My Private Cloud Overview: A Trust, Privacy and Security Infrastructure for the Cloud

Based on the assumption that cloud providers can be trusted (to a certain extent) we define a trust, security and privacy preserving infrastructure that relies on trusted cloud providers to operate properly. Working in tandem with legal agreements, our open source software supports: trust and reputation management, sticky policies with fine grained access controls, privacy preserving delegation of authority, federated identity management, different levels of assurance and configurable audit trails. Armed with these tools, cloud service providers are then able to offer a reliable privacy preserving infrastructure-as-a-service to their clients

Megawatt solar power systems for lunar surface operations

Lunar surface operations require habitation, transportation, life support, scientific, and manufacturing systems, all of which require some form of power. As an alternative to nuclear power, the development of a modular one megawatt solar power system is studied, examining both photovoltaic and dynamic cycle conversion methods, along with energy storage, heat rejection, and power backup subsystems. For photovoltaic power conversion, two systems are examined. First, a substantial increase in photovoltaic conversion efficiency is realized with the use of new GaAs/GaSb tandem photovoltaic cells, offering an impressive overall array efficiency of 23.5 percent. Since these new cells are still in the experimental phase of development, a currently available GaAs cell providing 18 percent efficiency is examined as an alternate to the experimental cells. Both Brayton and Stirling cycles, powered by linear parabolic solar concentrators, are examined for dynamic cycle power conversion. The Brayton cycle is studied in depth since it is already well developed and can provide high power levels fairly efficiently in a compact, low mass system. The dynamic conversion system requires large scale waste heat rejection capability. To provide this heat rejection, a comparison is made between a heat pipe/radiative fin system using advanced composites, and a potentially less massive liquid droplet radiator system. To supply power through the lunar night, both a low temperature alkaline fuel cell system and an experimental high temperature monolithic solid-oxide fuel cell system are considered. The reactants for the fuel cells are stored cryogenically in order to avoid the high tankage mass required by conventional gaseous storage. In addition, it is proposed that the propellant tanks from a spent, prototype lunar excursion vehicle be used for this purpose, therefore resulting in a significant overall reduction in effective storage system mass

Evaluation of Serum Sialic Acid and Carcinoembryonic Antigen for the Detection of Early-Stage Colorectal Cancer.

Various expressions of elevated serum sialic acid (total sialic acid, TSA: lipid-associated sialic acid, LASA; LASA/TSA; TSA normalized to total protein, TSA/TP) have been evaluated and compared with increased serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels for the detection of early-stage colorectal cancer. This evaluation was done blindly on a coded panel of 320 sera from staged colorectal cancer patients and controls provided by the Mayo Clinic--National Cancer Institute Diagnostic Bank. Unlike the findings of a previous preliminary study (Tautu et al., JNCI 80:1333-1337, 1988), the ratio of LASA/TSA was not useful for detecting early-stage (Dukes A and B) colorectal cancer. However, TSA and TSA/TP values were significantly elevated in each colorectal cancer subgroup compared with normal controls. TSA and TSA/TP values displayed a marginally better discriminatory power than CEA values in the case of Dukes A subgroup with respect to normal controls. CEA still appears to be the best single overall marker for discriminating between colorectal cancers and controls. However, multiple marker analysis using CEA and TSA (and related markers) appears to be more sensitive than CEA alone for detecting colorectal cancer

Acetylation of Lysine 382 and Phosphorylation of Serine 392 in p53 Modulate the Interaction between p53 and MDC1 <i>In Vitro</i>

<div><p>Occurrence of DNA damage in a cell activates the DNA damage response, a survival mechanism that ensures genomics stability. Two key members of the DNA damage response are the tumor suppressor p53, which is the most frequently mutated gene in cancers, and MDC1, which is a central adaptor that recruits many proteins to sites of DNA damage. Here we characterize the <i>in vitro</i> interaction between p53 and MDC1 and demonstrate that p53 and MDC1 directly interact. The p53-MDC1 interaction is mediated by the tandem BRCT domain of MDC1 and the C-terminal domain of p53. We further show that both acetylation of lysine 382 and phosphorylation of serine 392 in p53 enhance the interaction between p53 and MDC1. Additionally, we demonstrate that the p53-MDC1 interaction is augmented upon the induction of DNA damage in human cells. Our data suggests a new role for acetylation of lysine 382 and phosphorylation of serine 392 in p53 in the cellular stress response and offers the first evidence for an interaction involving MDC1 that is modulated by acetylation. </p> </div

A C-terminus region (a.a. 318-393) of p53 directly binds MDC1-tBRCT.

<p>(a) His-tBRCT retrieves p53 fragments consisting a.a. 318-393: Bacterially expressed His-tBRCT was incubated with different radio-labeled fragments of p53-HA expressed in reticulocytes (for details see schematic representations below). Following His pull-down reactions the labeled p53 fragments (in the input or those retrieved by His-tBRCT) were visualized by autoradiography. (b) p53 fragments containing a.a 318-393 bind tBRCT-MDC1: Fragments of p53 fused to GST (for details see schematic representations below) were expressed in bacteria and purified. Following incubation with radio-labeled His-tBRCT and GST pull-down reactions, His-tBRCT visualized by using autoradiography. Input is 5% of His-tBRCT added to the reaction. The same gels were used for autoradiography and Coomassie blue staining in B. (c) GST pull-down using a.a. 318-393 of p53 fused to GST (GST-p53Cter) for His-FHA or His-tBRCT, followed by Coomassie blue staining. </p