Verifiability of Helios Mixnet

We study game-based definitions of individual and universal verifiability by Smyth, Frink & Clarkson. We prove that building voting systems from El Gamal coupled with proofs of correct key generation suffices for individual verifiability. We also prove that it suffices for an aspect of universal verifiability. Thereby eliminating the expense of individual-verifiability proofs and simplifying universal-verifiability proofs for a class of encryption-based voting systems. We use the definitions of individual and universal verifiability to analyse the mixnet variant of Helios. Our analysis reveals that universal verifiability is not satisfied by implementations using the weak Fiat-Shamir transformation. Moreover, we prove that individual and universal verifiability are satisfied when statements are included in hashes (i.e., when using the Fiat-Shamir transformation, rather than the weak Fiat-Shamir transformation)

C-Terminus Glycans with Critical Functional Role in the Maturation of Secretory Glycoproteins

The N-glycans of membrane glycoproteins are mainly exposed to the extracellular space. Human tyrosinase is a transmembrane glycoprotein with six or seven bulky N-glycans exposed towards the lumen of subcellular organelles. The central active site region of human tyrosinase is modeled here within less than 2.5 Å accuracy starting from Streptomyces castaneoglobisporus tyrosinase. The model accounts for the last five C-terminus glycosylation sites of which four are occupied and indicates that these cluster in two pairs - one in close vicinity to the active site and the other on the opposite side. We have analyzed and compared the roles of all tyrosinase N-glycans during tyrosinase processing with a special focus on the proximal to the active site N-glycans, s6:N337 and s7:N371, versus s3:N161 and s4:N230 which decorate the opposite side of the domain. To this end, we have constructed mutants of human tyrosinase in which its seven N-glycosylation sites were deleted. Ablation of the s6:N337 and s7:N371 sites arrests the post-translational productive folding process resulting in terminally misfolded mutants subjected to degradation through the mannosidase driven ERAD pathway. In contrast, single mutants of the other five N-glycans located either opposite to the active site or into the N-terminus Cys1 extension of tyrosinase are temperature-sensitive mutants and recover enzymatic activity at the permissive temperature of 31°C. Sites s3 and s4 display selective calreticulin binding properties. The C-terminus sites s7 and s6 are critical for the endoplasmic reticulum retention and intracellular disposal. Results herein suggest that individual N-glycan location is critical for the stability, regional folding control and secretion of human tyrosinase and explains some tyrosinase gene missense mutations associated with oculocutaneous albinism type I

Localization of the N-terminal domain in light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b protein by EPR measurements

The conformational distribution of the N-terminal domain of the major light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b protein ( LHCIIb) has been characterized by electron-electron double resonance yielding distances between spin labels placed in various domains of the protein. Distance distributions involving residue 3 near the N terminus turned out to be bimodal, revealing that this domain, which is involved in regulatory functions such as balancing the energy flow through photosystems ( PS) I and II, exists in at least two conformational states. Models of the conformational sub-ensembles were generated on the basis of experimental distance restraints from measurements on LHCIIb monomers and then checked for consistency with the experimental distance distribution between residues 3 in trimers. Only models where residue 3 is located above the core of the protein and extends into the aqueous phase on the stromal side fit the trimer data. In the other state, which consequently is populated only in monomers, the N-terminal domain extends sideways from the protein core. The two conformational states may correspond to two functional states of LHCIIb, namely trimeric LHCIIb associated with PSII in stacked thylakoid membranes and presumably monomeric LHCIIb associated with PSI in nonstacked thylakoids. The switch between these two is known to be triggered by phosphorylation of Thr-6. A similar phosphorylation-induced conformational change of the N-terminal domain has been observed by others in bovine annexin IV which, due to the conformational switch, also loses its membrane-aggregating property

CIGRO: A Minimal Instruction Set Calligraphic Interface for Sketch-Based Modeling

Abstract. Although CAD systems have evolved considerably in functionality, expressiveness and modeling power over the last decades, their user interfaces are still tied to legacy principles and are not suited to the initial stages of prod-uct development. They exhibit steep learning curves, cumber-some and overly structured dialogues, including hundreds of commands. While much of this functionality may be required by the sheer complexity of the tasks these sys-tems are designed to help, we believe the user interface could benefit from sim-pler paradigms based on sketching and drawing to reduce unneeded complex-ity, especially in the conceptual design phase. In what follows, we present the CIGRO system that provides a reduced instruction set calligraphic interface to create polyhedral objects using an incremental drawing paradigm evocative of paper and pencil drawings. Users draw polylines on an axonometric projection, which are automatically beautified and connected to existing parts of the draw-ing. Such line drawings are then converted to a three-dimensional model through a reconstruction process guided by an axonometric inflation method.

Smart Sketch System for 3D Reconstruction Based Modeling

Current user interfaces of CAD systems are still not suited to the initial stages of product development, where freehand drawings are used by engineers and designers to express their visual thinking. In order to exploit these sketching skills, we present a sketch based modeling system, which provides a reduced instruction set calligraphic interface to create orthogonal polyhedra, and an extension of them we named quasi-normalons. Our system allows users to draw lines on free-hand axonometric-like drawings, which are automatically tidied and beautified. These line drawings are then converted into a threedimensional model in real time because we implemented a fast reconstruction process, suited for quasi-normalon objects and so-called axonometric inflation method, providing in this way an innovative integrated 2D sketching and 3D view visualization work environment