The characteristic of noncompact convexity and random fixed point theorem for set-valued operators

Let (Ω, Σ) be a measurable space, X a Banach space whose characteristic of noncompact convexity is less than 1, C a bounded closed convex subset of X, KC(C) the family of all compact convex subsets of C. We prove that a set-valued nonexpansive mapping T: C → KC(C) has a fixed point. Furthermore, if X is separable then we also prove that a set-valued nonexpansive operator T: Ω × C → KC(C) has a random fixed point.     

TERAHERTZ QUALITY CONTROL OF POLYMERIC PRODUCTS

We report on experiments that evaluate the potential of terahertz (THz) time-domain spectroscopy (TDS) for quality control of polymeric compounds. We investigate specimens out of a polyethylene compound with silver-coated titanium dioxide nanospheres and a glass-fiber reinforced epoxy composite. We further examine an industrial polymer product produced by injection molding. Our data demonstrates that THz imaging is a powerful tool for contactless quality control in the polymer industry.     

On the equitability of multiply-connected monolayered cyclofusene

Multiply-connected monolayered cyclofusene (MMC) is a fused hexacyclic system with an exterior region and at least two interior empty regions called holes, as in figure 1. Each hexacyle has either: (a) two edges belonging to an exterior boundary and at least one hole, or (b) two edges belonging to boundaries of at least two holes. Let G be the graph of a given MMC. We show that G is equitable if and only if the set of vertices belonging to three hexacycles is equitable.     

How to Exhibit Toroidal Maps in Space

Steinitz's theorem states that a graph is the 1-skeleton of a convex polyhedron if and only if it is 3-connected and planar. The polyhedron is called a geometric realization of the embedded graph. Its faces are bounded by convex polygons whose points are coplanar. A map on the torus does not necessarily have such a geometric realization. In this paper we relax the condition that faces are the convex hull of coplanar points. We require instead that the convex hull of the points on a face can be projected onto a plane so that the boundary of the convex hull of the projected points is the image of the boundary of the face. We also require that the interiors of the convex hulls of different faces do not intersect. Call this an exhibition of the map. A map is polyhedral if the intersection of any two closed faces is simply connected. Our main result is that every polyhedral toroidal map can be exhibited. As a corollary, every toroidal triangulation has a geometric realization.     

Reducing system of parameters and the Cohen-Macaulay property

Let R be a local ring and let (x ₁, …, x _r) be part of a system of parameters of a finitely generated R-module M, where r < dim_R M. We will show that if (y ₁, …, y _r) is part of a reducing system of parameters of M with (y ₁, …, y _r) M = (x ₁, …, x _r) M then (x ₁, …, x _r) is already reducing. Moreover, there is such a part of a reducing system of parameters of M iff for all primes P ε Supp M ∩ V _R(x ₁, …, x _r) with dim_R R/P = dim_R M − r the localization M _P of M at P is an r-dimensional Cohen-Macaulay module over R _P. Furthermore, we will show that M is a Cohen-Macaulay module iff y _d is a non zero divisor on M/(y ₁, …, y _d−1) M, where (y ₁, …, y _d) is a reducing system of parameters of M (d:= dim_R M).     

The <Emphasis Type="Italic">M</Emphasis>/<Emphasis Type="Italic">G</Emphasis>/∞ system revisited: finiteness,summability, long range dependence,and reverse engineering

We explore M/G/∞ systems ‘fed’ by Poissonian inflows with infinite arrival rates. Three processes – corresponding to the system's state, workload, and queue-size – are studied and analyzed. Closed form formulae characterizing the system's stationary structure and correlation structure are derived. And, the issues of queue finiteness, workload summability, and Long Range Dependence are investigated. We then turn to devise a ‘reverse engineering’ scheme for the design of the system's correlation structure. Namely: how to construct an M/G/∞ system with a pre-desired ‘target’ workload/queue auto-covariance function. The ‘reverse engineering’ scheme is applied to various examples, including ones with infinite queues and non-summable workloads. AMS Subject Classifications Primary: 60K25; Secondary: 60G55, 60G10     

The location of median paths on grid graphs

In this paper we consider the location of a path shaped facility on a grid graph. In the literature this problem was extensively studied on particular classes of graphs as trees or series-parallel graphs. We consider here the problem of finding a path which minimizes the sum of the (shortest) distances from it to the other vertices of the grid, where the path is also subject to an additional constraint that takes the form either of the length of the path or of the cardinality. We study the complexity of these problems and we find two polynomial time algorithms for two special cases, with time complexity of O(n) and O(nℓ) respectively, where n is the number of vertices of the grid and ℓ is the cardinality of the path to be located. The literature about locating dimensional facilities distinguishes between the location of extensive facilities in continuous spaces and network facility location. We will show that the problems presented here have a close connection with continuous dimensional facility problems, so that the procedures provided can also be useful for solving some open problems of dimensional facilities location in the continuous case.     

Near-infrared laser photoacoustic detection of methane: the impact of molecular relaxation

A photoacoustic sensor has been developed for trace-gas monitoring using a near-infrared semiconductor laser emitting in the 2ν₃ band of methane at 1.65 μm. The apparatus was designed for on-line process control in the manufacturing of the novel low-water-peak fibres developed for optical telecommunications. The importance of collisional relaxation processes in the generation of the photoacoustic signal is reported in the particular case of CH₄ detection in dry O₂ and O₂–N₂ mixtures. The negative influence of these effects results in a strongly reduced and phase-shifted photoacoustic signal, induced by a fast resonant coupling between the vibrational states of methane and oxygen, associated with the slow relaxation of the excited oxygen molecules. An unusual parabolic response of the sensor with respect to the methane concentration has been observed and is discussed. Finally, the beneficial effect of several species, including water vapour and helium, acting as a catalyst to hasten the relaxation of the CH₄–O₂ system, is demonstrated. PACS 42.62.Fi; 33.20.Ea; 34.50.Ez     

The Asymptotic Behaviour of the Fourier Transforms of Orthogonal Polynomials I: Mellin Transform Techniques

The Fourier transform of orthogonal polynomials with respect to their own orthogonality measure defines the family of Fourier–Bessel functions. We study the asymptotic behaviour of these functions and of their products, for large real values of the argument. By employing a Mellin analysis we construct a general framework to exhibit the relation of the asymptotic decay laws to certain dimensions of the orthogonality measure, that are defined via the divergence abscissas of suitable integrals. The unifying r?le of Mellin transform techniques in deriving classical and new results is underlined. Submitted: November 5, 2004. Accepted: January 6, 2006.     

Learning and transfer in dynamic decision environments

An important aspect of learning is the ability to transfer knowledge to new contexts. However, in dynamic decision tasks, such as bargaining, firefighting, and process control, where decision makers must make repeated decisions under time pressure and outcome feedback may relate to any of a number of decisions, such transfer has proven elusive. This paper proposes a two-stage connectionist model which hypothesizes that decision makers learn to identify categories of evidence requiring similar decisions as they perform in dynamic environments. The model suggests conditions under which decision makers will be able to use this ability to help them in novel situations. These predictions are compared against those of a one-stage decision model that does not learn evidence categories, as is common in many current theories of repeated decision making. Both models' predictions are then tested against the performance of decision makers in an Internet bargaining task. Both models correctly predict aspects of decision makers' learning under different interventions. The two-stage model provides closer fits to decision maker performance in a new, related bargaining task and accounts for important features of higher-performing decision makers' learning. Although frequently omitted in recent accounts of repeated decision making, the processes of evidence category formation described by the two-stage model appear critical in understanding the extent to which decision makers learn from feedback in dynamic tasks. Faison (Bud) Gibson is an Assistant Professor at College of Business, Eastern Michigan University. He has extensive experience developing and empirically testing models of decision behavior in dynamic decision environments.