Probing Supersymmetric Flavor Models with ϵ′/ϵ\epsilon'/\epsilon

We discuss the supersymmetric contribution to $\epsilon'/\epsilon$ in various supersymmetric flavor models. We find that in alignment models the supersymmetric contribution could be significant while in heavy squark models it is expected to be small. The situation is particularly interesting in models that solve the flavor problems by either of the above mechanisms and the remaining CP problems by means of approximate CP, that is, all CP violating phases are small. In such models, the standard model contributions cannot account for $\epsilon'/\epsilon$ and a failure of the supersymmetric contributions to do so would exclude the model. In models of alignment and approximate CP, the supersymmetric contributions can account for $\epsilon'/\epsilon$ only if both the supersymmetric model parameters and the hadronic parameters assume rather extreme values. Such models are then strongly disfavored by the $\epsilon'/\epsilon$ measurements. Models of heavy squarks and approximate CP are excluded.Comment: 16 pages, harvmac. v2: We added a discussion of the intriguing implications that would follow if a recent lattice result is confirme

An empirical analysis of habit and addiction to antibiotics

Because of bacterial resistance, current antibiotic consumption is reinforced by past use, and future utility is lower. The purpose of this article is to provide evidence on habit and addictive behavior toward antibiotics by exploring variations in the average consumption of antibiotics across 20 Italian regions. Using a balanced panel data set (2000-2009), we estimate myopic and rational addiction models, in which antibiotic consumption depends upon demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of the population, the supply of health care in the community, antibiotic price, and the "capital stock” of endogenous bacterial resistance measured by past and future consumption. Our empirical evidence shows that past antibiotic consumption stimulates current consumption and is also consistent with the rational addiction hypothesis. The low price elasticity of antibiotic demand suggests that policy measures targeted at antibiotic co-payments may not be effective in controlling antibiotic consumption. There is scope for other policy interventions, such as incentives and information campaigns targeted at doctor

Direct CP violation in K->3pi decays induced by SUSY chromomagnetic penguins

An analysis of the CP violating asymmetry in $K^\pm \to (3\pi)^\pm$ decays in the Standard Model and, by means of the mass insertion approximation, in a wide class of possible supersymmetric extensions, is presented. We find that the natural order of magnitude for this asymmetry is \cO(10^{-5}) in both cases. Within supersymmetric models effects as large as \cO(10^{-4}) are possible, but only in a restricted range of the relevant parameters.Comment: Latex, 11 pages, 1 figur

Two-body nonleptonic B decays in the Standard Model and beyond

We briefly discuss the phenomenology of B to pi pi, B to K pi and B to phi K decays in the Standard Model and in Supersymmetry.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figures, uses moriond.sty. Talk given by L. Silvestrini at the XXXIXth Rencontres de Moriond on ElectroWeak Interactions and Unified Theories, La Thuile, Aosta Valley, Italy, March 21st-28th 200

Fermion Virtual Effects in e+e−−>W+W−e^+ e^- -> W^+ W^- Cross Section

We analyse the contribution of new heavy virtual fermions to the $e^+e^- \rightarrow W^+W^-$ cross section. We find that there exists a relevant interplay between trilinear and bilinear oblique corrections. The result strongly depends on the chiral or vector--like nature of the new fermions. As for the chiral case we consider sequential fermions: one obtains substantial deviation from the Standard model prediction, making the effect possibly detectable at $\sqrt{s}=500$ or $1000$ GeV linear colliders. As an example for the vector--like case we take a SUSY extension with heavy charginos and neutralinos: due to cancellation, the final effect turns out to be negligible.Comment: uuencoded, gz-compressed, tar-ed file. 8 pages, 4 EPS figures, uses EPSFIG.ST

Increasing smoking cessation adherence: Do we need to consider the role of executive function and rumination?

Despite the cost and health consequences, a large number of people continue to smoke cigarettes worldwide every day. Notwithstanding, there have been a number of interventions to help people stop smoking but, in general, these have produced only limited success, and better interventions are needed. Accruing evidence affirmed that rumination and executive function play a pivotal role in cigarette smoking behavior, and in this editorial, we describe and discuss the key findings between these constructs and smoking, and argue that an impairment in executive functions does not act alone, but interacts with rumination by directing attention to depressive thoughts, thereby reducing the ability of smokers to engage in constructive behaviors, such as quitting smoking. Finally, we offer a new theory-driven model based on a deep understanding of the interactions between executive functions and rumination and potential moderator effects

Hybrid Inflation from Supersymmetric SU(5)

A scheme of hybrid inflation is considered in the framework of the minimal supersymmetric SU(5) model with an extra singlet. The relevant role of the cubic term in the adjoint representation in the renormalizable superpotential is pointed out in order to have a quite wide region of initial conditions compatible with inflation efficiency, monopole density and perturbations constraint.Comment: Latex file, 12 pages, 2 figures, revised version with discussion of mass spectrum extended and computation of the spectral index adde