A note on the evaluation of a beta-casein variant in bovine breeds by allele-specific PCR and relevance to β-casomorphin

peer-reviewedThis work was supported by Enterprise Ireland and by a Teagasc Walsh fellowship to A.F. Keating.Two genetic variants of the bovine β-casein gene (A1 and B) encode a histidine residue at codon 67, resulting in potential liberation of a bioactive peptide, β-casomorphin, upon digestion. An allele-specific PCR (AS-PCR) was evaluated to distinguish between the β-casomorphin-releasing variants (A1 and B) and the non-releasing variants. AS-PCR successfully distinguished β-casein variants in 41 of 42 animals as confirmed by sequence analysis. Overall, while the incidence of the homozygous A1 and B animals (i.e., homozygous for the histidine residue; 21.4%) was lower than that for animals without the histidine residue (30.9% respectively), 69% of animals carried at least one allele for the histidine residue at codon 67.Teagasc Walsh Fellowship ProgrammeEnterprise Irelan

The Refractive Index of Curved Spacetime II: QED, Penrose Limits and Black Holes

This work considers the way that quantum loop effects modify the propagation of light in curved space. The calculation of the refractive index for scalar QED is reviewed and then extended for the first time to QED with spinor particles in the loop. It is shown how, in both cases, the low frequency phase velocity can be greater than c, as found originally by Drummond and Hathrell, but causality is respected in the sense that retarded Green functions vanish outside the lightcone. A "phenomenology" of the refractive index is then presented for black holes, FRW universes and gravitational waves. In some cases, some of the polarization states propagate with a refractive index having a negative imaginary part indicating a potential breakdown of the optical theorem in curved space and possible instabilities.Comment: 62 pages, 14 figures, some signs corrected in formulae and graph

Petrologic and oxygen-isotopic investigations of eucritic and anomalous mafic achondrites

The most common asteroidal igneous meteorites are eucrite-type basalts and gabbros rocks composed of ferroan pigeonite and augite, calcic plagioclase, silica, ilmenite, troilite, Ca-phosphate, chromite and Fe-metal. These rocks are thought to have formed on a single asteroid along with howardites and diogenites (HEDs). However, Northwest Africa (NWA) 011 is mineralogically identical to eucrites, but has an O-isotopic composition distinct from them and was derived from a different asteroid. Modern analyses with higher precision have shown that some eucrites have smaller O-isotopic differences that are nevertheless well-resolved from the group mean

Net and Tension infiltration effects of PAM in furrow irrigation

The history and fundamental aspects of polyacrylamide (PAM)-use in furrow irrigation water has been covered in depth in several publications (Barvenik, 1994; Lentz et al., 1992; Lentz and Sojka, 1994a; Lentz, 1995; Lentz and Sojka, 1996; Sojka and Lentz, 1996; Sojka and Lentz, 1997). In agriculture, the two greatest benefits associated with this practice are the near elimination of furrow erosion and substantial increases in infiltration compared to untreated water. The large erosion reduction has both on-site and downstream economic and environmental benefits (Agassi et al., 1995 ; Bahr et al., 1996; Bahr and Steiber, 1996; Lentz et al., 1992; Lentz, 1995; Lentz and Sojka, 1996; McCutchan eta!., 1993; Singh et al., 1996; Sojka and Lentz, 1993; Sojka and Lentz, 19946; Sojka et al., 1995; Sojka and Lentz, 1997). Infiltration effects are a substantial aspect of these benefits, but have been less thoroughly considered in data reported to date

Development of a surface-specific, anti-weathering stone preservative treatment

We are testing an anti-weathering preservation strategy that is specific to limestone surfaces. The strategy involves the application of a mineral-specific, bifunctional, passivating/coupling agent that binds to both the limestone surface and to the consolidating inorganic polymer matrix. The sol-gel based reactions form composite materials with desirable conservation and anti-weathering properties. We present the results of our efforts, the highlights of which are: (1) scanning probe microscopy of moisture-free calcite crystals treated with the trisilanol form of silylalkylaminocarboxylate (SAAC), reveals porous agglomerates that offer no significant resistance to the mild leaching action of deionized water. When the crystals are further consolidated with a silica-based consolidant (A2**), no dissolution is seen although the positive role of the passivant molecule is not yet delineated. (2) Modulus of rupture tests on limestone cores treated with an aminoalkylsilane (AEAPS) and A2** showed a 25-35% increase in strength compared to the untreated samples. (3) Environmental scanning electron microscopy of treated limestone subjected to a concentrated acid attack showed degradation of the surface except in areas where thick layers of the consolidant were deposited

Entanglement between a qubit and the environment in the spin-boson model

The quantitative description of the quantum entanglement between a qubit and its environment is considered. Specifically, for the ground state of the spin-boson model, the entropy of entanglement of the spin is calculated as a function of $\alpha$, the strength of the ohmic coupling to the environment, and $\epsilon$, the level asymmetry. This is done by a numerical renormalization group treatment of the related anisotropic Kondo model. For $\epsilon=0$, the entanglement increases monotonically with $\alpha$, until it becomes maximal for $\alpha \lim 1^-$. For fixed $\epsilon>0$, the entanglement is a maximum as a function of $\alpha$ for a value, $\alpha = \alpha_M < 1$.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures. Shortened version restricted to groundstate entanglemen

Effect of Hydrologic Restoration on the Habitat of the Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow, 2008 – Final Report

This document summarizes the activities that were accomplished in 2008, the sixth year of the research project “Effect of hydrologic restoration on the habitat of the Cape Sable seaside sparrow”, a collaborative effort among the US Army Corps of Engineers, Everglades National Park, Florida International University, and the US Geological Survey (Florida Integrated Science Center). The major activities in 2008 included field work, data analysis, and presentations. Jay Sah presented the results of 6th year field work at the Cape Sable seaside sparrow (CSSS) Fire Meeting 2008, held on December 2-3 at the Krome Center, Homestead, Florida. In the same meeting, Mike Ross presented results from a related USFWS-funded project on encroachment pattern of woody plants in Cape Sable seaside sparrow habitat

Polyacrylamide effects on infiltration in irrigated agriculture

Using polyacrylamide (PAM) following the NRCS conservation practice standard increases infiltration in furrow irrigation. PAM at 10 g in-' (10 ppm) during water advance nearly precludes detachment and transport of soil in furrows. If any sediment is entrained in the flow, it is readily flocculated in the presence of PAM and settles to the furrow-bottom in loose pervious structures. It was hypothesized that depositional surface seals that block pores are reduced or made more permeable with PAM. On Portneuf silt beams (coarse-silty, mixed, superactive, Durinodic Xeric Haplocalcid) furrow irrigation net infiltration increased 15%. Net increases on finer textured soils were generally higher. Furrow streams containing more than 5 g L (5,000 ppm) sediment reduced infiltration and infiltration rate more than fivefold compared to streams of clean water. Tension infiltrometry confirmed that PAM's maintenance of open pores to the furrow surface provides the infiltration increase mechanism. Infiltration rates at 40 and 100 min (1.6 and 3.9 inches) tension in PAM-treated furrows were double the rates of control furrows. Recirculating infiltrometer data showed a 30% infiltration increase with PAM use and infiltration was inversely related to maximum sediment concentration in the flow. Furrow inflow of 45 L min-1 (12 gal min-1 ) with PAM treatment decreased stream advance time 13% while reducing sediment loss 76% compared to untreated 23 L min-1 (6 gal min-1) inflows. Use of PAM in sprinkler irrigation streams reduced runoff 70% and sediment loss 75%, but tension infiltration measurements were inconsistent, suggesting changes in surface-sealing effects with sprinkler application of PAM are transient

Entanglement of two-mode Bose-Einstein condensates

We investigate the entaglement characteristics of two general bimodal Bose-Einstein condensates - a pair of tunnel-coupled Bose-Einstein condensates and the atom-molecule Bose-Einstein condensate. We argue that the entanglement is only physically meaningful if the system is viewed as a bipartite system, where the subsystems are the two modes. The indistinguishibility of the particles in the condensate means that the atomic constituents are physically inaccessible and thus the degree of entanglement between individual particles, unlike the entanglement between the modes, is not experimentally relevant so long as the particles remain in the condensed state. We calculate the entanglement between the modes for the exact ground state of the two bimodal condensates and consider the dynamics of the entanglement in the tunnel-coupled case.Comment: 11 pages, 8 figures, submitted to Physical Review A, to be presented at the third UQ Mathematical Physics workshop, Oct. 4-6; changes made in response to referee comment