Circumference and Pathwidth of Highly Connected Graphs

Birmele [J. Graph Theory, 2003] proved that every graph with circumference t has treewidth at most t-1. Under the additional assumption of 2-connectivity, such graphs have bounded pathwidth, which is a qualitatively stronger result. Birmele's theorem was extended by Birmele, Bondy and Reed [Combinatorica, 2007] who showed that every graph without k disjoint cycles of length at least t has bounded treewidth (as a function of k and t). Our main result states that, under the additional assumption of (k + 1)- connectivity, such graphs have bounded pathwidth. In fact, they have pathwidth O(t^3 + tk^2). Moreover, examples show that (k + 1)-connectivity is required for bounded pathwidth to hold. These results suggest the following general question: for which values of k and graphs H does every k-connected H-minor-free graph have bounded pathwidth? We discuss this question and provide a few observations.Comment: 11 pages, 4 figure

Event review of 'De-Brief : Interrogating the Graphic Design Brief' at University of Salford, 9th September 2015

Event review of ‘De-Brief: Interrogating the Graphic Design Brief’, the inaugural symposium of the Graphic Design Educators’ Network, a new subject association, held at University of Salford on 9th September 2015

Formative Assessment Techniques for Online Learning

While most faculty think of assessments as used to measure learning after the fact, formative assessment classroom techniques (FACTs) give an instructor a snapshot of where students are in their learning so as to address any gaps in their understanding. Online instructors have a variety of tools at their disposal to incorporate engaging FACTs into their courses that will improve learning outcomes

Analysis of Dental Topography of Early Eocene North American Tetonius Lineages in the Bighorn Basin, Wyoming

Changes in the structure of ecological communities are often correlated with changes in the surrounding environment. The Bighorn Basin in Wyoming presents fossil evidence that depicts significant shifts in the community structure of North American mammalian species at the Paleocene-Eocene boundary. This diversity can be credited to marked temperature increases during the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum. The association between temperature and dietary niche of omomyid euprimates, specifically the Tetonius lineage, was examined using reconstructed relief index, a dental topographic measure (N=20). A correlation analysis supported the hypothesis that abiotic changes in climate during the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum were linked to variation in omomyid dietary niches (P\u3c0.05). These changes in Tetonius dietary niche are associated with anagenetic speciation in the lineage and may have been influenced by both shifts in climate and interactions with other members of the community

Using Poultry to Enhance Food Security in Stann Creek, Belize

Food insecurity is a growing issue in developing and developed countries alike, and in countries like Belize, the prevalence of hunger has soared in recent years. Not having access to diets with sufficient calories and nutrients leads to a host of developmental issues, including stunting and cognitive delays. The purpose of this work was to create an all-encompassing manual for small-scale poultry production in order to provide nourishment for the students and staff of a school in Belize. After determining that the best way to meet the school’s needs was through dual-purpose birds, background research was conducted to determine small-scale poultry facilities in developing countries. This involved designing the layout for the poultry houses (one for layers and one for broilers) given the space available, as well as sourcing materials both locally and abroad. The manual was written to include background information and step-by-step instructions for constructing the houses and caring for the birds. The researchers anticipate that this farm will positively impact the lives of the students and faculty of the school, in that they will have access to poultry meat and eggs, which will increase physical and cognitive performance, provide hands-on education, and incentivize students to finish their schooling rather than quitting to work to provide for their families

The Impact of Employment Tribunal Fees : A Perspective from Citizens Advice Advisers in Scotland

The Employment Tribunal (ET) evolved from the Industrial Tribunal and provides an individual with the opportunity to have their employment case heard before an independent adjudicator who will apply a legal framework to the dispute to pass a legally binding decision. Previously this system was free for individuals and business to use

Spouses with Pulmonary Mycobacterium Avium Complex Infections: A Case Report

Introduction: Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) is the most common cause of pulmonary infections due to nontuberculous mycobacterium in the United States. While there have been reports of geographic variations in incidence as well as disease clusters among genetically related individuals, there have been no published reports describing clusters of co-occurring pulmonary MAC disease among genetically unrelated individuals. Clinical Findings: Patient 1 was a 56-year-old male with worsening asthma exacerbations associated with recurrent bronchitis. Patient 2 was a 55-year-old female with worsening asthma exacerbations, progressive dyspnea, and recurrent bronchitis. The 2 patients lived together, were immunocompetent, and genetically unrelated. They were frequently exposed to aerosolized soil and inadequately heated water. Clinical Course: Patient 1 had normal imaging and his sputum grew out MAC. He responded quickly to treatment with azithromycin, rifampin, and ethambutol. Patient 2 had computed tomographic imaging that revealed tree-in-bud and ground-glass opacities. Her sputum samples did not grow out acid-fast bacillus; however, 14 months after Patient 1 was diagnosed, her bronchoscopy samples ultimately grew out MAC. Patient 2 clinically responded quickly to the same treatment as Patient 1, with resolution of her dyspnea, bronchitis, and radiographic abnormalities. Conclusions: We describe 2 cohabitating, genetically unrelated, immunocompetent patients with pulmonary MAC infections. The likely cause of these infections was a common exposure to aerosolized soil and inadequately heated water. We report the unusual co-occurrence of pulmonary MAC among genetically unrelated individuals living together