Improved Lower Bounds for Constant GC-Content DNA Codes

The design of large libraries of oligonucleotides having constant GC-content and satisfying Hamming distance constraints between oligonucleotides and their Watson-Crick complements is important in reducing hybridization errors in DNA computing, DNA microarray technologies, and molecular bar coding. Various techniques have been studied for the construction of such oligonucleotide libraries, ranging from algorithmic constructions via stochastic local search to theoretical constructions via coding theory. We introduce a new stochastic local search method which yields improvements up to more than one third of the benchmark lower bounds of Gaborit and King (2005) for n-mer oligonucleotide libraries when n <= 14. We also found several optimal libraries by computing maximum cliques on certain graphs.Comment: 4 page

Linear Size Optimal q-ary Constant-Weight Codes and Constant-Composition Codes

An optimal constant-composition or constant-weight code of weight $w$ has linear size if and only if its distance $d$ is at least $2w-1$. When $d\geq 2w$, the determination of the exact size of such a constant-composition or constant-weight code is trivial, but the case of $d=2w-1$ has been solved previously only for binary and ternary constant-composition and constant-weight codes, and for some sporadic instances. This paper provides a construction for quasicyclic optimal constant-composition and constant-weight codes of weight $w$ and distance $2w-1$ based on a new generalization of difference triangle sets. As a result, the sizes of optimal constant-composition codes and optimal constant-weight codes of weight $w$ and distance $2w-1$ are determined for all such codes of sufficiently large lengths. This solves an open problem of Etzion. The sizes of optimal constant-composition codes of weight $w$ and distance $2w-1$ are also determined for all $w\leq 6$, except in two cases.Comment: 12 page

Group Divisible Codes and Their Application in the Construction of Optimal Constant-Composition Codes of Weight Three

The concept of group divisible codes, a generalization of group divisible designs with constant block size, is introduced in this paper. This new class of codes is shown to be useful in recursive constructions for constant-weight and constant-composition codes. Large classes of group divisible codes are constructed which enabled the determination of the sizes of optimal constant-composition codes of weight three (and specified distance), leaving only four cases undetermined. Previously, the sizes of constant-composition codes of weight three were known only for those of sufficiently large length.Comment: 13 pages, 1 figure, 4 table

HOS-Miner: a system for detecting outlying subspaces of high-dimensional data

[Abstract]: We identify a new and interesting high-dimensional outlier detection problem in this paper that is, detecting the subspaces in which given data points are outliers. We call the subspaces in which a data point is an outlier as its Outlying Subspaces. In this paper, we will propose the prototype of a dynamic subspace search system, called HOS-Miner (HOS stands for High-dimensional Outlying Subspaces) that utilizes a sample-based learning process to effectively identify the outlying subspaces of a given point

Universal Cycles for Minimum Coverings of Pairs by Triples, with Application to 2-Radius Sequences

A new ordering, extending the notion of universal cycles of Chung {\em et al.} (1992), is proposed for the blocks of $k$-uniform set systems. Existence of minimum coverings of pairs by triples that possess such an ordering is established for all orders. Application to the construction of short 2-radius sequences is given, with some new 2-radius sequences found through computer search.Comment: 18 pages, to appear in Mathematics of Computatio

The Classroom Management Strategies for Addressing Discipline Problems from Expert Junior High School Teachers in Taiwan

This study explores effective classroom management strategies in Taiwan for decreasing problem behaviors of junior high school students, an area of frustration for most junior high school teachers in that country (Chiou, 2002). Poulou and Norwich (2000) found that poor classroom management is one of the primary causes of student behavior problems. Several other studies indicate there is a strong relationship between student behavior and academic achievement (Hester, Gable & Manning, 2003). Successful classroom management can improve student behavior and enhance effective learning. This study gathered many effective classroom management strategies from the U.S. literature and from expert homeroom teachers in Taiwan. It intended to help non-expert teachers improve student behavior and classroom management in the future. A three-round Delphi Technique was used to determine the most frequent problem behaviors and the most effective strategies as identified by expert teachers. This study is modeled partly on Bowman\u27s (2002) work surveying discipline strategies from successful African-American teachers, but this survey focuses on Taiwanese junior high school homeroom teachers. Surveys of other groups are recommended as the focus for future research

New Constant-Weight Codes from Propagation Rules

This paper proposes some simple propagation rules which give rise to new binary constant-weight codes.Comment: 4 page