Deformation Quantization for Heisenberg Supergroup

We construct a non-formal deformation machinery for the actions of the Heisenberg supergroup analogue to the one developed by M. Rieffel for the actions of R^d. However, the method used here differs from Rieffel's one: we obtain a Universal Deformation Formula for the actions of R^{m|n} as a byproduct of Weyl ordered Kirillov's orbit method adapted to the graded setting. To do so, we have to introduce the notion of C*-superalgebra, which is compatible with the deformation, and which can be seen as corresponding to noncommutative superspaces. We also use this construction to interpret the renormalizability of a noncommutative Quantum Field Theory.Comment: 49 page

Om de eer van Haarlem. Scriverius’ verdediging van Laurens Janszoon Coster

In his Laure-crans voor Laurens Coster van Haerlem (1628) Petrus Scriverius (1576-1660) championed the reputation of the city of Haarlem as the cradle of the art of printing, against Nicolaus Serarius from Mainz, who had branded this claim as mendacious. In this contribution we discuss several overlooked documents, indicating that Scriverius has played a much more important part in the iconographic aspect of the) Coster campaign than was generally known. In 1630 Gabriel Naudé of Paris attacks Scriverius, accusing him of falsehoods and endorsing the claims of Mainz. Hugo de Groot, amongst others, urged Scriverius to respond with strong counter-arguments, but Scriverius was not able to find additional evidence in support of Haarlem

‘Sincere Simplicity’: Gerbrand Bredero’s Apprenticeship with Coornhert and Spiegel

Like many authors in the early seventeenth century, the Dutch poet and prose writer Gerbrand Bredero prided himself on his defence of the mother tongue. The main reason for Bredero’s preference can be found in his consideration for the ‘unlearned’ public, perhaps to be associated with his being ‘unlearned’ himself. In his appreciation of the mother tongue, he closely responds to predecessors like Dirck Coornhert and Hendrik Spiegel. Moreover, he shared ideas about purism and ‘language building’ with the leading voices of the Amsterdam chamber of rhetoric, of which Bredero was a member. In this article, it will be shown how and to what extent linguistic aspects of Bredero’s prose are in line with his Amsterdam predecessors. Some of the imagery used by Bredero fits in with the idiom of Coornhert, while Spiegel’s writing exemplified the use of innovative compound words and genitives. Though Bredero is far less extreme in his experimentation with both forms, he did not refrain from leaving his own creative mark on language use, as a supposed result of a direct and active focus on common, Amsterdam burghers

Propensity score-matched analysis of oncological outcome between stent as bridge to surgery and emergency resection in patients with malignant left-sided colonic obstruction

Background: Although self-expandable metal stent (SEMS) placement as bridge to surgery (BTS) in patients with left-sided obstructing colonic cancer has shown promising short-term results, it is used infrequently owing to uncertainty about its oncological safety. This population study compared long-term oncological outcomes between emergency resection and SEMS placement as BTS.Methods: Through a national collaborative research project, long-term outcome data were collected for all patients who underwent resection for left-sided obstructing colonic cancer between 2009 and 2016 in 75 Dutch hospitals. Patients were identified from the Dutch Colorectal Audit database. SEMS as BTS was compared with emergency resection in the curative setting after 1: 2 propensity score matching.Results: Some 222 patients who had a stent placed were matched to 444 who underwent emergency resection. The overall SEMS-related perforation rate was 7.7 per cent (17 of 222). Three-year locoregional recurrence rates after SEMS insertion and emergency resection were 11-4 and 13.6 per cent (P= 0-457), disease-free survival rates were 58-8 and 52.6 per cent (P= 0-175), and overall survival rates were 74-0 and 68-3 per cent (P= 0.231), respectively. SEMS placement resulted in significantly fewer permanent stomas (23.9 versus 45.3 per cent; P < 0-001), especially in elderly patients (29.0 versus 57.9 per cent; P < 0-001). For patients in the SEMS group with or without perforation, 3-year locoregional recurrence rates were 18 and 11.0 per cent (P= 0.432), disease-free survival rates were 49 and 59.6 per cent (P= 0-717), and overall survival rates 61 and 75.1 per cent (P= 0.529), respectively.Conclusion: Overall, SEMS as BTS seems an oncologically safe alternative to emergency resection with fewer permanent stomas. Nevertheless, the risk of SEMS-related perforation, as well as permanent stoma, might influence shared decision-making for individual patients.Research into fetal development and medicin