Counting points in hypercubes and convolution measure algebras

It is shown that ifA andB are non-empty subsets of {0, 1} ⁿ (for somenεN) then |A+B|≧(|A||B|)^α where α=(1/2) log₂ 3 here and in what follows. In particular if |A|=2 ^n-1 then |A+A|≧3 ^n-1 which anwers a question of Brown and Moran. It is also shown that if |A| = 2 ^n-1 then |A+A|=3 ^n-1 if and only if the points ofA lie on a hyperplane inn-dimensions. Necessary and sufficient conditions are also given for |A +B|=(|A||B|)^α. The above results imply the following improvement of a result of Talagrand [7]: ifX andY are compact subsets ofK (the Cantor set) withm(X),m(Y)>0 then λ(X+Y)≧2(m(X)m(Y))^α wherem is the usual measure onK and λ is Lebesgue measure. This also answers a question of Moran (in more precise terms) showing thatm is not concentrated on any proper Raikov system.     

Additive Latin transversals and group rings

LetA={a ₁, …,a _k} and {b ₁, …,b _k} be two subsets of an abelian groupG, k≤|G|. Snevily conjectured that, when |G| is odd, there is a numbering of the elements ofB such thata _i+b _i,1≤i≤k are pairwise distinct. By using a polynomial method, Alon affirmed this conjecture for |G| prime, even whenA is a sequence ofk<|G| elements. With a new application of the polynomial method, Dasgupta, Károlyi, Serra and Szegedy extended Alon’s result to the groupsZ _p ^r andZ _p ^rin the casek<p and verified Snevily’s conjecture for every cyclic group. In this paper, by employing group rings as a tool, we prove that Alon’s result is true for any finite abelianp-group withk<√2p, and verify Snevily’s conjecture for every abelian group of odd order in the casek<√p, wherep is the smallest prime divisor of |G|. This work has been supported partly by NSFC grant number 19971058 and 10271080.     

The size-Ramsey number of trees

IfG andH are graphs, let us writeG→(H)₂ ifG contains a monochromatic copy ofH in any 2-colouring of the edges ofG. Thesize-Ramsey number r _e(H) of a graphH is the smallest possible number of edges a graphG may have ifG→(H)₂. SupposeT is a tree of order |T|≥2, and lett ₀,t ₁ be the cardinalities of the vertex classes ofT as a bipartite graph, and let Δ(T) be the maximal degree ofT. Moreover, let Δ₀, Δ₁ be the maxima of the degrees of the vertices in the respective vertex classes, and letβ(T)=T ₀Δ₀+t ₁Δ₁. Beck [7] proved thatβ(T)/4≤r _e(T)=O{β(T)(log|T|)¹²}, improving on a previous result of his [6] stating thatr _e(T)≤Δ(T)|T|(log|T|)¹². In [6], Beck conjectures thatr _e(T)=O{Δ(T)|T|}, and in [7] he puts forward the stronger conjecture thatr _e(T)=O{β(T)}. Here, we prove the first of these conjectures, and come quite close to proving the second by showing thatr _e(T)=O{β(T)logΔ(T)}.     

Coefficients of nonvanishing functions inH ∞

LesB denote the class of functions analytic in the unit disc ofC which satisfy 0<|f(z)|<1. It is proved that there exists a numberc<1 such that iff∈B and iff(z)=Σ _n=0 ^∞ a _n z ⁿ , then |a _n |<c forn>=1.     

A note on injectiveC(T)-spaces and the Amir boundary

We sovle in the negative a problem of Wolfe ifC(T _A ) is an injective Banach space wheneverC(T) is injective,T compact, andT _A is the Amir boundary ofT (i.e., the complement of the maximal open extremally disconnected subset ofT). In particular, we findT such thatC(T) is aP ₃-space andT _A ∼βN\N. The author’s research was partially supported by a grant of MEN, Poland.     

The long-step method of analytic centers for fractional problems

We develop a long-step surface-following version of the method of analytic centers for the fractional-linear problem min{t ₀ |t ₀ B(x) −A(x) εH, B(x) εK, x εG}, whereH is a closed convex domain,K is a convex cone contained in the recessive cone ofH, G is a convex domain andB(·),A(·) are affine mappings. Tracing a two-dimensional surface of analytic centers rather than the usual path of centers allows to skip the initial “centering” phase of the path-following scheme. The proposed long-step policy of tracing the surface fits the best known overall polynomial-time complexity bounds for the method and, at the same time, seems to be more attractive computationally than the short-step policy, which was previously the only one giving good complexity bounds. The research was partly supported by the Israeli-American Binational Science Foundation (BSF).     

Elementary abelian operator groups

Letp be a prime,n a positive integer. Suppose thatG is a finite solvablep'-group acted on by an elementary abelianp-groupA. We prove that ifC _G (ϕ) is of nilpotent length at mostn for every nontrivial element ϕ ofA and |A|≥p ⁿ⁺¹ thenG is of nilpotent length at mostn+1.     

A problem of Dyer,Porcelli, and Rosenfeld

In this paper, we will demonstrate that a conjecture of Dyer, Porcelli, and Rosenfeld is correct. In fact, we will show that ifM is any finite von Neumann factor andA is any non-zero element ofM, then there exists aT inM such that the spectrum ofT+A is disjoint from the spectrum ofT, i.e. such thatσ(T+A) ∩ σ(T)=φ.     

On perturbations of differentiable semigroups

LetX be a Banach space and letA be the infinitesimal generator of a differentiable semigroup {T(t) |t ≥ 0}, i.e. aC ₀-semigroup such thatt ↦T(t)x is differentiable on (0, ∞) for everyx εX. LetB be a bounded linear operator onX and let {S(t) |t ≥ 0} be the semigroup generated byA +B. Renardy recently gave an example which shows that {S(t) |t ≥ 0} need not be differentiable. In this paper we give a condition on the growth of ‖T′(t)‖ ast ↓ 0 which is sufficient to ensure that {S(t) |t ≥ 0} is differentiable. Moreover, we use Renardy’s example to study the optimality of our growth condition. Our results can be summarized roughly as follows:

The central connection problem at turning points of linear differential equations

A system of linear differential equations of the vectorial form εdy/dx=A (x, ε) y is considered, where ε is a positive parameter, and the matrixA (x, ε) is holomorphic in |x|⩽x ₀, 0 < ε ⩽ ε₀ , with an asymptotic expansionsA (x, ε) ∼ ∑ _r=0 ^∞ A _r (x) ε ^r , as ε→0. The eigenvalues ofA ₀(x) are supposed to coalesce atx=0 so as to make this point a simple turning point. With the help of refinements of the representations for the inner and outer asymptotic solutions, as ε→0, that were introduced in the articles [9] and [10] by the author (see the references at the end of the paper), explicit connection formulas between these solutions are calculated. As part of this derivation it is shown that only the diagonal entries of the connection matrix are asymptotically relevant.     

On the growth of entire functions

Suppose thatα>1, 0<R<∞ and thatf is analytic in |z|≤αR with |f(0)|≥1. It is shown that for a constant dα depending only onα, . Therefore iff is entire of order λ<∞, logM(r,f)/T(r,f) has order at most λ/2. These results are shown by example to be quite precise.     

Factorization for non-nevanlinna classes of analytic functions

A generalization of the Blaschke product is constructed. This product enables one to factor out the zeros of the members of certain non-Nevanlinna classes of functions analytic in the unit disc, so that the remaining (non-vanishing) functions still belong to the same class. This is done for the classesA ⁻ⁿ (0<n<∞) andB ⁻ⁿ (0<n<2) defined as follows:f ∈A ⁻ⁿ iff |f(z)|≦C _f (1−|z|)⁻ⁿ ,f ∈B ⁻ⁿ iff |f(z)|≦exp {C _f (1−|z|)⁻ⁿ }, whereC _f depends onf.     

On the existence of entire functions of boundedl-index andl-regular growth

We prove that, under certain conditions on a positive functionl continuous on [0, +∞], there exists an entire transcendental functionf of boundedl-index such that lnlnM _f(r)lnL(r),r→∞, whereM _f (r)=max {|f(z)|: |z|=r} andL(r)=∫ ₀ ^r l(t)dt. Ifl(r)=r ^p-1 forr≥1, 0<ρ<∞, then there exists an entire functionf of boundedl-index such thatM _f (r)≈r ^p . Lvov University, Lvov. Translated from Ukrainskii Matematicheskii Zhurnal, Vol. 48, No. 9, pp. 1166–1182, September, 1996.     

On semigroups generated by restrictions of elliptic operators to invariant subspaces

Let A be the closed unbounded operator inL _p(G) that is associated with an elliptic boundary value problem for a bounded domainG. We prove the existence of a spectral projectionE determined by the set Γ = {λ;θ ₁≦argλ≦θ ₂} and show thatAE is the infinitesimal generator of an analytic semigroup provided that the following conditions hold: 1<p<∞; the boundary ϖΓ of Γ is contained in the resolvent setp(A) ofA;π/2≦θ<θ ₂≦3π/2 ; and there exists a constantc such that (I)││(λ-A)^-1││≦c/│λ│ for λ∈ϖΓ. The following consequence is obtained: Suppose that there exist constantsM andc such that λ∈p(A) and estimate (I) holds provided that |λ|≧M and Re λ=0. Then there exist bounded projectionE ⁻ andE ⁺ such thatA is completely reduced by the direct sum decompositionL _p(G)=E⁻L_p (G) ⊕E⁺L_p (G) and each of the operatorsAE ⁻ and—AE ⁺ is the infinitestimal generator of an analytic semigroup.     

A general theorem characterizing some absolute summability methods

A general theorem is given which gives the necessary and sufficient conditions satisfied by a sequence (ε_n) in order to have the series Σa _n ε _n summable to |A| whenever Σa _n is summable to |A| for some summability methodA.     

Generalization of the fricke theorem on entire functions of finite index

We prove that, for every sequence (a _k) of complex numbers satisfying the conditions Σ(1/|a _k |) < ∞ and |a _k+1| − |a _k | ↗ ∞ (k → ∞), there exists a continuous functionl decreasing to 0 on [0, + ∞] and such thatf(z) = Π(1 −z/|a _k |) is an entire function of finitel-index.     

Rigidity of commutators and elementary operators on Calkin algebras

LetA=(A ₁,...,A _n ),B=(B ₁,...,B _n )εL(ℓ ^p ) ⁿ be arbitraryn-tuples of bounded linear operators on (ℓ ^p ), with 1<p<∞. The paper establishes strong rigidity properties of the corresponding elementary operators ε _a,b on the Calkin algebraC(ℓ ^p )≡L(ℓ ^p )/K(ℓ ^p ); , where quotient elements are denoted bys=S+K(ℓ ^p ) forSεL(ℓ ^p ). It is shown among other results that the kernel Ker(ε _a,b ) is a non-separable subspace ofC(ℓ ^p ) whenever ε _a,b fails to be one-one, while the quotient is non-separable whenever ε _a,b fails to be onto. These results extend earlier ones in several directions: neither of the subsets {A ₁,...,A _n }, {B ₁,...,B _n } needs to consist of commuting operators, and the results apply to other spaces apart from Hilbert spaces. Supported by the Academy of Finland, Project 32837.     

Optimal properties of contraction semigroups in banach spaces

Suppose that(T _t )_t>0 is aC ₀ semi-group of contractions on a Banach spaceX, such that there exists a vectorx∈X, ‖x‖=1 verifyingJ ⁻¹(Jx)={x}, whereJ is the duality mapping fromX toP(X ^*). If |<T _t x,f>|→1, whent→+∞ for somef∈X ^*, ‖f‖≤1 thenx is an eigenvector of the generatorA, associated with a purcly imaginary eigenvalue. Because of Lin's example [L], the hypothesis onx∈X is the best possible. If the hypothesisJ ⁻¹(Jx)={x} is not verified, we can prove that ifJx is a singleton and ifJ ⁻¹(Jx) is weakly compact, then if |<T _t x, f>|→1, whent→+∞ for somef∈X ^*, ‖f‖≤1, there existsy∈J ⁻¹(Jx) such thaty is an eigenvector of the generatorA, associated with a purely imaginary eigenvalue. We give also a counter-example in the case whereX is one of the spaces ℓ₁ orL ₁.     

On hilbertian subsets of finite metric spaces

The following result is proved: For everyε>0 there is aC(ε)>0 such that every finite metric space (X, d) contains a subsetY such that |Y|≧C(ε)log|X| and (Y, d _Y) embeds (1 +ε)-isomorphically into the Hilbert spacel ₂. The authors are grateful to Haim Wolfson for some discussions related to the content of this paper.