking spikes to the stimulus envelope. Our findings indicate a dichotomy in envelope coding between the time and intensity processing pathways as early as the level of the cochlear nuclei. This allows the ILD processing pathway to encode envelope information with greater fidelity than the ITD processing pathway. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the properties of the neurons’ STRFs can be quantitatively related to spike timing reliability.
Control in technological systems and physical intelligence: an emerging theory
Authors: Alicea Bradly 
Published: April 2011

AbstractThe transduction and processing of physical information is becoming important in a range of research fields, from the design of materials and virtual environments to the dynamics of cellular microenvironments. Previous approaches such as morphological computation/soft robotics, neuromechanics, and embodiment have provided valuable insight. This work approaches haptic, proprioception, and physical sensing as all part of the same subject. In this presentation, three design criteria for applying physical intelligence to engineering applications will be presented. These criteria have several properties in common, which inspires two types of end-effector model: stochastic (based on a spring) and deterministic (based on a piezomechanical array). The generalized behavior and output dynamics of these models can be described as three findings summarized from previous work. In conclusion, future directions for modeling neural control using a neuromorphic approach will be discussed.
Expansion of the Surgical Apgar Score across All Surgical Subspecialties as a Means to Predict Postoperative Mortality
Authors: Reynolds Paul Q. , Sanders Neal W. , Schildcrout Jonathan S. , Mercaldo Nathaniel D. , St. Jacques Paul J. 
Published: April 2011

Background
A surgical scoring system, akin to the obstetrician's Apgar score, has been developed to assess postoperative risk. To date, evaluation of this scoring system has been limited to general and vascular services. The authors attempt to externally validate and expand the Surgical Apgar Score across a wide breadth of surgical subspecialties.

Methods
Intraoperative data for 123,864 procedures including all surgical subspecialties were collected and associated with Surgical Apgar Scores (created by the summation of point values associated with the lowest mean arterial pressure, lowest heart rate, and estimated blood loss). Patients' death records were matched to the corresponding score, and logistic regression models were created in which mortality within 7, 30, and 90 days was regressed on the Apgar score.

Results
Lower Surgical Apgar Scores were associated with an increased risk of death. The magnitude of this association varied by subspecialty. Some subspecialties exhibited higher odds ratios, suggesting that the score is not as useful for them. For most of the subspecialties the association between the Apgar score and mortality decreased as the time since surgery increased, suggesting that predictive ability ceases to be helpful over time. After adjusting for the patient's American Society of Anesthesiologists classification, Apgar scores remained associated with death among most of the subspecialties.

Conclusion
A previously published methodology for calculating risk among general and vascular surgical patients can be applied across many surgical services to provide an objective means of predicting and communicating patient outcomes in surgery as well as planning potential interventions.
VATS Thymectomy for Nonthymomatous Myasthenia Gravis Standardized Outcome Assessment Using the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America Clinical Classification
Authors: Keating Cameron P. , Kong Yu X. , Tay Valerie , Knight Simon R. , Clarke C. Peter , Wright Gavin M. 
Published: April 2011

Objective Video-assisted thoracoscopic (VATS) thymectomy has been practiced in Australia for nearly two decades. Our aim was to assess the complete stable remission and asymptomatic disease rates after VATS thymectomy in nonthymomatous myasthenia gravis. There remains doubt that minimally invasive techniques achieve equal remission rates to open maximal operations. Therefore, we report our outcomes using the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America (MGFA) Clinical Classification and Kaplan-Meier analysis and compare the results to the literature. Methods A retrospective analysis of 78 consecutive patients undergoing right VATS thymectomy between April 1994 and March 2007 at two Thoracic Surgery Units in Melbourne, Australia, was undertaken. Patients with thymoma were excluded. Therefore, 57 patients were followed-up for a minimum of 12 months to apply the MGFA Clinical Classification. VATS thymectomy was performed by a three-port right side technique. Results The complete stable remission rate was 15% at 3 years and 28% at 5 years. The asymptomatic disease rate was 59% at 5 years. Median follow-up was 32 months. No prognostic factors for remission were identified. The overall morbidity rate was 14% (8/57). Conclusions Right VATS thymectomy achieves comparable remission and asymptomatic disease rates to other minimally invasive and open techniques when compared with studies using either MGFA or older criteria.
Sternum Sparing Thoracotomy Incisions in Lung Transplantation Surgery a Superior Technique to the Clamshell Approach
Authors: Bittner Hartmuth Bruno , Lehmann Sven , Binner Christian , Garbade Jens , Barten Markus , Mohr Friedrich Wilhelm 
Published: April 2011

Objective Bilateral anterior transsternal thoracotomy incision (clamshell technique) is the standard approach used for bilateral sequential lung transplantation (LTX). The morbidity and wound complications of this large incision can be considerable and costly. Muscle sparing anterior thoracotomies without division of the sternum may lead to decreasing the sequelae of wound complications. The objective of this study was to determine the rate of wound complications in the nonsternal incising lung transplant patients. Methods We used the single-institution-based transplant data bank, phone questionnaire, and ambulatory care unit follow-up data to investigate retrospectively the incidence of wound healing complications following muscle and sternum sparing and mammary artery protecting limited access small submammary anterior thoracotomy incisions (AT) for LTX surgery. In the need for cardiopulmonary bypass, the femoral artery and vein were cannulated. Results After exclusion of seven clamshell operations for LTX combined with cardiac surgery, 91 recipients (65% male), aged 19 to 68 years (mean, 54 ± 8 years), underwent 84 AT and 48 lateral thoracotomies (LT) for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) (48%), obstructive disease (40%), cystic fibrosis (CF) (5%), and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) (7%). AT ranged from 5.5 to 26 cm (mean, 20.3 ± 4.8 cm) and LT from 12 to 25 cm (mean, 19.8 ± 2.4 cm) and was not significantly different (P = 0.37). Warm ischemic times ranged from 30 to 92 minutes (mean, 56 ± 11 minutes). Four patients required rethoracotomy for bleeding/hematoma formation. Cardiopulmonary bypass/intraop extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) was used in 64%. Superficial wound infection and subsequent drainage/care was needed in four LTX incisions. Reoperation for lung herniation using patch repair technique for thoracic wall stabilization was required in two AT and three LT. Conclusions Sternum sparing and mammary artery protecting limited access submammary anterior and lateral thoracotomy incisions for LTX surgery are safe and effective. This approach avoids complications related to sternal transaction and may minimize the development of severe wound complications following LTX surgery.