We prove the complete monotonicity on $${(0, \infty)^{n}}$$ for suitable inverse powers of the spanning-tree polynomials of graphs and, more generally, of the basis generating polynomials of certain classes of matroids. This generalizes a result of Szegő and answers, among other things, a long-standing question of Lewy and Askey concerning the positivity of Taylor coefficients for certain rational functions. Our proofs are based on two ab-initio methods for proving that $${P^{-\beta}}$$ is completely monotone on a convex cone$C$: the determinantal method and the quadratic-form method. These methods are closely connected with harmonic analysis on Euclidean Jordan algebras (or equivalently on symmetric cones). We furthermore have a variety of constructions that, given such polynomials, can create other ones with the same property: among these are algebraic analogues of the matroid operations of deletion, contraction, direct sum, parallel connection, series connection and 2-sum. The complete monotonicity of $${P^{-\beta}}$$ for some $${\beta > 0}$$ can be viewed as a strong quantitative version of the half-plane property (Hurwitz stability) for$P$, and is also related to the Rayleigh property for matroids.

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We provide a general framework and indicate relations between the notions of transfinite diameter, homogeneous transfinite diameter, and weighted transfinite diameter for sets in ℂ^{$N$}. An ingredient is a formula of Rumely (A Robin formula for the Fekete–Leja transfinite diameter,$Math. Ann.$$337$(2007), 729–738) which relates the Robin function and the transfinite diameter of a compact set. We also prove limiting formulas for integrals of generalized Vandermonde determinants with varying weights for a general class of compact sets and measures in ℂ^{$N$}. Our results extend to certain weights and measures defined on cones in ℝ^{$N$}.

Recently, Tsai-Tseng-Yau constructed new invariants of symplectic manifolds: a sequence of A-infinity algebras built of differential forms on the symplectic manifold. We show that these symplectic A-infinity algebras have a simple topological interpretation. Namely, when the cohomology class of the symplectic form is integral, these A-infinity algebras are equivalent to the standard de Rham differential graded algebra on certain odd dimensional sphere bundles over the symplectic manifold. From this equivalence, we deduce for a closed symplectic manifold that Tsai-Tseng-Yau's symplectic A-infinity algebras satisfy the Calabi-Yau property, and importantly, that they can be used to define an intersection theory for coisotropic/isotropic chains. We further demonstrate that these symplectic A-infinity algebras satisfy several functorial properties and lay the groundwork for addressing Weinstein functoriality and invariance in the smooth category.