B->gamma e nu Transitions from QCD Sum Rules

B->gamma e nu transitions have recently been studied in the framework of QCD factorization. The attractiveness of this channel for such an analysis lies in the fact that, at least in the heavy quark limit, the only hadron involved is the B meson itself, so one expects a very simple description of the form factor in terms of a convolution of the B meson distribution amplitude with a perturbative kernel. This description, however, does not include contributions suppressed by powers of the b quark mass. In this letter, we calculate corrections to the factorized expression which are induced by the ``soft'' hadronic component of the photon. We demonstrate that the power-suppression of these terms is numerically not effective for physical values of the $b$ quark mass and that they increase the form factor by about 30% at zero momentum transfer. We also derive a sum rule for lambda_B, the first negative moment of the B meson distribution amplitude, and find lambda_B = 0.6 GeV (to leading order in QCD).Comment: 13 pages, 5 figure

Weighted Hardy spaces: shift invariant and coinvariant subspaces, linear systems and operator model theory

The Sz.-Nagy--Foias model theory for $C_{\cdot 0}$ contraction operators combined with the Beurling-Lax theorem establishes a correspondence between any two of four kinds of objects: shift-invariant subspaces, operator-valued inner functions, conservative discrete-time input/state/output linear systems, and $C_{\cdot 0}$ Hilbert-space contraction operators. We discuss an analogue of all these ideas in the context of weighted Hardy spaces over the unit disk and an associated class of hypercontraction operators

On the Approximation of Isolated Eigenvalues of Ordinary Differential Operators

We extend a result of Stolz and Weidmann on the approximation of isolated eigenvalues of singular Sturm-Liouville and Dirac operators by the eigenvalues of regular operators.Comment: 4 page

An Investigation Into the Electrical Activity of Tender, Resting Paraspinal Muscles Using Surface Electromyography: A Pilot Study

Abnormal resting paraspinal muscle activity has been claimed to be responsible for changes in spinal tissue texture which are detectible by manual palpation. This pilot study investigated whether there was significant electrical activity in paraspinal musculature that was tender and that appeared to have altered tissue texture on palpation. Sixteen healthy volunteers between 18 and 35 years of age had their thoracic erector spinae mass palpated bilaterally from spinal levels T3 to T10 to identify paraspinal regions exhibiting altered tissue texture relative to the contralateral muscle mass. Surface electromyography (sEMG) was used to measure electrical activity in the muscle mass at the selected levels. No significant differences in electrical activity were observed between the tender and non-tender muscle masses, although a large difference existed in the one symptomatic subject. All muscle sites displayed EMG activity at rest, although the source of activity is not clear. A number of methodological problems with the EMG recording were encountered and are discussed. Future research is recommended using symptomatic participants