B --> Phi K_S and Supersymmetry

The rare decay B --> Phi K_S is a well-known probe of physics beyond the Standard Model because it arises only through loop effects yet has the same time-dependent CP asymmetry as B --> Psi K_S. Motivated by recent data suggesting new physics in B --> Phi K_S, we look to supersymmetry for possible explanations, including contributions mediated by gluino loops and by Higgs bosons. Chirality-preserving LL and RR gluino contributions are generically small, unless gluinos and squarks masses are close to the current lower bounds. Higgs contributions are also too small to explain a large asymmetry if we impose the current upper limit on B(B_s --> mu mu). On the other hand, chirality-flipping LR and RL gluino contributions can provide sizable effects and while remaining consistent with related results in B --> Psi K_S, Delta M_s, B --> X_s gamma and other processes. We discuss how the LR and RL insertions can be distinguished using other observables, and we provide a string-based model and other estimates to show that the needed sizes of mass insertions are reasonable.Comment: 33 pages, 32 figures, Updated version for PRD. Includes discussions of other recent works on this topic. Added discussions & plots for gluino mass dependence and effects of theoretical uncertaintie

B_s - \bar{B}_s mixing in the MSSM scenario with large flavor mixing in the LL/RR sector

We show that the recent measurements of $B_s-\bar{B}_s$ mass difference, $\Delta m_s$, by D{\O} and CDF collaborations give very strong constraints on MSSM scenario with large flavor mixing in the LL and/or RR sector of down-type squark mass squared matrix. In particular, the region with large mixing angle and large mass difference between scalar strange and scalar bottom is ruled out by giving too large $\Delta m_s$. The allowed region is sensitive to the CP violating phases $\delta_{L(R)}$. The $\Delta m_s$ constraint is most stringent on the scenario with both LL and RR mixing. We also predict the time-dependent CP asymmetry in $B_s \to \psi \phi$ decay and semileptonic asymmetry in $B_s\to \ell X$ decay.Comment: 15 pages, 9 figure

A Method for Assaying Deubiquitinating Enzymes

A general method for the assay of deubiquitinating enzymes was described in detail using (125)I-labeled ubiquitin-fused αNH-MHISPPEPESEEEEEHYC (referred to as Ub-PESTc) as a substrate. Since the tyrosine residue in the PESTc portion of the fusion protein was almost exclusively radioiodinated under a mild labeling condition, such as using IODO-BEADS, the enzymes could be assayed directly by simple measurement of the radioactivity released into acid soluble products. Using this assay protocol, we could purify six deubiquitinating enzymes from chick skeletal muscle and yeast and compare their specific activities. Since the extracts of E. coli showed little or no activity against the substrate, the assay protocol should be useful for identification and purification of eukaryotic deubiquitinating enzymes cloned and expressed in the cells

Exploring flavor structure of supersymmetry breaking from rare B decays and unitarity triangle

We study effects of supersymmetric particles in various rare B decay processes as well as in the unitarity triangle analysis. We consider three different supersymmetric models, the minimal supergravity, SU(5) SUSY GUT with right-handed neutrinos, and the minimal supersymmetric standard model with U(2) flavor symmetry. In the SU(5) SUSY GUT with right-handed neutrinos, we consider two cases of the mass matrix of the right-handed neutrinos. We calculate direct and mixing-induced CP asymmetries in the b to s gamma decay and CP asymmetry in B_d to phi K_S as well as the B_s--anti-B_s mixing amplitude for the unitarity triangle analysis in these models. We show that large deviations are possible for the SU(5) SUSY GUT and the U(2) model. The pattern and correlations of deviations from the standard model will be useful to discriminate the different SUSY models in future B experiments.Comment: revtex4, 36 pages, 10 figure

Search for TeV Scale Physics in Heavy Flavour Decays

The subject of heavy flavour decays as probes for physics beyond the TeV scale is covered from the experimental perspective. Emphasis is placed on the more traditional Beyond the Standard Model topics that have potential for impact in the short term, with the physics explained. We do unabashedly promote our own phemonenology work.Comment: 10 pages, 9 figures (now fixed); Submitted for the SUSY07 proceeding

Critical behavior of the two-dimensional N-component Landau-Ginzburg Hamiltonian with cubic anisotropy

We study the two-dimensional N-component Landau-Ginzburg Hamiltonian with cubic anisotropy. We compute and analyze the fixed-dimension perturbative expansion of the renormalization-group functions to four loops. The relations of these models with N-color Ashkin-Teller models, discrete cubic models, planar model with fourth order anisotropy, and structural phase transition in adsorbed monolayers are discussed. Our results for N=2 (XY model with cubic anisotropy) are compatible with the existence of a line of fixed points joining the Ising and the O(2) fixed points. Along this line the exponent $\eta$ has the constant value 1/4, while the exponent $\nu$ runs in a continuous and monotonic way from 1 to $\infty$ (from Ising to O(2)). For N\geq 3 we find a cubic fixed point in the region $u, v \geq 0$, which is marginally stable or unstable according to the sign of the perturbation. For the physical relevant case of N=3 we find the exponents $\eta=0.17(8)$ and $\nu=1.3(3)$ at the cubic transition.Comment: 14 pages, 9 figure

SUSY breaking mediation mechanisms and (g-2)_\mu, B -> X_s \gamma, B -> X_{s} l^+ l^- and B_s -> \mu^+ \mu^-

We show that there are qualitative differences in correlations among $(g-2)_{\mu}$, $B\to X_s \gamma$, $B \to X_{s} l^+ l^-$ and $B_s \to \mu^+ \mu^-$ in various SUSY breaking mediation mechanisms: minimal supergravity (mSUGRA), gauge mediation (GMSB), anomaly mediation (AMSB), gaugino mediation ($\tilde{g}$MSB), weakly and strongly interacting string theories, and $D$ brane models. After imposing the direct search limits on the Higgs boson and SUSY particle search limits and $B\to X_s \gamma$ branching ratio, we find all the scenarios can accommodate the $a_\mu \equiv (g-2)_\mu /2$ in the range of (a few tens)$\times 10^{-10}$, and predict that the branching ratio for $B\to X_s l^+ l^-$ can differ from the standard model (SM) prediction by $\pm 20$ but no more. On the other hand, the $B_s \to \mu^+ \mu^-$ is sensitive to the SUSY breaking mediation mechanisms through the pseudoscalar and stop masses ($m_A$ and $m_{\tilde{t}_1}$), and the stop mixing angle. In the GMSB with a small messenger number, the AMSB, the $\tilde{g}$MSB and the noscale scenarios, one finds that $B(B_s \to \mu^+ \mu^-) \lesssim 2 \times 10^{-8}$, which is below the search limit at the Tevatron Run II. Only the mSUGRA or string inspired models can generate a large branching ratio for this decay.Comment: 40 pages, 21 figures (to appear in JHEP

Heavy quarkonium: progress, puzzles, and opportunities

A golden age for heavy quarkonium physics dawned a decade ago, initiated by the confluence of exciting advances in quantum chromodynamics (QCD) and an explosion of related experimental activity. The early years of this period were chronicled in the Quarkonium Working Group (QWG) CERN Yellow Report (YR) in 2004, which presented a comprehensive review of the status of the field at that time and provided specific recommendations for further progress. However, the broad spectrum of subsequent breakthroughs, surprises, and continuing puzzles could only be partially anticipated. Since the release of the YR, the BESII program concluded only to give birth to BESIII; the $B$-factories and CLEO-c flourished; quarkonium production and polarization measurements at HERA and the Tevatron matured; and heavy-ion collisions at RHIC have opened a window on the deconfinement regime. All these experiments leave legacies of quality, precision, and unsolved mysteries for quarkonium physics, and therefore beg for continuing investigations. The plethora of newly-found quarkonium-like states unleashed a flood of theoretical investigations into new forms of matter such as quark-gluon hybrids, mesonic molecules, and tetraquarks. Measurements of the spectroscopy, decays, production, and in-medium behavior of c\bar{c}, b\bar{b}, and b\bar{c} bound states have been shown to validate some theoretical approaches to QCD and highlight lack of quantitative success for others. The intriguing details of quarkonium suppression in heavy-ion collisions that have emerged from RHIC have elevated the importance of separating hot- and cold-nuclear-matter effects in quark-gluon plasma studies. This review systematically addresses all these matters and concludes by prioritizing directions for ongoing and future efforts.Comment: 182 pages, 112 figures. Editors: N. Brambilla, S. Eidelman, B. K. Heltsley, R. Vogt. Section Coordinators: G. T. Bodwin, E. Eichten, A. D. Frawley, A. B. Meyer, R. E. Mitchell, V. Papadimitriou, P. Petreczky, A. A. Petrov, P. Robbe, A. Vair

Muon anomalous magnetic moment, B→XsγB\to X_s \gamma and dark matter detection in the string models with dilaton domination

We consider the muon anomalous magnetic moment $a_{\mu}$ in the string models with dilaton domination with two different string scales : the usual GUT scale and the intermediate scale. After imposing the direct search limits on the lightest neutral Higgs and SUSY particle masses and the lightest neutralino LSP, the $a_{\mu}^{\rm SUSY}$ is predicted to be less than $65 (55) \times 10^{-10}$ for $M_{string} = 2 \times 10^{16}$ GeV ($3 \times 10^{11}$ GeV). If we further impose the $B\to X_s \gamma$ branching ratio, the predicted $a_{\mu}^{\rm SUSY}$ becomes lower to $35 \times 10^{-10}$ for intermediate string scale. The resulting LSP - proton scattering cross section is less than $\sim 10^{-7}$ pb, which is below the sensitivity of the current direct dark matter search experiments, but could be covered by future experiments.Comment: PRD accepted versio

Interpreting the New Brookhaven g_mu - 2 Result

The latest g_mu - 2 measurement by Brookhaven confirms the earlier measurement with twice the precision. However, interpretation of the result requires specific assumptions regarding the errors in the hadronic light by light (LbL) correction and in the hadronic vacuum polarization correction. Under the assumption that the analysis on LbL correction of Knecht and Nyffeler and the revised analysis of Hayakawa and Kinoshita are valid the new BNL result implies a deviation between experiment and the standard model of 1.6 sigma -2.6 sigma depending on the estimate of the hadronic vacuum polarization correction. We revisit the g_mu - 2 constraint for mSUGRA and its implications for the direct detection of sparticles at colliders and for the search for supersymmetric dark matter in view of the new evaluation.Comment: 15 pages, Latex including 3 figure