The Existence of (ν,6, λ)-Perfect Mendelsohn Designs with λ > 1

The basic necessary conditions for the existence of a (v, k, λ)-perfect Mendelsohn design (briefly (v, k, λ)-PMD) are v ≥ k and λ v(v − 1) ≡ 0 (mod k). These conditions are known to be sufficient in most cases, but certainly not in all. For k = 3, 4, 5, 7, very extensive investigations of (v, k, λ)-PMDs have resulted in some fairly conclusive results. However, for k = 6 the results have been far from conclusive, especially for the case of λ = 1, which was given some attention in papers by Miao and Zhu [34], and subsequently by Abel et al. [1]. Here we investigate the situation for k = 6 and λ > 1. We find that the necessary conditions, namely v ≥ 6 and λ v(v − 1)≡0 (mod 6) are sufficient except for the known impossible cases v = 6 and either λ = 2 or λ odd. Researcher F.E. Bennett supported by NSERC Grant OGP 0005320.     

Frame Self-orthogonal Mendelsohn Triple Systems

A Mendelsohn triple system of order ν, MTS(ν) for short, is a pair (X, B) where X is a ν-set (of points) and B is a collection of cyclic triples on X such that every ordered pair of distinct points from X appears in exactly one cyclic triple of B. The cyclic triple (a, b, c) contains the ordered pairs (a, b), (b, c) and (c, a). An MTS(ν) corresponds to an idempotent semisymmetric Latin square (quasigroup) of order ν. An MTS(ν) is called frame self-orthogonal, FSOMTS for short, if its associated semisymmetric Latin square is frame self-orthogonal. It is known that an FSOMTS(1 ⁿ ) exists for all n≡1 (mod 3) except n=10 and for all n≥15, n≡0 (mod 3) with possible exception that n=18. In this paper, it is shown that (i) an FSOMTS(2 ⁿ ) exists if and only if n≡0,1 (mod 3) and n>5 with possible exceptions n∈{9, 27, 33, 39}; (ii) an FSOMTS(3 ⁿ ) exists if and only if n≥4, with possible exceptions that n∈{6, 14, 18, 19}. *Research supported by NSFC 10371002 *Partially supported by National Science Foundation under Grant CCR-0098093     

The Spectrum of Tetrahedral Quadruple Systems

An ordered analogue of quadruple systems is tetrahedral quadruple systems. A tetrahedral quadruple system of order v and index λ, TQS(v, λ), is a pair (S, T){(S, \mathcal{T})} where S is a finite set of v elements and T{\mathcal{T}} is a family of oriented tetrahedrons of elements of S called blocks, such that every directed 3-cycle on S is contained in exactly λ blocks of T{\mathcal{T}} . When λ = 1, the spectrum problem of TQS(v, 1) has been completely determined. It is proved that a TQS(v, λ) exists if and only if λ(v − 1)(v − 2) ≡ 0 (mod 3), λv(v − 1)(v − 2) ≡ 0 (mod 4) and v ≥ 4.     

On the existence of nearly Kirkman triple systems with subsystems

It is proved in this paper that the necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of an incomplete nearly Kirkman triple system INKTS(u, v) are u ≡ v ≡ 0 (mod 6), u ≥ 3v. As a consequence, we obtain a complete solution to the embedding problem for nearly Kirkman triple systems.      

Further Results on the Existence of Splitting BIBDs and Application to Authentication Codes

Let (v,u×c,λ)-splitting BIBD denote a (v,u×c,λ)-splitting balanced incomplete block design of order v with block size u×c and index λ. Necessary conditions for the existence of a (v,u×c,λ)-splitting BIBD are v≥uc, λ(v−1)≡0 (mod c(u−1)) and λ v(v−1)≡0 (mod (c ² u(u−1))). We show in this paper that the necessary conditions for the existence of a (v,3×3,λ)-splitting BIBD are also sufficient with possible exceptions when (1) (v,λ)∈{(55,1),(39,9k):k=1,2,…}, (2) λ≡0 (mod 54) and v≡0 (mod 2). We also show that there exists a (v,3×4,1)-splitting BIBD when v≡1 (mod 96). As its application, we obtain a new infinite class of optimal 4-splitting authentication codes.     

Tripling Construction for Large Sets of Resolvable Directed Triple Systems

In this paper, we first define a doubly transitive resolvable idempotent quasigroup （DTRIQ）, and show that aDTRIQ of order v exists if and only ifv ≡0（mod3） and v ≠ 2（mod4）. Then we use DTRIQ to present a tripling construction for large sets of resolvable directed triple systems, which improves an earlier version of tripling construction by Kang （J. Combin. Designs, 4 （1996）, 301-321）. As an application, we obtain an LRDTS（4·3^n） for any integer n ≥ 1, which provides an infinite family of even orders.     

P 3-factorization of complete multipartite graphs

In this note it is shown that a necessary and sufficient condition for the existence of a P3-factorizatlon of complete multipartite graph λK, is (1) m≥3, (2) mn≡0(mod 3) and (3)λ(m-1)n≡0(mod 4).     

Generalized Bhaskar Rao Designs with Block Size 3 over Finite Abelian Groups

We show that if G is a finite Abelian group and the block size is 3, then the necessary conditions for the existence of a (v,3,λ;G) GBRD are sufficient. These necessary conditions include the usual necessary conditions for the existence of the associated (v,3,λ) BIBD plus λ≡ 0 (mod|G|), plus some extra conditions when |G| is even, namely that the number of blocks be divisible by 4 and, if v = 3 and the Sylow 2-subgroup of G is cyclic, then also λ≡ 0 (mod2|G|).     

The Existence of BIB Designs

Abstract Given any positive integers k≥ 3 and λ, let c(k, λ) denote the smallest integer such that v∈B(k, λ) for every integer v≥c(k, λ) that satisfies the congruences λv(v− 1) ≡ 0(mod k(k− 1)) and λ(v− 1) ≡ 0(mod k− 1). In this article we make an improvement on the bound of c(k, λ) provided by Chang in [4] and prove that . In particular, . Supported by NSFC Grant No. 19701002 and Huo Yingdong Foundation     

Incomplete group divisible designs with block size four and general index

In this paper, we investigate the existence of incomplete group divisible designs (IGDDs) with block size four, group-type (g, h) u and general index λ. The necessary conditions for the existence of such a design are that u ≥ 4, g ≥ 3h, λg(u 1) ≡ 0 (mod 3), λ(g h)(u 1) ≡ 0 (mod 3), and λu(u 1)(g 2 h 2 ) ≡ 0 (mod 12). These necessary conditions are shown to be sufficient for all λ≥ 2. The known existence result for λ = 1 is also improved.     

The spectrum of nested Steiner triple systems

A Steiner triple system can benested if it is possible to add one point to each block in such a way that a BIBD with block-size 4 and λ=1 is obtained. We prove that there exists a Steiner triple system of orderv that can be nested if and only ifvэ1 mod 6.     

Hanani triple systems

Hanani triple systems onv≡1 (mod 6) elements are Steiner triple systems having (v−1)/2 pairwise disjoint almost parallel classes (sets of pairwise disjoint triples that spanv−1 elements), and the remaining triples form a partial parallel class. Hanani triple systems are one natural analogue of the Kirkman triple systems onv≡3 (mod 6) elements, which form the solution of the celebrated Kirkman schoolgirl problem. We prove that a Hanani triple system exists for allv≡1 (mod 6) except forv ∈ {7, 13}.     

Vector fields on the real flag manifolds ℝ<Emphasis Type="Italic">F</Emphasis>(1, 1, <Emphasis Type="Italic">n</Emphasis> − 2)

We obtain the span of the real flag manifolds ℝF(1, 1, n−2), n ≥ 3, for the cases n ≡ 2 (mod 4), n ≡ 4 (mod 8) and n ≡ 8 (mod 16) and use the results to deduce that certain Stiefel-Whitney classes of the manifold are zero.      

A sturm-liouville problem with physical and spectral parameters in boundary conditions

We study the spectral probleml(u)=−u″+q(x)u(x)=λu(x),u′(0)=0, u′(π)=mλu(π), where λ andm are a spectral and a physical parameter. Form<0, we associate with the problem a self-adjoint operator in Pontryagin space II₁. Using this fact and developing analytic methods of the theory of Sturm-Liouville operators, we study the dynamics of eigenvalues and eigenfunctions of the problems asm→−0. Translated fromMatematicheskie Zametki, Vol. 66, No. 2, pp. 163–172, August, 1999.     

Positive versus free boundary solutions to a singular elliptic equation

The equation-δu = χ uo(-1/u^Β + λf (x, u)) in Ω with Dirichlet boundary condition on ∂Ω has a maximal solution uλ ≥0 for every λ 0. For λ less than a constant λ*, the solution vanishes inside the domain; and for λ λ*, the solution is positive. We obtain optimal regularity ofuλ even in the presence of the free boundary. Supported in part by H. J. Sussmann’s NSF Grant DMS01-03901. Supported by FAPESP. He also thanks Rutgers University.     

Existence of Z-cyclic 3PDTWh(<Emphasis Type="Italic">p</Emphasis>) for Prime <Emphasis Type="Italic">p</Emphasis> ≡ 1 (mod 4)

A directed triplewhist tournament on p players over Z _p is said to have the three-person property if no two games in the tournament have three common players. We briefly denote such a design as a 3PDTWh(p). In this paper, we investigate the existence of a Z-cyclic 3PDTWh(p) for any prime p ≡ 1 (mod 4) and show that such a design exists whenever p ≡ 5, 9, 13 (mod 16) and p ≥ 29. This result is obtained by applying Weil’s theorem. In addition, we also prove that a Z-cyclic 3PDTWh(p) exists whenever p ≡ 1 (mod 16) and p < 10, 000 except possibly for p = 257, 769. Gennian Ge’s Research was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant No. 10471127, Zhejiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant No. R604001, and the Scientific Research Foundation for the Returned Overseas Chinese Scholars, State Education Ministry.     

A bound for Wilson''''s general theorem

Given any set K of positive integers and positive integer λ, let c(K,λ) denote the smallest integer such that v∈B(K,λ) for every integer v≥c(K,λ) that satisfies the congruences λv(v-1)≡0 (mod β(K) and λ(v-1)≡0 (mod α(K)). Let K0 be an equivalent set of K, k and k* be the smallest and the largest integers in K0. We prove that c(K,λ)≤exp exp{Q0}Qo=max{2(2p(ko)2-k2kk)p(ko)4,(Kk242y-k-2)(y2)}, whereand y=k*+k(k-1)+1.     

On K 1,k -factorization of bipartite multigraphs

A K1,k-factorization of λKm,n is a set of edge-disjoint K1,k-factors of λKm,n, which partition the set of edges of λKm,n. In this paper, it is proved that a sufficient condition for the existence of K1,k-factorization of λKm,n, whenever k is any positive integer, is that （1） m ≤ kn, （2） n ≤ km, （3） km-n = kn-m ≡ 0 （mod （k^2- 1）） and （4） λ（km-n）（kn-m） ≡ 0 （mod k（k- 1）（k^2 - 1）（m ＋ n））.     

The spectrum for large sets of pure directed triple systems

An LPDTS(ν) is a collection of 3(ν-2) disjoint pure directed triple systems on the same set ofνelements. It is showed in Tian's doctoral thesis that there exists an LPDTS(ν) forν=0,4 (mod 6),ν≥4. In this paper, we establish the existence of an LPDTS(ν) forν= 1,3 (mod 6),ν> 3. Thus the spectrum for LPDTS(ν) is completely determined to be the set {ν:ν= 0, 1 (mod 3),ν≥4}.