{0,1}-Brauer Configuration Algebras and Their Applications in Graph Energy Theory

The energy E(G) of a graph G is the sum of the absolute values of its adjacency matrix. In contrast, the trace norm of a digraph Q, which is the sum of the singular values of the corresponding adjacency matrix, is the oriented version of the energy of a graph. It is worth pointing out that one of the main problems in this theory consists of determining appropriated bounds of these types of energies for significant classes of graphs, digraphs and matrices, provided that, in general, finding out their exact values is a problem of great difficulty. In this paper, the trace norm of a {0,1}-Brauer configuration is introduced. It is estimated and computed by associating suitable families of graphs and posets to Brauer configuration algebras.

Trading Away Tariffs: The Operations of the GATT System

Since its formation, the GATT/WTO system has facilitated a worldwide reduction of trade barriers. We return to a founding moment of the regime, the GATT 1947 (GATT47), and look closely at the liberalization process, analyzing exactly what concessions were granted to whom and in return for what. With these data, we evaluate three prominent explanations for the operation of the early GATT. First, we ask whether or not US negotiators granted asymmetric access to the US market to spur post-war recovery. Second, we look at how the rules adopted in GATT47 balanced the interests of import sensitive producers with those of the more nascent exporter interests. Third, we examine specific US concessions and ask whether or not the US used the domestic market to either increase the productive capacity of nations damaged during the war and/or to bolster unstable regimes. Our most general finding is that the US, at least in this first Round of the trade regime, was less a liberal warrior and more a seeker of stability, and that tariff setting was significantly constrained by the institutions governing global tariff negotiations.

Electoral Accountability and Corruption

This chapter reviews the rapidly expanding literature on the electoral effects of corruption. A general finding is that corrupt parties and politicians get punished by voters at elections, but oftentimes not harshly enough to remove them from office. This chapter firstly elaborates how the electoral accountability mechanism is ideally supposed to work. It then looks at the extent to which corrupt elected representatives get punished and how different types of studies seem to systematically reach different conclusions in this respect. Thereafter, the by now quite substantial body of research on the reasons why corruption voting takes place is discussed, after which the much more limited literature on the connection between electoral accountability and levels of corruption is reviewed. The chapter ends with some ideas of how to move forward within this field of research.

The application of an early-warning biomonitoring system (EWBS) in a Canadian context

A nationwide jurisdictional analysis of drinking water frameworks was conducted to identify the political backdrop for the integration of the EWBS. Canada demonstrates no consistency in drinking water regulations and policies for EWBS application. While it is not possible for all specific contaminants to be monitored, the EWBS has the potential to effectively detect classes of contaminants applicable nationwide. A case study site was investigated for potential use of the EWBS. The general finding indicated that, despite having an advanced plant, unpredicted spills from upstream industries will continue to represent potential hazards for Walpole Island First Nation. Copper was identified as a contaminant of concern for the study site and was applied in behavioural bioassays using Daphnia magna. Three responses were examined upon exposure to varying concentrations of copper and results indicated change in swimming height as the most sensitive response for utility in an EWBS, followed by immobility.

The application of an early-warning biomonitoring system (EWBS) in a Canadian context

A nationwide jurisdictional analysis of drinking water frameworks was conducted to identify the political backdrop for the integration of the EWBS. Canada demonstrates no consistency in drinking water regulations and policies for EWBS application. While it is not possible for all specific contaminants to be monitored, the EWBS has the potential to effectively detect classes of contaminants applicable nationwide. A case study site was investigated for potential use of the EWBS. The general finding indicated that, despite having an advanced plant, unpredicted spills from upstream industries will continue to represent potential hazards for Walpole Island First Nation. Copper was identified as a contaminant of concern for the study site and was applied in behavioural bioassays using Daphnia magna. Three responses were examined upon exposure to varying concentrations of copper and results indicated change in swimming height as the most sensitive response for utility in an EWBS, followed by immobility.

The invitatory antiphons in Cantus sororum: a unique repertoire in a world of standard chant

ABSTRACTThis is the first study to examine the seven invitatory antiphons of the Birgittine weekly Office, the Cantus sororum, offering complete transcriptions of the melodies and texts. An important general finding is that these invitatories share many melodic similarities with great responsories, but on a more detailed level this article investigates precisely how these chants relate to known models, both complete melodies as well as individual melodic motives. Four patterns of composition among the Cantus sororum invitatories emerge: (1) unique texts may be combined with melodies that resemble other known chants outside the Cantus sororum; (2) texts and melodies that resemble other variants outside the Cantus sororum may be combined in new ways; (3) both text and melody are unknown outside the Cantus sororum.Overall, these invitatory antiphons, like the rest of the Cantus sororum, represent creative work with existing melodies and texts, including reworkings, borrowings and consistent use of melodic motifs, comprising a significant part of a repertoire at once distinctly Birgittine in character and yet conforming to the common stock of Gregorian Chant. Melodic correspondences within the Cantus sororum as well as in the Birgittine Mass repertoire thus afford an interesting perspective on a soundscape in which the Birgittines functioned and where, through music, their identity was created and maintained.

Clinical Evaluation of the MKH-HAASE Stereoacuity Tests

Background: H.J. Haase developed a set of tests for measuring associated phoria and stereopsis using a variety of different targets for each. This study investigates the test-retest repeatability of the distance and near stereopsis tests for the MKH-Haase charts. Methods: MKH-Haase contour (Line Test) and randomdot (Steps Test) stereopsis tests were measured at distance and near for 34 symptomatic and 40 asymptomatic participants on two different sessions. The MKH-Haase protocol requires the stereoacuity to be measured twice within a session; once for crossed and once for uncrossed disparities. Results: Direct comparison within sessions did not reveal any significant differences in MKHHaase stereoacuity tests between symptomatic and asymptomatic groups; hence, the two groups were pooled for further analysis. The within and between-sessions repeatability of most MKH-Haase stereoacuity tests results was good at both distance and near. However, there were a few exceptions to this general finding. Crossed disparity thresholds were significantly lower than uncrossed disparities within the first session at distance for both Line and Steps tests. The differences between sessions for both disparities were not significant for all stereoacuity tests except the Steps test at distance. Conclusions: MKH-Haase stereoacuity charts are considered reliable tests for measuring local and global stereothreshold at both distance and near.

Rational arc length

Finding an expression for the length of a curve is one of the simpler geometric applications of the integral. If f is a function with a continuous derivative, then the expression gives the length of the curve y = f (x) on an interval [a, b]. However, after writing out the integrand for familiar functions such as y = x2 and y = sin x, it quickly becomes apparent that, in general, finding an antiderivative is a challenge. Of course, a computer can give accurate approximations for the value of the integral for the length of a curve, but it would be nice to find the exact length rather than a decimal approximation. In his work on geometry (from 1637), Descartes stated that he believed it was not possible to determine the exact lengths of curves. However, just twenty years later, William Neile was able to find the length of arcs of semicubical parabolas (see Katz [1]). These curves have the form y = kx3/2 and are usually the first examples or exercises given to students since the resulting integral is very easy to compute. In this paper, we are going to examine this curve and other related curves and consider problems such as the following: find rational numbers a and b so that the length of the curve over the interval is an [a, b] integer. As we shall see, problems such as this provide a variety of opportunities for undergraduate students to explore some interesting mathematics arising from a few simple and accessible questions.

Exhaustion 2-subsets in dihedral groups of order 2p

Let [Formula: see text] be the dihedral group of order [Formula: see text], where [Formula: see text] is an odd prime. A nonempty subset [Formula: see text] of [Formula: see text] is said to be exhaustive if there exists a positive integer [Formula: see text] such that [Formula: see text] covers all elements in [Formula: see text]. The smallest such [Formula: see text] is called the exhaustion number of [Formula: see text]. In general, finding [Formula: see text] for an arbitrary subset [Formula: see text] of [Formula: see text] is an interesting but difficult task. In this paper, we classify all possible exhaustion 2-subsets in [Formula: see text] by considering a 2-subset [Formula: see text] of [Formula: see text] with either [Formula: see text] or [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]. Some explicit formulas for [Formula: see text] are identified and hence some bounds are derived to prove the existence for certain families of exhaustive sets.