it's ON!

My very very last exam has been scheduled. It's on May 6th, at 2 pm.
Today I got the papers/articles for it. It's a comprehensive exam number two (in short comp II). I needed to pick five professors to be in my examining committee. They (the higher instances) were supposed to choose three out of these five. But - they decided to choose two, and then throw in the surprise factor. Yay - I love surprises! (read the sarcasm in my tone. code symbol for sarcasm: $). These three specially handpicked profs gave me one journal article each. And I had an honor to receive them today. And now I have five weeks to learn EVERYTHING plus more about these papers. It will be fun!!! $$$$
My plan is to study hardcore for two weeks - so from today until April 14th (and then have a fake exam with my friends - just to probe those gray cells up there). And then my Mum arrives, with my aunt and cousin. So then I need to take easy for two weeks, while they are here. But I am planning to do some "light" studying. And then, a few days before 28th I plan to pack them onto a bus, and send them to discover Toronto and Niagara. On their own. So I can pick up the hardcore studying pace. And then there will be May 6th, and there will be a few long hours of questions and answers and discussions and stress and sweat (no tears are planned!). And in the evening will be booked for BEER. Easy!!! :)

So what did I get:
One Nature paper: Thimmaiah P. Chendrimada et al. MicroRNA silencing through RISC recruitment of eIF6. Nature 447, 823-828 (14 July 2007)
It looks pretty interesting. They are looking at this mysterious eIF6 in drosophila to study silencing. That's ALL I know right now.

Second from the field of Gastroenterology: Yan F et al. Soluble proteins produced by probiotic bacteria regulate intestinal epithelial cell survival and growth. Gastroenterology 2007 Feb;132(2):562-75.
This looks very interesting. It's this new field, than no-one has really bothered studying before. Essentially it's about learning how your normal micro flora can keep you safe from bad bugs. It does sound neat!

Third one is continuing the topic of gut bacteria, and it's a paper by my examiner herself:
M. Schirm et al. Structural, genetic and functional characterization of the flagellin glycosylation process in Helicobacter pylori. Molecular Microbiology 48, 1579–1592
Helicobacter pylori is the "evil dude" responsible for ulcers (maohaavad), and this paper discusses how post translational modification (could anyone remind me what are these again?:P) of flagellin (see on see vaike saba bakteri taga, mis aitab neil edasi liikuda) proteins could change things for this bug (ie make it more evil, or less evil). In the big picture this bug and all sounds cool. But the specifics of the paper are very technical and more biochemical than I would like. But - I will learn it, right?

And that's it. These will be my favorite topics for the next five weeks. And if there's anything you would like to know about any of the above mentioned topics - please - don't be shy, and ask. I will digg it out for ya!

Ohh.. and it's already almost 1. I better get to bed, if I want to get out before 10. And we are going to see cows with our lab, so I should be in shape.

But - one more thing. My friend just found out that she has lost her Estonian citizenship. They (the mysterious "they" from the passport office?) just took it. I even didn't know you could just lose it. Which made me think - how do I know that I am Estonian? Could I lose it one day? Sorta like by an accident - you just walk by the street, a great Estonian citizen, and poof - the next moment you are not (the citizen, that is.).
Uudu - ega Sa juhtumisi tea midagi sellel teemal? Mina motlesin, et kui oled kord Eestis syndinud, siis on korras. Et oled Eesti kodanik ja valmis. Aga tundub, et ei ole. Tundub, et on mingi mystika.