Determination of MSSM Parameters from LHC and ILC Observables in a Global Fit

We present the results of a realistic global fit of the Lagrangian parameters of the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model assuming universality for the first and second generation and real parameters. No assumptions on the SUSY breaking mechanism are made. The fit is performed using the precision of future mass measurements of superpartners at the LHC and mass and polarized topological cross-section measurements at the ILC. Higher order radiative corrections are accounted for whereever possible to date. Results are obtained for a modified SPS1a MSSM benchmark scenario but they were checked not to depend critically on this assumption. Exploiting a simulated annealing algorithm, a stable result is obtained without any a priori assumptions on the values of the fit parameters. Most of the Lagrangian parameters can be extracted at the percent level or better if theoretical uncertainties are neglected. Neither LHC nor ILC measurements alone will be sufficient to obtain a stable result. The effects of theoretical uncertainties arising from unknown higher-order corrections and parametric uncertainties are examined qualitatively. They appear to be relevant and the result motivates further precision calculations. The obtained parameters at the electroweak scale are used for a fit of the parameters at high energy scales within the bottom-up approach. In this way regularities at these scales are explored and the underlying model can be determined with hardly any theoretical bias. Fits of high-scale parameters to combined LHC+ILC measurements within the mSUGRA framework reveal that even tiny distortions in the low-energy mass spectrum already lead to inacceptable chi^2 values. This does not hold for ``LHC only'' inputs.Comment: 25 pages, 5 figure

Derivative corrections to the Born-Infeld action through beta-function calculations in N=2 boundary superspace

We calculate the beta-functions for an open string sigma-model in the presence of a U(1) background. Passing to N=2 boundary superspace, in which the background is fully characterized by a scalar potential, significantly facilitates the calculation. Performing the calculation through three loops yields the equations of motion up to five derivatives on the fieldstrengths, which upon integration gives the bosonic sector of the effective action for a single D-brane in trivial bulk background fields through four derivatives and to all orders in alpha'. Finally, the present calculation shows that demanding ultra-violet finiteness of the non-linear sigma-model can be reformulated as the requirement that the background is a deformed stable holomorphic U(1) bundle.Comment: 25 pages, numerous figure

A Role for Noncoding Variation in Schizophrenia

A large portion of common variant loci associated with genetic risk for schizophrenia reside within noncoding sequence of unknown function. Here, we demonstrate promoter and enhancer enrichment in schizophrenia variants associated with expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL). The enrichment is greater when functional annotations derived from the human brain are used relative to peripheral tissues. Regulatory trait concordance analysis ranked genes within schizophrenia genome-wide significant loci for a potential functional role, based on colocalization of a risk SNP, eQTL, and regulatory element sequence. We identified potential physical interactions of noncontiguous proximal and distal regulatory elements. This was verified in prefrontal cortex and -induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neurons for the L-type calcium channel (CACNA1C) risk locus. Our findings point to a functional link between schizophrenia-associated noncoding SNPs and 3D genome architecture associated with chromosomal loopings and transcriptional regulation in the brain

CD8+ T-cells count in acute myocardial infarction in HIV diseases in a predominantly male cohort

Human Immunodeficiency Virus- (HIV-) infected persons have a higher risk for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) than HIV-uninfected persons. Earlier studies suggest that HIV viral load, CD4+ T-cell count, and antiretroviral therapy are associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. Whether CD8+ T-cell count is associated with CVD risk is not clear. We investigated the association between CD8+ T-cell count and incident AMI in a cohort of 73,398 people (of which 97.3% were men) enrolled in the U.S. Veterans Aging Cohort Study-Virtual Cohort (VACS-VC). Compared to uninfected people, HIV-infected people with high baseline CD8+ T-cell counts (\u3e1065 cells/mm3) had increased AMI risk (adjusted , 95% CI: 1.46 to 2.28). There was evidence that the effect of CD8+ T-cell tertiles on AMI risk differed by CD4+ T-cell level: compared to uninfected people, HIV-infected people with CD4+ T-cell counts ≥200 cells/mm3 had increased AMI risk with high CD8+ T-cell count, while those with CD4+ T-cell counts \u3c200 cells/mm3 had increased AMI risk with low CD8+ T-cell count. CD8+ T-cell counts may add additional AMI risk stratification information beyond that provided by CD4+ T-cell counts alone

Expression and prognostic impact of lncRNAs in acute myeloid leukemia

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are transcripts longer than 200 nucleotides, located within the intergenic stretches or overlapping antisense transcripts of protein coding genes. LncRNAs are involved in numerous biological roles including imprinting, epigenetic regulation, apoptosis, and cell cycle. To determine whether lncRNAs are associated with clinical features and recurrent mutations in older patients (aged \u3e/=60 y) with cytogenetically normal (CN) acute myeloid leukemia (AML), we evaluated lncRNA expression in 148 untreated older CN-AML cases using a custom microarray platform. An independent set of 71 untreated older patients with CN-AML was used to validate the outcome scores using RNA sequencing. Distinctive lncRNA profiles were found associated with selected mutations, such as internal tandem duplications in the FLT3 gene (FLT3-ITD) and mutations in the NPM1, CEBPA, IDH2, ASXL1, and RUNX1 genes. Using the lncRNAs most associated with event-free survival in a training cohort of 148 older patients with CN-AML, we derived a lncRNA score composed of 48 lncRNAs. Patients with an unfavorable compared with favorable lncRNA score had a lower complete response (CR) rate [P \u3c 0.001, odds ratio = 0.14, 54% vs. 89%], shorter disease-free survival (DFS) [P \u3c 0.001, hazard ratio (HR) = 2.88] and overall survival (OS) (P \u3c 0.001, HR = 2.95). The validation set analyses confirmed these results (CR, P = 0.03; DFS, P = 0.009; OS, P = 0.009). Multivariable analyses for CR, DFS, and OS identified the lncRNA score as an independent marker for outcome. In conclusion, lncRNA expression in AML is closely associated with recurrent mutations. A small subset of lncRNAs is correlated strongly with treatment response and survival

Epidemiological and clinical characteristics of international travelers with enteric fever and antibiotic resistance profiles of their isolates: A GeoSentinel analysis

Copyright © 2020 American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved. Enteric fever, caused by Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi (S. Typhi) and S. enterica serovar Paratyphi (S. Paratyphi), is a common travel-related illness. Limited data are available on the antimicrobial resistance (AMR) patterns of these serovars among travelers. Records of travelers with a culture-confirmed diagnosis seen during or after travel from January 2007 to December 2018 were obtained from GeoSentinel. Traveler demographics and antimicrobial susceptibility data were analyzed. Isolates were classified as nonsusceptible if intermediate or resistant or as susceptible in accordance with the participating site’s national guidelines. A total of 889 travelers (S. Typhi infections, n = 474; S. Paratyphi infections, n = 414; coinfection, n = 1) were included; 114 (13%) were children of (41%) traveled to visit friends and relatives (VFRs) and acquired the infection in South Asia (71%). Child travelers with S. Typhi infection were most frequently VFRs (77%). The median trip duration was 31 days (interquartile range, 18 to 61 days), and 448 of 691 travelers (65%) had no pretravel consultation. Of 143 S. Typhi and 75 S. Paratyphi isolates for which there were susceptibility data, nonsusceptibility to antibiotics varied (fluoroquinolones, 65% and 56%, respectively; co-trimoxazole, 13% and 0%; macrolides, 8% and 16%). Two S. Typhi isolates (1.5%) from India were nonsusceptible to third-generation cephalosporins. S. Typhi fluoroquinolone nonsusceptibility was highest when infection was acquired in South Asia (70 of 90 isolates; 78%) and sub-Saharan Africa (6 of 10 isolates; 60%). Enteric fever is an important travel-associated illness complicated by AMR. Our data contribute to a better understanding of region-specific AMR, helping to inform empirical treatment options. Prevention measures need to focus on high-risk travelers including VFRs and children