67 research outputs found
Rare generalized form of fungal dermatitis in a horse: Case report
A rare case of Geotrichum spp. dermatitis in a horse is presented. After unrelated, previous surgery and antibiotic treatment, a saddle horse showed well-circumscribed areas of non-pruritic alopecia. Suspecting allergic skin disease, the horse was treated with corticosteroids. The skin lesion spread, and a second veterinarian was consulted. At clinical examination, the horse was lethargic, pyretic and hair was shedding/easily epilated over the head, neck, shoulders, and legs and the hind legs were swollen. Blood analysis revealed mild leucocytosis and hyperglobulinemia. Hair, skin scraping, and skin biopsy ruled out parasites and bacteria; cytology identified yeast-like structures with hyphae or pseudohyphae. Geotrichum candidum was isolated on culture. Treatment consisted of stable disinfection, topical application of an antifungal solution, vitamins C and E supplementation and allowing the horse to graze in sunlight for at least 6 h/day. At 3-weeks follow-up, the horse had gained weight, alopecia was decreased, and all other clinical parameters were normal. Antifungal treatment was continued twice a week for three months. This study suggests Geotrichum candidum may cause skin lesions in horses after long-term use of corticosteroids or antibiotics. To avoid unnecessary and prolonged suffering in cases of dermatitis, veterinarians should be promptly consulted, appropriate diagnostic procedures conducted, so that a definitive diagnosis can be reached, and an appropriate treatment regimen implemented
On the detectability of the CMSSM light Higgs boson at the Tevatron
We examine the prospects of detecting the light Higgs h^0 of the Constrained
MSSM at the Tevatron. To this end we explore the CMSSM parameter space with
\mu>0, using a Markov Chain Monte Carlo technique, and apply all relevant
collider and cosmological constraints including their uncertainties, as well as
those of the Standard Model parameters. Taking 50 GeV < m_{1/2}, m_0 < 4 TeV,
|A_0| < 7 TeV and 2 < tan(beta) < 62 as flat priors and using the formalism of
Bayesian statistics we find that the 68% posterior probability region for the
h^0 mass lies between 115.4 GeV and 120.4 GeV. Otherwise, h^0 is very similar
to the Standard Model Higgs boson. Nevertheless, we point out some enhancements
in its couplings to bottom and tau pairs, ranging from a few per cent in most
of the CMSSM parameter space, up to several per cent in the favored region of
tan(beta)\sim 50 and the pseudoscalar Higgs mass of m_A\lsim 1 TeV. We also
find that the other Higgs bosons are typically heavier, although not
necessarily much heavier. For values of the h^0 mass within the 95% probability
range as determined by our analysis, a 95% CL exclusion limit can be set with
about 2/fb of integrated luminosity per experiment, or else with 4/fb (12/fb) a
3 sigma evidence (5 sigma discovery) will be guaranteed. We also emphasize that
the alternative statistical measure of the mean quality-of-fit favors a
somewhat lower Higgs mass range; this implies even more optimistic prospects
for the CMSSM light Higgs search than the more conservative Bayesian approach.
In conclusion, for the above CMSSM parameter ranges, especially m_0, either
some evidence will be found at the Tevatron for the light Higgs boson or, at a
high confidence level, the CMSSM will be ruled out.Comment: JHEP versio
Likelihood Functions for Supersymmetric Observables in Frequentist Analyses of the CMSSM and NUHM1
On the basis of frequentist analyses of experimental constraints from
electroweak precision data, g-2, B physics and cosmological data, we
investigate the parameters of the constrained MSSM (CMSSM) with universal soft
supersymmetry-breaking mass parameters, and a model with common non-universal
Higgs masses (NUHM1). We present chi^2 likelihood functions for the masses of
supersymmetric particles and Higgs bosons, as well as b to s gamma, b to mu mu
and the spin-independent dark matter scattering cross section. In the CMSSM we
find preferences for sparticle masses that are relatively light. In the NUHM1
the best-fit values for many sparticle masses are even slightly smaller, but
with greater uncertainties. The likelihood functions for most sparticle masses
are cut off sharply at small masses, in particular by the LEP Higgs mass
constraint. Both in the CMSSM and the NUHM1, the coannihilation region is
favoured over the focus-point region at about the 3-sigma level, largely but
not exclusively because of g-2. Many sparticle masses are highly correlated in
both the CMSSM and NUHM1, and most of the regions preferred at the 95% C.L. are
accessible to early LHC running. Some slepton and chargino/neutralino masses
should be in reach at the ILC. The masses of the heavier Higgs bosons should be
accessible at the LHC and the ILC in portions of the preferred regions in the
(M_A, tan beta) plane. In the CMSSM, the likelihood function for b to mu mu is
peaked close to the Standard Model value, but much larger values are possible
in the NUHM1. We find that values of the DM cross section > 10^{-10} pb are
preferred in both the CMSSM and the NUHM1. We study the effects of dropping the
g-2, b to s gamma, relic density and M_h constraints.Comment: 34 pages, 24 figure
Implications for the Constrained MSSM from a new prediction for b to s gamma
We re-examine the properties of the Constrained MSSM in light of updated
constraints, paying particular attention to the impact of the recent
substantial shift in the Standard Model prediction for BR(B to X_s gamma). With
the help of a Markov Chain Monte Carlo scanning technique, we vary all relevant
parameters simultaneously and derive Bayesian posterior probability maps. We
find that the case of \mu>0 remains favored, and that for \mu<0 it is
considerably more difficult to find a good global fit to current constraints.
In both cases we find a strong preference for a focus point region. This leads
to improved prospects for detecting neutralino dark matter in direct searches,
while superpartner searches at the LHC become more problematic, especially when
\mu<0. In contrast, prospects for exploring the whole mass range of the
lightest Higgs boson at the Tevatron and the LHC remain very good, which
should, along with dark matter searches, allow one to gain access to the
otherwise experimentally challenging focus point region. An alternative measure
of the mean quality-of-fit which we also employ implies that present data are
not yet constraining enough to draw more definite conclusions. We also comment
on the dependence of our results on the choice of priors and on some other
assumptions.Comment: JHEP versio
Implications of LHC Searches on SUSY Particle Spectra: The pMSSM Parameter Space with Neutralino Dark Matter
We study the implications of LHC searches on SUSY particle spectra using flat
scans of the 19-parameter pMSSM phase space. We apply constraints from flavour
physics, g_mu-2, dark matter and earlier LEP and Tevatron searches. The
sensitivity of the LHC SUSY searches with jets, leptons and missing energy is
assessed by reproducing with fast simulation the recent CMS analyses after
validation on benchmark points. We present results in terms of the fraction of
pMSSM points compatible with all the constraints which are excluded by the LHC
searches with 1 fb^{-1} and 15 fb^{-1} as a function of the mass of strongly
and weakly interacting SUSY particles. We also discuss the suppression of Higgs
production cross sections for the MSSM points not excluded and contrast the
region of parameter space tested by the LHC data with the constraints from dark
matter direct detection experiments.Comment: 14 pages, 13 figures. v2: increased statistics, to appear in EPJ
Constraining the MSSM with universal gaugino masses and implication for searches at the LHC
Using a Markov chain Monte Carlo approach, we find the allowed parameter
space of a MSSM model with seven free parameters. In this model universality
conditions at the GUT scale are imposed on the gaugino sector. We require in
particular that the relic density of dark matter saturates the value extracted
from cosmological measurements assuming a standard cosmological scenario. We
characterize the parameter space of the model that satisfies experimental
constraints and illustrate the complementarity of the LHC searches, B-physics
observables and direct dark matter searches for further probing the parameter
space of the model. We also explore the different decay chains expected for the
coloured particles that would be produced at LHC.Comment: 29 pages, 11 figure
An Observational Test of Two-field Inflation
We study adiabatic and isocurvature perturbation spectra produced by a period
of cosmological inflation driven by two scalar fields. We show that there
exists a model-independent consistency condition for all two-field models of
slow-roll inflation, despite allowing for model-dependent linear processing of
curvature and isocurvature perturbations during and after inflation on
super-horizon scales. The scale-dependence of all spectra are determined solely
in terms of slow-roll parameters during inflation and the dimensionless
cross-correlation between curvature and isocurvature perturbations. We present
additional model-dependent consistency relations that may be derived in
specific two-field models, such as the curvaton scenario.Comment: 6 pages, latex with revtex, no figures; v2, minor changes, to appear
in Physical Review
Measuring in the Early Universe: CMB Temperature, Large-Scale Structure and Fisher Matrix Analysis
We extend our recent work on the effects of a time-varying fine-structure
constant in the cosmic microwave background, by providing a thorough
analysis of the degeneracies between and the other cosmological
parameters, and discussing ways to break these with both existing and/or
forthcoming data. In particular, we present the state-of-the-art CMB
constraints on , through a combined analysis of the BOOMERanG, MAXIMA
and DASI datasets. We also present a novel discussion of the constraints on
coming from large-scale structure observations, focusing in particular
on the power spectrum from the 2dF survey. Our results are consistent with no
variation in from the epoch of recombination to the present day, and
restrict any such (relative) variation to be less than about 4%. We show that
the forthcoming MAP and (particularly) Planck experiments will be able to break
most of the currently existing degeneracies between and other
parameters, and measure to better than percent accuracy.Comment: 11 pages in RevTex4 format. Low-quality figures to comply with arXiv
restrictions (better ones available from the authors). v2: Updated Oklo
discussion, plus other cosmetic changes. Version to appear in Phys Rev
Measuring the Higgs Sector
If we find a light Higgs boson at the LHC, there should be many observable
channels which we can exploit to measure the relevant parameters in the Higgs
sector. We use the SFitter framework to map these measurements on the parameter
space of a general weak-scale effective theory with a light Higgs state of mass
120 GeV. Our analysis benefits from the parameter determination tools and the
error treatment used in new--physics searches, to study individual parameters
and their error bars as well as parameter correlations.Comment: 45 pages, Journal version with comments from refere
Supersymmetry Without Prejudice
We begin an exploration of the physics associated with the general
CP-conserving MSSM with Minimal Flavor Violation, the pMSSM. The 19 soft SUSY
breaking parameters in this scenario are chosen so as to satisfy all existing
experimental and theoretical constraints assuming that the WIMP is a
conventional thermal relic, ie, the lightest neutralino. We scan this parameter
space twice using both flat and log priors for the soft SUSY breaking mass
parameters and compare the results which yield similar conclusions. Detailed
constraints from both LEP and the Tevatron searches play a particularly
important role in obtaining our final model samples. We find that the pMSSM
leads to a much broader set of predictions for the properties of the SUSY
partners as well as for a number of experimental observables than those found
in any of the conventional SUSY breaking scenarios such as mSUGRA. This set of
models can easily lead to atypical expectations for SUSY signals at the LHC.Comment: 61 pages, 24 figs. Refs., figs, and text added, typos fixed; This
version has reduced/bitmapped figs. For a version with better figs please go
to http://www.slac.stanford.edu/~rizz
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