Wall crossings for double Hurwitz numbers

Double Hurwitz numbers count covers of P¹ by genus g curves with assigned ramification profiles over 0 and ∞, and simple ramification over a fixed branch divisor. Goulden, Jackson and Vakil have shown double Hurwitz numbers are piecewise polynomial in the orders of ramification (Goulden et al., 2005) [10], and Shadrin, Shapiro and Vainshtein have determined the chamber structure and wall crossing formulas for g=0 (Shadrin et al., 2008) [15]. This paper gives a unified approach to these results and strengthens them in several ways — the most important being the extension of the results of Shadrin et al. (2008) [15] to arbitrary genus.The main tool is the authors? previous work (Cavalieri et al., 2010) [6] expressing double Hurwitz number as a sum over certain labeled graphs. We identify the labels of the graphs with lattice points in the chambers of certain hyperplane arrangements, which give rise to piecewise polynomial functions. Our understanding of the wall crossing for these functions builds on the work of Varchenko (1987) [17], and could have broader applications.     

Maximal and minimal entry in the principal eigenvector for the distance matrix of a graph

Let G=(V,E) be a simple, connected and undirected graph with vertex set V(G) and edge set E(G). Also let D(G) be the distance matrix of a graph G (Jane?i? et al., 2007) [13]. Here we obtain Nordhaus–Gaddum-type result for the spectral radius of distance matrix of a graph.A sharp upper bound on the maximal entry in the principal eigenvector of an adjacency matrix and signless Laplacian matrix of a simple, connected and undirected graph are investigated in Das (2009) [4] and Papendieck and Recht (2000) [15]. Generally, an upper bound on the maximal entry in the principal eigenvector of a symmetric nonnegative matrix with zero diagonal entries and without zero diagonal entries are investigated in Zhao and Hong (2002) [21] and Das (2009) [4], respectively. In this paper, we obtain an upper bound on minimal entry in the principal eigenvector for the distance matrix of a graph and characterize extremal graphs. Moreover, we present the lower and upper bounds on maximal entry in the principal eigenvector for the distance matrix of a graph and characterize extremal graphs.     

Approximations for nonlinear mappings by the hybrid method in Hilbert spaces

The hybrid method in mathematical programming was introduced by Haugazeau (1968) [1] and he proved a strong convergence theorem for finding a common element of finite nonempty closed convex subsets of a real Hilbert space. Later, Bauschke and Combettes (2001) [2] proposed some condition for a family of mappings (the so-called coherent condition) and established interesting results by the hybrid method. The authors (Nakajo et al., 2009) [10] extended Bauschke and Combettes’s results. In this paper, we introduce a condition weaker than the coherent condition and prove strong convergence theorems which generalize the results of Nakajo et al. (2009) [10]. And we get strong convergence theorems for a family of asymptotically κ-strict pseudo-contractions, a family of Lipschitz and pseudo-contractive mappings and a one-parameter uniformly Lipschitz semigroup of pseudo-contractive mappings.     

Approximation of RNA multiple structural alignment

In the context of non-coding RNA (ncRNA) multiple structural alignment, Davydov and Batzoglou (2006) introduced in [7] the problem of finding the largest nested linear graph that occurs in a set G of linear graphs, the so-called Max-NLS problem. This problem generalizes both the longest common subsequence problem and the maximum common homeomorphic subtree problem for rooted ordered trees.In the present paper, we give a fast algorithm for finding the largest nested linear subgraph of a linear graph and a polynomial-time algorithm for a fixed number (k) of linear graphs. Also, we strongly strengthen the result of Davydov and Batzoglou (2006) [7] by proving that the problem is NP-complete even if G is composed of nested linear graphs of height at most 2, thereby precisely defining the borderline between tractable and intractable instances of the problem. Of particular importance, we improve the result of Davydov and Batzoglou (2006) [7] by showing that the Max-NLS problem is approximable within ratio in O(kn²) running time, where mopt is the size of an optimal solution. We also present O(1)-approximation of Max-NLS problem running in O(kn) time for restricted linear graphs. In particular, for ncRNA derived linear graphs, a -approximation is presented.     

Polynomial area bounds for MST embeddings of trees

In their seminal paper on geometric minimum spanning trees, Monma and Suri (1992) [31] showed how to embed any tree of maximum degree 5 as a minimum spanning tree in the Euclidean plane. The embeddings provided by their algorithm require area O(n²²)×O(n²²) and the authors conjectured that an improvement below cn×cn is not possible, for some constant c>0. In this paper, we show how to construct MST embeddings of arbitrary trees of maximum degree 3 and 4 within polynomial area.     

A diffusion-type process with a given joint law for the terminal level and supremum at an independent exponential time

We construct a weak solution to the stochastic functional differential equation , where M_t=sup_0≤s≤tX_s. Using the excursion theory, we then solve explicitly the following problem: for a natural class of joint density functions μ(y,b), we specify σ(.,.), so that X is a martingale, and the terminal level and supremum of X, when stopped at an independent exponential time ξ_λ, is distributed according to μ. We can view (X_t∧ξλ) as an alternate solution to the problem of finding a continuous local martingale with a given joint law for the maximum and the drawdown, which was originally solved by Rogers (1993) [21] using the excursion theory. This complements the recent work of Carr (2009) [5] and Cox et al. (2010) [7], who consider a standard one-dimensional diffusion evaluated at an independent exponential time.¹     

Iterative character constructions for algebra groups

We construct a family of orthogonal characters of an algebra group which decompose the supercharacters defined by Diaconis and Isaacs (2008) [6]. Like supercharacters, these characters are given by nonnegative integer linear combinations of Kirillov functions and are induced from linear supercharacters of certain algebra subgroups. We derive a formula for these characters and give a condition for their irreducibility; generalizing a theorem of Otto (2010) [20], we also show that each such character has the same number of Kirillov functions and irreducible characters as constituents. In proving these results, we observe as an application how a recent computation by Evseev (2010) [7] implies that every irreducible character of the unitriangular group UTn(q) of unipotent n×n upper triangular matrices over a finite field with q elements is a Kirillov function if and only if n?12. As a further application, we discuss some more general conditions showing that Kirillov functions are characters, and describe some results related to counting the irreducible constituents of supercharacters.     

Moment vanishing problem and positivity: Some examples

We consider the problem of vanishing of the momentswith Ω a compact domain in Rn and P(x), q(x) complex polynomials in x∈Ω (MVP). The main stress is on relations of this general vanishing problem to the following conjecture which has been studied recently in Mathieu (1997) [22], Duistermaat and van der Kallen (1998) [17], Zhao (2010) [34] and [35] and in other publications in connection with the vanishing problem for differential operators and with the Jacobian conjecture:

Conjecture A. 

For positive μ ifmk(P,1)=0fork=1,2,… , thenmk(P,q)=0fork?1for any q.     

A Fast and Simple Algorithm for Identifying 2-Monotonic Positive Boolean Functions

Consider the problem of identifying min T(f) and max F(f) of a positive (i.e., monotone) Boolean functionf, by using membership queries only, where min T(f) (max F(f)) denotes the set of minimal true vectors (maximum false vectors) off. Moreover, as the existence of a polynomial total time algorithm (i.e., polynomial time in the length of input and output) for this problem is still open, we consider here a restricted problem: given an unknown positive functionfofnvariables, decide whetherfis 2-monotonic or not, and iffis 2-monotonic, output both min T(f) and max F(f). For this problem, we propose a simple algorithm, which is based on the concept of maximum latency, and we show that it usesO(n²m) time andO(n²m) queries, wherem = |min T(f)| + |max F(f)|. This answers affirmatively the conjecture raised in Boroset al.[Lecture Notes in Comput. Sci.557(1991), 104–115], Boroset al.[SIAM J. Comput.26(1997), 93–109], and is an improvement over the two algorithms discussed therein: one usesO(n³m) time andO(n³m) queries, and the other usesO(nm² + n²m) time andO(nm) queries.     

Generalized complex and Dirac structures on homogeneous spaces

The aim of this paper is to study generalized complex geometry (Hitchin, 2002) [6] and Dirac geometry (Courant, 1990) [3], (Courant and Weinstein, 1988) [4] on homogeneous spaces. We offer a characterization of equivariant Dirac structures on homogeneous spaces, which is then used to construct new examples of generalized complex structures. We consider Riemannian symmetric spaces, quotients of compact groups by closed connected subgroups of maximal rank, and nilpotent orbits in sln(R). For each of these cases, we completely classify equivariant Dirac structures. Additionally, we consider equivariant Dirac structures on semisimple orbits in a semisimple Lie algebra. Here equivariant Dirac structures can be described in terms of root systems or by certain data involving parabolic subalgebras.     

A simple proof of an inequality connecting the alternating number of independent sets and the decycling number

If s_k denotes the number of independent sets of cardinality k and α(G) is the size of a maximum independent set in graph G, then I(G;x)=s₀+s₁x+?+s_α(G)x^α(G) is the independence polynomial of G (Gutman and Harary, 1983) [8].In this paper we provide an elementary proof of the inequality|I(G;−1)|≤2^φ(G) (Engström, 2009) [7], where φ(G) is the decycling number of G (Beineke and Vandell, 1997) [3], namely, the minimum number of vertices that have to be deleted in order to turn G into a forest.     

The homotopy limit problem for Hermitian K-theory, equivariant motivic homotopy theory and motivic Real cobordism

The homotopy limit problem for Karoubi?s Hermitian K-theory (Karoubi, 1980) [26] was posed by Thomason (1983) [44]. There is a canonical map from algebraic Hermitian K-theory to the Z/2-homotopy fixed points of algebraic K-theory. The problem asks, roughly, how close this map is to being an isomorphism, specifically after completion at 2. In this paper, we solve this problem completely for fields of characteristic 0 (Theorems 16, 20). We show that the 2-completed map is an isomorphism for fields F of characteristic 0 which satisfy cd₂(F[i])<∞, but not in general.     

The ubiquity of generalized cluster categories

Associated with a finite-dimensional algebra of global dimension at most 2, a generalized cluster category was introduced in Amiot (2009) [1]. It was shown to be triangulated, and 2-Calabi–Yau when it is Hom-finite. By definition, the cluster categories of Buan et al. (2006) [4] are a special case. In this paper we show that a large class of 2-Calabi–Yau triangulated categories, including those associated with elements in Coxeter groups from Buan et al. (2009) [7], are triangle equivalent to generalized cluster categories. This was already shown for some special elements in Amiot (2009) [1].     

Quasi-symmetric functions and up–down compositions

Carlitz (1973) [5] and Rawlings (2000) [13] studied two different analogues of up–down permutations for compositions with parts in {1,…,n}. Cristea and Prodinger (2008/2009) [7] studied additional analogues for compositions with unbounded parts. We show that the results of Carlitz, Rawlings, and Cristea and Prodinger on up–down compositions are special cases of four different analogues of generalized Euler numbers for compositions. That is, for any s≥2, we consider classes of compositions that can be divided into an initial set of blocks of size s followed by a block of size j where 0≤j≤s−1. We then consider the classes of such compositions where all the blocks are strictly increasing (weakly increasing) and there are strict (weak) decreases between blocks. We show that the weight generating functions of such compositions w=w₁?w_m, where the weight of w is , are always the quotients of sums of quasi-symmetric functions. Moreover, we give a direct combinatorial proof of our results via simple involutions.     

Stable rigged configurations for quantum affine algebras of nonexceptional types

For an affine algebra of nonexceptional type in the large rank we show the fermionic formula depends only on the attachment of the node 0 of the Dynkin diagram to the rest, and the fermionic formula of not type A can be expressed as a sum of that of type A with Littlewood–Richardson coefficients. Combining this result with Kirillov et al. (2002) [13] and Lecouvey et al. (2011) [18] we settle the X=M conjecture under the large rank hypothesis.     

Functions of normal operators under perturbations

In Peller (1980) [27], Peller (1985) [28], Aleksandrov and Peller (2009) [2], Aleksandrov and Peller (2010) [3], and Aleksandrov and Peller (2010) [4] sharp estimates for f(A)−f(B) were obtained for self-adjoint operators A and B and for various classes of functions f on the real line R. In this paper we extend those results to the case of functions of normal operators. We show that if a function f belongs to the Hölder class Λα(R²), 0<α<1, of functions of two variables, and N₁ and N₂ are normal operators, then ‖f(N₁)−f(N₂)‖?const‖fΛα_‖‖N₁−N₂α^‖. We obtain a more general result for functions in the space for an arbitrary modulus of continuity ω. We prove that if f belongs to the Besov class , then it is operator Lipschitz, i.e., . We also study properties of f(N₁)−f(N₂) in the case when f∈Λα(R²) and N₁−N₂ belongs to the Schatten–von Neumann class Sp.     

Absolute E-rings

A ring R with 1 is called an E-ring if EndZR is ring-isomorphic to R under the canonical homomorphism taking the value 1σ for any σ∈EndZR. Moreover R is an absolute E-ring if it remains an E-ring in every generic extension of the universe. E-rings are an important tool for algebraic topology as explained in the introduction. The existence of an E-ring R of each cardinality of the form λℵ₀ was shown by Dugas, Mader and Vinsonhaler (1987) [9]. We want to show the existence of absolute E-rings. It turns out that there is a precise cardinal-barrier κ(ω) for this problem: (The cardinal κ(ω) is the first ω-Erd?s cardinal defined in the introduction. It is a relative of measurable cardinals.) We will construct absolute E-rings of any size λ<κ(ω). But there are no absolute E-rings of cardinality ?κ(ω). The non-existence of huge, absolute E-rings ?κ(ω) follows from a recent paper by Herden and Shelah (2009) [24] and the construction of absolute E-rings R is based on an old result by Shelah (1982) [31] where families of absolute, rigid colored trees (with no automorphism between any distinct members) are constructed. We plant these trees into our potential E-rings with the aim to prevent unwanted endomorphisms of their additive group to survive. Endomorphisms will recognize the trees which will have branches infinitely often divisible by primes. Our main result provides the existence of absolute E-rings for all infinite cardinals λ<κ(ω), i.e. these E-rings remain E-rings in all generic extensions of the universe (e.g. using forcing arguments). Indeed all previously known E-rings (Dugas, Mader and Vinsonhaler, 1987 [9]; Göbel and Trlifaj, 2006 [23]) of cardinality ?ℵ₀² have a free additive group R⁺ in some extended universe, thus are no longer E-rings, as explained in the introduction. Our construction also fills all cardinal-gaps of the earlier constructions (which have only sizes λℵ₀). These E-rings are domains and as a by-product we obtain the existence of absolutely indecomposable abelian groups, compare Göbel and Shelah (2007) [22].     

A note on 3-Steiner intervals and betweenness

The geodesic and geodesic interval, namely the set of all vertices lying on geodesics between a pair of vertices in a connected graph, is a part of folklore in metric graph theory. It is also known that Steiner trees of a (multi) set with k (k>2) vertices, generalize geodesics. In Brešar et al. (2009) [1], the authors studied the k-Steiner intervals S(u₁,u₂,…,u_k) on connected graphs (k≥3) as the k-ary generalization of the geodesic intervals. The analogous betweenness axiom (b2) and the monotone axiom (m) were generalized from binary to k-ary functions as follows. For any u₁,…,u_k,x,x₁,…,x_k∈V(G) which are not necessarily distinct, The authors conjectured in Brešar et al. (2009) [1] that the 3-Steiner interval on a connected graph G satisfies the betweenness axiom (b2) if and only if each block of G is geodetic of diameter at most 2. In this paper we settle this conjecture. For this we show that there exists an isometric cycle of length 2k+1, k>2, in every geodetic block of diameter at least 3. We also introduce another axiom (b2(2)), which is meaningful only to 3-Steiner intervals and show that this axiom is equivalent to the monotone axiom.     

Decremental Dynamic Connectivity

We consider Las Vegas randomized dynamic algorithms for on-line connectivity problems with deletions only. In particular, we show that starting from a graph with m edges and n nodes, we can maintain a spanning forest during m deletions in O(m log(n²/m) + n(log n)³(log log n)²) expected time, which is O(m) if m = Θ(n²) and O(m log n) if m = Ω(n(log n log log n)²). The deletions may be interspersed with connectivity queries, each of which is answered in constant time. The previous best bound was O(m log² n) by Henzinger and Thorup which covered both insertions and deletions. The result is based on a general randomized reduction for edge connectivity problems of many deletions-only queries to a few deletions and insertions queries. For 2-edge connectivity, the complexity is improved from O(m(log n)⁵) to O(m log(n²/m) + n(log n)⁶(log log n)²). For the general decremental k-edge-connectivity problem, we get a total running time of O(k²n² polylog n). Here the previous best bound was O(kmn polylog n). Improved running times are also achieved for the static consensus tree problem, with applications to computational biology and relational data bases.