Enhancing Genomic Prediction Accuracy for Body Conformation Traits in Korean Holstein Cattle.

The Holstein breed is the mainstay of dairy production in Korea. In this study, we evaluated the genomic prediction accuracy for body conformation traits in Korean Holstein cattle, using a range of π levels (0.75, 0.90, 0.99, and 0.995) in Bayesian methods (BayesB and BayesC). Focusing on 24 traits, we analyzed the impact of different π levels on prediction accuracy. We observed a general increase in accuracy at higher levels for specific traits, with variations depending on the Bayesian method applied. Notably, the highest accuracy was achieved for rear teat angle when using deregressed estimated breeding values including parent average as a response variable. We further demonstrated that incorporating parent average into deregressed estimated breeding values enhances genomic prediction accuracy, showcasing the effectiveness of the model in integrating both offspring and parental genetic information. Additionally, we identified 18 significant window regions through genome-wide association studies, which are crucial for future fine mapping and discovery of causal mutations. These findings provide valuable insights into the efficiency of genomic selection for body conformation traits in Korean Holstein cattle and highlight the potential for advancements in the prediction accuracy using larger datasets and more sophisticated genomic models.

Energy dissipation of nanoconfined hydration layer: long-range hydration on the hydrophilic solid surface.

The hydration water layer (HWL), a ubiquitous form of water on the hydrophilic surfaces, exhibits anomalous characteristics different from bulk water and plays an important role in interfacial interactions. Despite extensive studies on the mechanical properties of HWL, one still lacks holistic understanding of its energy dissipation, which is critical to characterization of viscoelastic materials as well as identification of nanoscale dissipation processes. Here we address energy dissipation of nanoconfined HWL between two atomically flat hydrophilic solid surfaces (area of ~120 nm(2)) by small amplitude-modulation, noncontact atomic force microscopy. Based on the viscoelastic hydration-force model, the average dissipation energy is ~1 eV at the tapping amplitude (~0.1 nm) of the tip. In particular, we determine the accurate HWL thickness of ~6 layers of water molecules, as similarly observed on biological surfaces. Such a long-range interaction of HWL should be considered in the nanoscale phenomena such as friction, collision and self-assembly.