Ample subvarieties and rationally connected fibrations

Under some positivity assumptions, extension properties of rationally connected fibrations from a submanifold to its ambient variety are studied. Given a family of rational curves on a complex projective manifold X inducing a covering family on a submanifold Y with ample normal bundle in X, the main results relate, under suitable conditions, the associated rational connected fiber structures on X and on Y. Applications of these results include an extension theorem for Mori contractions of fiber type and a classification theorem in the case Y has a structure of projective bundle or quadric fibration. All authors acknowledge support by MIUR National Research Project “Geometry on Algebraic Varieties” (Cofin 2004). The research of the second author was partially supported by NSF grants DMS 0111298 and DMS 0548325. The third author acknowledges partial support by the University of Milan (FIRST 2003).     

Testing Sign Conditions on a Multivariate Polynomial and Applications

Let f be a polynomial in of degree D. We focus on testing the emptiness and computing at least one point in each connected component of the semi-algebraic set defined by f > 0 (or f < 0 or f ≠ 0). To this end, the problem is reduced to computing at least one point in each connected component of a hypersurface defined by f − e = 0 for positive and small enough. We provide an algorithm allowing us to determine a positive rational number e which is small enough in this sense. This is based on the efficient computation of the set of generalized critical values of the mapping which is the union of the classical set of critical values of the mapping f and the set of asymptotic critical values of the mapping f. Then, we show how to use the computation of generalized critical values in order to obtain an efficient algorithm deciding the emptiness of a semi-algebraic set defined by a single inequality or a single inequation. At last, we show how to apply our contribution to determining if a hypersurface contains real regular points. We provide complexity estimates for probabilistic versions of the latter algorithms which are within arithmetic operations in . The paper ends with practical experiments showing the efficiency of our approach on real-life applications.      

On maximal proper subgroups of field automorphism groups

Let G be the automorphism group of an extension of algebraically closed fields of characteristic zero of transcendence degree n, 1 ≤ n ≤ ∞. In this paper we

Projection-Iterative Methods for a Class of Difference Equations

We develop a theoretical framework for projection-iterative methods to solve operator equations of the form Au + Bu = f, where A is a Toeplitz operator in a Banach space , B is considered as a perturbation (of general form) of A, and f is a given element in this space. The methods are adopted for application to general situations, in particular, to the equations in which A need not be a Fredholm operator. The idea to involve iteration procedures and the technique which we apply allow to obtain conditions on perturbations for convergence and effective error estimates in terms of some weighted spaces (without any restrictions on the norms for perturbations). Based on established evaluations we derive further information about decaying properties of the solutions. The obtained results are illustrated by considering concrete classes of equations as, for instance, equations corresponding to Jacobi type operators.      

Infinite-dimensional homology and multibump solutions

We start by introducing a Čech homology with compact supports which we then use in order to construct an infinite-dimensional homology theory. Next we show that under appropriate conditions on the nonlinearity there exists a ground state solution for a semilinear Schr?dinger equation with strongly indefinite linear part. To this solution there corresponds a nontrivial critical group, defined in terms of the infinite-dimensional homology mentioned above. Finally, we employ this fact in order to construct solutions of multibump type. Although our main purpose is to survey certain homological methods in critical point theory, we also include some new results. Dedicated to Felix Browder on the occasion of his 80th birthday     

Using Computer Algebra to Certify the Global Convergence of a Numerical Optimization Process

The basic objective of blind signal separation is to recover a set of source signals from a set of observations that are mixtures of the sources with no, or very limited knowledge about the mixture structure and source signals. To extract the original sources, many algorithms have been proposed; among them, the cross-correlation and constant modulus algorithm (CC-CMA) appears to be the algorithm of choice due to its computational simplicity. An important issue in CC-CMA algorithm is the global convergence analysis, because the cost function is not quadratic nor convex and contains undesirable stationary points. If these undesirable points are local minimums, the convergence of the algorithm may not be guaranteed and the CC-CMA would fail to separate source signals. The main result of this paper is to complete the classification of these stationary points and to prove that they are not local minimums unless if the mixing parameter is equal to 1. This is obtained by using the theory of discriminant varieties to determine the stationnary points as a function of the parameter and then to show that the Hessian matrix of the cost function is not positive semidefinite at these stationnay points, unless if the mixing parameter is 1.      

Contracting endomorphisms and Gorenstein modules

A finite module M over a noetherian local ring R is said to be Gorenstein if Extⁱ(k, M) = 0 for all i ≠ dim R. An endomorphism φ: R → R of rings is called contracting if for some i ≥ 1. Letting ^φR denote the R-module R with action induced by φ, we prove: A finite R-module M is Gorenstein if and only if Hom_R(^φR, M) ≅ M and Extⁱ_R(^φR, M) = 0 for 1 ≤ i ≤ depth R. Received: 7 December 2007     

Schur type functions associated with polynomial sequences of binomial type

We introduce a class of Schur type functions associated with polynomial sequences of binomial type. This can be regarded as a generalization of the ordinary Schur functions and the factorial Schur functions. This generalization satisfies some interesting expansion formulas, in which there is a curious duality. Moreover, this class includes examples which are useful to describe the eigenvalues of Capelli type central elements of the universal enveloping algebras of classical Lie algebras.      

Conditions for the spectrum associated with an asymptotically straight leaky wire to contain an interval [− α2/4, ∞)

The method of singular sequences is used to provide a simple and, in some respects, a more general proof of a known spectral result for leaky wires. The method introduces a new concept of asymptotic straightness. Received: 4 October 2007     

On certain polylogarithmic double series

In this paper, we study certain polylogarithmic double series

A Tutorial on Computational Cluster Analysis with Applications to Pattern Discovery in Microarray Data

Microarrays offer unprecedented possibilities for the so-called omic, e.g., genomic and proteomic, research. However, they are also quite challenging data to analyze. The aim of this paper is to provide a short tutorial on the most common approaches used for pattern discovery and cluster analysis as they are currently used for microarrays, in the hope to bring the attention of the Algorithmic Community on novel aspects of classification and data analysis that deserve attention and have potential for high reward. R. Giancarlo is partially supported by Italian MIUR grants PRIN “Metodi Combinatori ed Algoritmici per la Scoperta di Patterns in Biosequenze” and FIRB “Bioinformatica per la Genomica e la Proteomica” and Italy-Israel FIRB Project “Pattern Discovery Algorithms in Discrete Structures, with Applications to Bioinformatics”. D. Scaturro is supported by a MIUR Fellowship in the Italy-Israel FIRB Project “Pattern Discovery Algorithms in Discrete Structures, with Applications to Bioinformatics”.     

On connectedness of sets in the real spectra of polynomial rings

Let R be a real closed field. The Pierce–Birkhoff conjecture says that any piecewise polynomial function f on R ⁿ can be obtained from the polynomial ring R[x ₁,..., x _n ] by iterating the operations of maximum and minimum. The purpose of this paper is threefold. First, we state a new conjecture, called the Connectedness conjecture, which asserts, for every pair of points , the existence of connected sets in the real spectrum of R[x ₁,..., x _n ], satisfying certain conditions. We prove that the Connectedness conjecture implies the Pierce–Birkhoff conjecture. Secondly, we construct a class of connected sets in the real spectrum which, though not in itself enough for the proof of the Pierce–Birkhoff conjecture, is the first and simplest example of the sort of connected sets we really need, and which constitutes the first step in our program for a proof of the Pierce–Birkhoff conjecture in dimension greater than 2. Thirdly, we apply these ideas to give two proofs that the Connectedness conjecture (and hence also the Pierce–Birkhoff conjecture in the abstract formulation) holds locally at any pair of points , one of which is monomial. One of the proofs is elementary while the other consists in deducing this result as an immediate corollary of the main connectedness theorem of this paper.     

Asymptotically almost periodic solutions of abstract retarded functional differential equations of second order

We establish existence of asymptotically almost periodic mild solutions for a class of semi-linear second-order abstract retarded functional differential equations with infinite delay. Research supported in part by FONDECYT, grant 1050314.     

Recurrent random walks on homogeneous spaces of p-adic algebraic groups of polynomial growth

Let G be a p-adic algebraic group of polynomial growth and H be a closed subgroup of G. We prove the growth conjecture for the homogeneous space G/H, that is, G/H supports a recurrent random walk if and only if G/H has polynomial growth of degree atmost two. Received: 23 November 2007     

Some algebraic invariants related to mixed product ideals

We compute some algebraic invariants (e.g. depth, Castelnuovo-Mumford regularity) for a special class of monomial ideals, namely the ideals of mixed products. As a consequence, we characterize the Cohen-Macaulay ideals of mixed products. Received: 25 October 2007     

The base components of the dualizing sheaf of a curve on a surface

This note studies the structure of the divisorial fixed part of for a 1-connected curve D on a smooth surface S. It is shown that if the divisorial fixed part F of is non empty then it has arithmetic genus ≤ 0 and each component of F is a smooth rational curve. The structure of curves D, with non empty divisorial fixed part F for , is also described. Received: 16 August 2007     

On the Positive Parts of Second Order Symmetric Pseudodifferential Operators

Using microlocalization, the positive and the negative parts for a class of second order formally self-adjoint pseudodifferential operators are constructed.      

Hodge polynomials and birational types of moduli spaces of coherent systems on elliptic curves

In this paper we consider moduli spaces of coherent systems on an elliptic curve. We compute their Hodge polynomials and determine their birational types in some cases. Moreover we prove that certain moduli spaces of coherent systems are isomorphic. This last result uses the Fourier-Mukai transform of coherent systems introduced by Hernández Ruipérez and Tejero Prieto.     

Gauss-Bruhat decomposition as an example of Thomas decomposition

Both the Gauss-Bruhat decomposition and the LU-decomposition of the general linear group over a field are examples of a Thomas decomposition of systems of polynomial equations and inequations into disjoint triangular systems, a recently rediscovered method of the nineteen-thirties, applied to the inequation det (A) ≠ 0 for an n × n-matrix of indeterminants. More specifically it is shown that the cells of the two decompositions can be described by determinantal equations and inequations yielding simple systems in the sense of Thomas of a rather special type, which are called split and allow counting solutions over any finite field. Received: 17 March 2008, Revised: 12 August 2008     

Algorithms for Singleton Attractor Detection in Planar and Nonplanar AND/OR Boolean Networks

Singleton attractor (also called fixed point) detection is known to be NP-hard even for AND/OR Boolean networks (AND/OR BNs in short, i.e., BNs consisting of AND/OR nodes), where BN is a mathematical model of genetic networks and singleton attractors correspond to steady states. In our recent paper, we developed an O(1.787ⁿ) time algorithm for detecting a singleton attractor of a given AND/OR BN where n is the number of nodes. In this paper, we present an O(1.757ⁿ) time algorithm with which we succeeded in improving the above algorithm. We also show that this problem can be solved in time, which is less than O((1 + ∈)ⁿ) for any positive constant ∈, when a BN is planar. A preliminary version of this paper has appeared in Proc. 3rd International Conference on Algebraic Biology (AB2008) [27].