Higgs →\rightarrow μτ\mu\tau as an indication for S4S_4 flavor symmetry

Lepton flavor violating Higgs decays can arise in flavor symmetry models where the Higgs sector is responsible for both the electroweak and the flavor symmetry breaking. Here we advocate an $S_4$ three-Higgs-doublet model where tightly constrained flavor changing neutral currents are suppressed by a remnant $Z_3$ symmetry. A small breaking of this $Z_3$ symmetry can explain the $2.4\,\sigma$ excess of Higgs decay final states with a $\mu \tau$ topology reported recently by CMS if the new neutral scalars are light. The model also predicts sizable rates for lepton flavor violating Higgs decays in the $e\tau$ and $e \mu$ channels because of the unifying $S_4$ flavor symmetry.Comment: 15+9 pages, 7 figures, updated for publication in PR

Neutrino Masses and Absence of Flavor Changing Interactions in the 2HDM from Gauge Principles

We propose several Two Higgs Doublet Models with the addition of an Abelian gauge group which free the usual framework from flavor changing neutral interactions and explain neutrino masses through the seesaw mechanism. We discuss the kinetic and mass-mixing gripping phenomenology which encompass several constraints coming from atomic parity violation, the muon anomalous magnetic moment, rare meson decays, Higgs physics, LEP precision data, neutrino-electron scattering, low energy accelerators and LHC probes.Comment: 54 pages, 10 figure

The Dark Sequential Z' Portal: Collider and Direct Detection Experiments

We revisit the status of a Majorana fermion as a dark matter candidate when a sequential Z' gauge boson dictates the dark matter phenomenology. Direct dark matter detection signatures rise from dark matter-nucleus scatterings at bubble chamber and liquid xenon detectors, and from the flux of neutrinos from the Sun measured by the IceCube experiment, which is governed by the spin-dependent dark matter-nucleus scattering. On the collider side, LHC searches for dilepton and mono-jet + missing energy signals play an important role. The relic density and perturbativity requirements are also addressed. By exploiting the dark matter complementarity we outline the region of parameter space where one can successfully have a Majorana dark matter particle in light of current and planned experimental sensitivities.Comment: 22 pages, 6 figure

A Two Higgs Doublet Model for Dark Matter and Neutrino Masses

Motivated by the interesting features of Two Higgs Doublet Models (2HDM) we present a 2HDM extension where the stability of dark matter, neutrino masses and the absence of flavor changing interactions are explained by promoting baryon and lepton number to gauge symmetries. Neutrino masses are addressed within the usual type I seesaw mechanism. A vector-like fermion acts as dark matter and it interacts with Standard Model particles via the kinetic and mass mixings between the neutral gauge bosons. We compute the relevant observables such as the dark matter relic density and spin-independent scattering cross section to outline the region of parameter space that obeys current and projected limits from collider and direct detection experiments via thermal and non-thermal dark matter production.Comment: 9 pages, 3 figure

An Analysis of Colombian Perceptions: Internal and External Actors and the Pursuit of Peace

Florida International University’s Jack D. Gordon Institute for Public Policy (JGI) and the Kimberly Green Latin American and Caribbean Center (LACC) conducted a study to understand Colombian perceptions towards internal and external actors and Colombia’s pursuit of peace. The study revolved around the analysis of 14 focus groups conducted in seven Colombian cities: Barranquilla, Bogotá, Cali, Cartagena, Cúcuta, Medellín, and Pasto. The results of these focus groups reflect the opinions and perceptions of those who participated in the study.https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/jgi_research/1024/thumbnail.jp

Efectos en el dolor y en la función de la implementación de un plan de intervención de terapia manual ortopédica a un programa de ejercicios en pacientes con desplazamiento de disco con reducción con dolor.

Los trastornos temporomandibulares (TTM) se definen como problemas clínicos que involucran la musculatura masticatoria, la articulación temporomandibular (ATM), así como las estructuras asociadas. El desplazamiento de disco con reducción (DDCR) es uno de los TTM más comunes y uno de los principales motivos de consulta en la práctica clínica. El DDCR es un trastorno biomecánico intracapsular que involucra el complejo cóndilo-disco, y se caracteriza por el chasquido que produce el movimiento de apertura y cierre de la boca. El tratamiento que presenta mayor evidencia científica es la aplicación de ejercicio terapéutico (ET), el cual se define como un ejercicio planificado y realizado con el objetivo de mejorar parámetros como la fuerza, el rango de movimiento, flexibilidad, coordinación o resistencia. El ET se ha utilizado en otros TTM demostrando una disminución del dolor, un aumento del rango de movimiento y una mejora de la función, el principal objetivo del ET en los sujetos con DDCR es la recaptura del disco para eliminar el chasquido. A pesar de la evidencia científica que existe de la aplicación del ET en los sujetos con DDCR no hay estudios que incluyan sujetos con DDCR que presenten dolor, por lo tanto resulta interesante estudiar los efectos del ET en este tipo de pacientes. Considerando las características clínicas de los sujetos con DDCR con dolor se propone a un programa de ET agregar TMO ya que es una especialidad de la fisioterapia que proporciona un tratamiento integral y conservador del dolor y otros síntomas musculo-esqueléticos.Los objetivos de la TMO en los TTM son disminuir el dolor, aumentar el rango de movimiento y mejorar la función. A pesar de la gran cantidad de publicaciones que existen sobre el ET y la TMO en los TTM, no se ha evaluado su efectividad en pacientes con DDCR con dolor, por lo que no se conocen los efectos en sus diferentes variables clínicas .El objetivo de este estudio fue comparar el efecto a corto y medio plazo de la implementación de un plan de intervención de TMO a un programa de ET frente a un programa de ET aplicado de forma aislada o la no intervención en el dolor y la función de la región temporomandibular en pacientes con DDCR con dolor. Se realizo un ensayo clínico, aleatorizado, controlado y simple ciego. Los sujetos fueron incluidos al estudio si presentaban diagnóstico clínico de DDCR, dolor y perdida de la función. Se excluyeron si presentaban antecedentes quirúrgicos de la ATM, si existía alguna contraindicación de la TMO, si se encontraban en tratamiento odontológico o medicamentoso y si no cumplían con las condiciones del grupo establecido. Los pacientes del estudio se aleatorizaron en tres grupos, 25 sujetos a un grupo que realizaba ejercicio terapéutico, un grupo que realizaba ejercicio terapéutico aunado a un programa de terapia manual ortopédica y un grupo control que no recibió intervención. Las variables dependientes fueron la presencia del chasquido, función mandibular, discapacidad cervical, dolor y rango de movimiento de la ATM.Los resultados de este estudio sugieren que añadir TMO a un programa de ET es más efectivo que el programa de ET aplicado de forma aislada a medio plazo para eliminar el chasquido, mejorar la función, disminuir el dolor en la región temporomandibular, aumentar la apertura de la boca libre de dolor, aumentar la apertura de la boca libre de chasquido en pacientes con DDCR con dolor. En conclusión, el agregar TMO a un programa de ET mejora las características clínicas de los sujetos con DDCR con dolor a medio plazo.<br /

Human recombinant glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase 1 (GOT1) supplemented with oxaloacetate induces a protective effect after cerebral ischemia

Blood glutamate scavenging is a novel and attractive protecting strategy to reduce the excitotoxic effect of extracellular glutamate released during ischemic brain injury. Glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase 1 (GOT1) activation by means of oxaloacetate administration has been used to reduce the glutamate concentration in the blood. However, the protective effect of the administration of the recombinant GOT1 (rGOT1) enzyme has not been yet addressed in cerebral ischemia. The aim of this study was to analyze the protective effect of an effective dose of oxaloacetate and the human rGOT1 alone and in combination with a non-effective dose of oxaloacetate in an animal model of ischemic stroke. Sixty rats were subjected to a transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). Infarct volumes were assessed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) before treatment administration, and 24 h and 7 days after MCAO. Brain glutamate levels were determined by in vivo MR spectroscopy (MRS) during artery occlusion (80 min) and reperfusion (180 min). GOT activity and serum glutamate concentration were analyzed during the occlusion and reperfusion period. Somatosensory test was performed at baseline and 7 days after MCAO. The three treatments tested induced a reduction in serum and brain glutamate levels, resulting in a reduction in infarct volume and sensorimotor deficit. Protective effect of rGOT1 supplemented with oxaloacetate at 7 days persists even when treatment was delayed until at least 2 h after onset of ischemia. In conclusion, our findings indicate that the combination of human rGOT1 with low doses of oxaloacetate seems to be a successful approach for stroke treatment.Ministeiro de Economía y Competitividad de EspañaXunta de Galicia /Consellería Economía IndustriaXunta de Galicia/ Consellería EducaciónInstituto de Salud Carlos IIISpanish Research Network on Cerebrovascular Diseases RETICS-INVICTUSFundación Mútua MadrileñaEuropean Union program FEDEREspaña. Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad/SAF2011-30517Xunta de Galicia /Consellería Economía Industria/10PXIB918282PRXunta de Galicia / Consellería Educación/ CN2011/010Instituto de Salud Carlos III/PI11/00909Instituto de Salud Carlos III/CP12/03121Spanish Research Network on Cerebrovascular Diseases RETICS-INVICTUS /RD12/0014Instituto de Salud Carlos III/PI10/00449Instituto de Salud Carlos III/PI12/0311

Assessing the regional impacts of Mexico City emissions on air quality and chemistry

The impact of Mexico City (MCMA) emissions is examined by studying its effects on air quality, photochemistry, and on ozone production regimes by combining model products and aircraft observations from the MILAGRO experiment during March 2006. The modeled influence of MCMA emissions to enhancements in surface level NOx [NO subscript x], CO, and O3 [O subscript 3] concentrations (10–30% increase) are confined to distances <200 km, near surface. However, the extent of the influence is significantly larger at higher altitudes. Broader MCMA impacts (some 900 km Northeast of the city) are shown for specific outflow conditions in which enhanced ozone, NOy [NO subscript y], and MTBE mixing ratios over the Gulf of Mexico are linked to MCMA by source tagged tracers and sensitivity runs. This study shows that the "footprint" of MCMA on average is fairly local, with exception to reactive nitrogen, which can be transported long range in the form of PAN, acting as a reservoir and source of NOx [NO subscript x] with important regional ozone formation implications. The simulated effect of MCMA emissions of anthropogenic aerosol on photochemistry showed a maximum regional decrease of 40% in J[NO2→NO+O] [J [NO subscript 2 → NO + O]], and resulting in the reduction of ozone production by 5–10%. Observed ozone production efficiencies are evaluated as a function of distance from MCMA, and by modeled influence from MCMA. These tend to be much lower closer to MCMA, or in those points where modeled contribution from MCMA is large. This research shows that MCMA emissions do effect on regional air quality and photochemistry, both contributing large amounts of ozone and its precursors, but with caveat that aerosol concentrations hinder formation of ozone to its potential due to its reduction in photolysis rates.United States. National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationNational Science Foundation (U. S.) (ATM award 0528227