On the complexity of extending the convergence ball of Wang’s method for finding a zero of a derivative

Ball convergence results are very important, since they demonstrate the complexity in choosing initial points for iterative methods. One of the most important problems in the study of iterative methods is to determine the convergence ball. This ball is small in general restricting the choice of initial points. We address this problem in the case of Wang’s method utilized to determine a zero of a derivative. Finding such a zero has many applications in computational fields, especially in function optimization. In particular, we find the convergence ball of Wang’s method using hypotheses up to the second derivative in contrast to earlier studies using hypotheses up to the fourth derivative. This way, we also extend the applicability of Wang’s method. Numerical experiments used to test the convergence criteria complete this study.     

A mixed hp FEM for the approximation of fourth‐order singularly perturbed problems on smooth domains

We consider fourth‐order singularly perturbed problems posed on smooth domains and the approximation of their solution by a mixed Finite Element Method on the so‐called Spectral Boundary Layer Mesh. We show that the method converges uniformly, with respect to the singular perturbation parameter, at an exponential rate when the error is measured in the energy norm. Numerical examples illustrate our theoretical findings.     

On uniform propagation of chaos

In this paper we obtain a time-uniform propagation estimate for a system of interacting diffusion processes. Using a well defined metric function h , our result guarantees a time-uniform estimate for the convergence of a class of interacting stochastic differential equations towards their mean field limit, under conditions that ensure that the decay associated to the internal dynamics term dominates the interaction and noise terms. Our result should have diverse applications, particularly in neuroscience, and allows for models more elaborate than the one of Wilson and Cowan. In particular, the internal dynamics need not be that of linear decay.     

Weak attractors for the dissipative fractional Heisenberg equation

In this short paper, we consider the long time behaviors of the fractional Heisenberg equation and the existence of a global weak attractor is proved for the shift dynamics in the path space. The key ingredient is some new type of commutator structure introduced in this paper, which seems indispensable in proving the compactness of the dynamics. The technique introduced in this paper may also be useful to other fractional order partial differential equations.     

Hierarchical Model-Based Clustering for Large Datasets

In recent years, hierarchical model-based clustering has provided promising results in a variety of applications. However, its use with large datasets has been hindered by a time and memory complexity that are at least quadratic in the number of observations. To overcome this difficulty, this article proposes to start the hierarchical agglomeration from an efficient classification of the data in many classes rather than from the usual set of singleton clusters. This initial partition is derived from a subgraph of the minimum spanning tree associated with the data. To this end, we develop graphical tools that assess the presence of clusters in the data and uncover observations difficult to classify. We use this approach to analyze two large, real datasets: a multiband MRI image of the human brain and data on global precipitation climatology. We use the real datasets to discuss ways of integrating the spatial information in the clustering analysis. We focus on two-stage methods, in which a second stage of processing using established methods is applied to the output from the algorithm presented in this article, viewed as a first stage.     

Continuous dependence on data for bilocal difference equations

The continuous dependence on data is studied for a class of second order difference equations governed by a maximal monotone operator A in a Hilbert space. A nonhomogeneous term f appears in the equation and some bilocal boundary conditions a, b are added. One shows that the function which associates to {a, b, A, f} the solution of this boundary value problem is continuous in a specific sense. One uses the convergence of a sequence of operators in the sense of the resolvent. The problem studied here is the discrete variant of a problem from the continuous case.     

Carbon nanospheres with well‐controlled nano‐morphologies as support for palladium‐catalyzed Suzuki coupling reaction

Uniform carbon nanospheres (UCS) with well‐controlled nano‐morphologies were fabricated by hydrothermal carbonization of sucrose in the presence of kayexalate. Highly dispersed and ultrafine palladium nanoparticles were supported on the UCS through a facile co‐reduction process with NaBH₄ as reducing agent. The obtained Pd@UCS exhibited efficient catalytic activity for the Suzuki coupling reaction. Moreover, the as‐prepared catalyst could be recycled and reused at least five times without significant loss of its catalytic activity.