Let M2 be the semigroup of linear endomorphisms of a plane. We show that the space of idempotents in M2 is a hyperboloid of one sheet, the set of semigroup-theoretic inverses of a nonzero singular element in M2 is a hyperbolic paraboloid, and the set of nilpotent elements in M2 is a right circular cone. This is the story of the rediscovery of classical three-dimensional geometry, especially the...

Changes to software systems often entail a loss of quality, especially if they have to be accomplished under pressure of time. Long-term software projects must counter this phenomenon one way or the other to preserve long-term maintainability. This paper presents the results of a case study trying to improve an extensive low-quality code base by object-oriented and tool-supported refactoring. T...

Preferential trade agreements (PTAs) have spread rapidly around the world since 1990s. In Americas, proliferation of with countries from within and beyond region resulted in a “spaghetti bowl” overlapping rules regulations, some which address behind-the-border issues such as investment, competition, labor, environmental standards. Earlier research has linked to increased foreign investment infl...

BACKGROUND Reduced-energy-dense diet foods are often formulated to match the sensory characteristics of their regular-energy-dense counterparts. However, the extent to which attitudes toward a reduced-energy-dense food remain constant, even after repeated ingestion, remains to be explored systematically. OBJECTIVE The objective was to determine whether liking, "expected satiety," and "expecte...