Quantum diffusion

Basic ideas and results which characterize quantum diffusion of defects in quantum crystals like solid helium as a new phenomenon are presented. Quantum effects in such media lead to a delocalization of point defects (vacancies, impurities etc.) and they turn into quasiparticles of a new type—defectons, which are characterized not by their position in the crystal lattice but by their quasimomentum and dispersion law. Defecton-defecton and defecton-phonon scattering are considered and an interpolation formula for the diffusion coefficient valid in all interesting temperature and concentration regions is presented. A comparison with the experimental data is made. Some alternative points of view are discussed in detail and the inconsistency of the Kisvarsanyi-Sullivan theory is shown.     

Representations of Positive Projections II

In this paper we obtain a number of Maharam-type slice integral representations, with respect to scalar measures, for positive projections in Dedekind complete vector lattices and f-algebras. AMS Classification: 47B65, 46A40, 06F25     

Isometric Isomorphisms Between Banach Algebras Related to a Certain Class of Clifford Topological Semigroups

In the present paper it is shown that if S₁ and S₂ are two Clifford topological semigroups satisfying certain conditions and T is an isometric isomorphism of LUC(S₁*) onto LUC(S₂*), then T maps S₁ topologically isomorphically onto S₂. Furthermore, T maps M ^l _n(S₁) (M(S₁), respectively) isometrically isomorphically onto M ^l _n(S₂) (M(S₂), respectively). Indeed, we have obtained a generalization of a well-known result of Ghahramani, Lau and Losert for locally compact groups to a more general setting of Clifford topological semigroups.     

Experiences in Expert Systems

This paper describes some work carried out in the Scientific Research and Development Branch (SRDB) of the Home Office, intended to contribute to an overall aim of building up internal expertise in the field of expert systems. This was done by carrying out a number of pilot and demonstrator projects, two of which are described in some detail. The plan, which proved successful, was to build as far as possible on the relevant skills already possessed by an OR group in the branch. The lessons learned from these are summarized in the hope that they will be of use to other groups who wish to become involved in this important area.     

Synthesis,structure, spectroscopic and magnetic properties of a novel two-dimensional copper(II) complex Na2[Cu(pba)] · 6H2O [pba = 1,3-propylenebis(oxamato)]

The copper(II) complex Na₂[Cu(pba)] · 6H₂O has been synthesized and its structure determined. It consists of a novel two-dimensional network of [Cu(pba)]^2– anions connected to each other through the sodium ion as a bridge. Spectroscopic and magnetic properties have been measured and a spin distribution calculation has been carried out with the GAUSSIAN-94. Theoretical calculations indicate the rather larger spin density on nitrogen atoms should be responsible for the satellite lines appearing beside the main hyperfine coupling signs of copper(II). The antiferromagnetic interaction may be due to the intermolecular interaction and/or different copper(II) ions through the Na⁺ bridge in the same layer.     

When should you sack a football manager? Results from a simple model applied to the English Premiership

What strategy should a football (soccer, in American parlance) club adopt when deciding whether to sack its manager? This paper introduces a simple model assuming that a club's objective is to maximize the number of league points that it scores per season. The club's strategy consists of three choices: the length of the honeymoon period during which it will not consider sacking a new manager, the level of the performance trapdoor below which the manager get the sack, and the weight that it will give to more recent games compared to earlier ones. Some data from the last six seasons of the English Premiership are used to calibrate the model. At this early stage of the research, the best strategy appears to have only a short honeymoon period of eight games (much less than the actual shortest period of 12 games), to set the trapdoor at 0.74 points per game, and to put 47% of the weight on the last five games. A club adopting this strategy would obtain on average 56.8 points per season, compared to a Premiership average of 51.8 points.     

On Bayes and unbiased estimators of loss

We consider estimation of loss for generalized Bayes or pseudo-Bayes estimators of a multivariate normal mean vector, θ. In 3 and higher dimensions, the MLEX is UMVUE and minimax but is inadmissible. It is dominated by the James-Stein estimator and by many others. Johnstone (1988, On inadmissibility of some unbiased estimates of loss,Statistical Decision Theory and Related Topics, IV (eds. S. S. Gupta and J. O. Berger), Vol. 1, 361–379, Springer, New York) considered the estimation of loss for the usual estimatorX and the James-Stein estimator. He found improvements over the Stein unbiased estimator of risk. In this paper, for a generalized Bayes point estimator of θ, we compare generalized Bayes estimators to unbiased estimators of loss. We find, somewhat surprisingly, that the unbiased estimator often dominates the corresponding generalized Bayes estimator of loss for priors which give minimax estimators in the original point estimation problem. In particular, we give a class of priors for which the generalized Bayes estimator of θ is admissible and minimax but for which the unbiased estimator of loss dominates the generalized Bayes estimator of loss. We also give a general inadmissibility result for a generalized Bayes estimator of loss. Research supported by NSF Grant DMS-97-04524.