Contact interaction probes at the Linear Collider with polarized electron and positron beams

For contact-interaction searches at the Linear Collider, we discuss the advantages of polarizing both the electron and the positron beams as compared with polarizing only the electron beam. In particular, for the processes e^+e^-\to \mu^+\mu^-, \tau^+\tau^-, b\bar{b} and c\bar{c} at a future e^+e^- collider with \sqrt{s}=0.5 TeV we derive model-independent bounds on the four-fermion contact interaction parameters from studies of the helicity cross sections.Comment: 1+15 pages, LaTeX2e, including 7 figure

Primordial Bispectrum Information from CMB Polarization

After the precise observations of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) anisotropy power spectrum, attention is now being focused on the higher order statistics of the CMB anisotropies. Since linear evolution preserves the statistical properties of the initial conditions, observed non-Gaussianity of the CMB will mirror primordial non-Gaussianity. Single field slow-roll inflation robustly predicts negligible non-Gaussianity so an indication of non-Gaussianity will suggest alternative scenarios need to be considered. In this paper we calculate the information on primordial non-Gaussianity encoded in the polarization of the CMB. After deriving the optimal weights for a cubic estimator we evaluate the Signal-to-Noise ratio of the estimator for WMAP, Planck and an ideal cosmic variance limited experiment. We find that when the experiment can observe CMB polarization with good sensitivity, the sensitivity to primordial non-Gaussianity increases by roughly a factor of two. We also test the weakly non-Gaussian assumption used to derive the optimal weight factor by calculating the degradation factor produced by the gravitational lensing induced connected four-point function. The physical scales in the radiative transfer functions are largely irrelevant for the constraints on the primordial non-Gaussianity. We show that the total (S/N)^2 is simply proportional to the number of observed pixels on the sky.Comment: To be submitted to PRD, 25 pages, 6 figure

New physics signatures at a Linear Collider: model-independent analysis from `conventional' polarized observables

We discuss four-fermion contact-interaction searches in the processes e^+e^-\to\mu^+\mu^-, c{\bar c} and b{\bar b} at a future e^+e^- Linear Collider with c.m. energy \sqrt{s}=0.5 TeV and with both beams longitudinally polarized. Our analysis is based on the measurements of familiar polarized observables such as the total cross section and the forward-backward/left-right asymmetries, and accounts for the general set of contact interaction couplings as independent, non-zero, parameters thus avoiding simplifying, model-dependent, assumptions. We derive the corresponding model-independent constraints on the above-mentioned coupling constants, and evaluate the corresponding reach at the Linear Collider, emphasizing the role of beam polarization. We compare the results with a model-dependent procedure where only one coupling is varied at a time.Comment: 13 pages, including 3 figure

Consistency relation for single scalar inflation

Single scalar field inflation with a generic, non-quadratic in derivatives, field Lagrangian is considered. It is shown that non-Gaussianity of curvature perturbations is characterized by two dimensionless amplitudes. One of these amplitudes can be expressed in terms of the usual inflationary observables -- the scalar power, the tensor power, and the tensor index. This consistency relation provides an observational test for the single scalar inflation.Comment: 6 page

Experiences with the expansion of hospital accreditation into the developing world

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Boston UniversityMore developing countries are adopting hospital accreditation to improve the quality of their health systems, but it is uncertain whether accreditation standards and processes, largely borrowed from Western countries, are being adapted to fit each country's context. Three qualitative studies explore issues in assimilating hospital accreditation into developing countries, drawing mainly from experiences of two Southern African countries, Lesotho and Swaziland. Data sources included: archival records, documentary information, interviews, focus groups, expert panel surveys, and direct observations. Study 1, Explaining the expansion of hospital accreditation in the developing world, investigates the proposition that institutional theory largely explains the adoption of hospital accreditation in developing countries and how this external motivation influences the innovation process. Adoption of accreditation in developing countries is associated with the perceived contribution of accreditation to quality care in developed countries, endorsement of accreditation by key international players, and substantial donor support for implementing accreditation. This can result in less adaptation of Western accreditation practices, and this lack of local adaptation can hinder true assimilation and sustainability. Study 2, Connecting hospital accreditation with other quality improvement efforts in the developing world, explores the perceived connection between hospital accreditation and other quality improvement efforts and the effects of this com1ection on subsequent improvement efforts. This study found that hospital accreditation is laying important groundwork and establishing norms for future quality efforts, but is not being tied to more comprehensive national strategies for quality assurance and quality improvement. Study 3, Considerations in implementing hospital accreditation in the developing world, examines perceived appropriateness of hospital accreditation standards and processes implemented in Lesotho and Swaziland according to stakeholders in those health systems. Standards were perceived to be of high importance, fairly strong relevance, and moderate feasibility due to limited financial and human resources. Perceptions of the appropriateness of accreditation processes were strongly influenced by how accreditation was introduced to hospital staff, its gradual implementation, inclusion of hospital staff in the process, clearly defined role responsibilities, leadership commitment to accreditation, and implementation support. Overall, lower perceived control over accreditation standards and processes was linked to lower perceptions of appropriateness among hospital staff

Contact interactions and polarized beams at a Linear Collider

We discuss contact-interaction searches in the processes e^+e^-\to \mu^+\mu^-, b\bar{b} and c\bar{c} at an e^+e^- Linear Collider with c.m. energy \sqrt{s}=0.5 TeV and with longitudinally polarized beams. The measurement of polarized cross sections allows to study the individual helicity cross sections, and consequently to derive separate, model-independent, constraints on the four-fermion contact interaction couplings. We evaluate the reach on those parameters foreseeable in the case of both electron and positron polarization fixed at some reference values, and compare it with the situation where only electron polarization is available. The analysis is based on polarized integrated cross sections with optimal kinematical cuts that can improve the sensitivity to the relevant couplings. While electron polarization would by itself allow such an analysis, the additional positron polarization (with no loss of beam intensity) and optimization can have a crucial role in improving the sensitivity to the new interactions.Comment: 13 pages, LaTeX, including figure

Model-independent constraints on contact interactions from LEP2 data analysis

We derive model-independent constraints on four-fermion contact interaction-type dynamics from the published preliminary LEP2 experimental data on e^+e^- annihilation into \mu^+\mu^- and \tau^+\tau^- pairs, measured at different energies between 130 and 207 GeV. The basic observables are chosen to be the total cross section and the forward-backward asymmetry, and the analysis realistically takes into account data uncertainties and correlations among measurements at the various energies. The combination of data from different energy points plays an important role in the determination of regions allowed for the contact interaction coupling constants. In contrast to the more common one-parameter analyses, we only obtain constraints on pairs of parameters rather than limits on individual ones.Comment: 13 pages, LaTeX, including figures. v2: Included discussion of tau data, version to appear in EPJ

Two-band superconductors: Extended Ginzburg-Landau formalism by a systematic expansion in small deviation from the critical temperature

We derive the extended Ginzburg-Landau (GL) formalism for a clean s-wave two-band superconductor by employing a systematic expansion of the free-energy functional and the corresponding matrix gap equation in powers of the small deviation from the critical temperature tau = 1-T/T_c. The two lowest orders of this expansion produce the equation for T_c and the GL theory. It is shown that in agreement with previous studies, the two-band GL theory maps onto the single-band GL model and thus fails to describe the difference in the spatial profiles of the two band condensates. We prove that except for some very special cases, this difference appears already in the leading correction to the GL theory, which constitutes the extended GL formalism. We derive linear differential equations that determine the leading corrections to the band order parameters and magnetic field, discuss the validity of these equations, and consider examples of an important interplay between the band condensates. Finally, we present numerical results for the thermodynamic critical magnetic field and temperature-dependent band gaps (at zero field), which are in a very good agreement with those obtained from the full BCS approach in a wide temperature range. To this end, we emphasize the advantages of our extended GL theory in comparison with the often used two-component GL-like model based on an unreconstructed two-band generalization of the Gor'kov derivation