The mu problem and sneutrino inflation

We consider sneutrino inflation and post-inflation cosmology in the singlet extension of the MSSM with approximate Peccei-Quinn(PQ) symmetry, assuming that supersymmetry breaking is mediated by gauge interaction. The PQ symmetry is broken by the intermediate-scale VEVs of two flaton fields, which are determined by the interplay between radiative flaton soft masses and higher order terms. Then, from the flaton VEVs, we obtain the correct mu term and the right-handed(RH) neutrino masses for see-saw mechanism. We show that the RH sneutrino with non-minimal gravity coupling drives inflation, thanks to the same flaton coupling giving rise to the RH neutrino mass. After inflation, extra vector-like states, that are responsible for the radiative breaking of the PQ symmetry, results in thermal inflation with the flaton field, solving the gravitino problem caused by high reheating temperature. Our model predicts the spectral index to be n_s\simeq 0.96 due to the additional efoldings from thermal inflation. We show that a right dark matter abundance comes from the gravitino of 100 keV mass and a successful baryogenesis is possible via Affleck-Dine leptogenesis.Comment: 27 pages, no figures, To appear in JHE

NSUSY fits

We perform a global fit to Higgs signal-strength data in the context of light stops in Natural SUSY. In this case, the Wilson coefficients of the higher dimensional operators mediating g g -> h and h -> \gamma \gamma, given by c_g, c_\gamma, are related by c_g = 3 (1 + 3 \alpha_s/(2 \pi)) c_\gamma/8. We examine this predictive scenario in detail, combining Higgs signal-strength constraints with recent precision measurements of m_W, b-> s \gamma constraints and direct collider bounds on weak scale SUSY, finding regions of parameter space that are consistent with all of these constraints. However it is challenging for the allowed parameter space to reproduce the observed Higgs mass value with sub-TeV stops. We discuss some of the direct stop discovery prospects and show how global Higgs fits can be used to exclude light stop parameter space difficult to probe by direct collider searches. We determine the current status of such indirect exclusions and estimate their reach by the end of the 8 TeV LHC run.Comment: 41 pages, 13 figures. v3: final JHEP version, b to s gamma updated to latest data and typos correcte

Prospects for the development of probiotics and prebiotics for oral applications

There has been a paradigm shift towards an ecological and microbial community-based approach to understanding oral diseases. This has significant implications for approaches to therapy and has raised the possibility of developing novel strategies through manipulation of the resident oral microbiota and modulation of host immune responses. The increased popularity of using probiotic bacteria and/or prebiotic supplements to improve gastrointestinal health has prompted interest in the utility of this approach for oral applications. Evidence now suggests that probiotics may function not only by direct inhibition of, or enhanced competition with, pathogenic micro-organisms, but also by more subtle mechanisms including modulation of the mucosal immune system. Similarly, prebiotics could promote the growth of beneficial micro-organisms that comprise part of the resident microbiota. The evidence for the use of pro or prebiotics for the prevention of caries or periodontal diseases is reviewed, and issues that could arise from their use, as well as questions that still need to be answered, are raised. A complete understanding of the broad ecological changes induced in the mouth by probiotics or prebiotics will be essential to assess their long-term consequences for oral health and disease