About 14 years ago A. C. Zaanen [7] published a series of papers on compact symmetrisable linear operators in Hilbert space. Four years later I was encouraged by Dr. F. Smithies to study the spectral properties of general symmetrisable operators in Hilbert space and the resulting research formed the basis of part of a dissertation I submitted to the University of Cambridge in 1952 [4]. For various personal reasons I have not previously been able to, publish these results more widely, although I believe some of them, at least, to be of general interest.

In continuation of the two previous papers (10; 11), this paper was originally written at the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur and revised at the University of Sydney under the advice of Prof. T. G. Room. Although the altitudes of a general simplex S(A) in n-space (n > 2) do not concur as they do for a triangle (n = 2), yet we observe that its Monge point, M (1; 5), is an appropriate analogue of the orthocentre of a triangle such that M coincides with its orthocentre when it is orthogonal (or orthocentric). In consistency with the previous papers (10; 11; 13; 15) we shall call M as the S-point of S(A) and denote it as S as explained in § 1.2. The altitudes of S(A) are all met by the (n − 2)-spaces normal to its plane faces at their orthocentres, each parallel to of them, thus indicating the associated character of the altitudes as discussed separately in 2 other papers (12; 16). Before we introduce an orthogonal simplex and develop its properties in regard to its γ-altitudes and associated hyperspheres, we come across a number of intermediate ones of special interest. Two special types are treated here and the other two are developed in 2 other papers (13; 15).

In this paper we shall discuss the boundary value problem consisting of the nonlinear ordinary differential equation of the second order, and the boundary conditions.

A method is proposed for obtaining a uniformly valid perturbation expansion of the solution of a non-linear partial differential equation, involving either a large or small parameter, when the solution exhibits boundary layer type dependence on the parameter. The method differs from those previously in use in that it is not based on drawing a distinction between points in the boundary layer and points in the remainder of the field. Each point is treated as belonging to both regimes and this enables a stricter control to be maintained on the error terms in the expansions. The method is devised so as to ensure that all forms of error terms are reduced in order at each step in the expansion and not merely those error terms which are mathematically most significant for limiting values of the parameter. The perturbation series can then be used for a wider range of the parameter and provides a solution even when the boundary layer is not particularly thin.

The method is presented through its application to a problem which arises in the theory of the large deflexion of thin elastic plates but the principles underlying the method are more widely applicable.

Expectation values of one-particle and two-particle operators are evaluated in the quasi-chemical equilibrium (pair correlation) approximation to statistical mechanics. Earlier work was restricted to the case of extreme Bose-Einstein condensation of the correlated pairs; the new formulas are not so restricted, but are correspondingly more complicated to evaluate practically. However, a simple result can be obtained for the expectation value of the number of particles.

The stochastic birth-death process considered in this paper provides an approximate model for phage reproduction in a bacterium. In a recent paper, Hershey [1] has discussed reproduction and recombination in phage crosses, and a deterministic model for the reproductive process has been the subject of a previous note by the author [2]. A very readable account of the process is given by Sanders [3] in his recent article, “The life of viruses”.

The continuous-time behaviour of a model which represents certain queues and infinite dams with correlated inputs is considered. It is shown how the transient behaviour may be investigated, and the asymptotic behaviour is obtained. Finally the methods are illustrated for a queue whose input consists of two superimposed renewal processes.

This paper considers a generalisation of the queueing system M/G/I, where customers arriving at empty and non-empty queues have different service time distributions. The characteristic function (c.f.) of the stationary waiting time distribution and the probability generating function (p.g.f.) of the queue size are obtained. The busy period distribution is found; the results are generalised to an Erlangian inter-arrival distribution; the time-dependent problem is considered, and finally a special case of server absenteeism is discussed.