On linear extension majority graphs of partial orders

The linear extension majority (LEM) graph (X, > p) of a finite partially ordered set (X, P) has x>py for elements x and y in X just when more linear extensions L of P on X have xLy than yLx. A linear extension L of P on X is a linear order on X with P ? L. There exist finite partially ordered sets (X, P) whose LEM graphs have no >p-maximal elements, in which case every x in X has an x′ in X for which x′>px.     

A comparison of algorithms for minimizing bumps in linear extensions of partial orders

The notion of bumps deals with a property of linear extensions of a partial order. Let P define a partial order on a set X and let L define a linear extension of P. A bump occurs whenever elements x and y in X are adjacent in both P and L. Heuristics have been developed to construct linear extensions of a partial order that should tend to minimize bumps. This paper presents results of a computer simulation study that compares the performance of bump minimizing algorithms.     

Modes of convergence of Markov chain transition probabilities

Suppose {Pⁿ(x, A)} denotes the transition law of a general state space Markov chain {X_n}. We find conditions under which weak convergence of {X_n} to a random variable X with law L (essentially defined by ∝ Pⁿ(x, dy) g(y) → ∝ L(dy) g(y) for bounded continuous g) implies that {X_n} tends to X in total variation (in the sense that $\text{∥ P}{}^{\mathrm{n}}\text{(x,}{}^{\mathrm{.}}\text{) ? L ∥ → 0)}$, which then shows that L is an invariant measure for {X_n}. The conditions we find involve some irreducibility assumptions on {X_n} and some continuity conditions on the one-step transition law {P(x, A)}.     

Bipartite Q-polynomial distance-regular graphs and uniform posets

Let Γ denote a bipartite distance-regular graph with vertex set X and diameter D≥3. Fix x∈X and let L (resp., R) denote the corresponding lowering (resp., raising) matrix. We show that each Q-polynomial structure for Γ yields a certain linear dependency among RL ², LRL, L ² R, L. Define a partial order ≤ on X as follows. For y,z∈X let y≤z whenever ?(x,y)+?(y,z)=?(x,z), where ? denotes path-length distance. We determine whether the above linear dependency gives this poset a uniform or strongly uniform structure. We show that except for one special case a uniform structure is attained, and except for three special cases a strongly uniform structure is attained.     

Optimal recovery of linear functionals on sets of finite dimension

Suppose that X is a linear space and L ₁, …, L _n is a system of linearly independent functionals on P, where P ? X is a bounded set of dimension n + 1. Suppose that the linear functional L ₀ is defined in X. In this paper, we find an algorithm that recovers the functional L ₀ on the set P with the least error among all linear algorithms using the information L ₁ f, …, L _n f, f ∈ P.     

An extension of the Aumann-shapley value concept to functions on arbitrary banach spaces

LetX denote a linear space of real valued functions defined on a subset of a Banach space such thatX containsE′ the dual space ofE as a subspace. Given a distinguished vectorx ₀ inE anx ₀-value (onX) is defined to be a projectionP fromX ontoE′ which satisfies the following two hypotheses: (VA) (PF)(x₀)=Fx₀ for allF inX; (VB) IfT is a continuous isomorphism fromE intoE such thatTx ₀=x ₀ thenP(F?T) = (PF) ? T for allF inX. The existence and uniqueness of a value is established for two choices ofX, one of which is the space of polynomials in functional onE. The existence and partial uniqueness of a value is established on a third choice forX.     

On the 1/3–2/3 Conjecture

Let (P, ≤) be a finite poset (partially ordered set), where P has cardinality n. Consider linear extensions of P as permutations x₁x₂?x_n in one-line notation. For distinct elements x, y ∈ P, we define ?(x ? y) to be the proportion of linear extensions of P in which x comes before y. For \(0\leq \alpha \leq \frac {1}{2}\), we say (x, y) is an α-balanced pair if α ≤ ?(x ? y) ≤?1 ? α. The 1/3–2/3 Conjecture states that every finite partially ordered set which is not a chain has a 1/3-balanced pair. We make progress on this conjecture by showing that it holds for certain families of posets. These include lattices such as the Boolean, set partition, and subspace lattices; partial orders that arise from a Young diagram; and some partial orders of dimension 2. We also consider various posets which satisfy the stronger condition of having a 1/2-balanced pair. For example, this happens when the poset has an automorphism with a cycle of length 2. Various questions for future research are posed.     

Score vectors of tournaments

A tournament T on any set X is a dyadic relation such that for any x, y ∈ X (a) (x, x) ? T and (b) if x ≠ y then (x, y) ∈ T iff (y, x) ? T. The score vector of T is the cardinal valued function defined by R(x) = |{y ∈ X : (x, y) ∈ T}|. We present theorems for infinite tournaments analogous to Landau's necessary and sufficient conditions that a vector be the score vector for some finite tournament. Included also is a new proof of Landau's theorem based on a simple application of the “marriage” theorem.     

Applications of utility functions defined on quasi-metric spaces

A quasi-metric space (X,d) is called sup-separable if (X,d^s) is a separable metric space, where d^s(x,y)=max{d(x,y),d(y,x)} for all x,y∈X. We characterize those preferences, defined on a sup-separable quasi-metric space, for which there is a semi-Lipschitz utility function. We deduce from our results that several interesting examples of quasi-metric spaces which appear in different fields of theoretical computer science admit semi-Lipschitz utility functions. We also apply our methods to the study of certain kinds of dynamical systems defined on quasi-metric spaces.     

Dictators on blocks: Generalizations of social choice impossibility theorems

This paper extends impossibility theorems of Arrow and others to cases in which social comparisons between alternatives in a set X of social alternatives may be made only for each pair {x, y} in a certain subset of distinct pairs taken from X. With E the set of pairs within which social comparisons may be made, G = (X, E) is an undirected graph without loops. The social comparison between x and y for {x, y} ∈ E is to be based on the preferences of individuals in a finite society S. Each individual is presumed to prefer x to y or prefer y to x (not both) for every {x, y} ∈ E and may hold any preference relation that does not cycle in G. A profile is an assignment of one such relation to each individual in S. The paper examines binary social comparison procedures which map each profile into a social preference relation over the pairs in E, subject to x socially preferred to y whenever {x, y} ∈ E and everyone in S prefers x to y. Individual i ∈ S is a dictator [weak dictator] on {x, y} ∈ E iff x is socially preferred to y [x ranks as high as y socially] whenever i prefers x to y, and similarly with x and y interchanged, regardless of the preferences of the other individuals in S. An individual is a dictator [weak dictator] on a subgraph of G iff he is a dictator [weak dictator] on every edge in the subgraph. Under each of three ordering conditions on social preferences, there is a dictator or weak dictator on every block of G which has three or more points, different blocks can have different dictators, and bridges in E need not have dictators.     

Cycloidal algebras

In this paper we introduce for an arbitrary algebra (groupoid, binary system) (X; *) a sequence of algebras (X; *) _n = (X; °), where x ° y = [x * y] _n = x * [x * y] _n?1, [x * y]₀ = y. For several classes of examples we study the cycloidal index (m, n) of (X; *), where (X; *) _m = (X; *) _n for m > n and m is minimal with this property. We show that (X; *) satisfies the left cancellation law, then if (X; *) _m = (X; *) _n , then also (X; *) _m?n = (X; *)₀, the right zero semigroup. Finite algebras are shown to have cycloidal indices (as expected). B-algebras are considered in greater detail. For commutative rings R with identity, x * y = ax + by + c, a, b, c ∈ ? defines a linear product and for such linear products the commutativity condition [x * y] _n = [y * x] _n is observed to be related to the golden section, the classical one obtained for ?, the real numbers, n = 2 and a = 1 as the coefficient b.     

A unique exchange property for bases

We define the concept of unique exchange on a sequence (X₁,…, X_m) of bases of a matroid M as an exchange of x ? X_i for y ? X_j such that y is the unique element of X_j which may be exchanged for x so that (X_i ? {x}) ∪ {y} and (X_j ? {y}) ∪ {x} are both bases. Two sequences X and Y are compatible if they are on the same multiset. Let UE(1) [UE(2)] denote the class of matroids such that every pair of compatible basis sequences X and Y are related by a sequence of unique exchanges [unique exchanges and permutations in the order of the bases]. We similarly define UE(3) by allowing unique subset exchanges. Then UE(1),UE(2), and UE(3) are hereditary classes (closed under minors) and are self-dual (closed under orthogonality). UE(1) equals the class of series-parallel networks, and UE(2) and UE(3) are contained in the class of binary matroids. We conjecture that UE(2) contains the class of unimodular matroids, and prove a related partial result for graphic matroids. We also study related classes of matroids satisfying transitive exchange, in order to gain information about excluded minors of UE(2) and UE(3). A number of unsolved problems are mentioned.     

A duality relation for entrance and exit laws for Markov processes

Markov processes X_t on (X, F_X) and Y_t on (Y, F_Y) are said to be dual with respect to the function f(x, y) if E_xf(X_t, y) = E_yf(x, Y_t for all x ? X, y ? Y, t ? 0. It is shown that this duality reverses the role of entrance and exit laws for the processes, and that two previously published results of the authors are dual in precisely this sense. The duality relation for the function f(x, y) = 1_{x<y} is established for one-dimensional diffusions, and several new results on entrance and exit laws for diffusions, birth-death processes, and discrete time birth-death chains are obtained.     

Complexity of computing median linear orders and variants

Given a finite set X and a collection Π of linear orders defined on X, computing a median linear order (Condorcet-Kemenyʼs problem) consists in determining a linear order minimizing the remoteness from Π. This remoteness is based on the symmetric distance, and measures the number of disagreements between O and Π. In the context of voting theory, X can be considered as a set of candidates and the linear orders of Π as the preferences of voters, while a linear order minimizing the remoteness from Π can be adopted as the collective ranking of the candidates with respect to the votersʼ opinions. This paper studies the complexity of this problem and of several variants of it: computing a median order, computing a winner according to this method, checking that a given candidate is a winner and so on. We try to locate these problems inside the polynomial hierarchy.     

The best generalized inverse of the linear operator in normed linear space

Let X,Y be normed linear spaces, T∈L(X,Y) be a bounded linear operator from X to Y. One wants to solve the linear problem Ax=y for x (given y∈Y), as well as one can. When A is invertible, the unique solution is x=A^-1y. If this is not the case, one seeks an approximate solution of the form x=By, where B is an operator from Y to X. Such B is called a generalised inverse of A. Unfortunately, in general normed linear spaces, such an approximate solution depends nonlinearly on y. We introduce the concept of bounded quasi-linear generalised inverse T^h of T, which contains the single-valued metric generalised inverse T^M and the continuous linear projector generalised inverse T⁺. If X and Y are reflexive, we prove that the set of all bounded quasi-linear generalised inverses of T, denoted by G_H(T), is not empty In the normed linear space of all bounded homogeneous operators, the best bounded quasi-linear generalised inverse T^h of T is just the Moore-Penrose metric generalised inverse T^M. In the case, X and Y are finite dimension spaces Rⁿ and R^m, respectively, the results deduce the main result by G.R. Goldstein and J.A. Goldstein in 2000.     

The Folded (2<Emphasis Type="Italic">D</Emphasis> + 1)-cube and Its Uniform Posets

Let Γ denote the folded (2D + 1)-cube with vertex set X and diameter D ≥ 3. Fix x ∈ X. We first define a partial order ≤ on X as follows. For y, z ∈ X let y ≤ z whenever ?(x, y) + ?(y, z) = ?(x, z). Let R (resp. L) denote the raising matrix (resp. lowering matrix) of Γ. Next we show that there exists a certain linear dependency among RL², LRL,L²R and L for each given Q-polynomial structure of Γ. Finally, we determine whether the above linear dependency structure gives this poset a uniform structure or strongly uniform structure.     

Fredholm alternatives for nonlinear A-proper mappings with applications to nonlinear elliptic boundary value problems

Let X and Y be real Banach spaces with a projectionally complete scheme Γ = {X_n, P_n; Y_n, Q_n} and let T: X → Y be an asymptotically linear mapping which is A-proper with respect to Γ and whose asymptotic derivative T_∞?L(X, Y) is also A-proper with respect to Γ. Necessary and sufficient conditions are given in order that the equation $\text{T(x) = ?}$ be solvable for a given ? in Y. Under certain additional conditions it is shown that solutions can be constructed as strong limits of finite dimensional Galerkin type approximates x_n?X_n. Theorems 1 and 2 include as special cases the recent results of Kachurovskii, Hess, Ne?as, and the author. The abstract results for A-proper mappings are then applied to the (constructive) solvability of boundary value problems for quasilinear elliptic equations of order 2m with asymptotically linear terms of order 2m ? 1.     

On tilings of the binary vector space

Let n be a positive integer, L a subset of {0, 1,…,n}. We discuss the existence of partitions (or tilings) of the n-dimensional binary vector space F_n into L-spheres. By a L-sphere around an x in F_n we mean {y ? F_n, d(x, y) ? L}, d(x, y) being the Hamming distance betwe en x and y. These tilings are generalizations of perfect error correcting codes. We show that very few such tilings exist (Theorem 2) and characterize them all for any L ? {0, 1,…,[$\text{1}\text{2}$n]}.     

The total linear discrepancy of an ordered set

In this paper we introduce the notion of the total linear discrepancy of a poset as a way of measuring the fairness of linear extensions. If L is a linear extension of a poset P, and x,y is an incomparable pair in P, the height difference between x and y in L is |L(x)−L(y)|. The total linear discrepancy of P in L is the sum over all incomparable pairs of these height differences. The total linear discrepancy of P is the minimum of this sum taken over all linear extensions L of P. While the problem of computing the (ordinary) linear discrepancy of a poset is NP-complete, the total linear discrepancy can be computed in polynomial time. Indeed, in this paper, we characterize those linear extensions that are optimal for total linear discrepancy. The characterization provides an easy way to count the number of optimal linear extensions.     

On the Rédei zeta function

Let L be a locally finite lattice. An order function ν on L is a function defined on pairs of elements x, y (with x ≤ y) in L such that ν(x, y) = ν(x, z) ν(z, y). The Rédei zeta function of L is given by ?(s; L) = Σ_x∈Lμ(Ô, x) ν(Ô, x)^?s. It generalizes the following functions: the chromatic polynomial of a graph, the characteristic polynomial of a lattice, the inverse of the Dedekind zeta function of a number field, the inverse of the Weil zeta function for a variety over a finite field, Philip Hall's φ-function for a group and Rédei's zeta function for an abelian group. Moreover, the paradigmatic problem in all these areas can be stated in terms of the location of the zeroes of the Rédei zeta function.