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Kinetic Analysis Reveals t6A-protein Specificity for t6A and hn6A tRNA Modifications
No full textTransfer RNA (tRNA) is essential for accurate translation of genetic information and plays a role in cellular processes such as lipid aminoacylation and bacterial conjugation. Base modifications help tRNA fold correctly and function properly. An important base modification, N6-threonylcarbamoyladenosine (t6A) occurs at position A37 in the anticodon-stem-loop of tRNA. This modification is crucial for decoding ANN codons. Interestingly, an Archeal organism, Methanocaldococcus jannaschii, can have either t6A and hydroxynorvalylcarbamoyl-6- adenosine (hn6A) modification at the same position on tRNAs. As Tsa proteins catalyze the formation of both t6A and hn6A modifications, this raises the question of whether discrimination between these modifications depends on the tRNA\u27s identity. This study examines both modifications on Thermotoga maritima tRNAThr UGU. All T. maritima genes encoding TsaB, TsaC2, TsaD, and TsaE were expressed in E. coli BL21/C41 cells and were purified to reconstitute the t6A modification pathway in vitro. Radiochemical assays suggests a preference for L-threonine (L-Thr) over L-hydroxynorvaline (L-hnv) in tRNA modification, with a 9.02-fold higher specificity constant (1460 vs. 162 μM⁻¹s⁻¹) driven by L-Thr’s higher binding affinity (Km = 12.1 μM vs. 129.4 μM). While both substrates achieve comparable Vmax values (~0.26 - 0.31 μM/min), L-Thr achieves this efficiency at lower concentrations. The kinetic data of T. maritima tRNAThr UGU suggests t6A is preferred, in contrast to M. jannaschii, where the same tRNA was reported to prefer hn6A modification
The Life of OR Measure 110: Evolution, Implementation, and Impact
No full textIn 2020, Oregon voters approved Measure 110, a groundbreaking policy that decriminalized possession of small quantities of controlled substances and redirected cannabis tax revenues to treatment and recovery centers. This article examines the passage, implementation, and rollback of Measure 110 with HB 4002, enacted in 2024. Drawing on state audits, legislative records, and public health data to contextualize Measure 110 within broader debates on public health, criminal justice reform, and policy-making, Albertson analyzes the progressive policy’s aspirational, reform-minded goals and the practical shortcomings in its enactment. Albertson argues that while Measure 110 has faced justified criticism and partial reversal, it remains a pivotal case study in state-level experimentation with decriminalization, underscoring the importance of implementation infrastructure, cross-sector collaboration, and political communication in drafting and sustaining transformative public policy
Using Ecological Momentary Data to Inform a Web-Based Intervention for Romantic Partners Concerned About Their Loved Ones’ Drinking: Study Protocol
No full textConcerned partners (CPs) play a crucial role in encouraging their loved ones to moderate or seek help for their drinking but are not always equipped with the strategies to approach these conversations effectively. This research comprises three phases: First, we will conduct a dyadic ecological momentary assessment (EMA) study to establish common communication patterns associated with drinking and non-drinking behaviors. Findings from this study will be used to develop a web-based intervention (WBI) prototype, which will be used in a qualitative study with CPs assessing the WBI\u27s feasibility and acceptability. We will evaluate the efficacy of the WBI compared to usual care on CP well-being (e.g., depression, anxiety, social support), the drinking partner\u27s drinking, and relationship functioning via a pilot RCT. All procedures occur remotely. In Phase 1, 50 CPs and their partners (who misuse alcohol via the AUDIT-C) will be recruited from social media and participate in a dyadic EMA study, completing a baseline and follow-up survey and three daily EMA reports for 21 days. In Phase 2, we will develop the WBI and conduct qualitative interviews with 15 CPs. In Phase 3, we will recruit 80 dyads for a pilot RCT and a follow-up one-month post-intervention. Equipping CPs to effectively communicate with their loved ones around drinking may be an important catalyst for decreasing their partner\u27s harmful drinking. The potential reach of this intervention is large such that it can be easily implemented over the web to those who may need help but would otherwise not seek care
Influencing Factors of Angle-of-arrival Estimator Based on Deep Learning
No full textDeep learning (DL)-based angle-of-arrival (AoA) estimation offers significant advantages over traditional signal processing methods, especially in complex and high-noise environments. However, situational complexity and differences in hardware can significantly impact the estimator\u27s performance. It is therefore of interest to investigate the relationship between the performance of deep learning models and the variation of physical parameters such as the number of signal sources, the number of receiving antennas, and the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). In this study, we investigate the impact of these variations on deep learning-based AoA estimation by systematically analyzing how the variations in the characteristics of the received signal affect the accuracy, robustness, and computational efficiency of the model. This thesis explores the sensitivity of deep neural networks (DNNs) to different physical conditions and evaluate their adaptability to dynamic channel environments. This thesis also compare the performance variations of traditional estimation methods under the same conditions. These results provide insights into neural network architectures for optimizing AoA estimation under different physical conditions and contribute to developing more robust and versatile deep learning models for wireless positioning and communication systems
Collaborative Wildfire Governance within the Southwest Idaho Wildfire Crisis Strategy Landscape: Survey Results 2025
No full textCollaboration plays a critical role in wildfire risk mitigation efforts. This study examines collaborative wildfire governance networks within Southwest Idaho, a priority landscape designated in 2022 under the USDA Forest Service\u27s Wildfire Crisis Strategy (WCS). Through survey data from 64 respondents, the Fueling Adaptation study aimed to identify the structure, capacity, and gaps in governance networks addressing wildfire risk in Southwest Idaho and understand how WCS investments have influenced wildfire management in the area. The findings reveal a growing governance network centered on the USDA Forest Service and the Idaho Department of Lands and supported by numerous non-governmental organizations and county governments. Nearly three-quarters of the partnerships identified in this arena function through informal relationships rather than formal agreements and funding flows. Unexpectedly, respondents who reported their organizations were highly influenced by WCS investments perceived relatively poorer collaborative and landscape outcomes compared to less WCS-influenced organizations. Furthermore, the study revealed gaps in Tribal, private landowner, and local community representation in existing wildfire governance networks and collaborative forums. Building such collaborative capacity is a gradual process that depends on sustained engagement and long-term investment. The findings highlight both strengths and challenges in leveraging federal investments to improve collaborative capacity and improve wildfire resilience and governance outcomes in Southwest Idaho
A Call to Action to Include Disability in Intersectional Health Equity Research and Policy
No full textSummary:
Disability status is rarely included in health research and policy, including intersectional research, perpetuating health inequities for this population. This paper calls on researchers and policymakers to take concrete steps to advance health equity for disabled people, including those at the intersections of disability, race, ethnicity, poverty, and other marginalized identities. We propose four strategies with recommendations to promote: a) meaningful engagement of disabled and multiply marginalized people in research and policy planning; b) cohesive, systemic disability data collection and analyses; c) use of intersectional approaches to examine structural drivers of health inequities; and d) leveraging of administrative data to improve disability healthcare policies and practices
Working Paper No. 101, “Universal Welfare” in Marxist Thought, and Its Implementation During the Era of the Soviet Union
No full textThis inquiry seeks to establish that although in his writings Karl Marx emphasized “Universal Welfare” as a central ideal, its appearance and realization in the Soviet Union was affected by tensions between ideology and the realities of centralized economic control. The first section explores Marx’s vision of universal welfare as a structural component of a post-capitalist society rooted in collective ownership and human emancipation. The second section examines how the Soviet Union institutionalized welfare across sectors such as education, healthcare, housing, and employment, while access to these services was often influenced by labor contribution and political loyalty. The final section analyzes how bureaucratic inefficiencies and hierarchical governance limited the system’s capacity to fulfill Marx’s understanding of egalitarian aims. By focusing on this gap between ideology and institutional reality, this inquiry reveals how structural design could indeed shape, and sometimes undermine, the implementation of social ideals. Journal o
Ronald E. McNair Scholars Program Profiles and Abstracts 2025
No full textThis publication provides research abstracts and biographies of 2025 McNair scholars and their mentors
Symbolic Leverage: Nominating (non)veiled Women As an Electoral Competition Strategy in Polarized Turkey
No full textDo party elites strategically nominate (non)veiled women? While research exists on Muslim-minority countries, little is known about the dynamics of such strategies in Muslim-majority contexts, where the interplay of Islam, secularism, gender, and veiling is complex. To address this gap, I examine electoral competition in Turkey, investigating whether parties strategically nominate (non)veiled women for mayoral seats in opposing party strongholds to capitalize on the political symbols associated with women\u27s identities — a strategy | term symbolic leverage. Using an original dataset, elite interviews, and electoral discourse analysis, I find that parties leverage the symbolic value of veiled and nonveiled women candidates to appeal to rival party voters. Moreover, interviews with Islamist party elites show that nominating nonveiled women serves multiple objectives for them: signaling tolerance for secular lifestyles, assuaging concerns about Islamization, attracting swing voters, and projecting a democratic image. These findings illuminate how parties utilize women\u27s inclusion in polarized contexts