Hypotheses Testing for Error-in-Variables Models

In this paper, hypotheses testing based on a corrected score function are considered. Five different testing statistics are proposed and their asymptotic distributions are investigated. It is shown that the statistics are asymptotically distributed according to the chisquare distribution or can be written as a linear combination of chisquare random variables with one degree of freedom. A small scale numerical Monte Carlo study is presented in order to compare the empirical size and power of the proposed tests. A comparative calibration example is used to illustrate the results obtained.     

Non-continuation of the periodic oscillations of a forced pendulum in the presence of friction

A well known theorem says that the forced pendulum equation has periodic solutions if there is no friction and the external force has mean value zero. In this paper we show that this result cannot be extended to the case of linear friction.

     

Symmetrization and norm of the Hardy-Littlewood maximal operator on Lorentz and Marcinkiewicz spaces

We prove that when a function on the real line is symmetricallyrearranged, the distribution function of its uncentered Hardy–Littlewoodmaximal function increases pointwise, while it remains unchangedonly when the function is already symmetric. Equivalently, if is the maximal operator and the symmetrization, then f(x)f(x)for every x, and equality holds for all x if and only if, upto translations, f(x) = f(x) almost everywhere. Using theseresults, we then compute the exact norms of the maximal operatoracting on Lorentz and Marcinkiewicz spaces, and we determineextremal functions that realize these norms.     

Uncertainty Inequalities for Fourier Series of Pairs of Reciprocal Positive Functions

In the early 1930s, Wiener proved that if f(x) is a strictlypositive periodic function whose Fourier series is absolutelyconvergent, then the Fourier series of g(x)=1/f(x) is also absolutelyconvergent [8, pp. 10–14]. This phenomenon can be easilyunderstood nowadays using Banach algebra techniques (see, forexample, [4, pp. 202–203]). In fact, these techniquesallow us to study the absolute convergence of g(x)=F(f(x)),where F is holomorphic in an open subset of C that containsthe range of f(x) (for xR). In this context, Wiener's originalproblem corresponds to the choice F(z)=1/z. In this work we want to analyse the constraints on the simultaneousrate of vanishing of the Fourier coefficients f(n) and (n) asn. We shall focus on g=1/f, but we shall also study the generalcase g=F(f). In either case, there are obviously no constraintswhen f is a constant function. Although this problem does not seem to be directly related touncertainty inequalities for the Fourier Transform, we observethat there are some analogies, both in the nature of the resultsand in the proof techniques. The general fact with which weare dealing is that f(n) and (n) cannot vanish too quickly atthe same time as n, unless f(x) is constant. The general factthat underlies uncertainty inequalities is that a non-periodicfunction (x) and its Fourier Transform circ;(u) cannot vanishtoo quickly at the same time as x and u, unless (x) is zero(almost everywhere). For a simple introduction to some aspectsof uncertainty inequalities, see [5]; for a thorough and recentintroduction to this vast subject, see [3]. 1991 MathematicsSubject Classification 42A05, 42A16, 42A99.     

Extremal Curves in Nilpotent Lie Groups

We classify extremal curves in free nilpotent Lie groups. The classification is obtained via an explicit integration of the adjoint equation in Pontryagin maximum principle. It turns out that abnormal extremals are precisely the horizontal curves contained in algebraic varieties of a specific type. We also extend the results to the nonfree case.     

Lipschitz and path isometric embeddings of metric spaces

We prove that each sub-Riemannian manifold can be embedded in some Euclidean space preserving the length of all the curves in the manifold. The result is an extension of Nash C ¹ Embedding Theorem. For more general metric spaces the same result is false, e.g., for Finsler non-Riemannian manifolds. However, we also show that any metric space of finite Hausdorff dimension can be embedded in some Euclidean space via a Lipschitz map.     

Fredholm Integral Equations of the First Kind and Topological Information Theory

The Fredholm integral equations of the first kind are a classical example of ill-posed problem in the sense of Hadamard. If the integral operator is self-adjoint and admits a set of eigenfunctions, then a formal solution can be written in terms of eigenfunction expansions. One of the possible methods of regularization consists in truncating this formal expansion after restricting the class of admissible solutions through a-priori global bounds. In this paper we reconsider various possible methods of truncation from the viewpoint of the ${\varepsilon}$ -coverings of compact sets.     

Logics for belief functions on MV-algebras

In this paper we present a generalization of belief functions over fuzzy events. In particular we focus on belief functions defined in the algebraic framework of finite MV-algebras of fuzzy sets. We introduce a fuzzy modal logic to formalize reasoning with belief functions on many-valued events. We prove, among other results, that several different notions of belief functions can be characterized in a quite uniform way, just by slightly modifying the complete axiomatization of one of the modal logics involved in the definition of our formalism.     

Securitizing and tranching longevity exposures

We consider the problem of optimally designing longevity risk transfers under asymmetric information. We focus on holders of longevity exposures that have superior knowledge of the underlying demographic risks, but are willing to take them off their balance sheets because of capital requirements. In equilibrium, they transfer longevity risk to uninformed agents at a cost, where the cost is represented by retention of part of the exposure and/or by a risk premium. We use a signalling model to quantify the effects of asymmetric information and emphasize how they compound with parameter uncertainty. We show how the cost of private information can be minimized by suitably tranching securitized cashflows, or, equivalently, by securitizing the exposure in exchange for an option on mortality rates. We also investigate the benefits of pooling several longevity exposures and the impact on tranching levels.