Symmetric unimodal expansions of excedances in colored permutations

We consider several generalizations of the classical $\gamma$-positivity of Eulerian polynomials (and their derangement analogues) using generating functions and combinatorial theory of continued fractions. For the symmetric group, we prove an expansion formula for inversions and excedances as well as a similar expansion for derangements. We also prove the $\gamma$-positivity for Eulerian polynomials for derangements of type $B$. More general expansion formulae are also given for Eulerian polynomials for $r$-colored derangements. Our results answer and generalize several recent open problems in the literature.Comment: 27 pages, 10 figure

The symmetric and unimodal expansion of Eulerian polynomials via continued fractions

This paper was motivated by a conjecture of Br\"{a}nd\'{e}n (European J. Combin. \textbf{29} (2008), no.~2, 514--531) about the divisibility of the coefficients in an expansion of generalized Eulerian polynomials, which implies the symmetric and unimodal property of the Eulerian numbers. We show that such a formula with the conjectured property can be derived from the combinatorial theory of continued fractions. We also discuss an analogous expansion for the corresponding formula for derangements and prove a $(p,q)$-analogue of the fact that the (-1)-evaluation of the enumerator polynomials of permutations (resp. derangements) by the number of excedances gives rise to tangent numbers (resp. secant numbers). The $(p,q)$-analogue unifies and generalizes our recent results (European J. Combin. \textbf{31} (2010), no.~7, 1689--1705.) and that of Josuat-Verg\`es (European J. Combin. \textbf{31} (2010), no.~7, 1892--1906).Comment: 19 pages, 2 figure

A unified approach to polynomial sequences with only real zeros

We give new sufficient conditions for a sequence of polynomials to have only real zeros based on the method of interlacing zeros. As applications we derive several well-known facts, including the reality of zeros of orthogonal polynomials, matching polynomials, Narayana polynomials and Eulerian polynomials. We also settle certain conjectures of Stahl on genus polynomials by proving them for certain classes of graphs, while showing that they are false in general.Comment: 19 pages, Advances in Applied Mathematics, in pres

Separation of variables and combinatorics of linearization coefficients of orthogonal polynomials

We propose a new approach to the combinatorial interpretations of linearization coefficient problem of orthogonal polynomials. We first establish a difference system and then solve it combinatorially and analytically using the method of separation of variables. We illustrate our approach by applying it to determine the number of perfect matchings, derangements, and other weighted permutation problems. The separation of variables technique naturally leads to integral representations of combinatorial numbers where the integrand contains a product of one or more types of orthogonal polynomials. This also establishes the positivity of such integrals.Comment: Journal of Combinatorial Theory, Series A 120 (2013) 561--59

Cyclic derangements

A classic problem in enumerative combinatorics is to count the number of derangements, that is, permutations with no fixed point. Inspired by a recent generalization to facet derangements of the hypercube by Gordon and McMahon, we generalize this problem to enumerating derangements in the wreath product of any finite cyclic group with the symmetric group. We also give q- and (q, t)-analogs for cyclic derangements, generalizing results of Brenti and Gessel.Comment: 14 page

The Combinatorics of Al-Salam-Chihara qq-Laguerre polynomials

We describe various aspects of the Al-Salam-Chihara $q$-Laguerre polynomials. These include combinatorial descriptions of the polynomials, the moments, the orthogonality relation and a combinatorial interpretation of the linearization coefficients. It is remarkable that the corresponding moment sequence appears also in the recent work of Postnikov and Williams on enumeration of totally positive Grassmann cells.Comment: 23 pages, to appear in Adv. in Appl. Math

Some identities on derangement and degenerate derangement polynomials

In combinatorics, a derangement is a permutation that has no fixed points. The number of derangements of an n-element set is called the n-th derangement number. In this paper, as natural companions to derangement numbers and degenerate versions of the companions we introduce derangement polynomials and degenerate derangement polynomials. We give some of their properties, recurrence relations and identities for those polynomials which are related to some special numbers and polynomials.Comment: 12 page