Matrix Representation of Octonions and Generalizations

We define a special matrix multiplication among a special subset of 2N\x 2N matrices, and study the resulting (non-associative) algebras and their subalgebras. We derive the conditions under which these algebras become alternative non-associative and when they become associative. In particular, these algebras yield special matrix representations of octonions and complex numbers; they naturally lead to the Cayley-Dickson doubling process. Our matrix representation of octonions also yields elegant insights into Dirac's equation for a free particle. A few other results and remarks arise as byproducts.Comment: 18 printed page

THE SOCIAL VALUE OF PUBLIC INVESTMENT IN CANADIAN WHEAT BREEDING RESEARCH

The level and distribution of the social benefits from public investment in Canadian wheat breeding research and extension activities are examined for the period 1946 to 1979. In addition, average and marginal rates of return are calculated. The results reveal that society has benefited substantially from such public investments, with producers receiving the greatest share of the benefits.Crop Production/Industries, Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies,

A circumpolar perspective on fluvial sediment flux to the Arctic ocean

Quantification of sediment fluxes from rivers is fundamental to understanding land‐ocean linkages in the Arctic. Numerous publications have focused on this subject over the past century, yet assessments of temporal trends are scarce and consensus on contemporary fluxes is lacking. Published estimates vary widely, but often provide little accessory information needed to interpret the differences. We present a pan‐arctic synthesis of sediment flux from 19 arctic rivers, primarily focusing on contributions from the eight largest ones. For this synthesis, historical records and recent unpublished data were compiled from Russian, Canadian, and United States sources. Evaluation of these data revealed no long‐term trends in sediment flux, but did show stepwise changes in the historical records of two of the rivers. In some cases, old values that do not reflect contemporary fluxes are still being reported, while in other cases, typographical errors have been propagated into the recent literature. Most of the discrepancy among published estimates, however, can be explained by differences in years of records examined and gauging stations used. Variations in sediment flux from year to year in arctic rivers are large, so estimates based on relatively few years can differ substantially. To determine best contemporary estimates of sediment flux for the eight largest arctic rivers, we used a combination of newly available data, historical records, and literature values. These estimates contribute to our understanding of carbon, nutrient, and contaminant transport to the Arctic Ocean and provide a baseline for detecting future anthropogenic or natural change in the Arctic

The Impact and Importance of Understanding the Role of Land-Grant Universities in Higher Education

Book Review: Gavazzi, S. M., & Gee, E. G. (2018). Land-grant universities for the future: higher education for the public good. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. 171 Pages Available in hardback and Kindle Price $21.99 (hc),$19.22 (Kindle) Keywords: Land-Grant, teaching, public, service, community Reviewer: Robert Peterson, Director of Student Services Utah State University Uintah Basin [email protected]

Jurisdiction and the Japanese Defendant

This article considers some of the current tactical and legal issues counsel must face in bringing the Japanese defendant into an American court. Much of the discussion is also relevant to service in other foreign countries. The article concludes with a recipe for the proper preparation of service of process which the Japanese defendant should find irresistible

Evaluating Corrosion Altering Properties of Thiophene Based Copolymers

There is an important and ongoing debate on how or whether conductive polymers (CP) alter corrosion performance with some researchers reporting that CPs ultimately accelerate corrosion and others saying CPs, if understood could possibly replace the world’s best standard for corrosion prevention, i.e., chromium based inhibitors. The primary project goal was to improve our understanding of how CPs alter corrosion chemistry by 1) controlling the polymer structure and 2) in-turn the properties and then 3) targeting the best protocol for fast corrosion kinetic evaluation. We detail the copolymer synthesis results and shift in corrosion protection properties for a series of polythiophene copolymers with variation in solubility and measured onset oxidation potential. Controlled polymerization can be achieved, the properties were predictable based upon the resulting comonomer composition, and we explain how these properties affect corrosion kinetics. We confirm that the lower onset oxidation potential decreases corrosion rates over steel substrates, however performance peaks at an onset oxidation potential of 0.24 V vs Fc/Fc+. Further, we confirmed our hypothesis that CPs like polythiophenes affect corrosion primarily by a combination of differences in ion barrier properties and shifted anodic polarization of the substrate. Additionally, another hypothesis is further supported in that there is/was an optimal 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene content for the polymer to achieve the best performance for steel. The data presented here helps improve our understanding on how CP affect corrosion, the characteristic properties that are tunable for better CP design towards anti-corrosive primers, and how to adequately evaluate the material combinations performance

What\u27s in a Name? Public Perceptions of Multi-level Marketing

This paper presents the results of a nationwide survey of the American public’s general familiarity with, and perceptions of, multi-level marketing, direct selling, and social selling. Survey respondents were most familiar with direct selling; there was no substantive difference in familiarity with multi-level marketing and social selling. Respondents familiar with the three terms possessed perceptions of them that were significantly more positive than were the perceptions of respondents reporting not being familiar with the terms. Across all terms, male respondents reported being more familiar with, and more positively disposed toward, them than did female respondents. Respondents 55 years of age or older were less familiar and less positively disposed toward all three terms than were younger respondents. Overall, greater levels of reported familiarity were associated with more positive perceptions