Analysis of Receptor-Type Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase Extracellular Regions with Insights from AlphaFold

The receptor-type protein tyrosine phosphatases (RPTPs) are involved in a wide variety of physiological functions which are mediated via their diverse extracellular regions. They play key roles in cell–cell contacts, bind various ligands and are regulated by dimerization and other processes. Depending on the subgroup, they have been described as everything from ‘rigid rods’ to ‘floppy tentacles’. Here, we review current experimental structural knowledge on the extracellular region of RPTPs and draw on AlphaFold structural predictions to provide further insights into structure and function of these cellular signalling molecules, which are often mutated in disease and are recognised as drug targets. In agreement with experimental data, AlphaFold predicted structures for extracellular regions of R1, and R2B subgroup RPTPs have an extended conformation, whereas R2B RPTPs are twisted, reflecting their high flexibility. For the R3 PTPs, AlphaFold predicts that members of this subgroup adopt an extended conformation while others are twisted, and that certain members, such as CD148, have one or more large, disordered loop regions in place of fibronectin type 3 domains suggested by sequence analysis

Remapping borders and boundaries in the Middle East: Amitav Ghosh and Mourid Barghouti

The Middle East map has undergone a remarkable change since the rise of geopolitical borders in the early twentieth century. These borders constructed by colonial powers and maintained by postcolonial ones have not only divided the region into nation-states but have also entailed boundaries between people on the basis of national, cultural, linguistic and religious differences. This study examines how borders and boundaries are contested and subverted in two Third World narrative productions set in the Middle East: In an Antique Land (1992) by the Indian-Bengali writer Amitav Ghosh and Ra\u27aytu RÄ m AllÄ h (1997), a memoir by the Palestinian poet Mourid Barghouti (translated as I Saw Ramallah [2000] by the Egyptian writer Ahdaf Soueif). In the light of Edward Said\u27s recurrent reference to the interlink between narrative and geopolitics, this comparative study examines how histories in both works challenge spatial and temporal configurations interlocked with these boundariesâ histories that are left out of mainstream narratives. Both works contest geopolitical maps enforced by power structures by foregroundingâ what Joel Migdal callsâ â people\u27s mental maps.â This study examines Ghosh and Barghouti\u27s shared subversive approach to this issue but also highlights instances where they depart in terms of worldview and stylistic approach. Moreover, it sheds light on the subversive role of literary and stylistic elements in both works thereby revealing the overlap between the two texts. This study crosses disciplinary boundaries and reveals how literature bears on geopolitics through two works that uncover multiple maps of the region

Reducing combinatorial uncertainties: A new technique based on MT2 variables

We propose a new method to resolve combinatorial ambiguities in hadron collider events involving two invisible particles in the final state. This method is based on the kinematic variable MT2 and on the MT2-assisted-on-shell reconstruction of invisible momenta, that are reformulated as `test' variables Ti of the correct combination against the incorrect ones. We show how the efficiency of the single Ti in providing the correct answer can be systematically improved by combining the different Ti and/or by introducing cuts on suitable, combination-insensitive kinematic variables. We illustrate our whole approach in the specific example of top anti-top production, followed by a leptonic decay of the W on both sides. However, by construction, our method is also directly applicable to many topologies of interest for new physics, in particular events producing a pair of undetected particles, that are potential dark-matter candidates. We finally emphasize that our method is apt to several generalizations, that we outline in the last sections of the paper.Comment: 1+23 pages, 8 figures. Main changes in v3: (1) discussion at the end of sec. 2 improved; (2) added sec. 4.2 about the method's dependence on mass information. Matches journal versio

National Cultures and Capital Structure: Evidence from the Emerging Markets

This paper identifies the combinations between Hofstede’s six cultural aspects and four selected firm-specific factors, which have a significant impact on the choice of capital structure, in 15,821 listed companies from 34 countries in the emerging market, for the period 2012 – 2014. Thirty seven independent variables and one dependent variable have been tested using regression analysis. It has been concluded that the combinations that have a significant impact on the choice of capital structure (leverage) in the emerging markets were [Cultural – Firm-specific]: Power distance – cash flows, cost of debt Individualism – cash flows, cost of debt Masculinity – interest coverage ratio, cost of debt Uncertainty avoidance – cash flows, cost of debt Long-term orientation – intangibility, cash flows, cost of debt Indulgence – intangibility, cash flows, interest coverage rati

Digital Circuit Design Through Simulated Evolution (SimE)

Abstract- In this paper, the use of Simulated Evolution (SimE) Algorithm in the design of digital logic circuits is proposed. SimE algorithm consists of three steps: evaluation, selection and allocation. Two goodness measures are designed to guide the selection and allocation operations of SimE. Area, power and delay are considered in the optimization of circuits. Results obtained by SimE algorithm are compared to those obtained by Genetic Algorithm (CA)

Constraining the Two-Higgs-Doublet-Model parameter space

We confront the Two-Higgs-Doublet Model with a variety of experimental constraints as well as theoretical consistency conditions. The most constraining data are the \bar B\to X_s\gamma decay rate (at low values of M_{H^\pm}), and \Delta\rho (at both low and high M_{H^\pm}). We also take into account the B\bar B oscillation rate and R_b, or the width \Gamma(Z\to b\bar b) (both of which restrict the model at low values of \tan\beta), and the B^-\to\tau\nu_\tau decay rate, which restricts the model at high \tan\beta and low M_{H^\pm}. Furthermore, the LEP2 non-discovery of a light, neutral Higgs boson is considered, as well as the muon anomalous magnetic moment. Since perturbative unitarity excludes high values of \tan\beta, the model turns out to be very constrained. We outline the remaining allowed regions in the \tan\beta-M_{H^\pm} plane for different values of the masses of the two lightest neutral Higgs bosons, and describe some of their properties.Comment: 17 pages, 17 figure

Rectal impalement injury through the pelvis, abdomen and thorax

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

On the use of fuzzy logic in a hybrid scheme for tolerating mobilesupport station failure

Mobile computing systems are used in different applications, some of which may be sensitive to be interrupted. However, these systems are susceptible to fault. One such fault is the failure of mobile support station. The main role of these stations is to help providing reliable and uninterrupted communication and computing facilities to mobile hosts. A scheme, known as the hybrid scheme, has recently been proposed that can tolerate failures of mobile support stations. The hybrid scheme combines the characteristics of two other schemes, known as pessimistic and optimistic schemes. There are two objectives that need to be optimized. These objectives are acknowledgement delay and storage capacity. We use fuzzy logic to find the best ratio of pessimistic to optimistic secondary stations to get the optimized values of the two objectives in the hybrid scheme. Simulation results show that fuzzy logic is a suitable choice for addressing the multiobjective nature of the proble

Synthesis of MVL Functions - Part I: The Genetic Algorithm Approach

Multiple-Valued Logic (MVL) has been used in the design of a number of logic systems, including memory, multi-level data communication coding, and a number of special purpose digital processors. Several algorithms have been proposed in the literature for synthesis of multiple valued logic functions. None of these algorithms provides absolute optimum results for synthesis of these functions. The search space is too large to be explored by deterministic algorithms. In this paper, a Genetic Algorithm based algorithm for synthesis of MVL functions is proposed. The algorithm is tested using 200 randomly generated 2-variable 4-valued functions. The results obtained show that the introduced algorithm outperforms the deterministic technique based on the direct cover approach [3] in terms of the average number of product terms required to realize a given MVL function

ENUMERATIVE TECHNIQUES IN TOPOLOGICAL OPTIMIZATION OF COMPUTER NETWORKS SUBJECT TO FAULT TOLERANCE AND RELIABILITY

In this paper, we propose one algorithm for optimizing the terminal reliability and another for optimizing the network reliability while improving the fault tolerance aspects of the designed networks. Experimental results obtained from a set of randomly generated networks using the proposed algorithms are presented and compared to those obtained using the existing techniques [1], [2]. It is shown that improving the fault tolerance of a network can be achieved while optimizing its reliability however at the expense of a reasonable increase in the overall cost of the network