Many complex systems can be represented and analyzed as networks, and examples that have benefited from this approach span the natural sciences. For instance, we now know that systems as disparate as the World-Wide Web, the Internet, scientific collaborations, food webs, protein interactions and metabolism all have common features in their organization, the most salient of which are their scale-free connectivity distributions and their small-world behavior. The recent availability of large scale datasets that span the proteome or metabolome of an organism have made it possible to elucidate some of the organizational principles and rules that govern their function, robustness and evolution. We expect that combining the currently separate layers of information from gene regulatory-, signal transduction-, protein interaction- and metabolic networks will dramatically enhance our understanding of cellular function and dynamics.

The aging in plutonium is predominantly caused by its internal self-irradiation. The self-irradiation in Pu-239 is by the decay process of transmuting the Pu atom into uranium atom and emitting an {alpha}-particle. Most of the lattice damage comes from the uranium recoil resulting in Frenkel-type defects consisting of vacancies and self-interstitial atoms, helium in-growth and defect clusters and possibly even though it is not yet observed, the generation of voids. As part of the stockpile stewardship, it is important to understand the changes in the structure and microstructures and their correlations to the physical properties. Changes in the physical properties have a direct relationship to the quality of the structure, in terms of formation of defects and defect clustering, accumulation of voids, grain boundaries, phase changes and etc. which can adversely affect the stability of the material. These changes are very difficult to monitor because of the high activity of the sample, high atomic number making x-ray and synchrotron probe into the bulk very difficult (neutron probe is not feasible) and the long life time which normally requires decades to measure. In this paper we describe the development of an in-situ in-house transmission x-ray diffraction (XRD) experimental technique used to …

There is a continuing need for high intensity electron sources that will operate in demountable vacuum and can be externally modulated. Materials with wide bandgap, e.g. diamond, are rugged but need photon energies exceeding the bandgap to emit efficiently and this rules out the use of CW lasers. We have found that a photocathode of CsBr is both adequately intense(>150A/cm{sup 2}) and rugged and can be excited with photons of energy of 4.8eV(257nm). This is below the energy gap of CsBr(7.3eV) but such operation can be explained by the presence of intraband states about 4eV below the conduction band minimum.

We study the effect of flux-induced isometry gauging of the scalar manifold in N = 2 heterotic string compactification with gauge fluxes. We show that a vanishing theorem by Witten provides the protection mechanism. The other ungauged isometries in hyper moduli space could also be protected, depending on the gauge bundle structure. We also discuss the related issue in IIB setting.

We calculate the emission from relativistic flows in black hole systems using a fully general relativistic radiative transfer formulation, with flow structures obtained by general relativistic magneto-hydrodynamic simulations. We consider thermal free-free emission and thermal synchrotron emission. Bright filament-like features protrude (visually) from the accretion disk surface, which are enhancements of synchrotron emission where the magnetic field roughly aligns with the line-of-sight in the co-moving frame. The features move back and forth as the accretion flow evolves, but their visibility and morphology are robust. We propose that variations and drifts of the features produce certain X-ray quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) observed in black-hole X-ray binaries.

We present an updated version of the Multicolor Light Curve Shape method to measure distances to type Ia supernovae (SN Ia), incorporating new procedures for K-correction and extinction corrections. We also develop a simple model to disentangle intrinsic color variations and reddening by dust, and expand the method to incorporate U-band light curves and to more easily accommodate prior constraints on any of the model parameters. We apply this method to 133 nearby SN Ia, including 95 objects in the Hubble flow (cz {ge} 2500 km s{sup -1}), which give an intrinsic dispersion of less than 7% in distance. The Hubble flow sample, which is of critical importance to all cosmological uses of SN Ia, is the largest ever presented with homogeneous distances. We find the Hubble flow supernovae with H{sub 0}d{sub SN} {ge} 7400 km s{sup -1} yield an expansion rate that is 6.5 {+-} 1.8% lower than the rate determined from supernovae within that distance, and this can have a large effect on measurements of the dark energy equation of state with SN Ia. Peculiar velocities of SN Ia host galaxies in the rest frame of the Local Group are consistent with the dipole measured in the Cosmic …

The authors present measurements of CP-violating asymmetries in the decay B{sup 0} {yields} a{sub 1}{sup {+-}}(1260){pi}{sup {-+}} with a{sub 1}{sup {+-}}(1260) {yields} {pi}{sup {-+}}{pi}{sup {+-}}{pi}{sup {+-}}. The data sample corresponds to 384 x 10{sup 6} B{bar B} pairs collected with the BABAR detector at the PEP-II asymmetric B-factory at SLAC. They measure the CP-violating asymmetry {Alpha}{sub CP}{sup a{sub 1}{pi}} = -0.07 {+-} 0.07 {+-} 0.02, the mixing-induced CP violation parameter S{sub a{sub 1}{pi}} = 0.37 {+-} 0.21 {+-} 0.07, the direct Cp violation parameter C{sub a{sub 1}{pi}} = -0.10 {+-} 0.15 {+-} 0.09, and the parameters {Delta}C{sub a{sub 1}{pi}} = 0.26 {+-} 0.15 {+-} 0.07 and {Delta}S{sub a{sub 1}{pi}} = -0.14 {+-} 0.21 {+-} 0.06. From these measured quantities they determine the angle {alpha}{sub eff} = 78.6{sup o} {+-} 7.3{sup o}.

The goal is to quantify and understand the influence of climate and disturbance on ecosystem processes and thus net carbon uptake by forests. The objective is to combine tower and ground-based observations to quantify the effects of disturbance on processes controlling carbon storage and CO{sub 2} and energy exchange in varying climatic conditions. Specific objectives are: (1) Investigate the effects of logging and fire on carbon storage and carbon dioxide and energy exchange in chronosequences of ponderosa pine, using consistent methodology; (2) Determine key environmental factors controlling carbon storage and carbon dioxide and energy exchange in these forests through a combination of measurements and process modeling; and (3) Assess spatial variation of the concentrations and transport in complex terrain. The eddy covariance method is used for measurements of CO2, water vapor, and energy exchanges in a chronosequence of ponderosa pine forests (burned in 2002 wildfire, 10 year-old stand, 90 year-old mature stand). The mature stand has been an AmeriFlux site since 2000 (following previous flux sites in young and old stands initiated in 1996). In addition to the eddy covariance measurements, a large suite of biological processes and ecosystem properties are determined for the purpose of developing independent forest carbon …

We present constraints on the dark energy equation-of-state parameter, w = P/({rho}c{sup 2}), using 60 Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) from the ESSENCE supernova survey. We derive a set of constraints on the nature of the dark energy assuming a flat Universe. By including constraints on ({Omega}{sub M}, w) from baryon acoustic oscillations, we obtain a value for a static equation-of-state parameter w = -1.05{sub -0.12}{sup +0.13} (stat 1{sigma}) {+-} 0.13 (sys) and {Omega}{sub M} = 0.274{sub -0.020}{sup +0.033} (stat 1{sigma}) with a best-fit {chi}{sup 2}/DoF of 0.96. These results are consistent with those reported by the Super-Nova Legacy Survey in a similar program measuring supernova distances and redshifts. We evaluate sources of systematic error that afflict supernova observations and present Monte Carlo simulations that explore these effects. Currently, the largest systematic currently with the potential to affect our measurements is the treatment of extinction due to dust in the supernova host galaxies. Combining our set of ESSENCE SNe Ia with the SuperNova Legacy Survey SNe Ia, we obtain a joint constraint of w = -1.07{sub -0.09}{sup +0.09} (stat 1{sigma}) {+-} 0.13 (sys), {Omega}{sub M} = 0.267{sub -0.018}{sup +0.028} (stat 1{sigma}) with a best-fit {chi}{sup 2}/DoF of 0.91. The current …

Unlike the classical Yersinia pestis strains, members of an atypical group of Y. pestis from Central Asia, denominated Y. pestis subspecies caucasica (also known as one of several pestoides types), are distinguished by a number of characteristics including their ability to ferment rhamnose and melibiose, their lacking the small plasmid encoding the plasminogen activator (pla) and pesticin, and their exceptionally large variants of the virulence plasmid pMT (encoding murine toxin and capsular antigen). We have obtained the entire genome sequence of Y. pestis Pestoides F, an isolate from the former Soviet Union that has enabled us to carryout a comprehensive genome-wide comparison of this organism's genomic content against the six published sequences of Y. pestis and their Y. pseudotuberculosis ancestor. Based on classical glycerol fermentation (+ve) and nitrate reduction (+ve) Y. pestis Pestoides F is an isolate that belongs to the biovar antiqua. This strain is unusual in other characteristics such as the fact that it carries a non-consensus V antigen (lcrV) sequence, and that unlike other Pla{sup -} strains, Pestoides F retains virulence by the parenteral and aerosol routes. The chromosome of Pestoides F is 4,517,345 bp in size comprising some 3,936 predicted coding sequences, while its pCD and …

We have calculated the reflection component of the X-ray spectra of active galactic nuclei (AGN) and shown that they can be significantly modified by the relativistic motion of the accretion flow and various gravitational effects of the central black hole. The absorption edges in the reflection spectra suffer severe energy shifts and smearing. The degree of distortion depends on the system parameters, and the dependence is stronger for some parameters such as the inner radius of the accretion disk and the disk viewing inclination angles. The relativistic effects are significant and are observable. Improper treatment of the reflection component of the X-ray continuum in spectral fittings will give rise to spurious line-like features, which will mimic the fluorescent emission lines and mask the relativistic signatures of the lines.

Transition rates, oscillator strengths, and line strengths are calculated for electric-dipole (E1) transitions between odd-parity 3s{sup 2}3p{sup 6}3d{sup 9}4{ell}{sub 2}, 3s{sup 2}3p{sup 5}3d{sup 10}4{ell}{sub 2}, and 3s3p{sup 6}3d{sup 10}4{ell}{sub 1} states and even-parity 3s{sup 2}3p{sup 6}3d{sup 9}4{ell}{sub 2}, 3s{sup 2}3p{sup 5}3d{sup 10}4{ell}{sub 1}, and 3s3p{sup 6}3d{sup 10}4{ell}{sub 2} (with 4{ell}{sub 1} = 4p; 4f and 4{ell}{sub 2} = 4s; 4d) in Ni-like ions with the nuclear charges ranging from Z = 34 to 100. Relativistic many-body perturbation theory (RMBPT), including the Breit interaction, is used to evaluate retarded E1 matrix elements in length and velocity forms. The calculations start from a 1s{sup 2}2s{sup 2}2p{sup 6}3s{sup 2}3p{sup 6}3d{sup 10} Dirac-Fock potential. First-order RMBPT is used to obtain intermediate coupling coefficients and second-order RMBPT is used to calculate transition matrix elements. Contributions from negative-energy states are included in the second-order E1 matrix elements to ensure the gauge independence of transition amplitudes. Transition energies used in the calculation of oscillator strengths and transition rates are from second-order RMBPT. Lifetimes of the 3s{sup 2}3p{sup 6}3d{sup 9}4d levels are given for Z = 34-100. Transition rates, line strengths, and oscillator strengths are compared with critically evaluated experimental values and with results from other recent calculations. …

Analysis of modern broadband (BB) waveform data allows for the inference of seismic velocity structure of the crust and upper mantle using a variety of techniques. This presentation will report inferences of seismic structure of the Arabian Plate using BB data from various networks. Most data were recorded by the Saudi Arabian National Digital Seismic Network (SANDSN) which consists of 38 (26 BB, 11 SP) stations, mostly located on the Arabian Shield. Additional data were taken from the 1995-7 Saudi Arabian IRIS-PASSCAL Deployment (9 BB stations) and other stations across the Peninsula. Crustal structure, inferred from teleseismic P-wave receiver functions, reveals thicker crust in the Arabian Platform (40-45 km) and the interior of the Arabian Shield (35-40 km) and thinner crust along the Red Sea coast. Lithospheric thickness inferred from teleseismic S-wave receiver functions reveals very thin lithosphere (40-80 km) along the Red Sea coast which thickens rapidly toward the interior of the Arabian Shield (100-120 km). We also observe a step of 20-40 km in lithospheric thickness across the Shield-Platform boundary. Seismic velocity structure of the upper mantle inferred from teleseismic P- and S-wave travel time tomography reveals large differences between the Shield and Platform, with the Shield being …

In order to successfully decontaminate, deactivate and decommission surplus Department of Energy (DOE) facilities throughout the Savannah River Site (SRS), a variety of characterizations must be completed to sufficiently identify and quantify potential contaminants of concern. The ultimate goal is to rapidly and efficiently characterize, decontaminate (if necessary), and verify that the remnants meet specified limits established by either an industrial worker model or a groundwater model. To meet this end, the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) developed a series of radioanalytical strategies and methodologies which can be used to characterize targeted facilities and prove that decontamination has been sufficient. To our knowledge, this is the first application of this novel methodology within the DOE complex. This methodology has been successfully utilized with nearly 1000 samples from over a dozen facilities. The application of this approach to just a single facility shortened the schedule by 30 days and resulted in non-labor dollar savings of over $60K. Cost savings for a second facility was determined to be $375K. Based on the success of this methodology at SRS, this approach will be valuable to other nuclear facilities in the USA and abroad involved with the decontamination and decommissioning process.