In this paper we introduce a smooth version of local linear regression estimators and address their advantages. The MSE and MISE of the estimators are computed explicitly. It turns out that the local linear regression smoothers have nice sampling properties and high minimax efficiency-they are not only efficient in rates but also nearly efficient in constant factors. In the nonparametric regression context, the asymptotic minimax lower bound is developed via the heuristic of the" hardest onedimensional subproblem" of Donoho and Liu. Connections of the minimax risk with the modulus of continuity are made. The lower bound is also applicable for estimating conditional mean (regression) and conditional quantiles for both fixed and random design regression problems.

The transformed $l_1$ penalty (TL1) functions are a one parameter family of bilinear transformations composed with the absolute value function. When acting on vectors, the TL1 penalty interpolates $l_0$ and $l_1$ similar to $l_p$ norm, where $p$ is in $(0,1)$. In our companion paper, we showed that TL1 is a robust sparsity promoting penalty in compressed sensing (CS) problems for a broad range of incoherent and coherent sensing matrices. Here we develop an explicit fixed point representation for the TL1 regularized minimization problem. The TL1 thresholding functions are in closed form for all parameter values. In contrast, the $l_p$ thresholding functions ($p$ is in $[0,1]$) are in closed form only for $p=0;1;1=2;2=3$, known as hard, soft, half, and 2/3 thresholding respectively. The TL1 threshold values differ in subcritical (supercritical) parameter regime where the TL1 threshold functions are continuous (discontinuous) similar to soft-thresholding (half-thresholding) functions. We propose TL1 iterative thresholding algorithms and compare them with hard and half thresholding algorithms in CS test problems. For both incoherent and coherent sensing matrices, a proposed TL1 iterative thresholding algorithm with adaptive subcritical and supercritical thresholds (TL1IT-s1 for short), consistently performs the best in sparse signal recovery with and without measurement noise.

The GKZ system for the Hesse pencil of elliptic curves has more solutions than the period integrals. In this work we give different realizations and interpretations of the extra solution, in terms of oscillating integral, Eichler integral, chain integral on the elliptic curve, limit of a period of a certain compact Calabi-Yau threefold geometry, etc. We also highlight the role played by the orbifold singularity on the moduli space and its relation to the GKZ system.

This paper applies$K$-homology to solve the index problem for a class of hypoelliptic (but not elliptic) operators on contact manifolds.$K$-homology is the dual theory to$K$-theory. We explicitly calculate the$K$-cycle (i.e., the element in geometric$K$-homology) determined by any hypoelliptic Fredholm operator in the Heisenberg calculus.

This work is intended as both an introductory text and a reference book for those interested in studying several complex variables in the context of partial differential equations. Significant progress has been made in the study of Cauchy-Riemann and tangential Cauchy-Riemann operators; this progress greatly influenced the development of PDEs and several complex variables.