We study isometric Lie group actions on symmetric spaces admitting a section, i.e., a submanifold that meets all orbits orthogonally at every intersection point. We classify such actions on the compact symmetric spaces with simple isometry group and rank greater than one. In particular, we show that these actions are hyperpolar, i.e., the sections are flat.

Let S be a complex smooth projective surface and L be a line bundle on S. G¨ottsche conjectured that for every integer r, the number of r-nodal curves in |L| is a universal polynomial of four topological numbers when L is sufficiently ample. We prove G¨ottsche’s conjecture using the algebraic cobordism group of line bundles on surfaces and degeneration of Hilbert schemes of points. In addition, we prove the G¨ottsche-Yau-Zaslow Formula which expresses the generating function of the numbers of nodal curves in terms of quasimodular forms and two unknown series.

Sharp reverse affine isoperimetric inequalities for asymmetric Wulff shapes and their polars are established, along with the characterization of all extremals. These new inequalities have as special cases previously obtained simplex inequalities by Ball, Barthe and Lutwak, Yang, and Zhang. In particular, they provide the solution to a problem by Zhang.

We extend recent results by Pisier on$K$-subcouples, i.e. subcouples of an interpolation couple that preserve the$K$-functional (up to constants) and corresponding notions for quotient couples. Examples include interpolation (in the pointwise sense) and a reinterpretation of the Adamyan-Arov-Krein theorem for Hankel operators.

We solve the entanglement classification under stochastic local operations and classical communication (SLOCC) for general n-qubit states. For two arbitrary pure n-qubit states connected via local operations, we establish an equation between the two coefficient matrices associated with the states. The rank of the coefficient matrix is preserved under SLOCC and gives rise to a simple way of partitioning all the pure states of n qubits into different families of entanglement classes, as exemplified here. When applied to the symmetric states, this approach reveals that all the Dicke states |l,n> with l=1,..., [n/2] are inequivalent under SLOCC.