243 research outputs found
Detecting an Invisibly Decaying Higgs Boson at a Hadron Supercollider
We demonstrate that an invisibly decaying Higgs boson with Standard Model
coupling strength to top--anti-top can be detected at the LHC for masses up to
about 250 GeV.Comment: 7 pages, requires phyzzx.tex and tables.tex, revised to convert
results from SSC to LHC and include additional top quark mass cases, full
postscript file including embedded figure available via anonymous ftp at
ucdhep.ucdavis.edu as [anonymous.gunion]hinvisible_revised.ps, preprint
UCD-93-2
Gauge Singlet Scalars as Cold Dark Matter
In light of recent interest in minimal extensions of the Standard Model and
gauge singlet scalar cold dark matter, we provide an arXiv preprint of the
paper, published as Phys.Rev. D50 (1994) 3637, which presented the first
detailed analysis of gauge singlet scalar cold dark matter.Comment: 37 pages, 11 figures, LaTe
CP Violation and Dark Matter
A brief review is given of the effects of CP violation on the direct
detection of neutralinos in dark matter detectors. We first summarize the
current developments using the cancellation mechanism which allows for the
existence of large CP violating phases consistent with experimental limits on
the electron and on the neutron electric dipole moments in a broad class of
SUSY, string and D brane models. We then discuss their effects on the
scattering of neutralinos from quarks and on the event rates. It is found that
while CP effects on the event rates can be enormous such effects are reduced
significantly with the imposition of the EDM constraints. However, even with
the inclusion of the EDM constraints the effects are still very significant and
should be included in a precision prediction of event rates in any SUSY, string
or D brane model.Comment: Based on an invited talk at the conference "Sources and Detection of
Dark Matter in the Universe", at Marina del Rey, CA, Feb. 23-25, 2000; 12
pages, Latex including 2 figure
Predictions of Neutralino Dark Matter Event Rates in Minimal Supergravity Unification
A detailed analysis of dark matter event rates in minimal supergravity models
(MSGM) is given. It is shown analytically that the lightest neutralino the
is the LSP over almost all of the parameter space, and
hence the natural candidate for cold dark matter (CDM). The radiative breaking
of constraints are shown to be crucial in determining the
expected event rates. Approximate analytic formulae are obtained to determine
the gaugino-higgsino content of the particle.From this one
can deduce the behavior of the event rates as one varies the SUSY soft breaking
parameters and tan . The constraint on the event rates due to the
recently measured decay is calculated. It is seen that
this data eliminates most of the parameter space where (the Higgs mixing
parameter) and (the t-quark cubic soft breaking parameter) have the same
sign. Since the t-quark is close to its Landau pole, is restricted to be
mostly positive, and so most of the part of the parameter space is
eliminated...Comment: Revised version for easier TeXing, with some typos corrected. 25
pages + 12 figs.The figs can be faxed on request
Non-Universal Soft SUSY Breaking and Dark Matter
An analysis is given of the effects of non-universal soft SUSY breaking
masses in the Higgs sector and in the third generation squark sector, and it is
shown that they are highly coupled. Analytic expressions are obtained for their
effects on the parameters and on the third generation squark masses.
Non-universality effects on dark matter event rates in neutralino-nucleus
scattering are analysed. It is found that the effects are maximal in the range
~GeV where the relic density is governed by the Z and
Higgs poles. In this range the minimum event rates can be increased or
decreased by factors of O(10) depending on the sign of non-universality. Above
this range Landau pole effects arising from the heavy top mass tend to suppress
the non-universality effects. The effect of more precise measurements of
cosmological parameters on event rates, which is expected to occur in the next
round of COBE like sattelite experiments, is also investigated. Implications
for the analysis for dark matter searches are discussed.Comment: 28 pages, latex, and 7 fig
Gaugino Mass Nonuniversality and Dark Matter in SUGRA, Strings and D Brane Models
The effects of nonuniversality of gaugino masses on dark matter are examined
within supersymmetric grand unification, and in string and D brane models with
R parity invariance. In SU(5) unified models nonuniversality in the gaugino
sector can be generated via the gauge kinetic energy function which may depend
on the 24, 75 and 200 dimensional Higgs representations. We also consider
string models which allow for nonuniversality of gaugino masses and D brane
models where nonuniversality arises from embeddings of the Standard Model gauge
group on five branes and nine branes. It is found that with gaugino mass
nonuniversality the range of the LSP mass can be extended much beyond the range
allowed in the universal SUGRA case, up to about 600 GeV even without
coannihilation effects in some regions of the parameter space. The effects of
coannihilation are not considered and inclusion of these effects may further
increase the allowed neutralino mass range. Similarly with the inclusion of
gaugino mass nonuniversality, the neutralino-proton () cross-section
can increase by as much as a factor of 10 in some of regions of the parameter
space. An analysis of the uncertainties in the quark density content of the
nucleon is given and their effects on cross-section are discussed.
The predictions of our analysis including nonuniversality is compared with the
current limits from dark matter detectors and implications for future dark
matter searches are discussed.Comment: Revised version, 23 pages, Latex, and 7 figure
Internet-based search of randomised trials relevant to mental health originating in the Arab world
BACKGROUND:
The internet is becoming a widely used source of accessing medical research through various on-line databases. This instant access to information is of benefit to busy clinicians and service users around the world. The population of the Arab World is comparable to that of the United States, yet it is widely believed to have a greatly contrasting output of randomised controlled trials related to mental health. This study was designed to investigate the existence of such research in the Arab World and also to investigate the availability of this research on-line.
METHODS:
Survey of findings from three internet-based potential sources of randomised trials originating from the Arab world and relevant to mental health care.
RESULTS:
A manual search of an Arabic online current contents service identified 3 studies, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and PsycINFO searches identified only 1 study, and a manual search of a specifically indexed, study-based mental health database, PsiTri, revealed 27 trials.
CONCLUSION:
There genuinely seem to be few trials from the Arab world and accessing these on-line was problematic. Replication of some studies that guide psychiatric/psychological practice in the Arab world would seem prudent
Twenty Years of SUGRA
A brief review is given of the developments of mSUGRA and its extensions
since the formulation of these models in 1982. Future directions and prospects
are also discussed.Comment: Invited talk at the International Conference BEYOND-2003, Schloss
Ringberg, Germany, June 10-14, 2003; 21 pages, Late
Exposure-in-vivo containing interventions to improve work functioning of workers with anxiety disorder: a systematic review
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Anxiety disorders are associated with functional disability, sickness absence, and decreased productivity. Effective treatments of anxiety disorders can result in remission of symptoms. However the effects on work related outcomes are largely unknown. Exposure in vivo is potentially well fit to improve work-related outcomes. This study systematically reviews the effectiveness of exposure-in-vivo containing interventions in reducing work-related adverse outcomes in workers with anxiety disorders.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A systematic study search was conducted in Medline, Cinahl, Embase and Psycinfo. Two reviewers independently extracted data and from each study assessed the quality of evidence by using the GRADE approach. We performed a meta-analysis if data showed sufficient clinical homogeneity.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Seven studies containing 11 exposure-in-vivo interventions were included. Four studies were focused on Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), two on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and one on a mixed group of OCD and severe phobias. The studies were grouped according to type of anxiety disorder and subsequently according to type of comparisons. For OCD, exposure-in-vivo containing interventions can yield better work-related outcomes compared to medication (SSRIs) and relaxation but not better compared to response prevention. The results on anxiety outcomes were similar. The net contribution of exposure in vivo in two OCD intervention programs is also presented as a meta-analysis and shows significant positive results on work role limitations. The calculated pooled effect size with 95% confidence interval was 0.72 (0.28, 1.15). For PTSD, exposure-in-vivo containing interventions can yield better work-related and anxiety-related outcomes compared to a waiting-list but not better compared to imaginal exposure.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Exposure in vivo as part of an anxiety treatment can reduce work-related adverse outcomes in workers with OCD and PTSD better than various other anxiety treatments or a waiting-list. We recommend that it should be studied how the results of these studies can be transferred to the practice of occupational health professionals and how clinicians can make better use of them to improve work-related outcomes. In future research, priority should be given to high-quality randomised controlled trials (RCTs) in which exposure-in-vivo containing interventions are applied to a variety of anxiety disorders and compared with other clinical anxiety treatments such as SSRIs. Work-related outcomes, in particular work functioning and sickness absence, need to be assessed with reliable and valid measures.</p
Internet-based cognitive behavior therapy for obsessive compulsive disorder: A pilot study
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) is widely regarded as an effective treatment for obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), but access to CBT therapists is limited. Internet-based CBT (ICBT) with therapist support is a way to increase access to CBT but has not been developed or tested for OCD. The aim of this study was to evaluate ICBT for OCD.</p> <p>Method</p> <p>An open trial where patients (N = 23) received a 15-week ICBT program with therapist support consisting of psychoeducation, cognitive restructuring and exposure with response prevention. The primary outcome was the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS), which was assessed by a psychiatrist before and immediately after treatment. Secondary outcomes were self-rated measures of OCD symptoms, depressive symptoms, general functioning, anxiety and quality of life. All assessments were made at baseline and post-treatment.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>All participants completed the primary outcome measure at all assessment points. There were reductions in OCD symptoms with a large within-group effect size (Cohen's <it>d </it>= 1.56). At post-treatment, 61% of participants had a clinically significant improvement and 43% no longer fulfilled the diagnostic criteria of OCD. The treatment also resulted in statistically significant improvements in self-rated OCD symptoms, general functioning and depression.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>ICBT with therapist support reduces OCD symptoms, depressive symptoms and improves general functioning. Randomized trials are needed to confirm the effectiveness of this new treatment format.</p> <p>Trial Registration</p> <p>ClinicalTrials.gov: <a href="http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01348529">NCT01348529</a></p
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