The order of finite algebraic fundamental groups of surfaces with K^2<=3\chi-2
We study the structure of the algebraic fundamental group for minimal surfaces of general type S satisfying K_S^2<=3\chi-2$ and not having any irregular etale cover. We show that, if K_S^2<=3\chi-2, then then the algebraic fundamental group of S has order at most 5, and equality only occurs if S is a Godeaux surface. We also show that if K_S^2<= 3\chi-3 and the algebraic fundamental group of S is not trivial, then it is Z_2, or Z_2^2 or Z_3. Furthermore in this last case one has: 2<=\chi<=4, K^2=3\chi-3 and these possibilities do occur.
On the algebraic fundamental group of surfaces with $K^2≤3x$
Let S be a minimal complex surface of general type with q(S) = 0. We prove the following statements concerning the algebraic fundamental groupalg 1 (S): • Assume that K 2 S � 3�(S). Then S has an irregularcover if and only if S has a free pencil of hyperelliptic curves of genus 3 with at least 4 double fibres. • If K 2 S = 3 and �(S) = 1, then S has no irregularcover. • If K 2 < 3�(S) and S does not have any irregularcover, then |� alg (S)| � 9. If |� alg (S)| = 9, then K 2 S = 2, �(S) = 1.
Asymptotic Properties of Solutions to Second-Order Difference Equations of Volterra Type
<jats:p>We consider the discrete Volterra type equation of the form <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M1"><mml:mi mathvariant="normal">Δ</mml:mi><mml:mo stretchy="false">(</mml:mo><mml:msub><mml:mrow><mml:mi>r</mml:mi></mml:mrow><mml:mrow><mml:mi>n</mml:mi></mml:mrow></mml:msub><mml:mi mathvariant="normal">Δ</mml:mi><mml:msub><mml:mrow><mml:mi>x</mml:mi></mml:mrow><mml:mrow><mml:mi>n</mml:mi></mml:mrow></mml:msub><mml:mo stretchy="false">)</mml:mo><mml:mo>=</mml:mo><mml:msub><mml:mrow><mml:mi>b</mml:mi></mml:mrow><mml:mrow><mml:mi>n</mml:mi></mml:mrow></mml:msub><mml:mo>+</mml:mo><mml:mrow><mml:msubsup><mml:mo stretchy="false">∑</mml:mo><mml:mrow><mml:mi>k</mml:mi><mml:mo>=</mml:mo><mml:mn mathvariant="normal">1</mml:mn></mml:mrow><mml:mrow><mml:mi>n</mml:mi></mml:mrow></mml:msubsup><mml:mrow><mml:mi>K</mml:mi><mml:mo stretchy="false">(</mml:mo><mml:mi>n</mml:mi><mml:mo>,</mml:mo><mml:mi>k</mml:mi><mml:mo stretchy="false">)</mml:mo><mml:mi>f</mml:mi><mml:mo stretchy="false">(</mml:mo><mml:msub><mml:mrow><mml:mi>x</mml:mi></mml:mrow><mml:mrow><mml:mi>k</mml:mi></mml:mrow></mml:msub><mml:mo stretchy="false">)</mml:mo></mml:mrow></mml:mrow></mml:math>. We present sufficient conditions for the existence of solutions with prescribed asymptotic behavior. Moreover, we study the asymptotic behavior of solutions. We use <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M2"><mml:mi mathvariant="normal">o</mml:mi><mml:mo stretchy="false">(</mml:mo><mml:msup><mml:mrow><mml:mi>n</mml:mi></mml:mrow><mml:mrow><mml:mi>s</mml:mi></mml:mrow></mml:msup><mml:mo stretchy="false">)</mml:mo></mml:math>, for given nonpositive real <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M3"><mml:mrow><mml:mi>s</mml:mi></mml:mrow></mml:math>, as a measure of approximation.</jats:p>