On vanishing coefficients of algebraic power series over fields of positive characteristic

Let K be a field of characteristic p>0 and let f(t ₁,…,t _d ) be a power series in d variables with coefficients in K that is algebraic over the field of multivariate rational functions K(t ₁,…,t _d ). We prove a generalization of both Derksen’s recent analogue of the Skolem–Mahler–Lech theorem in positive characteristic and a classical theorem of Christol, by showing that the set of indices (n ₁,…,n _d )∈? ^d for which the coefficient of \(t_{1}^{n_{1}}\cdots t_{d}^{n_{d}}\) in f(t ₁,…,t _d ) is zero is a p-automatic set. Applying this result to multivariate rational functions leads to interesting effective results concerning some Diophantine equations related to S-unit equations and more generally to the Mordell–Lang Theorem over fields of positive characteristic.     

On the sum of the L1 influences of bounded functions

Let f: {-1, 1}ⁿ → [-1, 1] have degree d as a multilinear polynomial. It is well-known that the total influence of f is at most d. Aaronson and Ambainis asked whether the total L₁ influence of f can also be bounded as a function of d. Ba?kurs and Bavarian answered this question in the affirmative, providing a bound of O(d³) for general functions and O(d²) for homogeneous functions. We improve on their results by providing a bound of d² for general functions and O(d log d) for homogeneous functions. In addition, we prove a bound of d/(2p) + o(d) for monotone functions, and provide a matching example.     

Finite groups with an irreducible character of large degree

Let G be a finite group and d the degree of a complex irreducible character of G, then write |G| = d(d + e) where e is a nonnegative integer. We prove that |G| ≤ e⁴?e³ whenever e > 1. This bound is best possible and improves on several earlier related results.     

On Ranks of Polynomials

Let V be a vector space over a field k, P : V → k, d ≥?3. We show the existence of a function C(r, d) such that rank(P) ≤ C(r, d) for any field k, char(k) > d, a finite-dimensional k-vector space V and a polynomial P : V → k of degree d such that rank(?P/?t) ≤ r for all t ∈ V ??0. Our proof of this theorem is based on the application of results on Gowers norms for finite fields k. We don’t know a direct proof even in the case when k = ?.     

Inversion and subspaces of a finite field

Consider two F _q -subspaces A and B of a finite field, of the same size, and let A ^?1 denote the set of inverses of the nonzero elements of A. The author proved that A ^?1 can only be contained in A if either A is a subfield, or A is the set of trace zero elements in a quadratic extension of a field. Csajbók refined this to the following quantitative statement: if A ^?1 ? B, then the bound |A ^?1∩B| ≤ 2|B|/q ? 2 holds. He also gave examples showing that his bound is sharp for |B| ≤ q ³. Our main result is a proof of the stronger bound |A ^?1 ∩ B| ≤ |B|/q · (1 + O _d (q ^?1/2)), for |B| = q ^d with d > 3. We also classify all examples with |B| ≤ q ³ which attain equality or near-equality in Csajbók’s bound.     

A discrete version of Koldobsky’s slicing inequality

Let #K be a number of integer lattice points contained in a set K. In this paper we prove that for each d ∈ N there exists a constant C(d) depending on d only, such that for any origin-symmetric convex body K ? R ^d containing d linearly independent lattice points

$$\# K \leqslant C\left( d \right)\max \left( {\# \left( {K \cap H} \right)} \right)vo{l_d}{\left( K \right)^{\frac{{d - m}}{d}}},$$

where the maximum is taken over all m-dimensional subspaces of R ^d . We also prove that C(d) can be chosen asymptotically of order O(1) ^d d ^d?m . In particular, we have order O(1) ^d for hyperplane slices. Additionally, we show that if K is an unconditional convex body then C(d) can be chosen asymptotically of order O(d) ^d?m .

     

Finite p-Groups with Few Non-major k-Maximal Subgroups

A subgroup of index p ^k of a finite p-group G is called a k-maximal subgroup of G. Denote by d(G) the number of elements in a minimal generator-system of G and by δ _k (G) the number of k-maximal subgroups which do not contain the Frattini subgroup of G. In this paper, the authors classify the finite p-groups with δ_d(G)(G) ≤ p² and δ_d(G)?1(G) = 0, respectively.     

On a classical theorem on the diameter and minimum degree of a graph

In this work, we obtain good upper bounds for the diameter of any graph in terms of its minimum degree and its order, improving a classical theorem due to Erd¨os, Pach, Pollack and Tuza.We use these bounds in order to study hyperbolic graphs(in the Gromov sense). To compute the hyperbolicity constant is an almost intractable problem, thus it is natural to try to bound it in terms of some parameters of the graph. Let H(n, δ_0) be the set of graphs G with n vertices and minimum degree δ_0, and J(n, Δ) be the set of graphs G with n vertices and maximum degree Δ. We study the four following extremal problems on graphs: a(n, δ_0) = min{δ(G) | G ∈ H(n, δ_0)}, b(n, δ_0) = max{δ(G) |G ∈ H(n, δ_0)}, α(n, Δ) = min{δ(G) | G ∈ J(n, Δ)} and β(n, Δ) = max{δ(G) | G ∈ J(n, Δ)}. In particular, we obtain bounds for b(n, δ_0) and we compute the precise value of a(n, δ_0), α(n, Δ) andβ(n, Δ) for all values of n, δ_0 and Δ, respectively.     

On an Extremal Problem for Poset Dimension

Let f(n) be the largest integer such that every poset on n elements has a 2-dimensional subposet on f(n) elements. What is the asymptotics of f(n)? It is easy to see that f(n) = n ^1/2. We improve the best known upper bound and show f(n) = O (n ^2/3). For higher dimensions, we show \(f_{d}(n)=\O \left (n^{\frac {d}{d + 1}}\right )\), where f _d (n) is the largest integer such that every poset on n elements has a d-dimensional subposet on f _d (n) elements.     

Homogenization of elliptic boundary value problems in Lipschitz domains

In this paper we study the L ^p boundary value problems for \({\mathcal{L}(u)=0}\) in \({\mathbb{R}^{d+1}_+}\) , where \({\mathcal{L}=-{\rm div} (A\nabla )}\) is a second order elliptic operator with real and symmetric coefficients. Assume that A is periodic in x _d+1 and satisfies some minimal smoothness condition in the x _d+1 variable, we show that the L ^p Neumann and regularity problems are uniquely solvable for 1 < p < 2 + δ. We also present a new proof of Dahlberg’s theorem on the L ^p Dirichlet problem for 2 ? δ < p < ∞ (Dahlberg’s original unpublished proof is given in the Appendix). As the periodic and smoothness conditions are imposed only on the x _d+1 variable, these results extend directly from \({\mathbb{R}^{d+1}_+}\) to regions above Lipschitz graphs. Consequently, by localization techniques, we obtain uniform L ^p estimates for the Dirichlet, Neumann and regularity problems on bounded Lipschitz domains for a family of second order elliptic operators arising in the theory of homogenization. The results on the Neumann and regularity problems are new even for smooth domains.     

Planar Posets,Dimension, Breadth and the Number of Minimal Elements

In recent years, researchers have shown renewed interest in combinatorial properties of posets determined by geometric properties of its order diagram and topological properties of its cover graph. In most cases, the roots for the problems being studied today can be traced back to the 1970’s, and sometimes even earlier. In this paper, we study the problem of bounding the dimension of a planar poset in terms of the number of minimal elements, where the starting point is the 1977 theorem of Trotter and Moore asserting that the dimension of a planar poset with a single minimal element is at most 3. By carefully analyzing and then refining the details of this argument, we are able to show that the dimension of a planar poset with t minimal elements is at most 2t + 1. This bound is tight for t = 1 and t = 2. But for t ≥ 3, we are only able to show that there exist planar posets with t minimal elements having dimension t + 3. Our lower bound construction can be modified in ways that have immediate connections to the following challenging conjecture: For every d ≥ 2, there is an integer f(d) so that if P is a planar poset with dim(P) ≥ f(d), then P contains a standard example of dimension d. To date, the best known examples only showed that the function f, if it exists, satisfies f(d) ≥ d + 2. Here, we show that lim _d→∞ f(d)/d ≥ 2.     

Rigidity of closed submanifolds in a locally symmetric Riemannian manifold

Let M~n(n ≥ 4) be an oriented closed submanifold with parallel mean curvature in an(n + p)-dimensional locally symmetric Riemannian manifold N~(n+p). We prove that if the sectional curvature of N is positively pinched in [δ, 1], and the Ricci curvature of M satisfies a pinching condition, then M is either a totally umbilical submanifold, or δ = 1, and N is of constant curvature. This result generalizes the geometric rigidity theorem due to Xu and Gu[15].     

Some variations on Tverberg’s theorem

Define T(d, r) = (d + 1)(r - 1) + 1. A well known theorem of Tverberg states that if n ≥ T(d, r), then one can partition any set of n points in R^d into r pairwise disjoint subsets whose convex hulls have a common point. The numbers T(d, r) are known as Tverberg numbers. Reay added another parameter k (2 ≤ k ≤ r) and asked: what is the smallest number n, such that every set of n points in R^d admits an r-partition, in such a way that each k of the convex hulls of the r parts meet. Call this number T(d, r, k). Reay conjectured that T(d, r, k) = T(d, r) for all d, r and k. In this paper we prove Reay’s conjecture in the following cases: when k ≥ [d+3/2], and also when d < rk/r-k - 1. The conjecture also holds for the specific values d = 3, r = 4, k = 2 and d = 5, r = 3, k = 2.     

On finite alperin <Emphasis Type="Italic">p</Emphasis>-groups with homocyclic commutator subgroup

We study metabelian Alperin groups, i.e., metabelian groups in which every 2-generated subgroup has a cyclic commutator subgroup. It is known that, if the minimum number d(G) of generators of a finite Alperin p-group G is n ≥ 3, then d(G′) ≤ C _n ² for p≠ 3 and d(G′) ≤ C _n ² + C _n ³ for p = 3. The first section of the paper deals with finite Alperin p-groups G with p≠ 3 and d(G) = n ≥ 3 that have a homocyclic commutator subgroup of rank C _n ² . In addition, a corollary is deduced for infinite Alperin p-groups. In the second section, we prove that, if G is a finite Alperin 3-group with homocyclic commutator subgroup G- of rank C _n ² + C _n ³ , then G″ is an elementary abelian group.     

Spectral properties of the complex airy operator on the half-line

We prove a theorem on the completeness of the system of root functions of the Schrödinger operator L = ?d ²/dx ² + p(x) on the half-line R₊ with a potential p for which L appears to be maximal sectorial. An application of this theorem to the complex Airy operator L _c = ?d ²/dx ² + cx, c = const, implies the completeness of the system of eigenfunctions of L _c for the case in which |arg c| < 2π/3.We use subtler methods to prove a theorem stating that the system of eigenfunctions of this special operator remains complete under the condition that |arg c| < 5π/6.     

Weak- and strong-type inequality for the cone-like maximal operator in variable Lebesgue spaces

The classical Hardy-Littlewood maximal operator is bounded not only on the classical Lebesgue spaces L_p(R^d) (in the case p > 1), but (in the case when 1/p(·) is log-Hölder continuous and p- = inf{p(x): x ∈ R^d > 1) on the variable Lebesgue spaces L_p(·)(R^d), too. Furthermore, the classical Hardy-Littlewood maximal operator is of weak-type (1, 1). In the present note we generalize Besicovitch’s covering theorem for the so-called γ-rectangles. We introduce a general maximal operator M_s^γδ, and with the help of generalized Φ-functions, the strong- and weak-type inequalities will be proved for this maximal operator. Namely, if the exponent function 1/p(·) is log-Hölder continuous and p- ≥ s, where 1 ≤ s ≤ ∞ is arbitrary (or p- ≥ s), then the maximal operator M_s^γδ is bounded on the space L_p(·)(R^d) (or the maximal operator is of weak-type (p(·), p(·))).     

On the Malle conjecture and the self-twisted cover

For a large class of finite groups G, the number of Galois extensions E/Q of group G and discriminant |d _E | ≤ y is shown to grow at least like a power of y, for some specified positive exponent. The groups G are the regular Galois groups over Q and the counted extensions E/Q are obtained by specializing a given regular Galois extension F/Q(T). The extensions E/Q can further be prescribed any unramified local behavior at each suitably large prime p ≤ log(y)/δ for some δ ≥ 1. This result is a step toward the Malle conjecture on the number of Galois extensions of given group and bounded discriminant. The local conditions further make it a notable constraint on regular Galois groups over Q. The method uses a new version of Hilbert’s irreducibility theorem that counts the specialized extensions and not just the specialization points. A main tool for it is the self-twisted cover that we introduce.     

Quadratic differentials (A(z − a)(z − b)/(z − c)2) dz2 and algebraic Cauchy transform

We discuss the representability almost everywhere (a.e.) in C of an irreducible algebraic function as the Cauchy transform of a signed measure supported on a finite number of compact semi-analytic curves and a finite number of isolated points. This brings us to the study of trajectories of the particular family of quadratic differentials A(z ? a)(z ? b)×(z ? c)^?2 dz². More precisely, we give a necessary and sufficient condition on the complex numbers a and b for these quadratic differentials to have finite critical trajectories. We also discuss all possible configurations of critical graphs.     

Invariable generation of prosoluble groups

A group G is invariably generated by a subset S of G if G = 〈s^g(s) | s ∈ S〉 for each choice of g(s) ∈ G, s ∈ S. Answering two questions posed by Kantor, Lubotzky and Shalev in [8], we prove that the free prosoluble group of rank d ≥ 2 cannot be invariably generated by a finite set of elements, while the free solvable profinite group of rank d and derived length l is invariably generated by precisely l(d ? 1) + 1 elements.