A Critical Analysis of Synthesizer User Interfaces for Timbre

In this paper, we review and analyse categories of user interface used in hardware and software electronic music synthesizers. Problems with the user specification and modification of timbre are discussed. Three principal types of user interface for controlling timbre are distinguished. A problem common to all three categories is identified: that the core language of each category has no well-defined mapping onto the task languages of subjective timbre categories as used by musicians

Do Unionized Registered Nurses Reduce AMI Mortality?

Although recent research shows interesting relationships between hospital work organization and patient outcomes, the relationship between nurse unions and patient outcomes has not been explored. This study examines the relationship between the presence of a bargaining unit for registered nurses and the acute myocardial infarction (AMI) mortality rate for acute care hospitals in California. After accounting for patient and hospital characteristics, we find that hospitals with unionized RN workforces have 5.5 percent lower AMI mortality than do nonunion hospitals (-0.8 percentage point/14.6 percent average AMI mortality).

Still Broken: New York State Legislative Reform

Still Broken: New York State Legislative Reform is the 2008 update of the Brennan Center's 2004 and 2006 reports on the New York state legislative process. The report finds that the legislative process remains broken, and offers concrete recommendations for reform