Models for Estimating Genetic Parameters of Milk Production Traits Using Random Regression Models in Korean Holstein Cattle

The objectives of the study were to estimate genetic parameters for milk production traits of Holstein cattle using random regression models (RRMs), and to compare the goodness of fit of various RRMs with homogeneous and heterogeneous residual variances. A total of 126,980 test-day milk production records of the first parity Holstein cows between 2007 and 2014 from the Dairy Cattle Improvement Center of National Agricultural Cooperative Federation in South Korea were used. These records included milk yield (MILK), fat yield (FAT), protein yield (PROT), and solids-not-fat yield (SNF). The statistical models included random effects of genetic and permanent environments using Legendre polynomials (LP) of the third to fifth order (L3–L5), fixed effects of herd-test day, year-season at calving, and a fixed regression for the test-day record (third to fifth order). The residual variances in the models were either homogeneous (HOM) or heterogeneous (15 classes, HET15; 60 classes, HET60). A total of nine models (3 orders of polynomials×3 types of residual variance) including L3-HOM, L3-HET15, L3-HET60, L4-HOM, L4-HET15, L4-HET60, L5-HOM, L5-HET15, and L5-HET60 were compared using Akaike information criteria (AIC) and/or Schwarz Bayesian information criteria (BIC) statistics to identify the model(s) of best fit for their respective traits. The lowest BIC value was observed for the models L5-HET15 (MILK; PROT; SNF) and L4-HET15 (FAT), which fit the best. In general, the BIC values of HET15 models for a particular polynomial order was lower than that of the HET60 model in most cases. This implies that the orders of LP and types of residual variances affect the goodness of models. Also, the heterogeneity of residual variances should be considered for the test-day analysis. The heritability estimates of from the best fitted models ranged from 0.08 to 0.15 for MILK, 0.06 to 0.14 for FAT, 0.08 to 0.12 for PROT, and 0.07 to 0.13 for SNF according to days in milk of first lactation. Genetic variances for studied traits tended to decrease during the earlier stages of lactation, which were followed by increases in the middle and decreases further at the end of lactation. With regards to the fitness of the models and the differential genetic parameters across the lactation stages, we could estimate genetic parameters more accurately from RRMs than from lactation models. Therefore, we suggest using RRMs in place of lactation models to make national dairy cattle genetic evaluations for milk production traits in Korea

Progress on the Electromagnetic Calorimeter Trigger Simulation at the Belle II Experiment

The Belle II experiment at KEK in Japan has started real data taking from April 2018 to probe a New Physics beyond the Standard Model by measuring CP violation precisely and rare weak decays of heavy quark and lepton. The experiment is performed at the high luminosity SuperKEKB e^+ e^- collider with 80 x 10^34 cm^-2 s^-1 as an ultimate instantaneous luminosity. In order to develop and test an appropriate trigger algorithm under much higher luminosity and beam background environment than previous KEKB collider, a detail simulation study of the Belle II calorimeter trigger system is very crucial to operate Belle II Trigger and DAQ system in stable. We report preliminary results on various trigger logics and their efficiencies using physics and beam background Monte Carlo events with a Belle II Geant4-based analysis framework called Basf2

Terahertz generation in Czochralski grown periodically poled Mg:Y:LiNbO3 via optical rectification

Using a canonical pump-probe experimental technique, we studied the terahertz (THz) waves generation and detection via optical rectification and mixing in Czochralski-grown periodically poled Mg:Y:LiNbO3 (PPLN) crystals. THz waves with frequencies at 1.37 THz and 0.68 THz as well as 1.8 THz were obtained for PPLN with nonlinear grating periods of 0.03 and 0.06 mm, respectively. A general theoretical model was developed by considering the dispersion and damping of low frequency phonon-polariton mode. Our results show that THz waves are generated in forward and backward directions via pumping pulse rectification. The generated THz waves depend on the spectral shape of the laser pulses, quasi-phase mismatches and dispersion characteristics of a crystal.Comment: 25 pages, 4 figure

Alpha backgrounds in NaI(Tl) crystals of COSINE-100

COSINE-100 is a dark matter direct detection experiment with 106 kg NaI(Tl) as the target material. 210Pb and daughter isotopes are a dominant background in the WIMP region of interest and are detected via beta decay and alpha decay. Analysis of the alpha channel complements the background model as observed in the beta/gamma channel. We present the measurement of the quenching factors and Monte Carlo simulation results and activity quantification of the alpha decay components of the COSINE-100 NaI(Tl) crystals. The data strongly indicate that the alpha decays probabilistically undergo two possible quenching factors but require further investigation. The fitted results are consistent with independent measurements and improve the overall understanding of the COSINE-100 backgrounds. Furthermore, the half-life of 216Po has been measured to be 143.4 +/- 1.2 ms, which is consistent with and more precise than recent measurements

Investigation of the Spin Density Wave in NaxCoO2

Magnetic susceptibility, transport and heat capacity measurements of single crystal NaxCoO2 (x=0.71) are reported. A transition to a spin density wave (SDW) state at Tmag = 22 K is observable in all measurements, except chi(ac) data in which a cusp is observed at 4 K and attributed to a low temperature glassy phase. M(H) loops are hysteretic below 15 K. Both the SDW transition and low temperature hysteresis are only visible along the c-axis. The system also exhibits a substantial (~40%) positive magnetoresistance below this temperature. Calculations of the electronic heat capacity gamma above and below Tmag and the size of the jump in C indicate that the onset of the SDW brings about the opening of gap and the removal of part of the Fermi surface. Reduced in-plane electron-electron scattering counteracts the loss of carriers below the transition and as a result we see a net reduction in resistivity below Tmag. Sodium ordering transitions at higher temperatures are observable as peaks in the heat capacity with a corresponding increase in resistivity.Comment: 14 pages, 6 figure