On asymmetric coverings and covering numbers

An asymmetric covering is a collection of special subsets S of an n‐set such that every subset T of the n‐set is contained in at least one special S with . In this paper we compute the smallest size of any for We also investigate “continuous” and “banded” versions of the problem. The latter involves the classical covering numbers , and we determine the following new values: , , , , and . We also find the number of non‐isomorphic minimal covering designs in several cases. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Combin Designs 11: 218–228, 2003; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/jcd.10022     

The Boson Normal Ordering Problem and Generalized Bell Numbers

For any function F(x) having a Taylor expansion we solve the boson normal ordering problem for $F [(a^\dag)^r a^s]$, with r, s positive integers, $F [(a, a^\dag]=1$, i.e., we provide exact and explicit expressions for its normal form $\mathcal{N} \{F [(a^\dag)^r a^s]\} = F [(a^\dag)^r a^s]$, where in $ \mathcal{N} (F) $ all a's are to the right. The solution involves integer sequences of numbers which, for $ r, s \geq 1 $, are generalizations of the conventional Bell and Stirling numbers whose values they assume for $ r=s=1 $. A complete theory of such generalized combinatorial numbers is given including closed-form expressions (extended Dobinski-type formulas), recursion relations and generating functions. These last are special expectation values in boson coherent states.AMS Subject Classification: 81R05, 81R15, 81R30, 47N50.     

Size ramsey numbers of stars versus 4‐chromatic graphs

We investigate the asymptotics of the size Ramsey number î(K_1,nF), where K_1,n is the n‐star and F is a fixed graph. The author 11 has recently proved that r?(K_1,n,F)=(1+o(1))n² for any F with chromatic number χ(F)=3. Here we show that r?(K_1,n,F)≤ n²+o(n²), if χ (F) ≥ 4 and conjecture that this is sharp. We prove the case χ(F)=4 of the conjecture, that is, that r?(K_1,n,F)=(4+o(1))n² for any 4‐chromatic graph F. Also, some general lower bounds are obtained. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Graph Theory 42: 220–233, 2003     

On Uniform Laws of Large Numbers for Ergodic Diffusions and Consistency of Estimators

Consider a regular diffusion process X with finite speed measure m. Denote the normalized speed measure by μ. We prove that the uniform law of large numbers holds if the class has an envelope function that is μ-integrable, or if is bounded in L _p(μ) for some p>1. In contrast with uniform laws of large numbers for i.i.d. random variables, we do not need conditions on the ‘size’ of the class in terms of bracketing or covering numbers. The result is a consequence of a number of asymptotic properties of diffusion local time that we derive. We apply our abstract results to improve consistency results for the local time estimator (LTE) and to prove consistency for a class of simple M-estimators. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

-Betti numbers

A standing conjecture in -cohomology says that every finite -complex is of -determinant class. In this paper, we prove this whenever the fundamental group belongs to a large class of groups containing, e.g., all extensions of residually finite groups with amenable quotients, all residually amenable groups, and free products of these. If, in addition, is -acyclic, we also show that the -determinant is a homotopy invariant -- giving a short and easy proof independent of and encompassing all known cases. Under suitable conditions we give new approximation formulas for -Betti numbers.

     

Transfer Matrices and Partition-Function Zeros for Antiferromagnetic Potts Models. II. Extended Results for Square-Lattice Chromatic Polynomial

We study the chromatic polynomials for m×n square-lattice strips, of width 9m13 (with periodic boundary conditions) and arbitrary length n (with free boundary conditions). We have used a transfer matrix approach that allowed us also to extract the limiting curves when n. In this limit we have also obtained the isolated limiting points for these square-lattice strips and checked some conjectures related to the Beraha numbers.     

The Approximation Numbers of Hardy-Type Operators on Trees

The Hardy operator T_a on a tree is defined by Properties of T_a as a map from L^p() into itselfare established for 1 p . The main result is that, with appropriateassumptions on u and v, the approximation numbers a_n(T_a) ofT_a satisfy for a specified constant _p and 1 p < . This extends results of Naimark, Newmanand Solomyak for p = 2. Hitherto, for p 2, (*) was unknowneven when is an interval. Also, upper and lower estimates forthe l^q and weak-l^q norms of a_n(T_a) are determined. 2000 MathematicalSubject Classification: 47G10, 47B10.     

Finding prime pairs with particular gaps

By a prime gap of size , we mean that there are primes and such that the numbers between and are all composite. It is widely believed that infinitely many prime gaps of size exist for all even integers . However, it had not previously been known whether a prime gap of size existed. The objective of this article was to be the first to find a prime gap of size , by using a systematic method that would also apply to finding prime gaps of any size. By this method, we find prime gaps for all even integers from to , and some beyond. What we find are not necessarily the first occurrences of these gaps, but, being examples, they give an upper bound on the first such occurrences. The prime gaps of size listed in this article were first announced on the Number Theory Listing to the World Wide Web on Tuesday, April 8, 1997. Since then, others, including Sol Weintraub and A.O.L. Atkin, have found prime gaps of size with smaller integers, using more ad hoc methods. At the end of the article, related computations to find prime triples of the form , , and their application to divisibility of binomial coefficients by a square will also be discussed.

     

The Weight Distribution of C 5(1, n)

In [2] the codes C _q (r,n) over were introduced. These linear codes have parameters , can be viewed as analogues of the binary Reed-Muller codes and share several features in common with them. In [2], the weight distribution of C ₃(1,n) is completely determined.In this paper we compute the weight distribution of C ₅(1,n). To this end we transform a sum of a product of two binomial coefficients into an expression involving only exponentials an Lucas numbers. We prove an effective result on the set of Lucas numbers which are powers of two to arrive to the complete determination of the weight distribution of C ₅(1,n). The final result is stated as Theorem 2.     

Forcing Linearity Numbers for Modules over PID's

Let V be a module over a principal ideal domain. Then V = M N where M is divisible and N has no nonzero divisible submodules. In this paper we determine the forcing linearity number for V when N is a direct sum of cyclic modules. As a consequence, the forcing linearity numbers of several classes of Abelian groups are obtained.