Some sufficient conditions for the E- and MV-optimality of block designs having blocks of unequal size

Summary In this paper we consider experimental situations in which ν treatments are to be tested inb blocks whereb _i blocks containk _i experimental units,i=1,...,p, k ₁<k ₂<...<k _p . The idea of a group divisible (GD) design is extended to that of a group divisible design with unequal block sizes (GDUB design) and then a number of results concerning the E- and MV-optimality of GD designs are generalized to the case of GDUB designs.     

On the comparison of PBIB designs with two associate classes

A method to compare two-associate-class PBIB designs is discussed. As an application, it is shown that ifd ^* is a group-divisible design withλ ₂=λ₁+1, a group divisible design with group size two andλ ₂=λ₁+1>1, a design based on a triangular scheme andv=10 andλ ₁=λ₂+1, a design with anL ₂ scheme andλ ₂=λ₁+1, a design with anL _s scheme,v=(s+1) ², andλ ₂=λ₁+1, wheres is a positive integer, or a design with a cyclic schemev=5, andλ ₁=λ₂±1, thend ^* is optimum with respect to a very general class of criteria over all the two-associate-class PBIB designs with the same values ofv, b andk asd ^*. The best two-associate-class PBIB design, however, is not necessarily optimal over all designs. This paper was prepared with the support of Office of Naval Research Contract No. N00014-75-C-0444/NR 042-036 and National Science Foundation Grant No. MCS-79-09502.     

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.     

E-optimality of some row and column designs

In this paper we consider experimental settings where treatments are being tested in b ₁ rows and b ₂ columns of sizes k _1i and k _2j , respectively, i=1,2,..., b ₁, j=1,2,..., b ₂. Some sufficient conditions for designs to be E-optimal in these classes are derived and some necessary and sufficient conditions for the E-optimality of some special classes of row and column designs are presented. Examples are also given to illustrate this theory.     

A property of (v,k, λ)-designs

It is shown that if the subsetsX ₁,...,X _v of a setX form a (v, k, λ)-design, then there does not exist another subsetX _v+1 ofX havingany cardinalityk ₁ and intersecting each of theX _j, 1≦j≦v, inany number λ₁ of elements, where 0<k ₁<v and 0<λ₁<k (in order to avoid uninteresting cases).     

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 symmetric ��-configurations with small ��

In this paper, we focus on the existence of symmetric λ-configurations with λ = 2, 3, and 4. Three new spatial configurations (v ₈)₂ for v = 30, 31, and 32 are constructed. The existence of a spatial configuration (v _k )₂ are updated for k ⩽ 10. The existence tables for symmetric λ-configurations for λ = 3, 4, and small k are also given.     

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|).     

On the determination and construction of optimal row-column designs having unequal row and column sizes

In this paper we consider experimental situations requiring usage of a row-column design where v treatments are to be applied to experimental units arranged in b ₁ rows and b ₂ columns where row i has size k _1i , i=1,..., b ₁ and column j has size k _2j , j=1,..., b ₂. Conditions analogous to those given in Kunert (1983, Ann. Statis., 11, 247–257) and Cheng (1978, Ann. Statist., 6, 1262–1272) are given which can often be used to establish the optimality of a given row-column design from the optimality of an associated block design. In addition, sufficient conditions are derived which guarantee the existence of an optimal row-column design which can be constructed by appropriately arranging treatments within blocks of an optimal block design.Visiting from the Indian Statistical Institute.     

Semi-regular divisible designs and Frobenius groups

We study and characterize semi-regular (s, k, λ₁, λ₂)-divisible designs which admit a Frobenius group as their translation group. Moreover, we give a construction method for such designs by generalized admissible triads.     

P4k?1-factorization of bipartite multigraphs

Let λK _m,n be a bipartite multigraph with two partite sets having m and n vertices, respectively. A P _v-factorization of λK _m,n is a set of edge-disjoint P _v -factors of λK _m,n which partition the set of edges of λK _m,n. When v is an even number, Ushio, Wang and the second author of the paper gave a necessary and sufficient condition for the existence of a P _v -factorization of λK _m,n. When v is an odd number, we proposed a conjecture. However, up to now we only know that the conjecture is true for v = 3. In this paper we will show that the conjecture is true when v = 4k − 1. That is, we shall prove that a necessary and sufficient condition for the existence of a P _4k−1-factorization of λK _m,n is (1) (2k − 1)m ⩽ 2kn, (2) (2k − 1)n ⩽ 2km, (3) m + n ≡ 0 (mod 4k − 1), (4) λ(4k − 1)mn/[2(2k − 1)(m + n)] is an integer.     

Two classes of optimal two-dimensional OOCs

Let Φ(u × v, k, λ _a , λ _c ) denote the largest possible size among all 2-D (u × v, k, λ _a , λ _c )-OOCs. In this paper, the exact value of Φ(u × v, k, λ _a , k − 1) for λ _a = k − 1 and k is determined. The case λ _a = k − 1 is a generalization of a result in Yang (Inform Process Lett 40:85–87, 1991) which deals with one dimensional OOCs namely, u = 1.     

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     

The spectrum of path factorization of bipartite multigraphs

LetλK_(m,n)be a bipartite multigraph with two partite sets having m and n vertices, respectively.A P_v-factorization ofλK_(m,n)is a set of edge-disjoint P_v-factors ofλK_(m,n)which partition the set of edges ofλK_(m,n).When v is an even number,Ushio,Wang and the second author of the paper gave a necessary and sufficient condition for the existence of a P_v-factorization ofλK_(m,n).When v is an odd number,we have proposed a conjecture.Very recently,we have proved that the conjecture is true when v=4k-1.In this paper we shall show that the conjecture is true when v = 4k 1,and then the conjecture is true.That is,we will prove that the necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of a P_(4k 1)-factorization ofλK_(m,n)are(1)2km≤(2k 1)n,(2)2kn≤(2k 1)m,(3)m n≡0(mod 4k 1),(4)λ(4k 1)mn/[4k(m n)]is an integer.     

A new class of 3-fold perfect splitting authentication codes

Restricted strong partially balanced t-designs were first formulated by Pei, Li, Wang and Safavi-Naini in investigation of authentication codes with arbitration. In this article, we will prove that splitting authentication codes that are multi-fold perfect against spoofing can be characterized in terms of restricted strong partially balanced t-designs. We will also investigate the existence of restricted strong partially balanced 3-designs RSPBD 3-(v, b, 3 × 2; λ₁, λ₂, 1, 0)s, and show that there exists an RSPBD 3-(v, b, 3 × 2; λ₁, λ₂, 1, 0) for any v o 9 (mod 16){v\equiv 9\ (\mbox{{\rm mod}}\ 16)} . As its application, we obtain a new infinite class of 3-fold perfect splitting authentication codes.     

Selection from poisson processes

Summary There are givenk Poisson processes with mean arrival times 1/λ₁,...1/λ _k . Let λ_[1]≦λ_[2]≦...≦λ_[k] denote the ordered set of values λ₁...,λ_[k]. We consider three procedures for selecting the process corresponding to λ_[k]. The processes are observed until there areN arrivals from any of the given processes, when the processes are observed continuously, or until there are at leastN arrivals, when the processes are observed at successive intervals of time whereN is a pre-determined positive integer. In the continuous case, the process for which theNth arrival time is shortest, is selected. In the discrete case, the selection involves certain randomization. Given (λ_[k]/λ_[k-1])≧0>1, it is shown that the probability of a correct selection (Pcs) is minimized whenθλ_[1]=θλ_[2]=...=θλ_[k-1]=θλ_[k]=θλ, say. The Pcs for this configuration is independent of λ for two of the given procedures, and monotone increasing in λ for the third. The value ofN is determined by a lower bound placed on the value of the Pcs. The problem of selecting from given Poisson processes for the discrete case is related to the problem of selecting from given Poisson populations. An application of the given procedures to a problem of selecting the “most probable event” from a multinomial population, is considered.     

On the multiplier conjecture

The Multiplier Theorem is a celebrated theorem in the Design theory. The conditionp>λ is crucial to all known proofs of the multiplier theorem. However in all known examples of difference sets μ _p . is a multiplier for every primep with (p, v)=1 andp‖n. Thus there is the multiplier conjecture: “The multiplier theorem holds without the assumption thatp>λ”. The general form of the multiplier theorem may be viewed as an attempt to partially resolve the multiplier conjecture, where the assumption “p>λ” is replaced by “n ₁>λ”. Since then Newman (1963), Turyn (1964), and McFarland (1970) attempted to partially resolve the multiplier conjecture (see [7], [8], [9]). This paper will prove the following result using the representation theory of finite groups and the algebraic number theory: LetG be an abelian group of orderv,v ₀ be the exponent ofG, andD be a (v, k, λ)-difference set inG. Ifn=2_{n 1}, then the general form of the multiplier theorem holds without the assumption thatn ₁>λ in any of the following cases:

Quasi-symmetric designs with the difference of block intersection numbers two

Quasi-symmetric designs with intersection numbers x > 0 and y = x + 2 under the condition λ > 1 are investigated. If D(v, b, r, k, λ; x, y) is a quasi-symmetric design with above conditions then it is shown that either λ = x + 1 or x + 2 or D is a design with the parameters given in the Table 6 or complement of one of these designs.     

Cyclic k‐cycle systems of order 2kn + k: A solution of the last open cases

We exhibit cyclic (K_v, C_k)‐designs with v > k, v ≡ k (mod 2k), for k an odd prime power but not a prime, and for k = 15. Such values were the only ones not to be analyzed yet, under the hypothesis v ≡ k (mod 2k). Our construction avails of Rosa sequences and approximates the Hamiltonian case (v = k), which is known to admit no cyclic design with the same values of k. As a particular consequence, we settle the existence question for cyclic (K_v, C_k)‐designs with k a prime power. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Combin Designs 12: 299–310, 2004.