Oscillation of higher-order nonlinear difference equations of neutral type

We shall establish some new criteria for the oscillation of all solutions of higher-order difference equations of the form

δ^m(x_n-x_n-r)+q_nf(x_n-g=0, m1

     

First passage time for some stationary processes

For a 1-dependent stationary sequence {X_n} we first show that if u satisfies p₁=p₁(u)=P(X₁>u)0.025 and n>3 is such that 88np₁³1, then

P{max(X₁,…,X_n)u}=ν·μⁿ+O{p₁³(88n(1+124np₁³)+561)}, n>3,

where

ν=1−p₂+2p₃−3p₄+p₁²+6p₂²−6p₁p₂,μ=(1+p₁−p₂+p₃−p₄+2p₁²+3p₂²−5p₁p₂)⁻¹

with

p_k=p_k(u)=P{min(X₁,…,X_k)>u}, k1

and

|O(x)||x|.

From this result we deduce, for a stationary T-dependent process with a.s. continuous path {Y_s}, a similar, in terms of P{max_0skTY_s<u}, k=1,2 formula for P{max_0stY_su}, t>3T and apply this formula to the process Y_s=W(s+1)−W(s), s0, where {W(s)} is the Wiener process. We then obtain numerical estimations of the above probabilities.     

Descents and one-dimensional characters for classical Weyl groups

This paper examine all sums of the form

where W is a classical Weyl group, X is a one-dimensional character of W, and d(π) is the descent statistic. This completes a picture which is known when W is the symmetric group S_n (the Weyl group A_n−1). Surprisingly, the answers turn out to be simpler and generalize further for the other classical Weyl groups B_n(C_n) and D_n. The B_n, case uses sign-reversing involutions, while the D_n case follows from a result of independent interest relating statistics for all three groups.     

On the convergence of generalized moments in almost sure central limit theorem

Let {ζ_k} be the normalized sums corresponding to a sequence of i.i.d. variables with zero mean and unit variance. Define random measures

and let G be the normal distribution. We show that for each continuous function h satisfying ∫ hdG<∞ and a mild regularity assumption, one has

a.s.     

Asymptotic behavior of a nonlinear delay difference equation

This paper considers a class of nonlinear difference equations

Δ₃y_n + ƒ(n, y_n, y_n−r) = 0, n N (n₀)

. A necessary and sufficient condition for the existence of a bounded nonoscillatory solution is given.     

A formula for the number of Latin squares

We establish an explicit formula for the number of Latin squares of order n:

, where B_n is the set of n×n(0,1) matrices, σ₀(A is the number of zero elements of the matrix A and per A is the permanent of the matrix A.     

Oscillation criteria for first-order neutral nonlinear difference equations with variable coefficients

Consider the first-order neutral nonlinear difference equation of the form

, where τ > 0, σ_i ≥ 0 (i = 1, 2,…, m) are integers, {p_n} and {q_n} are nonnegative sequences. We obtain new criteria for the oscillation of the above equation without the restrictions Σ_n=0^∞ q_n = ∞ or Σ_n=0^∞ nq_n Σ_j=n^∞ q_j = ∞ commonly used in the literature.     

Jacobi-Sobolev-type orthogonal polynomials: Second-order differential equation and zeros

We obtain an explicit expression for the Sobolev-type orthogonal polynomials {Q_n} associated with the inner product

, where p(x) = (1 − x)(1 + x)^β is the Jacobi weight function, ,β> − 1, A₁,B₁,A₂,B₂0 and p, q P, the linear space of polynomials with real coefficients. The hypergeometric representation (₆F₅) and the second-order linear differential equation that such polynomials satisfy are also obtained. The asymptotic behaviour of such polynomials in [−1, 1] is studied. Furthermore, we obtain some estimates for the largest zero of Q_n(x). Such a zero is located outside the interval [−1, 1]. We deduce his dependence of the masses. Finally, the WKB analysis for the distribution of zeros is presented.     

A two-sided estimate in the Hsu-Robbins-Erdös law of large numbers

Let X₁, X₂, … be independent identically distributed random variables. Then, Hsu and Robbins (1947) together with Erdös (1949, 1950) have proved that

,

if and only if E[X²₁] < ∞ and E[X₁] = 0. We prove that there are absolute constants C₁, C₂ (0, ∞) such that if X₁, X₂, … are independent identically distributed mean zero random variables, then

c₁λ⁻² E[X₁²·1_{|X1|λ}]S(λ)C₂λ⁻² E[X₁²·1_{|X1|λ}]

,

for every λ > 0.     

A parallel computing scheme for minimizing a class of large scale functions

This paper gives a parallel computing scheme for minimizing a twice continuously differentiable function with the form

where x = (x^T₁,…,x^T_m)^T and x_i R^n_i, ∑^m_{i = 1}n_i = n, and n a very big number. It is proved that we may use m parallel processors and an iterative procedure to find a minimizer of ƒ(x). The convergence and convergence rate are given under some conditions. The conditions for finding a global minimizer of ƒ(x by using this scheme are given, too. A similar scheme can also be used parallelly to solve a large scale system of nonlinear equations in the similar way. A more general case is also investigated.     

Full quadrature sums for pth powers of polynomials with Freud weights

In this paper, we provide a solution of the quadrature sum problem of R. Askey for a class of Freud weights. Let r> 0, b (− ∞, 2]. We establish a full quadrature sum estimate

1 p < ∞, for every polynomial P of degree at most n + rn^1/3, where W² is a Freud weight such as exp(−¦x¦), > 1, λ_jn are the Christoffel numbers, x_jn are the zeros of the orthonormal polynomials for the weight W², and C is independent of n and P. We also prove a generalisation, and that such an estimate is not possible for polynomials P of degree M = m(n) if m(n) = n + ξ_nn^1/3, where ξ_n → ∞ as n → ∞. Previous estimates could sum only over those x_jn with ¦x_jn¦ σx_1n, some fixed 0 < σ < 1.     

Nonexistence of positive solutions for 2 order integro-differential inequalities

In this paper, we shall show that under suitable conditions on f and K, the inequalities

imply that the integro-differential inequalities

have no positive solutions, respectively.     

Oscillation theorems for second-order half-linear differential equations

Oscillation criteria for the second-order half-linear differential equation

[r(t)|ξ′(t)|⁻¹ ξ′(t)]′ + p(t)|ξ(t)|⁻¹ξ(t)=0, t t₀

are established, where > 0 is a constant and exists for t [t₀, ∞). We apply these results to the following equation:

where , D = (D₁,…, D_N), Ω_a = x ^N : |x| ≥ a} is an exterior domain, and c C([a, ∞), ), n > 1 and N ≥ 2 are integers. Here, a > 0 is a given constant.     

The connectivity of a graph on uniform points on [0,1]

A random graph G_n(x) is constructed on independent random points U₁,…,U_n distributed uniformly on [0,1]^d, d1, in which two distinct such points are joined by an edge if the l_∞-distance between them is at most some prescribed value 0<x<1. The connectivity distance c_n, the smallest x for which G_n(x) is connected, is shown to satisfy

(1)

For d2, the random graph G_n(x) behaves like a d-dimensional version of the random graphs of Erdös and Rényi, despite the fact that its edges are not independent: c_n/d_n→1, a.s., as n→∞, where d_n is the largest nearest-neighbor link, the smallest x for which G_n(x) has no isolated vertices.     

Polynomial identities from weighted lattice path counting

We give bijective proofs, using weighted lattice paths, of two multinomial identities concerning the generalized h-factorial polynomials of order n.

[x]ⁿ_h:=x(x + h)(x +2h)(x + (n − 1)h)

.

The first-one is the multinomial identity of order s verified by these polynomials. Using this identity (and its proof) as a lemma, we derive the main identity that generalizes previous results of Carlitz (1977), Egorychev (1974) and the classical identity of Banach.     

Poisson evolution in word selection

This paper presents the finding that the invocation of new words in human language samples is governed by a slowly changing Poisson process. The time dependent rate constant for this process has the form

λ(t) = λ₁(1−λ₂t)e^-λ₂t+λ₃(1−λ₄t)e^-λ₄t+λ₅

, where

λ_i > 0, I=1,…,5

.

This form implies that there are opening, middle and final phases to the introduction of new words, each distinguished by a dominant rate constant, or equivalently, rate of decay. With the occasional exception of the phase transition from beginning to middle, the rate λ(t) decays monotonically. Thus, λ(t) quantifies how the penchant of humans to introduce new words declines with the progression of their narratives, written or spoken.     

Coupling and harmonic functions in the case of continuous time Markov processes

Consider two transient Markov processes (X^v_t)_tεR·, (X^μ_t)_tεR· with the same transition semigroup and initial distributions v and μ. The probability spaces supporting the processes each are also assumed to support an exponentially distributed random variable independent of the process.

We show that there exist (randomized) stopping times S for (X^v_t), T for (X^μ_t) with common final distribution, L(X^v_S|S < ∞) = L(X^μ_T|T < ∞), and the property that for t < S, resp. t < T, the processes move in disjoint portions of the state space. For such a coupling (S, T) it is shown

where denotes the bounded harmonic functions of the Markov transition semigroup. Extensions, consequences and applications of this result are discussed.     

An extension theorem for t-designs

In 1994, van Trung (Discrete Math. 128 (1994) 337–348) [9] proved that if, for some positive integers d and h, there exists an S_λ(t,k,v) such that

then there exists an S_λ(v−t+1)(t,k,v+1) having v+1 pairwise disjoint subdesigns S_λ(t,k,v). Moreover, if B_i and B_j are any two blocks belonging to two distinct such subdesigns, then d|B_i∩B_j|<k−h. In 1999, Baudelet and Sebille (J. Combin. Des. 7 (1999) 107–112) proved that if, for some positive integers, there exists an S_λ(t,k,v) such that

where m=min{s,v−k} and n=min{i,t}, then there exists an

having pairwise disjoint subdesigns S_λ(t,k,v). The purpose of this paper is to generalize these two constructions in order to produce a new recursive construction of t-designs and a new extension theorem of t-designs.     

A note on geometric ergodicity of autoregressive conditional heteroscedasticity (ARCH) model

For the pth-order linear ARCH model,

, where ₀ > 0, _i 0, I = 1, 2, …, p, {_t} is an i.i.d. normal white noise with E_t = 0, E_t² = 1, and _t is independent of {X_s, s < t}, Engle (1982) obtained the necessary and sufficient condition for the second-order stationarity, that is, ₁ + ₂ + ··· + _p < 1. In this note, we assume that _t has the probability density function p(t) which is positive and lower-semicontinuous over the real line, but not necessarily Gaussian, then the geometric ergodicity of the ARCH(p) process is proved under E_t² = 1. When _t has only the first-order absolute moment, a sufficient condition for the geometric ergodicity is also given.     

A theorem on independence

Suppose we are given a family of sets , where S(j) = ∩^k_i=1 H_i(j), and suppose each collection of sets H_i(j₁),…,H_i(j_k+1) has a lower bound under the partial ordering defined by inclusion, then the maximal size of an independent subcollection of is k. For example, for a fixed collection of half-spaces H₁,…,H_k in , we define to be the collection of all sets of the form

where χ_i, I=1,…, k are points in . Then the maximal size of an independent collection of such sets us k. This leads to a proof of the bound of 2d due to Rényi et al. (1951) for the maximum size of an independent family of rectangles in with sides parallel to the coordinate axes, and to a bound of d+1 for the maximum size of an independent family of simplices in with sides parallel to given hyperplanes H₁,…,H_d+1.