Pick functions related to the gamma function. (Q1415034)

The authors point out that the function \(f(z) = (\log \Gamma(z+1))/\log z\) has attracted the attention of several authors, see \textit{G. D. Anderson} and \textit{S.-L. Qiu} [Proc. Am. Math. Soc. 125, No. 11, 3355--3362 (1997; Zbl 0881.33001)], \textit{G. D. Anderson, M. Vamanamurthy} and \textit{M. Vuorinen} [Expo. Math. 7, No. 2, 97--136 (1989; Zbl 0686.30015), Ber., Univ. Jyväskylä 83, 5--26 (2001; Zbl 1026.33001)], \textit{A. Elbert} and \textit{A. Laforgia} [J. Inequal. Appl. 5, No. 1, 39--51 (2000; Zbl 0947.33002)]. The authors continue their earlier work [J. Comput. Appl. Math. 133, No. 1--2, 219--230 (2001; Zbl 0989.33002)] and prove that \(f(z)\) is holomorphic in the complex plane cut along the negative real axis and that it also is a Pick function, thus admitting an integral representation. Their results also imply that \(f'\) restricted to the positive real axis is completely monotone. Similar or related results were also proved by \textit{H. Alzer} [J. Math. Anal. Appl. 252, No. 1, 353--363 (2000; Zbl 0972.26015), Proc. Am. Math. Soc. 128, No. 1, 141--147 (2000; Zbl 0966.33001)].