CP Violation in Two Zero Texture Neutrino Mass Matrices

It has been shown that the neutrino mass matrices with two texture zeros in the charged lepton basis predict non-zero 1-3 mixing and are necessarily CP violating with one possible exception in class C for maximal mixing.Comment: 6 pages, no figures, final version with minor changes, to appear in Phys. Lett.

Fine-tuning and naturalness issues in the two-zero neutrino mass textures

In this paper we analyze the compatibility of two-zero neutrino Majorana textures with the recent experimental data. Differently from previous works, we use the experimental data to fix the values of the non-vanishing mass matrix entries and study in detail the correlations and degree of fine-tuning among them, which is also a measure of how naturally a given texture is able to describe all neutrino data. This information is then used to expand the textures in powers of the Cabibbo angle; extracting random O(1) coefficients, we show that only in few cases such textures reproduce the mixing parameters in their 3 sigma ranges.Comment: 13 pages, 14 figures. Version to appear in NP

Phenomenological Implications of a Class of Neutrino Mass Matrices

The generic predictions of two-texture zero neutrino mass matrices of class A in the flavor basis have been reexamined especially in relation to the degeneracy between mass matrices of types A_1 and A_2 and interesting constraints on the neutrino parameters have been obtained. It is shown that the octant of $\theta_{23}$ and the quadrant of the Dirac-type CP-violating phase $\delta$ can be used to lift this degeneracy.Comment: 16 pages, 4 figures, final version with minor changes to appear in Nucl. Phys.

Four Zero Texture Fermion Mass Matrices in SO(10) GUT

We attempt the integration of the phenomenologically successful four zero texture of fermion mass matrices with the renormalizable SO(10) GUT. The resulting scenario is found to be highly predictive. Firstly, we examine the phenomenological implications of a class of the lepton mass matrices with parallel texture structures and obtain interesting constraints on the parameters of the charged lepton and the neutrino mass matrices. We combine these phenomenological constraints with the constraints obtained from SO(10) GUT to reduce the number of the free parameters and to further constrain the allowed ranges of the free parameters. The solar/atmospheric mixing angles obtained in this analysis are in fairly good agreement with the data.Comment: 14 pages, 3 figures, 1 tabl

Minimal Textures in Seesaw Mass Matrices and their low and high Energy Phenomenology

In an attempt to find minimal scenarios we study the implications of Dirac and Majorana mass matrices with texture zeros within the type I seesaw mechanism. For the Dirac mass matrices we consider 5 zero textures which we show to be the most minimal form that can successfully account for low energy phenomenology if the Majorana mass matrices are chosen minimal as well. For those, we consider both diagonal and even more minimal non-diagonal forms. The latter can be motivated e.g. by simple U(1) flavour symmetries and have two degenerate eigenvalues. We classify the allowed textures and discuss the ramifications for leptogenesis and lepton flavour violation.Comment: Typos correcte

Variations in blood pressure in adolescents and its correlation with different anthropometric measurements: A cross-sectional study

Background: Anthropometry is emerging as a useful tool in assessing the future risk of chronic diseases such as Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (and Diabetic Nephropathy, Diabetic Neuropathy, Diabetic Retinopathy), Hypercholesterolemia, Atherosclerosis, Coronary Artery Diseases, NAFLD (liver damage). BMI and Waist-Hip Ratio (WHR) are used extensively in the forecast of cardio-vascular diseases. The main risk factor for such diseases is hypertension and the correlation of Hypertension with BMI and/or WHR gives one the ability to forecast the diseases as Risk assessment from a young age and proper techniques can be utilized to delay them. Aim: To Correlate BMI and WHR with Hypertension in young adolescents Methods: A Cross sectional, record-based study of adolescents from age group 17-19 (n=946) was done and analyzed. A correlation was found between hypertension with BMI and WHR and also between BMI and WHR. Results: Data of a total of 465 males and 481 females (n=946) were analyzed. In both males and females, mean blood pressure (both SBP and DBP) showed a positive correlation with increasing ranges of BMI and WHR. Values of Pearson correlation Coefficient and p-value: - Males: SBP -> BMI = 0.236 (p<0.0001); DBP -> BMI= 0.187 (p<0.0001) Males: SBP -> WHR = 0.194 (p<0.0001); DBP -> WHR= 0.148 (p<0.0001) Females: SBP -> BMI = 0.249 (p<0.0001); DBP -> BMI= 0.267 (p<0.0001) Females: SBP -> WHR = 0.090 (p<0.0001); DBP -> WHR= 0.116 (p<0.0001) The correlation between BMI and WHR in males was 0.234 (p<0.0001) and in females, it was 0.172 (p<0.0001). Conclusion: A steady increase in SBP and DBP is correlatable with an increase in BMI and WHR. This leads to the efficacy of these methods in assessing future risks. Keywords: Anthropometry, BMI, Waist-Hip-Ratio, Hypertension, Ris

Phenomenological Analysis of Hybrid Textures of Neutrinos

We present a comprehensive phenomenological analysis of the allowed hybrid textures of neutrinos. Out of a total of sixty hybrid textures with one equality between the elements of neutrino mass matrix and one texture zero only twenty three are found to be viable at 99% C.L. whereas the earlier analysis found fifty four to be viable. We examine the phenomenological implications of the allowed hybrid textures including Majorana type CP-violating phases, 1-3 mixing angle and Dirac type CP-violating phase, $\delta$. We, also, obtain lower bound on effective Majorana mass for all the allowed hybrid textures.Comment: To appear in Phys. Letts. B. Two figures adde

The minimal adjoint-SU (5) x Z(4) GUT model

An extension of the adjoint SU (5) model with a flavour symmetry based on the Z(4) group is investigated. The Z(4) symmetry is introduced with the aim of leading the up-and down-quark mass matrices to the Nearest-Neighbour-Interaction form. As a consequence of the discrete symmetry embedded in the SU (5) gauge group, the charged lepton mass matrix also gets the same form. Within this model, light neutrinos get their masses through type-I, type-III and one-loop radiative seesaw mechanisms, implemented, respectively, via a singlet, a triplet and an octet from the adjoint fermionic 24 fields. It is demonstrated that the neutrino phenomenology forces the introduction of at least three 24 fermionic multiplets. The symmetry SU (5) x Z(4) allows only two viable zero textures for the effective neutrino mass matrix. It is showed that one texture is only compatible with normal hierarchy and the other with inverted hierarchy in the light neutrino mass spectrum. Finally, it is also demonstrated that Z(4) freezes out the possibility of proton decay through exchange of coloured Higgs triplets at tree-level

Caregiver Perceptions of Social Risk Screening in Pediatric Liver Transplantation: From the Multicenter SOCIAL-Tx Study

BackgroundThe social determinants of health contribute to adverse post-liver transplant outcomes. Identifying unmet social risks may enable transplant teams to improve long-term outcomes for at-risk children. However, providers may feel uncomfortable asking about household-level social risks in the posttransplant period because they might make their patients/families uncomfortable.MethodsWe conducted a mixed-methods analysis of caregiver participants (ie, parents/guardians of pediatric liver transplant recipients) in the Social and Contextual Impact on Children Undergoing Liver Transplantation study to assess their perceptions of provider-based social risk screening. Participants (N = 109) completed a 20-min social determinants of health questionnaire that included questions on the acceptability of being asked intimate social risk questions. A subset of participants (N = 37) engaged in an in-depth qualitative interview to share their perceptions of social risk screening.ResultsOf 109 participants across 9 US transplant centers, 60% reported financial strain and 30% reported at least 1 material economic hardship (eg, food insecurity, housing instability). Overall, 65% of respondents reported it very or somewhat appropriate and 25% reported being neutral to being screened for social risks in a liver transplant setting. In qualitative analyses, participants reported trust in the providers and a clear understanding of the intention of the screening as prerequisites for liver transplant teams to perform social risk screening.ConclusionsOnly a small minority of caregivers found social risk screening unacceptable. Pediatric liver transplant programs should implement routine social risk screening and prioritize the patient and family voices when establishing a screening program to ensure successful implementation