Polynomial LYM inequalities (Q2567407)

The Sperner theorem (and its generalization, the LYM inequality) was dicovered independently several times by \textit{B. Bollobás} [Acta Math. Acad. Sci. Hung. 16, 447--452 (1965; Zbl 0138.19404)], \textit{D. Lubell} [J. Comb. Theory 1, 299 (1966; Zbl 0151.01503)], \textit{L. D. Meshalkin} [Theor. Probab. Appl. 8, 203--204 (1963; Zbl 0123.36303)] and \textit{K. Yamamoto} [J. Math. Soc. Japan 6, 343--353 (1954; Zbl 0056.26301)]. Let \({\mathcal A}\) be an antichain (i.e.\ if \(E, F \in {\mathcal A}\) then \(E \not \subset F\)) and \({\mathcal A}_i\) be the family of the \(i\)-element sets in \({\mathcal A}\). Then \(\sum_i | {\mathcal A}_i| /{n \choose i} \leq 1.\) The author shows that in certain cases this inequality is not sharp; that some products of the fractions \(| {\mathcal A}_i| /{n \choose i}\) with appropriate coefficients can be added to the left hand side.