Let be the cone of real univariate polynomials of degree ≤ 2n which are nonnegative on the real axis and have nonnegative coefficients. We describe the extremal rays of this convex cone and the class of linear operators, acting diagonally in the standard monomial basis, preserving this cone.

The Laguerre inequality and the distribution of zeros of real entire functions are investigated with the aid of certain infinite-order differential operators. The paper includes new proofs, problems, conjectures and many illustrative examples and counterexamples.

For n ∈ ℕ, L > 0, and p ≥ 1 let ${\kappa }_p(n,L)$ be the largest possible value of k for which there is a polynomial P ≠ 0 of the form $P\left(x\right)={\sum }_{j=0}^n{a}_j{x}^j$, $|a_0\left|\ge L\right({\sum }_{j=1}^n|a_j{|}^p$1/p$,$aj ∈ ℂ$,$such that ${(x-1)}^k$ divides P(x). For n ∈ ℕ and L > 0 let ${\kappa }_{\infty }(n,L)$ be the largest possible value of k for which there is a polynomial P ≠ 0 of the form $P\left(x\right)={\sum }_{j=0}^n{a}_j{x}^j$, $|a_0|\ge Lma{x}_{1\le j\le n}|a_j|$, $a_j\in ℂ$, such that ${(x-1)}^k$ divides P(x). We prove that there are absolute constants c₁ > 0 and c₂ > 0 such that $c_1\surd (n/L)-1\le {\kappa }_{\infty }(n,L)\le c_2\surd (n/L)$ for every L ≥ 1. This complements an earlier result of the authors valid for every n ∈ ℕ and L ∈ (0,1]. Essentially...