Addressing the Multi-Channel Inverse Problem at High Energy Colliders: A Model Independent Approach to the Search for New Physics with Trileptons

We describe a method for interpreting trilepton searches at high energy colliders in a model-independent fashion and apply it to the recent searches at the Tevatron. The key step is to recognize that the trilepton signature is comprised of four experimentally very different channels defined by the number of tau-leptons in the trilepton state. Contributions from these multiple channels to the overall experimental sensitivity (cross section times branching ratio) are model-independent and can be parametrized in terms of relevant new particle masses. Given the trileptonic branching ratios of a specific model, these experimentally obtained multichannel sensitivities can be combined to obtain a cross section measurement that can be used to confront the model with data. Our model-independent results are more widely applicable than the current Tevatron trilepton results which are stated exclusively in terms of mSUGRA parameters of supersymmetry. The technique presented here can be expanded beyond trilepton searches to the more general "inverse problem" of experimentally discriminating between competing models that seek to explain new physics discovered in multiple channels.Comment: 17 pages, 7 figures Changed content cosmetic changes for submission to JHE

Development of a low cost screen to identify hearing loss in young children and appropriate services for deaf children in Binga, Zimbabwe

There is a high prevalence of hearing loss estimated between 8 and 16% in young children in rural areas in Zimbabwe. Deaf children are usually identified late and do not benefit from early interventions. This study was conducted to evaluate a questionnaire screen in identifying permanent hearing loss in excess of 50dBHL of the better ear, compared with the pure-tone audiometric screen, in children aged 36-72 months living in Binga district, Zimbabwe. Subjects were recruited into the study by using two questions which identified 417 at-risk children who were registered as "Failing" children. In addition, 417 children were recruited as controls who were matched by age and sex and were registered as "Following" children (n=834). The "Questionnaire" screen used for this study had two parts; "Part I" had 8 general questions for every child, while "Part 2" had 3 age specific sections (A, B and C) with a set of 10 questions in each section and took between 20-25 minutes to administer for each child. The screen was administered on 747 (90%) children of the original sample (n=834) by four trained Tonga fluent interviewers, 87 children (10%) having dropped out. An experienced audiologist administered the gold standard pure-tone audiometry screen on the same 747 (90%) children who were "Questionnaire" screened. There were four test sound frequencies used: 0.5k, lk, 2k and 4k set at a flat cut-off point of 50dBHL generated by a calibrated Kamplex screening audiometer. The pure-tone screen administration required 10 - 15 minutes per child. Pass or fail results were plotted on the audiogram. For reliability testing of both the "Questionnaire" and the pure-tone screens, repeats were administered on 131 and 110 children respectively who were randomly selected from 747 children. Children with marked physical malforination, neurological problems and those for whom Tonga was not their first language were excluded from the study. The results revealed that the "Questionnaire" screen had a sensitivity of 79% and specificity of 96%. It was inter-and intra-user reliable (r---0.89) in identifying permanent hearing loss in children aged 36-72 months (p>0.05). The "Questionnaire" was easy to use and found to be a low-cost screen that can be appropriately adapted and used in service delivery or research programmes in different cultural settings in developing countries

A Note on the Linear Flow of a Viscous Incompressible Conducting Fluid Past an Infinite Flat Plate with Constant Suction in the Presence of a Transverse Magnetic Field

Analytical solution has been obtained for the momentum Equations of the linear flow of a viscous in compressible electrically conducting fluid past an infinite porous flat plate in the presence of a transverse magnetic field when the suction velocity normal to the plate is constant. It is observed that the velocity in the boundary layer increases with the increase of the intensity of the magnetic field

Comment on: `Pipe Network Model for Scaling of Dynamic Interfaces in Porous Media'

We argue that a proposed exponent identity [Phys. Rev. Lett 85, 1238 (2000)] for interface roughening in spontaneous imbibition is wrong. It rests on the assumption that the fluctuations are controlled by a single time scale, but liquid conservation imposes two distinct time scales.Comment: 1 page, to appear in Phys. Rev. Let

Iterated Stieltjes transform of generalized functions

The generalized S2-transform of a member of f of a certain space of generalized functions is defined as F(x)=〈f(t),k(x,t;ρ)〉, wherek(x,t;ρ)=∫0∞1(x+y)ρ(y+t)ρ  dy,  ρ>12,0<x<∞  and  0<t<∞. An inversion theorem for the transform is established interpreting the oonvergene in the weak distributional sense

Analysis of design strategies for mitigating the consequences of lithium fire within containment of controlled thermonuclear reactors

Originally presented as the first author's thesis, (M.S.)--in the M.I.T. Dept. of Nuclear Engineering, 1978Includes bibliographical references (pages 117-121)Report issued under U.S. Dept. of Energy EY-76-02-243

Vibrio ponticus, a new pathogen of cultured cobia

Most of the members of the family Vibrionaceae are natural inhabitants of marine and estuarine ecosystem and several of them are pathogens in cultured aquatic organisms. Vibriosis caused by some pathogenic Vibrio spp., can cause huge mortality in marine fish culture systems. Intermittent mortality with haemorrhagic lesions on the fin, body surface, and head, exophthalmia (Fig.1) and stopping of feeding activity were noticed in cobia (25±5 cm length; 17±4 g weight) reared in sea cages off Polem, Goa during June 2015. The clinical signs lasted for a week with a total mortality of 12%. Isolation of bacteria aseptically from liver and kidney was done