The identity of Calymperes campylopodioides Müll.Hal. ex Besch.

Calymperes campylopodioides Müll.Hal. ex Besch. is placed in synonymy with Calymperes graeffeanum Müll.Hal., and the occurrence of the latter species in continental Africa is noted

The Brill-Noether rank of a tropical curve

We construct a space classifying divisor classes of a fixed degree on all tropical curves of a fixed combinatorial type and show that the function taking a divisor class to its rank is upper semicontinuous. We extend the definition of the Brill-Noether rank of a metric graph to tropical curves and use the upper semicontinuity of the rank function on divisors to show that the Brill-Noether rank varies upper semicontinuously in families of tropical curves. Furthermore, we present a specialization lemma relating the Brill-Noether rank of a tropical curve with the dimension of the Brill-Noether locus of an algerbaic curve.Comment: 17 pages, 4 figures; v2: changed title, updated references, minor improvements. To appear in Journal of Algebraic Combinatoric

Disability and special education needs : some perennial European concerns

In this brief paper I propose to first, offer some opening remarks including my reasons for personal involvement in this particular field of study. Secondly, I will identify some key issues relating to disability which European societies are struggling with. Finally, I will make some concluding remarks. In this paper I have been very selective over the issues I will attempt to briefly examine. Please do not see this as implying that I do not feel equally passionate about other issues such as parental participation. I do not want to give the impression that European societies have effectively engaged with these issues and all that is necessary is to emulate them. Nothing could be further from the truth. These are some key concerns that are being struggled over. Thus all European societies are open to criticism on each of these issues. Finally, educational issues, and disability is no exception, are complex, contradictory and contentious. This topic, therefore, raises the most fundamental questions and values. The process of engagement is thus both exciting and disturbing.peer-reviewe

Statistics: A Cautionary Tale

Many of the numbers used to assess students are statistical in nature. The theoretical context underlying the production of a typical number or statistic used in student assessment is presented. The author urges readers to recognize objective data as subjective information and to carefully consider the numbers that often determine admission, retention, and scholarship distribution in honors

A note on algebraic rank, matroids, and metrized complexes

We show that the algebraic rank of divisors on certain graphs is related to the realizability problem of matroids. As a consequence, we produce a series of examples in which the algebraic rank depends on the ground field. We use the theory of metrized complexes to show that equality between the algebraic and combinatorial rank is not a sufficient condition for smoothability of divisors, thus giving a negative answer to a question posed by Caporaso, Melo, and the author.Comment: To appear in Mathematical Research Letter

Two new records of Syrrhopodon (Calymperaceae, Musci) in SE Asia

Syrrhopodon mammillosus Müll. Hal. is newly recorded for the Philippine moss flora, and Syrrhopodon katemensis (Zant.) L.T. Ellis is newly recorded for the moss flora of Borneo

An unusual form of Calymperes serratum A. Braun ex Müll. Hal. (Calymperaceae, Musci).

A persistent, atypical short-leaved form of Calymperes serratum A. Braun ex Müll. Hal. is described

Hyperelliptic graphs and metrized complexes

We prove a version of Clifford's theorem for metrized complexes. Namely, a metrized complex that carries a divisor of degree $2r$ and rank $r$ (for $0<r<g-1$) also carries a divisor of degree $2$ and rank $1$. We provide a structure theorem for hyperelliptic metrized complexes, and use it to classify divisors of degree bounded by the genus. We discuss a tropical version of Martens' theorem for metric graphs.Comment: Fixed a gap in Proposition 3.

The Future of Colorado Health Care

A preview to the forthcoming report on an analysis of health care reform and the impact on Colorado's economy. The study is being conducted by Len Nichols, PhD, of the New America Foundation and Henry Sobanet on behalf of the University of Denver's Center for Colorado's Economic Future