Nonsingular almost strictly sign regular matrices

The class of nonsingular almost strictly totally positive matrices has been characterized [M. Gasca, J.M. Peña, Characterizations and decompositions of almost strictly positive matrices, SIAM J. Matrix Anal. Appl. 28 (2006) 1–8]. In this paper, we discuss the class of almost strictly sign regular matrices that includes almost strictly totally positive matrices. A characterization is provided for these matrices in terms of their nontrivial minors using consecutive rows and consecutive columns. In particular, we present a characterization of certain almost strictly sign regular matrices in terms of a very reduced number of boundary almost trivial minors.