The Tabby cat locus maps to feline chromosome B1.

The Tabby markings of the domestic cat are unique coat patterns for which no causative candidate gene has been inferred from other mammals. In this study, a genome scan was performed on a large pedigree of cats that segregated for Tabby coat markings, specifically for the Abyssinian (Ta-) and blotched (tbtb) phenotypes. There was linkage between the Tabby locus and eight markers on cat chromosome B1. The most significant linkage was between marker FCA700 and Tabby (Z = 7.56, theta = 0.03). Two additional markers in the region supported linkage, although not with significant LOD scores. Pairwise analysis of the markers supported the published genetic map of the cat, although additional meioses are required to refine the region. The linked markers cover a 17-cM region and flank an evolutionary breakpoint, suggesting that the Tabby gene has a homologue on either human chromosome 4 or 8. Alternatively, Tabby could be a unique locus in cats

Improving rail wear and RCF performance using laser cladding

Laser cladding has been considered as a method for improving the wear and RCF performance of standard grade rail. This paper presents results of small scale tests carried out to assess the wear and RCF performance of rail which had been laser clad. Using the laser cladding process premium metals can be deposited on to the working surface of standard rail with the aim of enhancing the wear and RCF life of the rail. Various laser clad samples were tested using a twin-disc method. The candidate metals were clad on to standard R260 grade rail discs and were tested against a disc of standard wheel material. During the tests, wear rates and RCF initiation were monitored and compared to those of a standard rail disc. Six candidate cladding materials were chosen for this test: A multi-phase Manganese Steel Variant (MMV), Martensitic Stainless Steel (MSS), TWIP Steel, NiCrBSi, Stellite 12 and Stellite 6. The MSS, Stellite 6, and Stellite 12 samples showed reduced wear rates relative to the standard R260 Grade rail discs, and also produced a reduction in wheel steel wear. The RCF initiation resistance of all of the candidate materials was superior compared to the R260 Grade material

Identifying the Background Signal in ARPES of High Temperature Superconductors

One of the interesting features of the photoemission spectra of the high temperature cuprate superconductors is the presence of a large signal (referred to as the "background'') in the unoccupied region of the Brillouin zone. Here we present data indicating that the origin of this signal is extrinsic and is most likely due to strong scattering of the photoelectrons. We also present an analytical method that can be used to subtract the background signal

Non-dispersive Fermi arcs and absence of charge ordering in the pseudogap phase of Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+d

The autocorrelation of angle resolved photoemission data from the high temperature superconductor Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+d shows distinct peaks in momentum space which disperse with binding energy in the superconducting state, but not in the pseudogap phase. Although it is tempting to attribute a non-dispersive behavior in momentum space to some ordering phenomenon, a de-construction of the autocorrelation reveals that the non-dispersive peaks arise not from ordering, but rather from the tips of the Fermi arcs, which themselves do not change with binding energy.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

Momentum anisotropy of the scattering rate in cuprate superconductors

We examine the momentum and energy dependence of the scattering rate of the high temperature cuprate superconductors using angle resolved photoemission spectroscopy. The scattering rate is of the form a + b*w. The inelastic coefficient b is found to be isotropic. The elastic term, a, however, is found to be highly anisotropic in the pseudogap phase of optimal doped samples, with an anisotropy which correlates with that of the pseudogap. This can be contrasted with heavily overdoped samples, which show an isotropic scattering rate in the normal state

Renormalization of spectral lineshape and dispersion below Tc in Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+d

Angle-resolved photoemission (ARPES) data in the superconducting state of Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+d show a kink in the dispersion along the zone diagonal, which is related via a Kramers-Kronig analysis to a drop in the low-energy scattering rate. As one moves towards (pi,0), this kink evolves into a spectral dip. The occurrence of these anomalies in the dispersion and lineshape throughout the zone indicate the presence of a new energy scale in the superconducting state.Comment: New Figure 3 with expanded discussio

The Fermi surface of Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8

We study the Fermi surface of Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8 (Bi2212) using angle resolved photoemission (ARPES) with a momentum resolution of ~ 0.01 of the Brillouin zone. We show that, contrary to recent suggestions, the Fermi surface is a large hole barrel centered at (pi,pi), independent of the incident photon energy.Comment: 4 pages (revtex), 4 figures (eps, 2 color

Quasiparticles in the superconducting state of Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8

Recent improvements in momentum resolution by a factor of 32 lead to qualitatively new ARPES results on the spectra of Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8 (Bi2212) along the (pi,pi) direction, where there is a node in the superconducting gap. With improved resolution, we now see the intrinsic lineshape, which indicates the presence of true quasiparticles at the Fermi momentum in the superconducting state, and lack thereof in the normal state. The region of momentum space probed here is relevant for charge transport, motivating a comparison of our results to conductivity measurements by infrared reflectivity.Comment: revised paper with new figure

Electronic Spectra and Their Relation to the (pi,pi) Collective Mode in High-Tc Superconductors

Photoemission spectra of Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8 reveal that the high energy feature near (pi,0), the "hump", scales with the superconducting gap and persists above Tc in the pseudogap phase. As the doping decreases, the dispersion of the hump increasingly reflects the wavevector (pi,pi) characteristic of the undoped insulator, despite the presence of a large Fermi surface. This can be understood from the interaction of the electrons with a collective mode, supported by our observation that the doping dependence of the resonance observed by neutron scattering is the same as that inferred from our data.Comment: 4 pages (revtex), 5 figures (eps