In the present paper, we face the problem of classifying classes of orientable PL 5-manifolds M5 with h ≥ 1 boundary components, by making use of a combinatorial invariant called regular genusG(M5). In particular, a complete classification up to regular genus five is obtained: where denotes the regular genus of the boundary ∂M5 and denotes the connected sumof h ≥ 1 orientable 5-dimensional handlebodies 𝕐αi of genus αi ≥ 0 (i = 1, . . . ,h), so that .

Moreover, we give the following characterizations of orientable PL 5-manifolds M5 with boundary satisfying particular conditions related to the “gap” between G(M5) and either G(∂M5) or the rank of their fundamental group rk(π1(M5)): Further, the paper explains how the above results (together with other known properties of regular genus of PL manifolds) may lead to a combinatorial approach to 3-dimensional Poincaré Conjecture.

In this paper we prove, that under certain hypotheses, the planar differential equation: ˙x = X1(x, y) + X2(x, y), ˙y = Y1(x, y) + Y2(x, y), where (Xi, Yi), i = 1, 2, are quasi-homogeneous vector fields, has at most two limit cycles. The main tools used in the proof are the generalized polar coordinates, introduced by Lyapunov to study the stability of degenerate critical points, and the analysis of the derivatives of the Poincar´e return map. Our results generalize those obtained for polynomial systems with homogeneous non-linearities.

The spectral theory for the Neumann Laplacian on planar domains with symmetric, horn-like ends is studied. For a large class of such domains, it is proven that the Neumann Laplacian has no singular continuous spectrum, and that the pure point spectrum consists of eigenvalues of finite multiplicity which can accumulate only at 0 or ∞. The proof uses Mourre theory.

Symplectic and orthogonal Schur functions can be defined combinatorially in a manner similar to the classical Schur functions. This paper demonstrates that they can also be expressed as determinants. These determinants are generated using planar decompositions of tableaux into strips and the equivalence of these determinants to symplectic or orthogonal Schur functions is established by Gessel-Viennot lattice path techniques. Results for rational (also called composite) Schur functions are also obtained.

A formula is obtained for the rank of the 2-Sylow subgroup of the ideal class group of imaginary bicyclic biquadratic fields. This formula involves the number of primes that ramify in the field, the ranks of the 2-Sylow subgroups of the ideal class groups of the quadratic subfields and the rank of a Z2-matrix determined by Legendre symbols involving pairs of ramified primes. As applications, all subfields with both 2- class and class group Z2×Z2 are determined. The final results assume the completeness of D. A. Buell’s list of imaginary fields with small class numbers.

We give several new characterizations of Riordan Arrays, the most important of which is: if {dn,k}n,k∈N is a lower triangular arraywhose generic element dn,k linearly depends on the elements in a well-defined though large area of the array, then {dn,k}n,k∈N is Riordan. We also provide some applications of these characterizations to the lattice path theory.

In this paper we prove a complete convergence theorem for attractive, reversible, super-critical nearest particle systems satisfying a natural regularity condition. In particular this implies that under these conditions there exist precisely two extremal invariant measures. The result we prove is relevant to question seven of Liggett (1985), Chapter VII.

In this paper, we study the local bifurcations of critical periods in the neighborhood of a nondegenerate centre of the reduced Kukles system. We find at the same time the isochronous systems. We show that at most three local critical periods bifurcate from the Christopher-Lloyd centres of finite order, at most two from the linear isochrone and at most one critical period from the nonlinear isochrone. Moreover, in all cases, there exist perturbations which lead to the maximum number of critical periods. We determine the isochrones, using the method of Darboux: the linearizing transformation of an isochrone is derived from the expression of the first integral. Our approach is a combination of computational algebraic techniques (Gröbner bases, theory of the resultant, Sturm’s algorithm), the theory of ideals of noetherian rings and the transversality theory of algebraic curves.

In [1], Jean-Philippe Anker conjectures an upper bound for the heat kernel of a symmetric space of noncompact type. We show in this paper that his prediction is verified for the space of positive definite n × n real matrices.

Limit transitions will be derived between the five parameter family of Askey-Wilson polynomials, the four parameter family of big q-Jacobi polynomials and the three parameter family of little q-Jacobi polynomials in n variables associated with root system BC. These limit transitions generalize the known hierarchy structure between these families in the one variable case. Furthermore it will be proved that these three families are q-analogues of the three parameter family of BC type Jacobi polynomials in n variables. The limit transitions will be derived by taking limits of q-difference operators which have these polynomials as eigenfunctions.

Explicit bounds for the Hurwitz constants for general cofinite Fuchsian groups have been found. It is shown that the bounds obtained are exact for the Hecke groups and triangular groups with signature (0 : 2, p, q).