Poincare-Birkhoff-Witt Theorems

We sample some Poincare-Birkhoff-Witt theorems appearing in mathematics. Along the way, we compare modern techniques used to establish such results, for example, the Composition-Diamond Lemma, Groebner basis theory, and the homological approaches of Braverman and Gaitsgory and of Polishchuk and Positselski. We discuss several contexts for PBW theorems and their applications, such as Drinfeld-Jimbo quantum groups, graded Hecke algebras, and symplectic reflection and related algebras.Comment: 30 pages; survey article to appear in Mathematical Sciences Research Institute Proceeding

Conformal Designs based on Vertex Operator Algebras

We introduce the notion of a conformal design based on a vertex operator algebra. This notation is a natural analog of the notion of block designs or spherical designs when the elements of the design are based on self-orthogonal binary codes or integral lattices, respectively. It is shown that the subspaces of fixed degree of an extremal self-dual vertex operator algebra form conformal 11-, 7-, or 3-designs, generalizing similar results of Assmus-Mattson and Venkov for extremal doubly-even codes and extremal even lattices. Other examples are coming from group actions on vertex operator algebras, the case studied first by Matsuo. The classification of conformal 6- and 8-designs is investigated. Again, our results are analogous to similar results for codes and lattices.Comment: 35 pages with 1 table, LaTe

Construction of self-dual binary [2^(2k),2^(2k-1),2^k] -codes

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