Neutrino Mass from R-parity Violation in Split Supersymmetry

We investigate how the observed neutrino data can be accommodated by R-parity violation in Split Supersymmetry. The atmospheric neutrino mass and mixing are explained by the bilinear parameters $\xi_i$ inducing the neutrino-neutralino mixing as in the usual low-energy supersymmetry. Among various one-loop corrections, only the quark-squark exchanging diagrams involving the order-one trilinear couplings $\lambda'_{i23,i32}$ can generate the solar neutrino mass and mixing if the scalar mass $m_S$ is not larger than $10^9$ GeV. This scheme requires an unpleasant hierarchical structure of the couplings, e.g., $\lambda_{i23,i32}\sim 1$, $\lambda'_{i33} \lesssim 10^{-4}$ and $\xi_i \lesssim 10^{-6}$. On the other hand, the model has a distinct collider signature of the lightest neutralino which can decay only to the final states, $l_i W^{(*)}$ and $\nu Z^{(*)}$, arising from the bilinear mixing. Thus, the measurement of the ratio; $\Gamma(e W^{(*)}) : \Gamma(\mu W^{(*)}) : \Gamma(\tau W^{(*)})$ would provide a clean probe of the small reactor and large atmospheric neutrino mixing angles as far as the neutralino mass is larger than 62 GeV.Comment: 10 pages, 3 figures, version submitted to JHE

Global Biobank Meta-analysis Initiative : Powering genetic discovery across human disease

Funding Information: The work of the contributing biobanks was supported by numerous grants from governmental and charitable bodies. Biobank-specific acknowledgments and more detailed acknowledgments are included in Data S2. Initiative management, S.B.C. J.C. N.J.C. M.J.D. E.E.K. A.R.M. B.M.N. Y.O. A.V.P. D.A.v.H. R.G.W. C.J.W. W.Z. and S.Z.; individual biobank analysis, A.B. Y.B. B.M.B. C.D.B. S.C. T.-T.C. K.C. S.M.D. M.D. G.H.d.B. Y.D. N.J.D. M.-J.F. Y.-C.A.F. S.F. V.L.F. L.G.F. E.R.G. T.R.G. D.H.G. C.R.G. G.G.-A. S.E.G. L.A.G. C.H. J.B.H. W.E.H. H.H. K.H. N.I. A.I. R.J. M. Kurki, J.K. N.K. E.E.K. J.T.K. M. Kanai, T.L. K.L. M.H.L. S.L. K.L. Y.-F.L. V.L.F. R.J.F.L. E.A.L.-M. A.R.-M. S.M.-G. R.M. R.E.M. H.C.M. A.R.M. Y.M. H.M. S.E.M. I.Y.M. B.M. S.M. K.N. S.N. M.A.N.-A. K.N. Y.O. P.P. A.L.-P. A.P. B.P. S.P. M.H.P. D.J.R. N.R. M.D.R. A.R. C.S. S.S. S.S.S. J.A.S. P.S. I.S. T.T. R.T. K.T. J.U. D.A.v.H. B.V. M.V. Y.V. J.M.V. R.G.W. Y.W. S.J.W. B.N.W. K.-H.H.W. M.Z. X.Z. and S.Z.; individual biobank management, N.A. A.A.T. K.M.A.-D. P.A. K.C.B. M. Boehnke, M. Boezen, C.D.B. A.C. Z.C. C.-Y.C. J.C. N.J.C. S.M.D. S.F. Y.-C.A.F. S.F. E.F. T.G. C.R.G. C.J.G. Y.G. H.H. K.A.H. K.H. S.I.I. N.M.J. N.K. E.E.K. J.T.K. C.L. M.H.L. M.T.M.L. L.L. K.L. Y.-F.L. R.J.F.L. J.L. S.M. Y.M. K.M. I.Y.M. Y.O. C.M.O. A.V.P. B.P. D.J.P. D.J.R. M.D.R. S.S. J.W.S. H.S. K.S. T.T. U.T. R.C.T. D.A.v.H. M.V. R.G.W. D.C.W. C.W. J.W. M.Z. X.Z. and S.Z.; study design and interpretation of results, A.B. M. Boehnke, M. Boezen, B.M.B. T.-T.C. C.-Y.C. M.J.D. G.D.S. N.J.D. S.F. M.-J.F. H.K.F. E.R.G. A.G. T.G. J.B.H. J.H. K.H. R.J. M.K. E.E.K. T.K. C.M.L. V.L.F. E.A.L.-M. A.R.M. S.N. B.M.N. C.M.O. J.J.P. B.P. N.R. H.R. J.A.S. I.S. K.T. D.A.v.H. R.G.W. Y.W. D.C.W. S.J.W. C.J.W. B.N.W. J.W. K.-H.H.W. M.Z. H.Z. J.Z. W.Z. X.Z. and S.Z.; drafted and edited the paper, A.B. M. Boehnke, M. Boezen, M.J.D. G.H.d.B. N.J.D. T.R.G. J.B.H. N.I. N.M.J. M.K. V.L.F. S.M. A.R.M. H.M. S.N. B.M.N. C.M.O. B.P. H.R. C.S. J.A.S. J.W.S. K.T. Y.W. D.C.W. C.J.W. K.-H.H.W. H.Z. J.Z. W.Z. and S.Z.; primary meta-analysis and quality control, M.J.D. H.K.F. M. Kanai, J.K. J.T.K. M. Kurki, M.M. B.M.N. C.J.W. K.-H.H.W. and W.Z.; drug discovery: S.N. T.K. K.-H.H.W. W.Z. and Y.O.; fine mapping, M. Kanai, W.Z. M.J.D. and H.K.F.; polygenic risk score, Y.W. S.N. E.A.L.-M. S.K. K.T. K.L. M. Kanai, W.Z. K.W. M.-J.F. L.B. P.A. P.D. V.L.F. R.M. Y.M. B.B. S.S. J.U. E.R.G. N.J.C. I.S. Y.O. A.R.M. and J.B.H.; proteome-wide Mendelian randomization, H.Z. H.R. A.B. G.H. G.D.S. B.M.B. W.Z. B.M.N. T.R.G. and J.Z.; transcriptome-wide association study, A.B. J.B.H. W.Z. J.Z. M. Kanai, B.P. E.R.G. and N.J.C.; asthma, K.T. W.Z. Y.W. M. Kanai, S.N. Y.O. B.M.N. M.J.D. and A.R.M.; heart failure, K.-H.H.W. N.J.D. B.N.W. I.S. S.E.G. J.B.H. N.J.C. M.P. R.J.F.L. M.J.D. B.M.N. W.Z. W.E.H. and C.J.W.; idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, J.J.P. W.Z. M.J.D. J.T.K. N.J.C. and J.B.H.; primary open-angle glaucoma, V.L.F. A.B. W.Z. Y.W. K.L. M. Kanai, E.A.L.-M. P.S. R.T. X.Z. S.N. S.S. Y.O. N.I. S.M. H.S. I.S. C.W. A.R.M. E.R.G. N.M.J. N.J.C. and J.B.H.; stroke, I.S. K.-H.H.W. W.H. B.N.W. W.Z. J.E.H. A.P. B.B. A.H.S. M.E.G. R.G.W. K.H. C.K. S.Z. M.J.D. B.M.N. and C.J.W.; venous thromboembolism, B.N.W. I.S. K.-H.H.W. B.B. V.L.F. K.T. M.D. B.N. W.Z. J.A.S. and C.J.W. All authors reviewed the manuscript. M.J.D. is a founder of Maze Therapeutics. B.M.N. is a member of the scientific advisory board at Deep Genomics and a consultant for Camp4 Therapeutics, Takeda Pharmaceutical, and Biogen. The spouse of C.J.W. works at Regeneron Pharmaceuticals. C.-Y.C. is employed by Biogen. C.R.G. owns stock in 23andMe, Inc. T.R.G. has received research funding from various pharmaceutical companies to support the application of Mendelian randomization to drug target prioritization. E.E.K. has received speaker fees from Regeneron, Illumina, and 23andMe and is a member of the advisory board for Galateo Bio. R.E.M. has received speaker fees from Illumina and is a scientific advisor to the Epigenetic Clock Development Foundation. G.D.S. has received research funding from various pharmaceutical companies to support the application of Mendelian randomization to drug target prioritization. K.S. and U.T. are employed by deCODE Genetics/Amgen, Inc. J.Z. has received research funding from various pharmaceutical companies to support the application of Mendelian randomization to drug target prioritization. S.M. is a co-founder of and holds stock in Seonix Bio. Publisher Copyright: © 2022Biobanks facilitate genome-wide association studies (GWASs), which have mapped genomic loci across a range of human diseases and traits. However, most biobanks are primarily composed of individuals of European ancestry. We introduce the Global Biobank Meta-analysis Initiative (GBMI)—a collaborative network of 23 biobanks from 4 continents representing more than 2.2 million consented individuals with genetic data linked to electronic health records. GBMI meta-analyzes summary statistics from GWASs generated using harmonized genotypes and phenotypes from member biobanks for 14 exemplar diseases and endpoints. This strategy validates that GWASs conducted in diverse biobanks can be integrated despite heterogeneity in case definitions, recruitment strategies, and baseline characteristics. This collaborative effort improves GWAS power for diseases, benefits understudied diseases, and improves risk prediction while also enabling the nomination of disease genes and drug candidates by incorporating gene and protein expression data and providing insight into the underlying biology of human diseases and traits.Peer reviewe

Is population screening for abdominal aortic aneurysm cost-effective?

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is responsible for 1–2% of all male deaths over the age of 65 years. Early detection of AAA and elective surgery can reduce the mortality risk associated with AAA. However, many patients will not be diagnosed with AAA and have therefore an increased death risk due to the untreated AAA. It has been suggested that population screening for AAA in elderly males is effective and cost-effective. The purpose of this study was to perform a systematic review of published cost-effectiveness analyses of screening elderly men for AAA.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We performed a systematic search for economic evaluations in NHSEED, EconLit, Medline, Cochrane, Embase, Cinahl and two Scandinavian HTA data bases (DACEHTA and SBU). All identified studies were read in full and each study was systematically assessed according to international guidelines for critical assessment of economic evaluations in health care.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The search identified 16 cost-effectiveness studies. Most studies considered only short term cost consequences. The studies seemed to employ a number of "optimistic" assumptions in favour of AAA screening, and included only few sensitivity analyses that assessed less optimistic assumptions.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Further analyses of cost-effectiveness of AAA screening are recommended.</p

Final follow-up of the Multicentre Aneurysm Screening Study (MASS) randomized trial of abdominal aortic aneurysm screening.

BACKGROUND: The long-term effects of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) screening were investigated in extended follow-up from the UK Multicentre Aneurysm Screening Study (MASS) randomized trial. METHODS: A population-based sample of men aged 65-74 years were randomized individually to invitation to ultrasound screening (invited group) or to a control group not offered screening. Patients with an AAA (3·0 cm or larger) detected at screening underwent surveillance and were offered surgery after predefined criteria had been met. Cause-specific mortality data were analysed using Cox regression. RESULTS: Some 67 770 men were enrolled in the study. Over 13 years, there were 224 AAA-related deaths in the invited group and 381 in the control group, a 42 (95 per cent confidence interval 31 to 51) per cent reduction. There was no evidence of effect on other causes of death, but there was an overall reduction in all-cause mortality of 3 (1 to 5) per cent. The degree of benefit seen in earlier years of follow-up was slightly diminished by the occurrence of AAA ruptures in those with an aorta originally screened normal. About half of these ruptures had a baseline aortic diameter in the range 2·5-2·9 cm. It was estimated that 216 men need to be invited to screening to save one death over the next 13 years. CONCLUSION: Screening resulted in a reduction in all-cause mortality, and the benefit in AAA-related mortality continued to accumulate throughout follow-up. REGISTRATION NUMBER: ISRCTN37381646 (http://www.controlled-trials.com)

Final follow-up of the Multicentre Aneurysm Screening Study (MASS) randomized trial of abdominal aortic aneurysm screening.

BACKGROUND: The long-term effects of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) screening were investigated in extended follow-up from the UK Multicentre Aneurysm Screening Study (MASS) randomized trial. METHODS: A population-based sample of men aged 65-74 years were randomized individually to invitation to ultrasound screening (invited group) or to a control group not offered screening. Patients with an AAA (3·0 cm or larger) detected at screening underwent surveillance and were offered surgery after predefined criteria had been met. Cause-specific mortality data were analysed using Cox regression. RESULTS: Some 67 770 men were enrolled in the study. Over 13 years, there were 224 AAA-related deaths in the invited group and 381 in the control group, a 42 (95 per cent confidence interval 31 to 51) per cent reduction. There was no evidence of effect on other causes of death, but there was an overall reduction in all-cause mortality of 3 (1 to 5) per cent. The degree of benefit seen in earlier years of follow-up was slightly diminished by the occurrence of AAA ruptures in those with an aorta originally screened normal. About half of these ruptures had a baseline aortic diameter in the range 2·5-2·9 cm. It was estimated that 216 men need to be invited to screening to save one death over the next 13 years. CONCLUSION: Screening resulted in a reduction in all-cause mortality, and the benefit in AAA-related mortality continued to accumulate throughout follow-up. REGISTRATION NUMBER: ISRCTN37381646 (http://www.controlled-trials.com)