Let $P(G,t)$ and $F(G,t)$ denote the chromatic and flow polynomials of a graph $G$. G. D. Birkhoff and D C. Lewis showed that, if $G$ is a plane near-triangulation, then the only zeros of $P(G,t)$ in $(-\infty,2]$ are 0, 1 and 2. We will extend their theorem by showing that a stronger result to the dual statement holds for both planar and non-planar graphs: if $G$ is a bridge graph with at most one vertex of degree other than three, then the only zeros of $F(G,t)$ in $(-\infty,\alpha]$ are 1 and 2, where $\alpha\approx 2.225\cdots$ is the real zero in $(2,3)$ of the polynomial $t^4-8t^3+22t^2-28t+17$. In addition we construct a sequence of ‘near-cubic’ graphs whose flow polynomials have zeros converging to $\alpha$ from above.

We answer three questions posed in a paper by Babson and Benjamini. They introduced a parameter $C_G$ for Cayley graphs $G$ that has significant application to percolation. For a minimal cutset of $G$ and a partition of this cutset into two classes, take the minimal distance between the two classes. The supremum of this number over all minimal cutsets and all partitions is $C_G$. We show that if it is finite for some Cayley graph of the group then it is finite for any (finitely generated) Cayley graph. Having an exponential bound for the number of minimal cutsets of size $n$ separating $o$ from infinity also turns out to be independent of the Cayley graph chosen. We show a 1-ended example (the lamplighter group), where $C_G$ is infinite. Finally, we give a new proof for a question of de la Harpe, proving that the number of $n$-element cutsets separating $o$ from infinity is finite unless $G$ is a finite extension of $\mathbb{Z}$.

Let $\chi(n)$ be a quadratic character modulo a prime $p$. For a fixed integer $s\ne 0$, we estimate certain exponential sums with truncated $L$-functions \[L_{s,p}(n) = \sum_{j=1}^n \frac{\chi(\,j)}{j^s}\qquad (n =1, 2, \ldots)\]. Our estimate implies certain uniformly of distribution properties of reductions of $L_{s,p}(n)$ in the residue classes modulo $p$.

Answering a question of Hoffmann and of Kambites, an example is exhibited of a finitely generated semigroup $S$ such that $S$ embeds in a group and $S$ is not automatic, but the universal group of $S$ is automatic.

We establish some upper and lower bounds for the number of rational points of Prym varieties defined over finite fields. They are better than the usual Weil bounds valid for any abelian varieties defined over such fields.

The Hansen-Mullen Primitivity Conjecture (HMPC) (1992) asserts that, with some (mostly obvious) exceptions, there exists a primitive polynomial of degree $n$ over any finite field with any coefficient arbitrarily prescribed. This has recently been proved whenever $n \geq 9$. It is also known to be true when $n \leq 3$. We show that there exists a primitive polynomial of any degree $n\geq 4$ over any finite field with its second coefficient (i.e., that of $x^{n-2}$) arbitrarily prescribed. In particular, this establishes the HMPC when $n=4$. The lone exception is the absence of a primitive polynomial of the form $x^4+a_1x^3 +x^2+a_3x+1$ over the binary field. For $n \geq 6$ we prove a stronger result, namely that the primitive polynomial may also have its constant term prescribed. This implies further cases of the HMPC. When the field has even cardinality 2-adic analysis is required for the proofs.

Let $K$ be a field of characteristic zero and $A_{2}:=A_{2}(K)$ the 2$nd$–Weyl algebra over $K$. We establish a close connection between the maximal left ideals of $A_{2}$ and the simple derivations of $K[X_{1},X_{2}]$.

MAIN THEOREM. Let$d = \partial_1 + \beta\partial_2$be a simple derivation of$K[X_1, X_2]$with$\beta\in K[X_1, X_2]$. Then, there exists$\gamma\in K[X_1, X_2]$such that$d + \gamma$generates a maximal left ideal of$A_2$. More precisely, the following is true:

1. $\deg_{X_2} (\beta) \geq 2$ or $\deg_{X_2} (\beta) = 1$ and $\deg_{X_1} (\partial_2(\beta)) \geq 1$;

2. $d + gX_2$generates a maximal left ideal of$A_2$if$g \in K[X_1]\\{0\}$is such that

1. (a) $g \in -(\partial^2_2(\beta)/2)\mathbb{N}$when$\deg_{X_2} (\beta) \geq 2$,

2. (b) $\deg_{X_1} (g) < \deg_{X_1} (\partial_2(\beta))$when$\deg_{X_2} (\beta) = 1$.

As applications, we obtain large families of concrete examples of cyclic maximal left ideals of $A_2$; such examples have been rather scarce so far.

A proper submodule $N$ of an $R$-module $M$ is called a weakly prime submodule, if for each submodule $K$ of $M$ and elements $a, b$ of $R$, $abK \subseteq N$, implies that $aK\subseteq N$ or $bK\subseteq N$. In this paper we will study weakly prime submodules and we shall compare weakly prime submodules with prime submodules.

We prove some theorems on locally graded groups and nilpotent-by-Chernikov groups.

We define a subset $\mathcal Z$ of $(1,+\infty)$ with the property that for each $\alpha \in {\mathcal Z}$ there is a nonzero real number $\xi = \xi(\alpha)$ such that the integral parts $[\xi \alpha^n]$ are even for all $n \in \mathbb{N}$. A result of Tijdeman implies that each number greater than or equal to 3 belongs to $\mathcal{Z}$. However, Mahler's question on whether the number 3/2 belongs to $\mathcal{Z}$ or not remains open. We prove that the set ${\mathcal S}:=(1,+\infty) \textbackslash {\mathcal Z}$ is nonempty and find explicitly some numbers in ${\mathcal Z} \cap$ (5/4,3) and in ${\mathcal S} \cap (1,2)$.

The $\ell^{1}$-convolution algebra of a semilattice is known to have trivial cohomology in degrees 1, 2 and 3 whenever the coefficient bimodule is symmetric. We extend this result to all cohomology groups of degree $\geq 1$ with symmetric coefficients. Our techniques prove a stronger splitting result, namely that the splitting can be made natural with respect to the underlying semilattice.

We introduce the concept of left APP-rings which is a generalization of left p.q.-Baer rings and right PP-rings, and investigate its properties. It is shown that the APP property is inherited by polynomial extensions and is a Morita invariant property.

Let $\alpha$ be an irrational number and $\varphi$: $\mathbb{N} \to \mathbb{R^+}$ be a decreasing sequence tending to zero. Consider the set \[E_{\varphi}(\alpha)=\{\beta \in \mathbb{R}: \ \|n \alpha- \beta\|<\varphi(n)\ {\rm {holds\ for\ infinitely\ many}} \ n \in \mathbb{N}\}\], where $\|{\cdot}\|$ denotes the distance to the nearest integer. We show that for general error function $\varphi$, the Hausdorff dimension of $E_{\varphi}(\alpha)$ depends not only on $\varphi$, but also heavily on $\alpha$. However, recall that the Hausdorff dimension of $E_{\varphi}(\alpha)$ is independent of $\alpha$ when $\varphi(n) = n^{-\gamma}$ with $\gamma >1$.

We construct a compactly generated, totally disconnected, locally compact group whose Hecke algebra with respect to any compact open subgroup does not have a $C^*$-enveloping algebra.

We consider expansions with respect to the multi-dimensional Hermite functions and to the multi-dimensional Hermite polynomials. They are respectively eigenfunctions of the Harmonic oscillator $\cal{L}= -\Delta +|x|^2$ and of the Ornstein-Uhlenbeck operator ${\bf L} = -\Delta +2x \cdot \nabla.$ The corresponding heat semigroups and Riesz transforms are considered and results on both aspects (polynomials and functions) are obtained.

Let $G$ be a compact $p$-adic analytic group and let $\Lambda_G$ be its completed group algebra with coefficient ring the $p$-adic integers $\mathbb{Z}_p$. We show that the augmentation ideal in $\Lambda_G$ of a closed normal subgroup $H$ of $G$ is localisable if and only if $H$ is finite-by-nilpotent, answering a question of Sujatha. The localisations are shown to be Auslander-regular rings with Krull and global dimensions equal to dim $H$. It is also shown that the minimal prime ideals and the prime radical of the $\mathbb{F}_p$-version $\Omega_G$ of $\Lambda_G$ are controlled by $\Omega_{\Delta^+}$, where $\Delta^+$ is the largest finite normal subgroup of $G$. Finally, we prove a conjecture of Ardakov and Brown [1].

The existence of multiple positive solutions is presented for the singular Dirichlet boundary value problems \[\left\{\begin{array}{@{}ll} x^{\prime\prime}+\Phi(t)\,f(t,x(t),|x'(t)|)=0,\\[3pt] x(0)=0,\ \ x(1)=0, \end{array}\right.\] using the fixed point index; here $f$ may be singular at $x=0$ and $x'=0$.

Motivated generally by potential applications in the liquid crystal display industry [8,35], and specifically by recent experimental, theoretical and numerical work [6,7,13,14,21,25,30,31], we consider a thin film of nematic liquid crystal (NLC), sandwiched between two parallel plates. Under certain simplifying assumptions, laid out in £2, we find that for monostable surfaces (i.e. only a single preferred director anchoring angle at each surface), two optically-distinct, steady, stable (equal energy) configurations of the director are achievable, that is, a bistable device. Moreover, it is found that the stability of both of these steady states may be destroyed by the application of a sufficiently large electric field, and that switching between the two states is possible, via the flexoelectric effect. Such a phenomenon could be used in NLC display devices, to reduce power consumption drastically. Previous theoretical demonstrations of such (switchable) bistable devices have either relied on having bistable bounding surfaces, that is, surfaces at which there are two preferred director orientations at the surface [7,14]; on having special (nonplanar) surface morphology within the cell that allows for two stable states (the zenithal bistable device (ZBD) [4,21], or, in the case of the Nemoptic BiNem technology [11,19], on flow effects and a very carefully applied electric field to effect the switching.

By the complexity of a graph we mean the minimum number of union and intersection operations needed to obtain the whole set of its edges starting from stars. This measure of graphs is related to the circuit complexity of boolean functions.

We prove some lower bounds on the complexity of explicitly given graphs. This yields some new lower bounds for boolean functions, as well as new proofs of some known lower bounds in the graph-theoretic framework. We also formulate several combinatorial problems whose solution would have intriguing consequences in computational complexity.

For an integer $b \geq 1$, the $b$-choice number of a graph $G$ is the minimum integer $k$ such that, for every assignment of a set $S(v)$ of at least $k$ colours to each vertex $v$ of $G$, there is a $b$-set colouring of $G$ that assigns to each vertex $v$ a $b$-set $B(v) \subseteq S(v) \; (|B(v)|=b)$ so that adjacent vertices receive disjoint $b$-sets. This is a generalization of the notions of choice number and chromatic number of a graph. Using probabilistic arguments, we show that, for some positive constant $c > 0$ (independent of $b$), the $b$-choice number of any graph $G$ on $n$ vertices is at most $c (b\chi) (\ln (n/\chi)+1)$ where $\chi = \chi(G)$ denotes the chromatic number of $G$. For any fixed $b$, this bound is tight up to a constant factor for each $n,\chi$. This generalizes and extends a result of Noga Alon [1]wherein a similar bound was obtained for 1-choice numbers of complete $\chi$-partite graphs with each part having size $n/\chi$. We also show that the proof arguments are constructive, leading to polynomial time algorithms for the list colouring problem on certain classes of graphs, provided each vertex is given a list of sufficiently large size.