Let G be a group and S a group of automorphisms of G. The simplicity of the near-ring, MS(G), of zero preserving functions on G which commute with the elements of S, is investigated. The relationship between simplicity, 2-primitivity and containment relations among the stabilizers of elements of G is explored.

This note pursues two aims: the first is historical and the second is factual.

1. We present James Stirling's discovery (1730) that Newton's general interpolation series with divided differences simplifies if the points of interpolation form a geometric progression. For its most important case of extrapolation at the origin. Karl Schellbach (1864) develops his algorithm of q-differences that also leads naturally to theta-functions. Carl Runge (1891) solves the same extrapolation at the origin, without referring to the Stirling-Schellbach algorithm. Instead, Runge uses “Richardson's deferred approach to the limit” 20 years before Richardson.

2. Recently, the author found a close connection to Romberg's quadrature formula in terms of “binary” trapezoidal sums. It is shown that the problems of Stirling, Schellbach, and Runge, are elegantly solved by Romberg's algorithm. Numerical examples are given briefly. Fuller numerical details can be found in the author's MRC T.S. Report #2173, December 1980, Madison, Wisconsin. Thanks are due to the referee for suggesting the present stream-lined version.

We investigate the integrable square properties of solutions of linear symmetric differential equations of arbitrarily large order 2m, whose coefficients involve a real multiple ɑr of certain positive real powers β of the independent variable x. Information on the L2 nature is obtained by variation of parameters from Meijer function solutions of an associated homogeneous equation of hypergeometric type. When the coefficients of the differential expressions are positive, it is possible, by a suitable choice of ɑr, β and m, to obtain between m and 2m —1 linearly independent solutions in L2(0, ∞). This proves a conjecture of J. B. McLeod that the deficiency index can take values between m and 2m —1 for such operators.

The H-spaces considered have no homology p-torsion and are rationally equivalent as H-spaces to products of even dimensional Eilenberg–Maclane spaces. We obtain conditions which ensure that if the cohomology with coefficients in the ring of integers localized at the prime p is a polynomial algebra, then the Pontrjagin ring with these same coefficients is polynomial. A topological consequence is that BSUP has just one homotopy associative, homotopy commutative H-structure.

It is shown that the spectrum of a linear operator T on a complete linear metric space X is a Borel set. If, in addition, X is locally convex or separable, then the spectrum of T is a Gδσ set.

An asymptotic theory is developed for linear differential equations of odd order. The theory is applied to the evaluation of the deficiency indices N+ and N− associated with symmetric differential expressions of odd order. General conditions on the coefficients are given under which all possible values of N+ and N subject to | N+ − N | ≦ 1 are realized.

For the non-linear problem

where f is a discontinuous function at 1, we show that the number of non-trivial positive solutions, for a given real number λ≧0, is related to the graph of a continuous function g. Then, by studying the function g it is possible in some special cases to give, for any λ≧0, the minimal or exact number of non-trivial positive solutions.

Consider solutions 〈H(x, ε), G(x, ε)〉 of the von Kármán equations for the swirling flow between two rotating coaxial disks

and

We also assume that |H(x, ε)|≦B√(ε) while |G(x, ε)|≦B. This work considers the shapes and asymptotic behaviour as ε→0+. We consider the kind of limit functions that are permissible. The only possible limits (interior) for G(x, ε) are constants. If that limit constant is not zero, then ε−½H(x, ε) will also tend to a constant.

Consider solutions 〈H(x, ε), G(x, ε)〉 of the von Kármán equations for the swirling flow between two rotating coaxial disks

and

We assume that |H(x, ε)| + |Hʹ(x, ε)| + |G(x, ε)|≦B. This work considers shapes and asymptotic behaviour as ε→0+. We consider the type of limit functions 〈H(x), G(x)〉 that are permissible. In particular, if 〈H(x, ε), G(x, ε)〉 also satisfy the boundary conditions H(0, ε)=H(1, ε)=0, Hʹ(0, ε)=Hʹ(1, ε)=0 then H(x) has no simple zeros. That is, there does not exist a point Z ε [0, 1] such that H(x)=0, Hʹ(z)≠0. Moreover, the case of “cells” which oscillate is studied in detail.

A sufficient condition on the angles of a bounded open subset of ℝn is given, ensuring the best regularity of solutions of a class of elliptic problems with non-linear mixed boundary conditions.