Self-orthogonal cyclicn-quasigroups

A quasigroup (Q,) satisfying the identityx(yx) =y (or the equivalent identity (xy)x =y) is called semisymmetric. Ann-quasigroup (Q, A) satisfying the identityA(A(x ₁, ...,x _n ),x ₁, ...,x _n–1) =x _n is called cyclic. So, cyclicn-quasigroups are a generalization of semisymmetric quasigroups. In this paper, self-orthogonal cyclicn-quasigroups (SOCnQs) are considered. Some constructions ofSOCnQs are described and the spectrum of suchn-quasigroups investigated.     

The geometric mean and B-loop quasigroups of the convex cone of positive definite matrices

In this paper we consider the convex cone of positive definite matrices as algebraic system equipped with geometric mean and B-loop from the standard matrix polar decomposition. Some algebraic structures of these quasigroups are investigated in the context of matrix theory. In particular, their autotopism groups are completely determined: they are isomorphic to the group of positive real numbers.Received: 28 April 2004     

Incomplete idempotent Schröder quasigroups and related packing designs

Summary In this paper it is proved that, for any positive integern 2, 3 (mod 4),n 7, there exists an incomplete idempotent Schröder quasigroup with one hole of size two IISQ(n, 2) except forn = 10. It is also proved that for any positive integern 0, 1 (mod 4), there exists an idempotent Schröder quasigroup ISQ(n) except forn = 5 and 9. These results completely determine the spectrum of ISQ(n) and provide an application to the packing of a class of edge-coloured block designs.Research supported by NSERC grant A-5320.Research supported by NSFC grant 19231060-2.     

A q-analogue of the Riordan group

The Riordan group consisting of Riordan matrices shows up naturally in a variety of combinatorial settings. In this paper, we define a q-Riordan matrix to be a q  -analogue of the (exponential) Riordan matrix by using the Eulerian generating functions of the form _∑n?0fnzⁿ/n_!q${\sum }_{n?0}{f}_n{z}^n/n{!}_q$. We first prove that the set of q-Riordan matrices forms a loop (a quasigroup with an identity element) and find its loop structures. Next, it is shown that q-Riordan matrices associated to the counting functions may be applied to the enumeration problem on set partitions by block inversions. This notion leads us to find q-analogues of the composition formula and the exponential formula, respectively.     

Permutation representations of left quasigroups

The concept of a permutation representation has recently been extended from groups to quasigroups. Following a suggestion of Walter Taylor, the concept is now further extended to left quasigroups. The paper surveys the current state of the theory, giving new proofs where necessary to cover the general case of left quasigroups. Both the Burnside Lemma and the Burnside algebra appear in this new context. This paper is dedicated to Walter Taylor. Received August 9, 2005; accepted in final form March 7, 2006.     

The varieties of loops of Bol-Moufang type

A loop identity is of Bol-Moufang type if two of its three variables occur once on each side, the third variable occurs twice on each side, and the order in which the variables appear on both sides is the same, viz. ((xy)x)z = x(y(xz)). Loop varieties defined by one identity of Bol-Moufang type include groups, Bol loops, Moufang loops and C-loops. We show that there are exactly 14 such varieties, and determine all inclusions between them, providing all necessary counterexamples, too. This extends and completes the programme of Fenyves [Fe69]. Received October 23, 2003; accepted in final form April 12, 2005.     

Quasigroups,right quasigroups and category coverings

The category of modules over a fixed quasigroup in the category of all quasigroups is equivalent to the category of representations of the fundamental groupoid of the Cayley diagram of the quasigroup in the category of abelian groups. The corresponding equivalent category of coverings, and the generalization to the right quasigroup case, are also described.Dedicated to the memory of Alan DayPresented by J. Sichler.     

Bol loops with non-normal nuclei

The purpose of this paper is to expand the collection of Bol loops that have nuclei that are not normal. In doing so, we will show that for each of the Bol loops given by Daniel and Karl Robinson in [2] there are uncountably many more. Clearly this will require us to give examples of infinite Bol loops with non-normal nuclei, which until now have apparently been absent from the literature.Received: 20 August 2001     

Symmetric incidence groupoids

In [7] point-reflection geometries were studied which can be derived from commutative kinematic spaces without involutory elements. But the class of point-reflection geometries is larger. For example, elliptic planes with their reflections cannot be derived from commutative kinematic spaces. Here we investigate a larger class of reflection geometries.This paper was sponsored by Vigoni Program 1999.     

Orthogonal representations over finite fields and the chromatic number of graphs

We study the relationship between the minimum dimension of an orthogonal representation of a graph over a finite field and the chromatic number of its complement. It turns out that for some classes of matrices defined by a graph the 3-colorability problem is equivalent to deciding whether the class defined by the graph contains a matrix of rank 3 or not. This implies the NP-hardness of determining the minimum rank of a matrix in such a class. Finally we give for any class of matrices defined by a graph that is interesting in this respect a reduction of the 3-colorability problem to the problem of deciding whether or not this class contains a matrix of rank equal to three.The author is financially supported by the Cooperation Centre Tilburg and Eindhoven Universities.     

Diperfect graphs

Gallai and Milgram have shown that the vertices of a directed graph, with stability number α(G), can be covered by exactly α(G) disjoint paths. However, the various proofs of this result do not imply the existence of a maximum stable setS and of a partition of the vertex-set into paths μ₁, μ₂, ..., μ_k such tht |μ_i ∩S|=1 for alli. Later, Gallai proved that in a directed graph, the maximum number of vertices in a path is at least equal to the chromatic number; here again, we do not know if there exists an optimal coloring (S ₁,S ₂, ...,S _k) and a path μ such that |μ ∩S _i|=1 for alli. In this paper we show that many directed graphs, like the perfect graphs, have stronger properties: for every maximal stable setS there exists a partition of the vertex set into paths which meet the stable set in only one point. Also: for every optimal coloring there exists a path which meets each color class in only one point. This suggests several conjecties similar to the perfect graph conjecture. Dedicated to Tibor Gallai on his seventieth birthday     

Very Asymmetric Marking Games

We investigate a competitive version of the coloring number of a graph G = (V, E). For a fixed linear ordering L of V let s (L) be one more than the maximum outdegree of G when G is oriented so that x ← y if x < _L y. The coloring number of G is the minimum of s (L) over all such orderings. The (a, b)-marking game is played on a graph G = (V, E) as follows. At the start all vertices are unmarked. The players, Alice and Bob, take turns playing. A play consists of Alice marking a unmarked vertices or Bob marking b unmarked vertices. The game ends when there are no remaining unmarked vertices. Together the players create a linear ordering L of V defined by x < y if x is marked before y. The score of the game is s (L). The (a, b)-game coloring number of G is the minimum score that Alice can obtain regardless of Bob’s strategy. The usual (1, 1)-marking game is well studied and there are many interesting results. Our main result is that if G has an orientation with maximum outdegree k then the (k, 1)-game coloring number of G is at most 2k + 2. This extends a fundamental result on the (1, 1)-game coloring number of trees. We also construct examples to show that this bound is tight for many classes of graphs. Finally we prove bounds on the (a, 1)-game coloring number when a < k.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">p</Emphasis><Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">n</Emphasis></Subscript>-sequences of algebras with one fundamental operation

We show that if (p₀, p₁, ...) is the p_n-sequence of a nontrivial algebra with one fundamental operation, then p₁ ≥ p₀. Moreover, if , then p₁ > 2p₀. Received April 21, 2003; accepted in final form November 28, 2005.     

Colorings and orientations of graphs

Bounds for the chromatic number and for some related parameters of a graph are obtained by applying algebraic techniques. In particular, the following result is proved: IfG is a directed graph with maximum outdegreed, and if the number of Eulerian subgraphs ofG with an even number of edges differs from the number of Eulerian subgraphs with an odd number of edges then for any assignment of a setS(v) ofd+1 colors for each vertexv ofG there is a legal vertex-coloring ofG assigning to each vertexv a color fromS(v).Research supported in part by a United States-Israel BSF Grant and by a Bergmann Memorial Grant.     

Minimal orientations of colour critical graphs

In 1966 T. Gallai asked whether every criticalk-chromatic graph possesses an orientation having just one directed path of lengthk–1. In this note we show that in general the answer is negative, but also that the answer is affirmative whenk5 and the graph has maximal degree at mostk.     

Log-convexity and strong q-log-convexity for some triangular arrays

We give a criterion for the log-convexity (resp. the strong q  -log-convexity) of the first column of certain infinite triangular array _(An,k)0?k?n${(A_{n,k})}_{0?k?n}$ of nonnegative numbers (resp. of polynomials in q with nonnegative coefficients), for which the recurrence relation is of the form

_An,k=_{fkAn−1,k−1}+_gkAn−1,k+_hkAn−1,k+1.$A_{n,k}=f_k{A}_{n-1,k-1}+g_k{A}_{n-1,k}+h_k{A}_{n-1,k+1}.$

This allows a unified treatment of the log-convexity of the Catalan-like numbers, as well as that of the q-log-convexity of some classical polynomials. In particular, we obtain simple proofs of the q-log-convexity of Narayana polynomials.     

The probability of generating a finite linear group

We study the asymptotic behavior of the probability of generating a finite completely reducible linear group G of degree n with [ n] elements. In particular we prove that if 3/2 and n is large enough then [ n] randomly chosen elements that generate G modulo O²(G) almost certainly generate G itself.Received: 13 February 2003     

A note on Bol loops of order 2 n k

It is shown that, for eachn 2 and k 3, there exist at least 2 ⁿ -3 non-isomorphic loops of order 2 ⁿ k which are Bol but not Moufang. In most cases this bound can be improved.