All Questions
13
votes
0answers
106 views
Phagemid display
If I'm using a bacteriophage for phage display and I'm trying to avoid avidity effects by using a helper phage what would be the best way to maintain a large library size while keeping everything ...
11
votes
0answers
65 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 ...
11
votes
0answers
107 views
How straightforward is in vitro compartmentalization?
in vitro compartmentalization (IVC) is one of those technologies that everyone knows about, talks about, but never actual does due to the rather technical difficulties in setting the system up. I was ...
8
votes
0answers
83 views
How would a warm winter affect maple sap production?
The past winter (2011-2012) was warmer than usual.
Trees are normally tapped in late February when the daily maximum temperature goes above freezing. However, assuming that there have been ...
7
votes
0answers
55 views
Can jellyfish improve Black Sea environment?
According to this study, cited by many popular science magazines, jellyfish and other, smaller animals can contribute to the vertical ocean stir as much as currents do.
Black Sea chemistry and ...
7
votes
0answers
206 views
Rosetta ab initio prediction and protein-protein interaction fitness help
I have designed several proteins which I predict have interactions with another protein using the sequence based Conjoint Triad Method. I would like to know which ones structurally are predicted to ...
7
votes
0answers
62 views
paralogue genes in genome-wide association studies?
Has anybody tested if there is an over-representation of significant paralogous copies of genes -- either tandemly-arranged or in different chromosomes -- in the list of significantly associated genes ...
7
votes
0answers
95 views
Why do animal teeth get darker if exposed?
I was wondering why the teeth of cats (And dogs, as far as I know, plus possibly some other animals or even humans) get darker if they are exposed to air / light?
Example:
(See the lower end of ...
7
votes
0answers
93 views
Do the majority of fish lack scales on their heads?
Based on pictures, it seems to me that a vast majority of fish species that have scales do NOT have scales on their heads.
Is that fact true?
To make this properly answerable:
lets' define a ...
6
votes
0answers
63 views
Is 1 g/l living biomass for a Biogas fermenter plausible?
A usual number for a healthy biogas fermenter is $10^9 - 10^{10}/mL$ Bacteria, 10-15% of which would be methanogenic archae. Exceptionally healthy fermenters have more total bacteria and up 25% ...
6
votes
0answers
74 views
Does artificial high intensity light damage permanently dark ecosystems?
Popular science features on wildlife typically capture camera images using natural light, or high-speed exposures. This is not possible where the ambient light is extremely poor.
E.g. Caves, Undersea
...
6
votes
0answers
39 views
Using the IMGT/GENE-DB service to find RSS
I'm trying to get the data for the Human and Mouse 12 and 23 Recomination
Signal Sequences (RSS), to run a classification algorithm on it. I'm not a
biologist, so I apologise in advance for my ...
6
votes
0answers
47 views
Does the MS2 RNA binding protein have any translational repression effects?
Reposted from Quora: http://www.quora.com/Does-the-MS2-RNA-binding-protein-have-any-translational-repression-effects
I'm thinking of the MS2 protein binding to its RNA hairpin target. Would the ...
6
votes
0answers
51 views
Pancretic Acinar Cell - ATP, calcium concentration data
I need to find a decent source of data for concentration of ATP and calcium in the pancreatic acinar cell.
So far all I can find is ATP or calcium 'levels' based on fluorescence , which are not ...
6
votes
0answers
71 views
How reversible is DAT upregulation from long-term ADHD medication use?
A mechanism for ADHD stimulant medication tolerance has now been found. See http://neurosciencenews.com/adhd-medication-patient-brains-adapt-dat/.
Here's the thing though: what exactly is the ...
6
votes
0answers
101 views
Could someone recommend a book for surveying species?
I'm trying to get/renew basic knowledge of species. Could someone recommend a book for surveying "important"/"representational" species? I am looking for a book with good illustrations and that covers ...
5
votes
0answers
44 views
Primary cilia: what cell types have non-motile cilia that migrate?
My understanding is that there are two broad categories of cilia: motile and non-motile (also called primary.
Examples of the former include sperm flagella and the cilia of epithelial cells that ...
5
votes
0answers
49 views
Modern reference for Kropotkin's lazy bees
I have been reading through Peter Kropotkin's Mutual Aid: A Factor of Evolution and he mentions a curious fact about bees (bolding by me for emphasis):
predatory instincts and laziness continue to ...
5
votes
0answers
63 views
Pharmacologically, can tricyclic antidepressants have a side-effect profile similar to neuroleptics?
Torticollis (wryneck, cervical dystonia) is a neurologic movement disorder causing involuntary muscle spasms in the neck. Often, neuroleptics can cause such a side effect. I'm wondering if this ...
5
votes
0answers
69 views
How is hibernation/aestivation different from anesthesia?
How do hibernation/aestivation happen?
I read on wikipedia that a squirrel injected with the body fluids of a hibernating fellow is more prone to hibernation. If hibernation/aestivation are driven ...
5
votes
0answers
61 views
What is the fastest way to build an alanine scanning library?
For interfacial studies, I would like to build an alanine scanning library for one of my proteins examining 20 sites. I will ultimately express the gene using E.coli cell-free protein synthesis. I ...
5
votes
0answers
49 views
What temperature should mammalian B-Cells be stored at outside of the incubator?
I'm working with murine B-cells. The general protocol is to keep cells on ice to keep them from dying but I've noticed that it makes these cells aggregate and precipitate out. I've heard suggestions ...
5
votes
0answers
35 views
Providing small molecules to cells on a filter plate
Lets imagine that I have mammalian cells that I've immobilized on a filter. Now I want to keep providing small molecules to these immobilized cells without resolubilizing the cells.
The caveat is ...
5
votes
0answers
45 views
How are whole Haplotypes for Sequencing isolated?
Is it possible to reliably isolate and amplify DNA from individual sperm and/or eggs (from a fish)? I'd imagine that the small amount of DNA would make the PCR a bit wacky. We've considered ...
4
votes
0answers
35 views
Is it possible to condition the body to reduce bruising?
I do combat sports, and in these sports there are a lot of hits that can cause bruising.
I've found that, over time, physical conditioning can reduce and/or eliminate the bruising to the point where ...
4
votes
0answers
30 views
How are our senses dimmed during sleep?
Our senses are not as sensitive during sleep compared to wake. There is an arousal threshold during sleep that only when it is overcome will it wake a person up. My question is how is this arousal ...
4
votes
0answers
49 views
Structure of fitness landscapes in the NK model
The NK model of rugged fitness landscapes consists of $N$ sites where fitness contribution of each site depends on its state $\{0,1\}$ and is epistatically affected by $K$ other sites. When defining ...
4
votes
0answers
28 views
What controls leaf senescence in deciduous tree species, and how can I predict it?
If I want to predict litterfall, what data do I need to collect, and what statistical model might I use?
For example, I might use the following coding to record phenological stage every other day, or ...
4
votes
0answers
36 views
Do mammals develop tolerance to anticholinergics?
I know that first generation H1 antagonists, commonly known as antihistamines have anticholinergic effects. Their sedative side effects go away due to tolerance, but as for their anticholinergic side ...
4
votes
0answers
45 views
Long term effects of “brain freeze” on the cerebral vasculature
According to one theory, ice cream headaches are caused by an increase in blood volume of the anterior cerebral artery:
Another theory into the cause of ice-cream headaches is explained by ...
4
votes
0answers
55 views
Functionality of vitamin A, Bx, C, D, E, K as used in cosmetics for the skin?
I was wondering if someone can compare the functionality of vitamin A, Bx (x means numbers, such as 1, 2, 3, ...), C, D, E, K in the skin? They are used in cosmetics but what is their actual effect?
...
4
votes
0answers
46 views
What light intensity determines the start/end of a photoperiod in humans?
I'm reading this article, which discusses the influence of Long Photoperiod (LP) and Short Photoperiod (SP) on melatonin production:
HIOMT drives the photoperiodic changes in the amplitude of the ...
4
votes
0answers
52 views
What is the frequency of double-hets between parent and child?
Say both parent and child are genotyped for all SNPs. In this setup we are only looking at variant positions between one parent and child - so neither parent nor child are homozygous reference (no ...
4
votes
0answers
107 views
How do the pharmacodynamics of the NSAIDs differ and are there “resistant” COX phenotypes?
I know that the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (e.g., aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen) affect the enzymes cyclooxygenase (types I and II).
Is there any difference in the degree to which these ...
4
votes
0answers
37 views
Does a mydriatic drug neutralize the action of a miotic?
If a person were administered a mydriatic, would the subsequent application of a miotic neutralize the action of the former? If the sequence were reversed would a mydriatic neutralize the effect of a ...
4
votes
0answers
35 views
Do you know of any disease where HLA / MHC association discovery has led to better treatment or management?
If we discover an association between a disease and a particular HLA type (MHC class I or class II molecule) then it may provide us with some insight into the disease in a very basic way. However, ...
4
votes
0answers
80 views
Is there a comprehensive database of fossils (with images) online?
Not sure if this is the best stackexchange to ask...
I have not been able to find a decent database of fossils on the web, does one exist?
Here are some of the links I have found through Wikipedia ...
4
votes
0answers
53 views
Can NSAIDs impact negatively the healing of tendons?
There are a number of articles regarding NSAIDs having a negative effect on healing conditions like tendonosis and tendinitis. From what I understand the channel through which they reduce inflammation ...
4
votes
0answers
24 views
harvesting fertilized eggs from Tetraodontidae species?
I would like to know how easy/difficult it is to harvest fertilized eggs from Tetraodontidae species such as Tetraodon nigroviridis or Takigufu rubripes compared to zebrafish? Ultimately, I would like ...
4
votes
0answers
68 views
Dimensionless number for blood volume
Comments from the question How is the blood volume of a living organism measured without killing it? by @Nico discussed that the time of blood recirculation scales with the size of the organism. I was ...
4
votes
0answers
74 views
Descendants of dinosaurs
It is commonly accepted that birds are descendants of dinosaurs. It is nice that not all dinosaurs died out.
Are there other animals, descendants of dinosaurs,
that survived ? (Maybe not till our ...
4
votes
0answers
39 views
What is the distance between the 3' 18s rRNA (the Kozak consensus sequence) and the A-site of eukaryotic ribosomes during protein translation?
Reposted from Quora http://www.quora.com/What-is-the-distance-between-the-3-18s-rRNA-the-Kozak-consensus-sequence-and-the-A-site-of-eukaryotic-ribosomes-during-protein-translation
The Kozak sequence ...
4
votes
0answers
30 views
RHEB senses amino acids in order to recruit mTOR. Do we know if RHEB is more sensitive to some amino acids (like methionine) than other amino acids?
See http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21157483 for the full paper describing the process of how RHEB recruits mTOR.
We also discussed this in Matt Kaeberlein's class yesterday and I posed this ...
4
votes
0answers
36 views
Serological assays not detecting native proteins
Is there anyone out there who has done much work with serological assays? We have antiserum for a manufactured viral protein but no luck so far getting it to detect native protein (unless today's ...
3
votes
0answers
31 views
Can ingestion of B6 cause gastrointestinal disturbance?
Can the ingestion of vitamin B6 upset the stomach, and if so by what mechanism?
3
votes
0answers
39 views
Keyword based literature search
I understand this is not a biological question but this is often a problem whenever I look for literature.
How to look for a reference for some fact based on keywords. For instance you know about a ...
3
votes
0answers
29 views
How do ants sense imminent rainfall?
I have always been told to watch to see if ant-hole mounds are built up as a sign of imminent rainfall. My questions are,
if what I have always been told is true, then by what mechanism do ants ...
3
votes
0answers
53 views
Food Intake versus ability to flee among birds, particularly the hummingbird?
Logically speaking, if a hummingbird drinks too much nectar, it will be temporarily overweight and less able or unable to fly to escape danger. However if the same hummingbird doesn't drink enough ...
3
votes
0answers
41 views
Do non-human animals suffer from insomnia?
And how do we know whether they do or not?
ยง
If sleep is a physiological need, it seems weird that we become unable to fulfill on demand even in the absence of any obvious physical issues. We would ...
3
votes
0answers
28 views
Can I purify polyhydroxyalkanoates by heating the cells extensively?
Traditional methods of purifying polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) and other bioplastics made by bacteria involve washing the cells with harsh chemicals or strong bases.I'm interested in maintaining the ...
