University of Victoria

About: University of Victoria is a education organization based out in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Galaxy. The organization has 14994 authors who have published 41051 publications receiving 1447972 citations. The organization is also known as: Victoria College.

Poxvirus Orthologous Clusters: toward Defining the Minimum Essential Poxvirus Genome

Abstract: Increasingly complex bioinformatic analysis is necessitated by the plethora of sequence information currently available. A total of 21 poxvirus genomes have now been completely sequenced and annotated, and many more genomes will be available in the next few years. First, we describe the creation of a database of continuously corrected and updated genome sequences and an easy-to-use and extremely powerful suite of software tools for the analysis of genomes, genes, and proteins. These tools are available free to all researchers and, in most cases, alleviate the need for using multiple Internet sites for analysis. Further, we describe the use of these programs to identify conserved families of genes (poxvirus orthologous clusters) and have named the software suite POCs, which is available at www.poxvirus.org. Using POCs, we have identified a set of 49 absolutely conserved gene families—those which are conserved between the highly diverged families of insect-infecting entomopoxviruses and vertebrate-infecting chordopoxviruses. An additional set of 41 gene families conserved in chordopoxviruses was also identified. Thus, 90 genes are completely conserved in chordopoxviruses and comprise the minimum essential genome, and these will make excellent drug, antibody, vaccine, and detection targets. Finally, we describe the use of these tools to identify necessary annotation and sequencing updates in poxvirus genomes. For example, using POCs, we identified 19 genes that were widely conserved in poxviruses but missing from the vaccinia virus strain Tian Tan 1998 GenBank file. We have reannotated and resequenced fragments of this genome and verified that these genes are conserved in Tian Tan. The results for poxvirus genes and genomes are discussed in light of evolutionary processes.

Arctic terrestrial hydrology: A synthesis of processes, regional effects, and research challenges

Abstract: Terrestrial hydrology is central to the Arctic system and its freshwater circulation. Water transport and water constituents vary, however, across a very diverse geography. In this paper, which is ...

Industrial Cyberphysical Systems: A Backbone of the Fourth Industrial Revolution

Abstract: Cyberphysical systems (CPSs) are perceived as the pivotal enabler for a new era of real-time Internetbased communication and collaboration among value-chain participants, e.g., devices, systems, organizations, and humans. The CPS utilization in industrial settings is expected to revolutionize the way enterprises conduct their business from a holistic viewpoint, i.e., from shop-floor to business interactions, from suppliers to customers, and from design to support across the whole product and service lifecycle. Industrial CPS (ICPSs) blur the fabric of cyber (including business) and physical worlds and kickstart an era of systemwide collaboration and information-driven interactions among all stakeholders of the value chain. Therefore, ICPSs are expected to empower the transformation of industry and business at large to a digital, adaptive, networked, and knowledge-based industry with significant long-term impact on the economy, society, environment, and citizens.

Observed and simulated changes in the Southern Hemisphere surface westerly wind-stress

Abstract: [1] Changes in the position and strength of the Southern Hemisphere surface westerlies have significant implications for ocean circulation and the global carbon cycle. Here we compare the climatologies, as well as the trends, in the position and strength of the surface westerly wind-stress jet in reanalyses with the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP) phase 3 and phase 5 models over the historical period from 1979–2010. We show that both the CMIP3 and CMIP5 models exhibit an equatorward biased climatological jet position. The reanalyses and climate models both show significant trends in annual mean jet strength, though the climate models underestimate the strengthening. Neither reanalyses nor models show a robust trend in annual mean jet position over the historical period, though significant trends do occur in the Austral summer position. We also compare the response of the CMIP3 and CMIP5 model wind-stresses to a range of anthropogenic forcing scenarios for the 21st century.

On-chip surface-based detection with nanohole arrays.

Abstract: A microfluidic device with integrated surface plasmon resonance (SPR) chemical and biological sensors based on arrays of nanoholes in gold films is demonstrated. Widespread use of SPR for surface analysis in laboratories has not translated to microfluidic analytical chip platforms, in part due to challenges associated with scaling down the optics and the surface area required for common reflection mode operation. The resonant enhancement of light transmission through subwavelength apertures in a metallic film suggests the use of nanohole arrays as miniaturized SPR-based sensing elements. The device presented here takes advantage of the unique properties of nanohole arrays: surface-based sensitivity; transmission mode operation; a relatively small footprint; and repeatability. Proof-of-concept measurements performed on-chip indicated a response to small changes in refractive index at the array surfaces. A sensitivity of 333 nm per refractive index unit was demonstrated with the integrated device. The devi...