Realizations for direct constructions of resolvable Steiner 2‐designs with block size 5

We consider direct constructions due to R. J. R. Abel and M. Greig, and to M. Buratti, for ({ν},5,1) balanced incomplete block designs. These designs are defined using the prime fields F_p for certain primes p, are 1‐rotational over G ⊕ F_p where G is a group of order 4, and are also resolvable under certain conditions. We introduce specifications to the constructions and, by means of character sum arguments, show that the constructions yield resolvable designs whenever p is sufficiently large. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Combin Designs 8:207–217, 2000     

Targeted L1-Regularization and Joint Modeling of Neural Networks for Causal Inference

The calculation of the Augmented Inverse Probability Weighting (AIPW) estimator of the Average Treatment Effect (ATE) is carried out in two steps, where in the first step, the treatment and outcome are modeled, and in the second step, the predictions are inserted into the AIPW estimator. The model misspecification in the first step has led researchers to utilize Machine Learning algorithms instead of parametric algorithms. However, the existence of strong confounders and/or Instrumental Variables (IVs) can lead the complex ML algorithms to provide perfect predictions for the treatment model which can violate the positivity assumption and elevate the variance of AIPW estimators. Thus the complexity of ML algorithms must be controlled to avoid perfect predictions for the treatment model while still learning the relationship between the confounders and the treatment and outcome. We use two NN architectures with an L1-regularization on specific NN parameters and investigate how their certain hyperparameters should be tuned in the presence of confounders and IVs to achieve a low bias-variance tradeoff for ATE estimators such as AIPW estimator. Through simulation results, we will provide recommendations as to how NNs can be employed for ATE estimation.     

Uniformly resolvable designs with index one and block sizes three and four — with three or five parallel classes of block size four

Each parallel class of a uniformly resolvable design (URD) contains blocks of only one block size. A URD with v points and with block sizes three and four means that at least one parallel class has block size three and at least one has block size four. Danziger [P. Danziger, Uniform restricted resolvable designs with r=3, ARS Combin. 46 (1997) 161-176] proved that for all there exist URDs with index one, some parallel classes of block size three, and exactly three parallel classes with block size four, except when v=12 and except possibly when . We extend Danziger’s work by showing that there exists a URD with index one, some parallel classes with block size three, and exactly three parallel classes with block size four if, and only if, , v≠12. We also prove that there exists a URD with index one, some parallel classes of block size three, and exactly five parallel classes with block size four if, and only if, , v≠12. New labeled URDs, which give new URDs as ingredient designs for recursive constructions, are the key in the proofs. Some ingredient URDs are also constructed with difference families.     

Resolvable group divisible designs with block size four and index three

In this paper, we investigate the existence of resolvable group divisible designs (RGDDs) with block size four, group-type hⁿ and index three. The necessary conditions for the existence of such a design are n?4 and hn≡0. These necessary conditions are shown to be sufficient except for (h,n)∈{(2,4),(2,6)} and possibly excepting (h,n)=(2,54).     

The obstacle problem for quasilinear stochastic integral-partial differential equations

ABSTRACT

We prove the existence and uniqueness of solutions to a kind of quasilinear stochastic integral-partial differential equations with obstacles. Our method is based on the probabilistic interpretation of the solutions so that penalization method can be applied to a sequence of backward doubly stochastic differential equations with jumps. Relations between regular potentials and regular measures play an important role.     

On Wiener‐type polynomials of thorn graphs

We derive the expressions of the ordinary, the vertex‐weighted and the doubly vertex‐weighted Wiener polynomials of a type of thorn graph, for which the number of pendant edges attached to any vertex of the underlying parent graph is a linear function of its degree. We also define variable vertex‐weighted Wiener polynomials and calculate them for the same type of thorn graphs. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A Cauchy integral method of the solution of the 2D Dirichlet problem for simply or doubly connected domains

In this paper we propose a new method for solving the 2D Laplace equation with Dirichlet boundary conditions in simply and doubly connected domains. Here, we apply the numerical algorithm based on truncated Fourier series and reduce the corresponding Fredholm integral equation to a finite system of linear equations.     

Almost resolvable k‐cycle systems with

In this paper, we show that if and , then there exists an almost resolvable k‐cycle system of order for all except possibly for and . Thus we give a partial solution to an open problem posed by Lindner, Meszka, and Rosa (J. Combin. Des., vol. 17, pp. 404–410, 2009).