1,354 research outputs found
Naturalness from runaways in direct mediation
Postulating that the NMSSM singlet is a meson of a microscopic confining
theory opens up new model-building possibilities. Based on this, we construct
calculable models of direct mediation that solve the mu/Bmu problem and
simultaneously lead to realistic phenomenology. The singlet that couples to the
Higgs fields develops a runaway produced by soft interactions, then stabilized
by a small superpotential perturbation. The mechanism is first realized in an
O'Raifeartaigh model of direct gauge mediation with metastable supersymmetry
breaking. Focusing then on the microscopic theory, we argue that super QCD with
massless and massive flavors in the free magnetic phase gives rise to this
dynamics in the infrared. A deformation of the SQCD superpotential leads to
large spontaneous R-symmetry breaking, gaugino masses naturally at the scale of
the Higgs mass parameters, and absence of CP violating phases.Comment: 31 pages. Version 2: Reference added, minor change
Modifications of Gait as Predictors of Natural Osteoarthritis Progression in STR/Ort Mice
OBJECTIVE: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common chronic disease for which disease-modifying therapies are not currently available. Studies to seek new targets for slowing the progress of OA rely on mouse models, but these do not allow for longitudinal monitoring of disease development. This study was undertaken to determine whether gait can be used to measure disease severity in the STR/Ort mouse model of spontaneous OA and whether gait changes are related to OA joint pain. METHODS: Gait was monitored using a treadmill-based video system. Correlations between OA severity and gait at 3 treadmill speeds were assessed in STR/Ort mice. Gait and pain behaviors of STR/Ort mice and control CBA mice were analyzed longitudinally, with monthly assessments. RESULTS: The best speed to identify paw area changes associated with OA severity in STR/Ort mice was found to be 17 cm · seconds(−1). Paw area was modified with age in CBA and STR/Ort mice, but this began earlier in STR/Ort mice and correlated with the onset of OA at 20 weeks of age. In addition, task noncompliance appeared at 20 weeks. Surprisingly, STR/Ort mice did not show any signs of pain with OA development, even when treated with the opioid antagonist naloxone, but did exhibit normal pain behaviors in response to complete Freund's adjuvant–induced arthritis. CONCLUSION: The present results identify an animal model in which OA severity and OA pain can be studied in isolation from one another. The findings suggest that paw area and treadmill noncompliance may be useful tools to longitudinally monitor nonpainful OA development in STR/Ort mice. This will help in providing a noninvasive means of assessing new therapies to slow the progression of OA
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Care planning and co-ordination: imperfect solutions in a complex world
Care planning and co-ordination are central to the delivery of comprehensive mental health care especially where individuals have complex health and social care needs. Although the terms are often used together they clearly imply different sets of processes, practices and ultimately experiences for individuals using and working in services. Care planning involves professionals (nurses, doctors, social workers and others) and the person needing care collaborating on goals, making shared written records and agreeing when to review progress
'You should be helping him, he's trying to do something about it':the dilemma of heroin use, agonist opioid treatment and employment
Promoting Early Presentation (PEP) intervention for breast cancer in primary care project data
The intervention (the Promoting Early Presentation (PEP) Intervention) was originally developed by Kings College, London and was the subject of a successful randomised control trial of older women aged 67+ attending for mammography screening, where the intervention was delivered by radiographers. The ultimate aim of the PEP Intervention is to equip women with the knowledge, skills, confidence and motivation to present promptly to their GPs on discovering breast symptoms, and thereby improve survival. The study found that the PEP intervention increased breast cancer awareness more than four-fold after two years compared with usual care.This follow-on research project aimed to determine the efficacy of the intervention when it is delivered in a general practice setting. The main health outcome of interest is breast cancer awareness, measured during recruitment to the project, one month after receiving the intervention and twelve months after receiving the intervention
A High Luminosity e+e- Collider to study the Higgs Boson
A strong candidate for the Standard Model Scalar boson, H(126), has been
discovered by the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) experiments. In order to study
this fundamental particle with unprecedented precision, and to perform
precision tests of the closure of the Standard Model, we investigate the
possibilities offered by An e+e- storage ring collider. We use a design
inspired by the B-factories, taking into account the performance achieved at
LEP2, and imposing a synchrotron radiation power limit of 100 MW. At the most
relevant centre-of-mass energy of 240 GeV, near-constant luminosities of 10^34
cm^{-2}s^{-1} are possible in up to four collision points for a ring of 27km
circumference. The achievable luminosity increases with the bending radius, and
for 80km circumference, a luminosity of 5 10^34 cm^{-2}s^{-1} in four collision
points appears feasible. Beamstrahlung becomes relevant at these high
luminosities, leading to a design requirement of large momentum acceptance both
in the accelerating system and in the optics. The larger machine could reach
the top quark threshold, would yield luminosities per interaction point of
10^36 cm^{-2}s^{-1} at the Z pole (91 GeV) and 2 10^35 cm^{-2}s^{-1} at the W
pair production threshold (80 GeV per beam). The energy spread is reduced in
the larger ring with respect to what is was at LEP, giving confidence that beam
polarization for energy calibration purposes should be available up to the W
pair threshold. The capabilities in term of physics performance are outlined.Comment: Submitted to the European Strategy Preparatory Group 01-04-2013 new
version as re-submitted to PRSTA
'You should be helping him, he's trying to do something about it':the dilemma of heroin use, agonist opioid treatment and employment
The PRISMS taxonomy of self-management support: derivation of a novel taxonomy and initial testing of its utility
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