The independence number condition for the existence of a spanning f‐tree

Let G be a graph and f be a mapping from V(G) to the positive integers. A subgraph T of G is called an f‐tree if T forms a tree and d_T(x)≤f(x) for any x∈V(T). We propose a conjecture on the existence of a spanning f‐tree, and give a partial solution to it. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Graph Theory 65: 173–184, 2010     

On the Rates of Approximation of Bernstein Type Operators

Asymptotic behavior of two Bernstein-type operators is studied in this paper. In the first case, the rate of convergence of a Bernstein operator for a bounded function f is studied at points x where f(x+) and f(x−) exist. In the second case, the rate of convergence of a Szász operator for a function f whose derivative is of bounded variation is studied at points x where f(x+) and f(x−) exist. Estimates of the rate of convergence are obtained for both cases and the estimates are the best possible for continuous points.     

Existence of Solutions to a Singular Initial Value Problem

Under the sign assumptions we investigate the global existence of solutions of the initial value problem x＇ =f（t, x, x＇）, x（0） = A, where the scalar function f（t, x,p） may be singular at x = A.     

Legendre polynomial kernel estimation of a density function with censored observations and an application to clinical trials

Let f(x), x ∈ ?^M, M ≥ 1, be a density function on ?^M, and X₁, …., X_n a sample of independent random vectors with this common density. For a rectangle B in ?^M, suppose that the X's are censored outside B, that is, the value X_k is observed only if X_k ∈ B. The restriction of f(x) to x ∈ B is clearly estimable by established methods on the basis of the censored observations. The purpose of this paper is to show how to extrapolate a particular estimator, based on the censored sample, from the rectangle B to a specified rectangle C containing B. The results are stated explicitly for M = 1, 2, and are directly extendible to M ≥ 3. For M = 2, the extrapolation from the rectangle B to the rectangle C is extended to the case where B and C are triangles. This is done by means of an elementary mapping of the positive quarter‐plane onto the strip {(u, v): 0 ≤ u ≤ 1, v > 0}. This particular extrapolation is applied to the estimation of the survival distribution based on censored observations in clinical trials. It represents a generalization of a method proposed in 2001 by the author [2]. The extrapolator has the following form: For m ≥ 1 and n ≥ 1, let K_{m, n}(x) be the classical kernel estimator of f(x), x ∈ B, based on the orthonormal Legendre polynomial kernel of degree m and a sample of n observed vectors censored outside B. The main result, stated in the cases M = 1, 2, is an explicit bound for E|K_{m, n}(x) ? f(x)| for x ∈ C, which represents the expected absolute error of extrapolation to C. It is shown that the extrapolator is a consistent estimator of f(x), x ∈ C, if f is sufficiently smooth and if m and n both tend to ∞ in a way that n increases sufficiently rapidly relative to m. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Recent hypertopologies and continuity of the value function and of the constrained level sets

Given a continuous function f: X→R, sufficient conditions are offered for the continuity of the value function v(A):=inf{f{x): x ε A} and of the level set multifunction Lev(A, α) := {x ε A: f(x)?α}, with respect to recently defined topologies on the closed sets of a metric space.     

Investigating derivatives by means of combinatorial analysis of the components of the function

Given a composite function of the form h(x) = f(g(x)), difficulties are often encountered in calculating the value of the nth derivative at some point x = x₀ when one attempts to determine whether its nth derivative becomes zero at this point, or attempts to find the sign of the nth derivative by differentiating it n times and substituting x₀.

This present paper offers an alternative method that allows the investigation of the nth derivative of function h(x) based on the investigation of functions f?(x) and g(x) only.

Several examples are given, which implement the conclusions on the properties of the relation.     

A descent method for submodular function minimization

We show a descent method for submodular function minimization based on an oracle for membership in base polyhedra. We assume that for any submodular function f: ?→R on a distributive lattice ?⊆2 ^V with ?,V∈? and f(?)=0 and for any vector x∈R ^V where V is a finite nonempty set, the membership oracle answers whether x belongs to the base polyhedron associated with f and that if the answer is NO, it also gives us a set Z∈? such that x(Z)>f(Z). Given a submodular function f, by invoking the membership oracle O(|V|²) times, the descent method finds a sequence of subsets Z ₁,Z ₂,···,Z _k of V such that f(Z ₁)>f(Z ₂)>···>f(Z _k )=min{f(Y) | Y∈?}, where k is O(|V|²). The method furnishes an alternative framework for submodular function minimization if combined with possible efficient membership algorithms. Received: September 9, 2001 / Accepted: October 15, 2001?Published online December 6, 2001     

A comparative study of functional equations characterising sine and cosine

A comparative study of the functional equationsf(x+y)f(x–y)=f ²(x)–f ²(y),f(y){f(x+y)+f(x–y)}=f(x)f(2y) andf(x+y)+f(x–y)=2f(x){1–2f ²(y/2)} which characterise the sine function has been carried out. The zeros of the functionf satisfying any one of the above equations play a vital role in the investigations. The relation of the equationf(x+y)+f(x–y)=2f(x){1–2f ²(y/2)} with D'Alembert's equation,f(x+y)+f(x–y)=2f(x)f(y) and the sine-cosine equationg(x–y)=g(x)g(y) +f(x)f(y) has also been investigated.     

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.     

On a difference equation arising in a learning-theory model

An analysis is presented of the equationf(x+a)−f(x)=e ^−x {f(x)−f(x−b)}. Herea andb denote arbitrary positive constants, and a solution is sought which satisfies the following conditions:f(−∞)=0,f(+∞)=1, 0≦f(x)≦1. Existence and uniqueness of solution are established, and then an analytical form of the solution is obtained by use of bilateral Laplace transform. Research supported by the National Science Foundation, Grant GP-2558.     

On theL 1 exact penalty function with locally lipschitz functions

In this paper, we discuss the following inequality constrained optimization problem (P) minf(x) subject tog(x)0,g(x)=(g ₁(x), ...,g _r (x)) , wheref(x),g _j (x)(j=1, ...,r) are locally Lipschitz functions. TheL ₁ exact penalty function of the problem (P) is (PC) minf(x)+cp(x) subject tox R ⁿ , wherep(x)=max {0,g ₁(x), ...,g _r (x)},c>0. We will discuss the relationships between (P) and (PC). In particular, we will prove that under some (mild) conditions a local minimum of (PC) is also a local minimum of (P).     

Crooked binomials

A function f : GF(2 ^r ) → GF(2 ^r ) is called crooked if the sets {f(x) + f(x + a)|x ∈ GF(2 ^r )} is an affine hyperplane for any nonzero a ∈ GF(2 ^r ). We prove that a crooked binomial function f(x) = x ^d + ux ^e defined on GF(2 ^r ) satisfies that both exponents d, e have 2-weights at most 2.      

The period function of a delay differential equation and an application

We consider the delay differential equation [(x)\dot](t) = - mx(t) + f(x(t - t))\dot x(t) = - \mu x(t) + f(x(t - \tau )), where μ, τ are positive parameters and f is a strictly monotone, nonlinear C ¹-function satisfying f(0) = 0 and some convexity properties. It is well known that for prescribed oscillation frequencies (characterized by the values of a discrete Lyapunov functional) there exists τ* > 0 such that for every τ > τ* there is a unique periodic solution. The period function is the minimal period of the unique periodic solution as a function of τ > τ*. First we show that it is a monotone nondecreasing Lipschitz continuous function of τ with Lipschitz constant 2. As an application of our theorem we give a new proof of some recent results of Yi, Chen and Wu [14] about uniqueness and existence of periodic solutions of a system of delay differential equations.     

树映射的链回归点与拓扑熵

Let f be a tree map,P(f) the set of periodic points of f and CR(f) the set of chain recurrent points of f. In this paper,the notion of division for invariant closed subsets of a tree map is introduced. It is proved that: (1) fhas zero topological entropy if and only if for any x∈CR(f)-P(f) and each natural number s the orbit of x under f^5 has a division; (2) If f has zero topological entropy,then for any xECR(f)--P(f) the w-limit set of x is an infinite minimal set.     

An Application of a Mountain Pass Theorem

We are concerned with the following Dirichlet problem: −Δu(x) = f(x, u), x∈Ω, u∈H ¹ ₀(Ω), (P) where f(x, t) ∈C (×ℝ), f(x, t)/t is nondecreasing in t∈ℝ and tends to an L ^∞-function q(x) uniformly in x∈Ω as t→ + ∞ (i.e., f(x, t) is asymptotically linear in t at infinity). In this case, an Ambrosetti-Rabinowitz-type condition, that is, for some θ > 2, M > 0, 0 > θF(x, s) ≤f(x, s)s, for all |s|≥M and x∈Ω, (AR) is no longer true, where F(x, s) = ∫ ^s ₀ f(x, t)dt. As is well known, (AR) is an important technical condition in applying Mountain Pass Theorem. In this paper, without assuming (AR) we prove, by using a variant version of Mountain Pass Theorem, that problem (P) has a positive solution under suitable conditions on f(x, t) and q(x). Our methods also work for the case where f(x, t) is superlinear in t at infinity, i.e., q(x) ≡ +∞. Received June 24, 1998, Accepted January 14, 2000.     

On trigonometric series and primitive functions

It is proved that any measurable, finite function f(x) has a smooth primitive F(x), i.e. there is a function F(x) such that F′(x) = f(x) almost everywhere, and particularly ω(δ; F) = o(δ ln δ). This is an improvement of N. N. Luzin’s theorem which states just the continuity of the primitive F(x).     

Penalty function methods for constrained stochastic approximation

This paper is concerned with sequential Monte Carlo methods for optimizing a system under constraints. We wish to minimize f(x), where qⁱ(x) ? 0 (i = 1, …, m) must hold. We can calculate the qⁱ(x), but f(x) can only be observed in the presence of noise. A general approach, based on an adaptation of a version of stochastic approximation to the penalty function method, is discussed and a convergence theorem is proved.     

On the almost monotone convergence of sequences of continuous functions

A sequence (f _n ) _n of functions f _n : X → ℝ almost decreases (increases) to a function f: X → ℝ if it pointwise converges to f and for each point x ∈ X there is a positive integer n(x) such that f _n+1(x) ≤ f _n (x) (f _n+1(x) ≥ f _n (x)) for n ≥ n(x). In this article I investigate this convergence in some families of continuous functions.     

Another logarithmic functional equation

Summary. Let f : ]0,￥[? \Bbb R f :\,]0,\infty[\to \Bbb R be a real valued function on the set of positive reals. The functional equations¶¶f(x + y) - f(x) - f(y) = f(x^-1 + y^-1) f(x + y) - f(x) - f(y) = f(x^{-1} + y^{-1}) ¶and¶f(xy) = f(x) + f(y) f(xy) = f(x) + f(y) ¶are equivalent to each other.     

Decomposer and associative functional equations

In the previous researches [2,3] b-integer and b-decimal parts of real numbers were introduced and studied by M.H. Hooshmand. The b-parts real functions have many interesting number theoretic explanations, analytic and algebraic properties, and satisfy the functional equation f (f(x) + y - f(y)) = f(x). These functions have led him to a more general topic in semigroups and groups (even in an arbitrary set with a binary operation [4] and the following functional equations have been introduced: Associative equations:

f(xf(yz))=f(f(xy)z),f(xf(yz))=f(f(xy)z)=f(xyz)