All Questions
1
vote
1answer
33 views
Low complexity region and relaxed selection
I'm reading a text (Wagner, 2007) on identifying positive selection. In paper, the author says that low complexity regions are known to be associated with relaxed selection. I'm trying to understand ...
0
votes
0answers
14 views
Have there been any mechanisms proposed for normalization in probabilistic population codes?
I heard a talk recently by Dora Angelaki about multi-sensory integration. Part of the talk was about bayesian inference with multiple noisy sources of information. I know that there has been a lot of ...
6
votes
1answer
59 views
What is the best way to express two proteins in a mammalian cell?
I have two proteins and I will be preparing a vector with both genes for stable transfection. Each protein will have their own promoter and I will use piggyBac vector to insert a single cassette with ...
1
vote
1answer
34 views
I'd like to know the name and a few details of a certain time-keeping structure in the human brain
I once heard of this structure on the Discovery Science channel and have since forgotten the name. The details I remember about it were that it is the central time-keeping device for the brain located ...
1
vote
0answers
15 views
Looking for detailed nutrient/energy flow at the bottom of the freshwater food chain
I am trying to model the production and consumption of nutrients and waste at the bottom of the food chain in freshwater ecosystems.
I can only find broad information on the Internet and don't know ...
1
vote
1answer
39 views
What is the use of futile reaction cycling such as Fruc-P to Fruc-BP?
One rate-limiting step of glycolysis is the conversion of Fructose-Phosphate (Fruc-P) to Fructose-Bisphosphate (Fruc-BP), catalysed by Phosphofructokinase (PFK). The reaction involves hydrolysing one ...
5
votes
1answer
177 views
Agarose vs agar? Why do DNA gels use agarose only and how do you obtain agarose from agar?
Agar is a relatively cheap substance from red algae. And it contains a saccharide agarose as well as a small amount of pectin.
Agar is used for culture plates as is, but for DNA gels a grade of ...
2
votes
1answer
48 views
11
votes
4answers
1k views
Do white Australians have a distinct look?
Background
I've heard from many people working in tourism or similar industries that, white Australians can be recognized as Australian solely by their facial features. Being Australian myself I've ...
10
votes
4answers
295 views
Why is the Hydra Biologically Immortal?
I have heard that the Hydra organism is biologically immortal (later I found that there are more immortal organisms). Now I know that its immortality is related to its telomerase. The thing is that we ...
0
votes
0answers
15 views
Resource plant anatomy/lifecycle vocabulary
I've been curious about a lot of vocabulary words in the world of botany. I've had quite a bit of trouble finding somewhere online to help me out, but I'm having some trouble finding a resource like ...
15
votes
3answers
430 views
Is “computational biology” different from “bioinformatics”?
Are "computational biology" and "bioinformatics" simply different terms for the same thing or is there a real difference?
1
vote
1answer
21 views
Amount of reverse transcriptase in µg or mM for qRT-PCR
I am trying to calculate a titration amount for a molecule which I would like to use in my PCR samples. Different molecules have different densities so I would like to calculate the appropriate ...
2
votes
0answers
28 views
Example(s) of reduced rate of mitotic progression?
Most species complete mitosis, and in particular the process of chromosome condensation, rather quickly, in a matter of minutes. Are there any known species that undergo mitoses with substantially ...
6
votes
1answer
75 views
Which brain regions are D1 dopamine receptors expressed, and which brain regions are D2 dopamine receptors expressed?
This is a follow-up question to If D1 receptors stimulate adenylate cyclase (through GPCRs) and D2 receptors inhibit it, then why do mutations in both have similar effects?.
As a further question - ...
7
votes
1answer
234 views
Do egg laying animals experience a pregnancy?
Does a female animal that lays eggs experience a pregnancy-like period of time, where she will feel and behave differently as if she were fertilized and her body is prepared to lay a fertile egg, not ...
2
votes
1answer
78 views
Do forever-living organisms exist?
Do organisms exist that are able to live indefinitely if they are not killed by external factors?
Under external factors I would consider things like predators and natural disaster but not illness by ...
8
votes
0answers
42 views
Do marine deep sea life forms exhibit circadian rhythms? If so, what entrains them?
I've been reading a lot about circadian rhythms, when suddenly this question popped into my head: do circadian rhythms exist for deep sea organisms (3000 ft / 1000 meters+)?
For land mammals, the ...
0
votes
1answer
29 views
What does “Activation” refer to in the context of the symptoms of Schizophrenia and Schizoaffective Disorder?
In this journal article certain symptoms are called "activation" in nature. I have never come across this term prior to coming across this article, so I would like to know quite simply what does it ...
1
vote
1answer
27 views
glossary of biotechnological engineering
Similar to A good book for history of biology/biotechnology for lay people
but not for lay people.
Can anyone recommend an advanced dictionary of biotechnological engineering concepts in English ...
5
votes
1answer
46 views
Do lunar rhythms have impact on human biology, if so, how?
I'm approaching this question from the circadian rhythm perspective. A circadian rhythm is a 24 hour cycle. While doing research on deep sea circadian rhythms, I found this abstract which seemed to ...
11
votes
10answers
462 views
A good book for history of biology/biotechnology for lay people
I have many friends who are interested in Biology and want to know more about the subject in general (like a history of biology, from Darwin's theory, to DNA structure discovery, to the human genome ...
3
votes
1answer
32 views
How does Serotonergic (5-HT2A mediated) Psychedelia work?
How does serotonergic (5-HT2A specific) psychedelia work? I've read that there are some theories that it might involve the induction of a glutamate release in certain regions of the brain involved in ...
6
votes
1answer
86 views
Why dogs move their noses when smelling?
I read on Wikipedia that:
The wet nose, or rhinarium, is essential for determining the direction of the air current containing the smell. Cold receptors in the skin are sensitive to the cooling of ...
-2
votes
0answers
32 views
Ecology project [closed]
I have to make an ecology project, BIO class. My project is based on air pollution. There is an interview scheduled with an official(from the meteorological station). I'd like some suggestions ...
2
votes
1answer
32 views
Using DTNP to find free thiol groups on a protein
I've been tasked with using DTNB to find the number of thiol groups on a molecule of Bovine Serum albumin (BSA).
After measuring the absorbance, finding the concentration of TNB and calculating the ...
1
vote
1answer
47 views
Is there a way to see what representations are currently displayed in PyMOL?
I am using PyMol to visualize .pdb protein structures.
I show/hide representation a lot, and sometimes I get confused with what representations are currently displayed. So I end up with doing a lot ...
3
votes
1answer
53 views
Which Receptors are Involved in the antidepressant effects of SSRIs?
From what I've read the major receptor subtypes involved in the antidepressant effects of SSRIs are:
5-HT1A
5-HT2C
5-HT3
5-HT6
Please cite journal articles to back up your claims, I don't want any ...
-1
votes
0answers
32 views
medicines for pre-clinical research [closed]
I know pre-clinical research by individuals and universities is permitted in the United States. What about molecules which normally require a prescription? Do I need a special license from the FDA? I ...
5
votes
1answer
73 views
Why do many fruit trees have five-petaled flowers?
Peach, pear, apple, cherry, and many other fruit trees seem to have flowers comprised of five petals. Assuming there is no evolutionary advantage to confusing students of trees, is there a plausible ...
4
votes
2answers
79 views
How is gene expression estimated?
I'm reading this fantastic article on estimating body time: Molecular-timetable methods for detection of body
time and rhythm disorders from single-time-point
genome-wide expression profiles and one ...
0
votes
0answers
25 views
What processes are responsible for focusing on an image only seen by one of the eyes?
When a person is spying from around a corner with only one eye, it's rather easy to ignore the other eye's image, since it's probably much darker, because one usually spies around a corner standing ...
6
votes
2answers
101 views
BLAST DNA Sequences Reversed
I have been trying to learn some basic DNA sequencing techniques and have been using BLAST as a reference. I thought that I was starting to get it, but then I cam across this:
It looks like it's ...
1
vote
1answer
79 views
Chemical structure prediction
I'd like to do chemical structure prediction using a known molecule formulas. I'm familiar with de novo protein structure prediction, but are there any programs which will go from formula to structure ...
4
votes
1answer
68 views
How do mutations come to be shared by all cells?
It's my understanding that various hazards can damage the DNA in our cells, causing mutations.
But whenever I picture this, I see the damage being done to one of our tissues (for example, our lungs ...
2
votes
1answer
58 views
Why do I see an inverted image of an object when I close my eyes?
If I stare at an object for a long time and close my eyes, at first I can still see the object with my eyes closed. But the image I see with my eyes closed is inverted: dark colors appear as light and ...
2
votes
0answers
44 views
How do you average Ki values?
It's embarrassing for me to ask this but well such is life. NIMH Psychoactive Drug Screening Program (PDSP) Ki Database is mentioned as the source of the average binding affinity (Ki) values given in ...
2
votes
1answer
42 views
What is the mechanism of regulation of PER /CRY genes?
I've read multiple descriptions of biological/circadian clocks and they all mention PER, CRY and CLOCK genes. While I kinda get how they are connected, what interests me is how these actually regulate ...
3
votes
0answers
24 views
What non invasive methods of estimating Body Time are there?
I found this article on estimating body time using molecular timetable of 168 genes. researchers looked at gene expressions and plotted them to 24 hour cosines curve with some pretty spectacular ...
11
votes
1answer
137 views
Why is yawning contagious?
Why does yawning seems to be contagious?
Is this similar to laughter being contagious or does it has a different reason?
0
votes
0answers
19 views
in-vitro inhibitor molecule count per reverse transcriptase count
I would like to examine the effects of etravirine in-vitro. How many molecules of Etravirine a HIV Reverse Transcriptase inhibitor are necessary to block a group of Reverse Transcriptase from acting ...
3
votes
1answer
55 views
High protein turnover rate and protease inhibitors?
I work with mice, and I want to see what happens to some specific proteins in the mouse brain after IL-1b injection (intracerebroventricular).
I have a problem: when I measure the mRNA and protein ...
1
vote
2answers
71 views
What organs are absolutely needed by the human body?
The title is my question: what organs are absolutely needed (fatal if injured/removed) by the human body and perhaps animals in general?
I'm not asking which organs are mechanically replaceable, but ...
9
votes
1answer
88 views
Protein data bank syntax: Can two protein secondary structures “overlap”?
I have a technical question regarding the syntax in Protein Data Bank files. In the protein with PDB# 1AE9 (pdb file), there are two lines in the .pdb file:
...
0
votes
0answers
21 views
Is the white structure on the break of bananas or watermelones sugar?
Does the central part of watermelon or banana have a higher concentration of sugar (fruit-sugar or saccharobiose)?
The center of the fruit is sweeter than other red parts of watermelon.
In bananas, ...
4
votes
1answer
58 views
Why does plucking nose hair cause tears in the eyes?
It's not a particularly sad or painful thing to pluck a few nose hairs, but it's common for the tear ducts to wet up when doing this.
I would like to know the physiological reason for the ...
6
votes
1answer
71 views
How does one maintain balance sleepwalking?
Anectodal. Feel free to shoot it down.
Walking is an acquired skill; As far as I'm concerned exhaustion causes disorientation. Even after waking up it sometimes takes a second or so to get balanced.
...
5
votes
1answer
40 views
functional hypocholesterolemia due to very high HDL or low LDL?
Nutritional and medical recommendations about cholesterol seem to focus exclusively on hypercholesterolemia, and as such, they provide only a maximum desirable level for LDL and a minimum for HDL. ...
7
votes
1answer
140 views
Why are some menstrual cycles irregular?
A friend of mine asked me this today, and I didn't know. I remember studying the menstrual cycle a few years ago, but I can't remember the details (other than it was very hormone-related), and so I ...
3
votes
1answer
78 views
What is the distinction between chemokines, cytokines, interferons and interleukins?
They all seem to describe molecules of similar function and many people seem to use them interchangeably.
Also please include any other similar molecules if I've forgotten any in the list above.
