Filling in solvable groups and in lattices in semisimple groups

We prove that the filling order is quadratic for a large class of solvable groups and asymptotically quadratic for all -rank one lattices in semisimple groups of -rank at least 3. As a byproduct of auxiliary results we give a shorter proof of the theorem on the nondistorsion of horospheres providing also an estimate of a nondistorsion constant.     

Introducing technology in algebra in Hong Kong: addressing issues in learning

A review of recent studies in Hong Kong suggests that possible problems in secondary school algebra may be due to the procedural paradigm orientation in the curriculum and the conventional style of teaching in the classroom which do not provide sufficient opportunities for students to develop conceptual understanding. Based on the works of a number of projects in the West, it is hypothesized that the introduction of technology in lessons which embody a cognitive model in their design and delivery will provide a viable alternative for enhancing algebraic thinking. The key features of the cognitive model are concrete preparation, cognitive conflict, construction, metacognition and bridging, imbedded in a ‘mediation’ style of teaching. These features are exemplified by detailed accounts of classroom episodes from a Hong Kong lesson supported by the use of graphics calculators. Results indicate that while the approach places particular demands on teachers (a tension between a transmission style of teaching and mediating) there is real potential for supporting more dynamic student constructions.     

Nonlinear problems arising in electrostatic actuation in MEMS

In this paper we study the nonlinear problem arising in electrostatic actuation of MEMS. We show that the existence and non-existence of the solution of this problem depend on the value of the physical parameters of the equation. In addition we consider the corresponding initial value problem and we derived the existence of periodic solution, stability of steady states and the ω-limit set.     

抓好数学建模竞赛 推动数学教学改革

本文通过近几年组织数学建模教学和指导学生参加竞赛的实践 ,探索抓好数学建模竞赛 ,促进数学教学改革 ,推动数学素质教育 ,提高人才培养质量的途径、措施和方法     

An Outlook in Teaching and Research in Mathematics in Educational Institutions

The present paper outlines some basic principles upon which an outlook in teaching and research in mathematics in educational institutions can be developed. Defining applied mathematics, the author analyses the basic topics of mathematics which permeate throughout the wider fields and diversified aspects of this branch of mathematical science.

For the institutions of learning, a course curriculum has been proposed which will gradually motivate, orient and prepare individuals through the process of learning to understand the methods and techniques, so as to apply them to physical problems. This has been illustrated in the fields of fluid dynamics and aerodynamics through the analysis of complex function theory and differential equations.

Because of the frustrating situations prevailing amongst students and teachers in the institutions of learning in the present day, a critical analysis has been made to identify the respective roles of the academicians and administrators, and with a view to improving the situation, some remedy has been suggested regarding teaching and research in educational institutions.     

Incentive regulation and the change in productive efficiency in telecommunications in the United States

Incentive regulation has become an important regulatory tool in the telecommunications industry in the United States. The issue explored here is whether incentive regulation has resulted in an increase in productive efficiency. After providing an overview of the nature of incentive regulation, a methodology for measuring technical inefficiency and its change is introduced. This is a stochastic frontier production function approach reflecting technical inefficiency effects. The results of implementing this methodology suggest that in the production of interLATA billed access minutes for interstate calls, there was no change in technical efficiency, something that incentive regulation was specifically designed to enhance. Finally, an assessment of technical efficiency across individual LECs in the United States indicates considerable variability. Published in 2001 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Tests of ordered hypotheses in linkage in heredity

The asymptotic null distribution of the likelihood ratio test for two cases of ordered hypotheses in a particular genetic model is considered. A simple iterative process is proposed in order to get the restricted estimates. It is shown that both tests have asymptotically a chi-bar squared distribution and the same size. A simulation study is also conducted in order to compare the usual unrestricted test with the corresponding one of ordered hypotheses. Finally, the results are extended to some special cases.     

Equality in Distribution in a Convex Ordering Family

Let F and G be the respective distributions of nonnegative random variables X and Y satisfying the convex ordering. We investigate the class of functions h for which the equality E[h(X)] = E[h(Y)] guarantees F = G. It leads to extensions of some existing results and at the same time offers a somewhat simpler proof.     

Testing Homogeneity in Weibull Error in Variables Models

We discuss properties of the score statistics for testing the null hypothesis of homogeneity in a Weibull mixing model in which the group effect is modelled as a random variable and some of the covariates are measured with error. The statistics proposed are based on the corrected score approach and they require estimation only under the conventional Weibull model with measurement errors and does not require that the distribution of the random effect be specified. The results in this paper extend results in Gimenez, Bolfarine, and Colosimo (Annals of the Institute of Statistical Mathematics, 52, 698–711, 2000) for the case of independent Weibull models. A simulation study is provided. An erratum to this article can be found at     

Flows in networks with delay in the vertices

Our goal is to show asynchronous exponential growth (AEG) for a flow in a network with delay in the vertices. For this purpose we show first that its wellposedness can be characterized via an appropriate operator being the generator of a strongly continuous semigroup. We investigate the long term behavior of the system via the spectrum of this generator using techniques from operator matrices, Hille‐Yosida operators and positive semigroups. Finally, we apply our results to deduce that our problem has (AEG).     

Composites in offshore technology in the next century

The advisability of application of advanced composites in deep-water offshore technology is shown using risers and tendons as examples. Numerical estimations of the parameters of multilayered metal-composite risers are obtained. Two new processes of spatial braiding for creating the external jackets of compound tendons are considered. Advanced composites are the only possible choice for exploitation of deposits at depths greater than 1500 m. That is why they are the most promising structural materials for offshore technology in the next century. This report was presented at the Symposium “Composites for the Next Millennium” in honor of Stephen Tsai's 70th birthday, Tours, France, 2–3 July, 1999. Institute of Polymer Mechanics, University of Latvia, Riga, LV-1006 Latvia. Translated from Mekhanika Kompozitnykh Materialov, Vol. 35, No. 5, pp. 549–560, September–October, 1999.     

Electron in the Aharonov-Bohm potential and in the Coulomb field in 2+1 dimensions

We obtain exact solutions of the Dirac equation in 2+1 dimensions and the electron energy spectrum in the superposition of the Aharonov-Bohm and Coulomb potentials, which are used to study the Aharonov-Bohm effect for states with continuous and discrete energy spectra. We represent the total scattering amplitude as the sum of amplitudes of scattering by the Aharonov-Bohm and Coulomb potentials. We show that the gauge-invariant phase of the wave function or the energy of the electron bound state can be observed. We obtain a formula for the scattering cross section of spin-polarized electrons scattered by the Aharonov-Bohm potential. We discuss the problem of the appearance of a bound state if the interaction between the electron spin and the magnetic field is taken into account in the form of the two-dimensional Dirac delta function. __________ Translated from Teoreticheskaya i Matematicheskaya Fizika, Vol. 149, No. 3, pp. 502–517, December, 2006. An erratum to this article is available at .     

Tension variations in pliable material in production machinery

A mathematical model of a high-speed material handling machine has been developed so that the variation of tension in the material can be predicted. The machine components can include free rollers, driven rollers and material rolls. The effects of friction between material and guide rollers have been included. Experimental work has been carried out to test the predictions of the model.     

Using box indices in supporting comparison in multiobjective optimization

Because of the conflicting nature of criteria or objectives, solving a multiobjective optimization problem typically requires interaction with a decision maker who can specify preference information related to the objectives in the problem in question. Due to the difficulties of dealing with multiple objectives, the way information is presented plays a very important role. Questions posed to the decision maker must be simple enough and information shown must be easy to understand. For this purpose, visualization and graphical representations can be useful and constitute one of the main tools used in the literature. In this paper, we propose to use box indices to represent information related to different solution alternatives of multiobjective optimization problems involving at least three objectives. Box indices are an intelligible and easy to handle way to represent data. They are based on evaluating the solutions in a natural and rough enough scale in order to let the decision maker easily recognize the main characteristics of a solution at a glance and to facilitate comparison of two or more solutions in an easily understandable way.     

Epi-convergence almost surely, in probability and in distribution

The paper deals with an epi-convergence of random real functions defined on a topological space. We follow the idea due to Vogel (1994) to split the epi-convergence into the lower semicontinuous approximation and the epi-upper approximation and localize them onto a given set. The approximations are shown to be connected to the miss- resp. hit-part of the ordinary Fell topology on sets. We introduce two procedures, called “localization”, separately for the miss-topology and the hit-topology on sets. Localization of the miss- resp. hit-part of the Fell topology on sets allows us to give a suggestion how to define the approximations in probability and in distribution. It is shown in the paper that in case of the finite-dimensional Euclidean space, the suggested approximations in probability coincide with the definition from Vogel and Lachout (2003). The research has been partially supported by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft under grant No. 436TSE113/40, by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic under Project MSM 113200008 and by the Grant Agency of the Czech Republic under grant No. 201/03/1027.     

Domination in a digraph and in its reverse

Let D be a digraph. By γ(D) we denote the domintaion number of D and by D⁻ we denote a digraph obtained by reversing all the arcs of D. In this paper we prove that for every δ≥3 and k≥1 there exists a simple strongly connected δ-regular digraph D_δ,k such that . Analogous theorem is obtained for total domination number provided that δ≥4.     

Symmetric random walk in random environment in one dimension

We give a new proof of the central limit theorem for one dimensional symmetric random walk in random environment. The proof is quite elementary and natural. We show the convergence of the generators and from this we conclude the convergence of the process. We also investigate the hydrodynamic limit (HDL) of one dimensional symmetric simple exclusion in random environment and prove stochastic convergence of the scaled density field. The macroscopic behaviour of this field is given by a linear heat equation. The diffusion coefficient is the same as that of the corresponding random walk. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Methodological Issues in Studying Effects of Networks in Organizations

Three methodological issues are discussed that are important for the analysis of data on networks in organizations. The first is the two-level nature of the data: individuals are nested in organizations. This can be dealt with by using multilevel statistical methods. The second is the complicated nature of statistical methods for network analysis. The third issue is the potential of mathematical modeling for the study of network effects and network evolution in organizations. Two examples are given of mathematical models for gossip in organizations. The first example is a model for cross-sectional data, the second is a model for longitudinal data that reflect the joint development of network structure and individual behavior tendencies.     

Types of reasoning required in university exams in mathematics

Empirical research shows that students often use reasoning founded on copying algorithms or recalling facts (imitative reasoning) when solving mathematical tasks. Research also indicate that a focus on this type of reasoning might weaken the students’ understanding of the underlying mathematical concepts. It is therefore important to study the types of reasoning students have to perform in order to solve exam tasks and pass exams. The purpose of this study is to examine what types of reasoning students taking introductory calculus courses are required to perform. Tasks from 16 exams produced at four different Swedish universities were analyzed and sorted into task classes. The analysis resulted in several examples of tasks demanding different types of mathematical reasoning. The results also show that about 70% of the tasks were solvable by imitative reasoning and that 15 of the exams could be passed using only imitative reasoning.