Do I Dare Disturb the Universe?

This memoir investigates the roots of my core anxiety, the incessant but impossible ability to achieve perfection. It is framed by my experience getting a second tattoo, which is a line from T.S. Eliot\u27s modernist poem, The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, and ties together both my internal struggle and my affinity for physical pain. This memoir draws a line between the past and the present, seeking to find a connection between struggling with anxiety and engaging in self-mutilation as a source of relief

Experiments on the origin of molecular chirality by parity non-conservation during beta-decay

Experiments are described to test a theory for the origin of optical activity wherein the longitudinally polarized electrons resulting from parity violation during radioactive beta decay, and their resulting circularly polarized Bremsstrahlung, might interact asymmetrically with organic matter to yield optically active products. Experiments involve subjecting a number of racemic and optically active amino acid samples to irradiation in a 61700 Ci90SR-90Y beta radiation source for a period of 1.34 years, then examining them for any asymmetric effects by means of optical rotatory dispersion and analytical gas chromatography. In the cases of D,L-leucine, norleucine, norvaline and proline as solids, of D,L-leucine in solution and of D,L-tyrosine in alkaline solution no optical rotation was observed during CRD measurements in the 250-630 nm spectral region. While slight differences were noted in the percent radiolysis of solid D- (12.7%) and L-leucine (16.2%) as determined by GC, no enrichment of either enantiomer was found

The Fast Wandering of Slow Birds

I study a single "slow" bird moving with a flock of birds of a different, and faster (or slower) species. I find that every "species" of flocker has a characteristic speed $\gamma\ne v_0$, where $v_0$ is the mean speed of the flock, such that, if the speed $v_s$ of the "slow" bird equals $\gamma$, it will randomly wander transverse to the mean direction of flock motion far faster than the other birds will: its mean-squared transverse displacement will grow in $d=2$ with time $t$ like $t^{5/3}$, in contrast to $t^{4/3}$ for the other birds. In $d=3$, the slow bird's mean squared transverse displacement grows like $t^{5/4}$, in contrast to $t$ for the other birds. If $v_s\neq \gamma$, the mean-squared displacement of the "slow" bird crosses over from $t^{5/2}$ to $t^{4/3}$ scaling in $d=2$, and from $t^{5/4}$ to $t$ scaling in $d=3$, at a time $t_c$ that scales according to $t_c \propto|v_s-\gamma|^{-2}$.Comment: 10 pages; 5 pages of which did not appear in earlier versions, but were added in response to referee's suggestion

Total Chiral Symmetry Breaking during Crystallization: Who needs a "Mother Crystal"?

Processes that can produce states of broken chiral symmetry are of particular interest to physics, chemistry and biology. Chiral symmetry breaking during crystallization of sodium chlorate occurs via the production of secondary crystals of the same handedness from a single "mother crystal" that seeds the solution. Here we report that a large and "symmetric" population of D- and L-crystals moves into complete chiral purity disappearing one of the enantiomers. This result shows: (i) a new symmetry breaking process incompatible with the hypothesis of a single "mother crystal"; (ii) that complete symmetry breaking and chiral purity can be achieved from an initial system with both enantiomers. These findings demand a new explanation to the process of total symmetry breaking in crystallization without the intervention of a "mother crystal" and open the debate on this fascinating phenomenon. We present arguments to show that our experimental data can been explained with a new model of "complete chiral purity induced by nonlinear autocatalysis and recycling".Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, Added reference

A Reanalysis of the Hydrodynamic Theory of Fluid, Polar-Ordered Flocks

I reanalyze the hydrodynamic theory of fluid, polar ordered flocks. I find new linear terms in the hydrodynamic equations which slightly modify the anisotropy, but not the scaling, of the damping of sound modes. I also find that the nonlinearities allowed {\it in equilibrium} do not stabilize long ranged order in spatial dimensions $d=2$; in accord with the Mermin-Wagner theorem. Nonequilibrium nonlinearities {\it do} stabilize long ranged order in $d=2$, as argued by earlier work. Some of these were missed by earlier work; it is unclear whether or not they change the scaling exponents in $d=2$.Comment: 6 pages, no figures. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:0909.195

Distribution and incidence of viruses in Irish seed potato crops

peer-reviewedVirus diseases are of key importance in potato production and in particular for the production of disease-free potato seed. However, there is little known about the frequency and distribution of potato virus diseases in Ireland. Despite a large number of samples being tested each year, the data has never been collated either within or across years. Information from all known potato virus testing carried out in the years 2006–2012 by the Department of Agriculture Food and Marine was collated to give an indication of the distribution and incidence of potato virus in Ireland. It was found that there was significant variation between regions, varieties, years and seed classes. A definition of daily weather data suitable for aphid flight was developed, which accounted for a significant proportion of the variation in virus incidence between years. This use of weather data to predict virus risk could be developed to form the basis of an integrated pest management approach for aphid control in Irish potato crops

A study of wing body blending for an advanced supersonic transport

Increases in supersonic cruise lift drag ratio were sought at Mach numbers 2.2 and 2.7 using wing body planform and thickness blending. Constrained twist and camber optimization was performed in the presence of nacelles. Wing and fuselage thickness distributions were optimized for either minimum volume wave drag or minimum total pressure wave drag. The zero leading edge suction lift drag ratios were determined for three wing planforms. The magnitude of the effect of leading edge suction on attainable lift drag ratio was defined on one planform and estimation of available leading edge suction was made

Acceptability and proof of concept of internet-delivered treatment for depression, anxiety, and stress in university students: protocol for an open feasibility trial

BACKGROUND: In recent years, university counseling and mental health services have reported an increase in the number of clients seeking services and in yearly visits. This trend has been observed at many universities, indicating that behavioral and mental health issues pose significant problems for many college students. The aim of this study is to assess the acceptability and proof of concept of internet-delivered treatment for depression, anxiety, and stress for university students. METHODS/DESIGN: The study is an open feasibility trial of the SilverCloud programs for depression (Space from Depression), anxiety (Space from Anxiety), and stress (Space from Stress). All three are 8-module internet-delivered CBT (iCBT) intervention programs. Participants are assigned a supporter who provides weekly feedback on progress and exercises. Participants will complete the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), and stress subscale of the Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) as the outcome measures for the depression, anxiety, and stress interventions, respectively. Other outcomes include measures of acceptability of, and satisfaction, with the intervention. Data will be collected at baseline, 8 weeks and 3-month follow-up. DISCUSSION: It is anticipated that the study will inform the researchers and service personnel of the programs' potential to reduce depression, anxiety, and stress in a student population as well as the protocols to be employed in a future trial. In addition, it will provide insight into students' engagement with the programs, their user experience, and their satisfaction with the online delivery format