On the determination of the potential function from given orbits

The paper deals with the problem of finding the field of force that generates a given (N ? 1)-parametric family of orbits for a mechanical system with N degrees of freedom. This problem is usually referred to as the inverse problem of dynamics. We study this problem in relation to the problems of celestial mechanics. We state and solve a generalization of the Dainelli and Joukovski problem and propose a new approach to solve the inverse Suslov’s problem. We apply the obtained results to generalize the theorem enunciated by Joukovski in 1890, solve the inverse Stäckel problem and solve the problem of constructing the potential-energy function U that is capable of generating a bi-parametric family of orbits for a particle in space. We determine the equations for the sought-for function U and show that on the basis of these equations we can define a system of two linear partial differential equations with respect to U which contains as a particular case the Szebehely equation. We solve completely a special case of the inverse dynamics problem of constructing U that generates a given family of conics known as Bertrand’s problem. At the end we establish the relation between Bertrand’s problem and the solutions to the Heun differential equation. We illustrate our results by several examples.     

On merit functions for <Emphasis Type="Italic">p</Emphasis>-order cone complementarity problem

Merit function approach is a popular method to deal with complementarity problems, in which the complementarity problem is recast as an unconstrained minimization via merit function or complementarity function. In this paper, for the complementarity problem associated with p-order cone, which is a type of nonsymmetric cone complementarity problem, we show the readers how to construct merit functions for solving p-order cone complementarity problem. In addition, we study the conditions under which the level sets of the corresponding merit functions are bounded, and we also assert that these merit functions provide an error bound for the p-order cone complementarity problem. These results build up a theoretical basis for the merit method for solving p-order cone complementarity problem.     

Graph clustering with a constraint on cluster sizes

A graph clustering problem is under study (also known as the graph approximation problem) with a constraint on cluster sizes. Some new approximation algorithm is presented for this problem, and performance guarantee of the algorithm is obtained. It is shown that the problem belongs to the class APX for every fixed p, where p is the upper bound on the cluster sizes.     

A Lagrangian search method for the <Emphasis Type="Italic">P</Emphasis>-median problem

In this paper, we propose a novel algorithm for solving the classical P-median problem. The essential aim is to identify the optimal extended Lagrangian multipliers corresponding to the optimal solution of the underlying problem. For this, we first explore the structure of the data matrix in P-median problem to recast it as another equivalent global optimization problem over the space of the extended Lagrangian multipliers. Then we present a stochastic search algorithm to find the extended Lagrangian multipliers corresponding to the optimal solution of the original P-median problem. Numerical experiments illustrate that the proposed algorithm can effectively find a global optimal or very good suboptimal solution to the underlying P-median problem, especially for the computationally challenging subclass of P-median problems with a large gap between the optimal solution of the original problem and that of its Lagrangian relaxation.     

An exact and heuristic approach for the <Emphasis Type="Italic">d</Emphasis>-minimum branch vertices problem

Given a connected graph \(G=(V,E)\), the d-Minimum Branch Vertices (d-MBV) problem consists in finding a spanning tree of G with the minimum number of vertices with degree strictly greater than d. We developed a Miller–Tucker–Zemlin based formulation with valid inequalities for this problem. The results obtained for different values of d show the effectiveness of the proposed method, which has solved several instances faster than previous methods. Also, an heuristic is proposed for this problem, that was tested on several instances of the Minimum Branch Vertices problem, which is the d-MBV problem, when \(d = 2\).     

The Gellerstedt problem for a parabolic-hyperbolic equation of the second kind

In this paper we consider the Gellerstedt problem for a parabolic-hyperbolic equation of the second kind. We prove the unique solvability of this problem by means of a new representation for a solution to the modified Cauchy problem in a generalized class R.     

On ray shooting in convex polytopes

LetP be a convex polytope withn facets in the Euclidean space of a (small) fixed dimensiond. We consider themembership problem forP (given a query point, decide whether it lies inP) and theray shooting problem inP (given a query ray originating insideP, determine the first facet ofP hit by it). It was shown in [AM2] that a data structure for the membership problem satisfying certain mild assumptions can also be used for the ray shooting problem, with a logarithmic overhead in query time. Here we show that some specific data structures for the membership problem can be used for ray shooting in a more direct way, reducing the overhead in the query time and eliminating the use of parametric search. We also describe an improved static solution for the membership problem, approaching the conjectured lower bounds more tightly.     

Hadamard well-posedness for a set-valued optimization problem

In this paper, we introduce a kind of Hadamard well-posedness for a set-valued optimization problem. By virtue of a scalarization function, we obtain some relationships between weak ${(\varepsilon, e)}$ -minimizers of the set-valued optimization problem and ${\varepsilon}$ -approximate solutions of a scalar optimization problem. Then, we establish a scalarization theorem of P.K. convergence for sequences of set-valued mappings. Based on these results, we also derive a sufficient condition of Hadamard well-posedness for the set-valued optimization problem.     

The pos/neg-weighted 2-medians in balanced trees with subtree-shaped customers

This paper deals with the pos/neg-weighted p-median problem on tree graphs where all customers are modeled as subtrees. We present a polynomial algorithm for the 2-median problem on an arbitrary tree. Then we improve the time complexity to O(n log n) for the problem on a balanced tree, where n is the number of the vertices in the tree.     

Problems with resource allocation constraints and optimization over the efficient set

The paper studies a nonlinear optimization problem under resource allocation constraints. Using quasi-gradient duality it is shown that the feasible set of the problem is a singleton (in the case of a single resource) or the set of Pareto efficient solutions of an associated vector maximization problem (in the case of $k>1$ resources). As a result, a nonlinear optimization problem under resource allocation constraints reduces to an optimization over the efficient set. The latter problem can further be converted into a quasiconvex maximization over a compact convex subset of $\mathbb{R }^k_+.$ Alternatively, it can be approached as a bilevel program and converted into a monotonic optimization problem in $\mathbb{R }^k_+.$ In either approach the converted problem falls into a common class of global optimization problems for which several practical solution methods exist when the number $k$ of resources is relatively small, as it often occurs.     

On the construction of ε-optimal strategies in partially observed MDPs

The purpose of the paper is to give a survey of methods, partly derived by the author in joint work with other researchers, concerning the problem of constructingε-optimal strategies for partially observable MDPs. The methods basically consist in transforming the problem into one of approximation: Starting from the original problem a sequence of approximating problems is constructed such that:

1. For each approximating problem an optimal strategy can actually be computed.
2. Givenε>0, there exists an approximating problem such that the optimal strategy for the latter isε-optimal for the original problem.

     

A new global optimization method for a symmetric Lipschitz continuous function and the application to searching for a globally optimal partition of a one-dimensional set

In this paper, we consider a global optimization problem for a symmetric Lipschitz continuous function \(g:[a,b]^k\rightarrow {\mathbb {R}}\), whose domain \([a,b]^k\subset {\mathbb {R}}^k\) consists of k! hypertetrahedrons of the same size and shape, in which function g attains equal values. A global minimum can therefore be searched for in one hypertetrahedron only, but then this becomes a global optimization problem with linear constraints. Apart from that, some known global optimization algorithms in standard form cannot be applied to solving the problem. In this paper, it is shown how this global optimization problem with linear constraints can easily be transformed into a global optimization problem on hypercube \([0,1]^k\), for the solving of which an applied DIRECT algorithm in standard form is possible. This approach has a somewhat lower efficiency than known global optimization methods for symmetric Lipschitz continuous functions (such as SymDIRECT or DISIMPL), but, on the other hand, this method allows for the use of publicly available and well developed computer codes for solving a global optimization problem on hypercube \([0,1]^k\) (e.g. the DIRECT algorithm). The method is illustrated and tested on standard symmetric functions and very demanding center-based clustering problems for the data that have only one feature. An application to the image segmentation problem is also shown.     

On retracts,absolute retracts,and foldings in cographs

A retract of a graph G is an induced subgraph H of G such that there exists a homomorphism \(\rho :G \rightarrow H\). When both G and H are cographs, we show that the problem to determine whether H is a retract of G is NP-complete; moreover, we show that this problem on cographs is fixed-parameter tractable when parameterized by the size of H. When restricted to the class of threshold graphs or to the class of trivially perfect graphs, the retract problem becomes tractable in polynomial time. The retract problem is also solvable in linear time when one cograph is given as an induced subgraph of the other. We characterize absolute retracts for the class of cographs. Foldings generalize retractions. We show that the problem to fold a trivially perfect graph onto a largest possible clique is NP-complete.     

Mixed problem for the wave equation with integrable potential in the case of two-point boundary conditions of distinct orders

We study a mixed problem for the wave equation with integrable potential and with two-point boundary conditions of distinct orders for the case in which the corresponding spectral problem may have multiple spectrum. Based on the resolvent approach in the Fourier method and the Krylov convergence acceleration trick for Fourier series, we obtain a classical solution u(x, t) of this problem under minimal constraints on the initial condition u(x, 0) = ?(x). We use the Carleson–Hunt theorem to prove the convergence almost everywhere of the formal solution series in the limit case of ?(x) ∈ L _p[0, 1], p > 1, and show that the formal solution is a generalized solution of the problem.     

On the minimum-cost $$\lambda $$-edge-connected k-subgraph problem

In this paper, we propose several integer programming (IP) formulations to exactly solve the minimum-cost \(\lambda \)-edge-connected k-subgraph problem, or the \((k,\lambda )\)-subgraph problem, based on its graph properties. Special cases of this problem include the well-known k-minimum spanning tree problem (if \(\lambda =1\)), \(\lambda \)-edge-connected spanning subgraph problem (if \(k=|V|\)) and k-clique problem (if \(\lambda = k-1\) and there are exact k vertices in the subgraph). As a generalization of k-minimum spanning tree and a case of the \((k,\lambda )\)-subgraph problem, the (k, 2)-subgraph problem is studied, and some special graph properties are proved to find stronger and more compact IP formulations. Additionally, we study the valid inequalities for these IP formulations. Numerical experiments are performed to compare proposed IP formulations and inequalities.     

The connected <Emphasis Type="Italic">p</Emphasis>-median problem on block graphs

In this paper, we study a variant of the p-median problem on block graphs G in which the p-median is asked to be connected, and this problem is called the connected p-median problem. We first show that the connected p-median problem is NP-hard on block graphs with multiple edge weights. Then, we propose an O(n)-time algorithm for solving the problem on unit-edge-weighted block graphs, where n is the number of vertices in G.     

Solvability of the problem of taking the discrete logarithm

It is proved that consideration of the solvability problem for taking the discrete logarithm in a residue ring modulo composite M can be reduced to consideration of a similar problem in residue rings modulo pq, where p and q are prime divisors of M. For moduli of form pq, necessary and sufficient conditions for solvability checking are obtained in some cases. In addition, the problem of raising a solution of an exponential comparison in a residue ring modulo p ^α is solved.     

Constrained and unconstrained rearrangement minimization problems related to the <Emphasis Type="Italic">p</Emphasis>-Laplace operator

In this paper we consider an unconstrained and a constrained minimization problem related to the boundary value problem

$$ - {\Delta _p}u = f{\text{ in }}D,{\text{ }}u = 0{\text{ on }}\partial D$$

. In the unconstrained problem we minimize an energy functional relative to a rearrangement class, and prove existence of a unique solution. We also consider the case when D is a planar disk and show that the minimizer is radial and increasing. In the constrained problem we minimize the energy functional relative to the intersection of a rearrangement class with an affine subspace of codimension one in an appropriate function space. We briefly discuss our motivation for studying the constrained minimization problem.

     

On the complexity of the dominating induced matching problem in hereditary classes of graphs

The dominating induced matching problem, also known as efficient edge domination, is the problem of determining whether a graph has an induced matching that dominates every edge of the graph. This problem is known to be NP-complete. We study the computational complexity of the problem in special graph classes. In the present paper, we identify a critical class for this problem (i.e., a class lying on a “boundary” separating difficult instances of the problem from polynomially solvable ones) and derive a number of polynomial-time results. In particular, we develop polynomial-time algorithms to solve the problem for claw-free graphs and convex graphs.     

Boundary value problem with normal derivatives for a higher-order elliptic equation on the plane

For an elliptic operator of order 2l with constant (and only leading) real coefficients, we consider a boundary value problem in which the normal derivatives of order (k _j ?1), j = 1,..., l, where 1 ≤ k ₁ < ··· < k _l, are specified. It becomes the Dirichlet problem for kj = j and the Neumann problem for k _j = j + 1. We obtain a sufficient condition for the Fredholm property of which problem and derive an index formula.