k-Core organization of complex networks

We analytically describe the architecture of randomly damaged uncorrelated networks as a set of successively enclosed substructures--k-cores. The k-core is the largest subgraph where vertices have at least k interconnections. We find the structure of k-cores, their sizes, and their birthpoints--the bootstrap percolation thresholds. We show that in networks with a finite mean number zeta2 of the second-nearest neighbors, the emergence of a k-core is a hybrid phase transition. In contrast, if zeta2 diverges, the networks contain an infinite sequence of k-cores which are ultrarobust against random damage.     

Structural subunit organization of molluscan hemocyanins

The quaternary structure of Molluscan hemocyanins is not still defined, in particular the spatial distribution and the structural subunits. It is important to establish the number and the nature of interations between functional units. Here we present two non-proteolytic methods for the depolymerization of hemocyanins. The results suggest that the carbohydrate moieties apparently play a basic role in the organization of the structural subunits.     

Structural preferential attachment: network organization beyond the link

We introduce a mechanism which models the emergence of the universal properties of complex networks, such as scale independence, modularity and self-similarity, and unifies them under a scale-free organization beyond the link. This brings a new perspective on network organization where communities, instead of links, are the fundamental building blocks of complex systems. We show how our simple model can reproduce social and information networks by predicting their community structure and more importantly, how their nodes or communities are interconnected, often in a self-similar manner.     

Dynamical organization of cooperation in complex topologies

In this Letter, we study how cooperation is organized in complex topologies by analyzing the evolutionary (replicator) dynamics of the prisoner's dilemma, a two-player game with two available strategies, defection and cooperation, whose payoff matrix favors defection. We show that, asymptotically, the population is partitioned into three subsets: individuals that always cooperate (pure cooperators), always defect (pure defectors), and those that intermittently change their strategy. In fact, the size of the later set is the biggest for a wide range of the "stimulus to defect" parameter. While in homogeneous random graphs pure cooperators are grouped into several clusters, in heterogeneous scale-free (SF) networks they always form a single cluster containing the most connected individuals (hubs). Our results give further insights into why cooperation in SF networks is enhanced.     

An apparatus of the NBC type and the physics results obtained

A nonbubble chamber (NBC) setup, especially designed to perform a series of experiments, is described. The setup consists of a neutron missing-mass spectrometer coupled with a system of large electromagnetic shower detectors. In spite of its large dimensions (the sensitive surface and volume are 2.16 × 10⁴ cm² and 7.8 × 10⁵ cm³, respectively), the neutron spectrometer has a time resolution of ±0.70 nsec FWHM, with ∼25% detection efficiency in the range (70–390 MeV) neutron kinetic energy. The time equalization between the various components of the neutron spectrometer has been established to within ±0.1 nsec. At present this is the most powerful and the most accurate high-energy neutron detector. The electromagnetic shower detector is based on the principle of simultaneous measurements of the spatial development of the electromagnetic cascade and of its energy release. This is obtained with nine elements of lead foil — spark chamber — plastic scintillator, all sandwiched together. The sensitive surface and volume of the electromagnetic shower detector are 1.45 × 10⁴ cm² and 7.2 × 10⁵ cm³, respectively.     

Structural organization of pi conjugated highly luminescent molecular material

We report on striking evidence for a room temperature structural phase instability in p-hexaphenyl, inducing a nonplanar conformation of the molecules. Solid state proton NMR and single crystal x-ray diffraction allow the analysis of the organization, the individual dynamics and the involved symmetry breaking. The analysis of Raman spectra above and below room temperature reveals a singular behavior suggesting a modification of the overlap between the electronic wave function induced by the nonplanarity. These results provide a new basis to answer fundamental issues related to molecular and electronic materials and, in particular, luminescent organic devices.     

Some type III solutions of the Einstein-Maxwell equations

A Petrov type III metric with nontwisting, degenerate Debever-Penrose direction is studied. This metric is, in general, a solution of the Einstein-Maxwell equations. Two particular cases are investigated in some detail. It is shown that the metric contains typeN, conformally flat and flat metrics as special subcases. Among these subcases, we find the metric of plane gravitational waves and the Bertotti-Robinson solution.     

A prediction from the type III see-saw mechanism

A simple ansatz that is well-motivated by group-theoretical considerations is proposed in the context of the type III neutrino see-saw mechanism. It results in predictions for ms/mb$m_s/m_b$ and mτ/mb$m_{\tau }/m_b$ that relates these quantities to the masses and mixings of neutrinos.     

Bianchi type III foliation of the de Sitter space

We show that the de Sitter space can be foliated into spacelike hypersurfaces with locally rotationally symmetric Bianchi type III properties. This proves as well that a particular Bianchi type III solution is isotropic. In addition, we apply a criterion of isotropy, based on the vanishing of the Weyl tensor, which is particularly suited for cosmological models where there is not a preferred timelike vector field.     

Social behavior of bacteria: from physics to complex organization

I describe how bacteria develop complex colonial patterns by utilizing intricate communication capabilities, such as quorum sensing, chemotactic signaling and exchange of genetic information (plasmids) Bacteria do not store genetically all the information required for generating the patterns for all possible environments. Instead, additional information is cooperatively generated as required for the colonial organization to proceed. Each bacterium is, by itself, a biotic autonomous system with its own internal cellular informatics capabilities (storage, processing and assessments of information). These afford the cell certain plasticity to select its response to biochemical messages it receives, including self-alteration and broadcasting messages to initiate alterations in other bacteria. Hence, new features can collectively emerge during self-organization from the intra-cellular level to the whole colony. Collectively bacteria store information, perform decision make decisions (e.g. to sporulate) and even learn from past experience (e.g. exposure to antibiotics)-features we begin to associate with bacterial social behavior and even rudimentary intelligence. I also take Schrdinger’s’ “feeding on negative entropy” criteria further and propose that, in addition organisms have to extract latent information embedded in the environment. By latent information we refer to the non-arbitrary spatio-temporal patterns of regularities and variations that characterize the environmental dynamics. In other words, bacteria must be able to sense the environment and perform internal information processing for thriving on latent information embedded in the complexity of their environment. I then propose that by acting together, bacteria can perform this most elementary cognitive function more efficiently as can be illustrated by their cooperative behavior.     

Structural organization of an RNA catalyst with the random energy model as a reference frame

We investigate the kinetics of refolding of a catalytic RNA species along a folding pathway which starts at a biologically active structure and ends in the most stable structure, or global free energy minimum. The RNA species studied is not a purely informational molecule, since it is splicedin vivo. We show that the kinetic barriers involved in the relaxation of the active structure are considerably larger than those of a purely informational RNA. Our results attempt at establishing a kinetic criterion to distinguish between a catalytic and a coding RNA species on the basis of their folding.     

Structural state of III nitride layers implanted with erbium ions

The defect structure of AlGaN/GaN superlattices and GaN layers grown through vapor-phase epitaxy from organometallic compounds is investigated using x-ray diffraction analysis before and after implantation with erbium ions at an energy of 1 MeV and a dose of 3 × 10¹⁵ cm^?2, as well as after annealing. For a superlattice with a total thickness larger than the implantation depth, the satellites of the superlattice region strained under the action of ions disappear in the x-ray diffraction pattern after annealing at temperatures higher than 900°C. This suggests that the radiation-induced defects responsible for the positive deformation in the layer are annealed at these temperatures. However, annealing even at a temperature of 1050°C does not lead to complete recovery of the initial state and the positive deformation in the remaining regions is caused by residual defects. An analysis of the x-ray diffraction patterns demonstrates that, in samples with thin superlattices located at the depth corresponding to maximum radiation damage, the periodic structure that disappears after implantation at a dose of 3 × 10¹⁵ cm^?2 is not recovered even after annealing at a temperature of 1050°C. This inference is confirmed by the results of examinations with an electron microscope.     

Structural stability of complex hydrides: LiBH4 revisited

A systematic approach to study the phase stability of LiBH4 based on ab initio calculations is presented. Three thermodynamically stable phases are identified and a new phase of Cc symmetry is proposed for the first time for a complex hydride. The x-ray diffraction pattern and vibrational spectra of the Cc structure agree well with recently reported experimental data on LiBH4. Calculations of the free energy at finite temperatures suggest that the experimentally proposed P6(3)mc phase is unstable at T>0 K.