10,631 research outputs found
Inflation in Supersymmetric SU(5)
We analyze the adjoint field inflation in supersymmetric (SUSY) SU(5) model.
In minimal SUSY SU(5) hybrid inflation monopoles are produced at the end of
inflation. We therefore explore the non-minimal model of inflation based on
SUSY SU(5), like shifted hybrid, which provides a natural solution for the
monopole problem. We find that the supergravity corrections with non-minimal
Kahler potential are crucial to realize the central value of the scalar
spectral index n_s ~ 0.96 consistent with the seven year WMAP data. The tensor
to scalar ratio r is quite small, taking on values r < 10^{-5}. Due to
R-symmetry massless SU(3) octet and SU(2) triplet Higgs bosons are present and
could spoil for gauge coupling unification. To keep gauge coupling unification
intact, light vector-like particles are added which are expected to be observed
at LHC.Comment: 16 page
Relic Neutralino Density in Scenarios with Intermediate Unification Scale
We analyse the relic neutralino density in supersymmetric models with an
intermediate unification scale. In particular, we present concrete cosmological
scenarios where the reheating temperature is as small as
MeV). When this temperature is associated to the decay of moduli fields
producing neutralinos, we show that the relic abundance increases considerably
with respect to the standard thermal production. Thus the neutralino becomes a
good dark matter candidate with 0.1\lsim \Omega h^2 \lsim 0.3, even for
regions of the parameter space where large neutralino-nucleon cross sections,
compatible with current dark matter experiments, are present. This is obtained
for intermediate scales GeV, and moduli masses
GeV. On the other hand, when the above temperature is
associated to the decay of an inflaton field, the relic abundance is too small.Comment: Latex, 11 pages, 2 figure
Evidence for uteroplacental malperfusion in fetuses with major congenital heart defects.
AIMS: Fetuses affected by congenital heart defects (CHD) are considered to be at increased risk of fetal growth restriction and intrauterine demise. Whether these risks are a direct consequence of fetal CHD or a result of associated uteroplacental dysfunction is not evident from the data of recent studies. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of uteroplacental dysfunction reflected by abnormal uterine artery Doppler indices and reduced fetal growth in CHD pregnancies. METHODS: This is a retrospective case-control study including singleton pregnancies referred for detailed fetal cardiac assessment subsequently diagnosed with or without CHD. Mid-trimester uterine artery Doppler assessment at 20-24 weeks as well as third trimester fetal biometry and arterial Doppler pulsatility indices (PI) were performed. All fetal biometry were converted into centiles and Doppler values to multiples of median (MoM) to adjust for physiological changes with gestation. RESULTS: The study included 811 pregnancies including 153 cases where the fetus was diagnosed with CHD. Mid-pregnancy uterine artery PI was significantly higher in women with fetal CHD compared to controls (0.90MoM vs 0.83MoM; p = 0.006). In the third trimester, median centiles for fetal head circumference (45.4 vs 57.07; p<0.001), abdominal circumference (51.17 vs 55.71; p = 0.014), estimated fetal weight (33.6 vs 56.7; p<0.001) and cerebroplacental ratio (CPR: 0.84MoM vs 0.95MoM; p<0.001) were significantly lower in fetuses with CHD compared to controls. The percentage of small for gestational age births <10th centile (24.0% vs 10.7%; <0.001) and low CPR <0.6MoM (11.7% vs 2.5%; p<0.001) were significantly higher in the fetal CHD cohort. CONCLUSIONS: Mid-pregnancy uterine artery resistance is increased and subsequent fetal biometry reduced in pregnancies with CHD fetuses. These findings suggest that fetal CHD are associated with uteroplacental dysfunction, secondary to impaired maternal uteroplacental perfusion resulting in relative fetal hypoxaemia and reduced fetal growth
Constraining supersymmetric models from B_d - B-bar_d mixing and the B_d --> J/psi K_S asymmetry
We analyze the chargino contributions to B_d - B-bar_d mixing and CP
asymmetry of the B_d --> J/psi K_S decay, in the framework of the mass
insertion approximation. We derive model independent bounds on the relevant
mass insertions. Moreover, we study these contributions in supersymmetric
models with minimal flavor violation, Hermitian flavor structure, and small CP
violating phases and universal strength Yukawa couplings. We show that in
supersymmetric models with large flavor mixing, the observed values of sin(2
beta) may be entirely due to the chargino-up-squark loops.Comment: 22 pages, 1 figure, minor corrections, version to appear in Phys.
Rev.
Sterile neutrino dark matter in extension of the standard model and galactic 511 keV line
Sterile right-handed neutrinos can be naturally embedded in a low scale
gauged extension of the standard model. We show that, within a low
reheating scenario, such a neutrino is an interesting candidate for dark
matter. We emphasize that if the neutrino mass is of order of MeV, then it
accounts for the measured dark matter relic density and also accommodates the
observed flux of 511 keV photons from the galactic bulge.Comment: 10 pages, 1 figure, references added, final version appeared in JCA
Supersymmetric contributions to B -> D K and the determination of angle \gamma
We analyze supersymmetric contributions to B^- -> D^0 K^- and B^- ->\bar{D}^0
K^- processes. We investigate the possibility that supersymmetric CP violating
phases can affect our determination for the angle \gamma in the unitary
triangle of Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskaw mixing matrix. We calculate the gluino and
chargino contributions to b--> u(\bar{c}s) and b-->c(\bar{u}s) transitions in a
model independent way by using the mass insertion approximation method. We also
revise the D^0 - \bar{D}^0 mixing constraints on the mass insertions between
the first and second generations of the up sector. We emphasize that in case of
negligible D^0 -\bar{D}^0 mixing, one should consider simultaneous
contributions from more than one mass insertion in order to be able to obtain
the CP asymmetries of these processes within their 1\sigma experimental range.
However, with a large D^0-\bar{D}^0 mixing, one finds a significant deviation
between the two asymmetries and it becomes natural to have them of order the
central values of their experimental measurements.Comment: 20 page
On supersymmetric contributions to the CP asymmetry of the B -> phi K_S
We analyse the CP asymmetry of the B -> phi K_S process in general
supersymmetric models. In the framework of the mass insertion approximation, we
derive model independent limits for the mixing CP asymmetry. We show that
chromomagnetic type of operator may play an important role in accounting for
the deviation of the mixing CP asymmetry between B -> phi K_S and B -> J/psi
K_S processes observed by Belle and BaBar experiments. A possible correlation
between the direct and mixing CP asymmetry is also discussed. Finally, we apply
our result in minimal supergravity model and supersymmetric models with
non-universal soft terms.Comment: 19 pages, 3 figure
Fermion Masses and Mixing in Four and More Dimensions
We give an overview of recent progress in the study of fermion mass and
flavor mixing phenomena. Mass matrix ansatze are considered within the SM and
SUSY GUTs where some predictive frameworks based on SU(5) and SO(10) are
reviewed. We describe a variety of schemes to construct quark mass matrices in
extra dimensions focusing on four major classes: models with the SM residing on
3-brane, models with universal extra dimensions, models with split fermions and
models with warped extra dimensions. We outline how realistic patterns of quark
mass matrices could be derived from orbifold models in heterotic superstring
theory. Finally, we address the fermion mass problem in intersecting D-branes
scenarios, and present models with D6-branes able to give a good quantitatively
description of quark masses and mixing. The role of flavor/CP violation problem
as a probe of new physics is emphasized.Comment: a review based on seminars presented by S.K. in different places, 34
pages, late
Supersymmetric origin of a low CP asymmetry
We show that general Minimal Supersymmetric extensions of the Standard Model
(MSSM) allow for a CP asymmetry in B --> J/psi K(S) well bellow the SM
expectations with dominant Supersymmetric contributions to epsilon_K and
epsilon'/epsilon. Indeed, we provide an explicit example of an MSSM with
non-universal soft breaking terms fully consistent with the low results of this
asymmetry recently announced by Babar and Belle collaborations.Comment: 6 pages, no figures. Reference added, typos correcte
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