Probing Supersymmetric Model with Heavy Sfermions Using Leptonic Flavor and CP Violations

We study leptonic flavor and CP violating observables in supersymmetric (SUSY) models with heavy sfermions, which is motivated by the recent results of the LHC experiments (i.e., the discovery of the Higgs-like boson with the mass of about 126 GeV and the negative searches for the superparticles). Even if the sfermion masses are of O(10-100 TeV), signals may be within the reach of future leptonic flavor- and CP-violation experiments assuming that the off-diagonal elements of the sfermion mass matrices are unsuppressed compared to the diagonal ones. We also consider the SUSY contribution to the K0-K0bar mixing paraemters; we show that the leptonic observables can become as powerful as those in K0-K0bar mixing to constrain SUSY models.Comment: 13 pages, 4 figures, published versio

Lepton Flavor Violations in High-Scale SUSY with Right-Handed Neutrinos

Motivated by the recent discovery of the Higgs boson at m_h = 126 GeV and also by the non-observation of superparticles at the LHC, high-scale SUSY, where the superparticles are as heavy as O(10) TeV, has been recently proposed. We study lepton-flavor violations (LFVs) in the high-scale SUSY with right-handed neutrinos. Even if the slepton masses are of O(10) TeV, the renormalization group (RG) effects on the slepton mass-squared matrix may induce large enough LFVs which are within the reach of future LFV experiments. We also discuss the implication of the right-handed neutrinos on the electroweak symmetry breaking in such a model, and show that the parameter region with the successful electroweak symmetry breaking is enlarged by the RG effects due to the right-handed neutrinos.Comment: 11 pages, 3 figure

Simulation of Long-Period Ground Motion near a Large Earthquake

We estimated the possible range of long-period ground motion for sites located on a soft sedimentary basin in the immediate vicinity of a large earthquake. Since many large cities in the world (e.g., Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Tokyo) where many large structures have been recently constructed are located in this type of environment, a better understanding of long-period ground motion is becoming increasingly important. Our objective is to estimate the possible range of long-period ground motion, rather than ground motion for a specific fault model. We computed ground-motion time series and pseudo-velocity response spectra (PVS) for more than 5,000 models for the 1923 Kanto, Japan, earthquake (M_W = 7.9) using 180 slip distributions, eight rupture geometry, and rupture velocities ranging from 1.5 to 3.0 km/sec. Two seismograms recorded in Tokyo during the 1923 Kanto earthquake are used for comparison. The response spectra computed using seismologically reasonable sets of source parameters for the 1923 Kanto earthquake vary by more than an order of magnitude. At periods of 10 to 13 sec, they range from 25 to 170 cm/sec in Tokyo. For some combinations of model parameters, the response spectra exhibit peaks in the range of 10 to 13 sec. Many of the computed response spectra have peaks at periods longer than 10 sec, which is considerably longer than the dominant period (6 to 8 sec) estimated from studies of small earthquakes and microtremor measurements. Thus, the dominant period of the subsurface structure determined locally may not be representative of the dominant period of ground motion from a nearby large earthquake, which is controlled by rupture directivity and source depth. We performed a similar simulation for a hypothetical M_W = 7.5 earthquake located beneath the Los Angeles basin. For a site just above the center of the fault, the ground-motion spectral amplitude at a period of 10 sec can vary from 50 to 350 cm/sec. This range, though very large, is what is expected for a seismologically plausible range of source parameters

Novel migrating mouse neural crest cell assay system utilizing P0-Cre/EGFP fluorescent time-lapse imaging

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Neural crest cells (NCCs) are embryonic, multipotent stem cells. Their long-range and precision-guided migration is one of their most striking characteristics. We previously reported that <it>P0-Cre/CAG-CAT-lacZ </it>double-transgenic mice showed significant lacZ expression in tissues derived from NCCs.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In this study, by embedding a <it>P0-Cre/CAG-CAT-EGFP </it>embryo at E9.5 in collagen gel inside a culture glass slide, we were able to keep the embryo developing <it>ex vivo </it>for more than 24 hours; this development was with enough NCC fluorescent signal intensity to enable single-cell resolution analysis, with the accompanying NCC migration potential intact and with the appropriate NCC response to the extracellular signal maintained. By implantation of beads with absorbed platelet-derived growth factor-AA (PDGF-AA), we demonstrated that PDGF-AA acts as an NCC-attractant in embryos.</p> <p>We also performed assays with NCCs isolated from <it>P0-Cre/CAG-CAT-EGFP </it>embryos on culture plates. The neuromediator 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) has been known to regulate NCC migration. We newly demonstrated that dopamine, in addition to 5-HT, stimulated NCC migration <it>in vitro</it>. Two NCC populations, with different axial levels of origins, showed unique distribution patterns regarding migration velocity and different dose-response patterns to both 5-HT and dopamine.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Although avian species predominated over the other species in the NCC study, our novel system should enable us to use mice to assay many different aspects of NCCs in embryos or on culture plates, such as migration, division, differentiation, and apoptosis.</p

Role of p53 mutation in the effect of boron neutron capture therapy on oral squamous cell carcinoma

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is a selective radiotherapy, being effective for the treatment of even advanced malignancies in head and neck regions as well as brain tumors and skin melanomas. To clarify the role of p53 gene, the effect of BNCT on oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) cells showing either wild- (SAS/neo) or mutant-type (SAS/mp53) p53 was examined.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Cells were exposed to neutron beams in the presence of boronophenylalanine (BPA) at Kyoto University Research Reactor. Treated cells were monitored for modulations in colony formation, proliferation, cell cycle, and expression of cell cycle-associated proteins.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>When SAS/neo and SAS/mp53 cells were subjected to BNCT, more suppressive effects on colony formation and cell viability were observed in SAS/neo compared with SAS/mp53 cells. Cell cycle arrest at the G1 checkpoint was observed in SAS/neo, but not in SAS/mp53. Apoptotic cells increased from 6 h after BNCT in SAS/neo and 48 h in SAS/mp53 cells. The expression of p21 was induced in SAS/neo only, but G2 arrest-associated proteins including Wee1, cdc2, and cyclin B1 were altered in both cell lines.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>These results indicate that oral SCC cells with mutant-type are more resistant to BNCT than those with wild-type p53, and that the lack of G1 arrest and related apoptosis may contribute to the resistance. At a physical dose affecting the cell cycle, BNCT inhibits oral SCC cells in p53-dependent and -independent manners.</p

The Association between Utilization of Media Information and Current Health Anxiety Among the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Disaster Evacuees

The 2011 nuclear disaster in Fukushima was not only a health disaster, but also an information disaster. Although media can promote health communication following disasters, studies have revealed associations between media information and negative psychological reactions. To clarify the relationship between media utilization and current health anxiety due to radiation exposure, a cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted in Fukushima. We selected 2000 subjects from evacuation (i.e., 500) and non-evacuation (i.e., 1500) areas by two-stage stratified random sampling. As the independent variable, participants were asked about current health anxiety due to radiation exposure at the time of answering the questionnaire. For utilization of media about radiation exposure, local media, national media, Internet media, public broadcasts, and public relations information from local government were set as the dependent variables. Questionnaire data were analyzed by evacuation type (i.e., forced/voluntary). In a multivariate logistic regression analysis, the use of public relations information was significantly associated with lower anxiety for the forced evacuees (odds ratio: 0.72; 95% confidence interval: 0.56–0.93). Our findings highlight the importance of public relations information from local government in terms of it being associated with lower current health anxiety, and this could potentially aid in preparing for future disasters

Thermal neutron flux evaluation by a single crystal CVD diamond detector in LHD deuterium experiment

The single crystal CVD diamond detector (SDD) was installed in the torus hall of the Large Helical Device (LHD) to measure neutrons with high time resolution and neutron energy resolution. The LiF foil with 95.62 % of 6Li isotope enrichment pasted on the detector was used as the thermal neutron convertor as the energetic ions of 2.0 MeV alpha and 2.7 MeV triton particles generated in LiF foil and deposited the energy into SDD. SDD were exposed to the neutron field in the torus hall of the LHD during the 2nd campaign of the deuterium experiment. The total pulse height in SDD was linearly propotional to the neutron yield in a plasma operation in LHD over 4 orders of magnitude. The energetic alpha and triton were separately measured by SDD with LiF with the thickness of 1.9 μm, although SDD with LiF with the thickness of 350 μm showed a broadened peak due to the large energy loss of energetic particles generated in the bulk of LiF. The modeling with MCNP and PHITS codes well interpreted the pulse height spectra for SDD with LiF with different thicknesses. The results above demonstrated the sufficient time resolution and energy discrimination of SDD used in this work