Superheavy Supersymmetry from Scalar Mass--A Parameter Fixed Points

In supersymmetric models, the well-known tension between naturalness and experimental constraints is relieved if the squarks and sleptons of the first two generations are superheavy, with masses of order 10 TeV, and all other superpartners are light, with masses of order 1 TeV. We show that even if all scalar masses and trilinear A parameters are of order 10 TeV at some high scale, a mass-squared hierarchy of order 400 may be generated dynamically through renormalization group evolution. The required high energy relations are consistent with grand unification, or, alternatively, may be realized in moduli-dominated supersymmetry-breaking scenarios.Comment: 12 pages, 3 figure

Optimising the timing of an end-of-outbreak declaration: Ebola virus disease in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Following the apparent final case in an Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak, the decision to declare the outbreak over must balance societal benefits of relaxing interventions against the risk of resurgence. Estimates of the end-of-outbreak probability (the probability that no future cases will occur) provide quantitative evidence that can inform the timing of an end-of-outbreak declaration. An existing modelling approach for estimating the end-of-outbreak probability requires comprehensive contact tracing data describing who infected whom to be available, but such data are often unavailable or incomplete during outbreaks. Here, we develop a Markov chain Monte Carlo-based approach that extends the previous method and does not require contact tracing data. Considering data from two EVD outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, we find that data describing who infected whom are not required to resolve uncertainty about when to declare an outbreak over

Exploring HIV infection and susceptibility to measles among older children and adults in Malawi: a facility-based study

SummaryBackgroundHIV infection increases measles susceptibility in infants, but little is known about this relationship among older children and adults. We conducted a facility-based study to explore whether HIV status and/or CD4 count were associated with either measles seroprotection and/or measles antibody concentration.MethodsA convenience sample was recruited comprising HIV-infected patients presenting for follow-up care, and HIV-uninfected individuals presenting for HIV testing at Chiradzulu District Hospital, Malawi, from January to September 2012. We recorded age, sex, and reported measles vaccination and infection history. Blood samples were taken to determine the CD4 count and measles antibody concentration.ResultsOne thousand nine hundred and thirty-five participants were recruited (1434 HIV-infected and 501 HIV-uninfected). The majority of adults and approximately half the children were seroprotected against measles, with lower odds among HIV-infected children (adjusted odds ratio 0.27, 95% confidence interval 0.10–0.69; p=0.006), but not adults. Among HIV-infected participants, neither CD4 count (p=0.16) nor time on antiretroviral therapy (p=0.25) were associated with measles antibody concentration, while older age (p<0.001) and female sex (p<0.001) were independently associated with this measure.ConclusionsWe found no evidence that HIV infection contributes to the risk of measles infection among adults, but HIV-infected children (including at ages older than previously reported), were less likely to be seroprotected in this sample

People-centred surveillance: a narrative review of community-based surveillance among crisis-affected populations.

Outbreaks of disease in settings affected by crises grow rapidly due to late detection and weakened public health systems. Where surveillance is underfunctioning, community-based surveillance can contribute to rapid outbreak detection and response, a core capacity of the International Health Regulations. We reviewed articles describing the potential for community-based surveillance to detect diseases of epidemic potential, outbreaks, and mortality among populations affected by crises. Surveillance objectives have included the early warning of outbreaks, active case finding during outbreaks, case finding for eradication programmes, and mortality surveillance. Community-based surveillance can provide sensitive and timely detection, identify valid signals for diseases with salient symptoms, and provide continuity in remote areas during cycles of insecurity. Effectiveness appears to be mediated by operational requirements for continuous supervision of large community networks, verification of a large number of signals, and integration of community-based surveillance within the routine investigation and response infrastructure. Similar to all community health systems, community-based surveillance requires simple design, reliable supervision, and early and routine monitoring and evaluation to ensure data validity. Research priorities include the evaluation of syndromic case definitions, electronic data collection for community members, sentinel site designs, and statistical techniques to counterbalance false positive signals

A wide scalar neutrino resonance and b\bar{b} production at LEP

In supersymmetric models with R-parity violation, scalar neutrinos may be produced as s-channel resonances in e^+e^- colliders. We note that within current constraints, the scalar neutrino may have a width of several GeV into b\bar{b} and be produced with large cross section, leading to a novel supersymmetry discovery signal at LEP II. In addition, if the scalar neutrino mass approximately equals m_Z, such a resonance necessarily increases R_b and reduces A_{FB}(b), significantly improving the fit to electroweak data. Bounds from B meson and top quark decays are leading constraints, and we stress the importance of future measurements.Comment: 8 pages. LaTex + RevTex. Revised to include a discussion of ISR effects. Version to appear in Phys. Rev. Let

Signatures of multi-TeV scale particles in supersymmetric theories

Supersymmetric particles at the multi-TeV scale will escape direct detection at planned future colliders. However, such particles induce non-decoupling corrections in processes involving the accessible superparticles through violations of the supersymmetric equivalence between gauge boson and gaugino couplings. In a previous study, we parametrized these violations in terms of super-oblique parameters and found significant deviations in well-motivated models. Here, we systematically classify the possible experimental probes of such deviations, and present detailed investigations of representative observables available at a future linear collider. In some scenarios, the $e^-e^-$ option and adjustable beam energy are exploited to achieve high precision. It is shown that precision measurements are possible for each of the three coupling relations, leading to significant bounds on the masses and properties of heavy superparticles and possible exotic sectors.Comment: 37 pages including 17 figures, REVTe

Super-oblique corrections and non-decoupling of supersymmetry breaking

If supersymmetric partners of the known particles have masses at the multi-TeV scale, they will not be directly discovered at planned future colliders and decouple from most observables. However, such superpartners also induce non-decoupling effects that break the supersymmetric equivalence of gauge boson couplings $g_i$ and gaugino couplings $h_i$ through supersymmetric analogues of the oblique corrections. Working within well-motivated theoretical frameworks, we find that multi-TeV scale supersymmetric particles produce deviations at the 1-10% level in the ratios $h_i/g_i$. Such effects allow one to bound the scale of kinematically inaccessible superpartners through precision measurements of processes involving the accessible superparticles. Alternatively, if all superpartners are found, significant deviations imply the existence of highly split exotic supermultiplets.Comment: 18 pages, REVTeX, no figur

Searches for Supersymmetry at High-Energy Colliders

This review summarizes the state of the art in searches for supersymmetry at colliders on the eve of the LHC era. Supersymmetry is unique among extensions of the standard model in being motivated by naturalness, dark matter, and force unification, both with and without gravity. At the same time, weak-scale supersymmetry encompasses a wide range of experimental signals that are also found in many other frameworks. We recall the motivations for supersymmetry and review the various models and their distinctive features. We then comprehensively summarize searches for neutral and charged Higgs bosons and standard model superpartners at the high energy frontier, considering both canonical and non-canonical supersymmetric models, and including results from LEP, HERA, and the Tevatron.Comment: 31 pages, 23 figures; v2: references added, published versio