The spin of an integer partition. The Ferrers shape of an integer partition $\lambda$ can be decomposed into border strips. The spin is then defined to be the total number of crossings of border strips of $\lambda$ with the vertical lines in the Ferrers shape. The following example is taken from Appendix B in [1]: Let $\lambda = (5,5,4,4,2,1)$. Removing the border strips successively yields the sequence of partitions $$(5,5,4,4,2,1), (4,3,3,1), (2,2), (1), ().$$ The first strip $(5,5,4,4,2,1) \setminus (4,3,3,1)$ crosses $4$ times, the second strip $(4,3,3,1) \setminus (2,2)$ crosses $3$ times, the strip $(2,2) \setminus (1)$ crosses $1$ time, and the remaining strip $(1) \setminus ()$ does not cross. This yields the spin of $(5,5,4,4,2,1)$ to be $4+3+1 = 8$.

The dinv adjustment of an integer partition. The Ferrers shape of an integer partition $\lambda = (\lambda_1,\ldots,\lambda_k)$ can be decomposed into border strips. For $0 \leq j < \lambda_1$ let $n_j$ be the length of the border strip starting at $(\lambda_1-j,0)$. The dinv adjustment is then defined by $$\sum_{j:n_j > 0}(\lambda_1-1-j).$$ The following example is taken from Appendix B in [2]: Let $\lambda=(5,5,4,4,2,1)$. Removing the border strips successively yields the sequence of partitions $$(5,5,4,4,2,1),(4,3,3,1),(2,2),(1),(),$$ and we obtain $(n_0,\ldots,n_4) = (10,7,0,3,1)$. The dinv adjustment is thus $4+3+1+0 = 8$.

The minimal length of a chain of small intervals in a lattice. An interval $[a, b]$ is small if $b$ is a join of elements covering $a$.

The treewidth of a graph. A graph has treewidth zero if and only if it has no edges. A connected graph has treewidth at most one if and only if it is a tree. A connected graph has treewidth at most two if and only if it is a series-parallel graph.

The pathwidth of a graph.