A new extension theorem for 3-weight modulo q linear codes over $${\mathbb{F}_ q}$$

We prove that every [n, k, d] _q code with q ≥ 4, k ≥ 3, whose weights are congruent to 0, −1 or −2 modulo q and is extendable unless its diversity is for odd q, where .      

Examples of rank 3 product action transitive decompositions

A transitive decomposition is a pair where Γ is a graph and is a partition of the arc set of Γ such that there is a subgroup of automorphisms of Γ which leaves invariant and transitively permutes the parts in . In an earlier paper we gave a characterisation of G-transitive decompositions where Γ is the graph product K _m × K _m and G is a rank 3 group of product action type. This characterisation showed that every such decomposition arose from a 2-transitive decomposition of K _m via one of two general constructions. Here we use results of Sibley to give an explicit classification of those which arise from 2-transitive edge-decompositions of K _m .      

Poincaré inequality and Palais–Smale condition for the <Emphasis Type="Italic">p</Emphasis>-Laplacian

An improved Poincaré inequality and validity of the Palais-Smale condition are investigated for the energy functional on , 1 < p < ∞, where Ω is a bounded domain in , is a spectral (control) parameter, and is a given function, in Ω. Analysis is focused on the case λ = λ₁, where −λ₁ is the first eigenvalue of the Dirichlet p-Laplacian Δ _p on , λ₁ > 0, and on the “quadratization” of within an arbitrarily small cone in around the axis spanned by , where stands for the first eigenfunction of Δ _p associated with −λ₁.     

A divergent Khintchine theorem in the real,complex, and <Emphasis Type="Italic">p</Emphasis>-adic fields

In this paper, we show that if the sum ∑_r=1^∞ Ψ(r) diverges, then the set of points (x, z, w) ∈ ℝ × ℂ × ℚ_p satisfying the inequalities , and for infinitely many integer polynomials P has full measure. With a special choice of parameters v _i and λ _i , i = 1, 2, 3, we can obtain all the theorems in the metric theory of transcendental numbers which were known in the real, complex, or p-adic fields separately.     

Mean-value theorems and extensions of the Elliott-Daboussi theorem on additive arithmetic semigroups

We present more general forms of the mean-value theorems established before for multiplicative functions on additive arithmetic semigroups and prove, on the basis of these new theorems, extensions of the Elliott-Daboussi theorem. Let be an additive arithmetic semigroup with a generating set ℘ of primes p. Assume that the number G(m) of elements a in with “degree” ∂(a)=m satisfies

A note on equi-integrability in dimension reduction problems

In the framework of the asymptotic analysis of thin structures, we prove that, up to an extraction, it is possible to decompose a sequence of ‘scaled gradients’ (where is the gradient in the k-dimensional ‘thin variable’ x _β) bounded in (1 < p < + ∞) as a sum of a sequence whose p-th power is equi-integrable on Ω and a ‘rest’ that converges to zero in measure. In particular, for k = 1 we recover a well-known result for thin films by Bocea and Fonseca (ESAIM: COCV 7:443–470; 2002).      

A generalization of Meshulam’s theorem on subsets of finite abelian groups with no 3-term arithmetic progression

Let r ₁, …, r _s be non-zero integers satisfying r ₁ + ⋯ + r _s = 0. Let G be a finite abelian group with k _i |k _i-1(2 ≤ i ≤ n), and suppose that (r _i , k ₁) = 1(1 ≤ i ≤ s). Let denote the maximal cardinality of a set which contains no non-trivial solution of r ₁ x ₁ + ⋯ + r _s x _s = 0 with . We prove that . We also apply this result to study problems in finite projective spaces.      

On weakly bounded empirical processes

Let F be a class of functions on a probability space (Ω, μ) and let X ₁,...,X _k be independent random variables distributed according to μ. We establish an upper bound that holds with high probability on for every t > 0, and that depends on a natural geometric parameter associated with F. We use this result to analyze the supremum of empirical processes of the form for p > 1 using the geometry of F. We also present some geometric applications of this approach, based on properties of the random operator 〈X _i , ·〉e _i , where are sampled according to an isotropic, log-concave measure on .     

Homogeneous factorisations of Johnson graphs

For a graph Γ, subgroups , and an edge partition of Γ, the pair is a (G, M)-homogeneous factorisation if M is vertex-transitive on Γ and fixes setwise each part of , while G permutes the parts of transitively. A classification is given of all homogeneous factorisations of finite Johnson graphs. There are three infinite families and nine sporadic examples. This paper forms part of an ARC Discovery grant of the last two authors. The second author holds an Australian Research Council Australian Research Fellowship.     

Elliptic near-MDS codes over $${\mathbb{F}}_5$$

Let Γ₆ be the elliptic curve of degree 6 in PG(5, q) arising from a non-singular cubic curve of PG(2, q) via the canonical Veronese embedding

Multiplicity of Positive Solutions for a Class of Inhomogeneous Neumann Problems Involving the p(x)-Laplacian

We study the existence and multiplicity of positive solutions for the inhomogeneous Neumann boundary value problems involving the p(x)-Laplacian of the form

A hemisystem of a nonclassical generalised quadrangle

The concept of a hemisystem of a generalised quadrangle has its roots in the work of B. Segre, and this term is used here to denote a set of points such that every line ℓ meets in half of the points of ℓ. If one takes the point-line geometry on the points of the hemisystem, then one obtains a partial quadrangle and hence a strongly regular point graph. The only previously known hemisystems of generalised quadrangles of order (q, q ²) were those of the elliptic quadric , q odd. We show in this paper that there exists a hemisystem of the Fisher–Thas–Walker–Kantor generalised quadrangle of order (5, 5²), which leads to a new partial quadrangle. Moreover, we can construct from our hemisystem the 3· A ₇-hemisystem of , first constructed by Cossidente and Penttila.      

Generalized hexagons and Singer geometries

In this paper, we consider a set of lines of with the properties that (1) every plane contains 0, 1 or q + 1 elements of , (2) every solid contains no more than q ² + q + 1 and no less than q + 1 elements of , and (3) every point of is on q + 1 members of , and we show that, whenever (4) q ≠ 2 (respectively, q = 2) and the lines of through some point are contained in a solid (respectively, a plane), then is necessarily the set of lines of a regularly embedded split Cayley generalized hexagon in , with q even. We present examples of such sets not satisfying (4) based on a Singer cycle in , for all q.      

Maximal partial packings of $${Z_2^n}$$ with perfect codes

A maximal partial Hamming packing of is a family of mutually disjoint translates of Hamming codes of length n, such that any translate of any Hamming code of length n intersects at least one of the translates of Hamming codes in . The number of translates of Hamming codes in is the packing number, and a partial Hamming packing is strictly partial if the family does not constitute a partition of . A simple and useful condition describing when two translates of Hamming codes are disjoint or not disjoint is proved. This condition depends on the dual codes of the corresponding Hamming codes. Partly, by using this condition, it is shown that the packing number p, for any maximal strictly partial Hamming packing of , n = 2 ^m −1, satisfies . It is also proved that for any n equal to 2 ^m −1, , there exist maximal strictly partial Hamming packings of with packing numbers n−10,n−9,n−8,...,n−1. This implies that the upper bound is tight for any n = 2 ^m −1, . All packing numbers for maximal strictly partial Hamming packings of , n = 7 and 15, are found by a computer search. In the case n = 7 the packing number is 5, and in the case n = 15 the possible packing numbers are 5,6,7,...,13 and 14.      

The <Emphasis Type="Italic">ψ</Emphasis>-associate <Emphasis Type="Italic">X</Emphasis><Superscript>#</Superscript> of a flat <Emphasis Type="Italic">X</Emphasis> in PG(<Emphasis Type="Italic">n</Emphasis>, 2)

For a given hypersurface ψ in PG(n, 2), with equation Q(x) = 0, where Q is a polynomial of (reduced) degree d > 1, a definition is given of the ψ-associate X ^# of a flat X in PG(n, 2). The definition involves the fully polarized form of the polynomial Q; in the cubic case d = 3 it reads: X ^# = {z ∈ PG(n, 2) | T(x, y, z) = 0 for all x, y ∈ X}, where T(x, y, z) denotes the alternating trilinear form obtained by completely polarizing Q. Some general results, valid for any degree d and projective dimension n, are first expounded. Thereafter several choices of ψ are visited, but for each choice just a few aspects are highlighted. Despite the partial nature of the survey quite a variety of behaviours of the ψ-associate are uncovered. Many of the choices of ψ which are considered are of cubic hypersurfaces in PG(5, 2). If ψ is the Segre variety it is shown that the 48 planes external to fall into eight pairs of ordered triplets {(P ₁, R ₁, S ₁), (P ₂, R ₂, S ₂)} such that and . Further those lines L of PG(5, 2) which are singular, satisfying that is L ^# = PG(5.2), are in this case shown to form a complete spread of 21 lines. Another result of note arises in the case where ψ is the underlying 35-set of a non-maximal partial spread Σ₅ of five planes in PG(5, 2), where it is shown that one plane is singled out by the property that every line is singular.      

Immersions of spheres and algebraically constructible functions

Let Λ be an algebraic set and let (n is even) be a polynomial mapping such that for each there is r(λ) > 0 such that the mapping g _λ  =  g(· , λ) restricted to the sphere S ⁿ (r) is an immersion for every 0  <  r  <  r (λ), so that the intersection number I(g _λ|S ⁿ (r)) is defined. Then is an algebraically constructible function. I. Karolkiewicz and A. Nowel supported by the grant BW/5100-5-0286-7.     

Some constructions on the Hermitian surface

In the geometric setting of commuting orthogonal and unitary polarities we construct an infinite family of complete (q + 1)²–spans of the Hermitian surface , q odd. A construction of an infinite family of minimal blocking sets of , q odd, admitting PSL ₂(q), is also provided.      

On 2 – (<Emphasis Type="Italic">n</Emphasis><Superscript>2</Superscript>, 2<Emphasis Type="Italic">n</Emphasis>, 2<Emphasis Type="Italic">n</Emphasis>–1) designs with three intersection numbers

The simple incidence structure , formed by the points and the unordered pairs of distinct parallel lines of a finite affine plane of order n > 4, is a 2 – (n ²,2n,2n–1) design with intersection numbers 0,4,n. In this paper, we show that the converse is true, when n ≥ 5 is an odd integer. Supported by M.I.U.R., Università di Palermo.     

A 51-dimensional embedding of the Ree–Tits generalized octagon

We construct an embedding of the Ree–Tits generalized octagon defined over a field K in a 51-dimensional projective space over K arising from a 52-dimensional Lie algebra J of type . This construction derives from a quadratic map (related to a ‘standard’ duality of ) from the 26-dimensional module (see K. Coolsaet, Adv Geometry, to appear) into J. (This embedding is full if and only if K is a perfect field.) We provide explicit formulas for the coordinates of the points of the octagon in this embedding, in terms of their Van Maldeghem coordinates. We apply these results to compute the dimensions of subspaces generated by various special subsets of points of the octagon: the sets of points at a fixed distance from a given point or a given line and the Suzuki suboctagons. The results depend on whether K is the field of 2 elements, or not.      

Exact relaxations of non-convex variational problems

Here, we solve non-convex, variational problems given in the form