A 2 TeV WRW_R, Supersymmetry, and the Higgs Mass

A recent ATLAS search for diboson resonances and a CMS search for $eejj$ resonances which both show excesses with significance around 3 sigma have generated interest in $SU(2)_R$ gauge extensions of the Standard Model with a $W'$ mass around 2 TeV. We investigate the possibility that an $SU(2)_R$ gauge extension of the MSSM compatible with an explanation of the diboson anomaly might give rise to a significant enhancement of the Higgs mass above the MSSM tree level bound $m_{h, \text{tree}} < 90 \; \text{GeV}$ due to non-decoupling D-terms. This model contains a vector-like charge -1/3 $SU(2)_R$ singlet quark for each generation which mixes significantly with the $SU(2)_R$ doublet quarks, affecting the $W_R$ phenomenology. We find that it is possible to achieve $m_{h, \text{tree}} > 110 \; \text {GeV}$, and this requires that the $Z'$ mass is close to 3 TeV.Comment: 18 pages + appendices, 6 figure

Are Asians comfortable with discussing death in health valuation studies? A study in multi-ethnic Singapore

BACKGROUND To characterize ease in discussing death (EID) and its influence on health valuation in a multi-ethnic Asian population and to determine the acceptability of various descriptors of death and "pits"/"all-worst" in health valuation. METHODS In-depth interviews (English or mother-tongue) among adult Chinese, Malay and Indian Singaporeans selected to represent both genders and a wide range of ages/educational levels. Subjects rated using 0–10 visual analogue scales (VAS): (1) EID, (2) acceptability of 8 descriptors for death, and (3) appropriateness of "pits" and "all-worst" as descriptors for the worst possible health state. Subjects also valued 3 health states using VAS followed by time trade-off (TTO). The influence of sociocultural variables on EID and these descriptors was studied using univariable analyses and multiple linear regression (MLR). The influence of EID on VAS/TTO utilities with adjustment for sociocultural variables was assessed using MLR. RESULTS Subjects (n = 63, 35% Chinese, 32% Malay, median age 44 years) were generally comfortable with discussing death (median EID: 8.0). Only education significantly influenced EID (p = 0.045). EID correlated weakly with VAS/TTO scores (range: VAS: -0.23 to 0.07; TTO: -0.14 to 0.11). All subjects felt "passed away", "departed" and "deceased" were most acceptable (median acceptability: 8.0) while "sudden death" and "immediate death" were least acceptable (median acceptability: 5.0). Subjects clearly preferred "all-worst" to "pits" (63% vs. 19%, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION Singaporeans were generally comfortable with discussing death and had clear preferences for several descriptors of death and for "all-worst". EID is unlikely to influence health preference measurement in health valuation studies

Time domain computational modelling of 1D arterial networks in monochorionic placentas

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Manufacturing technology adoption among lean manufacturers: An initial study

Lean manufacturing is a technique that allows work to be performed without bottlenecks or delays while eliminating wasteful activities by linking and balancing equal amounts of work steps together, enabling products to be consumed directly into the next step, one piece at a time until completed.The aim of this research is to analyse the level of implementation of manufacturing technology among lean practitioners in Malaysia.It highlights on the types of technologies applied in the lean practice and to what extend the level of technologies being used. A questionnaire survey was used to identify the different manufacturing technologies being used and the level of applications among lean manufacturers in Malaysia. From the questionnaire results, it shows that there are 3 groups of manufacturing technology used by manufacturers, mainly the direct, indirect and administrative technology.Meanwhile, according to the results the level of technologies used by lean manufacturers in Malaysia is considered as within medium level. This might be due to the cost of applying such technologies or the lack of information regarding each manufacturing technologies