Effect of the adhesion interaction and the degree of filling on the internal stresses in finely divided crystalline fillers of epoxy composites

Two kinds of model composite materials with finely divided (1) crystal fillers—LiF or polyethylene-filled epoxy resin cured by polyethylenepolyamine — are investigated by X-ray diffractometry. It is found that tensile stresses arise in LiF crystals, which show a strong adhesion interaction with the binder, for all degrees of filling (from =2.2 to =74 vol.%) examined. Their values remain constant up to a degree of filling at which the boundary layers come into contact with one another. Then, the inner stresses decrease with increasing . In the crystalline regions of polyethylene, where the adhesion between the binder and crystals is weak, the inner stresses are compressive. It is shown that the thickness of the boundary layer of the matrix on the surface of filler particles can be evaluated by the method used.Institute of Polymer Mechanics, Latvian University, Riga, LV-1006 Latvia. Translated from Mekhanika Kompozitnykh Materialov, Vol. 35, No. 6, pp. 807–820, November–December, 1999.     

Systematic Construction of <Emphasis Type="Italic">q</Emphasis>-Analogs of <Emphasis Type="Italic">t</Emphasis>−(<Emphasis Type="Italic">v</Emphasis>,<Emphasis Type="Italic">k</Emphasis>,λ)-Designs

In the present paper we consider a q-analog of t–(v,k,)-designs. It is canonic since it arises by replacing sets by vector spaces over GF(q), and their orders by dimensions. These generalizations were introduced by Thomas [Geom.Dedicata vol. 63, pp. 247–253 (1996)] they are called t –(v,k,;q)- designs. A few of such q-analogs are known today, they were constructed using sophisticated geometric arguments and case-by-case methods. It is our aim now to present a general method that allows systematically to construct such designs, and to give complete catalogs (for small parameters, of course) using an implemented software package. &nbsp; In order to attack the (highly complex) construction, we prepare them for an enormous data reduction by embedding their definition into the theory of group actions on posets, so that we can derive and use a generalization of the Kramer-Mesner matrix for their definition, together with an improved version of the LLL-algorithm. By doing so we generalize the methods developed in a research project on t –(v,k,)-designs on sets, obtaining this way new results on the existence of t–(v,k,;q)-designs on spaces for further quintuples (t,v,k,;q) of parameters. We present several 2–(6,3,;2)-designs, 2–(7,3,;2)-designs and, as far as we know, the very first 3-designs over GF(q).classification 05B05     

Riemannian submersions and the regular interval theorem of Morse theory

A generalized version of the regular interval theorem of Morse theory is proven using techniques from the theory of Riemannian submersions and conformal deformations. This approach provides an interesting link between Riemannian submersions (for real valued functions) and Morse theory.Let % MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafeart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXatLxBI9gBaerbd9wDYLwzYbItLDharqqtubsr% 4rNCHbGeaGqiVu0Je9sqqrpepC0xbbL8F4rqqrFfpeea0xe9Lq-Jc9% vqaqpepm0xbba9pwe9Q8fs0-yqaqpepae9pg0FirpepeKkFr0xfr-x% fr-xb9adbaqaaeGaciGaaiaabeqaamaabaabaaGcbaWexLMBb50ujb% qegi0BVTgib5gDPfxDHbacfaGae8NKbmiaaa!3E95!\[f\]: (M,) R be a smooth real valued function on a non-compact complete connected Riemannian manifold (M,g) such that df is bounded in norm away from zero. By pointwise conformally deforming g to pg, p = d% MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafeart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXatLxBI9gBaerbd9wDYLwzYbItLDharqqtubsr% 4rNCHbGeaGqiVu0Je9sqqrpepC0xbbL8F4rqqrFfpeea0xe9Lq-Jc9% vqaqpepm0xbba9pwe9Q8fs0-yqaqpepae9pg0FirpepeKkFr0xfr-x% fr-xb9adbaqaaeGaciGaaiaabeqaamaabaabaaGcbaWexLMBb50ujb% qegi0BVTgib5gDPfxDHbacfaGae8NKbmiaaa!3E95!\[f\]², we show that (M,pg) is a complete Riemannian manifold, and that % MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafeart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXatLxBI9gBaerbd9wDYLwzYbItLDharqqtubsr% 4rNCHbGeaGqiVu0Je9sqqrpepC0xbbL8F4rqqrFfpeea0xe9Lq-Jc9% vqaqpepm0xbba9pwe9Q8fs0-yqaqpepae9pg0FirpepeKkFr0xfr-x% fr-xb9adbaqaaeGaciGaaiaabeqaamaabaabaaGcbaWexLMBb50ujb% qegi0BVTgib5gDPfxDHbacfaGae8NKbmiaaa!3E95!\[f\]: (M,pg) R is a surjective Riemannian submersion and a globally trivial fiber bundle over R. In particular, all of the level hypersurfaces of % MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafeart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXatLxBI9gBaerbd9wDYLwzYbItLDharqqtubsr% 4rNCHbGeaGqiVu0Je9sqqrpepC0xbbL8F4rqqrFfpeea0xe9Lq-Jc9% vqaqpepm0xbba9pwe9Q8fs0-yqaqpepae9pg0FirpepeKkFr0xfr-x% fr-xb9adbaqaaeGaciGaaiaabeqaamaabaabaaGcbaWexLMBb50ujb% qegi0BVTgib5gDPfxDHbacfaGae8NKbmiaaa!3E95!\[f\] are diffeomorphic, and M is globally diffeomorphic to the product bundle R × % MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafeart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXatLxBI9gBaerbd9wDYLwzYbItLDharqqtubsr% 4rNCHbGeaGqiVu0Je9sqqrpepC0xbbL8F4rqqrFfpeea0xe9Lq-Jc9% vqaqpepm0xbba9pwe9Q8fs0-yqaqpepae9pg0FirpepeKkFr0xfr-x% fr-xb9adbaqaaeGaciGaaiaabeqaamaabaabaaGcbaWexLMBb50ujb% qegi0BVTgib5gDPfxDHbacfaGae8NKbmiaaa!3E95!\[f\] ^–1(0) by a diffeomorphism F ⁰: R × % MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafeart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXatLxBI9gBaerbd9wDYLwzYbItLDharqqtubsr% 4rNCHbGeaGqiVu0Je9sqqrpepC0xbbL8F4rqqrFfpeea0xe9Lq-Jc9% vqaqpepm0xbba9pwe9Q8fs0-yqaqpepae9pg0FirpepeKkFr0xfr-x% fr-xb9adbaqaaeGaciGaaiaabeqaamaabaabaaGcbaWexLMBb50ujb% qegi0BVTgib5gDPfxDHbacfaGae8NKbmiaaa!3E95!\[f\]^–1(0) M that straightens out the level hypersurfaces of % MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafeart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXatLxBI9gBaerbd9wDYLwzYbItLDharqqtubsr% 4rNCHbGeaGqiVu0Je9sqqrpepC0xbbL8F4rqqrFfpeea0xe9Lq-Jc9% vqaqpepm0xbba9pwe9Q8fs0-yqaqpepae9pg0FirpepeKkFr0xfr-x% fr-xb9adbaqaaeGaciGaaiaabeqaamaabaabaaGcbaWexLMBb50ujb% qegi0BVTgib5gDPfxDHbacfaGae8NKbmiaaa!3E95!\[f\].Moreover, we show that (F ⁰)^*(pg) is a parameterized Riemannian product manifold on R×% MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafeart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXatLxBI9gBaerbd9wDYLwzYbItLDharqqtubsr% 4rNCHbGeaGqiVu0Je9sqqrpepC0xbbL8F4rqqrFfpeea0xe9Lq-Jc9% vqaqpepm0xbba9pwe9Q8fs0-yqaqpepae9pg0FirpepeKkFr0xfr-x% fr-xb9adbaqaaeGaciGaaiaabeqaamaabaabaaGcbaWexLMBb50ujb% qegi0BVTgib5gDPfxDHbacfaGae8NKbmiaaa!3E95!\[f\]^–1(0), i.e., a product manifold with a metric that varies on the fibers {t} × % MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafeart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXatLxBI9gBaerbd9wDYLwzYbItLDharqqtubsr% 4rNCHbGeaGqiVu0Je9sqqrpepC0xbbL8F4rqqrFfpeea0xe9Lq-Jc9% vqaqpepm0xbba9pwe9Q8fs0-yqaqpepae9pg0FirpepeKkFr0xfr-x% fr-xb9adbaqaaeGaciGaaiaabeqaamaabaabaaGcbaWexLMBb50ujb% qegi0BVTgib5gDPfxDHbacfaGae8NKbmiaaa!3E95!\[f\]^–1(0). Also, F ⁰: (R × % MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafeart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXatLxBI9gBaerbd9wDYLwzYbItLDharqqtubsr% 4rNCHbGeaGqiVu0Je9sqqrpepC0xbbL8F4rqqrFfpeea0xe9Lq-Jc9% vqaqpepm0xbba9pwe9Q8fs0-yqaqpepae9pg0FirpepeKkFr0xfr-x% fr-xb9adbaqaaeGaciGaaiaabeqaamaabaabaaGcbaWexLMBb50ujb% qegi0BVTgib5gDPfxDHbacfaGae8NKbmiaaa!3E95!\[f\]^–1(0),(F ⁰)^*(pg)) (M,g) is a conformal diffeomorphism between the Reimannian manifolds (R × % MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafeart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXatLxBI9gBaerbd9wDYLwzYbItLDharqqtubsr% 4rNCHbGeaGqiVu0Je9sqqrpepC0xbbL8F4rqqrFfpeea0xe9Lq-Jc9% vqaqpepm0xbba9pwe9Q8fs0-yqaqpepae9pg0FirpepeKkFr0xfr-x% fr-xb9adbaqaaeGaciGaaiaabeqaamaabaabaaGcbaWexLMBb50ujb% qegi0BVTgib5gDPfxDHbacfaGae8NKbmiaaa!3E95!\[f\]^–1(0), (F ⁰)^*(pg)) and (M,g),so that (M,g) is conformally equivalent to a parameterized Riemannian product manifold. The conformal diffeomorphism F ⁰ is an isometry between the Riemannian product manifold (R × % MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafeart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXatLxBI9gBaerbd9wDYLwzYbItLDharqqtubsr% 4rNCHbGeaGqiVu0Je9sqqrpepC0xbbL8F4rqqrFfpeea0xe9Lq-Jc9% vqaqpepm0xbba9pwe9Q8fs0-yqaqpepae9pg0FirpepeKkFr0xfr-x% fr-xb9adbaqaaeGaciGaaiaabeqaamaabaabaaGcbaWexLMBb50ujb% qegi0BVTgib5gDPfxDHbacfaGae8NKbmiaaa!3E95!\[f\]^–1(0), 1 + g ₀) (where g ₀) is the metric induced by g on % MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafeart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXatLxBI9gBaerbd9wDYLwzYbItLDharqqtubsr% 4rNCHbGeaGqiVu0Je9sqqrpepC0xbbL8F4rqqrFfpeea0xe9Lq-Jc9% vqaqpepm0xbba9pwe9Q8fs0-yqaqpepae9pg0FirpepeKkFr0xfr-x% fr-xb9adbaqaaeGaciGaaiaabeqaamaabaabaaGcbaWexLMBb50ujb% qegi0BVTgib5gDPfxDHbacfaGae8NKbmiaaa!3E95!\[f\]^–1(0) and (M,g) if and only if d% MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafeart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXatLxBI9gBaerbd9wDYLwzYbItLDharqqtubsr% 4rNCHbGeaGqiVu0Je9sqqrpepC0xbbL8F4rqqrFfpeea0xe9Lq-Jc9% vqaqpepm0xbba9pwe9Q8fs0-yqaqpepae9pg0FirpepeKkFr0xfr-x% fr-xb9adbaqaaeGaciGaaiaabeqaamaabaabaaGcbaWexLMBb50ujb% qegi0BVTgib5gDPfxDHbacfaGae8NKbmiaaa!3E95!\[f\] = 1 and Hess % MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafeart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXatLxBI9gBaerbd9wDYLwzYbItLDharqqtubsr% 4rNCHbGeaGqiVu0Je9sqqrpepC0xbbL8F4rqqrFfpeea0xe9Lq-Jc9% vqaqpepm0xbba9pwe9Q8fs0-yqaqpepae9pg0FirpepeKkFr0xfr-x% fr-xb9adbaqaaeGaciGaaiaabeqaamaabaabaaGcbaWexLMBb50ujb% qegi0BVTgib5gDPfxDHbacfaGae8NKbmiaaa!3E95!\[f\] = 0.     

Distribution of Cardinalities of Row Spaces of Boolean Matrices of Order n

Let R(A) denote the row space of a Boolean matrix A of order n. We show that if n 7, then the cardinality |R(A)| (2^n–1 - 2^n–5, 2^n–1 - 2^n–6) U (2^n–1 - 2^n–6, 2^n–1). This result confirms a conjecture in [1].AMS Subject Classification (1991): 05B20 06E05 15A36Support partially by the Postdoctoral Science Foundation of China.Dedicated to Professor Chao Ko on the occasion of his 90th birthday     

A priori estimates of strong solutions of semilinear parabolic equations

We study an initial boundary value problem for the semilinear parabolic equation

Adaptive choice of trimming proportions

We consider Jaeckel's (1971,Ann. Math. Statist.,42, 1540–1552) proposal for choosing the trimming proportion of the trimmed mean in the more general context of choosing a trimming proportion for a trimmedL-estimator of location. We obtain higher order expansions which enable us to evaluate the effect of the estimated trimming proportion on the adaptive estimator. We find thatL-estimators with smooth weight functions are to be preferred to those with discontinuous weight functions (such as the trimmed mean) because the effect of the estimated trimming proportion on the estimator is of ordern ^–1 rather thann ^–3/4. In particular, we find that valid inferences can be based on a particular smooth trimmed mean with its asymptotic standard error and the Studentt distribution with degrees of freedom given by the Tukey and McLaughlin (1963,Sankhy Ser. A,25, 331–352) proposal.     

A q-Analogue of Weber-Schafheitlin Integral of Bessel Functions

In an attempt to find a q-analogue of Weber and Schafheitlin's integral ₀ x ^– J (ax) J (bx) dx which is discontinuous on the diagonal a = b the integral ₀ x ^– J ⁽²⁾ (a(1 – q)x; q)J ⁽¹⁾ (b(1 – q)x; q) dx is evaluated where J ⁽¹⁾ (x; q) and J ⁽²⁾ (x; q) are two of Jackson's three q-Bessel functions. It is found that the question of discontinuity becomes irrelevant in this case. Evaluations of this integral are also made in some interesting special cases. A biorthogonality formula is found as well as a Neumann series expansion for x in terms of J ⁽²⁾ _+1+2n ((1 – q)x; q). Finally, a q-Lommel function is introduced.     

On the Power of R/S-Type Tests under Contiguous and Semi-Long Memory Alternatives

The paper deals with the power and robustness of the R/S type tests under contiguous alternatives. We briefly review some long memory models in levels and volatility, and describe the R/S-type tests used to test for the presence of long memory. The empirical power of the tests is investigated when replacing the fractional difference operator (1–L) ^d by the operator (1–rL) ^d , with r<1 close to 1, in the FARIMA, LARCH and ARCH time series models. We also investigate the Gegenbauer process with a pole of the spectral density at frequency close to zero.     

On a conjecture concerningk-Hamilton-nice sequences

In this paper, we prove that a non-negative rational number sequence (a ₁,a ₂, ...,a _k+1) isk-Hamilton-nice, if (1)a _k+12, and (2) _j ^=1/h (i _j –1)k–1 implies for arbitraryi ₁,i ₂,...i _h {1,2,... ,k}. This result was conjectured by Guantao Chen and R.H. Schelp, and it generalizes several well-known sufficient conditions for graphs to be Hamiltonian.This project is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China.     

p-Adic Dynamics and Sullivan's No Wandering Domains Theorem

In this paper we study dynamics on the Fatou set of a rational function . Using a notion of components of the Fatou set defined by Benedetto, we state and prove an analogue of Sullivan's No Wandering Domains Theorem for p-adic rational functions which have no wild recurrent Julia critical points.     

Block-Transitive Point-Imprimitive t-Designs

We study block-transitive point-imprimitive t–(v, k, ) designs. It was showed by Cameron and Praeger that in such designs t = 2 or 3. In 1989, Delandtsheer and Doyen proved that a block-transitive point-imprimitive 2-design satisfies v (( ^k ₂)–1)². In this paper, we give a proof of the Cameron–Praeger conjecture which states that for t = 3 the stronger inequality v ( ^k ₂)+1 holds. We find two infinite families of 3-designs for which this bound is met. We also show that the above designs cannot have = 1, and that = 2 is possible only if v attains its maximal value, and various other restrictions are met.     

Dual generalized Bernstein basis

The generalized Bernstein basis in the space Π_n of polynomials of degree at most n, being an extension of the q-Bernstein basis introduced by Philips [Bernstein polynomials based on the q-integers, Ann. Numer. Math. 4 (1997) 511–518], is given by the formula [S. Lewanowicz, P. Woźny, Generalized Bernstein polynomials, BIT Numer. Math. 44 (2004) 63–78],

We give explicitly the dual basis functions for the polynomials , in terms of big q-Jacobi polynomials P_k(x;a,b,ω/q;q), a and b being parameters; the connection coefficients are evaluations of the q-Hahn polynomials. An inverse formula—relating big q-Jacobi, dual generalized Bernstein, and dual q-Hahn polynomials—is also given. Further, an alternative formula is given, representing the dual polynomial (0jn) as a linear combination of min(j,n-j)+1 big q-Jacobi polynomials with shifted parameters and argument. Finally, we give a recurrence relation satisfied by , as well as an identity which may be seen as an analogue of the extended Marsden's identity [R.N. Goldman, Dual polynomial bases, J. Approx. Theory 79 (1994) 311–346].     

Little q-Legendre Polynomials and Irrationality of Certain Lambert Series

Certain q-analogs h _p(1) of the harmonic series, with p = 1/q an integer greater than one, were shown to be irrational by Erds (J. Indiana Math. Soc. 12, 1948, 63–66). In 1991–1992 Peter Borwein (J. Number Theory 37, 1991, 253–259; Proc. Cambridge Philos. Soc. 112, 1992, 141–146) used Padé approximation and complex analysis to prove the irrationality of these q-harmonic series and of q-analogs ln _p (2) of the natural logarithm of 2. Recently Amdeberhan and Zeilberger (Adv. Appl. Math. 20, 1998, 275–283) used the qEKHAD symbolic package to find q-WZ pairs that provide a proof of irrationality similar to Apéry's proof of irrationality of (2) and (3). They also obtain an upper bound for the measure of irrationality, but better upper bounds were earlier given by Bundschuh and Väänänen (Compositio Math. 91, 1994, 175–199) and recently also by Matala-aho and Väänänen (Bull. Australian Math. Soc. 58, 1998, 15–31) (for ln _p (2)). In this paper we show how one can obtain rational approximants for h _p(1) and ln _p (2) (and many other similar quantities) by Padé approximation using little q-Legendre polynomials and we show that properties of these orthogonal polynomials indeed prove the irrationality, with an upper bound of the measure of irrationality which is as sharp as the upper bound given by Bundschuh and Väänänen for h _p(1) and a better upper bound as the one given by Matala-aho and Väänänen for ln _p (2).     

Algebras almost commuting with Clifford algebras in a II∞ factor

We are concerned here with certain Banach algebras of operators contained within a fixed II factor N. These algebras may be thought of as noncommutative classifying spaces for the functor Ext _* ^N The basic objects of study are the algebras A _kN (for n=1, 2,...). Here, we are given an essentially unique representation of the complex Clifford algebra C _k N and the elements of A _k are those operators in N which exactly commute with the first k–1 generators of C _k and also commute with the kth generator modulo a symmetric ideal N. Up to isomorphism, these algebras are periodic with period 2.We determine completely the homotopy types of A ₁ ^–1 and A ₂ ^–1 Here, A ₁ ^–1 is homotopy equivalent to the space of (Breuer) Fredholm operators in N, while A ₂ ^–1 is homotopy equivalent to the group K _N ^–1 ={x N^–1¦ x=1+k, k K_N}. We use these results to compute the K-theory of A ₁ and A ₂.For a fixed C ^*-algebra A, we define abelian groups G _k,N(A) of equivalence classes of homomorphisms AA _k. Letting N = M (H) for a II₁ factor M we define similar abelian groups G _k(A, M) where we replace N by L(E) for countably generated right Hilbert M-modules E with (left) actions C _k L(E). Using ideas of Skandalis, we show that G _k,NG_k(A, M) so that the G _k,N are stable half-exact homotopy functors because the G _k(·, M) are such.In general, we show that G _k(A, M)KK ^k(A, M) and so our theory fits neatly into Kasparov KK-theory. We investigate many interesting examples from our point of view.     

A finite characterization ofK-matrices in dimensions less than four

The class of realn × n matricesM, known asK-matrices, for which the linear complementarity problemw – Mz = q, w 0, z 0, w ^T z =0 has a solution wheneverw – Mz =q, w 0, z 0 has a solution is characterized for dimensionsn <4. The characterization is finite and practical. Several necessary conditions, sufficient conditions, and counterexamples pertaining toK-matrices are also given. A finite characterization of completelyK-matrices (K-matrices all of whose principal submatrices are alsoK-matrices) is proved for dimensions <4.Partially supported by NSF Grant MCS-8207217.Research partially supported by NSF Grant No. ECS-8401081.     

A Theorem of Liouville Type for p-Harmonic Morphisms

In this article we prove a Liouville type theorem for p-harmonic morphisms. We show that if : MNis a p-harmonic morphism (p2) from a complete noncompact Riemannian manifold Mof nonnegative Ricci curvature into a Riemannian manifold Nof nonpositive scalar curvature such that the p-energy E _p (), or (2p–2)-energy E _2p–2() is finite, then is constant.     

A Variation of an Extremal Theorem Due to Woodall

We consider a variation of an extremal theorem due to Woodall [12, or 1, Chapter 3] as follows: Determine the smallest even integer (₃C₁,n), such that every n-term graphic sequence = (d₁, d₂,..., d_n) with term sum () = d₁ + d₂ + ... + d_n (₃C₁,n) has a realization G containing a cycle of length r for each r = 3,4,...,l. In this paper, the values of (₃C_l,n) are determined for l = 2m – 1,n 3m – 4 and for l = 2m,n 5m – 7, where m 4.AMS Mathematics subject classification (1991) 05C35Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 19971086) and the Doctoral Program Foundation of National Education Department of China     

A Graham-Sloane Type Construction for s-Surjective Matrices

We give a construction of (n–s)-surjective matrices with n columns over using Abelian groups and additive s-bases. In particular we show that the minimum number of rows ms _q(n,n–s) in such a matrix is at most s ^s q ^n–s for all q, n and s.     

On <Emphasis Type="Italic">k</Emphasis>-th Power of Upper Bound Graphs

We consider k-th power of upper bound graphs. According to the characterization of upper bound graphs, we obtain a characterization of k-th power of upper bound graphs. That is, for a connected upper bound graph G, G^k is an upper bound graph if and only if for any pair of A^k -simplicial vertices s₁, s₂ such that , there exists a G^k -simplicial vertex s satisfying the conditions: and . Furthermore we also get some properties on squares of upper bound graphs.AMS Subject Classification: 05C62.     

The Parameters of Bipartite Q-polynomial Distance-Regular Graphs

Let denote a bipartite distance-regular graph with diameter D 3 and valency k 3. Suppose ₀, ₁, ..., _D is a Q-polynomial ordering of the eigenvalues of . This sequence is known to satisfy the recurrence _{i – 1} – _i + _{i + 1} = 0 (0 > i > D), for some real scalar . Let q denote a complex scalar such that q + q ^–1 = . Bannai and Ito have conjectured that q is real if the diameter D is sufficiently large.We settle this conjecture in the bipartite case by showing that q is real if the diameter D 4. Moreover, if D = 3, then q is not real if and only if ₁ is the second largest eigenvalue and the pair (, k) is one of the following: (1, 3), (1, 4), (1, 5), (1, 6), (2, 4), or (2, 5). We observe that each of these pairs has a unique realization by a known bipartite distance-regular graph of diameter 3.