Rapid and parallel chromosomal number reductions in muntjac deer inferred from mitochondrial DNA phylogeny

Muntjac deer (Muntiacinae, Cervidae) are of great interest in evolutionary studies because of their dramatic chromosome variations and recent discoveries of several new species. In this paper, we analyze the evolution of karyotypes of muntjac deer in the context of a phylogeny which is based on 1,844-bp mitochondrial DNA sequences of seven generally recognized species in the muntjac subfamily. The phylogenetic results support the hypothesis that karyotypic evolution in muntjac deer has proceeded via reduction in diploid number. However, the reduction in number is not always linear, i.e., not strictly following the order: 46-->14/13-->8/9-->6/7. For example, Muntiacus muntjak (2n = 6/7) shares a common ancestor with Muntiacus feae (2n = 13/14), which indicates that its karyotype was derived in parallel with M. feae's from an ancestral karyotype of 2n greater than or equal to 13/14. The newly discovered giant muntjac (Muntiacus vuquangensis) may represent another pa;allel reduction lineage from the ancestral 2n = 46 karyotype. Our phylogenetic results indicate that the giant muntjac is relatively closer to Muntiacus reevesi than to other muntjacs and may be placed in the genus Muntiacus. Analyses of sequence divergence reveal that the rate of change in chromosome number in muntjac deer is one of the fastest in vertebrates. Within the muntjac subfamily, the fastest evolutionary rate is found in the Fea's lineage, in which two species with different karyotypes diverged in around 0.5 Myr.

Parallel implementation of Multilevel BDDC

In application of the Balancing Domain Decomposition by Constraints (BDDC) to a case with many substructures, solving the coarse problem exactly becomes the bottleneck which spoils scalability of the solver. However, it is straightforward for BDDC to substitute the exact solution of the coarse problem by another step of BDDC method with subdomains playing the role of elements. In this way, the algorithm of three-level BDDC method is obtained. If this approach is applied recursively, multilevel BDDC method is derived. We present a detailed description of a recently developed parallel implementation of this algorithm. The implementation is applied to an engineering problem of linear elasticity and a benchmark problem of Stokes flow in a cavity. Results by the multilevel approach are compared to those by the standard (two-level) BDDC method.

Comparative studies on parallel and antiparallel duplex and triplex DNA

Parallel strand models for base sequences d(A)(10). d(T)(10), d(AT)(5) . d(TA)(5), d(G(5)C(5)). d(C(5)G(5)), d(GC)(5) . d(CG)(5) and d(CTATAGGGAT). d(GATATCCCTA), where reverse Watson-Crick A-T pairing with two H-bonds and reverse Watson-Crick G-C pairing with one H-bond or with two H-bonds were adopted, and three models of d(T)(14). d(A)(14). d(T)(14) triple helix with different strand orientations were built up by molecular architecture and energy minimization. Comparisons of parallel duplex models with their corresponding B-DNA models and comparisons among the three triple helices showed: (i) conformational energies of parallel AT duplex models were a little lower, while for GC duplex models they were about 8% higher than that of their corresponding B-DNA models; (ii) the energy differences between parallel and B-type duplex models and among the three triple helices arose mainly from base stacking energies, especially for GC base pairing; (iii) the parallel duplexes with one H-bond G-C pairs were less stable than those with two H-bonds G-C pairs. The present paper includes a brief discussion about the effect of base stacking and base sequences on DNA conformations. (C) 1997 Academic Press Limited.

Dual-mode thin film bulk acoustic wave resonators for parallel sensing of temperature and mass loading.

Thin film bulk acoustic wave resonator (FBAR) devices supporting simultaneously multiple resonance modes have been designed for gravimetric sensing. The mechanism for dual-mode generation within a single device has been discussed, and theoretical calculations based on finite element analysis allowed the fabrication of FBARs whose resonance modes have opposite reactions to temperature changes; one of the modes exhibiting a positive frequency shift for a rise of temperature whilst the other mode exhibits a negative shift. Both modes exhibit negative frequency shift for a mass load and hence by monitoring simultaneously both modes it is possible to distinguish whether a change in the resonance frequency is due to a mass load or temperature variation (or a combination of both), avoiding false positive/negative responses in gravimetric sensing without the need of additional reference devices or complex electronics.

Dual-mode thin film bulk acoustic wave resonators for parallel sensing of temperature and mass loading

Thin film bulk acoustic wave resonator (FBAR) devices supporting simultaneously multiple resonance modes have been designed for gravimetric sensing. The mechanism for dual-mode generation within a single device has been discussed, and theoretical calculations based on finite element analysis allowed the fabrication of FBARs whose resonance modes have opposite reactions to temperature changes; one of the modes exhibiting a positive frequency shift for a rise of temperature whilst the other mode exhibits a negative shift. Both modes exhibit negative frequency shift for a mass load and hence by monitoring simultaneously both modes it is possible to distinguish whether a change in the resonance frequency is due to a mass load or temperature variation (or a combination of both), avoiding false positive/negative responses in gravimetric sensing without the need of additional reference devices or complex electronics. © 2012 Elsevier B.V.

Superconducting fault current limiter design using parallel-connected YBCO thin films

Superconducting Fault Current Limiters (SFCLs) are able to reduce fault currents to an acceptable value, reducing potential mechanical and thermal damage to power system apparatus and allowing more flexibility in power system design and operation. The device can also help avoid replacing circuit breakers whose capacity has been exceeded. Due to limitations in current YBCO thin film manufacturing processes, it is not easy to obtain one large thin film that satisfies the specifications for high voltage and large current applications. The combination of standardized thin films has merit to reduce costs and maintain device quality, and it is necessary to connect these thin films in different series and parallel configurations in order to meet these specifications. In this paper, the design of a resistive type SFCL using parallel-connected YBCO thin films is discussed, including the role of a parallel resistor and the influence of individual thin film characteristics, based on both theory and experimental results. © 2009 IEEE.

Automated Computation of the Fundamental Matrix for Vision-Based Construction Site Applications

Estimating the fundamental matrix (F), to determine the epipolar geometry between a pair of images or video frames, is a basic step for a wide variety of vision-based functions used in construction operations, such as camera-pair calibration, automatic progress monitoring, and 3D reconstruction. Currently, robust methods (e.g., SIFT + normalized eight-point algorithm + RANSAC) are widely used in the construction community for this purpose. Although they can provide acceptable accuracy, the significant amount of required computational time impedes their adoption in real-time applications, especially video data analysis with many frames per second. Aiming to overcome this limitation, this paper presents and evaluates the accuracy of a solution to find F by combining the use of two speedy and consistent methods: SURF for the selection of a robust set of point correspondences and the normalized eight-point algorithm. This solution is tested extensively on construction site image pairs including changes in viewpoint, scale, illumination, rotation, and moving objects. The results demonstrate that this method can be used for real-time applications (5 image pairs per second with the resolution of 640 × 480) involving scenes of the built environment.

Series-parallel six-element synthesis of biquadratic impedances

The object of this paper is to give a complete treatment of the realizability of positive-real biquadratic impedance functions by six-element series-parallel networks comprising resistors, capacitors, and inductors. This question was studied but not fully resolved in the classical electrical circuit literature. Renewed interest in this question arises in the synthesis of passive mechanical impedances. Recent work by the authors has introduced the concept of a regular positive-real functions. It was shown that five-element networks are capable of realizing all regular and some (but not all) nonregular biquadratic positive-real functions. Accordingly, the focus of this paper is on the realizability of nonregular biquadratics. It will be shown that the only six-element series-parallel networks which are capable of realizing nonregular biquadratic impedances are those with three reactive elements or four reactive elements. We identify a set of networks that can realize all the nonregular biquadratic functions for each of the two cases. The realizability conditions for the networks are expressed in terms of a canonical form for biquadratics. The nonregular realizable region for each of the networks is explicitly characterized. © 2004-2012 IEEE.