The game of n-times nim

The following game is considered. The first player can take any number of stones, but not all the stones, from a single pile of stones. After that, each player can take at most n-times as many as the previous one. The player first unable to move loses and his opponent wins. Let f₁,f₂,… be an initial sequence of stones in increasing order, such that the second player has a winning strategy when play begins from a pile of size f_i. It is proved that there exist constants c=c(n) and k₀=k₀(n) such that f_k+1=f_k+f_k−c for all k>k₀, and lim_n→∞ c(n)/(nlogn)=1.     

Intersections of nest algebras in finite dimensions

If are maximal nests on a finite-dimensional Hilbert space H, the dimension of the intersection of the corresponding nest algebras is at least dim H. On the other hand, there are three maximal nests whose nest algebras intersect in the scalar operators. The dimension of the intersection of two nest algebras (corresponding to maximal nests) can be of any integer value from n to n(n+1)/2, where n=dim H. For any two maximal nests there exists a basis {f₁,f₂,…,f_n} of H and a permutation π such that and where M_i=  span{f₁,f₂,…,f_i} and N_i= span{f_π(1),f_π(2),…,f_π(i)}. The intersection of the corresponding nest algebras has minimum dimension, namely dim H, precisely when π(j)=n−j+1,1jn. Those algebras which are upper-triangular matrix incidence algebras, relative to some basis, can be characterised as intersections of certain nest algebras.     

Loopless generation of up–down permutations

An up–down permutation P=(p₁,p₂,…,p_n) is a permutation of the integers 1 to n which satisfies constraints specified by a sequence C=(c₁,c₂,…,c_n−1) of U's and D's of length n−1. If c_i is U then p_i<p_i+1 otherwise p_i−1>p_i. A loopless algorithm is developed for generating all the up–down permutations satisfying any sequence C. Ranking and unranking algorithms are discussed.     

Length-bounded disjoint paths in planar graphs

The following problem is considered: given: an undirected planar graph G=(V,E) embedded in , distinct pairs of vertices {r₁,s₁},…,{r_k,s_k} of G adjacent to the unbounded face, positive integers b₁,…,b_k and a function ; find: pairwise vertex-disjoint paths P₁,…,P_k such that for each i=1,…,k, P_i is a r_i−s_i-path and the sum of the l-length of all edges in P_i is at most b_i. It is shown that the problem is NP-hard in the strong sense. A pseudo-polynomial-time algorithm is given for the case of k=2.     

Limiting values of the variance and the moments of the dimension of a sum or intersection of random vector subspaces

Let W be an n-dimensional vector space over a field F; for each positive integer m, let the m-tuples (U₁, …, U_m) of vector subspaces of W be uniformly distributed; and consider the statistics X_m,1 dim_F(∑_i=1^m U_i) and X_m,2 dim_F (∩_i=1^m U_i). If F is finite of cardinality q, we determine lim E(X_m,1^k), and lim E(X_m,2^k), and hence, lim var(X_m,1) and lim var(X_m,2), for any k > 0, where the limits are taken as q → ∞ (for fixed n). Further, we determine whether these, and other related, limits are attained monotonically. Analogous issues are also addressed for the case of infinite F.     

Aspects of semiorders within interval orders

Let s_k(n) be the largest integer such that every n-point interval order with no antichain of more than k points includes an s_k(n)-point semiorder. When k = 1, s₁(n) = n since all interval orders with no two-point antichains are chains. Given (c₁,...,c₅) = (1, 2, 3, 4), it is shown that s₂(n) = c_n for n 4, s₃(n) = c_n for n 5, and for all positive n, s₂ (n+4) =s₂(n)+3, s₃(n+5) = s₃(n)+3. Hence s₂ has a repeating pattern of length 4 [1, 2, 3, 3; 4, 5, 6, 6; 7, 8, 9, 9;...], and s₃ has a repeating pattern of length 5 [1, 2, 3, 3, 4; 4, 5, 6, 6, 7; 7, 8, 9, 9, 10;...].

Let s(n) be the largest integer such that every n-point interval order includes an s(n)-point semiorder. It was proved previously that for even n from 4 to 14, and that s(17) = 9. We prove here that s(15) = s(16) = 9, so that s begins 1, 2, 3, 3, 4, 4,..., 8, 8, 9, 9, 9. Since s(n)/n→0, s cannot have a repeating pattern.     

First passage time for some stationary processes

For a 1-dependent stationary sequence {X_n} we first show that if u satisfies p₁=p₁(u)=P(X₁>u)0.025 and n>3 is such that 88np₁³1, then

P{max(X₁,…,X_n)u}=ν·μⁿ+O{p₁³(88n(1+124np₁³)+561)}, n>3,

where

ν=1−p₂+2p₃−3p₄+p₁²+6p₂²−6p₁p₂,μ=(1+p₁−p₂+p₃−p₄+2p₁²+3p₂²−5p₁p₂)⁻¹

with

p_k=p_k(u)=P{min(X₁,…,X_k)>u}, k1

and

|O(x)||x|.

From this result we deduce, for a stationary T-dependent process with a.s. continuous path {Y_s}, a similar, in terms of P{max_0skTY_s<u}, k=1,2 formula for P{max_0stY_su}, t>3T and apply this formula to the process Y_s=W(s+1)−W(s), s0, where {W(s)} is the Wiener process. We then obtain numerical estimations of the above probabilities.     

Almost perfect matchings in random uniform hypergraphs

We consider the following model H_r(n, p) of random r-uniform hypergraphs. The vertex set consists of two disjoint subsets V of size | V | = n and U of size | U | = (r − 1)n. Each r-subset of V × (_r−1^U) is chosen to be an edge of H ε H_r(n, p) with probability p = p(n), all choices being independent. It is shown that for every 0 < < 1 if P = (C ln n)/n^r−1 with C = C() sufficiently large, then almost surely every subset V₁ V of size | V₁ | = (1 − )n is matchable, that is, there exists a matching M in H such that every vertex of V₁ is contained in some edge of M.     

The existence of Schröder designs with equal-sized holes

A holey Schröder design of type h₁^n₁h₂^n₂ … h_k^n_k (HSD(h₁^n₁h₂^n₂ … h_k^n_k)) is equivalent to a frame idempotent Schröder quasigroup (FISQ(h₁^n₁h₂^n₂ … h_k^n_k)) of order n with n_i missing subquasigroups (holes) of order h_i, (1 i k), which are disjoint and spanning, that is, Σ_{1 i k} n_ih_i = n. In this paper, it is shown that an HSD(hⁿ) exists if and only if h²n(n − 1) 0 (mod 4) with expceptions (h, n) ε {{(1,5),(1,9),(2,4)}} and the possible exception of (h, n) = (6,4).     

An efficient algorithm for the parametric resource allocation problem

The parametric resource allocation problem asks to minimize the sum of separable single-variable convex functions containing a parameter λ, Σ_{i = 1}ⁿ (ƒ_i(x_i + λg_i(x_i)), under simple constraints Σ_{i = 1}ⁿ x_i = M, l_i≤x_i≤u_i and x_i: nonnegative integers for i = 1, 2, …, n, where M is a given positive integer, and l_i and u_i are given lower and upper bounds on x_i. This paper presents an efficient algorithm for computing the sequence of all optimal solutions when λ is continuously changed from 0 to ∞. The required time is O(G√Mlog² n + n log n + n log(M/n)), where G = Σ_{i = 1}ⁿ u_i − Σ_{i = 1n} l_i and an evaluation of ƒ_i(·) or g_i(·) is assumed to be done in constant time.     

A special k-coloring for a connected k-chromatic graph

For each positive integer k we consider the smallest positive integer f(k) (dependent only on k) such that the following holds: Each connected graph G with chromatic number χ(G) = k can be properly vertex colored by k colors so that for each pair of vertices x_o and x_p in any color class there exist vertices x₁, x₂, …, x_p-1 of the same class with dist(x_i, x_i+1) f(k) for each i, 0 i p − 1. Thus, the graph is k-colorable with the vertices of each color class placed throughout the graph so that no subset of the class is at a distance > f(k) from the remainder of the class.

We prove that f(k) < 12k when the order of the graph is k(k − 2) + 1.     

Stability of Periodic Orbits and Return Trajectories of Continuous Multi-valued Maps on Intervals

Let I be a compact interval of real axis R, and(I, H) be the metric space of all nonempty closed subintervals of I with the Hausdorff metric H and f : I → I be a continuous multi-valued map. Assume that Pn =(x_0, x_1,..., xn) is a return tra jectory of f and that p ∈ [min Pn, max Pn] with p ∈ f(p). In this paper, we show that if there exist k(≥ 1) centripetal point pairs of f(relative to p)in {(x_i; x_i+1) : 0 ≤ i ≤ n-1} and n = sk + r(0 ≤ r ≤ k-1), then f has an R-periodic orbit, where R = s + 1 if s is even, and R = s if s is odd and r = 0, and R = s + 2 if s is odd and r 0. Besides,we also study stability of periodic orbits of continuous multi-valued maps from I to I.     

3-D vertical ray shooting and 2-D point enclosure, range searching, and arc shooting amidst convex fat objects

We present a new data structure for a set of n convex simply-shaped fat objects in the plane, and use it to obtain efficient and rather simple solutions to several problems including (i) vertical ray shooting—preprocess a set of n non-intersecting convex simply-shaped flat objects in 3-space, whose xy-projections are fat, for efficient vertical ray shooting queries, (ii) point enclosure—preprocess a set C of n convex simply-shaped fat objects in the plane, so that the k objects containing a query point p can be reported efficiently, (iii) bounded-size range searching— preprocess a set C of n convex fat polygons, so that the k objects intersecting a “not-too-large” query polygon can be reported efficiently, and (iv) bounded-size segment shooting—preprocess a set C as in (iii), so that the first object (if exists) hit by a “not-too-long” oriented query segment can be found efficiently. For the first three problems we construct data structures of size O(λ_s(n)log³n), where s is the maximum number of intersections between the boundaries of the (xy-projections) of any pair of objects, and λ_s(n) is the maximum length of (n, s) Davenport-Schinzel sequences. The data structure for the fourth problem is of size O(λ_s(n)log²n). The query time in the first problem is O(log⁴n), the query time in the second and third problems is O(log³n + klog²n), and the query time in the fourth problem is O(log³n).

We also present a simple algorithm for computing a depth order for a set as in (i), that is based on the solution to the vertical ray shooting problem. (A depth order for , if exists, is a linear order of , such that, if K₁, K₂ and K₁ lies vertically above K₂, then K₁ precedes K₂.) Unlike the algorithm of Agarwal et al. (1995) that might output a false order when a depth order does not exist, the new algorithm is able to determine whether such an order exists, and it is often more efficient in practical situations than the former algorithm.     

On neighborhood condition for graphs to have [a,b]-factors

Let G be a graph of order n, and let a and b be integers such that 1a<b. Let δ(G) be the minimum degree of G. Then we prove that if δ(G)(k−1)a, n(a+b)(k(a+b)−2)/b, and |N_G(x₁)N_G(x₂)N_G(x_k)|an/(a+b) for any independent subset {x₁,x₂,…,x_k} of V(G), where k2, then G has an [a,b]-factor. This result is best possible in some sense.     

All trees are 1-embeddable and all except stars are 2-embeddable

A graph G with n vertices is said to be embeddable (in its complement) if there is an automorphism φ of K_n such that E(G) ∩ E(φ(G))=. It is known that all trees T with n (≥2) vertices and T K_1,n−1 are embeddable. We say that G is 1-embeddable if, for every edge e, there is an automorphism φ of K_n such that E(G) ∩ E(φ(G))={e};and that it is 2-embeddable if,for every pair e₁, e₂ of edges, there is an automorphism φ of K_n such that E(G) ∩ E(φ(G))={e₁, e₂}. We prove here that all trees with n (3) vertices are 1-embeddable; and that all trees T with n (4) vertices and T K_1,n−1 are 2-embeddable. In a certain sense, this result is sharp.     

An extended result of Kleitman and Saks concerning binary trees

In a recent paper, D.J. Kleitman and M.E. Saks gave a proof of Huang's conjecture on alphabetic binary trees.

Given a set E = {e_i}, I = 0, 1, 2, …, m and assigned positive weights to its elements and supposing the elements are indexed such that w(e₀) ≤ w(e₁) ≤ … ≤w (e_m), where w(e_i) is the weight of e_i, we call the following sequence E^* a ‘saw-tooth’ sequence

E^*=(e₀,e_m,e₁,…,e_j,e_m−j,…).

Huang's conjecture is: E^* is the most expensive sequence for alphabetic binary trees. This paper shows that this property is true for the L-restricted alphabetic binary trees, where L is the maximum length of the leaves and log₂(m + 1) ≤L≤m.     

A sufficient and necessary condition for an OWA bag mapping having the self-identity

A mapping ƒ : _n=1^∞Iⁿ → I is called a bag mapping having the self-identity if for every (x₁,…,x_n) ε _i=1^∞Iⁿ we have (1) ƒ(x₁,…,x_n) = ƒ(x_i1,…,x_in) for any arrangement (i₁,…,i_n) of {1,…,n}; monotonic; (3) ƒ(x₁,…,x_n, ƒ(x₁,…,x_n)) = ƒ(x₁,…,x_n). Let {ω_i,n : I = 1,…,n;n = 1,2,…} be a family of non-negative real numbers satisfying Σ_i=1ⁿω_i,n = 1 for every n. Then one calls the mapping ƒ : _i=1^∞Iⁿ → I defined as follows an OWA bag mapping: for every (x₁,…,x_n) ε _i=1^∞Iⁿ, ƒ(x₁,…,x_n) = Σ_i=1ⁿω_i,ny_i, where y_i is the it largest element in the set {x₁,…,x_n}. In this paper, we give a sufficient and necessary condition for an OWA bag mapping having the self-identity.     

On a paper of Lang and Maslamani

Let k be a field of characteristic 0, and let f : kⁿ→kⁿ be a polynomial map with components of the form f_i=x_i+h_i, where the h_i are monomials. If the Jacobian determinant of the map f is a nonzero constant, then f is a tame automorphism. If, in addition, each h_i is either constant or of degree 2 or more, then f is linearly triangularizable.     

Scheduling starting times for an active redundant system with non-identical lifetimes

Here we examine an active redundant system with scheduled starting times of the units. We assume availability of n non-identical, non-repairable units for replacement or support. The original unit starts its operation at time s₁ = 0 and each one of the (n − 1) standbys starts its operation at scheduled time s_i (i = 2, …, n) and works in parallel with those already introduced and not failed before s_i. The system is up at times s_i (i = 2, …, n), if and only if, there is at least one unit in operation. Thus, the system has the possibility to work with up to n units, in parallel structure. Unit-lifetimes T_i (i = 1, …, n) are independent with cdf F_i, respectively. The system has to operate without inspection for a fixed period of time c and it stops functioning when all available units fail before c. The probability that the system is functioning for the required period of time c depends on the distribution of the unit-lifetimes and on the scheduling of the starting times s_i. The reliability of the system is evaluated via a recursive relation as a function of the starting times s_i (i = 2, …, n). Maximizing with respect to the starting times we get the optimal ones. Analytical results are presented for some special distributions and moderate values of n.     

A note on linearization of actions of finitely semisimple Hopf algebras on local algebras

Let H be a Hopf algebra over a field k and let H A → A, h a → h.a, be an action of H on a commutative local Noetherian kalgebra (A, m). We say that this action is linearizable if there exists a minimal system x₁, …, x_n of generators of the maximal ideal m such that h.x_i ε kx₁ + …+ kx_n for all h ε H and i = 1, …, n. In the paper we prove that the actions from a certain class are linearizable (see Theorem 4), and we indicate some consequences of this fact.