Structural Adjustment and Policy Dialogue

SUMMARY This article first looks at the relationship between ‘dialogue’ and ‘conditionality’, the origin of policies about which dialogue is conducted, and the experience of it as practised by donor agencies. It then contrasts the long experience of India with current efforts to re?direct policies in sub?Saharan Africa. Finally, it evaluates six influences on policy dialogue: the coincidence of effective aid and effective dialogue; the risks of excessive leverage during crisis; recipient capacity for policy analysis; the frankness of donors about past errors and about international conditions affecting poor countries; donor coordination; and the economic context of dialogue. SOMMAIRE L'adjustement structurel et le dialogue de politique Cet article examine d'abord la relation entre le ‘dialogue’ et la ‘conditionalité’, l'origine des politiques sur lesquelles le dialogue se conduit, et la pratique des agences donneurs. Ensuite l'article contraste la longue pratique de l'Inde, aux afforts actuels d'une révision des politiques en Afrique sub?saharienne. Pour conclure l'article évalue six facteurs du dialogue effectif; les risques d'un trop grand recours aux forces de levier dans des situations de crise; la capacité du récipient d'analyser des politiques; la franchise des donneurs à propos des fautes comises dans le passé et à propos des conditions internationales touchant les pays pauvres; la coordination entre les donneurs: et le contexte économique du dialogue. RESUMEN Ajuste estructural y diálogo sobre políticas Este artículo examina, en primer lugar, la relación entre ‘diálogo’ y ‘condicionalidad’, el origen de las políticas que orientan el diálogo y la experiencia sobre éste en los términos practicados por las agencias donantes. A continuación, contrasta la larga experiencia de India con los esfuerzos actuales para reorientar políticas en el subsahara africano. Finalmente, evalúa seis elementos que influyen en el diálogo sobre políticas: los riesgos de excesiva flexibilidad en períodos de crisis, capacidad del receptor para analizar políticas, la franqueza de los donantes sobre los errores cometidos y las condiciones internacionales que afectan a los países pobres, coordinación entre donantes y, el contexto económico del diálogo

Quantum Computation of Hydrogen Bond Dynamics and Vibrational Spectra

Calculating the observable properties of chemical systems is often classically intractable, and is widely viewed as a promising application of quantum information processing. This is because a full description of chemical behavior relies upon the complex interplay of quantum-mechanical electrons and nuclei, demanding an exponential scaling of computational resources with system size. While considerable progress has been made in mapping electronic-structure calculations to quantum hardware, these approaches are unsuitable for describing the quantum dynamics of nuclei, proton- and hydrogen-transfer processes, or the vibrational spectra of molecules. Here, we use the QSCOUT ion-trap quantum computer to determine the quantum dynamics and vibrational properties of a shared proton within a short-strong hydrogen-bonded system. For a range of initial states, we experimentally drive the ion-trap system to emulate the quantum trajectory of the shared proton wavepacket as it evolves along the potential surface generated by the nuclear frameworks and electronic structure. We then extract the characteristic vibrational frequencies for the shared proton motion to spectroscopic accuracy and determine all energy eigenvalues of the system Hamiltonian to > 99.9% fidelity. Our approach offers a new paradigm for studying the quantum chemical dynamics and vibrational spectra of molecules, and when combined with quantum algorithms for electronic structure, opens the possibility to describe the complete behavior of molecules using exclusively quantum computation techniques.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figure

LIFETIME PASSIVE SMOKING AND CANCER RISK

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/25707/1/0000261.pd

MAGE-A cancer/testis antigens inhibit MDM2 ubiquitylation function and promote increased levels of MDM4

Melanoma antigen A (MAGE-A) proteins comprise a structurally and biochemically similar sub-family of Cancer/Testis antigens that are expressed in many cancer types and are thought to contribute actively to malignancy. MAGE-A proteins are established regulators of certain cancer-associated transcription factors, including p53, and are activators of several RING finger-dependent ubiquitin E3 ligases. Here, we show that MAGE-A2 associates with MDM2, a ubiquitin E3 ligase that mediates ubiquitylation of more than 20 substrates including mainly p53, MDM2 itself, and MDM4, a potent p53 inhibitor and MDM2 partner that is structurally related to MDM2. We find that MAGE-A2 interacts with MDM2 via the N-terminal p53-binding pocket and the RING finger domain of MDM2 that is required for homo/hetero-dimerization and for E2 ligase interaction. Consistent with these data, we show that MAGE-A2 is a potent inhibitor of the E3 ubiquitin ligase activity of MDM2, yet it does not have any significant effect on p53 turnover mediated by MDM2. Strikingly, however, increased MAGE-A2 expression leads to reduced ubiquitylation and increased levels of MDM4. Similarly, silencing of endogenous MAGE-A expression diminishes MDM4 levels in a manner that can be rescued by the proteasomal inhibitor, bortezomid, and permits increased MDM2/MDM4 association. These data suggest that MAGE-A proteins can: (i) uncouple the ubiquitin ligase and degradation functions of MDM2; (ii) act as potent inhibitors of E3 ligase function; and (iii) regulate the turnover of MDM4. We also find an association between the presence of MAGE-A and increased MDM4 levels in primary breast cancer, suggesting that MAGE-A-dependent control of MDM4 levels has relevance to cancer clinically

Correlation of biocapping agents with cytotoxic effects of silver nanoparticles on human tumor cells

10.1039/C3RA41346BRSC Advances314329-1433

Science Overview of the Europa Clipper Mission

The goal of NASA’s Europa Clipper mission is to assess the habitability of Jupiter’s moon Europa. After entering Jupiter orbit in 2030, the flight system will collect science data while flying past Europa 49 times at typical closest approach distances of 25–100 km. The mission’s objectives are to investigate Europa’s interior (ice shell and ocean), composition, and geology; the mission will also search for and characterize any current activity including possible plumes. The science objectives will be accomplished with a payload consisting of remote sensing and in-situ instruments. Remote sensing investigations cover the ultraviolet, visible, near infrared, and thermal infrared wavelength ranges of the electromagnetic spectrum, as well as an ice-penetrating radar. In-situ investigations measure the magnetic field, dust grains, neutral gas, and plasma surrounding Europa. Gravity science will be achieved using the telecommunication system, and a radiation monitoring engineering subsystem will provide complementary science data. The flight system is designed to enable all science instruments to operate and gather data simultaneously. Mission planning and operations are guided by scientific requirements and observation strategies, while appropriate updates to the plan will be made tactically as the instruments and Europa are characterized and discoveries emerge. Following collection and validation, all science data will be archived in NASA’s Planetary Data System. Communication, data sharing, and publication policies promote visibility, collaboration, and mutual interdependence across the full Europa Clipper science team, to best achieve the interdisciplinary science necessary to understand Europa