Upper bounds for the bondage number of graphs on topological surfaces

The bondage number b(G) of a graph G is the smallest number of edges of G whose removal from G results in a graph having the domination number larger than that of G. We show that, for a graph G having the maximum vertex degree $\Delta(G)$ and embeddable on an orientable surface of genus h and a non-orientable surface of genus k, $b(G)\le \min\{\Delta(G)+h+2, \Delta(G)+k+1\}$. This generalizes known upper bounds for planar and toroidal graphs.Comment: 10 pages; Updated version (April 2011); Presented at the 7th ECCC, Wolfville (Nova Scotia, Canada), May 4-6, 2011, and the 23rd BCC, Exeter (England, UK), July 3-8, 201

Look Before You Leap: A Skeptical View of Proposals to Meld Macro- and Microprudential Regulation

G-20 ministers should avoid creating a new layer of regulation to counter future systemic financial risks, according to a newly released C.D Howe Institute study. The Commentary by Nick Le Pan, former Superintendent of Financial Institutions, cautions against current G-20 proposals to expand regulation to include system-wide macroeconomic risks.financial services, Bank of Canada, OSFI, systemic risk, procyclicality, Basel II

Purchasing power parity in G-7 countries: Further evidence based on ADL test for threshold cointegration

This study applies a newly-developed Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ADL) test for threshold cointegration, proposed by Li and Lee (2010) to test the validity of long-run purchasing power parity (PPP) for G-7 countries over the January 1994 to April 2010. The empirical results indicate that PPP only holds true for Canada and France two countries. Our results have important policy implications for the G-7 countries under study.Purchasing Power Parity; G-7 Countries; ADL Test; Threshold Cointegration

Searches For High-Frequency Variations In The B-8 Solar Neutrino Flux At The Sudbury Neutrino Observatory

We have performed three searches for high-frequency signals in the solar neutrino flux measured by the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory, motivated by the possibility that solar g-mode oscillations could affect the production or propagation of solar B-8 neutrinos. The first search looked for any significant peak in the frequency range 1-144 day(-1), with a sensitivity to sinusoidal signals with amplitudes of 12% or greater. The second search focused on regions in which g-mode signals have been claimed by experiments aboard the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory satellite, and was sensitive to signals with amplitudes of 10% or greater. The third search looked for extra power across the entire frequency band. No statistically significant signal was detected in any of the three searches.Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, CanadaIndustry Canada, CanadaNational Research Council, CanadaNorthern Ontario Heritage Fund, CanadaAtomic Energy of Canada, Ltd., CanadaOntario Power Generation, CanadaHigh Performance Computing Virtual Laboratory, CanadaCanada Foundation for InnovationDept. of Energy, USNational Energy Research Scientific Computing Center, USScience and Technologies Facilities Council, UKAstronom

Multivariate STAR Unemployment Rate Forecasts

In this paper we use smooth transition vector error-correction models (STVECMs) in a simulated out-of-sample forecasting experiment for the unemployment rates of the four non-Euro G-7 countries, the U.S., U.K., Canada, and Japan. For the U.S., pooled forecasts constructed by taking the median value across the point forecasts generated by the STVECMs perform better than the linear VECM benchmark more so during business cycle expansions. Pooling across the linear and nonlinear forecasts tends to lead to statistically signißcant forecast improvement for business cycle expansions for Canada, while the opposite is the case for the U.K.

Genetic association study of UCMA/GRP and OPTN genes (PDB6 locus) with Paget's disease of bone

We performed a genetic association study of rare variants and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of UCMA/GRP and OPTN genes, in French-Canadian patients with Paget's disease of bone (PDB) and in healthy controls from the same population. We reproduced the variant found in the UCMA/GRP basal promoter and tested its functionality using in vitro transient transfection assays. Interestingly, this SNP rs17152980 appears to affect the transcription level of UCMA/GRP. In addition, we have identified five rare genetic variants in UCMA/GRP gene, four of them being population-specific, although none were found to be associated with PDB. Six Tag SNPs of UCMA/GRP gene were associated with PDB, particularly the SNP rs17152980 (uncorrected P = 3.8 x 10(-3)), although not significant after Bonferroni's correction. More importantly, we replicated the strong and statistically significant genetic association of two SNPs of the OPTN gene, the rs1561570 (uncorrected P = 5.7 x 10(-7)) and the rs2095388 (uncorrected P = 4.9 x 10(-3)), With PDB. In addition, we identified a very rare variant found to be located close to the basal promoter of the OPTN gene, at -232 bp from its distal transcription start site. Furthermore, depending on the type of allele present (G or A), the binding of several important nuclear factors such as the vitamin D or the retinoic acid receptors is predicted to be altered at this position, suggesting a significant effect in the regulation of transcription of the OPTN gene. In conclusion, we identified a functional SNP located in the basal promoter of the UCMA/GRP gene which provided a weak genetic association with PDB. In addition, we replicated the strong genetic association of two already known SNPs of the OPTN gene, with PDB in a founder effect population. We also identified a very rare variant in the promoter of OPTN, and through bioinformatic analysis, identified putative transcription factor binding sites likely to affect OPTN gene transcription. (C) 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Fonds de la Recherche du Quebec - Sante (FRQS), Canada; Portuguese Science and Technology Foundation, Portugal [SFRH/BPD/48206/2008]; Catalyst Grant (Bone Health) from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (Canada); CHUQ Foundation (Canada); Groupe de Recherche en Maladies Osseuses (Canada); Canadian Foundation for Innovation (Canada); FRSQ (Canada); Laval University (Canada); CHUQ (CHUL) Research Centre (Canada); Centre of Marine Sciences (CCMAR) (Portugal)info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The Canadian experience in reducing budget deficits and debt

Canada has run persistent deficits for years and has seen its debt rise steadily. Net federal debt as a percentage of GDP has increased in the last 15 years from 30 percent to 73 percent. Interest charges alone account for almost 34 cents of every federal revenue dollar. In response, the Canadian government has taken aggressive action over the last two years.> Canada's finance minister Martin explains how Canada has addressed its fiscal problems. In the luncheon address of the bank's 1995 symposium, "Reducing Budget Deficits and Debt: Issues and Options," Martin explained that the centerpiece of the Canadian program has been to commit to an interim deficit target on the way to an eventual balanced budget. While the interim target is ambitious, Martin is confident it will be achieved because of the strong measures contained in the two most recent federal budgets. The budgets provide for a 10 percent reduction in program spending by 1996-97, making Canada the only G-7 nation to budget an absolute decline in program outlays.> How has the Canadian government been able to bring about such sweeping fiscal reform? The most important factor, according to Martin, has been public support. The public has come to understand the severity of the problem and regards the reform measures as balanced and fair.Budget deficits ; Debt ; Canada

A. G. for Canada et al v. Claire Dupond: The Right to Assemble in Canada?

The renewal of the Federation must confirm the pre-eminence of citizens over institutions, guarantee their rights and freedoms and ensure that these rights and freedoms are inalienable. 1 These words from Prime Minister Trudeau are a reflection of the concern today for protection of individual rights and freedoms. His words also reflect the past concerns with protection of individual rights and freedoms particularly in countries which espouse democratic principles. He has recognized that the balance between individual and state interests must be struck in favour of the individual. In order to achieve this result, there must be some consensus in a nation as to what are to be rights and freedoms worthy of protection. Demonstrations, assemblies, parades and street comer orators have been an integral part of the way of life in common law countries such as the United States, Great Britain and Canada. In the United States these assertions of individual liberty are regarded as part of the fundamental freedoms which their constitutional Bill of Rights guarantees will be protected. In Canada, the Supreme Court made it clear on January 19, 1978 that they did not regard demonstrations and street assemblies as fundamental rights or, for that matter, as individual rights at all. 2 They chose, rather to place the state interest above the interest of the individual at a time of political crisis when individual rights are most in need of protection. Although this decision is ostensibly limited to parades, assemblies and demonstrations it could have future implications when other courts are attempting to define the limits of individual liberty. It is this restrictive concept of fundamental freedoms which will create most concern for the future