If you enable cursor trace for the testcase in my previous post using the method described in http://el-caro.blogspot.com/search?q=unshared
The generated trace in udump will have the following
************************************************************
kksCheckCursor: pinning child #0 in shared mode 7d42bd0e8 7d7e87600
Failed sharing : Rolling invalidation
kksUnlockChild: releasing child
Failed sharing : 800000000000
kksSearchChildList: no suitable child found
Creating new child object #1
kksLoadChild: reload 0 child_reload 0
kksLoadChild: reload 0 child_reload 0
Compilation environment difference Failed sharing : 0
Change in cursor environment
************************************************************
Also the parameter _optimizer_invalidation_period does not work for statements using PQ. This can be tested by changing the degree of the table to 4 (say) and running the same test. In this case a new child cursor is generated on the first re-execution of the statement after stats are gathered even when the auto_invalidate flag is used.