[en] Considering the process pp → VH + X(V = W or Z) is a significant channel for searching for a light Higgs boson, we calculate the contributions of the littlest Higgs model with T-parity (called LHT model) to its production cross section. We find that, in most of the parameter space, the value of the relative correction parameter R is very small. However, with reasonable values of the free parameters,its value can be significantly larger. (authors)

[en] In the context of the littlest Higgs (LH) model and the left-right twin Higgs (LRTH) model, we study the production of charged Higgs boson associated with top partner at the LHC. We find that, in the LH model, its cross section can be significantly larger for the scale parameter f = 500 GeV, while sharply decreases as f increases. In the LRTH model, this production process mainly transfers to the t-bar tb-bar bb final state at the Large Hadron Collider and its production rate can reach 167.2 fb. (authors)

[en] The Higgs triplet model (HTM) predicts the existence of a pair of doubly charged Higgs bosons H^±±. Single production of H^±± via eγ collision at the next generation e⁺e^- International Linear Collider (ILC) and the Large Hadron electron Collider (LHeC) is considered. The numerical results show that the production cross sections are very sensitive to the neutrino oscillation parameters. Their values for the inverted hierarchy mass spectrum are larger than those for the normal hierarchy mass spectrum at these two kinds of collider experiments. With reasonable values of the relevant free parameters, the possible signals of the doubly charged Higgs bosons predicted by the HTM might be detected in future ILC experiments. (physics of elementary particles and fields)

[en] Highlights: • Renal RSPO1 expression was increased in mice fed on high-fat diet for 12 weeks. • Silencing RSPO1 remitted kidney dysfunction and renal fibrosis in obesity mice. • Silencing RSPO1 inhibited LGR4 expression and Wnt/β-catenin pathway activation. • RSPO1/LGR4 axis was involved in obesity-related renal fibrosis. Obesity, a global epidemic, is one of the critical causes of chronic kidney disease (CKD). R-spondin1 (RSPO1) possessing the potential to activate Wnt/β-catenin pathway was reported to be elevated in circulation of obesity objects. However, the function of RSPO1 and the latent mechanism in obesity-related CKD are still left to be revealed. In the present study, renal RSPO1 expression was increased in mice fed on high-fat diet (HFD) for 12 weeks. Lentivirus-mediated RSPO1 knockdown partly recovered obesity-related metabolic symptoms, while distinctly remitted kidney dysfunction and renal fibrosis in obesity mice. In vitro, recombinant RSPO1 was found to elevate leucine-rich repeat-containing G protein coupled receptor 4 (LGR4) expression, promote Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway activation, facilitate epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and increase collagen deposition in HK2 renal tubular cells. Such pro-fibrotic effect of RSPO1 was diminished by LGR4 siRNA in HK2 cells. In summary, we demonstrate that RSPO1/LGR4 axis is involved in obesity-related renal fibrosis at least through activating Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, providing a potential therapeutic target for this disease.