For an orientable surface S of finite topological type with genus g ≥ 3, we construct a finite set of curves whose union of iterated rigid expansions is the curve graph $\mathcal{C}$(S). The set constructed, and the method of rigid expansion, are closely related to Aramayona and Leiniger's finite rigid set in Aramayona and Leininger, J. Topology Anal.5(2) (2013), 183–203 and Aramayona and Leininger, Pac. J. Math.282(2) (2016), 257–283, and in fact a consequence of our proof is that Aramayona and Leininger's set also exhausts the curve graph via rigid expansions.

The transfer operator corresponding to a uniformly expanding map enjoys good spectral properties. We verify that coupling yields explicit estimates that depend continuously on the expansion and distortion constants of the map. For non-uniformly expanding maps with a uniformly expanding induced map, we obtain explicit estimates for mixing rates (exponential, stretched exponential, polynomial) that again depend continuously on the constants for the induced map together with data associated with the inducing time. Finally, for non-uniformly hyperbolic transformations, we obtain the corresponding estimates for rates of decay of correlations.

On the seventh line of the fifth page of the article the Backward Kolmogorov equation should read pt = Lp, and not ps = Lp.

The author apologises for the error.

The lead article for this issue of EJAM is Prof. Bernard J. Matkowsky's personalized survey-style article on the theory and application of singular perturbation methods to noisy dynamical systems in the limit of small noise. This article is based on his John von Neumann Prize lecture presented at the Society of Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM) Annual Meeting in July 2017. The John von Neumann Lecture is awarded by SIAM for outstanding and distinguished contributions to the field of applied mathematical sciences and for the effective communication of these ideas to the community. From 1990–1996, Matkowsky was an inaugural editorial board member for EJAM.

In 1960 Rényi, in his Michigan State University lectures, asked for the number of random queries necessary to recover a hidden bijective labelling of n distinct objects. In each query one selects a random subset of labels and asks, which objects have these labels? We consider here an asymmetric version of the problem in which in every query an object is chosen with probability p > 1/2 and we ignore ‘inconclusive’ queries. We study the number of queries needed to recover the labelling in its entirety (Hn), before at least one element is recovered (Fn), and to recover a randomly chosen element (Dn). This problem exhibits several remarkable behaviours: Dn converges in probability but not almost surely; Hn and Fn exhibit phase transitions with respect to p in the second term. We prove that for p > 1/2 with high probability we need

$$H_n=\log_{1/p} n +{\tfrac{1}{2}} \log_{p/(1-p)}\log n +o(\log \log n)$$

$$ H_n=\log_{2} n +\sqrt{2 \log_{2} n} +o(\sqrt{\log n})$$

We investigate certain families of meromorphic Siegel modular functions on which Galois groups act in a natural way. By using Shimura's reciprocity law we construct some algebraic numbers in the ray class fields of CM-fields in terms of special values of functions in these Siegel families.

We prove that the number of multigraphs with vertex set {1, . . ., n} such that every four vertices span at most nine edges is an2+o(n2) where a is transcendental (assuming Schanuel's conjecture from number theory). This is an easy consequence of the solution to a related problem about maximizing the product of the edge multiplicities in certain multigraphs, and appears to be the first explicit (somewhat natural) question in extremal graph theory whose solution is transcendental. These results may shed light on a question of Razborov, who asked whether there are conjectures or theorems in extremal combinatorics which cannot be proved by a certain class of finite methods that include Cauchy–Schwarz arguments.

Our proof involves a novel application of Zykov symmetrization applied to multigraphs, a rather technical progressive induction, and a straightforward use of hypergraph containers.

We obtain explicit expressions for genus 2 degenerate sigma-function in terms of genus 1 sigma-function and elementary functions as solutions of a system of linear partial differential equations satisfied by the sigma-function. By way of application, we derive a solution for a class of generalized Jacobi inversion problems on elliptic curves, a family of Schrödinger-type operators on a line with common spectrum consisting of a point and two segments, explicit construction of a field of three-periodic meromorphic functions. Generators of rank 3 lattice in ℂ2 are given explicitly.

We study a competition-diffusion model while performing simultaneous homogenization and strong competition limits. The limit problem is shown to be a Stefan-type evolution equation with effective coefficients. We also perform some numerical simulations in one and two spatial dimensions that suggest that oscillations in motilities are detrimental to invasion behaviour of a species.

Suspended fibres significantly alter fluid rheology, as exhibited in for example solutions of DNA, RNA and synthetic biological nanofibres. It is of interest to determine how this altered rheology affects flow stability. Motivated by the fact thermal gradients may occur in biomolecular analytic devices, and recent stability results, we examine the problem of Rayleigh–Bénard convection of the transversely isotropic fluid of Ericksen. A transversely isotropic fluid treats these suspensions as a continuum with an evolving preferred direction, through a modified stress tensor incorporating four viscosity-like parameters. We consider the linear stability of a stationary, passive, transversely isotropic fluid contained between two parallel boundaries, with the lower boundary at a higher temperature than the upper. To determine the marginal stability curves the Chebyshev collocation method is applied, and we consider a range of initially uniform preferred directions, from horizontal to vertical, and three orders of magnitude in the viscosity-like anisotropic parameters. Determining the critical wave and Rayleigh numbers, we find that transversely isotropic effects delay the onset of instability; this effect is felt most strongly through the incorporation of the anisotropic shear viscosity, although the anisotropic extensional viscosity also contributes. Our analysis confirms the importance of anisotropic rheology in the setting of convection.

The Weierstrass function σ(u) associated with an elliptic curve can be generalized in a natural way to an entire function associated with a higher genus algebraic curve. This generalized multivariate sigma function has been investigated since the pioneering work of Felix Klein. The present paper shows Hurwitz integrality of the coefficients of the power series expansion around the origin of the higher genus sigma function associated with a certain plane curve, which is called an (n, s)-curve or a plane telescopic curve. For the prime (2), the expansion of the sigma function is not Hurwitz integral, but its square is. This paper clarifies the precise structure of this phenomenon. In Appendix A, computational examples for the trigonal genus 3 curve ((3, 4)-curve) y3 + (μ1x + μ4)y2 + (μ2x2 + μ5x + μ8)y = x4 + μ3x3 + μ6x2 + μ9x + μ12 (where μj are constants) are given.

Recently, Sun posed a series of conjectures on the log-concavity of the sequence , where is a familiar combinatorial sequence of positive integers. Luca and Stănică, Hou et al. and Chen et al. proved some of Sun's conjectures. In this paper, we present a criterion on the log-concavity of the sequence . The criterion is based on the existence of a function f(n) that satisfies some inequalities involving terms related to the sequence . Furthermore, we present a heuristic approach to compute f(n). As applications, we prove that, for the Zagier numbers , the sequences are strictly log-concave, which confirms a conjecture of Sun. We also prove the log-concavity of the sequence of Cohen–Rhin numbers.

By invoking some new ideas, we characterize Sobolev spaces Wα,p(ℝn) with the smoothness order α ∊ (0, 2] and p ∊ (max{1, 2n/(2α + n)},∞), via the Lusin area function and the Littlewood–Paley g*λ-function in terms of centred ball averages. We also show that the assumption p ∊ (max{1, 2n/(2α + n)},∞) is nearly sharp in the sense that these characterizations are no longer true when p ∊ (1, max{1, 2n/(2α + n)}). These characterizations provide a possible new way to introduce Sobolev spaces with smoothness order in (1, 2] on metric measure spaces.

We study space-like hypersurfaces with functionally bounded mean curvature in Lorentzian warped products , where F is a (non-compact) complete Riemannian manifold whose universal covering is parabolic. In particular, we provide several rigidity results under appropriate mathematical and physical assumptions. As an application, several Calabi–Bernstein-type results are obtained which widely extend the previous ones in this setting.

We estimate the linear independence measures for the values of a class of Mahler functions of degrees 1 and 2. For this purpose, we study the determinants of suitable Hermite–Padé approximation polynomials. Based on the non-vanishing property of these determinants, we apply the functional equations to get an infinite sequence of approximations that is used to produce the linear independence measures.

We prove a reverse Faber–Krahn inequality for the Cheeger constant, stating that every convex body in ℝ2 has an affine image such that the product between its Cheeger constant and the square root of its area is not larger than the same quantity for the regular triangle. An analogous result holds for centrally symmetric convex bodies with the regular triangle replaced by the square. We also prove a Mahler-type inequality for the Cheeger constant, stating that every axisymmetric convex body in ℝ2 has a linear image such that the product between its Cheeger constant and the Cheeger constant of its polar body is not larger than the same quantity for the square.

Using the Leray–Schauder degree, we study the existence of solutions for the following periodic differential equation with relativistic acceleration and singular nonlinearity:

where μ > 1 and the weight h: [0, T] → ℝ is a continuous sign-changing function. There are no a priori estimates on the set of positive solutions (a condition used in general to apply the Leray–Schauder degree), and we prove that no solution of the equation appears on the boundary of an unbounded open set during the deformation to an autonomous problem.

We prove the uniqueness of a solution for a problem whose simplest model is

with k ≥ 1, 0 f ∈ L∞(Ω) and Ω is a bounded domain of ℝN, N ≥ 2. So far, uniqueness results are known for k < 1, while existence holds for any k ≥ 1 and f positive in open sets compactly embedded in a neighbourhood of the boundary. We extend the uniqueness results to the k ≥ 1 case and show, with an example, that existence does not hold if f is zero near the boundary. We even deal with the uniqueness result when f is replaced by a nonlinear term λuq with 0 < q < 1 and λ > 0.

This paper is concerned with the global dynamics and spreading speeds of a partially degenerate non-local dispersal system with monostable nonlinearity in periodic habitats. We first obtain the existence of the principal eigenvalue for a periodic eigenvalue problem with partially degenerate non-local dispersal. Then we study the coexistence and extinction dynamics. Finally, the existence and characterization of spreading speeds are considered. In particular, we show that the spreading speed is linearly determinate. Overall, we extend the existing results on global dynamics and spreading speeds for the degenerate reaction–diffusion system to the degenerate non-local dispersal case. The extension is non-trivial and meaningful.