Flavour changing effects on e^+ e^- -> H b \bar{s}, H \bar{b} s in the MSSM

Flavour changing effects originating from the exchange of scalar particles in the processes e^+ e^- -> H b \bar{s}, H \bar{b} s, with H = h^0, H^0, A^0, are investigated in the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model with non-minimal flavour violation at the one-loop level. The dominating SUSY-QCD contributions with squark--gluino loops are calculated and discussed. We consider the SUSY scenario with non-minimal flavour mixing in the down-type squark-mass matrix. The flavour-changing cross sections are derived, and we discuss the dependence on the MSSM parameters and the strength of flavour mixing. The values for the cross section can reach 10^{-4} pb for the production of the heavy Higgs boson H^0 or A^0, and only 10^{-7} pb for the light Higgs boson h^0. Non-decoupling behaviour occurs for both h^0, H^0 production in the case of a common heavy SUSY mass scale.Comment: LaTeX, 20 pages, 11 figures. Discussion and references added. Published version in Eur.Phys.J.

Sociodemographic changes and trends in the rates of new perinatal HIV diagnoses and transmission in Spain from 1997 to 2015

Background There are not enough nationwide studies on perinatal HIV transmission in connection with a combination of antiretroviral treatments in Spain. Our objectives were to study sociodemographic changes and trends in the rates of HIV diagnoses and perinatal transmission in Spain from 1997 to 2015. Methods A retrospective study using data from Spanish Paediatric HIV Network (CoRISpe) and Spanish Minimum Basic Data Set (MDBS) was performed. HIV- diagnosed children between 1997 and 2015 were selected. Sociodemographic, clinical and immunovirological data of HIV-infected children and their mothers were studied in four calendar periods (P1: 1997-2000; P2: 2001-2005; P3: 2006-2010; P4: 2011-2015). Rates of perinatal HIV diagnoses and transmission from 1997 to 2015 were calculated. Results A total of 532 HIV-infected children were included in this study. Of these children, 406 were Spanish (76.3%) and 126 immigrants (23.7%). A decrease in the number of HIV diagnoses, 203 (38.2%) children in the first (P1), 149 (28%) in the second (P2), 130 (24.4%) in the third (P3) and 50 (9.4%) in the fourth (P4) calendar periods was studied. The same decrease in the Spanish HIV-infected children (P1, 174 (46.6%), P2, 115 (30.8%), P3, 65 (17.4%) and P4, 19 (5.1%)) was monitored. However, an increase in the number of HIV diagnoses by sexual contact (P1: 0%; P2: 1.3%; P3: 4.6%; P4: 16%) was observed. The rates of new perinatal HIV diagnoses and perinatal transmission in Spanish children decreased from 0.167 to 0.005 per 100,000 inhabitants and 11.4% to 0.4% between 1997 and 2015, respectively. Conclusions A decline of perinatal HIV diagnoses and transmission was observed. However, an increase of teen-agers HIV diagnoses with sexual infection was studied. Public awareness campaigns directed to teen-agers are advisable to prevent HIV infection by sexual contact

SUSY-QCD decoupling properties in H+ -> t \bar b decay

The SUSY-QCD radiative corrections to the \Gamma (H+ -> t \bar b) partial decay width are analyzed within the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model at the one-loop level, {\mathcal O}(\alpha_s), and in the decoupling limit. We present the analytical expressions of these corrections in the large SUSY masses limit and study the decoupling behaviour of these corrections in various limiting cases. We find that if the SUSY mass parameters are large and of the same order, the one loop SUSY-QCD corrections {\it do not decouple}. The non-decoupling contribution is enhanced by \tan \beta and therefore large corrections are expected in the large \tan \beta limit. In contrast, we also find that the SUSY-QCD corrections decouple if the masses of either the squarks or the gluinos are separately taken large.Comment: LaTeX, 33 pages, 7 figure included. Uses cite.st

SUSY-electroweak one-loop contributions to Flavour-Changing Higgs-Boson Decays

The SUSY-EW one-loop quantum contributions to flavour-changing MSSM Higgs-boson decays into $b \bar s$ and $s \bar b$ are computed and discussed. We use the full diagrammatic approach that is valid for all $\tan \beta$ values and do not rely on the mass-insertion approximation for the characteristic flavour-changing parameter. We analyze in full detail the dependence of these flavour-changing partial widths on all the relevant MSSM parameters and also study the non-decoupling behaviour of these widths with the SUSY mass parameters. We find that these contributions are sizable as compared to the SM ones, and together with the SUSY-QCD contributions they can be very efficient as an indirect method in the future search for Supersymmetry.Comment: LaTeX, 25 pages, 12 figures. Text improved and References added. Version to appear in Phys.Rev.

Automated scoring of collaterals, blood pressure, and clinical outcome after endovascular treatment in patients with acute ischemic stroke and large-vessel occlusion

Altres ajuts: Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación; Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER).Introduction: We aimed to determine whether the degree of collateral circulation is associated with blood pressure at admission in acute ischemic stroke patients treated with endovascular treatment and to determine its prognostic value. Methods: We evaluated patients with anterior large vessel occlusion treated with endovascular treatment in a single-center prospective registry. We collected clinical and radiological data. Automated and validated software (Brainomix Ltd., Oxford, UK) was used to generate the collateral score (CS) from the baseline single-phase CT angiography: 0, filling of ≤10% of the occluded MCA territory; 1, 11-50%; 2, 51-90%; 3, >90%. When dichotomized, we considered that CS was good (CS = 2-3), or poor (CS = 0-1). We performed bivariate and multivariable ordinal logistic regression analysis to predict CS categories in our population. The secondary outcome was to determine the influence of automated CS on functional outcome at 3 months. We defined favorable functional outcomes as mRS 0-2 at 3 months. Results: We included 101 patients with a mean age of 72.1 ± 13.1 years and 57 (56.4%) of them were women. We classified patients into 4 groups according to the CS: 7 patients (6.9%) as CS = 0, 15 (14.9%) as CS = 1, 43 (42.6%) as CS = 2 and 36 (35.6%) as CS = 3. Admission systolic blood pressure [aOR per 10 mmHg increase 0.79 (95% CI 0.68-0.92)] and higher baseline NIHSS [aOR 0.90 (95% CI, 0.84-0.96)] were associated with a worse CS. The OR of improving 1 point on the 3-month mRS was 1.63 (95% CI, 1.10-2.44) favoring a better CS (p = 0.016). Conclusion: In acute ischemic stroke patients with anterior large vessel occlusion treated with endovascular treatment, admission systolic blood pressure was inversely associated with the automated scoring of CS on baseline CT angiography. Moreover, a good CS was associated with a favorable outcome

Effective Higgs-quark-quark couplings from a heavy SUSY spectrum

In this paper we study the Yukawa Higgs-quark-quark interactions that are generated from radiative corrections of squarks and gluinos, in the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model. We compute the corrections to the effective action for Higgs and quark fields that are produced by explicit integration, in the path integral formalism, of all the squarks and gluinos, at the one-loop level and order $\alpha_s$. In addition, we consider the limit of nearly degenerate heavy squarks and gluinos, with masses much larger than the electroweak scale, and derive the effective Lagrangian containing all the relevant new local Higgs-quark-quark interactions. We show that these new interactions do remain non-vanishing, even in the case of infinitely heavy supersymmetric particles and, therefore, we demonstrate explicitly the non-decoupling behavior of squarks and gluinos in Higgs bosons physics. We present the set of new Yukawa couplings and finally derive the corresponding one-loop, order $\alpha_s$, corrections to the Higgs bosons partial decay widths into quarks.Comment: 21 pages, 1 ps figure. Version to appear in Phys. Rev,

PRAXIS: el Pràcticum al Grau de Pedagogia: mapa, simulació i immersió. (continuació).

El projecte d’innovació docent que presentem és la continuïtat del que es va atorgar el curs 2012-2013. Consta de la continuïtat en la implementació i anàlisi de la proposta d’innovació fonamentalment metodològica del Pràcticum al grau de Pedagogia, en les tres assignatures obligatòries que es troben coordinades sota una lògica de progressiva immersió en una institució de pràctiques. Així, la innovació que presentem per al present curs 2013-2014 es troba fonamentalment en la darrera assignatura de Pràctiques Externes, i alhora, dotant de coherència global en coordinació amb les altres dues assignatures. Durant el projecte PID anterior es van engegar les pràctiques externes, amb una mirada transdisciplinar, opten, per una part, per la immersió de l’alumnat en una organització, entesa la immersió com l'exposició intensiva d’aquest, a una organització. És una perspectiva sistèmica que considera les organitzacions com a sistemes complexos i holística perquè condueix a la integració unitària i globalitzadora de tots els coneixements de la persona. Per altra part, opten per sessions de pràctica reflexiva entre l’alumnat i el tutor de la universitat que han de permetre la transferència de coneixement, la reflexió al voltant de la relació existent entre el saber teòric i el saber experiencial en la vida professional. El tutor de la universitat i l’alumnat es reuniran per analitzar la pràctica, i les experiències de l’escenari professional. Durant aquest curs passat es va pilotar en dos tutores el portafolis digital per a l’avaluació de competències. La continuïtat pel proper curs ha estat d’implementar aquesta eina avaluativa a bona part del tutors. L’avaluació de les pràctiques es farà mitjançant la realització d’un portafolis digital, i implicarà l’autoavaluació de l’alumnat, la del tutor de l’organització de pràctiques, així com la del tutor de la universitat. També ens proposem, la sistematització i millora de les sessions de pràctica reflexiva, quant a la proposta temàtica relacionada amb els blocs de contingut i articulades al voltant de les diverses competències, tot donat continuïtat a les millores realitzades en el projecte d’innovació docent anterior. L’equip de coordinació del pràcticum i l’equip docent de l’assignatura de Pràctiques Externes ens proposem sistematitzar aquestes experiències i avaluar-les tot analitzant el seu potencial en l’alumnat pel desenvolupament de les competències que es plantegen en el pràcticum. També considerem fonamental donar continuïtat a les coordinacions de tot el conjunt del pràcticum implicant les altres dues assignatures: professionalització i sortides laborals i pràctiques d’iniciació professional. Donada la necessitat i valoracions rebudes entre els tres equips docents, pensem que s’ha de seguir apostant per aquesta via. En aquest sentit, l’aplicació de l’avaluació de competències transversals mitjançant el portafolis digital que aquest curs ho pilotarem a molts més grups de Pràctiques Externes, tenim la intencionalitat que en un futur sigui un recurs que acompanyi l’estudiantat en les tres assignatures. Finalment, consolidar la missió de constituir-nos com agents de transferència de coneixement. Actualment amb la programació d’una sèrie d’activitats institucionals que representaran l’inici d’una nova visió del Pràcticum de la Facultat de Pedagogia de la Universitat de Barcelona ho hem iniciat, però cal avançar més en aquesta direcció. És així com adquireix el sentit principal de seguir contribuint al ple desenvolupament com a persones, ciutadans i professionals dels nostres estudiants i a la millora de la competitivitat de les nostres empreses en un nou país més cohesionat, just i sostenible dins d’un món global i orientat al coneixement i la revalorització dels valors humans més fonamentals

Conduction system pacing vs. biventricular pacing in patients with ventricular dysfunction and AV block

Background: It is unknown whether His-Purkinje conduction system pacing (HPCSP), as either His bundle or left bundle branch pacing, could be an alternative to cardiac resynchronization therapy (BiVCRT) for patients with left ventricular dysfunction needing ventricular pacing due to atrioventricular block. The aim of the study is to compare the echocardiographic response and clinical improvement between HPCSP and BiVCRT. Methods: Consecutive patients who successfully received HPCSP were compared with a historical cohort of BiVCRT patients. Patients were 1:1 matched by age, LVEF, atrial fibrillation, renal function and cardiomyopathy type. Responders were defined as patients who survived, did not require heart transplantation and increased LVEF ≥5 points at 6-month follow-up. Results: HPCSP was successfully achieved in 92.5% (25/27) of patients. During follow-up, 8% (2/25) of HPCSP patients died and 4% (1/25) received a heart transplant, whereas 4% (1/25) of those in the BiVCRT cohort died. LVEF improvement was 10% ± 8% HPCSP versus 7% ± 5% BiVCRT (p = .24), and the percentage of responders was 76% (19/25) HPCSP versus 64% (16/25) BiVCRT (p = .33). Among survivors, the percentage of patients who improved from baseline II-IV mitral regurgitation (MR) to 0-I MR was 9/11 (82%) versus 2/8 (25%) (p = .02). Compared to those with BiVCRT, patients with HPCSP achieved better NYHA improvement: 1 point versus 0.5 (OR 0.34; p = .02). Conclusion: HPCSP in patients with LVEF ≤45% and atrioventricular block improved the LVEF and induced a response similar to that of BiVCRT. HPCSP significantly improved MR and NYHA functional class. HPCSP may be an alternative to BiVCRT in these patients. (Figure 1. Central Illustration). [Figure: see text]

Higgs Boson Theory and Phenomenology

Precision electroweak data presently favors a weakly-coupled Higgs sector as the mechanism responsible for electroweak symmetry breaking. Low-energy supersymmetry provides a natural framework for weakly-coupled elementary scalars. In this review, we summarize the theoretical properties of the Standard Model (SM) Higgs boson and the Higgs sector of the minimal supersymmetric extension of the Standard Model (MSSM). We then survey the phenomenology of the SM and MSSM Higgs bosons at the Tevatron, LHC and a future e+e- linear collider. We focus on the Higgs discovery potential of present and future colliders and stress the importance of precision measurements of Higgs boson properties.Comment: 90 pages, 31 figures. Revised version. To be published in Progress in Particle and Nuclear Physics. This paper with higher resolution figures can be found at http://scipp.ucsc.edu/~haber/higgsreview/higgsrev.p

Antibody conversion rates to SARS-CoV-2 in saliva from children attending summer schools in Barcelona, Spain.

Background: Surveillance tools to estimate viral transmission dynamics in young populations are essential to guide recommendations for school opening and management during viral epidemics. Ideally, sensitive techniques are required to detect low viral load exposures among asymptomatic children. We aimed to estimate SARS-CoV-2 infection rates in children and adult populations in a school-like environment during the initial COVID-19 pandemic waves using an antibody-based field-deployable and non-invasive approach. Methods: Saliva antibody conversion defined as ≥ 4-fold increase in IgM, IgA, and/or IgG levels to five SARS-CoV-2 antigens including spike and nucleocapsid constructs was evaluated in 1509 children and 396 adults by high-throughput Luminex assays in samples collected weekly in 22 summer schools and 2 pre-schools in 27 venues in Barcelona, Spain, from June 29th to July 31st, 2020. Results: Saliva antibody conversion between two visits over a 5-week period was 3.22% (49/1518) or 2.36% if accounting for potentially cross-reactive antibodies, six times higher than the cumulative infection rate (0.53%) assessed by weekly saliva RT-PCR screening. IgG conversion was higher in adults (2.94%, 11/374) than children (1.31%, 15/1144) (p=0.035), IgG and IgA levels moderately increased with age, and antibodies were higher in females. Most antibody converters increased both IgG and IgA antibodies but some augmented either IgG or IgA, with a faster decay over time for IgA than IgG. Nucleocapsid rather than spike was the main antigen target. Anti-spike antibodies were significantly higher in individuals not reporting symptoms than symptomatic individuals, suggesting a protective role against COVID-19. Conclusion: Saliva antibody profiling including three isotypes and multiplexing antigens is a useful and user-friendlier tool for screening pediatric populations to detect low viral load exposures among children, particularly while they are not vaccinated and vulnerable to highly contagious variants, and to recommend public health policies during pandemics