Nonparametric estimation and adaptive control in a class of finite Markov decision chains

We consider a class of Markov decision processes withfinite state and action spaces which, essentially, is determined by the following condition: The state space isirreducible under the action of any stationary policy. However, except by this restriction, the transition law iscompletely unknown to the controller. In this context, we find a set of policies under which thefrequency estimators of the transition law are strongly consistent and then, this result is applied to constructadaptive asymptotically discount-optimal policies.Dedicated to Professor Truman O. Lewis, on the occasion of his sixtieth birthdayThis research was supported in part by the Third World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) under Grant TWAS RG MP 898-152, and in part by the Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (CONACYT) under Grant A128CCOEO550 (MT-2).     

Idealization of a decomposition theorem

In 1986, Tong [13] proved that a function f : (X,τ)→(Y,φ) is continuous if and only if it is α-continuous and A-continuous. We extend this decomposition of continuity in terms of ideals. First, we introduce the notions of regular-I-closed sets, A _I-sets and A _I -continuous functions in ideal topological spaces and investigate their properties. Then, we show that a function f : (X,τ,I)→(Y, φ) is continuous if and only if it is α-I-continuous and A _I-continuous. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

INJECTIVE PRECOVERS AND MODULES OF GENERALIZED INVERSE POLYNOMIALS

Let (S,≤) be an ordered set. Recall that (S,≤) is artinian if every strictly decreasingsequence of elements of S is ?nite, and that (S,≤) is narrow if every subset of pairwiseorder-incomparable elements of S is ?nite. Let S be a commutative monoid. Unl…     

LOCAL SPECTRA OF UNILATERAL OPERATOR WEIGHTED SHIFTS

In this note, the local spectral properties of unilateral operator weighted shifts arestudied.     

A new alternating‐direction finite element method for hyperbolic equation

A modified backward difference time discretization is presented for Galerkin approximations for nonlinear hyperbolic equation in two space variables. This procedure uses a local approximation of the coefficients based on patches of finite elements with these procedures, a multidimensional problem can be solved as a series of one‐dimensional problems. Optimal order H₀¹ and L² error estimates are derived. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Numer Methods Partial Differential Eq, 2007     

Discrete global descent method for discrete global optimization and nonlinear integer programming

A novel method, entitled the discrete global descent method, is developed in this paper to solve discrete global optimization problems and nonlinear integer programming problems. This method moves from one discrete minimizer of the objective function f to another better one at each iteration with the help of an auxiliary function, entitled the discrete global descent function. The discrete global descent function guarantees that its discrete minimizers coincide with the better discrete minimizers of f under some standard assumptions. This property also ensures that a better discrete minimizer of f can be found by some classical local search methods. Numerical experiments on several test problems with up to 100 integer variables and up to 1.38 × 10¹⁰⁴ feasible points have demonstrated the applicability and efficiency of the proposed method.     

The Central Limit Problem for Random Vectors with Symmetries

Motivated by the central limit problem for convex bodies, we study normal approximation of linear functionals of high-dimensional random vectors with various types of symmetries. In particular, we obtain results for distributions which are coordinatewise symmetric, uniform in a regular simplex, or spherically symmetric. Our proofs are based on Stein’s method of exchangeable pairs; as far as we know, this approach has not previously been used in convex geometry. The spherically symmetric case is treated by a variation of Stein’s method which is adapted for continuous symmetries. This work was done while at Stanford University.     

α，ω-二羧基-甲基丙烯酸丁酯低聚物的合成及MS分析

利用传统自由基聚合法，在四氢呋喃溶液中自由基引发聚合甲基丙烯酸丁酯单体而得到ω-羧基-甲基丙烯酸丁酯低聚物(CTBMA)(分子量在1500左右)；利用CTBMA末端酯基的反应特性，在二氧六环／水／KOH混合溶液中皂化CTBMA，使之转化为α，ω-羧基甲基丙烯酸丁酯低聚物(di-CTBMA)；研究了溶剂的类别、反应时间等反应条件对皂化产物结构的影响；利用MALDI-TOF-MS及LSIMS对皂化各阶段产物进行了分析监测．实验表明，在适当的皂化条件下，CTBMA皂化时主要为末端酯基转化为羧基，相应得到的产物di-CTMBA具有很好的结构特性，其官能团度(functionality)接近2．     

Amine‐blocked polyisocyanates. I. Synthesis of novel N‐methylaniline‐blocked polyisocyanates and deblocking studies using hot‐stage fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

A series of substituted N‐methylaniline‐blocked polyisocyanates based on 4,4′‐methylenebis(phenyl isocyanate) and poly(tetrahydrofuran) were prepared and characterized thoroughly with FTIR, ¹H NMR, and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy methods. Compared with unsubstituted N‐methylaniline, a blocking agent with an electron‐releasing substituent at the para position took a shorter time, whereas those with an electron‐releasing substituent at the ortho position or an electron‐withdrawing substituent at the ortho and para positions took longer times for the blocking reaction. The thermal dissociation reactions of blocked polyisocyanates were carried out with an FTIR spectrophotometer attached to hot‐stage accessories under dynamic and isothermal conditions. The dynamic method was used to determine the deblocking temperature, and the isothermal method was used to calculate the deblocking kinetics and activation parameters. The cure times of blocked polyisocyanates with hydroxyl‐terminated polybutadiene were also determined. The deblocking temperatures, the results of cure‐time studies, and the kinetic parameters revealed that the thermal dissociation of the N‐methylaniline‐blocked polyisocyanates was retarded by electron‐donating substituents and facilitated by electron‐withdrawing substituents. The action of N‐methylanilines as blocking agents for isocyanate was explained by the formation of a four‐center, intramolecularly hydrogen‐bonded ring structure during the thermal dissociation of the blocked polyisocyanates. The formation of such a hydrogen‐bonded ring structure was confirmed and supported by variable‐temperature ¹H NMR studies and entropy parameters, respectively. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 1557–1570, 2007     

How to assess and report the performance of a stochastic algorithm on a benchmark problem: mean or best result on a number of runs?

Some authors claim that reporting the best result obtained by a stochastic algorithm in a number of runs is more meaningful than reporting some central statistic. In this short note, we analyze and refute the main argument brought in favor of this statement.