Asymptotic Expansions of Posterior Distributions in Nonregular Cases

We study the asymptotic behaviour of the posterior distributions for a one-parameter family of discontinuous densities. It is shown that a suitably centered and normalized posterior converges almost surely to an exponential limit in the total variation norm. Further, asymptotic expansions for the density, distribution function, moments and quantiles of the posterior are also obtained. It is to be noted that, in view of the results of Ghosh et al. (1994, Statistical Decision Theory and Related Topics V, 183-199, Springer, New York) and Ghosal et al. (1995, Ann. Statist., 23, 2145-2152), the nonregular cases considered here are essentially the only ones for which the posterior distributions converge. The results obtained here are also supported by a simulation experiment.     

Working group report: Flavor physics and model building

This is the report of flavor physics and model building working group at WHEPP-9. While activites in flavor physics have been mainly focused on B-physics, those in model building have been primarily devoted to neutrino physics. We present summary of working group discussions carried out during the workshop in the above fields, and also briefly review the progress made in some projects subsequently.     

Canonical measures on the moduli spaces of compact Riemann surfaces

We study some explicit relations between the canonical line bundle and the Hodge bundle over moduli spaces for low genus. This leads to a natural measure on the moduli space of every genus which is related to the Siegel symplectic metric on Siegel upper half-space as well as to the Hodge metric on the Hodge bundle.     

Diff (S 1) and the Teichmüller spaces

Precisely two of the homogeneous spaces that appear as coadjoint orbits of the group of string reparametrizations, , carry in a natural way the structure of infinite dimensional, holomorphically homogeneous complex analytic Kähler manifolds. These areN=Diff(S ¹)/Rot(S ¹) andM=Diff(S ¹)/Möb(S ¹). Note thatN is a holomorphic disc fiber space overM. Now,M can be naturally considered as embedded in the classical universal Teichmüller spaceT(1), simply by noting that a diffeomorphism ofS ¹ is a quasisymmetric homeomorphism.T(1) is itself a homomorphically homogeneous complex Banach manifold. We prove in the first part of the paper that the inclusion ofM inT(1) iscomplex analytic.In the latter portion of this paper it is shown that theunique homogeneous Kähler metric carried byM = Diff (S ¹/SL(2, ) induces preciselythe Weil-Petersson metric on the Teichmüller space. This is via our identification ofM as a holomorphic submanifold of universal Teichmüller space. Now recall that every Teichmüller spaceT(G) of finite or infinite dimension is contained canonically and holomorphically withinT(1). Our computations allow us also to prove that everyT(G), G any infinite Fuchsian group, projects out ofM transversely. This last assertion is related to the fractal nature ofG-invariant quasicircles, and to Mostow rigidity on the line.Our results thus connect the loop space approach to bosonic string theory with the sum-over-moduli (Polyakov path integral) approach.     

Schiffer variation of complex structure and coordinates for Teichmüller spaces

Schiffer variation of complex structure on a Riemann surfaceX ₀ is achieved by punching out a parametric disc \(\bar D\) fromX ₀ and replacing it by another Jordan domain whose boundary curve is a holomorphic image of \(\partial \bar D\) . This change of structure depends on a complex parameter ε which determines the holomorphic mapping function around \(\partial \bar D\) . It is very natural to look for conditions under which these ε-parameters provide local coordinates for Teichmüller spaceT(X ₀), (or reduced Teichmüller spaceT ^#(X₀)). For compactX ₀ this problem was first solved by Patt [8] using a complicated analysis of periods and Ahlfors' [2] τ-coordinates. Using Gardiner's [6], [7] technique, (independently discovered by the present author), of interpreting Schiffer variation as a quasi conformal deformation of structure, we greatly simplify and generalize Patt's result. Theorems 1 and 2 below take care of all the finitedimensional Teichmüller spaces. In Theorem 3 we are able to analyse the situation for infinite dimensionalT(X ₀) also. Variational formulae for the dependence of classical moduli parameters on the ε's follow painlessly.     

A Facile One‐Pot Synthesis of Pyrrolo[1, 2‐a] Indoles by Intramolecular 1,3‐Dipolar Cycloaddition under Neat‐Microwave Irradiation

A straightforward and general approach for the stereoselective synthesis of fused pyrrolo[1,2‐a] indoles frameworks from>intramolecular 1,3‐dipolar cycloaddition using N‐alkylated Baylis–Hillman derivatives is presented. It was found that the cycloaddition proceeded efficiently under microwave irradiation in solvent‐free condition to afford highly stereoselective cycloadducts in good yield.     

Approximation of the Posterior Distribution in a Change-Point Problem

We consider a family of models that arise in connection with sharp change in hazard rate corresponding to high initial hazard rate dropping to a more stable or slowly changing rate at an unknown change-point . Although the Bayes estimates are well behaved and are asymptotically efficient, it is difficult to compute them as the posterior distributions are generally very complicated. We obtain a simple first order asymptotic approximation to the posterior distribution of . The accuracy of the approximation is judged through simulation. The approximation performs quite well. Our method is also applied to analyze a real data set.     

Zero-Sets of Quaternionic and Octonionic Analytic Functions with Central Coefficients

We prove that the zero set of any quaternionic (or octonionic)analytic function f with central (that is, real) coefficientsis the disjoint union of codimension two spheres in R⁴ or R⁸(respectively) and certain purely real points. In particular,for polynomials with real coefficients, the complete root-setis geometrically characterisable from the lay-out of the rootsin the complex plane. The root-set becomes the union of a finitenumber of codimension 2 Euclidean spheres together with a finitenumber of real points. We also find the preimages f^–1for any quaternion (or octonion) A. We demonstrate that this surprising phenomenon of complete spheresbeing part of the solution set is very markedly a special ‘real’phenomenon. For example, the quaternionic or octonionic Nthroots of any non-real quaternion (respectively octonion) turnout to be precisely N distinct points. All this allows us todo some interesting topology for self-maps of spheres.     

An efficient total synthesis of the anticancer agent (+)-spisulosine (ES-285) from Garner’s aldehyde

An efficient total synthesis of (+)-spisulosine (ES-285) was completed in nine steps from (S)-Garner’s aldehyde. The vicinal amino alcohol moiety with anti-configuration was achieved by a highly diastereoselective addition of vinyl magnesium bromide to Garner’s aldehyde. The long hydrocarbon chain of the antitumor natural product was installed via olefin cross metathesis of the benzyl-protected allylic alcohol with an appropriate olefin counterpart followed by hydrogenation.