Convex labelings of trees

A convex labeling of a tree T of order n is a one-to-one function f from the vertex set of T into the nonnegative integers, so that f(y) ? (f(x) + f(z))/2 for every path x, y, z of length 2 in T. If, in addition, f(v) ? n ? 1 for every vertex v of T, then f is a perfect convex labeling and T is called a perfectly convex tree. Jamison introduced this concept and conjectured that every tree is perfectly convex. We show that there exists an infinite class of trees, none of which is perfectly convex, and in fact prove that for every n there exists a tree of order n which requires a convex labeling with maximum value at least 6n/5 – 22. We also prove that every tree of order n admits a convex labeling with maximum label no more than n²/8 + 2. In addition, we present some constructive methods for obtaining perfect convex labelings of large classes of trees.     

A new calorimeter for intense laser radiation

A new type of laser calorimeter has been developed which provides high measurement sensitivity and accuracy over several decades of input radiation intensity. The approach features a rapidly spinning liquid film as the calorimetric medium, and as such can accommodate a wide spectrum of incident laser radiation, through appropriate selection of the absorbing fluid. Because of the rapidly moving thin fluid technique utilized in the construction, the calorimeter exhibits fast response, even at high or low power levels. The design concept and method of fabrication make the device quite rugged and virtually burn-out proof.     

Myopia,amnesia, and consistent intertemporal choice

Social scientists often explain observed streams of behavior as the outcome of constrained choice at successive dates, with actors choosing among planned sequences of actions extending into the future. This paper presents four axioms for consistent intertemporal choice in such models. Within this framework, myopia and amnesia are defined to be choice processes in which future feasible actions and past decisions, respectively, play no role in current choice. Each of these modeling strategies is argued to have some plausibility on the basis of bounded rationality considerations. It is shown that an anticipatory process reduces to a behaviorally equivalent myopic process if and only if binary choices are lexically organized. Amnesia, or the absence of endogenous preference formation, is characterized by the condition that binary choices be ‘ahistorical’. The paper closes with some remarks on the methodological role of the consistency axioms, and the problems posed by inconsistent choice processes.     

Mrówka maximal almost disjoint families for uncountable cardinals

We consider generalizations of a well-known class of spaces, called by S. Mrówka, N∪R, where R is an infinite maximal almost disjoint family (MADF) of countable subsets of the natural numbers N. We denote these generalizations by ψ=ψ(κ,R) for κ?ω. Mrówka proved the interesting theorem that there exists an R such that |βψ(ω,R)?ψ(ω,R)|=1. In other words there is a unique free z-ultrafilter p₀ on the space ψ. We extend this result of Mrówka to uncountable cardinals. We show that for κ?c, Mrówka's MADF R can be used to produce a MADF M⊂ω[κ] such that |βψ(κ,M)?ψ(κ,M)|=1. For κ>c, and every M⊂ω[κ], it is always the case that |βψ(κ,M)?ψ(κ,M)|≠1, yet there exists a special free z-ultrafilter p on ψ(κ,M) retaining some of the properties of p₀. In particular both p and p₀ have a clopen local base in βψ (although βψ(κ,M) need not be zero-dimensional). A result for κ>c, that does not apply to p₀, is that for certain κ>c, p is a P-point in βψ.     

Coexisting holes and electrons in high-T C materials: implications from normal state transport

Normal state resistivity and Hall effect are shown to be successfully modeled by a two-band model of holes and electrons that is applied self-consistently to (i) dc transport data reported for eight bulk-crystal and six oriented-film specimens of YBa₂Cu₃O_7?δ, and (ii) far-infrared Hall angle data reported for YBa₂Cu₃O_7?δ and Bi₂Sr₂CaCu₂O_8+δ. The electron band exhibits extremely strong scattering; the extrapolated dc residual resistivity of the electronic component is shown to be consistent with the previously observed excess thermal conductivity and excess electrodynamic conductivity at low temperature. Two-band hole–electron analysis of Hall angle data suggests that the electrons possess the greater effective mass.     

Spaces of continuous functions over a Ψ-space

The Lindelöf property of the space of continuous real-valued continuous functions is studied. A consistent example of an uncountable Ψ-like space is constructed for which the space of continuous real-valued functions with the pointwise convergence topology is Lindelöf.     

Thin-tall Boolean algebras and their automorphism groups

Our main result is a general construction to show that for each countable groupG there are 2¹ pairwise non-isomorphic thin-tall superatomic Boolean algebras, all of them representingG as a group of non-trivial automorphisms.Presented by J. Mycielski.Research supported by the NSERC of Canada.