The g-theorem matrices are totally nonnegative

The g-theorem proved by Billera, Lee, and Stanley states that a sequence is the g-vector of a simplicial polytope if and only if it is an M-sequence. For any d-dimensional simplicial polytope the face vector is gMd where Md is a certain matrix whose entries are sums of binomial coefficients. Björner found refined lower and upper bound theorems by showing that the (2×2)-minors of Md are nonnegative. He conjectured that all minors of Md are nonnegative and that is the result of this note.     

q-positive definiteness and related operators

We are in progress of extending the family of ‘q-deformed operators’ considered in the previous papers by joining to them q-subnormal as well as q-formally subnormal ones. It turns out that q-positive definiteness, a notion generalizing Halmos' standard positive definiteness of bounded subnormal operators, is likewise central for our new scheme.     

On the values of continued fractions: q-series

Using the Poincaré-Perron theorem on the asymptotics of the solutions of linear recurrences it is proved that for a class of q-continued fractions the value of the continued fraction is given by a quotient of the solution and its q-shifted value of the corresponding q-functional equation.     

Error bounds for linear complementarity problems of DB-matrices

Doubly B-matrices (DB-matrices), which properly contain B-matrices, are introduced by Peña (2003) [2]. In this paper we present error bounds for the linear complementarity problem when the matrix involved is a DB-matrix and a new bound for linear complementarity problem of a B-matrix. The numerical examples show that the bounds are sharp.     

Varieties of algebras arising from K-perfect m-cycle systems

A class of algebras forms a variety if it is characterised by a collection of identities. There is a well-known method, often called the standard construction, which gives rise to algebras from m-cycle systems. It is known that the algebras arising from {1}-perfect m-cycle systems form a variety for m∈{3,5} only, and that the algebras arising from {1,2}-perfect m-cycle systems form a variety for m∈{3,5,7} only. Here we give, for any set K of positive integers, necessary and sufficient conditions under which the algebras arising from K-perfect m-cycle systems form a variety.     

On the Gaussian q-distribution

We present a study of the Gaussian q-measure introduced by Díaz and Teruel from a probabilistic and from a combinatorial viewpoint. A main motivation for the introduction of the Gaussian q-measure is that its moments are exactly the q-analogues of the double factorial numbers. We show that the Gaussian q-measure interpolates between the uniform measure on the interval [−1,1] and the Gaussian measure on the real line.     

Identifying large robust network clusters via new compact formulations of maximum k-club problems

Network robustness issues are crucial in a variety of application areas. In many situations, one of the key robustness requirements is the connectivity between each pair of nodes through a path that is short enough, which makes a network cluster more robust with respect to potential network component disruptions. A k-club, which by definition is a subgraph of a diameter of at most k, is a structure that addresses this requirement (assuming that k is small enough with respect to the size of the original network). We develop a new compact linear 0-1 programming formulation for finding maximum k-clubs that has substantially fewer entities compared to the previously known formulation (O(kn²) instead of O(n^k+1), which is important in the general case of k > 2) and is rather tight despite its compactness. Moreover, we introduce a new related concept referred to as an R-robust k-club (or, (k, R)-club), which naturally arises from the developed k-club formulations and extends the standard definition of a k-club by explicitly requiring that there must be at least R distinct paths of length at most k between all pairs of nodes. A compact formulation for the maximum R-robust k-club problem is also developed, and error and attack tolerance properties of the important special case of R-robust 2-clubs are investigated. Computational results are presented for multiple types of random graph instances.     

The γ-vector of a barycentric subdivision

We prove that the γ-vector of the barycentric subdivision of a simplicial sphere is the f-vector of a balanced simplicial complex. The combinatorial basis for this work is the study of certain refinements of Eulerian numbers used by Brenti and Welker to describe the h-vector of the barycentric subdivision of a boolean complex.     

Weak barrelledness for C(X) spaces

Buchwalter and Schmets reconciled C_c(X) and C_p(X) spaces with most of the weak barrelledness conditions of 1973, but could not determine if -barrelled ⇔ ?^∞-barrelled for C_c(X). The areas grew apart. Full reconciliation with the fourteen conditions adopted by Saxon and Sánchez Ruiz needs their 1997 characterization of Ruess' property (L), which allows us to reduce the C_c(X) problem to its 1973 status and solve it by carefully translating the topology of Kunen (1980) and van Mill (1982) to find the example that eluded Buchwalter and Schmets. The more tractable C_p(X) readily partitions the conditions into just two equivalence classes, the same as for metrizable locally convex spaces, instead of the five required for C_c(X) spaces. Our paper elicits others, soon to appear, that analytically characterize when the Tychonov space X is pseudocompact, or Warner bounded, or when C_c(X) is a df-space (Jarchow's 1981 question).     

Reliability of a consecutive (r, s)-out-of-(m, n):F lattice system with conditions on the number of failed components in the system

A consecutive(r, s)-out-of-(m, n):F lattice system which is defined as a two-dimensional version of a consecutive k-out-of-n:F system is used as a reliability evaluation model for a sensor system, an X-ray diagnostic system, a pattern search system, etc. This system consists of m × n components arranged like an (m, n) matrix and fails iff the system has an (r, s) submatrix that contains all failed components. In this paper we deal a combined model of a k-out-of-mn:F and a consecutive (r, s)-out-of-(m, n):F lattice system. Namely, the system has one more condition of system down, that is the total number of failed components, in addition to that of a consecutive (r, s)-out-of-(m, n):F lattice system. We present a method to obtain reliability of the system. The proposed method obtains the reliability by using a combinatorial equation that does not depend on the system size. Some numerical examples are presented to show the relationship between component reliability and system reliability.     

A novel use of t-packings to construct d-disjunct matrices

A t-packing is an ordered pair (V,P) where V is a v-set and P is a collection of k-subsets (blocks) of V such that each t-subset of V occurs in at most one block of P. If each t-subset of V occurs in exactly one block of P, then (V,P) is known as a Steiner (t,k,v)-design. In this paper, we explore a novel use of t-packings to construct d-disjunct matrices.     

Preordered sets valued in a GL-monoid

Let M=(L,*) be a GL-monoid. An M-valued preordered set is an L-subset endowed with a reflexive and M-transitive L-relation, it is essentially a category enriched in a quantaloid generated by M. This paper presents a study of M-valued preordered sets with emphasis on symmetrization and the Cauchy completion. The main result states that symmetrization and the Cauchy completion of M-valued preordered sets commute up to a natural isomorphism.     

Reflexivity of prodiscrete topological groups

We study the duality properties of two rather different classes of subgroups of direct products of discrete groups (protodiscrete groups): P-groups, i.e., topological groups such that countable intersections of its open subsets are open, and protodiscrete groups of countable pseudocharacter (topological groups in which the identity is the intersection of countably many open sets). It was recently shown by the same authors that the direct product Π of an arbitrary family of discrete Abelian groups becomes reflexive when endowed with the ω-box topology. This was the first example of a non-discrete reflexive P-group. Here we present a considerable generalization of this theorem and show that every product of feathered (equivalently, almost metrizable) Abelian groups equipped with the P-modified topology is reflexive. In particular, every locally compact Abelian group with the P-modified topology is reflexive. We also examine the reflexivity of dense subgroups of products Π with the P-modified topology and obtain the first examples of non-complete reflexive P-groups. We find as well that the better behaved class of prodiscrete groups (complete protodiscrete groups) of countable pseudocharacter contains non-reflexive members—any uncountable bounded torsion Abelian group G of cardinality ω² supports a topology τ such that (G,τ) is a non-reflexive prodiscrete group of countable pseudocharacter.     

On low degree k-ordered graphs

A simple graph G is k-ordered (respectively, k-ordered hamiltonian) if, for any sequence of k distinct vertices v₁,…,v_k of G, there exists a cycle (respectively, a hamiltonian cycle) in G containing these k vertices in the specified order. In 1997 Ng and Schultz introduced these concepts of cycle orderability, and motivated by the fact that k-orderedness of a graph implies (k-1)-connectivity, they posed the question of the existence of low degree k-ordered hamiltonian graphs. We construct an infinite family of graphs, which we call bracelet graphs, that are (k-1)-regular and are k-ordered hamiltonian for odd k. This result provides the best possible answer to the question of the existence of low degree k-ordered hamiltonian graphs for odd k. We further show that for even k, there exist no k-ordered bracelet graphs with minimum degree k-1 and maximum degree less than k+2, and we exhibit an infinite family of bracelet graphs with minimum degree k-1 and maximum degree k+2 that are k-ordered for even k. A concept related to k-orderedness, namely that of k-edge-orderedness, is likewise strongly related to connectivity properties. We study this relation and give bounds on the connectivity necessary to imply k-(edge-)orderedness properties.     

q-Dedekind type sums related to q-zeta function and basic L-series

The main purpose of this paper is to define new generating functions. By applying the Mellin transformation formula to these generating functions, we define q-analogue of Riemann zeta function, q-analogue Hurwitz zeta function, q-analogue Dirichlet L-function and two-variable q-L-function. In particular, by using these generating functions, we will construct new generating functions which produce q-Dedekind type sums and q-Dedekind type sums attached to Dirichlet character. We also give the relations between these sums and Dedekind sums. Furthermore, by using *-product which is given in this paper, we will give the relation between Dedekind sums and q-L function as well.     

Is the new ECTS system better than the traditional one? An application to the ECTS pilot-project at the University Pablo de Olavide

At the meeting of the joint Bologna Declaration, EU representatives agreed on the establishment of a common European Higher Education Area by 2010. Since then, several universities have implemented pilot projects, although no formal research has been carried out to analyse their results. In this study, we analysed one of these pilot-projects with two objectives. First, we examined the performance of the new system as compared to that of the traditional system. We used a procedure based on a modified model of Data Envelopment Analysis that is able to distinguish students’ efficiency (managerial efficiency) from efficiency based on the educational programme used (programme efficiency). Then we analysed whether the different systems perform differently for different types of students.     

6-path-connectivity and 6-generation

We consider simple connected graphs for which there is a path of length at least 6 between every pair of distinct vertices. We wish to show that in these graphs the cycle space over Z₂ is generated by the cycles of length at least 6. Furthermore, we wish to generalize the result for k-path-connected graphs which contain a long cycle.     

Some bounds on the p-domination number in trees

Let p be a positive integer and G=(V,E) a graph. A subset S of V is a p-dominating set if every vertex of V-S is dominated at least p times, and S is a p-dependent set of G if the subgraph induced by the vertices of S has maximum degree at most p-1. The minimum cardinality of a p-dominating set a of G is the p-domination number γ_p(G) and the maximum cardinality of a p-dependent set of G is the p-dependence number β_p(G). For every positive integer p?2, we show that for a bipartite graph G, γ_p(G) is bounded above by (|V|+|Y_p|)/2, where Y_p is the set of vertices of G of degree at most p-1, and for every tree T, γ_p(T) is bounded below by β_p-1(T). Moreover, we characterize the trees achieving equality in each bound.     

Reliability evaluation of multi-state systems under cost consideration

A more practical and desirable performance index of multi-state systems is the two-terminal reliability for level (d, c) (2TR_d,c), defined as the probability that d units of flow can be transmitted from the source node to the sink node with the total cost less than or equal to c. In this article, a simple algorithm is developed to calculate 2TR_d,c in terms of (d, c)-MPs. Two major advantages of the proposed algorithm include: (1) as of now, it is the only algorithm that searches for (d, c)-MPs without requiring all minimal paths (MPs) and the procedure of transforming feasible solutions; (2) it is more practical and efficient in solving (d, c)-MP problem in contrast to the best-known method. An example is provided to illustrate the generation of (d, c)-MPs by using the presented algorithm, and 2TR_d,c is thus evaluated. Furthermore, the computational experiments are conducted to verify the performance of the presented algorithm.     

A note on p-adic q-ζ-functions II

We show that p-adic q-ζ-function constructed by Koblitz [7] (see also D?browski [4]) can be obtained as Γ-transform of some p-adic measure coming from Lubin–Tate formal group.