Multiple positive solutions of nonhomogeneous elliptic systems with strongly indefinite structure and critical Sobolev exponents

In this paper, we study the existence of multiple positive solutions to some Hamiltonian elliptic systems −Δv=λu+u^p+εf(x), −Δu=μv+v^q+δg(x) in Ω;u,v>0 in Ω; u=v=0 on ∂Ω, where Ω is a bounded domain in R^N (N?3); 0?f, g∈L∞(Ω); 1/(p+1)+1/(q+1)=(N−2)/N, p,q>1; λ,μ>0. Using sub- and supersolution method and based on an adaptation of the dual variational approach, we prove the existence of at least two nontrivial positive solutions for all λ,μ∈(0,λ₁) and ε,δ∈(0,δ₀), where λ₁ is the first eigenvalue of the Laplace operator −Δ with zero Dirichlet boundary conditions and δ₀ is a positive number.     

On the range of heterogeneous samples

Let R_n be the range of a random sample X₁,…,X_n of exponential random variables with hazard rate λ. Let S_n be the range of another collection Y₁,…,Y_n of mutually independent exponential random variables with hazard rates λ₁,…,λ_n whose average is λ. Finally, let r and s denote the reversed hazard rates of R_n and S_n, respectively. It is shown here that the mapping t?s(t)/r(t) is increasing on (0,∞) and that as a result, R_n=X_(n)−X₍₁₎ is smaller than S_n=Y_(n)−Y₍₁₎ in the likelihood ratio ordering as well as in the dispersive ordering. As a further consequence of this fact, X_(n) is seen to be more stochastically increasing in X₍₁₎ than Y_(n) is in Y₍₁₎. In other words, the pair (X₍₁₎,X_(n)) is more dependent than the pair (Y₍₁₎,Y_(n)) in the monotone regression dependence ordering. The latter finding extends readily to the more general context where X₁,…,X_n form a random sample from a continuous distribution while Y₁,…,Y_n are mutually independent lifetimes with proportional hazard rates.     

Stochastic comparisons of order statistics from gamma distributions

Let (X₁,X₂,…,X_n) and (Y₁,Y₂,…,Y_n) be gamma random vectors with common shape parameter α(0<α?1) and scale parameters (λ₁,λ₂,…,λ_n), (μ₁,μ₂,…,μ_n), respectively. Let X₍₎=(X₍₁₎,X₍₂₎,…,X_(n)), Y₍₎=(Y₍₁₎,Y₍₂₎,…,Y_(n)) be the order statistics of (X₁,X₂,…,X_n) and (Y₁,Y₂,…,Y_n). Then (λ₁,λ₂,…,λ_n) majorizes (μ₁,μ₂,…,μ_n) implies that X₍₎ is stochastically larger than Y₍₎. However if the common shape parameter α>1, we can only compare the the first- and last-order statistics. Some earlier results on stochastically comparing proportional hazard functions are shown to be special cases of our results.     

Likelihood ratio orderings of spacings of heterogeneous exponential random variables

Let X₁,X₂,…,X_n be independent exponential random variables such that X_i has failure rate λ for i=1,…,p and X_j has failure rate λ^* for j=p+1,…,n, where p≥1 and q=n-p≥1. Denote by D_i:n(p,q)=X_i:n-X_i-1:n the ith spacing of the order statistics , where X_0:n≡0. It is shown that D_i:n(p,q)?_lrD_i+1:n(p,q) for i=1,…,n-1, and that if λ?λ^* then , and for i=1,…,n, where ?_lr denotes the likelihood ratio order. The main results are used to establish the dispersive orderings between spacings.     

A simplified proof for the limit of a tower over a cubic finite field

Recently Bezerra, Garcia and Stichtenoth constructed an explicit tower F=(Fn)_n?0 of function fields over a finite field Fq³, whose limit λ(F)=limn→∞N(Fn)/g(Fn) attains the Zink bound λ(F)?2(q²−1)/(q+2). Their proof is rather long and very technical. In this paper we replace the complex calculations in their work by structural arguments, thus giving a much simpler and shorter proof for the limit of the Bezerra, Garcia and Stichtenoth tower.     

Friedrichs extensions of Schrödinger operators with singular potentials

The Friedrichs extension for the generalized spiked harmonic oscillator given by the singular differential operator −d²/dx²+Bx²+Ax⁻²+λx^−α (B>0, A?0) in L₂(0,∞) is studied. We look at two different domains of definition for each of these differential operators in L₂(0,∞), namely C₀^∞(0,∞) and D(T_2,F)∩D(M_λ,α), where the latter is a subspace of the Sobolev space W_2,2(0,∞). Adjoints of these differential operators on C₀^∞(0,∞) exist as result of the null-space properties of functionals. For the other domain, convolutions and Jensen and Minkowski integral inequalities, density of C₀^∞(0,∞) in D(T_2,F)∩D(M_λ,α) in L₂(0,∞) lead to the other adjoints. Further density properties C₀^∞(0,∞) in D(T_2,F)∩D(M_λ,α) yield the Friedrichs extension of these differential operators with domains of definition D(T_2,F)∩D(M_λ,α).     

Confidence intervals for marginal parameters under fractional linear regression imputation for missing data

Item nonresponse occurs frequently in sample surveys and other applications. Imputation is commonly used to fill in the missing item values in a random sample {Y_i;i=1,…,n}. Fractional linear regression imputation, based on the model with independent zero mean errors ?_i, is used to create one or more imputed values in the data file for each missing item Y_i, where {X_i,i=1,…,n}, is observed completely. Asymptotic normality of the imputed estimators of the mean μ=E(Y), distribution function θ=F(y) for a given y, and qth quantile θ_q=F^-1(q),0<q<1 is established, assuming that Y is missing at random (MAR) given X. This result is used to obtain normal approximation (NA)-based confidence intervals on μ,θ and θ_q. In the case of θ_q, a Bahadur-type representation and Woodruff-type confidence intervals are also obtained. Empirical likelihood (EL) ratios are also obtained and shown to be asymptotically scaled variables. This result is used to obtain asymptotically correct EL-based confidence intervals on μ,θ and θ_q. Results of a simulation study on the finite sample performance of NA-based and EL-based confidence intervals are reported.     

Adding machines, kneading maps, and endpoints

Given a unimodal map f, let I=[c₂,c₁] denote the core and set E={(x₀,x₁,…)∈(I,f)|xi∈ω(c,f) for all i∈N}. It is known that there exist strange adding machines embedded in symmetric tent maps f such that the collection of endpoints of (I,f) is a proper subset of E and such that limk→∞Q(k)≠∞, where Q(k) is the kneading map.We use the partition structure of an adding machine to provide a sufficient condition for x to be an endpoint of (I,f) in the case of an embedded adding machine. We then show there exist strange adding machines embedded in symmetric tent maps for which the collection of endpoints of (I,f) is precisely E. Examples of this behavior are provided where limk→∞Q(k) does and does not equal infinity, and in the case where limk→∞Q(k)=∞, the collection of endpoints of (I,f) is always E.     

On the dependence between the extreme order statistics in the proportional hazards model

Let X₁,…,X_n be a random sample from an absolutely continuous distribution with non-negative support, and let Y₁,…,Y_n be mutually independent lifetimes with proportional hazard rates. Let also X₍₁₎<?<X_(n) and Y₍₁₎<?<Y_(n) be their associated order statistics. It is shown that the pair (X₍₁₎,X_(n)) is then more dependent than the pair (Y₍₁₎,Y_(n)), in the sense of the right-tail increasing ordering of Avérous and Dortet-Bernadet [LTD and RTI dependence orderings, Canad. J. Statist. 28 (2000) 151-157]. Elementary consequences of this fact are highlighted.     

An elliptic system with bifurcation parameters on the boundary conditions

In this paper we consider the elliptic system Δu=a(x)upvq, Δv=b(x)urvs in Ω, a smooth bounded domain, with boundary conditions , on ∂Ω. Here λ and μ are regarded as parameters and p,s>1, q,r>0 verify (p−1)(s−1)>qr. We consider the case where a(x)?0 in Ω and a(x) is allowed to vanish in an interior subdomain Ω₀, while b(x)>0 in . Our main results include existence of nonnegative nontrivial solutions in the range 0<λ<λ₁?∞, μ>0, where λ₁ is characterized by means of an eigenvalue problem, and the uniqueness of such solutions. We also study their asymptotic behavior in all possible cases: as both λ,μ→0, as λ→λ₁<∞ for fixed μ (respectively μ→∞ for fixed λ) and when both λ,μ→∞ in case λ₁=∞.     

On the unlinking conjecture of independent polynomial functions

The celebrated U-conjecture states that under the N_n(0,I_n) distribution of the random vector X=(X₁,…,X_n) in Rⁿ, two polynomials P(X) and Q(X) are unlinkable if they are independent [see Kagan et al., Characterization Problems in Mathematical Statistics, Wiley, New York, 1973]. Some results have been established in this direction, although the original conjecture is yet to be proved in generality. Here, we demonstrate that the conjecture is true in an important special case of the above, where P and Q are convex nonnegative polynomials with P(0)=0.     

Schur-class multipliers on the Arveson space: De Branges-Rovnyak reproducing kernel spaces and commutative transfer-function realizations

An interesting and recently much studied generalization of the classical Schur class is the class of contractive operator-valued multipliers S(λ) for the reproducing kernel Hilbert space H(kd) on the unit ball Bd⊂Cd, where kd is the positive kernel kd(λ,ζ)=1/(1−〈λ,ζ〉) on Bd. The reproducing kernel space H(KS) associated with the positive kernel KS(λ,ζ)=(I−S(λ)S^∗(ζ))⋅kd(λ,ζ) is a natural multivariable generalization of the classical de Branges-Rovnyak canonical model space. A special feature appearing in the multivariable case is that the space H(KS) in general may not be invariant under the adjoints of the multiplication operators on H(kd). We show that invariance of H(KS) under for each j=1,…,d is equivalent to the existence of a realization for S(λ) of the form S(λ)=D+C⁻¹(I−λ₁A₁−?−λdAd)(λ₁B₁+?+λdBd) such that connecting operator has adjoint U^∗ which is isometric on a certain natural subspace (U is “weakly coisometric”) and has the additional property that the state operators A₁,…,Ad pairwise commute; in this case one can take the state space to be the functional-model space H(KS) and the state operators A₁,…,Ad to be given by (a de Branges-Rovnyak functional-model realization). We show that this special situation always occurs for the case of inner functions S (where the associated multiplication operator MS is a partial isometry), and that inner multipliers are characterized by the existence of such a realization such that the state operators A₁,…,Ad satisfy an additional stability property.     

Boundary behaviour of the unique solution to a singular Dirichlet problem with a convection term

By Karamata regular variation theory and constructing comparison functions, we derive that the boundary behaviour of the unique solution to a singular Dirichlet problem −Δu=b(x)g(u)+λq|∇u|, u>0, x∈Ω, u_|∂Ω=0, which is independent of λq|∇uλ|, where Ω is a bounded domain with smooth boundary in RN, λ∈R, q∈(0,2], lims→⁰⁺g(s)=+∞, and b is non-negative on Ω, which may be vanishing on the boundary.     

On additive polynomials and certain maximal curves

We show that a maximal curve over F_q² given by an equation A(X)=F(Y), where A(X)∈F_q²[X] is additive and separable and where F(Y)∈F_q²[Y] has degree m prime to the characteristic p, is such that all roots of A(X) belong to F_q². In the particular case where F(Y)=Y^m, we show that the degree m is a divisor of q+1.     

Criteria for embedding of spaces constructed by the method of means with arbitrary quasi-concave functional parameters

We consider a generalization ?(X₀,X₁)_p0,p1 of the method of means to arbitrary non-degenerate functional parameter. In this case non-trivial embedding ?(X₀,X₁)_p0,p1⊂ψ(X₀,X₁)_q0,q1 take place. We find necessary and sufficient condition for such embedding if 1?q₀?p₀?∞ and 1?q₁?p₁?∞ or 1?p₀?q₀?∞ and 1?p₁?q₁?∞.     

Endpoints of set-valued contractions in metric spaces

Suppose (X,d) be a complete metric space, and suppose F:X→CB(X) be a set-valued map satisfies H(Fx,Fy)≤ψ(d(x,y)), , where ψ:[0,∞)→[0,∞) is upper semicontinuous, ψ(t)<t for each t>0 and satisfies lim inf_t→∞(t−ψ(t))>0. Then F has a unique endpoint if and only if F has the approximate endpoint property.     

Labeling graphs with two distance constraints

Given a graph G and integers p,q,d₁ and d₂, with p>q, d₂>d₁?1, an L(d₁,d₂;p,q)-labeling of G is a function f:V(G)→{0,1,2,…,n} such that |f(u)−f(v)|?p if d_G(u,v)?d₁ and |f(u)−f(v)|?q if d_G(u,v)?d₂. A k-L(d₁,d₂;p,q)-labeling is an L(d₁,d₂;p,q)-labeling f such that max_v∈V(G)f(v)?k. The L(d₁,d₂;p,q)-labeling number ofG, denoted by , is the smallest number k such that G has a k-L(d₁,d₂;p,q)-labeling. In this paper, we give upper bounds and lower bounds of the L(d₁,d₂;p,q)-labeling number for general graphs and some special graphs. We also discuss the L(d₁,d₂;p,q)-labeling number of G, when G is a path, a power of a path, or Cartesian product of two paths.     

Classification of systems of Dyson-Schwinger equations in the Hopf algebra of decorated rooted trees

We consider systems of combinatorial Dyson-Schwinger equations (briefly, SDSE) , … , in the Connes-Kreimer Hopf algebra HI of rooted trees decorated by I={1,…,N}, where is the operator of grafting on a root decorated by i, and F₁,…,FN are non-constant formal series. The unique solution X=(X₁,…,XN) of this equation generates a graded subalgebra H(S) of HI. We characterise here all the families of formal series (F₁,…,FN) such that H(S) is a Hopf subalgebra. More precisely, we define three operations on SDSE (change of variables, dilatation and extension) and give two families of SDSE (cyclic and fundamental systems), and prove that any SDSE (S) such that H(S) is Hopf is the concatenation of several fundamental or cyclic systems after the application of a change of variables, a dilatation and iterated extensions.     

Representation theory of the Yokonuma–Hecke algebra

We develop an inductive approach to the representation theory of the Yokonuma–Hecke algebra _Yd,n(q)${\mathrm{Y}}_{d,n}(q)$, based on the study of the spectrum of its Jucys–Murphy elements which are defined here. We give explicit formulas for the irreducible representations of _Yd,n(q)${\mathrm{Y}}_{d,n}(q)$ in terms of standard d  -tableaux; we then use them to obtain a semisimplicity criterion. Finally, we prove the existence of a canonical symmetrising form on _Yd,n(q)${\mathrm{Y}}_{d,n}(q)$ and calculate the Schur elements with respect to that form.     

Labeling bipartite permutation graphs with a condition at distance two

An L(p,q)-labeling of a graph G is an assignment f from vertices of G to the set of non-negative integers {0,1,…,λ} such that |f(u)−f(v)|≥p if u and v are adjacent, and |f(u)−f(v)|≥q if u and v are at distance 2 apart. The minimum value of λ for which G has L(p,q)-labeling is denoted by λ_p,q(G). The L(p,q)-labeling problem is related to the channel assignment problem for wireless networks.In this paper, we present a polynomial time algorithm for computing L(p,q)-labeling of a bipartite permutation graph G such that the largest label is at most (2p−1)+q(bc(G)−2), where bc(G) is the biclique number of G. Since λ_p,q(G)≥p+q(bc(G)−2) for any bipartite graph G, the upper bound is at most p−1 far from optimal.