On strongly asymptotic lp spaces and minimality

Let 1 p and let X be a Banach space with a semi-normalizedstrongly asymptotic _p basis (e_i). If X is minimal and 1 p <2, then X is isomorphic to a subspace of _p. If X is minimaland 2 p < , or if X is complementably minimal and 1 p , then (e_i) is equivalent to the unit vector basis of _p (orc₀ if p = ).     

Betti Numbers of Semialgebraic and Sub-Pfaffian Sets

Let X be a subset in [–1,1]^n₀R^n₀ defined by the formula X={x₀|Q₁x₁Q₂x₂...Qx ((x₀,x₁,...x)X)}, where Q_i{ }, Q_i Q_i+1, x_i [–1, 1]^n_i, and X may be eitheran open or a closed set in [–1,1]^n₀+...+n, being the differencebetween a finite CW-complex and its subcomplex. An upper boundon each Betti number of X is expressed via a sum of Betti numbersof some sets defined by quantifier-free formulae involving X. In important particular cases of semialgebraic and semi-Pfaffiansets defined by quantifier-free formulae with polynomials andPfaffian functions respectively, upper bounds on Betti numbersof X are well known. The results allow to extend the boundsto sets defined with quantifiers, in particular to sub-Pfaffiansets.     

Immanant Inequalities, Induced Characters, and Rank Two Partitions

If = {₁, ₂, ..., _s}, where _{1 2} ... _s > 0, is a partitionof n then denotes the associated irreducible character of S_n,the symmetric group on {1, 2, ..., n}, and, if cCS_n, the groupalgebra generated by C and S_n, then d_c(·) denotes thegeneralized matrix function associated with c. If c₁, c₂ CS_nthen we write c₁ c₂ in case (A) (A) for each n x n positivesemi-definite Hermitian matrix A. If cCS_n and c(e) 0, wheree denotes the identity in S_n, then or denotes (c(e))^–1 c. The main result, an estimate for the norms of tensors of a certainanti-symmetry type, implies that if = {₁, ₂, ..., _s, 1^t} isa partition of n such that s > 1 and _s = 2, and ' denotes{₁, ₂, ..., _s-1, 1^t} then (, _{2}) where denotes characterinduction from S_n–2 x S₂ to S_n. This in turn implies thatif = {₁, ₂, ..., _s, 1^t} with s > 1, _s = 2, and ßdenotes {₁ + 2, ₂, ..., _s-1, 1^t} then _ß which,in conjunction with other known results, provides many new inequalitiesamong immanants. In particular it implies that the permanentfunction dominates all normalized immanants whose associatedpartitions are of rank 2, a result which has proved elusivefor some years. We also consider the non-relationship problem for immanants– that is the problem of identifying pairs, (,ß)such that _ß and _ß are both false.     

A Torsion-Free Milnor-Moore Theorem

Let X be the space of Moore loops on a finite, q-connected,n-dimensional CW complex X, and let R Q be a subring containing1/2. Let (R) be the least non-invertible prime in R. For a gradedR-module M of finite type, let FM = M/Torsion M. We show thatthe inclusion P FH_*(X;R) of the sub-Lie algebra of primitiveelements induces an isomorphism of Hopf algebras provided that (R) n/q. Furthermore, the Hurewiczhomomorphism induces an embedding of F(_*(X) R) in P, with P/F(_*(X)R)torsion. As a corollary, if X is elliptic, then FH_*(X;R) isa finitely generated R-algebra.     

Regularity Conditions and Bernoulli Properties of Equilibrium States and g-Measures

When T : X X is a one-sided topologically mixing subshift offinite type and : X R is a continuous function, one can definethe Ruelle operator L : C(X) C(X) on the space C(X) of real-valuedcontinuous functions on X. The dual operator always has a probability measure as an eigenvectorcorresponding to a positive eigenvalue ( = with > 0). Necessary and sufficient conditionson such an eigenmeasure are obtained for to belong to twoimportant spaces of functions, W(X, T) and Bow (X, T). For example, Bow(X, T) if and only if is a measure with a certain approximateproduct structure. This is used to apply results of Bradleyto show that the natural extension of the unique equilibriumstate µ of Bow(X, T) has the weak Bernoulli propertyand hence is measure-theoretically isomorphic to a Bernoullishift. It is also shown that the unique equilibrium state ofa two-sided Bowen function has the weak Bernoulli property.The characterizations mentioned above are used in the case ofg-measures to obtain results on the ‘reverse’ ofa g-measure.     

Direct Sums of Operator Spaces

It is proved that if X and Y are operator spaces such that everycompletely bounded operator from X into Y is completely compactand Z is a completely complemented subspace of X Y, then thereexists a completely bounded automorphism : X Y X Y with completelybounded inverse such that Z = X₀ Y₀, where X₀ and Y₀ are completelycomplemented subspaces of X and Y, respectively. If X and Yare homogeneous, the existence is proved of such a under aweaker assumption that any operator from X to Y is strictlysingular. An upper estimate is obtained for ||||_cb||^–1||_cbif X and Y are separable homogeneous Hilbertian operator spaces.Also proved is the uniqueness of a ‘completely unconditional’basis in X Y if X and Y satisfy certain conditions.     

Normal Elements of C*-Algebras of Real Rank Zero without Finite-Spectrum Approximants

We investigate inductive limits of Toeplitz-type C*-algebras.One example, which has real-rank zero, is the middle term ofan exact sequence where is a Bunce-Deddens algebra and I is AF. Using Berg's technique,we produce a normal element N that is not the limit of finite-spectrumnormals. Moreover, this is an example of a normal element inan inductive limit that is not the limit of normal elementsof the approximating subalgebras. A second example is an embedding of C() ( the closed disk) into , where is a simple AF algebra and is the Toeplitz algebra.Let _n, for n 2, be the CW complex obtained as the quotientof by an n-fold identification of the boundary. (So ₂ = RP².)Regarding C(_n) as a subalgebra of C(), we find nontrivial embeddingsof C(_n) into type I inductive limits. From this, we producea *-homomorphism, for n odd, C₀(_n\{pt}) _{n + 1}, that inducesan isomorphism on K-theory. More generally, for X a connectedCW complex minus a point, and for n odd, we show that the map is a split surjection.     

The Isolated Points of G{rho} and the w*-Strongly Exposed Points of P{rho}(G)0

Let G be a separable locally compact group and let be its dualspace with Fell's topology. It is well known that the set P(G)of continuous positive-definite functions on G can be identifiedwith the set of positive linear functionals on the group C^*-algebraC^*(G). We show that if is discrete in , then there exists anonzero positive-definite function associated with such that is a w^*-strongly exposed point of P(G)₀, where P(G)₀={f P(G):f(e)1. Conversely, if some nonzero positive-definite function associatedwith is a w^*-strongly exposed point of P(G)₀, then is isolatedin . Consequently, G is compact if and only if, for every ,there exists a nonzero positive-definite function associatedwith that is a w^*-strongly exposed point of P(G)₀. If, in addition,G is unimodular and , then is isolated in if and only if somenonzero positive-definite function associated with is a w^*-stronglyexposed point of P(G)₀, where is the left regular representationof G and is the reduced dual space of G. We prove that if B(G)has the Radon–Nikodym property, then the set of isolatedpoints of (so square-integrable if G is unimodular) is densein . It is also proved that if G is a separable SIN-group, thenG is amenable if and only if there exists a closed point in. In particular, for a countable discrete non-amenable groupG (for example the free group F₂ on two generators), there isno closed point in its reduced dual space .     

Quadratic Integrals and Factorization of Linear Operators

We consider operators on the matrix-valued disc algebra. Weshow that any bounded linear operator to a Banach space X of cotype 2 induces a boundedoperator GX defined on some weighted Bergman space G on theunit disc. We give sufficient conditions on the weight forthe formal inclusion to be 2–C*-summing. Decompositions of T with respect to operator-valuedmeasures are obtained.     

Herman Rings and Arnold Disks

For (,a) C* x C, let f_,a be the rational map defined by f_,a(z)= z² (az+1)/(z+a). If R/Z is a Brjuno number, we let D bethe set of parameters (,a) such that f_,a has a fixed Hermanring with rotation number (we consider that (e²ⁱ,0) D). Resultsobtained by McMullen and Sullivan imply that, for any g D, theconnected component of D(C* x (C/{0,1})) that contains g isisomorphic to a punctured disk. We show that there is a holomorphic injection F:DD such thatF(0) = (e²ⁱ ,0) and , where r is the conformal radius at 0 of the Siegel disk of the quadraticpolynomial z e²ⁱ z(1+z). As a consequence, we show that for a (0,1/3), if f_l,a has afixed Herman ring with rotation number and if m_a is the modulusof the Herman ring, then, as a0, we have e m_a=(r/a) + O(a). We finally explain how to adapt the results to the complex standardfamily z e^(a/2)(z-1/z).     

Extremal Subgroups in Chevalley Groups

Throughout this paper G(k) denotes a Chevalley group of rankn defined over the field k, where n3. Let be the root systemassociated with G(k) and let ={₁, ₂, ..., _n} be a set of fundamentalroots of , with ⁺ being the set of positive roots of with respectto . For and ⁺, let n() be the coefficient of in the expressionof as a sum of fundamental roots; so =n(). Also we recall thatht(), the height of , is given by ht()=n(). The highest rootin ⁺ will be denoted by . We additionally assume that the Dynkindiagram of G(k) is connected.     

Decomposability of Reflexive Cycle Algebras

We give, for each n 3, an example of a reflexive operator algebra_n with the following properties: (i) each finite rank operatorwith rank less than n – 1 is the sum of rank-one operatorsin _n, and (ii) there is an operator of rank n – 1 in _nwhich is not the sum of rank-one operators in _n. The invariantsubspace lattice of _n is finite and distributive with 2n join-irreducibleelements. We show also that the indecomposability of _n is relatedto the existence of a chordless cycle in a bipartite graph associatedwith _n.     

Some Remarks on the Cone of Completely Positive Maps between Von Neumann Algebras

The close relationship between the notions of positive formsand representations for a C*-algebra A is one of the most basicfacts in the subject. In particular the weak containment ofrepresentations is well understood in terms of positive forms:given a representation of A in a Hilbert space H and a positiveform on A, its associated representation is weakly containedin (that is, ker ker ) if and only if belongs to the weak*closure of the cone of all finite sums of coefficients of .Among the results on the subject, let us recall the followingones. Suppose that A is concretely represented in H. Then everypositive form on A is the weak* limit of forms of the typex ^k_{i=1 i}, x_i with the _i in H; moreover if A is a von Neumannsubalgebra of (H) and is normal, there exists a sequence (_i)_{i 1} in H such that (x) = _{i 1 i}, x_i for all x.     

Higher Generation Subgroup Sets and the Virtual Cohomological Dimension of Graph Products of Finite Groups

We introduce panels of stabilizer schemes (K, G_*) associatedwith finite intersection-closed subgroup sets of a given groupG, generalizing in some sense Davis' notion of a panel structureon a triangulated manifold for Coxeter groups. Given (K, G_*),we construct a G-complex X with K as a strong fundamental domainand simplex stabilizers conjugate to subgroups in . It turnsout that higher generation properties of in the sense of Abels-Holzare reflected in connectivity properties of X. Given a finite simplicial graph and a non-trivial group G()for every vertex of , the graph product G() is the quotientof the free product of all vertex groups modulo the normal closureof all commutators [G(), G(w)] for which the vertices , w areadjacent. Our main result allows the computation of the virtualcohomological dimension of a graph product with finite vertexgroups in terms of connectivity properties of the underlyinggraph .     

Contractions et Hyperdistributions a Spectre de Carleson

Let =(_n)_n1 be a log concave sequence such that lim inf_n+n/n^c>0for some c>0 and ((log _n)/n)_n1 is nonincreasing for some<1/2. We show that, if T is a contraction on the Hilbertspace with spectrum a Carleson set, and if ||T^–n||=O(_n)as n tends to + with _n11/(n log _n)=+, then T is unitary. Onthe other hand, if _n11/(n log _n)<+, then there exists a (non-unitary)contraction T on the Hilbert space such that the spectrum ofT is a Carleson set, ||T^–n||=O(_n) as n tends to +, andlim sup_n+||T^–n||=+.     

Identity Theorems for Functions of Bounded Characteristic

Suppose that f(z) is a meromorphic function of bounded characteristicin the unit disk :|z|<1. Then we shall say that f(z)N. Itfollows (for example from [3, Lemma 6.7, p. 174 and the following])that where h₁(z), h₂(z) are holomorphic in and have positive realpart there, while ₁(z), ₂(z) are Blaschke products, that is, where p is a positive integer or zero, 0<|a_j|<1, c isa constant and (1–|a_j|)<. We note in particular that, if c0, so that f(z)0, (1.1) so that f(z)=0 only at the points a_j. Suppose now that z_j isa sequence of distinct points in such that |z_j|1 as j and (1–|z_j|)=. (1.2) If f(z_j)=0 for each j and fN, then f(z)0. N. Danikas [1] has shown that the same conclusion obtains iff(z_j)0 sufficiently rapidly as j. Let _j, _j be sequences of positivenumbers such that _j< and _j as j. Danikas then defines and proves Theorem A.     

On the rationality of moduli spaces of pointed curves

Motivated by several recent results on the geometry of the modulispaces of stable curves of genus g with n marked points, we determine the birational structureof these spaces for small values of g and n by exploiting suitableplane models of a general curve. More precisely, _g,n is shownto be rational for g = 2 and 1 n 12, g = 3 and 1 n 14, g= 4 and 1 n 15, and g = 5 and 1 n 12     

Sandwiching C0-Semigroups

Let T = {T(t)}_t0 be a C₀-semigroup on a Banach space X. Thefollowing results are proved. (i) If X is separable, there exist separable Hilbert spacesX₀ and X₁, continuous dense embeddings j₀:X₀ X and j₁:X X₁,and C₀-semigroups T₀ and T₁ on X₀ and X₁ respectively, suchthat j₀ T₀(t) = T(t) j₀ and T₁(t) j₁ = j₁ T(t) for all t 0. (ii) If T is -reflexive, there exist reflexive Banach spacesX₀ and X₁ , continuous dense embeddings j:D(A²) X₀, j₀:X₀ X, j₁:X X₁, and C₀-semigroups T₀ and T₁ on X₀ and X₁ respectively,such that T₀(t) j = j T(t), j₀ T₀(t) = T(t) j₀ and T(t) j₁ = j₁ T(t) for all t 0, and such that (A₀) = (A) = (A₁),where A_k is the generator of T_k, k = 0, Ø, 1.     

Periodic Solutions of Lienard Equations with Asymmetric Nonlinearities at Resonance

The existence of 2-periodic solutions of the second-order differentialequation where a, b satisfy and p(t)=p(t+2),t R, is examined. Assume that limits lim_x±F(x)=F(±)(F(x)=) and lim_x±g(x)=g(±)exist and are finite. It is proved that the equation has atleast one 2-periodic solution provided that the zeros of thefunction ₁ are simple and the zeros of the functions ₁, ₂ aredifferent and the signs of ₂ at the zeros of ₁ in [0,2/n) donot change or change more than two times, where ₁ and ₂ aredefined as follows: Moreover, it is also proved that the given equation has at leastone 2-periodic solution provided that the following conditionshold: with 1 p < q 2.     

Symmetrization and norm of the Hardy-Littlewood maximal operator on Lorentz and Marcinkiewicz spaces

We prove that when a function on the real line is symmetricallyrearranged, the distribution function of its uncentered Hardy–Littlewoodmaximal function increases pointwise, while it remains unchangedonly when the function is already symmetric. Equivalently, if is the maximal operator and the symmetrization, then f(x)f(x)for every x, and equality holds for all x if and only if, upto translations, f(x) = f(x) almost everywhere. Using theseresults, we then compute the exact norms of the maximal operatoracting on Lorentz and Marcinkiewicz spaces, and we determineextremal functions that realize these norms.