Vision Engineering

Our Mission Vision Engineering provides state-of-the-art imaging and sensing solutions for aerospace, security and industrial applications

Speciation genomics and morphological evolution in an extraordinary avian radation, the Lonchura munias of New Guinea and Australia

Speciation, the evolution of morphologically, behaviorally and/or ecologically distinct lineages from a common ancestor, is the fundamental process generating biodiversity. The rapidly developing field of speciation genomics is challenging traditional views of speciation as a gradual, genome-wide process, and highlighting the role of divergent natural selection in the speciation process. This study investigates morphological evolution and the genomic architecture of speciation in a clade of 12 "munias" in the genus Lonchura, one of the most extraordinary cases of recent and rapid diversification in birds. With a diversity of plumage patterns and replicate examples of closely related species living in sympatry, this group is ideally suited for addressing fundamental questions about the genomics of speciation. In this study, I (1) test for evidence of character displacement between sympatric species using quantitative measurements of plumage coloration and morphology; (2) examine the structure of genome-wide variation using ddRAD-seq (double-digest Restriction Site Associated DNA sequencing); and (3) investigate the genomic structure of divergence using whole-genome sequencing. I find some evidence for character displacement, particularly in morphometrics and crown coloration. There is also a trend, however, for sympatric species to be more similar in coloration than allopatric species, particularly those that have come into contact more recently. Analysis of 7,043 ddRAD-seq loci reveals evidence of introgression among sympatric populations, with overall genomic variation corresponding more closely to geography than species identity. There is also substantial heterogeneity in genetic structure among mitochondrial, autosomal, and Z-linked markers. Finally, whole-genome sequencing reveals low overall genomic divergence while pinpointing "islands of differentiation" that exhibit elevated divergence between species. Two of these islands overlap genes known to be associated with coloration—Agouti signaling protein (ASIP) and Kit ligand (KITLG)—and allelic variation at these genes is associated with phenotypic traits. I also find evidence of a ~26 million base pair inversion on the Z chromosome, which groups the focal species differently than genome-wide variation. A strongly mosaic pattern of population structure among genomic regions supports a genic view of speciation, in which a small fraction of the genome is involved in the initial divergence of species

Paper Session III-B - Characterization of Potential ISS/Space Shuttle Environmental Conditions on Growth and Development of R. Sativus: Ground Studies for the Rasta Space Flight Experiment

Using radish as a model system, the RASTA project (Radish Assimilation in Spaceflight Testbed Atmospheres) will be investigating carbon partitioning of salad crops in microgravity. Before this goal can be accomplished, the effects of the unique environment of orbiting spacecraft on growth and development of radish must be characterized so they can be separated from those of microgravity. The environmental conditions on ISS and the space shuttle most likely to effect carbon partitioning in radish are air temperature, CO2 concentration and atmospheric contaminants. Several radish cultivars were grown in temperatures ranging from 18-30°C at ambient (400 part per million [ppm]) or elevated (1,500, 3,000 and 10,000 ppm) CO2. The effects of temperature and CO2 on growth and development of these cultivars were characterized and a high temperature cultivar was identified. In a separate series of experiments, radishes were exposed to different levels of ethylene, a biologically active volatile organic compound, to characterize its impact on radish growth and development over a range of concentrations. With these environmental characterizations, the effect of microgravity on carbon partitioning can be more readily separated from environmental factors coincidental to the spacecraft environment

Adaptation of PyFlag to Efficient Analysis of Seized Computer Data Storage

Based on existing software aimed at investigation support in the analysis of computer data storage seized during investigation (PyFlag), an extension is proposed involving the introduction of dedicated components for data identification and filtering. Hash codes for popular software contained in NIST/NSRL database are considered in order to avoid unwanted files while searching and to classify them into several categories. The extension allows for further analysis, e.g. using artificial intelligence methods. The considerations are illustrated by the overview of the system\u27s design

Analiza zachowania przedsiębiorstwa wobec ryzyka rynkowego

Ryzyko rynkowe jest nieodłącznym zjawiskiem w prowadzeniu działalności gospodarczej. Wraz ze wzrostem ryzyka niektóre przedsiębiorstwa reagują racjonalnie, starając się ograniczyć jego wpływ na swoją działalność (działanie defensywne), inne natomiast upatrują szansę na wzrost udziału w rynku i podniesienie rentowności w momentach turbulencji (działanieagresywne). Wówczas mogą one zrealizować dodatkową premię wynikającą z działalności na trudnym rynku. W artykule podjęto próbę analizy reakcji przedsiębiorstwa na zmiany ryzyka rynkowego za pomocą modelu GARCH-M

Infekcyjne zapalenie wsierdzia wywołane przez Streptococcus anginosus z następowym wypruciem zastawki aortalnej i wegetacją zastawki mitralnej u pacjenta po wymianie zastawek mitralnej i aortalnej na protezy biologiczne

Infective endocarditis (IE) is defined as an infection of the endocardial surface of the heart, which may include one or more heart valves. Its intracardiac effects include severe valvular insufficiency, which may lead to intractable congestive heart failure. It is estimated that mortality reaches approximately 15% in previously normal native heart valves and equals 60% in artificial heart valves infections. Taking into account the above mentioned fact, every patient after valve surgery needs special attention to prevent infections. It is not a rare case that formally trivial infection causes drastic consequences leading to repeated cardiac surgery. We present a case of patient with prosthetic mitral and aortic valves, in which prior subclinical infection with Streptococcus anginosus led to severe mitral valve regurgitation with the coexisting mitral valve vegetation and a concomitant paravalvular aortic leak.Zapalenie wsierdzia (IE) zdefiniowano jako zakażenie warstwy wyściełającej wewnętrzną powierzchnię serca, które może obejmować jedną lub więcej zastawek serca. Jego skutki wewnątrzsercowe obejmują ciężką niedomykalność zastawki, co może prowadzić do opornej na leczenie niewydolności serca. Ocenia się, że śmiertelność sięga 15% w zakażeniach wcześniej zdrowych zastawek serca i 60% w przypadku zakażenia sztucznych protez zastawkowych. Ze względu na powyższe każdy chory po operacji zastawkowej wymaga szczególnej uwagi i prewencji przed zakażeniami. Często zdarza się, że z pozoru błaha infekcja powoduje drastyczne następstwa prowadzące do ponownej interwencji kardiochirurgicznej. Opisano przypadek pacjenta z wszczepioną sztuczną zastawką w pozycjach mitralnej oraz aortalnej, u którego niewielka infekcja Streptococcus anginosus doprowadziła do niedomykalności mitralnej z wegetacją zastawki mitralnej oraz współistniejącym przeciekiem okołozastawkowym aortalnym

Symulacyjne wyznaczenie optymalnej wielkości zaburzenia w analizie mnożnikowej

In paper we asses several methods of calculating the value of impulse (disturbance) and goodness of empirical model in multiplier analysis. We investigate influence of impulse value for stability of model coefficients. We use Monte Carlo simulation approach.W artykule podjęto próbę oceny różnych sposobów wyznaczania wielkości zaburzeń oraz jakości oszacowanego modelu w analizie mnożnikowej. Sprawdzono wpływ wielkości wprowadzanych zaburzeń na niezmienniczość ocen parametrów strukturalnych. Analizę przeprowadzono z wykorzystaniem symulacji Monte Carlo

Critical Behavior of Light

Light is shown to exhibit critical and tricritical behavior in passive mode-locked lasers with externally injected pulses. It is a first and unique example of critical phenomena in a one-dimensional many body light-mode system. The phase diagrams consist of regimes with continuous wave, driven para-pulses, spontaneous pulses via mode condensation, and heterogeneous pulses, separated by phase transition lines which terminate with critical or tricritical points. Enhanced nongaussian fluctuations and collective dynamics are observed at the critical and tricritical points, showing a mode system analog of the critical opalescence phenomenon. The critical exponents are calculated and shown to comply with the mean field theory, which is rigorous in the light system.Comment: RevTex, 5 pages, 3 figure