Some new properties of the beta function and Ramanujan \(R\)-function (Q7005013)

The authors carry out a thorough analytic study of the one-parameter beta function\N\[\NB(x) = \frac{\Gamma(x)^2}{\Gamma(2x)}, \qquad R(x) = -2\psi(x) - 2\gamma,\N\]\Nthe so called Ramanujan ``\(R\)-function''. After collecting a set of integral and series preliminaries, they:\N\N\begin{itemize}\N\item Derive {two convergent hypergeometric/Wallis-ratio expansions} for \(B(x)\) and a power series for \(R(x)\), and show that the remainders of the partial sums are {completely monotone} (Theorem 2--3);\N\item prove higher-order sign rules for \((-1)^n \left[ \ln(xB(x)) \right]^{(n)}\) and similar quantities, yielding a cascade of complete-monotonicity results (Theorem 1);\N\item Establish that the {frame ratio} \(R(x)/B(x)\) is {strictly decreasing and concave} on \((0,\infty)\), while\N\[\ND(x) = \frac{B(x)-R(x)}{x^{2}}\N\]\Nis decreasing to \(2\zeta(3)\) (Theorem 5--6);\N\item Confirm (Theorem 7) the open {Conjecture 1 of \textit{S.-L. Qiu} et al. [Constr. Approx. 51, No. 2, 303--330 (2020; Zbl 1452.11149)]}, by proving complete monotonicity of\N\[\NF(x) = \frac{R(x) - B(x)}{1 + x(1 - x)} \quad (0 < x < \tfrac{1}{2});\N\]\N\item Supply numerous corollaries: sharp two-sided inequalities for \(B(x)\) and \(R(x)\), new Euler-type series identities, and an invitation to study the zeta-like series\N\[\NH(s) = \sum_{n \ge 1} \frac{W_n}{n^{s}} \qquad \text{(Remark 7)}.\N\]\N\end{itemize}