On the distribution of the (un)bounded sum of random variables

We propose a general treatment of random variables aggregation accounting for the dependence among variables and bounded or unbounded support of their sum. The approach is based on the extension to the concept of convolution to dependent variables, involving copula functions. We show that some classes of copula functions (such as Marshall-Olkin and elliptical) cannot be used to represent the dependence structure of two variables whose sum is bounded, while Archimedean copulas can be applied only if the generator becomes linear beyond some point. As for the application, we study the problem of capital allocation between risks when the sum of losses is bounded.     

Hybrid bases for varieties of semigroups

We consider the lower part of the lattice of varieties of semigroups. We present finite bases of hybrid identities for the varieties of normal bands, commutative bands and abelian groups of finite exponent.The variety A_n,0 of abelian groups provides an example of a variety which has no finite base of hyperidentities (cf. [12]) but has a finite base of hybrid identities.     

Bounding Betti numbers of bipartite graph ideals

We prove a conjectured lower bound of Nagel and Reiner on Betti numbers of edge ideals of bipartite graphs.     

Sequential Dynamical Systems Over Words

In this paper we study sequential dynamical systems (SDS) over words. An SDS is a triple consisting of: (a) a graph Y with vertex set {v₁, ..., v_n}, (b) a family of Y-local functions , where K is a finite field and (c) a word w, i.e., a family (w₁, ..., w_k), where w_i is a Y-vertex. A map is called Y-local if and only if it fixes all variables and depends exclusively on the variables , for . An SDS induces an SDS- map, , obtained by the map-composition of the functions according to w. We show that an SDS induces in addition the graph G(w,Y) having vertex set {1, ..., k} where r, s are adjacent if and only if w_s, w_r are adjacent in Y. G(w, Y) is acted upon by S_k via and Fix(w) is the group of G(w, Y) graph automorphisms which fix w. We analyze G(w, Y)-automorphisms via an exact sequence involving the normalizer of Fix(w) in Aut(G(w, Y)), Fix(w) and Aut(Y). Furthermore we introduce an equivalence relation over words and prove a bijection between word equivalence classes and certain orbits of acyclic orientations of G(w, Y). Received September 12, 2004     

Spanning trees and a conjecture of Kontsevich

Kontsevich conjectured that the number of zeros over the fieldF _q of a certain polynomialQ _G associated with the spanning trees of a graphG is a polynomial function ofq. We show the connection between this conjecture, the Matrix-Tree Theorem, and orthogonal geometry. We verify the conjecture in certain cases, such as the complete graph, and discuss some modifications and extensions.Partially supported by NSF grant #DMS-9743966.     

Intersection theorems under dimension constraints

In Ahlswede et al. [Discrete Math. 273(1-3) (2003) 9-21] we posed a series of extremal (set system) problems under dimension constraints. In the present paper, we study one of them: the intersection problem. The geometrical formulation of our problem is as follows. Given integers 0?t, k?n determine or estimate the maximum number of (0,1)-vectors in a k-dimensional subspace of the Euclidean n-space Rⁿ, such that the inner product (“intersection”) of any two is at least t. Also we are interested in the restricted (or the uniform) case of the problem; namely, the problem considered for the (0,1)-vectors of the same weight ω.The paper consists of two parts, which concern similar questions but are essentially independent with respect to the methods used.In Part I, we consider the unrestricted case of the problem. Surprisingly, in this case the problem can be reduced to a weighted version of the intersection problem for systems of finite sets. A general conjecture for this problem is proved for the cases mentioned in Ahlswede et al. [Discrete Math. 273(1-3) (2003) 9-21]. We also consider a diametric problem under dimension constraint.In Part II, we study the restricted case and solve the problem for t=1 and k<2ω, and also for any fixed 1?t?ω and k large.     

An Upper Bound for the Cardinality of an <Emphasis Type="Italic">s</Emphasis>-Distance Set in Euclidean Space

In this paper we show that if X is an s-distance set in ^m and X is on p concentric spheres then Moreover if X is antipodal, then .     

A Two-Variable Interlace Polynomial

We introduce a new graph polynomial in two variables. This interlace polynomial can be computed in two very different ways. The first is an expansion analogous to the state space expansion of the Tutte polynomial; the significant differences are that our expansion is over vertex rather than edge subsets, and the rank and nullity employed are those of an adjacency matrix rather than an incidence matrix.The second computation is by a three-term reduction formula involving a graph pivot; the pivot arose previously in the study of interlacement and Euler circuits in four-regular graphs.We consider a few properties and specializations of the two-variable interlace polynomial. One specialization, the vertex-nullity interlace polynomial, is the single-variable interlace graph polynomial we studied previously, closely related to the Tutte–Martin polynomial on isotropic systems previously considered by Bouchet. Another, the vertex-rank interlace polynomial, is equally interesting. Yet another specialization of the two-variable polynomial is the independent-set polynomial. Supported by NSF grant DMS-9971788.     

Parallel comparison algorithms for approximation problems

Suppose we haven elements from a totally ordered domain, and we are allowed to performp parallel comparisons in each time unit (=round). In this paper we determine, up to a constant factor, the time complexity of several approximation problems in the common parallel comparison tree model of Valiant, for all admissible values ofn, p and , where is an accuracy parameter determining the quality of the required approximation. The problems considered include the approximate maximum problem, approximate sorting and approximate merging. Our results imply as special cases, all the known results about the time complexity for parallel sorting, parallel merging and parallel selection of the maximum (in the comparison model), up to a constant factor. We mention one very special but representative result concerning the approximate maximum problem; suppose we wish to find, among the givenn elements, one which belongs to the biggestn/2, where in each round we are allowed to askn binary comparisons. We show that log^* n+O(1) rounds are both necessary and sufficient in the best algorithm for this problem.Research supported in part by Allon Fellowship, by a Bat Sheva de Rothschild grant and by the Fund for Basic Research administered by the Israel Academy of Sciences.     

Recipe theorem for the Tutte polynomial for matroids,renormalization group-like approach

Using a quantum field theory renormalization group-like differential equation, we give a new proof of the recipe theorem for the Tutte polynomial for matroids. The solution of such an equation is in fact given by some appropriate characters of the Hopf algebra of isomorphic classes of matroids, characters which are then related to the Tutte polynomial for matroids. This Hopf algebraic approach also allows to prove, in a new way, a matroid Tutte polynomial convolution formula appearing in [W. Kook, V. Reiner, D. Stanton, A convolution formula for the Tutte polynomial, J. Combin. Theory Ser. B 76 (1999) 297–300] and [G. Etienne, M. Las Vergnas, External and internal elements of a matroid basis, Discrete Math. 179 (1998) 111–119].     

Choosing joint distributions so that the variance of the sum is small

The paper considers how to choose the joint distribution of several random variables each with a given marginal distribution so that their sum has a variance as small as possible. A theorem is given that allows the solution of this and of related problems for normal random variables. Several specific applications are given. Additional results are provided for radially symmetric joint distributions of three random variables when the sum is identically zero.     

Onf-vectors and Betti numbers of multicomplexes

A multicomplexM is a collection of monomials closed under divisibility. For suchM we construct a cell complex M whosei-dimensional cells are in bijection with thef _i monomials ofM of degreei+1. The bijection is such that the inclusion relation of cells corresponds to divisibility of monomials. We then study relations between the numbersf _i and the Betti numbers of M. For squarefree monomials the construction specializes to the standard geometric realization of a simplicial complex.This work was supported by the Mittag-Leffler Institute during the Combinatorial Year program 1991–92. The second author also acknowledges support from the Serbian Science Foundation, Grant No. 0401D.     

An LLT-type algorithm for computing higher-level canonical bases

We give a fast algorithm for computing the canonical basis of an irreducible highest-weight module for , generalising the LLT algorithm.     

Almost Covers Of 2-Arc Transitive Graphs

Let be a G-symmetric graph whose vertex set admits a nontrivial G-invariant partition with block size v. Let be the quotient graph of relative to and [B,C] the bipartite subgraph of induced by adjacent blocks B,C of . In this paper we study such graphs for which is connected, (G, 2)-arc transitive and is almost covered by in the sense that [B,C] is a matching of v-1 2 edges. Such graphs arose as a natural extremal case in a previous study by the author with Li and Praeger. The case K _v+1 is covered by results of Gardiner and Praeger. We consider here the general case where K _v+1, and prove that, for some even integer n 4, is a near n-gonal graph with respect to a certain G-orbit on n-cycles of . Moreover, we prove that every (G, 2)-arc transitive near n-gonal graph with respect to a G-orbit on n-cycles arises as a quotient of a graph with these properties. (A near n-gonal graph is a connected graph of girth at least 4 together with a set of n-cycles of such that each 2-arc of is contained in a unique member of .)     

Cospectral graphs and the generalized adjacency matrix

Let J be the all-ones matrix, and let A denote the adjacency matrix of a graph. An old result of Johnson and Newman states that if two graphs are cospectral with respect to yJ − A for two distinct values of y, then they are cospectral for all y. Here we will focus on graphs cospectral with respect to yJ − A for exactly one value of y. We call such graphs -cospectral. It follows that is a rational number, and we prove existence of a pair of -cospectral graphs for every rational . In addition, we generate by computer all -cospectral pairs on at most nine vertices. Recently, Chesnokov and the second author constructed pairs of -cospectral graphs for all rational , where one graph is regular and the other one is not. This phenomenon is only possible for the mentioned values of , and by computer we find all such pairs of -cospectral graphs on at most eleven vertices.     

Plücker environments, wiring and tiling diagrams, and weakly separated set-systems

For the ordered set [n] of n elements, we consider the class Bn of bases B of tropical Plücker functions on ²[n] such that B can be obtained by a series of so-called weak flips (mutations) from the basis formed by the intervals in [n]. We show that these bases are representable by special wiring diagrams and by certain arrangements generalizing rhombus tilings on an n-zonogon. Based on the generalized tiling representation, we then prove that each weakly separated set-system in ²[n] having maximum possible size belongs to Bn, yielding the affirmative answer to one conjecture due to Leclerc and Zelevinsky. We also prove an analogous result for a hyper-simplex .     

A Symmetric Function Resolution of the Number of Permutations With Respect to Block-Stable Elements

We consider a question raised by Suhov and Voice from quantum information theory and quantum computing. An element of a partition of {1, ..., n} is said to be block-stable for if it is not moved to another block under the action of π. The problem concerns the determination of the generating series for elements of with respect to the number of block-stable elements of a canonical partition of a finite n-set, with block sizes k₁, ..., k_r, in terms of the moment (power) sums p_q(k₁, ..., k_r). We also consider the limit subject to the condition that exists for q = 1, 2,.... Received January 31, 2006     

A las vegas rnc algorithm for maximum matching

Recently two randomized algorithms were discovered that find a maximum matching in an arbitrary graph in polylog time, when run on a parallel random access machine. Both are Monte Carlo algorithms — they have the drawback that with non-zero probability the output is a non-maximum matching. We use the min-max formula for the size of a maximum matching to convert any Monte Carlo maximum matching algorithm into a Las Vegas (error-free) one. The resulting algorithm returns (with high probability) a maximum matching and a certificate proving that the matching is indeed maximum. Research supported by DARPA grant N00039-84-C-0098 and by a US Army Research Office fellowship.