Pion-photon and photon-pion transition form factors in light-cone formalism

We derive the minimal Fock-state expansions of the pion and the photon wave functions in light-cone formalism, then we calculate the pion-photon and the photon-pion transition form factors of $\gamma ^{\ast}\pi ^{0}\to \gamma$ and $\gamma ^{\ast}\gamma \to \pi ^{0}$ processes by employing these quark-antiquark wave functions of the pion and the photon. We find that our calculation for the $\gamma ^{\ast}\gamma \to \pi ^{0}$ transition form factor agrees with the experimental data at low and moderately high energy scale. Moreover, the physical differences and inherent connections between the transition form factors of $\gamma ^{\ast}\pi ^{0}\to \gamma$ and $\gamma ^{\ast}\gamma \to \pi ^{0}$ have been illustrated, which indicate that these two physical processes are intrinsically related. In addition, we also discuss the $\pi ^{0}\to \gamma \gamma$ form factor and the decay width $\mathit{\Gamma}(\pi \to \gamma \gamma)$ at $Q^{2}=0$.Comment: 20 pages, 2 figure

Large corrections to asymptotic FηcγF_{\eta_c \gamma} and FηbγF_{\eta_b \gamma} in the light-cone perturbative QCD

The large-$Q^2$ behavior of $\eta_c$-$\gamma$ and $\eta_b$-$\gamma$ transition form factors, $F_{\eta_c\gamma}(Q^2)$ and $F_{\eta_b\gamma}(Q^2)$ are analyzed in the framework of light-cone perturbative QCD with the heavy quark ($c$ and $b$) mass effect, the parton's transverse momentum dependence and the higher helicity components in the light-cone wave function are respected. It is pointed out that the quark mass effect brings significant modifications to the asymptotic predictions of the transition form factors in a rather broad energy region, and this modification is much severer for $F_{\eta_b\gamma}(Q^2)$ than that for $F_{\eta_c\gamma}(Q^2)$ due to the $b$-quark being heavier than the $c$-quark. The parton's transverse momentum and the higher helicity components are another two factors which decrease the perturbative predictions. For the transition form factor $F_{\eta_c\gamma}(Q^2)$, they bring sizable corrections in the present experimentally accessible energy region ($Q^2 \leq 10 GeV^2$). For the transition form factor $F_{\eta_b\gamma}(Q^2)$, the corrections coming from these two factors are negligible since the $b$-quark mass is much larger than the parton's average transverse momentum. The coming $e^+ e^-$ collider (LEP2) will provide the opportunity to examine these theoretical predictions.Comment: 8 pages, RevTex, 5 PostScript figure

Access and utilisation of maternity care for disabled women who experience domestic abuse:a systematic review

BACKGROUND: Although disabled women are significantly more likely to experience domestic abuse during pregnancy than non-disabled women, very little is known about how maternity care access and utilisation is affected by the co-existence of disability and domestic abuse. This systematic review of the literature explored how domestic abuse impacts upon disabled women’s access to maternity services. METHODS: Eleven articles were identified through a search of six electronic databases and data were analysed to identify: the factors that facilitate or compromise access to care; the consequences of inadequate care for pregnant women’s health and wellbeing; and the effectiveness of existing strategies for improvement. RESULTS: Findings indicate that a mental health diagnosis, poor relationships with health professionals and environmental barriers can compromise women’s utilisation of maternity services. Domestic abuse can both compromise, and catalyse, access to services and social support is a positive factor when accessing care. Delayed and inadequate care has adverse effects on women’s physical and psychological health, however further research is required to fully explore the nature and extent of these consequences. Only one study identified strategies currently being used to improve access to services for disabled women experiencing abuse. CONCLUSIONS: Based upon the barriers and facilitators identified within the review, we suggest that future strategies for improvement should focus on: understanding women’s reasons for accessing care; fostering positive relationships; being women-centred; promoting environmental accessibility; and improving the strength of the evidence base

CP--odd Correlation in the Decay of Neutral Higgs Boson into ZZZZ, W+W−W^+W^-, or ttˉt{\bar t}

We investigate the possibility of detecting CP--odd angular correlations in the various decay modes of the neutral Higgs boson including the modes of a $ZZ$ pair, a $W^+W^-$ pair, or a heavy quark pair. It is a natural way to probe the CP character of the Higgs boson once it is identified. Final state interactions (i.e. the absorptive decay amplitude) is not required in such correlations. As an illustrative example we take the fundamental source of the CP nonconservation to be in the Yukawa couplings of the Higgs boson to the heavy fermions. A similar correlation in the process $e^+e^- \to l^+ l^- H$ is also proposed. Our analysis of these correlations will be useful for experiments in future colliders such as LEP II, SSC, LHC or NLC.Comment: 16 pages, plus 8 postscript graphs not posted befor

New physics searches at near detectors of neutrino oscillation experiments

We systematically investigate the prospects of testing new physics with tau sensitive near detectors at neutrino oscillation facilities. For neutrino beams from pion decay, from the decay of radiative ions, as well as from the decays of muons in a storage ring at a neutrino factory, we discuss which effective operators can lead to new physics effects. Furthermore, we discuss the present bounds on such operators set by other experimental data currently available. For operators with two leptons and two quarks we present the first complete analysis including all relevant operators simultaneously and performing a Markov Chain Monte Carlo fit to the data. We find that these effects can induce tau neutrino appearance probabilities as large as O(10^{-4}), which are within reach of forthcoming experiments. We highlight to which kind of new physics a tau sensitive near detector would be most sensitive.Comment: 20 pages, 2 figures, REVTeX

Increasing incidence of childhood leukaemia: a controversy re-examined

We provide evidence of a gradual increase in the incidence of childhood leukaemia over the twentieth century from examination of trends in both incidence and mortality in England and Wales. We conclude that much of the recorded increase is likely to be real

Heavy Quarkonium Physics

This report is the result of the collaboration and research effort of the Quarkonium Working Group over the last three years. It provides a comprehensive overview of the state of the art in heavy-quarkonium theory and experiment, covering quarkonium spectroscopy, decay, and production, the determination of QCD parameters from quarkonium observables, quarkonia in media, and the effects on quarkonia of physics beyond the Standard Model. An introduction to common theoretical and experimental tools is included. Future opportunities for research in quarkonium physics are also discussed.Comment: xviii + 487 pages, 260 figures. The full text is also available at the Quarkonium Working Group web page: http://www.qwg.to.infn.i

A curriculum to teach medical students to care for people with disabilities: development and initial implementation

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Lack of knowledge and skills, and negative attitudes towards patients with disabilities, may adversely affect the services available to this group and negatively affect their health outcomes. The objective of this paper is to describe the development and initial implementation of a curriculum for teaching medical students to care for patients with disabilities.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We followed the six-step approach for developing curricula for medical education: general needs assessment, specific needs assessment, defining goals and objectives, determining the educational strategies, planning the implementation, and developing an evaluation plan.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The curriculum has well defined goals and objectives covering knowledge, attitudes and skills. It employs both traditional and non-traditional teaching strategies. The implementation is planned over the four-year medical school curriculum in collaboration with a number of academic departments and specialized community-based agencies. The curriculum evaluation includes an attitudinal survey which is administered using a controlled design (pre- and post- exposure to the curriculum). The initial implementation of the curriculum has been very successful.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We have developed a longitudinal curriculum to teach medical students to care for people with disabilities. A rigorous evaluation of the impact of the curriculum is needed.</p

Electromagnetic Transition Form Factor of Pseudoscalar Meson and η−η′\eta-\eta' Mixing

The electromagnetic transition form factors of $\eta$ and $\eta'$ are calculated in the light-cone perturbation theory. We show that it is unreliable to determine the \eta-\etap'$mixing angle without any additional normalization conditions other than their decay widthes to two photons. The possible intrinsic$c\bar{c}$component in the flavor singlet is investigated. The heavy quark pair has distinct properties from the light ones in electromagnetic transition processes of pseudoscalar mesons. It is possible to explore the size of$c\bar{c}$component and our numerical results disfavor a large portion of$c\bar{c}$ component.Comment: 13 pages, RevTeX, 4 ps figures, to appear in Phys. Rev.