Decays of b hadrons and a possible new four-quark interaction

A possibility is considered of explaining the low experimental value of the ratio of the lifetimes tau(Lambda_b)/tau(B_d) by a new `centiweak' four-quark interaction, i.e with a strength on the order of 10^{-2}G_F. It is noted that the considered interaction can also improve agreement with the data on low semileptonic branching ratio B_{sl}(B) in B meson decays with a simultaneous slight decrease in the prediction for the average charm yield in those decays. The proposed new interaction modifies within the present experimental limits the predictions for differences of lifetimes among B mesons, and can thus be probed by more precise data on these differences. A sample model is briefly discussed, where the new interaction arises through a weak SU(2) singlet scalar field with quantum numbers of a diquark.Comment: 10 page

Non-factorizable terms, heavy quark masses, and semileptonic decays of D and B mesons

The non-factorizable terms in the operator product expansion have been recognized as one of theoretical obstacles for precision determination of the mixing parameter $V_{ub}$ from semileptonic B decays. It is pointed out here that the recent CLEO data on the parameters of the heavy quark expansion $\lambda_1$ and ${\bar \Lambda}$, combined with a theoretical bound on $\lambda_1$ strongly favor the existence of a sizeable contribution of non-factorizable terms in semileptonic decays of $D$ mesons. Thus these terms are likely to solve the long-standing problem of the deficit of semileptonic decay rate of the $D$ mesons, and with better data their magnitude can be determined and used in studies of the parameter $V_{ub}$.Comment: 7 pages, 1 figur

On the Parity Degeneracy of Baryons

The gross features of the observed baryon excitation spectrum below 2 GeV are well explained if the spectrum generating algebra of its intrinsic orbital angular momentum states is o(4)*su(2)_I. The spins of the resonances are obtained through the coupling of a Lorentz bi-spinor (1/2,0)+ (0,1/ 2) to a multiplet of the type (j,j) in its O(4)/O(3) reduction. The parities of the resonances follow from those of the O(3) members of the (j,j) multiplets. In this way relativistic SL(2,C) representations are constructed. For example, the first S11, P11, and D13 states with masses around 1500 MeV fit into the (1/2, 1/2)* [(1/2,0)+(0,1/2)] representation. The observed parities of the resonances correspond to natural parities of the (1/2,1/2) states. The second P11, S11, D13- together with the first P13, F15, D15, and (a predicted) F17 -resonances, centered around 1700 MeV, are organized into the (3/2,3/2)*[(1/2,0)+(0,1/2)] representation. I argue that the members of the (3/2,3/2) multiplet carry unnatural parities and that in this region chiral symmetry is restored. In the N(939)- N(1650) transition the chiral symmetry mode is changed, and therefore, a chiral phase transition is predicted to take place.Comment: 9 pages, LaTex, 1 figure; published in Mod.Phys.Lett. A12 (1997) 2373; minor misprints corrected, no statement change

The DπD\pi form factors from analyticity and unitarity

We study the shape parameters of the $D\pi$ scalar and vector form factors using as input dispersion relations and unitarity for the moments of suitable heavy-light correlators evaluated with Operator Product Expansions, including $O(\alpha_s^2)$ terms in perturbative QCD. For the scalar form factor, a low energy theorem and phase information on the unitarity cut are implemented to further constrain the shape parameters. We finally determine points on the real axis and isolate regions in the complex energy plane where zeros of the form factors are excluded.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures; Seminar given at DAE-BRNS Workshop on Hadron Physics Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, India, October 31-November 4, 2011, submitted to Proceeding

Jets associated with Z^0 boson production in heavy-ion collisions at the LHC

The heavy ion program at the LHC will present unprecedented opportunities to probe hot QCD matter, that is, the quark gluon plasma (QGP). Among these exciting new probes are high energy partons associated with the production of a Z^0 boson, or Z^0 tagged jets. Once produced, Z^0 bosons are essentially unaffected by the strongly interacting medium produced in heavy-ion collisions, and therefore provide a powerful signal of the initial partonic energy and subsequent medium induced partonic energy loss. When compared with theory, experimental measurements of Z^0 tagged jets will help quantify the jet quenching properties of the QGP and discriminate between different partonic energy loss formalisms. In what follows, I discuss the advantages of tagged jets over leading particles, and present preliminary results of the production and suppression of Z^0 tagged jets in relativistic heavy-ion collisions at LHC energies using the Guylassy-Levai-Vitev (GLV) partonic energy loss formalism.Comment: To appear in the proceedings of the 2010 Winter Workshop on Nuclear Dynamics, which was held in Ocho Rios, Jamaica, mon

Strategic Outsourcing: Evidence from the British Companies

Outsourcing has become an increasingly popular option for many organisations. But they vary in terms of activities being outsourced, reasons for and benefits from outsourcing, and how the decision was made. This article presents an empirical research on fourteen companies. It found out, a) in most cases it was the ‘peripheral’ support activity being outsourced with cost reduction as the primary driver; b) outsourcing decision was being made early in the process without active involvement of the in-house provider; and c) there were problems in supplier selection and management. The research identified pre-outsourcing decision process and post-outsourcing management as the two key areas that gave cause for concern, and offered recommendations for improvement

Copper cable theft: revisiting the price–theft hypothesis

Objectives: To test the commonly espoused but little examined hypothesis that fluctuations in the price of metal are associated with changes in the volume of metal theft. Specifically, we analyze the relationship between the price of copper and the number of police recorded 'live’ copper cable thefts from the British railway network (2006 to 2012)

Soft-Gluon Resummation for Bottom Fragmentation in Top Quark Decay

We study soft-gluon radiation in top quark decay within the framework of perturbative fragmentation functions. We present results for the b-quark energy distribution, accounting for soft-gluon resummation in both the MSbar coefficient function and in the initial condition of the perturbative fragmentation function. The results show remarkable improvement and the b-quark energy spectrum in top quark decay exhibits very little dependence on factorization and renormalization scales. We present some hadron-level results in both x_B and moment space by including non-perturbative information determined from e+e- data.Comment: 19 pages, 6 figures, JHEP style. Few changes after referee report, one reference added, numerical results unchange

Kl3γ+K^+_{l3\gamma} decays revisited: branching ratios and T-odd momenta correlations

We calculate the branching ratios of the $K^+ \to \pi^0 l^+ \nu_l\gamma (l = e, \mu)$ decays, and the T-odd triple momenta correlations $\xi=\vec{q}\cdot[\vec{p}_l \times \vec{p}_\pi]/M^3_K$, due to the electromagnetic final state interaction, in these processes. The contributions on the order of $\omega^{-1}$ and $\omega^0$ to the corresponding amplitudes are treated exactly. For the branching ratios, the corrections on the order of $\omega$ are estimated and demonstrated to be small. We compare the results with those of other authors. In some cases our results differ considerably from the previous ones.Comment: 13 pages, 11 figures; references adde