A sperner-type theorem

Let P=P ₁×P ₂×...×P _M be the direct product of symmetric chain orders P ₁, P ₂, ..., P _M . Let F be a subset of P containing no l+1 elements which are identical in M–1 components and linearly ordered in the Mth one. Then max |F|cM ^1/2lW(P), where W(P) is the cardinality of the largest level of P, and c is independent of P, M and l. Infinitely many P show that this result is best possible for every M and l apart from the constant factor c.     

Posets of copies of countable scattered linear orders

We show that the separative quotient of the poset 〈P(L),⊂〉$〈\mathbb{P}(L),\subset 〉$ of isomorphic suborders of a countable scattered linear order L is σ  -closed and atomless. So, under the CH, all these posets are forcing-equivalent (to (P(ω)/Fin)⁺${(P(\omega )/\mathrm{Fin})}^{+}$).     

A cofinal coloring theorem for partially ordered algebras

If P is a directed partially ordered algebra of an appropriate sort-e.g. an upper semilattice-and has no maximal element, then P has two disjoint subalgebras each cofinal in P. In fact, if P has cofinality then there exists a family of such disjoint subalgebras. A version of this result is also proved without the directedness assumption, in which the cofinality of P is replaced by an invariant which we call its global cofinality.This work was done while the first author was partly supported by NSF contract MCS 82-02632.     

Fractional matchings and covers in infinite hypergraphs

A strong version of the duality theorem of linear programming is proved for fractional covers and matchings in countable graphs. It is conjectured to hold for general hypergraphs. In Section 2 we show that in countable hypergraphs there does not necessarily exist a maximal matchable set, contrary to the situation in graphs.     

A note on the dimension of a poset

It is shown that the dimension of a poset is the smallest cardinal number such that there is an embedding of the poset into a strict product of linear orders.     

A note on AC-join-semilattices

The concept ofp-compatibility is studied in AC-join-semilattices. Some properties of AC-join-semilattices are obtained.     

A bruhat order for bipartite graphs whose node sets are posets: Lifting,switching, and adding edges

Consider two partially ordered setsP, Q and a number of edges connecting some of the points ofP with some of the points ofQ. This yields a bipartite graph. Some pairs of the edges may cross each other because their endpoints atP andQ are oppositely ordered. A natural decrossing operation is to exchange the endpoints of these edges incident atQ, say. This is called a switch. A left lift of an edge means to replace its starting point atP by a larger starting point. A right lift is defined symmetrically for the endpoints atQ. The operation of adding an edge cannot, informally, be explained better. Assume we are given two bipartite graphs , on the node setPQ. We show that for certain pairs (P, Q) of finite posets, a neat necessary and sufficient criterion can be given in order that is obtainable from by the sequence of elementary operations just defined. A recent characterization of the Bruhat order of the symmetric group follows as a special case.     

Containment for c, s, t operators on a binary relation

The operators c, s and t are complement, symmetric and transitive closure of a binary relation. If u and v denote finite sequences of these operators then we define u v iff for every binary relation . We find the distinct representative and containment between these sequences. The asymmetric operator is not one of these. There are 54 representatives for binary relations, 20 for transitive relations, and 10 for symmetric relations. There are 26 component types of a binary relation, 10 for transitive relations, and 6 for symmetric relations. There are 16 connected types of a binary relation, 8 for transitive relations, and 4 for symmetric relations. We study well founded relations. Total relations may not be contractible but well founded ones are. The complement of (a Hasse diagram of) a non-empty partial order of arbitrary cardinality is contractible. Ordered sets are naturally homotopy equivalent to partially ordered sets. There are 10 relations which can have arbitrary polyhedral homotopy type and 42 are either contractible or the homotopy type of a wedge of n-spheres. The homotopy type of two relations is not determined.     

A structure theorem for right invariant right holoids

Communicated by Boris M. Schein     

A Global Wellordering of Norms Defined via Blackwell Games

We define a global order of norms using strongly optimal strategies in Blackwell games and prove that it is a prewellordering under the assumption of the Axiom of Blackwell determinacy.     

Maximum antichains in the product of chains

Let P be the poset k ₁ × ... × k _n , which is a product of chains, where n1 and k ₁ ... k _n 2. Let . P is known to have the Sperner property, which means that its maximum ranks are maximum antichains. Here we prove that its maximum ranks are its only maximum antichains if and only if either n=1 or M1. This is a generalization of a classical result, Sperner's Theorem, which is the case k ₁= ... =k _n =2. We also determine the number and location of the maximum ranks of P.Research supported in part by the National Science Foundation 10/25/83.     

An application of Shoenfield's absoluteness theorem to the theory of uniform distribution

IfC is a Polish probability space, a Borel set whose sectionsW _x ( have measure one and are decreasing , then we show that the set _x W _x has measure one. We give two proofs of this theorem—one in the language of set theory, the other in the language of probability theory, and we apply the theorem to a question on completely uniformly distributed sequences.Supported by DFG grant Ko 490/7-1.     

On the congruence problem in infinite dimensional sesquilinear spaces

If two subspaces V and V of a sesquilinear space E are congruent (i.e., there is an isometry : E E with (V)=V) then their corresponding quadratic lattices V(V, E) and V(V, E) are isomorphic. It is shown that the converse holds for important types of sesquilinear spaces E, provided that dim(E) ₃. However, the converse generally fails if dim(E) ₃.     

An extension of the factorization theorem to the non-positive case

This paper presents a method of determining joint distributions by known conditional distributions. A generalization of the Factorization Theorem is proposed. The generalized theorem is proved under the assumption that the support of unknown joint distribution may be divided into a countable number of sets, which all satisfy the relative weak positivity condition. This condition is defined in the paper and it generalizes the positivity condition introduced by Hammersley and Clifford. The theorem is illustrated with three examples. In the first example we determine a joint density in the case when the support of an unknown density is a continuous nonproduct set from Euclidean space . In the second example we seek the joint probability for the number of trials and the number of successes in Bernoulli's scheme. We also examine a simple example given by Kaiser and Cressie (J. Multivariate Anal. 73 (2000) 199).     

A remark on covering graphs

Every graph G may be transformed into a covering graph either by deletion of edges or by subdivision. Let _E (G) and _V (G) denote corresponding minimal numbers. We prove _E (G) = _V (G) for every graph G.     

A separation theorem for semicontinuous functions on preordered topological spaces

Suppose that X is a topological space with preorder , and that –g, f are bounded upper semicontinuous functions on X such that g(x) f(y) whenever x y. We consider the question whether there exists a bounded increasing continuous function h on X such that g h f, and obtain an existence theorem that gives necessary and sufficient conditions. This result leads to an extension theorem giving conditions that allow a bounded increasing continuous function defined on an open subset of X to be extended to a function of the same type on X. The application of these results to extremally disconnected locally compact spaces is studied.Received: 26 May 2004     

A special case of de Branges' theorem on the inverse monodromy problem

We give a new proof of a special case of de Branges' theorem on the inverse monodromy problem: when an associated Riemann surface is of Widom type with Direct Cauchy Theorem. The proof is based on our previous result (with M.Sodin) on infinite dimensional Jacobi inversion and on Levin's uniqueness theorem for conformal maps onto comb-like domains. Although in this way we can not prove de Branges' Theorem in full generality, our proof is rather constructive and may lead to a multi-dimensional generalization. It could also shed light on the structure of invariant subspaces of Hardy spaces on Riemann surfaces of infinite genus.This work was supported by the Austrian Founds zur Förderung der wissenschaftlichen Forschung, project-number P12985-TEC