Computable shuffle sums of ordinals

The main result is that for sets , the following are equivalent:

Nonlinear programming,approximation, and optimization on infinitely differentiable functions

A nonnegative, infinitely differentiable function defined on the real line is called a Friedrichs mollifier function if it has support in [0, 1] and ₀ ¹ (t)dt=1. In this article, the following problem is considered. Determine _k =inf ₀ ¹ |^(k)(t)|dt,k=1, 2, ..., where ^(k) denotes thekth derivative of and the infimum is taken over the set of all mollifier functions , which is a convex set. This problem has applications to monotone polynomial approximation as shown by this author elsewhere. The problem is reducible to three equivalent problems, a nonlinear programming problem, a problem on the functions of bounded variation, and an approximation problem involving Tchebycheff polynomials. One of the results of this article shows that _k =k!2^2k–1,k=1, 2, .... The numerical values of the optimal solutions of the three problems are obtained as a function ofk. Some inequalities of independent interest are also derived.This research was supported in part by the National Science Foundation, Grant No. GK-32712.     

Minty Variational Inequalities,Increase-Along-Rays Property and Optimization<Superscript>1</Superscript>

Let E be a linear space, let K E and f:K . We formulate in terms of the lower Dini directional derivative problem GMVI (f ^,K ), which can be considered as a generalization of MVI (f ^,K ), the Minty variational inequality of differential type. We investigate, in the case of K star-shaped (SS), the existence of a solution x ^* of GMVI (f ^K ) and the property of f to increase-along-rays starting at x ^*, fIAR (K,x ^*). We prove that the GMVI (f ^,K ) with radially l.s.c. function f has a solution x ^* ker K if and only if fIAR (K,x ^*). Further, we prove that the solution set of the GMVI (f ^,K ) is a convex and radially closed subset of ker K. We show also that, if the GMVI (f ^,K ) has a solution x ^*K, then x ^* is a global minimizer of the problem min f(x), xK. Moreover, we observe that the set of the global minimizers of the related optimization problem, its kernel, and the solution set of the variational inequality can be different. Finally, we prove that, in the case of a quasiconvex function f, these sets coincide.     

The design centering problem as a D.C. programming problem

The following problem is studied: Given a compact setS inR ⁿ and a Minkowski functionalp(x), find the largest positive numberr for which there existsx S such that the set of ally R ⁿ satisfyingp(y–x) r is contained inS. It is shown that whenS is the intersection of a closed convex set and several complementary convex sets (sets whose complements are open convex) this design centering problem can be reformulated as the minimization of some d.c. function (difference of two convex functions) overR ⁿ . In the case where, moreover,p(x) = (x ^T Ax)^1/2, withA being a symmetric positive definite matrix, a solution method is developed which is based on the reduction of the problem to the global minimization of a concave function over a compact convex set.     

Continuity properties of the normal cone to the level sets of a quasiconvex function

Two main properties of the subgradient mapping of convex functions are transposed for quasiconvex ones. The continuity of the functionxf(x)^–1f(x) on the domain where it is defined is deduced from some continuity properties of the normal coneN to the level sets of the quasiconvex functionf. We also prove that, under a pseudoconvexity-type condition, the normal coneN(x) to the set {x:f(x)f(x)} can be expressed as the convex hull of the limits of type {N(x _n)}, where {x _n} is a sequence converging tox and contained in a dense subsetD. In particular, whenf is pseudoconvex,D can be taken equal to the set of points wheref is differentiable.This research was completed while the second author was on a sabbatical leave at the University of Montreal and was supported by a NSERC grant. It has its origin in the doctoral thesis of the first author (Ref. 1), prepared under the direction of the second author.The authors are grateful to an anonymous referee and C. Zalinescu for their helpful remarks on a previous version of this paper.     

Double piling structure of matrix monotone functions and of matrix convex functions

There are basic equivalent assertions known for operator monotone functions and operator convex functions in two papers by Hansen and Pedersen. In this note we consider their results as correlation problem between two sequences of matrix n-monotone functions and matrix n-convex functions, and we focus the following three assertions at each label n among them:

(i) f(0)0 and f is n-convex in [0,α),

(ii) For each matrix a with its spectrum in [0,α) and a contraction c in the matrix algebra M_n,

f(cac)cf(a)c,

Cubic surfaces in AG(3, q) and projective planes of order q 3

Spread sets of projective planes of order q ³ are represented as sets of q ³ points in A AG(3, q ³). A line through the origin in A can be interpreted as a space A ₀ AG(3, q), and the spread set induces a cubic surface L in A ₀. If the projective plane is a semifield plane of dimension 3 over its kernel, then L has the property that it misses a plane of A ₀. Determining all such surfaces L leads to a complete classification of the semifield planes of order q ³, whose spread sets are division algebras of dimension 3.An alternative proof of a result due to Menichetti, that finite division algebras of dimension 3 are associative or are twisted fields, follows with the classification.     

Strict lower semicontinuity of the level sets and invexity of a locally Lipschitz function

The strict lower semicontinuity property (slsc property) of the level sets of a real-valued functionf defined on a subsetCR ⁿ was introduced by Zang, Choo, and Avriel (Ref. 1). They showed a class of functions for which the slsc property is equivalent to invexity, i.e., the statement that every stationary point off overC is a global minimum. In this paper, we study the relationship between the slsc property of the level sets and invexity for another class of functions. Namely, we consider the class formed by all locally Lipschitz real-valued functions defined on an open set containingC. For these functions, invexity implies the slsc property of the level sets, but not conversely.The authors would like to thank Dr. B. D. Craven and the referees for helpful comments and suggestions.     

Julia Sets of Certain Exponential Functions

We characterize the Julia sets of certain exponential functions. We show that the Julia sets J(F_λn) of F_λn(z) = λ_ne^zn where λ_n > 0 is the whole plane , provided that lim_k → ∞ F^k_λn(0) = ∞. In particular, this is true when λ_n are real numbers such that . On the other hand, if , then J(F_λn) is nowhere dense in and is the complement of the basin of attraction of the unique real attractive fixed point of F_λn. We then prove similar results for the functions[formula] where λ_i    − {0}, 1 ≤ i ≤ n + 1, a_j > 1, 1 ≤ j ≤ n, and m, n ≥ 1.     

D.c. sets,d.c. functions and nonlinear equations

Ad.c. set is a set which is the difference of two convex sets. We show that any set can be viewed as the image of a d.c. set under an appropriate linear mapping. Using this universality we can convert any problem of finding an element of a given compact set in ⁿ into one of finding an element of a d.c. set. On the basis of this approach a method is developed for solving a system of nonlinear equations—inequations. Unlike Newton-type methods, our method does not require either convexity, differentiability assumptions or an initial approximate solution.The revision of this paper was produced during the author's stay supported by a Sophia lecturing-research grant at Sophia University (Tokyo, Japan).     

On (p a , p b , p a , p a-b )-Relative Difference Sets

This paper provides new exponent and rank conditions for the existence of abelian relative (p ^a,p ^b,p ^a,p ^a–b)-difference sets. It is also shown that no splitting relative (2^2c,2^d,2^2c,2^2c–d)-difference set exists if d > c and the forbidden subgroup is abelian. Furthermore, abelian relative (16, 4, 16, 4)-difference sets are studied in detail; in particular, it is shown that a relative (16, 4, 16, 4)-difference set in an abelian group G Z₈ × Z₄ × Z₂ exists if and only if exp(G) 4 or G = Z₈ × (Z₂)³ with N Z₂ × Z₂.     

A class of nonlinear complementarity problems for multifunctions

Given a continuous mapF:R ⁿ R ⁿ and a lower semicontinuous positively homogeneous convex functionh:R ⁿ R, the nonlinear complementarity problem considered here is to findxR ₊ ⁿ andyh(x), the subdifferential ofh atx, such thatF(x)+y0 andx ^T (F(x)+y)=0. Some existence theorems for the above problem are given under certain conditions on the mapF. An application to quasidifferentiable convex programming is also shown.The authors are grateful to Professor O. L. Mangasarian and the referee for their substantive suggestions.     

Some stochastic processes related to random density functions

If { _n } is an orthonormal system and {a _n} is a sequence of random variables such that _n (a _n )²=1 a.s. thenf(t)=| _n a _{n n} (t)|² produces a randomly selcted density function. We study the properties off under the assumptions that |a _n| is decreasing to zero at a geometric rate and { _n } is one of the following four function systems: trigonometric Jacobi, Hermite, or Laguerre. It is shown that, with probability one,f is an analytic function,f has at most a finite number of zeros in any finite interval, and the tail off goes to zero rapidly.     

An analytic approximation to the cardinal functions of Gaussian radial basis functions on an infinite lattice

Gaussian radial basis functions (RBFs) have been very useful in computer graphics and for numerical solutions of partial differential equations where these RBFs are defined, on a grid with uniform spacing h, as translates of the “master” function (x;α,h)≡exp(-[α²/h²]x²) where α is a user-choosable constant. Unfortunately, computing the coefficients of (x-jh;α,h) requires solving a linear system with a dense matrix. It would be much more efficient to rearrange the basis functions into the equivalent “Lagrangian” or “cardinal” basis because the interpolation matrix in the new basis is the identity matrix; the cardinal basis C_j(x;α,h) is defined by the set of linear combinations of the Gaussians such that C_j(kh)=1 when k=j and C_j(kh)=0 for all integers . We show that the cardinal functions for the uniform grid are C_j(x;h,α)=C(x/h-j;α) where C(X;α)≈(α²/π)sin(πX)/sinh(α²X). The relative error is only about 4exp(-2π²/α²) as demonstrated by the explicit second order approximation. It has long been known that the error in a series of Gaussian RBFs does not converge to zero for fixed α as h→0, but only to an “error saturation” proportional to exp(-π²/α²). Because the error in our approximation to the master cardinal function C(X;α) is the square of the error saturation, there is no penalty for using our new approximations to obtain matrix-free interpolating RBF approximations to an arbitrary function f(x). The master cardinal function on a uniform grid in d dimensions is just the direct product of the one-dimensional cardinal functions. Thus in two dimensions . We show that the matrix-free interpolation can be extended to non-uniform grids by a smooth change of coordinates.     

Approximate first-order and second-order directional derivatives of a marginal function in convex optimization

Given a convex functionf: ^p × ^q (–, +], the marginal function is defined on ^p by (x)=inf{f(x, y)|y ^q }. Our purpose in this paper is to express the approximate first-order and second-order directional derivatives of atx ₀ in terms of those off at (x ₀,y ₀), wherey ₀ is any element for which (x ₀)=f(x ₀,y ₀).The author is indebted to one referee for pointing out an inaccuracy in an earlier version of Theorem 4.1.     

Almost-Periodic Multipliers

In this work we study the necessary and sufficient conditions for a generalized trigonometric series in order for it to be the series of a Stepanoff almost-periodic function fS ^q (R),1q<. We consider analogous conditions for functions belonging to D(,R). Finally, we characterize the multipliers of invariance of the (B ¹(),B ¹()) type.     

Estimation de sommes multiples de fonctions arithmétiques

We estimate some sums of the shape S(X ¹,..., X ^m ):=_{1 d1 X1...1 dm Xm} f(d ₁,..., d _m )when m N and f is a nonnegative arithmetical function. We relate them to the behaviour of the associated Dirichlet series F(s ₁,..., s _m ) = _{d1 = 1} ... _{dm = 1} f(d ₁,..., d _m )/d ₁ ^s1 ... d _m ^sm.The main aim of this work is to develop analytic tools to count the rational points of bounded height on toric varieties.     

Cyclic Relative Difference Sets and their p-Ranks

By modifying the constructions in Helleseth et al. [10] and No [15], we construct a family of cyclic ((q ^3k –1)/(q–1), q–1, q ^3k–1, q ^3k–2) relative difference sets, where q=3 ^e . These relative difference sets are liftings of the difference sets constructed in Helleseth et al. [10] and No [15]. In order to demonstrate that these relative difference sets are in general new, we compute p-ranks of the classical relative difference sets and 3-ranks of the newly constructed relative difference sets when q=3. By rank comparison, we show that the newly constructed relative difference sets are never equivalent to the classical relative difference sets, and are in general inequivalent to the affine GMW difference sets.