Abstract: We report on a search for the flavor-changing neutral-current decay D-0 -> mu(+)mu(-) in p (p) over bar collisions at root s = 1.96 TeV using 360 pb(-1) of integrated luminosity collected by the CDF II detector at the Fermilab Tevatron collider. A displaced vertex trigger selects long-lived D-0 candidates in the mu(+)mu(-), pi(+)pi(-), and K-pi(+) decay modes. We use the Cabibbo-favored D-0 -> K-pi(+) channel to optimize the selection criteria in an unbiased manner, and the kinematically similar D-0 -> pi(+)pi(-) channel for normalization. We set an upper limit on the branching fraction B(D-0 -> mu(+)mu(-)) < 2.1 X 10(-7) (3.0 X 10(-7)) at the 90% (95%) confidence level.

Abstract: We present a measurement of the WW + WZ production cross section observed in a final state consisting of an identified electron or muon, two jets, and missing transverse energy. The measurement is carried out in a data sample corresponding to up to 4.6 fb(-1) of integrated luminosity at root s = 1.96 TeV collected by the CDF II detector. Matrix element calculations are used to separate the diboson signal from the large backgrounds. The WW + WZ cross section is measured to be 17.4 +/- 3.3 pb in agreement with standard model predictions. A fit to the dijet invariant mass spectrum yields a compatible cross section measurement.

Abstract: We present a measurement of the top-quark width in the lepton + jets decay channel of t (t) over bar events produced in p (p) over bar collisions at Fermilab's Tevatron collider and collected by the CDF II detector. From a data sample corresponding to 4.3 fb(-1) of integrated luminosity, we identify 756 candidate events. The top-quark mass and the mass of the hadronically decaying W boson that comes from the top-quark decay are reconstructed for each event and compared with templates of different top-quark widths (Gamma(t)) and deviations from nominal jet energy scale (Delta(JES)) to perform a simultaneous fit for both parameters, where Delta(JES) is used for the in situ calibration of the jet energy scale. By applying a Feldman-Cousins approach, we establish an upper limit at 95% confidence level (CL) of Gamma(t) < 7.6 GeV and a two-sided 68% CL interval of 0.3 GeV < Gamma(t) < 4.4 GeV for a top-quark mass of 172.5 GeV/c(2), which are consistent with the standard model prediction.

Abstract: Semiclassical gravity is investigated in a large class of asymptotically flat, static, spherically symmetric spacetimes including those containing static stars, black holes, and wormholes. Specifically the stress-energy tensors of massless free spin 0 and spin 1/2 fields are computed to leading order in the asymptotic regions of these spacetimes. This is done for spin 0 fields in Schwarzschild spacetime using a WKB approximation. It is done numerically for the spin 1/2 field in Schwarzschild, extreme Reissner-Nordstrom, and various wormhole spacetimes. And it is done by finding analytic solutions to the leading order mode equations in a large class of asymptotically flat static spherically symmetric spacetimes. Agreement is shown between these various computational methods. It is found that, for all of the spacetimes considered, the energy density and pressure in the asymptotic region are proportional to r(-5) to leading order. Furthermore, for the spin 1/2 field and the conformally coupled scalar field, the stress-energy tensor depends only on the leading order geometry in the far field limit. This is also true for the minimally coupled scalar field for spacetimes containing either a static star or a black hole, but not for spacetimes containing a wormhole.

Abstract: The Tile hadronic calorimeter of the ATLAS detector has undergone extensive testing in the experimental hall since its installation in late 2005. The readout, control and calibration systems have been fully operational since 2007 and the detector has successfully collected data from the LHC single beams in 2008 and first collisions in 2009. This paper gives an overview of the Tile Calorimeter performance as measured using random triggers, calibration data, data from cosmic ray muons and single beam data. The detector operation status, noise characteristics and performance of the calibration systems are presented, as well as the validation of the timing and energy calibration carried out with minimum ionising cosmic ray muons data. The calibration systems' precision is well below the design value of 1%. The determination of the global energy scale was performed with an uncertainty of 4%.