In 1976, Gross posed the question “can one find two (or possibly even one) finite sets Sj (j = 1, 2) such that any two entire functions f and g satisfying Ef(Sj) = Eg(Sj) for j = 1,2 must be identical?”, where Ef(Sj) stands for the inverse image of Sj under f. In this paper, we show that there exists a finite set S with 11 elements such that for any two non-constant meromorphic functions f and g the conditions Ef(S) = Eg(S) and Ef({∞}) = Eg({∞}) imply f ≡ g. As a special case this also answers the question posed by Gross.

If G is a finite p-group of order pn, P. Hall determined the number of conjugacy classes of G, r(G), modulo (p2 − 1)(p − 1). Namely, he proved the existence of a constant k ≥ 0 such that r(G) = n(p2 − 1) + pe + k(p2 − 1)(p − 1). In this paper, we denote by the group of the upper unitriangular matrices over , the finite field with q = pt elements, and we determine the number of classes of modulo (q − 1)5.

Constructed are strictly increasing smooth families Σt ⊆ ∂D × C2, t ∈ [0, 1], of fibrations over the unit circle with strongly pseudoconvex fibers all diffeomorphic to the ball such that there is no analytic selection of the polynomial hull of Σ0 and which end at the product fibration . In particular these examples show that the continuity method for describing the polynomial hull of a fibration over ∂D fails even if the complex geometry of the fibers is relatively simple.

A characterisation is given of separable Banach spaces with symmetric Schauder bases which admit equivalent symmetric norms that are Gâteaux differentiable or uniformly rotund in every direction. Some applications to questions on distortion of norms on l∞ are discussed.

We classify, modulo the kernel of the action, finite groups G that act 2-transitively on Sylr(G) for some prime r dividing |G|. We furthermore prove that any finite group that acts 2-transitively on Sylr(G) for each prime r is solvable and of nilpotent length at most 3.

The simple modules of , the coordinate ring of quantum affine space, are classified in the case when q is a root of unity.

The solution of quadratic equations using the contraction mapping principle is considered. A uniqueness result extending that given by Argyros is proved. Uniformly contractive systems theory is used to find approximate solutions and convergence criteria are given. In particular, only pointwise convergence of approximating operators is required to guarantee convergence of the approximate solutions. A theorem and algorithm for a continuation method are presented, and illustrated on Chandrasekhar's equation.

We study the behaviour of analytic cycles under generically finite holomorphic mappings between compact analytic spaces and prove that if two compact and normal complex analytic spaces have the same analytic homology groups, then any generically one to one holomorphic map between them must be a biholomorphic mapping. This generalises an old theorem of Ax and Borel.

We prove the existence of an order-preserving function on a class of preordered topological spaces that are inductive limits of preordered spaces. Some applications to economics are given.

A module M is called a CS-module if every submodule of M is essential in a direct summand of M. It is shown that a ring R is semilocal if and only if every semiprimitive right R-module is CS. Furthermore, it is also shown that the following statements are equivalent for a ring R: (i) R is semiprimary and every right (or left) R-module is injective; (ii) every countably generated semiprimitive right R-module is a direct sum of a projective module and an injective module.

New covering properties of simplexes are obtained which extend and complement some covering theorems for simplexes of Fan.

As a contribution to the solution of Hilbert's 16th problem the question is considered whether in a quadratic system with two nests of limit cycles at least in one nest there exists precisely one limit cycle. An affirmative answer to this question is given for the case that the sum of the multiplicities of the finite critical points in the system is equal to three.

We obtain a result about the maximal circumradius of a planar compact convex set having circumcentre O and containing no non-zero lattice points in its interior. In addition, we show that under certain conditions, the set with maximal circumradius is a triangle with an edge containing two lattice points.

In this paper we consider the situation that a group G has a subgroup H which is a dihedral 2-group and with connected transversals A and B in G. We show that G is then solvable and moreover, if G is generated by the set A ∪ B, then H is subnormal in G. We apply these results to loop theory and it follows that if the inner mapping group of a loop Q is a dihedral 2-group then Q is centrally nilpotent.

Consider the following possible properties which a Banach space X may have: (P): If (xi) and (yj) are bounded sequences in X such that for all n ≥ 1 and for every continuous n-homogeneous polynomial P on X, P(xj) − (yj) → 0, then Q(xj − yj) → 0 for all m ≥ 1 and for every continuous m-homogeneous polynomial Q on X.

(RP): If (xj)and (yj) are bounded sequences in X such that for all n ≥ 1 and for every continuous n-homogeneous polynomial P on X, P(xj − yj) → 0, then Q(xj) − Q(yj) → 0 for all m ≥ 1 and for every continuous m-homogeneous polynimial Q on X. We study properties (P) and (RP) and their relation with the Schur proqerty, Dunford-Pettis property, Λ, and others. Several applications of these properties are given.

Our main theorem describes FC-soluble and linear repetitive groups. As a corollary, we characterise algebraic linear repetitive semigroups.

For a continuous convex function on an open convex subset of any Banach space a separability condition on its image under the subdifferential mapping is sufficient to guarantee the generic Fréchet differentiability of the function. This gives a direct insight into the characterisation of Asplund spaces.

Although it is known that locally Lipschitz functions are densely differentiable on certain classes of Banach spaces, it is a minimality condition on the subdifferential mapping of the function which enables us to guarantee that the set of points of differentiability is a residual set. We characterise such minimality by a quasi continuity property of the Dini derivatives of the function and derive sufficiency conditions for the generic differentiability of locally Lipschitz functions on a product space.

For every nonsingleton finite set A, we construct three families of partial clones on A that contain all permutations of A and are of continuum cardinality.

Upper and lower bounds are obtained for the left tail of the normed limit W0 of a supercritical branching process with varying environment, that is, for P(W0 < x) for small x. Two types of process are dealt with—öttcher type and Schröder type—which between them cover “most” processes with zero extinction probability.