We consider a class of strongly $q$-log-convex polynomials based on a triangular recurrence relation with linear coefficients, and we show that the Bell polynomials, the Bessel polynomials, the Ramanujan polynomials and the Dowling polynomials are strongly $q$-log-convex. We also prove that the Bessel transformation preserves log-convexity.

Given a nonnegative integer $m$ and a finite collection $\mathcal A$ of linear forms on $\mathcal Q^d$, the arrangement of affine hyperplanes in $\mathcal Q^d$ defined by the equations $\alpha(x) = k$ for $\alpha \in \mathcal A$ and integers $k \in [-m, m]$ is denoted by $\mathcal A^m$. It is proved that the coefficients of the characteristic polynomial of $\mathcal A^m$ are quasi-polynomials in $m$ and that they satisfy a simple combinatorial reciprocity law.

Multiplicity-free algebraic geometry is the study of subvarieties $Y\subseteq X$ with the ``smallest invariants'' as witnessed by a multiplicity-free Chow ring decomposition of $[Y]\in A^{\star}(X)$ into a predetermined linear basis. This paper concerns the case of Richardson subvarieties of the Grassmannian in terms of the Schubert basis. We give a nonrecursive combinatorial classification of multiplicity-free Richardson varieties, i.e., we classify multiplicity-free products of Schubert classes. This answers a question of W. Fulton.

We count the number of strictly positive $B$-stable ideals in the nilradical of a Borel subalgebra and prove that the minimal roots of any $B$-stable ideal are conjugate by an element of the Weyl group to a subset of the simple roots. We also count the number of ideals whose minimal roots are conjugate to a fixed subset of simple roots.