We study semirandom k-colourable graphs made up as follows. Partition the vertex set V = {1, . . ., n} randomly into k classes V1, . . ., Vk of equal size and include each Vi–Vj-edge with probability p independently (1 ≤ i < j ≤ k) to obtain a graph G0. Then, an adversary may add further Vi–Vj-edges (i≠j) to G0, thereby completing the semirandom graph G = G*n,p,k. We show that if np ≥ max{(1 + ϵ)klnn, C0k2} for a certain constant C0>0 and an arbitrarily small but constant ϵ>0, an optimal colouring of G*n,p,k can be found in polynomial time with high probability. Furthermore, if np ≥ C0max{klnn, k2}, a k-colouring of G*n,p,k can be computed in polynomial expected time. Moreover, an optimal colouring of G*n,p,k can be computed in expected polynomial time if k ≤ ln1/3n and np ≥ C0klnn. By contrast, it is NP-hard to k-colour G*n,p,k With high probability if .

We study a point process describing the asymptotic behaviour of sizes of the largest components of the random graph G(n, p) in the critical window, that is, for p = n−1 + λn−4/3, where λ is a fixed real number. In particular, we show that this point process has a surprising rigidity. Fluctuations in the large values will be balanced by opposite fluctuations in the small values such that the sum of the values larger than a small ϵ (a scaled version of the number of vertices in components of size greater than εn2/3) is almost constant.

In this note we give a very short proof for the description of all maximum size two-part Sperner systems.

We consider the distribution of the value of the optimal k-assignment in an m × n matrix, where the entries are independent exponential random variables with arbitrary rates. We give closed formulas for both the Laplace transform of this random variable and for its expected value under the condition that there is a zero-cost (k − 1)-assignment.

Improving upon work in [2], the precise value of the set reconstruction number is given for all cyclic groups of odd order.

This paper has two parts. In the first part we consider a simple Markov chain for d-regular graphs on n vertices, where d = d(n) may grow with n. We show that the mixing time of this Markov chain is bounded above by a polynomial in n and d. In the second part of the paper, a related Markov chain for d-regular graphs on a varying number of vertices is introduced, for even constant d. This is a model for a certain peer-to-peer network. We prove that the related chain has mixing time which is bounded above by a polynomial in N, the expected number of vertices, provided certain assumptions are met about the rate of arrival and departure of vertices.

A black hole is a highly harmful stationary process residing in a node of a network and destroying all mobile agents visiting the node, without leaving any trace. We consider the task of locating a black hole in a (partially) synchronous tree network, assuming an upper bound on the time of any edge traversal by an agent. The minimum number of agents capable of identifying a black hole is two. For a given tree and given starting node we are interested in the fastest-possible black hole search by two agents. For arbitrary trees we give a 5/3-approximation algorithm for this problem. We give optimal black hole search algorithms for two ‘extreme’ classes of trees: the class of lines and the class of trees in which any internal node (including the root which is the starting node) has at least two children.

Fluids in unsaturated porous media are described by the relationship between pressure (p) and saturation (u). Darcy's law and conservation of mass provides an evolution equation for u, and the capillary pressure provides a relation between p and u of the form p∈ pc(u,∂tu). The multi-valued function pc leads to hysteresis effects. We construct weak and strong solutions to the hysteresis system and homogenize the system for oscillatory stochastic coefficients. The effective equations contain a new dependent variable that encodes the history of the wetting process and provide a better description of the physical system.

We investigate the asymptotic behaviour as $k\to+\infty$ of sequences $(u_k)_{k\in\mathbb{N}}\in C^4(\varOmega)$ of solutions of the equations $\Delta^2u_k=V_k\mathrm{e}^{4u_k}$ on $\varOmega$, where $\varOmega$ is a bounded domain of $\mathbb{R}^4$ and $\lim_{k\to+\infty}V_k=1$ in $C^0_{\mathrm{loc}}(\varOmega)$. The corresponding two-dimensional problem was studied by Brézis and Merle and Li and Shafrir, who pointed out that there is a quantization of the energy when blow-up occurs. As shown by Adimurthi, Robert and Struwe in 2006, such a quantization does not hold in dimension $4$ for the problem in its full generality. We prove here that, under a natural hypothesis on $\Delta u_k$, we recover such a quantization as in dimension $2$.

This paper studies blowing-up properties of a unique positive principal eigenvalue for a linear elliptic eigenvalue problem with an indefinite weight function and Neumann boundary condition. Necessary and sufficient conditions for the blowing-up property are discussed, based on the variational characterization of the unique positive principal eigenvalue. A counterexample is constructed, which shows that a known necessary and sufficient condition for the blowing-up property in the Dirichlet boundary condition case no longer remains true in the Neumann case.

We consider the problem $-\text{div}(p(x)\nabla u)=\lambda{u}+\alpha|u|^{r-1}u$ in $\varOmega$, $\partial u/\partial\nu=Q(x)|u|^{q-2}u$ on $\partial\varOmega$, where $\varOmega$ is a bounded smooth domain in $\mathbb{R}^{N}$, $N\geq3$, $q=2(N-1)/(N-2)$ and $2<r<q$. Under some conditions on $\partial\varOmega$, $p$, $Q$, $\lambda$, $\alpha$ and the mean curvature at some point $x_0$, we prove the existence of solutions of the above problem. We use variational arguments, namely the concentration–compactness principle, min–max principle and the mountain-pass theorem.

In this article the linear theory of thermoviscoelastic mixtures is considered. The fundamental solution of the system of linear-coupled partial differential equations of steady oscillations (steady vibrations) of the theory of thermoviscoelastic mixtures is constructed in terms of elementary functions and basic properties are established.