Implications of Constraints on Mass Parameters in the Higgs Sector of the Nonlinear Supersymmetric SU(5) Model

The Higgs sector of the minimal nonlinear supersymmetric SU(5) model contains three mass parameters. Although these mass parameters are essentially free at the electroweak scale, they might have particular values if they evolve from a particular constraints at the GUT scale through the RG equations. By assuming a number of simple constraints on these mass parameters at the GUT scale, we obtain their values at the electroweak scale through the RG equations in order to investigate the phenomenological implications. Some of them are found to be consistent with the present experimental data.Comment: 23 pages, 10 figure

Precision Electroweak Data and the Mixed Radion-Higgs Sector of Warped Extra Dimensions

We derive the Lagrangian and Feynman rules up to bilinear scalar fields for the mixed Higgs-radion eigenstates interacting with Standard Model particles confined to a 3-brane in Randall-Sundrum warped geometry. We use the results to compute precision electroweak observables and compare theory predictions with experiment. We characterize the interesting regions of parameter space that simultaneously enable a very heavy Higgs mass and a very heavy radion mass, both masses being well above the putative Higgs boson mass limit in the Standard Model derived from the constraints of precision electroweak observables. For parameters consistent with the precision constraints the Higgs boson physical eigenstate is typically detectable, but its properties may be difficult to study at the Large Hadron Collider. In contrast, masses and couplings are allowed for the physical radion eigenstate that make it unobservable at the LHC. A Linear Collider will significantly improve our ability to study the Higgs eigenstate, and will typically allow detection of the radion eigenstate if it is within the machine's kinematical reach.Comment: 14 pages, 5 figures; revisions: typo correction for Feynman rules and 1 reference adde

Acoustic doppler current profiler observations during the Coastal Ocean Advances in Shelf Transport (COAST) Survey III : R/V Wecoma cruise W0301B, 19 January - 9 February 2003

We present velocity observations from a shipboard acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) on R/V Wecoma during cruise W0301b (19 January - 3 February 2003). The cruise was a component (Survey III) of the Coastal Ocean Advances in Shelf Transport (COAST) experiment. The ADCP was an RD Instruments hull-mounted 153-kHz narrowband unit. Data were collected nearly continuously using an ensemble averaging interval of 1 min and a vertical bin length of 8 m. This implies an inherent short-term random uncertainty of 2 cm/s for each data point; this uncertainty is reduced with additional space or time averaging. To reference the velocities to earth coordinates, we used P-code GPS navigation in combination with the ship’s gyrocompass. Bottom-tracking was enabled when the bottom depth was less than about 400 m. Our processing methods are generally standard ones, primarily making using of the CODAS software package as described at http://ilikai.soest.hawaii.edu/sadcp. Overall ADCP data quality for the cruise was excellent. To produce the vector maps here, we applied 5 km spatial averaging. For the sections, we contoured using a two-pass Barnes method with horizontal (vertical) smoothing of 5 km (24 m) and 2.5 km (12 m) for the first and second passes. An online version of this report is available at http://damp.coas.oregonstate.edu/coast/adcp. In addition, the complete data set and all processing details are available from the NODC Joint Archive for Shipboard ADCP: http://ilikai.soest.hawaii.edu/sadcp. A cruise narrative is included in the companion Seasoar data report at http://damp.coas.oregonstate.edu/coast/seasoar. This work was funded by National Science Foundation grant OCE-9907854

Acoustic doppler current profiler observations during the Coastal Ocean Advances in Shelf Transport (COAST) Survey II : R/V Wecoma cruise W0108A, 6-25 August 2001

We present velocity observations from a shipboard acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) on R/V Wecoma during cruise W0108a (6-25 August 2001). The cruise was a component (Survey II) of the Coastal Ocean Advances in Shelf Transport (COAST) experiment. The ADCP was an RD Instruments hull-mounted 153-kHz narrowband unit. Data were collected nearly continuously using an ensemble averaging interval of 1 min and a vertical bin length of 8 m. This implies an inherent short-term random uncertainty of 2 cm/s for each data point; this uncertainty is reduced with additional space or time averaging. To reference the velocities to earth coordinates, we used GPS navigation in combination with the ship's gyrocompass and a GPS attitude system. Our processing methods are generally standard ones, primarily making using of the CODAS software package as described at http://ilikai.soest.hawaii.edu/sadcp. Overall ADCP data quality for the cruise was excellent. To produce the vector maps here, we applied 5 km spatial averaging. For the sections, we contoured using a two-pass Barnes method with horizontal (vertical) smoothing of 5 km (24 m) and 2.5 km (12 m) for the first and second passes. An online version of this report is available at http://damp.coas.oregonstate.edu/coast/adcp. In addition, the complete data set and all processing details are available from the NODC Joint Archive for Shipboard ADCP: http://ilikai.soest.hawaii.edu/sadcp. A cruise narrative is included in the companion Seasoar data report at http://damp.coas.oregonstate.edu/coast/seasoar. This work was funded by National Science Foundation grant OCE-9907854

Neuroimaging study designs, computational analyses and data provenance using the LONI pipeline.

Modern computational neuroscience employs diverse software tools and multidisciplinary expertise to analyze heterogeneous brain data. The classical problems of gathering meaningful data, fitting specific models, and discovering appropriate analysis and visualization tools give way to a new class of computational challenges--management of large and incongruous data, integration and interoperability of computational resources, and data provenance. We designed, implemented and validated a new paradigm for addressing these challenges in the neuroimaging field. Our solution is based on the LONI Pipeline environment [3], [4], a graphical workflow environment for constructing and executing complex data processing protocols. We developed study-design, database and visual language programming functionalities within the LONI Pipeline that enable the construction of complete, elaborate and robust graphical workflows for analyzing neuroimaging and other data. These workflows facilitate open sharing and communication of data and metadata, concrete processing protocols, result validation, and study replication among different investigators and research groups. The LONI Pipeline features include distributed grid-enabled infrastructure, virtualized execution environment, efficient integration, data provenance, validation and distribution of new computational tools, automated data format conversion, and an intuitive graphical user interface. We demonstrate the new LONI Pipeline features using large scale neuroimaging studies based on data from the International Consortium for Brain Mapping [5] and the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative [6]. User guides, forums, instructions and downloads of the LONI Pipeline environment are available at http://pipeline.loni.ucla.edu

Space Station Engineering Design Issues

Space Station Freedom topics addressed include: general design issues; issues related to utilization and operations; issues related to systems requirements and design; and management issues relevant to design

Mental Health Symptom Severity in Cannabis-Using and Non-Using Veterans with probable PTSD

BACKGROUND: Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a disabling illness suffered by many veterans returning from war. Some veterans believe that cannabis may be therapeutic for PTSD. The purpose of this study was to better understand the association between cannabis use and PTSD symptoms. METHODS: The study was a matched case-control cross-sectional evaluation of the psychiatric and sociocultural associations of cannabis use in veterans with probable PTSD. Patient self-report measures were examined comparing cannabis users (cases) to non-users (controls) who were case-matched on age and gender. RESULTS: Results indicated that there were no significant differences between cases and controls in mean PTSD Checklist-Civilian version (PCL-C) scores (59.2 and 59.1, respectively). There was also no association between PTSD scores and frequency of cannabis use. It was also observed that cases were more likely to be non-Caucasian, financially challenged, and unmarried. LIMITATIONS: The sample is a convenience sample of veterans being referred for a clinical assessment and, therefore, sampling biases may limit the generalizability of the results to other populations including veterans not seeking health care in the Veterans Affairs (VA) system. CONCLUSIONS: The results do not support the theory that cannabis use would be associated with less severe PTSD symptoms. Results do suggest important sociocultural differences in cannabis users compared to controls

Emergence of collective intonation in the musical performance of crowds

To be published in EPLTo be published in EP

Assessment of the Falkland Islands population of Argentine hake Merluccius hubbsi.

Spanish vessels fish for the Argentine hake, Merluccius hubbsi both in Falkland Islands Conservation Zones and in high seas waters along the shelf edge to the north of the islands. Data are collected by the Falkland Islands Fisheries Department, Instituto Español de Oceanografía and Asociación Nacional de Armadores de Buques Congeladores de Pesca de Merluza. Data from these three sources were combined, with the aim of producing assessments of M. hubbsi. There was no relationship between abundance indices for Falkland Islands waters and high seas areas, suggesting little interaction between the populations in the two areas. Virtual population analysis suggested that the spawning stock biomass in Falklands waters declined from approximately 60,000 t in 1987 to about 15,000 t in the early 1990s but has since made a partial recovery to approximately 20,000 t. However, low recruitment levels are, apparently, impeding the recovery of the population. The abundance trend contrasts with a continued decline suggested by assessments of the population in Argentine waters, implying some independence of the adult populations in the two areas. Nonetheless, it is likely that recruitment to the population is affected by processes not explained by the available data