Moore's Dilemma

In 1918 GE Moore questioned the assumptions behind traditional sense-datum theories and offered the Multiple Relational Theory of Appearing, which he said could not be ruled out as a possible alternative. In 1953, Moore eventually came to reject the alternative and recommend endorsement of the traditional sense-datum theory again. This paper explores what Moore’s reservations in 1918 were, what the correct interpretation of the Multiple Relation Theory should be, and why it made sense for him ultimately to reject it. Moore’s paper throws light both on the nature of the argument from illusion as used in the sense-datum tradition, but also as it has been appealed to in more recent discussions of intentional theories of perception

Minimal Gaugomaly Mediation

Mixed anomaly and gauge mediation ("gaugomaly'' mediation) gives a natural solution to the SUSY flavor problem with a conventional LSP dark matter candidate. We present a minimal version of gaugomaly mediation where the messenger masses arise directly from anomaly mediation, automatically generating a messenger scale of order 50 TeV. We also describe a simple relaxation mechanism that gives rise to realistic mu and B mu terms. B is naturally dominated by the anomaly-mediated contribution from top loops, so the mu/B mu sector only depends on a single new parameter. In the minimal version of this scenario the full SUSY spectrum is determined by two continuous parameters (the anomaly- and gauge-mediated SUSY breaking masses) and one discrete parameter (the number of messengers). We show that these simple models can give realistic spectra with viable dark matter.Comment: 18 pages, 4 figures; v2: corrected example generating non-holomorphic Kahler term

When Anomaly Mediation is UV Sensitive

Despite its successes---such as solving the supersymmetric flavor problem---anomaly mediated supersymmetry breaking is untenable because of its prediction of tachyonic sleptons. An appealing solution to this problem was proposed by Pomarol and Rattazzi where a threshold controlled by a light field deflects the anomaly mediated supersymmetry breaking trajectory, thus evading tachyonic sleptons. In this paper we examine an alternate class of deflection models where the non-supersymmetric threshold is accompanied by a heavy, instead of light, singlet. The low energy form of this model is the so-called extended anomaly mediation proposed by Nelson and Weiner, but with potential for a much higher deflection threshold. The existence of this high deflection threshold implies that the space of anomaly mediated supersymmetry breaking deflecting models is larger than previously thought.Comment: 14 pages, 1 figure (version to appear in JHEP

Refining the scalar and tensor contributions in τ→πππντ\tau\to \pi\pi\pi\nu_\tau decays

In this article we analyze the contribution from intermediate spin-0 and spin-2 resonances to the $\tau\to\nu \pi\pi\pi$ decay by means of a chiral invariant Lagrangian incorporating these mesons. In particular, we study the corresponding axial-vector form-factors. The advantage of this procedure with respect to previous analyses is that it incorporates chiral (and isospin) invariance and, hence, the partial conservation of the axial-vector current. This ensures the recovery of the right low-energy limit, described by chiral perturbation theory, and the transversality of the current in the chiral limit at all energies. Furthermore, the meson form-factors are further improved by requiring appropriate QCD high-energy conditions. We end up with a brief discussion on its implementation in the Tauola Monte Carlo and the prospects for future analyses of Belle's data.Comment: 32 pages, 13 figures. Extended discussion on the numerical importance of the tensor and scalar resonances and the parametrization of the scalar propagator. Version published in JHE

(Extra)Ordinary Gauge/Anomaly Mediation

We study anomaly mediation models with gauge mediation effects from messengers which have a general renormalizable mass matrix with a supersymmetry-breaking spurion. Our models lead to a rich structure of supersymmetry breaking terms in the visible sector. We derive sum rules among the soft scalar masses for each generation. Our sum rules for the first and second generations are the same as those in general gauge mediation, but the sum rule for the third generation is different because of the top Yukawa coupling. We find the parameter space where the tachyonic slepton problem is solved. We also explore the case in which gauge mediation causes the anomalously small gaugino masses. Since anomaly mediation effects on the gaugino masses exist, we can obtain viable mass spectrum of the visible sector fields.Comment: 24 pages, 10 figure

Construction of Lp\mathcal L^p-strong Feller Processes via Dirichlet Forms and Applications to Elliptic Diffusions

We provide a general construction scheme for $\mathcal L^p$-strong Feller processes on locally compact separable metric spaces. Starting from a regular Dirichlet form and specified regularity assumptions, we construct an associated semigroup and resolvents of kernels having the $\mathcal L^p$-strong Feller property. They allow us to construct a process which solves the corresponding martingale problem for all starting points from a known set, namely the set where the regularity assumptions hold. We apply this result to construct elliptic diffusions having locally Lipschitz matrix coefficients and singular drifts on general open sets with absorption at the boundary. In this application elliptic regularity results imply the desired regularity assumptions

Renormalization in General Gauge Mediation

We revisit General Gauge Mediation (GGM) in light of the supersymmetric (linear) sigma model by utilizing the current superfield. The current superfield in the GGM is identified with supersymmetric extension of the vector symmetry current of the sigma model while spontaneous breakdown of supersymmetry in the GGM corresponds to soft breakdown of the axial vector symmetry of the sigma model. We first derive the current superfield from the supersymmetric linear sigma model and then compute 2-point functions of the current superfield using the (anti-)commutation relations of the messenger component fields. After the global symmetry are weakly gauged, the 2-point functions of the current superfield are identified with a part of the 2-point functions of the associated vector superfield. We renormalize them by dimensional regularization and show that physical gaugino and sfermion masses of the MSSM are expressed in terms of the wavefunction renormalization constants of the component fields of the vector superfield.Comment: 25 pages, 12 figure

Higgs mass and vacuum stability in the Standard Model at NNLO

We present the first complete next-to-next-to-leading order analysis of the Standard Model Higgs potential. We computed the two-loop QCD and Yukawa corrections to the relation between the Higgs quartic coupling (lambda) and the Higgs mass (Mh), reducing the theoretical uncertainty in the determination of the critical value of Mh for vacuum stability to 1 GeV. While lambda at the Planck scale is remarkably close to zero, absolute stability of the Higgs potential is excluded at 98% C.L. for Mh < 126 GeV. Possible consequences of the near vanishing of lambda at the Planck scale, including speculations about the role of the Higgs field during inflation, are discussed.Comment: 35 pages, 8 figures. Final published version, misprints fixed, figures update

NLSP Gluino Search at the Tevatron and early LHC

We investigate the collider phenomenology of gluino-bino co-annihilation scenario both at the Tevatron and 7 TeV LHC. This scenario can be realized, for example, in a class of realistic supersymmetric models with non-universal gaugino masses and t-b-\tau Yukawa unification. The NLSP gluino and LSP bino should be nearly degenerate in mass, so that the typical gluino search channels involving leptons or hard jets are not available. Consequently, the gluino can be lighter than various bounds on its mass from direct searches. We propose a new search for NLSP gluino involving multi-b final states, arising from the three-body decay \tilde{g}-> b\bar{b}\tilde{\chi}_1^0. We identify two realistic models with gluino mass of around 300 GeV for which the three-body decay is dominant, and show that a 4.5 \sigma observation sensitivity can be achieved at the Tevatron with an integrated luminosity of 10 fb^{-1}. For the 7 TeV LHC with 50 pb^{-1} of integrated luminosity, the number of signal events for the two models is O(10), to be compared with negligible SM background event.Comment: 14 pages, 4 figures and 3 tables, minor modifications made and accepted for publication in JHE

A randomised controlled trial to assess the effectiveness of a single session of nurse administered massage for short term relief of chronic non-malignant pain

Background: Massage is increasingly used to manage chronic pain but its benefit has not been clearly established. The aim of the study is to determine the effectiveness of a single session of nurse-administered massage for the short term relief of chronic non-malignant pain and anxiety. Methods: A randomised controlled trial design was used, in which the patients were assigned to a massage or control group. The massage group received a 15 minute manual massage and the control group a 15 minute visit to talk about their pain. Adult patients attending a pain relief unit with a diagnosis of chronic pain whose pain was described as moderate or severe were eligible for the study. An observer blind to the patients' treatment group carried out assessments immediately before (baseline), after treatment and 1, 2, 3 and 4 hours later. Pain was assessed using 100 mm visual analogue scale and the McGill Pain Questionnaire. Pain Relief was assessed using a five point verbal rating scale. Anxiety was assessed with the Spielberger short form State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Results: 101 patients were randomised and evaluated, 50 in the massage and 51 in the control group. There were no statistically significant differences between the groups at baseline interview. Patients in the massage but not the control group had significantly less pain compared to baseline immediately after and one hour post treatment. 95% confidence interval for the difference in mean pain reduction at one hour post treatment between the massage and control groups is 5.47 mm to 24.70 mm. Patients in the massage but not the control group had a statistically significant reduction in anxiety compared to baseline immediately after and at 1 hour post treatment. Conclusion: Massage is effective in the short term for chronic pain of moderate to severe intensity