Naturalness from runaways in direct mediation

Postulating that the NMSSM singlet is a meson of a microscopic confining theory opens up new model-building possibilities. Based on this, we construct calculable models of direct mediation that solve the mu/Bmu problem and simultaneously lead to realistic phenomenology. The singlet that couples to the Higgs fields develops a runaway produced by soft interactions, then stabilized by a small superpotential perturbation. The mechanism is first realized in an O'Raifeartaigh model of direct gauge mediation with metastable supersymmetry breaking. Focusing then on the microscopic theory, we argue that super QCD with massless and massive flavors in the free magnetic phase gives rise to this dynamics in the infrared. A deformation of the SQCD superpotential leads to large spontaneous R-symmetry breaking, gaugino masses naturally at the scale of the Higgs mass parameters, and absence of CP violating phases.Comment: 31 pages. Version 2: Reference added, minor change

The Force of Magnetism: Nursing-Library Collaborations to Support Magnet

Background: The ANCC Magnet model is built on 5 Model Components and 14 Forces of Magnetism. The Components and Forces, including Transformational Leadership, Structural Empowerment, Exemplary Professional Practice, New Knowledge, Innovation & Improvement, and Empirical Quality Results (Models), and Professional Development, Quality Improvement, Nurses as Teachers, and Quality of Care (Forces) encourage and recognize professional growth, care improvement, and knowledge dissemination. Familiarity with searching professional literature and information literacy are key skills needed to grow Magnetism. This presentation will describe a collaboration between Magnet leadership and the library to build programs designed to support Magnet values and outcomes. Description: Magnet leadership at a four-time Magnet-designated hospital approached the library with a proposal for an evidence-based program pilot. The librarian’s role in the pilot was co-developing the instructional module introducing EBP, searching the literature and evidence appraisal, and hands-on small group search training with a PhD-prepared nurse. The program was launched in 2015 and post-program analysis showed improved understanding of the EBP process and higher information literacy confidence. Building on the success, the following year the interdisciplinary team consisting of hospital magnet leadership, nursing research leadership, and the librarian added a nursing research program. The ongoing educational programs were named best practice by ANCC Magnet appraisers and the program projects were cited in the Magnet documentation. Following appraiser evaluation, to address the need to disseminate knowledge externally, this year the hospital is launching a program helping nurses publish. Conclusion: The program started as an instructional venture introducing the concepts of evidence-based practice and nursing research to hospital staff nurses. Since its inception, 6 projects have led to practice change, 3 have been presented at conferences, one is being written up for publication. Some projects evolved from evidence-based to research questions and from smaller to larger studies in different hospital settings. Many original program participants have continued with the program or have developed independent research studies. The success of this collaborative program lies not only in renewed Magnet designation, but also by nurse engagement in practice change and nursing research.https://digitalcommons.psjhealth.org/other_pubs/1061/thumbnail.jp

Aura Satz: A complex marriage of human and machine, interview by Barbara London

“Listening In” is a column dedicated to sound, music, and listening practices in contemporary art and its spaces. This section focuses on how listening practices are being investigated and reconfigured by artists working across disciplines in the twenty-second century. This year the column is curated by Barbara London and explores how artists continue to investigate sound by incorporating up-to-the-minute software and electronic apparatuses to their practice. The best sound artwork takes its audience on an inspiring journey, one that offers fresh insight into what it means to be in the world, construing something animate and distinct by means of inorganic tools. It is through the tension between the haptic and the neutral that artists and observers discover new experiences. Born in Spain in 1974 and now based in London, Aura Satz works with moving images and sonic sculptural forms to create what may appear to be minimal acoustic artworks but in fact are packed with metaphor and original ideas. She engages with performance, film, photography, and sound installation. With work that is a delightful mix of archaic technologies, she explores the complex marriage of human and machine and the uncertainty it engenders in bodily awareness and human agency. What follows is a re-elaboration of our conversation from season 2.0, episode 11, of “Barbara London Calling.

\u3csup\u3e1\u3c/sup\u3eH NMR Shows Slow Phospholipid Flip-Flop in Gel and Fluid Bilayers

We measured the transbilayer diffusion of 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC) in large unilamellar vesicles, in both the gel (Lβ′) and fluid (Lα) phases. The choline resonance of headgroup-protiated DPPC exchanged into the outer leaflet of headgroup-deuterated DPPC-d13 vesicles was monitored using 1H NMR spectroscopy, coupled with the addition of a paramagnetic shift reagent. This allowed us to distinguish between the inner and outer bilayer leaflet of DPPC, to determine the flip-flop rate as a function of temperature. Flip-flop of fluid-phase DPPC exhibited Arrhenius kinetics, from which we determined an activation energy of 122 kJ mol-1. In gel-phase DPPC vesicles, flip-flop was not observed over the course of 250 h. Our findings are in contrast to previous studies of solid-supported bilayers, where the reported DPPC translocation rates are at least several orders of magnitude faster than those in vesicles at corresponding temperatures. We reconcile these differences by proposing a defect-mediated acceleration of lipid translocation in supported bilayers, where long-lived, submicron-sized holes resulting from incomplete surface coverage are the sites of rapid transbilayer movement

Pregravid BMI is associated with dietary restraint and psychosocial factors during pregnancy

The objective was to investigate the association of pregravid weight status, dietary restraint and psychosocial factors during pregnancy. We used data from the Pregnancy, Infection and Nutrition study, that recruited 2,006 women at prenatal clinics before 20 weeks’ gestation who were >16 years and English speaking. Institute of Medicine BMI cutpoints of underweight (26.0–29.0), obese (>29.0–34.9) and an additional category morbidly obese (≥ 35.0), were used to categorize weight status. Eight psychosocial measures and dietary restraint were assessed with regard to BMI; perceived stress, trait anxiety, depression symptoms, and internal locus of control (LOC), chance LOC, powerful others LOC, self-esteem and mastery. Linear regression was used to estimate associations, controlling for potential confounders. A significant test for trend was found between increasing pregravid weight categories and perceived stress, trait anxiety, depression symptoms, powerful others LOC, self-esteem, mastery and dietary restraint. In adjusted models, pregravid obesity was independently associated with perceived stress, trait anxiety and depression. Morbidly obese status was independently associated with all measures except internal LOC. A strong linear association was found between increasing weight categories and dietary restraint. A consistent association was found between pregravid weight status, psychosocial factors and dietary restraint. If corroborated, these findings suggest that with increasing pregravid weight, pregnant women are at greater risk for experiencing negative psychological states, are less likely to experience positive personal dispositions, and may need additional support to prevent adverse maternal complications and pregnancy outcomes

On the influence of the cosmological constant on gravitational lensing in small systems

The cosmological constant Lambda affects gravitational lensing phenomena. The contribution of Lambda to the observable angular positions of multiple images and to their amplification and time delay is here computed through a study in the weak deflection limit of the equations of motion in the Schwarzschild-de Sitter metric. Due to Lambda the unresolved images are slightly demagnified, the radius of the Einstein ring decreases and the time delay increases. The effect is however negligible for near lenses. In the case of null cosmological constant, we provide some updated results on lensing by a Schwarzschild black hole.Comment: 8 pages, 1 figure; v2: extended discussion on the lens equation, references added, results unchanged, in press on PR

U.S. Army Small Space Update

In December 2010, the U.S. Army flew its first satellite in 50 years, the SMDC-ONE CubeSat. Placed in a very low orbit, the first SMDC-ONE mission lasted only 35 days but enjoyed great success in demonstrating the viability of CubeSats to perform exfiltration of unattended ground sensors data and serve as a communications relay between ground stations over 1000 land miles apart. The success of SMDC-ONE helped shape the U.S. Army’s Space and Missile Defense Command’s (SMDC) programmatic goals for finding new and innovative ways to implement space applications and technologies that aid the warfighter. Since 2010, SMDC has flown ten additional CubeSats including the three SMDC Nanosatellite Program-3 (SNaP) CubeSats currently on orbit (launched October 2015). This paper addresses several SMDC satellite-related development efforts including SNaP, Army Resilient Global On-the-move SATCOM (ARGOS) Ka-band communications microsatellites, Kestrel Eye (an imaging microsatellite), Kestrel Eye Ground Station (KEGS), Common Ground Station (CGS) for all future Army small satellites, supporting technologies including Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) efforts, the Concepts Analysis Laboratory, SMDC Space Laboratory, the ACES RED effort and earlier responsive launch vehicle activities. Several of the lessons learned from previous as well as ongoing satellite activities are also covered

Locating the Social and Political in Secondary School Literacy

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/88064/1/RRQ.33.1.6.pd