Spectral self-concordant functions in the space of two-by-two symmetric matrices

We show that given a two-variable, symmetric, ?-self-concordant function f, the spectral function F = f ○ λ is 2(1 + 3?)-self-concordant. Correspondingly, if f is ?-self-concordant barrier, then 4(1 + 3?)² F is a 4(1 + 3?)²?-self-concordant barrier.     

On the Monte carlo boolean decision tree complexity of read-once formulae

In the boolean decision tree model there is at least a linear gap between the Monte Carlo and the Las Vegas complexity of a function depending on the error probability. We prove for a large class of read-once formulae that this trivial speed-up is the best that a Monte Carlo algorithm can achieve. For every formula F belonging to that class we show that the Monte Carlo complexity of F with two-sided error p is (1 ? 2p)R(F), and with one-sided error p is (1 ? p)R(F), where R(F) denotes the Las Vegas complexity of F. The result follows from a general lower bound that we derive on the Monte Carlo complexity of these formulae. This bound is analogous to the lower bound due to Saks and Wigderson on their Las Vegas complexity.     

The (F*F) 1/4-method for the transmission problem in two-dimensional linear elasticity

In this article we present an inversion algorithm for the determination of the shape of a two-dimensional penetrable obstacle from knowledge of the elastic field generated by an incident plane compressional and shear wave. In particular, Kirsch's improved variant of the linear sampling method, the so called (F ^* F?)^1/4-method is extended to the elastic case. A mathematical analysis that reveals the compactness and normality of the far-field operator is presented. Finally, numerical results are presented showing the robustness of the (F ^* F?)^1/4-method with respect to noise.     

Split-By-Nilpotent Extensions Algebras and Stratifying Systems

Let Γ and Λ be artin algebras such that Γ is a split-by-nilpotent extension of Λ by a two sided ideal I of Γ. Consider the change of rings functors G: =_ΓΓ_Λ ?_Λ ? and F: =_ΛΛ_Γ ?_Γ ?. In this article, by assuming that I _Λ is projective, we find the necessary and sufficient conditions under which a stratifying system (Θ, ≤) in modΛ can be lifted to a stratifying system (GΘ, ≤) in mod(Γ). Furthermore, by using the functors F and G, we study the relationship between their filtered categories of modules; and some connections with their corresponding standardly stratified algebras are stated (see Theorem 5.12, Theorem 5.15 and Theorem 5.18). Finally, a sufficient condition is given for stratifying systems in mod(Γ) in such a way that they can be restricted, through the functor F, to stratifying systems in mod(Λ).     

Resolvable BIBDs with block size 8 and index 7

The necessary conditions for the existence of a resolvable BIBD RB(k,λ; v) are λ(v ? 1) = 0(mod k ? 1) and v = 0(mod k). In this article, it is proved that these conditions are also sufficient for k = 8 and λ = 7, with at most 36 possible exceptions. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

A comparative simulation study on the IFS distribution function estimator

In this paper, we do a comparative simulation study of the standard empirical distribution function estimator versus a new class of nonparametric estimators of a distribution function F, called the iterated function system (IFS) estimator. The target distribution function F is supposed to have compact support. The IFS estimator of a distribution function F is considered as the fixed point of a contractive operator T defined in terms of a vector of parameters p and a family of affine maps which can be both dependent on the sample (X₁,X₂,…,X_n). Given , the problem consists in finding a vector p such that the fixed point of T is “sufficiently near” to F. It turns out that this is a quadratic constrained optimization problem that we propose to solve by penalization techniques. Analytical results prove that IFS estimators for F are asymptotically equivalent to the empirical distribution function (EDF) estimator. We will study the relative efficiency of the IFS estimators with respect to the empirical distribution function for small samples via the Monte Carlo approach.For well-behaved distribution functions F and for a particular family of the so-called wavelet maps the IFS estimators can be dramatically better than the empirical distribution function in the presence of missing data, i.e. when it is only possible to observe data on subsets of the whole support of F.     

Some results on (v,{5,w*})-pbds

In this article, we construct pairwise balanced designs (PBDs) on v points having blocks of size five, except for one block of size w ? {17,21,25,29,33}. A necessary condition for the existence of such a PBD is v ? 4w + 1 and (1) v ≡ 1 or 5 (mod 20) for w = 21, 25; (2) v ≡ 9 or 17 (mod 20) for w = 17,29; (3) v ≡ 13 (mod 20) for w = 33. We show that these necessary conditions are sufficient with at most 25 possible exceptions of (v,w). We also show that a BIBD B(5, 1; w) can be embedded in some B(5, 1; v) whenever v ≡ w ≡ 1 or 5 (mod 20) and v ? 5w ? 4, except possibly for (v, w) = (425, 65). © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

A bound for wilson's theorem (I)

In 1975, Richard M. Wilson proved: Given any positive integers k ? 3 and λ, there exists a constant v⁰ = v⁰(k, λ) such that v ? B(k,λ) for every integer v ? v⁰ that satisfies λ(v ? 1) ≡ 0(mod k ? 1) and λv(v ? 1) ≡ 0[mod k(k ? 1)]. The proof given by Wilson does not provide an explicit value of v⁰. We try to find such a value v⁰(k, λ). In this article we consider the case λ = 1 and v ≡ 1[mod k(k ? 1)]. We show that: if k ? 3 and v = 1[mod k(k ? 1)] where v > k^kk5, then a B(v,k, 1) exists. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

The spectrum for large sets of disjoint mendelsohn triple systems with any index

The spectrum for LMTS(v,1) has been obtained by Kang and Lei (Bulletin of the ICA, 1993). In this article, firstly, we give the spectrum for LMTS(v,3). Furthermore, by the existence of LMTS(v,1) and LMTS(v,3), the spectrum for LMTS(v,λ) is completed, that is v ≡ 2 (mod λ), v ≥ λ + 2, if λ ? 0(mod 3) then v ? 2 (mod 3) and if λ = 1 then v ≠ 6. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Q5‐factorization of λKn

Q_k is the simple graph whose vertices are the k‐tuples with entries in {0, 1} and edges are the pairs of k‐tuples that differ in exactly one position. In this paper, we proved that there exists a Q₅‐factorization of λK_n if and only if (a) n ≡ 0(mod 32) if λ ≡ 0(mod 5) and (b) n ≡ 96(mod 160) if λ ? 0(mod 5).     

Vector fields on the real flag manifolds ℝ<Emphasis Type="Italic">F</Emphasis>(1, 1, <Emphasis Type="Italic">n</Emphasis> − 2)

We obtain the span of the real flag manifolds ℝF(1, 1, n−2), n ≥ 3, for the cases n ≡ 2 (mod 4), n ≡ 4 (mod 8) and n ≡ 8 (mod 16) and use the results to deduce that certain Stiefel-Whitney classes of the manifold are zero.      

On the Approximation of Irrationals by Rationals

Let ξ be a real irrational number, and a ≧ 0, b ≧ 0, s > 1 be integers. A theorem of S. UCHIYAMA states that there are infinitely many pairs of integers u and v ≠ 0 such that OVBARξ?u/vOVBAR ≤ s²/4v² and u ? a, v ? b mod s, provided that it is not a ? 6 ? 0 mod s. It is shown that this result is best-possible for all integers s > 1.     

Pairwise balanced designs whose block size set contains seven and thirteen

In this paper, we investigate the PBD‐closure of sets K with {7,13} ? K ? {7,13,19,25,31,37,43}. In particular, we show that ν ≡ 1 mod 6, ν ≥ 98689 implies ν ? B({7,13}). As an intermediate result, many new 13‐GDDs of type 13^q and resolvable BIBD with block size 6 or 12 are also constructed. Furthermore, we show some elements to be not essential in a Wilson basis for the PBD‐closed set {ν: ν ≡ 1 mod 6, ν ≥ 7}. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Combin Designs 15: 283–314, 2007     

Homeomorphisms and the homology of non-orientable surfaces

We show that, for a closed non-orientable surfaceF, an automorphism ofH ₁(F, ℤ) is induced by a homeomorphism ofF if and only if it preserves the (mod 2) intersection pairing. We shall also prove the corresponding result for punctured surfaces.     

On the Additive Group Structure of the Nonstandard Models of the Theory of Integers

Let $\hat \mathbb{Z}$ denote the inverse limit of all finite cyclic groups. Let F, G and H be abelian groups with H ≤ G. Let FβH denote the abelian group (F × H, +^β), where +^βis defined by (a, x) +^β (b, y) = (a + b, x + y + β(a) + β(b) — β(a + b)) for a certain β : F → G linear mod H meaning that β(0) = 0 and β(a) + β(b) — β(a + b) ∈ H for all a, b in F. In this paper we show that the following hold: (1) The additive group of any nonstandard model ℤ* of the ring ℤ is isomorphic to (ℤ*₊/H)βH for a certain β : ℤ*₊/H → $\hat \mathbb{Z}$ linear mod H. (2) $\hat \mathbb{Z}$ is isomorphic to (ℤ₊/H )βH for some β : $\hat \mathbb{Z}$/H →ℚ linear mod H, though $\hat \mathbb{Z}$ is not the additive group of any model of Th(ℤ, +, ×) and the exact sequence H → $\hat \mathbb{Z}$ → $\hat \mathbb{Z}$/H is not splitting.     

Optimal linear perfect hash families with small parameters

A linear (q^d, q, t)‐perfect hash family of size s consists of a vector space V of order q^d over a field F of order q and a sequence ?₁,…,?_s of linear functions from V to F with the following property: for all t subsets X ? V, there exists i ∈ {1,·,s} such that ?_i is injective when restricted to F. A linear (q^d, q, t)‐perfect hash family of minimal size d( – 1) is said to be optimal. In this paper, we prove that optimal linear (q², q, 4)‐perfect hash families exist only for q = 11 and for all prime powers q > 13 and we give constructions for these values of q. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comb Designs 12: 311–324, 2004     

The Distribution of Reciprocal Pairs Modulo Polynomials over a Finite Field

Given a finite field F_q of order q, a fixed polynomial g in –F_q[X] of positive degree, and two elements u and v in the ring of polynomials in R = F_q [X]/gF_q[X], the question arises: How many pairs (a, 6) are there in R × R so that ab ? 1 mod g and so that a is close to u while b is close to v ? The answer is, about as many as one would expect. That is, there are no favored regions in R × R where inverse pairs cluster. The error term is quite sharp in most cases, being comparable to what would happen with random distribution of pairs. The proof uses Kloosterman sums and counting arguments. The exceptional cases involve fields of characteristic 2 and composite values of g. Even then the error term obtained is nontrivial. There is no computational evidence that inverses are in fact less evenly distributed in this case, however.     

Some Multiply Derived Translation Planes with SL(2,5) as an Inherited Collineation Group in the Translation Complement

Finite translation planes having a collineation group isomorphic to SL(2,5) occur in many investigations on minimal normal non-solvable subgroups of linear translation complements. In this paper, we are looking for multiply derived translation planes of the desarguesian plane which have an inherited linear collineation group isomorphic to SL(2,5). The Hall plane and some of the planes discovered by Prohaska [10], see also [1], are translation planes of this kind of order q ²;, provided that q is odd and either q ²; 1 mod 5 or q is a power of 5. In this paper the case q ² -1 mod 5 is considered and some examples are constructed under the further hypothesis that either q 2 mod 3, or q 1 mod 3 and q 1 mod 4, or q -1 mod 4, 3 q and q 3,5 or 6 mod 7. One might expect that examples exist for each odd prime power q. But this is not always true according to Theorem 2.     

First Order Differential Operators Associated to the Cauchy—Riemann Operator in the Plane

The article deals with initial value problems of type δw/δt = Fw, w(0, ·) = φ where t is the time and F is a linear first order operator acting in the z = x ? iy-plane. In view of the classical Cauchy-Kovalevkaya Theorem, the initial value problem is solvable provided F has holomorphic coefficients and the initial function is holomorphic. On the other hand, the Lewy example [H. Lewy (1957). An example of a smooth linear partial differential equation without solution. Ann. of Math., 66, 155–158.] shows that there are equations of the above form with infinitely differentiable coefficients not having any solutions. The article in hand constructs, conversely, all linear operators F for which the initial value problem with an arbitrary holomorphic initial function is always solvable. In particular, we shall see that there are equations of that type whose coefficients are only continuous.     

Finiteness of integral values for the ratio of two linear recurrences

Let {F(n)} _{n ∈ N} ,{G(n)} _{n ∈ N} , be linear recurrent sequences. In this paper we are concerned with the well-known diophantine problem of the finiteness of the set ? of natural numbers n such that F(n)/G(n) is an integer. In this direction we have for instance a deep theorem of van der Poorten; solving a conjecture of Pisot, he established that if ? coincides with N, then {F(n)/G(n)} _{n ∈ N} is itself a linear recurrence sequence. Here we shall prove that if ? is an infinite set, then there exists a nonzero polynomial P such that P(n)F(n)/G(n) coincides with a linear recurrence for all n in a suitable arithmetic progression. Examples like F(n)=2 ⁿ -2, G(n)=n+2 ⁿ +(-2) ⁿ , show that our conclusion is in a sense best-possible. In the proofs we introduce a new method to cope with a notorious crucial difficulty related to the existence of a so-called dominant root. In an appendix we shall also prove a zero-density result for ? in the cases when the polynomial P cannot be taken a constant. Oblatum 12-XI-2001 & 31-I-2002?Published online: 29 April 2002