In 1929, Zermelo proposed a probabilistic model for ranking by paired comparisons and showed that this model produces a unique ranking of the objects under consideration when the outcome matrix is irreducible. When the matrix is reducible, the model may yield only a partial ordering of the objects. In this paper, we analyse a natural extension of Zermelo's model resulting from a singular perturbation. We show that this extension produces a ranking for arbitrary (nonnegative) outcome matrices and retains several of the desirable properties of the original model. In addition, we discuss computational techniques and provide examples of their use.

Consider the two-dimensional quasi-steady Stokes flow of an incompressible Newtonian fluid occupying a time-dependent region bounded by free surfaces, the motion being driven solely by a constant surface tension acting at the free boundaries. When the fluid region is simply-connected, it is known that this Stokes flow problem is closely related to a Hele-Shaw free boundary problem when the zero-surface-tension model is employed. Specifically, if the initial configuration for the Stokes flow problem can be produced by injection at N points into an empty Hele-Shaw cell, then so can all later configurations. Moreover, there are N invariants; while the N points at which injection must take place move, the amount to be injected at each of these points remains the same. In this paper, we consider the situation when the fluid region is doubly-connected and show that, provided the geometry has an appropriate rotational symmetry, the same results continue to hold and can be exploited to determine the solution of the Stokes flow problem.

Some new global results are given about solutions to the boundary value problem for the Euler–Lagrange equations for the Ginzburg–Landau model of a one-dimensional superconductor. The main advance is a proof that in some parameter range there is a branch of asymmetric solutions connecting the branch of symmetric solutions to the normal state. Also, simplified proofs are presented for some local bifurcation results of Bolley and Helffer. These proofs require no detailed asymptotics for solution of the linear equations. Finally, an error in Odeh's work on this problem is discussed.

We consider nonnegative steady-state solutions of the evolution equation

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Our class of coefficients f, g allows degeneracies at h = 0, such as f(0) = 0, as well as divergences like g(0) = ±∞. We first construct steady states and study their regularity. For f, g > 0 we construct positive periodic steady states, and non-negative steady states with either zero or nonzero contact angles. For f > 0 and g < 0, we prove there are no non-constant positive periodic steady states or steady states with zero contact angle, but we do construct non-negative steady states with nonzero contact angle. In considering the volume, length (or period) and contact angle of the steady states, we find a rescaling identity that enables us to answer questions such as whether a steady state is uniquely determined by its volume and contact angle. Our tools include an improved monotonicity result for the period function of the nonlinear oscillator. We also relate the steady states and their scaling properties to a recent blow-up conjecture of Bertozzi and Pugh.