Virasoro constraints and the Chern classes of the Hodge bundle

We analyse the consequences of the Virasoro conjecture of Eguchi, Hori and Xiong for Gromov-Witten invariants, in the case of zero degree maps to the manifolds CP^1 and CP^2 (or more generally, smooth projective curves and smooth simply-connected projective surfaces). We obtain predictions involving intersections of psi and lambda classes on the compactification of M_{g,n}. In particular, we show that the Virasoro conjecture for CP^2 implies the numerical part of Faber's conjecture on the tautological Chow ring of M_g.Comment: 12 pages, latex2

Generalized boundary strata classes

We describe a generalization of the usual boundary strata classes in the Chow ring of $\overline{\mathcal{M}}_{g,n}$. The generalized boundary strata classes additively span a subring of the tautological ring. We describe a multiplication law satisfied by these classes and check that every double ramification cycle lies in this subring.Comment: For the Proceedings of the 2017 Abel Symposium, 10 page

Academic freedom and changing focus on student assessment in Dutch higher education

The paper addresses this issue of academic freedom by exploring how the new regulation regarding student assessment procedures has been implemented in Dutch higher education institutions. We endeavour to understand how teaching staff have responded to the new rules and to what extent decision-making processes have included teaching staff. To answer our research question, we would like to concentrate on two issues: the role of the Examination Board and the design of the assessment procedures. Our working hypothesis is that new institutional arrangements of student assessments reduce academic freedom. Previous research has showed that academics largely engage in symbolic compliance with the imperatives of management requirements while keeping their academic freedom intact (Leisyte and Dee 2012). Universities in their turn, are increasingly acting as strategic actors in not only complying but also shaping their institutional environments (Meyer and Rowan 1977, Greenwood and Hinnings 1996, Krücken 2011). The responses to established norms and beliefs range from passivity to increasingly active resistance (Oliver 1991). We will discuss if the impingement on academic freedom is offset by increased assurance of quality for students, and explore how to balance the two values of freedom and quality. Methods used are document analysis and interviews with teachers, university administrators and during Fall 2011 in the frame of the Identifying Barriers in promoting European Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance (IBAR) project

Electrodynamic Limit in a Model for Charged Solitons

We consider a model of topological solitons where charged particles have finite mass and the electric charge is quantised already at the classical level. In the electrodynamic limit, which physically corresponds to electrodynamics of solitons of zero size, the Lagrangian of this model has two degrees of freedom only and reduces to the Lagrangian of the Maxwell field in dual representation. We derive the equations of motion and discuss their relations with Maxwell's equations. It is shown that Coulomb and Lorentz forces are a consequence of topology. Further, we relate the U(1) gauge invariance of electrodynamics to the geometry of the soliton field, give a general relation for the derivation of the soliton field from the field strength tensor in electrodynamics and use this relation to express homogeneous electric fields in terms of the soliton field.Comment: 13 pages, 4 figures, Introduction and Section II (Model Lagrangian) rewritten, new chapters concerning electrodynamic limit and discussion of causality inserte

Management of Sick Leave due to Musculoskeletal Disorders

Musculoskeletal disorders are a common problem that may lead to func-Ational limitations and (work) disability. It is not clear yet how improvement in Apain or functional limitations is related to return to work after an episode of sick Aleave. Furthermore, several physicians are involved in the treatment and man-Aagement of a patient is on sick leave. In the Netherlands a strict separation be-Atween treating physicians and occupational physicians exists, whereby the treating Aphysician treats the disorder and the occupational physician manages return to Awork. Will a better collaboration between occupational health and curative care Aresult in a quicker return to work? A Chapter 2 presents a systematic review of 19 articles of the effects of treat-Ament of impingement syndrome on the associated functional limitations and re-Aturn to work. For functional limitations, there is strong evidence that extracorpo-Areal shock-wave therapy is not effective, and moderate evidence that exercise Acombined with manual therapy is more effective than exercise alone, that ultra-Asound is not effective, and that open and arthroscopic acromioplasty are equally Aeffective on the long term. For all other interventions there is only limited evi-Adence. We found many studies using range of motion and pain as outcome meas-Aures but functional limitations were less often used as an outcome measure in this Atype of research. Duration of sick leave was seldom included as an outcome meas-Aure. Although recovery on functional limitations is not equal to return to work A(RTW), the effectiveness of interventions with regard to ability to work or dura-Ation of sick leave does not seem to differ from the effectiveness on functional limi-Atations. A The controlled trial in chapter 3 evaluated a training for general practitioners Aand occupational physicians for patients on sick leave due to low back pain (LBP). AThe goal of this training was to improve collaboration which might improve a pa-Atient’s recovery and shorten sick leave. In a controlled trial the intervention in one Aregion was compared with usual care in a control region. In each region 56 LBP Apatients on sick leave for 3-12 weeks were included. These patients filled out three Aquestionnaires; at inclusion, three and six months later. Information on sick leave Awas gathered from occupational health services. There was little collaboration be-Atween physicians during the project. Patients in the intervention region returned Ato work significantly later (p=0.005) but were significantly more satisfied with Atheir occupational health physician (p=0.01). No differences were found between Athe intervention and control patients for pain, disability, quality of life, and medi-Acal consumption

Study of tooling concepts for manufacturing operations in space Final report

Mechanical linkage device for manufacturing operations with orbital workshop