Pointwise versus uniform risk distinction 2026-10-06
A risk function can decay rapidly for each fixed regression function while its supremum over a function class decays more slowly or fails to decay. Bounds depending on each function's local differentiability remainder need not be uniform. In fixed-design nonparametric regression, a class with no common smoothness bound permits smooth bump functions whose supports shrink between design points. Such sequences obstruct uniform estimation without contradicting fixed-function mean squared error bounds.
Total variation of an interval indicator 2026-10-05
For strictly inside a one-dimensional domain, the indicator has distributional derivative , hence . Directly from the test-function definition, , and two disjoint normalized smooth bump functions attain the bound. Values at the endpoints themselves do not change the function.
An -linear degree-one graded derivation of the exterior algebra of smooth differential forms that equals the differential on functions and squares to zero is unique. A smooth bump function and the graded Leibniz rule first establish locality. Then , and applying the graded Leibniz rule to gives the displayed coordinate formula. The chain rule makes that formula coordinate-independent.