It's an osmolyte, and in the news because of the publication of new structures of the betaine/Na+ symporter, showing four different conformations and allowing the entire transport cycle to be modeled.
Sunday, September 09, 2012
molecule of day: betaine
The molecule of the day is betaine:
(PubChem)
It's an osmolyte, and in the news because of the publication of new structures of the betaine/Na+ symporter, showing four different conformations and allowing the entire transport cycle to be modeled.
It's an osmolyte, and in the news because of the publication of new structures of the betaine/Na+ symporter, showing four different conformations and allowing the entire transport cycle to be modeled.
Saturday, September 08, 2012
word of the day: geodesy
The word of the day is geodesy:
"NASA will be landing on Mars again. On 20 August, the agency announced that it had given the go-ahead to a mission that in 2016 would land near the equator of Mars to listen to the tremors rumbling through the planet’s interior. The US$425‑million mission, called InSight (Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport) could expect to hear quakes as large as magnitude 5 in its two-year mission."
- "Seven days: 17–23 August 2012", Nature, 22 August 2012
Etymology:
< post-classical Latin geodaesia (15th cent.) < ancient Greek γεωδαισία < Hellenistic Greek γεωδαιτης land surveyor
Originally: the measuring or surveying of land (now hist. and rare).
Now chiefly: the branch of science and mathematics concerned with the
precise measurement of the shape of the earth and of areas and positions
on its surface, and with the spatial properties of the earth's
gravitational field. (OED)
"NASA will be landing on Mars again. On 20 August, the agency announced that it had given the go-ahead to a mission that in 2016 would land near the equator of Mars to listen to the tremors rumbling through the planet’s interior. The US$425‑million mission, called InSight (Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport) could expect to hear quakes as large as magnitude 5 in its two-year mission."
- "Seven days: 17–23 August 2012", Nature, 22 August 2012
molecule of the day: FSBA
The molecule of the day is 5'-(4-fluorosulfonylbenzoyl)adenosine (FSBA):
(PubChem)
It's used to covalently attach to ATP-binding sites, as in this paper. For comparison, the structure of ATP is shown here:
(PubChem)
(PubChem)
It's used to covalently attach to ATP-binding sites, as in this paper. For comparison, the structure of ATP is shown here:
Friday, September 07, 2012
molecule of the day: benzamidine
The molecule of the day is benzamidine:
(PubChem)
It can be used to inhibit serine proteases, as in this paper.
It can be used to inhibit serine proteases, as in this paper.
word of the day: probative
The word of the day is probative:
Etymology:
< Middle French probatif convincing, founded on proof (late 14th cent.; French †probatif that can prove (1803)) and its etymon classical Latin probātīvus of or relating to proof < probāt- , past participial stem of probāre prove v. + -īvus -ive suffix.
1. Having the quality or function of testing; serving or designed for trial or probation; probationary. Obs.
2.a. Chiefly Law. Orig. Sc. Having the quality or function of proving or demonstrating; affording proof or evidence; demonstrative, evidential.
b. Sc. Law. Designating a document that contains its own authentication or evidence of validity without requiring additional verification. (OED)
"Judges routinely exclude evidence when its prejudicial effect outweighs its probative value—an odd phrase that can be explained with an example from Hitt’s article. Robert Leonard’s testimony that the language of graffiti and threatening e-mails was “consistent with” the language of the defendant’s writings in other contexts is the equivalent of a witness pointing to someone in the courtroom and saying, “That man could have been the assailant.” “Could have been” is hardly sufficient when the standard of proof is “beyond a reasonable doubt.” But when an “expert” like Leonard tells a jury with little knowledge of science or linguistics that the language in one sample is consistent with the language in another, the prejudicial effect far outweighs any probative value that the observation might have in identifying the murderer."
- James C. Raymond, President, International Institute for Legal Writing and Reasoning, New York City, letter to The New Yorker, 13 August 2012
Thursday, September 06, 2012
word of the day: travois
The word of the day is travois:
"A travaille is an Indian contrivance, consisting of two poles fastened together at an acute angle, with crossbars between. The point of the angle rests upon the back of the dog or horse, the diverging ends of the poles drag along the ground, and the baggage is put on to the crossbars." (OED)
"Germonpré and her colleagues suggest that these early dogs might have been beasts of burden. They cite ethnographic examples of peoples like the Blackfeet and Hidatsa of the American West, who bred very large, strong dogs specifically for hauling travois or strapped-on packs."
- Pat Shipman, "Do the Eyes Have It? Dog domestication may have helped humans thrive while Neanderthals declined", The American Scientist May-June 2012
"A travaille is an Indian contrivance, consisting of two poles fastened together at an acute angle, with crossbars between. The point of the angle rests upon the back of the dog or horse, the diverging ends of the poles drag along the ground, and the baggage is put on to the crossbars." (OED)
"Germonpré and her colleagues suggest that these early dogs might have been beasts of burden. They cite ethnographic examples of peoples like the Blackfeet and Hidatsa of the American West, who bred very large, strong dogs specifically for hauling travois or strapped-on packs."
- Pat Shipman, "Do the Eyes Have It? Dog domestication may have helped humans thrive while Neanderthals declined", The American Scientist May-June 2012
Wednesday, September 05, 2012
word of the day: echt
The word of the day is echt:
German, real, true, genuine.
"Still, “The Juniper Tree,” which Tatar herself describes as “probably the most shocking of all fairy tales,” is not placed among the “Tales for Adults,” presumably because it is too characteristic, too echt Grimm, to be cordoned off in a special section."
- Joan Acocella, "Once Upon a Time: The lure of the fairy tale", The New Yorker 23 July 2012
German, real, true, genuine.
Authentic, genuine, typical. (OED)
"Still, “The Juniper Tree,” which Tatar herself describes as “probably the most shocking of all fairy tales,” is not placed among the “Tales for Adults,” presumably because it is too characteristic, too echt Grimm, to be cordoned off in a special section."
- Joan Acocella, "Once Upon a Time: The lure of the fairy tale", The New Yorker 23 July 2012
Tuesday, September 04, 2012
word of the day: latitudinarian
The word of the day is latitudinarian:
< Latin lātitūdin-, lātitūdo latitude n., after trinitarian, etc.
"Maria Tatar seems to be inheriting the position of dean of fairy tales, and in her “Annotated Brothers Grimm” (2004)—this is one of Norton’s series of copiously annotated classics—she apparently feels that she can afford to be nice to everyone. This makes some of the notes in her edition bewilderingly latitudinarian—she nods to Zipes, to Bettelheim, to Gilbert and Gubar."
- Joan Acocella, "Once Upon a Time: The lure of the fairy tale", The New Yorker 23 July 2012
I'm not convinced "latitudinarian" was the word she wanted there.
< Latin lātitūdin-, lātitūdo latitude n., after trinitarian, etc.
A. adj.
Allowing, favouring, or characterized
by latitude in opinion or action, esp. in matters of religion; not
insisting on strict adherence to or conformity with an established code,
standard, formula, etc.; tolerating free thought or laxity of belief on
religious questions; characteristic of the latitudinarians (see B.).
B. n.
One who practises or favours latitude in thought, action, or conduct, esp. in religious matters; spec.
one of those divines of the English Church in the 17th century, who,
while attached to episcopal government and forms of worship, regarded
them as things indifferent; hence, one who, though not a sceptic, is
indifferent as to particular creeds and forms of church government or
worship. (OED)
"Maria Tatar seems to be inheriting the position of dean of fairy tales, and in her “Annotated Brothers Grimm” (2004)—this is one of Norton’s series of copiously annotated classics—she apparently feels that she can afford to be nice to everyone. This makes some of the notes in her edition bewilderingly latitudinarian—she nods to Zipes, to Bettelheim, to Gilbert and Gubar."
- Joan Acocella, "Once Upon a Time: The lure of the fairy tale", The New Yorker 23 July 2012
I'm not convinced "latitudinarian" was the word she wanted there.
Monday, September 03, 2012
word of the day: massif
The word of the day is massif:
< Middle French, French massif
1. A large building, or a range of buildings regarded as a single block. Also: a mass of masonry or rock. (In later use generally understood as a fig. use of sense 2.)
2. A very large topographic or structural feature in the landscape; esp. a prominent mountain mass or compact group of mountains (usually composed of older, more resistant rock than its surroundings), which dominates an upland area. (OED)
"Hilu narrowly escaped capture, and he and thousands of his followers fled to live in the wilderness, many of them in caves in the spectacular stone massifs of South Kordofan: the Nuba Mountains."
- Jon Lee Anderson, "A History of Violence", The New Yorker 23 July 2012
< Middle French, French massif
1. A large building, or a range of buildings regarded as a single block. Also: a mass of masonry or rock. (In later use generally understood as a fig. use of sense 2.)
2. A very large topographic or structural feature in the landscape; esp. a prominent mountain mass or compact group of mountains (usually composed of older, more resistant rock than its surroundings), which dominates an upland area. (OED)
"Hilu narrowly escaped capture, and he and thousands of his followers fled to live in the wilderness, many of them in caves in the spectacular stone massifs of South Kordofan: the Nuba Mountains."
- Jon Lee Anderson, "A History of Violence", The New Yorker 23 July 2012
Sunday, September 02, 2012
word of the day: suzerain
The word of the day is suzerain:
< French suzerain, older s(o)userain , apparently < sus above, up ( < Latin sūsum , sursum , < sub from below, up + vorsum , versum , past participle of vertĕre to turn), after souverain sovereign n. and adj.
a. A feudal overlord. In recent use, with reference to international relations, a sovereign or a state having supremacy over another state which possesses its own ruler or government but cannot act as an independent power. (OED)
"Sudan - derived from the Arabic word for 'land of the blacks' - was a lucrative source of chattel until the British suppressed the trade; the capital, Khartoum, in the north, was built by an Egyptian suzerain as a slaver station."
- Jon Lee Anderson, "A History of Violence", The New Yorker 23 July 2012
< French suzerain, older s(o)userain , apparently < sus above, up ( < Latin sūsum , sursum , < sub from below, up + vorsum , versum , past participle of vertĕre to turn), after souverain sovereign n. and adj.
a. A feudal overlord. In recent use, with reference to international relations, a sovereign or a state having supremacy over another state which possesses its own ruler or government but cannot act as an independent power. (OED)
"Sudan - derived from the Arabic word for 'land of the blacks' - was a lucrative source of chattel until the British suppressed the trade; the capital, Khartoum, in the north, was built by an Egyptian suzerain as a slaver station."
- Jon Lee Anderson, "A History of Violence", The New Yorker 23 July 2012
Saturday, September 01, 2012
word of the day: liminal
The word of the day is liminal:
< Latin līmin-, līmen threshold + -al suffix1.
"As you point out, the story ends with Yunior about to turn forty, which is a very liminal place to be, especially for an immigrant dude like him. It’s one thing to be an immigrant ten years out from arrival and quite another to be an immigrant thirty years out from arrival. When I was a young I always thought I would reach a point where my immigrant-ness would suddenly fall away, and I would miraculously become an American. Now I know that’s not what happens: being an immigrant is one of those things that is forever."
- Junot Díaz, "This Week in Fiction: Junot Díaz", Page-Turner 16 July 2012
No, I'm still not sure what he means.
< Latin līmin-, līmen threshold + -al suffix1.
a. gen. Of or pertaining to the threshold or initial stage of a process. rare.b. spec. in Psychol. Of or pertaining to a ‘limen’ or ‘threshold'. (OED)
"As you point out, the story ends with Yunior about to turn forty, which is a very liminal place to be, especially for an immigrant dude like him. It’s one thing to be an immigrant ten years out from arrival and quite another to be an immigrant thirty years out from arrival. When I was a young I always thought I would reach a point where my immigrant-ness would suddenly fall away, and I would miraculously become an American. Now I know that’s not what happens: being an immigrant is one of those things that is forever."
- Junot Díaz, "This Week in Fiction: Junot Díaz", Page-Turner 16 July 2012
No, I'm still not sure what he means.
Friday, August 31, 2012
word of the day: mujerón
The word of the day is mujerón:
A stout woman; a matron. (spanishdict.com)
"On the T, you swear you see your ex in the rush-hour mix and for a second your knees buckle, but it turns out to be just another Latina mujerón in a tailored suit."
- Junot Díaz, "The Cheater's Guide to Love", New Yorker 23 July 2012
A stout woman; a matron. (spanishdict.com)
"On the T, you swear you see your ex in the rush-hour mix and for a second your knees buckle, but it turns out to be just another Latina mujerón in a tailored suit."
- Junot Díaz, "The Cheater's Guide to Love", New Yorker 23 July 2012
Thursday, August 30, 2012
word of the day: whip
The word of the day is whip:
"You get pulled over by the cops three weekends in a row. One time, they sit you out on the curb and you watch as all the other whips sail past, passengers ogling you as they go."
- Junot Díaz, "The Cheater's Guide to Love", New Yorker 23 July 2012
When the steering wheel was first put into use in automobiles, it was
called the "whip". The whip is what you used to control the horses on a
stagecoach, hence the analogy. Many years later, various hip hop
artists noticed that the Mercedes-Benz logo resembled a steering wheel.
They then proceeded to use the old term "whip" to describe any
Mercedes-Benz vehicle. The term has now been generalized to classify
any expensive automobile. (Urban Dictionary)
"You get pulled over by the cops three weekends in a row. One time, they sit you out on the curb and you watch as all the other whips sail past, passengers ogling you as they go."
- Junot Díaz, "The Cheater's Guide to Love", New Yorker 23 July 2012
word of the day: stenosis
The word of the day is stenosis:
"The numbness in your arms and legs increases. You return to your doctors and they send you over to a neurologist, who sends you out for an MRI. Looks like you have stenosis all down your spine, the doctor reports, impressed."
- Junot Díaz, "The Cheater's Guide to Love", New Yorker 23 July 2012
< Greek στένωσις narrowing, < στενοῦν to narrow, < στενός narrow.(Show Less)
Pathol.
The contraction or stricture of a passage, duct or canal. (OED)
"The numbness in your arms and legs increases. You return to your doctors and they send you over to a neurologist, who sends you out for an MRI. Looks like you have stenosis all down your spine, the doctor reports, impressed."
- Junot Díaz, "The Cheater's Guide to Love", New Yorker 23 July 2012
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
word of the day: lapidary
The word of the day is lapidary:
"The boy is staring at you with lapidary intensity."
- Junot Díaz, "The Cheater's Guide to Love", New Yorker 23 July 2012
< Latin lapidārius, < lapid-, lapis stone.
1. Concerned with stones. rare.
2.a. Of an inscription, etc.: Engraved on stone, esp. monumental stones.
"The boy is staring at you with lapidary intensity."
- Junot Díaz, "The Cheater's Guide to Love", New Yorker 23 July 2012
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
word of the day: carajito
The word of the day is carajito:
"Elvis, Jr., watches you with considerable gravitas. He is a piercingly cute carajito."
- Junot Díaz, "The Cheater's Guide to Love", New Yorker 23 July 2012
"Elvis, Jr., watches you with considerable gravitas. He is a piercingly cute carajito."
- Junot Díaz, "The Cheater's Guide to Love", New Yorker 23 July 2012
Monday, August 27, 2012
word of the day: pica pollo
The word of the day is pica pollo:
"You invite them all to sit down, order more beer and some bad pica pollo."
- Junot Díaz, "The Cheater's Guide to Love", New Yorker 23 July 2012
"You invite them all to sit down, order more beer and some bad pica pollo."
- Junot Díaz, "The Cheater's Guide to Love", New Yorker 23 July 2012
Sunday, August 26, 2012
word of the day: prima
The word of the day is prima:
"Of course they all have a sister or a prima they want you to meet."
- Junot Díaz, "The Cheater's Guide to Love", New Yorker 23 July 2012
"Of course they all have a sister or a prima they want you to meet."
- Junot Díaz, "The Cheater's Guide to Love", New Yorker 23 July 2012
Saturday, August 25, 2012
word of the day: colmado
The word of the day is colmado:
"Takes him less than five seconds to talk you into ordering a couple of grandes and a bottle of Brugal from the nearby colmado."
- Junot Díaz, "The Cheater's Guide to Love", New Yorker 23 July 2012
"Takes him less than five seconds to talk you into ordering a couple of grandes and a bottle of Brugal from the nearby colmado."
- Junot Díaz, "The Cheater's Guide to Love", New Yorker 23 July 2012
Friday, August 24, 2012
word of the day: negocio
The word of the day is negocio:
"The happy couple leave you with the family and Elvis, Jr., while they visit various negocios to settle accounts and to pick up some necessities."
- Junot Díaz, "The Cheater's Guide to Love", New Yorker 23 July 2012
"The happy couple leave you with the family and Elvis, Jr., while they visit various negocios to settle accounts and to pick up some necessities."
- Junot Díaz, "The Cheater's Guide to Love", New Yorker 23 July 2012
Thursday, August 23, 2012
word of the day: hijo
The word of the day is hijo:
"Elvis picks up the boy. Mi hijo, he sings. Mi hijo."
- Junot Díaz, "The Cheater's Guide to Love", New Yorker 23 July 2012
"Elvis picks up the boy. Mi hijo, he sings. Mi hijo."
- Junot Díaz, "The Cheater's Guide to Love", New Yorker 23 July 2012
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
word of the day: campesina
The word of the day is campesina:
"So the padrino finally decides to visit, she declaims in one of those loud ronca campesina voices."
- Junot Díaz, "The Cheater's Guide to Love", New Yorker 23 July 2012
"So the padrino finally decides to visit, she declaims in one of those loud ronca campesina voices."
- Junot Díaz, "The Cheater's Guide to Love", New Yorker 23 July 2012
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
word of the day: ronca
The word of the day is ronca:
"So the padrino finally decides to visit, she declaims in one of those loud ronca campesina voices."
- Junot Díaz, "The Cheater's Guide to Love", New Yorker 23 July 2012
"So the padrino finally decides to visit, she declaims in one of those loud ronca campesina voices."
- Junot Díaz, "The Cheater's Guide to Love", New Yorker 23 July 2012
Monday, August 20, 2012
word of the day: padrino
The word of the day is padrino:
"So the padrino finally decides to visit, she declaims in one of those loud ronca campesina voices."
- Junot Díaz, "The Cheater's Guide to Love", New Yorker 23 July 2012
1. godfather (de bautismo); best man (de boda)
- padrinos -> godparents (padrino y madrina)
2. second (en duelos, torneos)
"So the padrino finally decides to visit, she declaims in one of those loud ronca campesina voices."
- Junot Díaz, "The Cheater's Guide to Love", New Yorker 23 July 2012
Sunday, August 19, 2012
word of the day: abrazo
The word of the day is abrazo:
"She is no older than twenty-one, twenty-two, with an irresistible Georgina Duluc smile, and when she sees you she gives you a huge abrazo."
- Junot Díaz, "The Cheater's Guide to Love", New Yorker 23 July 2012
"She is no older than twenty-one, twenty-two, with an irresistible Georgina Duluc smile, and when she sees you she gives you a huge abrazo."
- Junot Díaz, "The Cheater's Guide to Love", New Yorker 23 July 2012
Saturday, August 18, 2012
word of the day: motoconcho
The word of the day is motoconcho:
"You have to leave the rental jípeta on the last bit of paved road and jump on the back of two motoconchos with all the luggage balanced on your backs. Nobody stares, because those ain't real loads you're carrying: You've seen a single moto carry a family of five and their pig."
- Junot Díaz, "The Cheater's Guide to Love", New Yorker 23 July 2012
A small motorccycle, usually about a 110cc, used for cheap taxi service, in the Dominican
Republic. It is not unusual to see one with up to five or six people
one, all at the same time. They are also sometimes used instead of a
pickup truck, etc., for moving large items, such as washing machines. (Urban Dictionary)
"You have to leave the rental jípeta on the last bit of paved road and jump on the back of two motoconchos with all the luggage balanced on your backs. Nobody stares, because those ain't real loads you're carrying: You've seen a single moto carry a family of five and their pig."
- Junot Díaz, "The Cheater's Guide to Love", New Yorker 23 July 2012
Friday, August 17, 2012
Word of the day: jípeta
The word of the day is jípeta:
A "jipeta" is the equivalent to an SUV (Ford Explorer, Lincoln Navigator, Toyota Landcruiser) in the Dominican Republic. (wordreference.com)
"You have to leave the rental jípeta on the last bit of paved road and jump on the back of two motoconchos with all the luggage balanced on your backs."
- Junot Díaz, "The Cheater's Guide to Love", New Yorker 23 July 2012
A "jipeta" is the equivalent to an SUV (Ford Explorer, Lincoln Navigator, Toyota Landcruiser) in the Dominican Republic. (wordreference.com)
"You have to leave the rental jípeta on the last bit of paved road and jump on the back of two motoconchos with all the luggage balanced on your backs."
- Junot Díaz, "The Cheater's Guide to Love", New Yorker 23 July 2012
Thursday, August 16, 2012
word of the day: chawl
The word of the day is chawl:
< Marathi chāl a row of rooms let for lodgings, < Sanskrit shālā house, hall.
"You've been to the Nadalands a couple of times before; shit, your family came up out of those spaces. Squatter chawls where there are no roads, no lights, no running water, no grid, no anything, where everybody's slapdash house is on top of everybody else's, where it's all mud and shanties and motos and grind and thin, smiling motherfuckers everywhere, like falling of the rim of civilization."
- Junot Díaz, "The Cheater's Guide to Love", New Yorker 23 July 2012
< Marathi chāl a row of rooms let for lodgings, < Sanskrit shālā house, hall.
An Indian lodging-house. (OED)
"You've been to the Nadalands a couple of times before; shit, your family came up out of those spaces. Squatter chawls where there are no roads, no lights, no running water, no grid, no anything, where everybody's slapdash house is on top of everybody else's, where it's all mud and shanties and motos and grind and thin, smiling motherfuckers everywhere, like falling of the rim of civilization."
- Junot Díaz, "The Cheater's Guide to Love", New Yorker 23 July 2012
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
word of the day: kalbi
The word of the day is kalbi:
Korean ribs (Food Network)
"Afterward, you head out alone to a Korean joint and gorge on kalbi until you're ready to burst."
- Junot Díaz, "The Cheater's Guide to Love", New Yorker 23 July 2012
Korean ribs (Food Network)
"Afterward, you head out alone to a Korean joint and gorge on kalbi until you're ready to burst."
- Junot Díaz, "The Cheater's Guide to Love", New Yorker 23 July 2012
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
word of the day: morena
The word of the day is morena:
"You finally start work on your eighties apocalypse novel - finally starting means you write a paragraph - and in a flush of confidence you begin messing with this young morena from Harvard Law School whom you meet at the Enormous Room."
- Junot Díaz, "The Cheater's Guide to Love", New Yorker 23 July 2012
| adjective
1. Brown, inclining to black.
2. Swarthy (persona).
3. Tanned (bronceado).
4. Mulatto. (Caribbean) |
||
"You finally start work on your eighties apocalypse novel - finally starting means you write a paragraph - and in a flush of confidence you begin messing with this young morena from Harvard Law School whom you meet at the Enormous Room."
- Junot Díaz, "The Cheater's Guide to Love", New Yorker 23 July 2012
Monday, August 13, 2012
word of the day: cursi
The word of the day is cursi:
"You consider flopping in front of her - My leg! My leg! - but that seems incredibly cursi."
- Junot Díaz, "The Cheater's Guide to Love", New Yorker 23 July 2012
adjective
1. tacky (vestido, canción), naff (British); affected (modales, persona)
masculine or feminine noun
|
||
"You consider flopping in front of her - My leg! My leg! - but that seems incredibly cursi."
- Junot Díaz, "The Cheater's Guide to Love", New Yorker 23 July 2012
molecule of the day: deoxypyridoxine
The molecule of the day is deoxypyridoxine:
It's a vitamin B6 antagonist, so my guess is that it inhibits sphingosine-1-phosphate lyase, because it uses pyridoxal
as a cofactor, and I think that's why this paper includes it in their sphingosine kinase assay mix. I think.
It's a vitamin B6 antagonist, so my guess is that it inhibits sphingosine-1-phosphate lyase, because it uses pyridoxal
as a cofactor, and I think that's why this paper includes it in their sphingosine kinase assay mix. I think.
Sunday, August 12, 2012
word of the day: cuerpazo
The word of the day is cuerpazo:
"By winter's end, you've gotten to know all the morning regulars and there's even this one girl who inspires in you some hope. You pass each other a couple of times a week, and she's a pleasure to watch, a gazelle, really - what economy, what gait, and what an amazing fucking cuerpazo."
- Junot Díaz, "The Cheater's Guide to Love", New Yorker 23 July 2012
|
Derived from the Spanish, it means a banging body. (Urban Dictionary)
| ||
"By winter's end, you've gotten to know all the morning regulars and there's even this one girl who inspires in you some hope. You pass each other a couple of times a week, and she's a pleasure to watch, a gazelle, really - what economy, what gait, and what an amazing fucking cuerpazo."
- Junot Díaz, "The Cheater's Guide to Love", New Yorker 23 July 2012
Saturday, August 11, 2012
word of the day: bachatero
The word of the day is bachatero:
"You start three novels: one about a pelotero, one about a narco, and one about a bachatero - all of them suck pipe."
- Junot Díaz, "The Cheater's Guide to Love", New Yorker 23 July 2012
"You start three novels: one about a pelotero, one about a narco, and one about a bachatero - all of them suck pipe."
- Junot Díaz, "The Cheater's Guide to Love", New Yorker 23 July 2012
Friday, August 10, 2012
word of the day: pelotero
The word of the day is pelotero:
"You start three novels: one about a pelotero, one about a narco, and one about a bachatero - all of them suck pipe."
- Junot Díaz, "The Cheater's Guide to Love", New Yorker 23 July 2012
pelotero [pay-lo-tay'-ro]
noun
1. Ball-maker. (m)
2. Ball player, sportsman, footballer, baseball player. (Ante Meridian & Latin American) (m) (spanishdict.com)
"You start three novels: one about a pelotero, one about a narco, and one about a bachatero - all of them suck pipe."
- Junot Díaz, "The Cheater's Guide to Love", New Yorker 23 July 2012
Thursday, August 09, 2012
word of the day: puto
The word of the day is puto:
"One of the ex-sucias publishes a poem about you online. It's called 'Puto'."
- Junot Díaz, "The Cheater's Guide to Love", New Yorker 23 July 2012
spanish word for a male prostitute. sometimes it´s offesive for homosexuals. in mexico it is used for cowards and traitors. (Urban Dictionary)
"One of the ex-sucias publishes a poem about you online. It's called 'Puto'."
- Junot Díaz, "The Cheater's Guide to Love", New Yorker 23 July 2012
Wednesday, August 08, 2012
word of the day: pernil
The word of the day is pernil:
pernil [per-neel']
"Thanksgiving you end up having to spend alone in your apartment because you can't face your mom and the idea of accepting other people's charity makes you furious. The ex, as you're now calling her, always cooked: a turkey, a chicken, a pernil."
- Junot Díaz, "The Cheater's Guide to Love", New Yorker 23 July 2012
pernil [per-neel']
noun
1. Ham, shoulder of an animal, especially of pork. (m)
2. Thigh of breeches; pantalets. (m)
"Thanksgiving you end up having to spend alone in your apartment because you can't face your mom and the idea of accepting other people's charity makes you furious. The ex, as you're now calling her, always cooked: a turkey, a chicken, a pernil."
- Junot Díaz, "The Cheater's Guide to Love", New Yorker 23 July 2012
Self-promotion
Vote for your favorite two minute thesis clip! (Of course, I hope you'll vote for mine.)
At the very least, if you've been wondering, "what is it that she's been spending all these years doing?", now's your chance to hear it in two minutes.
At the very least, if you've been wondering, "what is it that she's been spending all these years doing?", now's your chance to hear it in two minutes.
Tuesday, August 07, 2012
word of the day: blanquita
The word of the day is blanquita:
A white girl of any ethnic background whether it be a white girl of Latin American origin or not. (Urban Dictionary)
"Maybe if you'd been engaged to a super-open-minded blanquita you could have survived it - but you're not engaged to a super-open-minded blanquita."
- Junot Díaz, "The Cheater's Guide to Love", New Yorker 23 July 2012
A white girl of any ethnic background whether it be a white girl of Latin American origin or not. (Urban Dictionary)
"Maybe if you'd been engaged to a super-open-minded blanquita you could have survived it - but you're not engaged to a super-open-minded blanquita."
- Junot Díaz, "The Cheater's Guide to Love", New Yorker 23 July 2012
Monday, August 06, 2012
word of the day: cuero
The word of the day is cuero:
"Your girl catches you cheating. (Well, actually she's your fiancée, but in a bit it so won't matter.) She could have caught you with one sucia, she could have caught you with two, but because you're a totally batshit cuero who never empties his e-mail trash can, she caught you with fifty!"
- Junot Díaz, "The Cheater's Guide to Love", New Yorker 23 July 2012
Noun
cuero m (plural cueros)- leather
- animal skin, hide
- (Dominican Republic, slang) prostitute (Wiktionary (no, I'm not proud of it, but it's the only place I found anything with remotely the right connotation))
"Your girl catches you cheating. (Well, actually she's your fiancée, but in a bit it so won't matter.) She could have caught you with one sucia, she could have caught you with two, but because you're a totally batshit cuero who never empties his e-mail trash can, she caught you with fifty!"
- Junot Díaz, "The Cheater's Guide to Love", New Yorker 23 July 2012
Sunday, August 05, 2012
word of the day: sucia
The word of the day is sucia:
"Your girl catches you cheating. (Well, actually she's your fiancée, but in a bit it so won't matter.) She could have caught you with one sucia, she could have caught you with two, but because you're a totally batshit cuero who never empties his e-mail trash can, she caught you with fifty!"
- Junot Díaz, "The Cheater's Guide to Love", New Yorker 23 July 2012
adjective
1. Dirty, nasty, filthy (mugriento).
2. Stained with sin, tainted with guilt and imperfections.
3. Obscene (palabra), unchaste, smutty.
4. Uncivil, unpolished.
5. Foul;
applied to a ship’s bottom, to the sky or weather; to rowing out of
rhythm; and to a rocky shore, or a bottom where there are reefs. (Nautical) (spanishdict.com)
"Your girl catches you cheating. (Well, actually she's your fiancée, but in a bit it so won't matter.) She could have caught you with one sucia, she could have caught you with two, but because you're a totally batshit cuero who never empties his e-mail trash can, she caught you with fifty!"
- Junot Díaz, "The Cheater's Guide to Love", New Yorker 23 July 2012
Saturday, August 04, 2012
molecule of the day: quercetin
The molecule of the day is quercetin:
(PubChem)
It's an antioxidant. It also apparently inhibits at least some diacylglycerol kinases. The authors don't really discuss why they thought quercetin might inhibit their enzyme, but it's in the same section as the nucleotide analogs: maybe the flat fused rings targets the nucleotide binding site?
It's an antioxidant. It also apparently inhibits at least some diacylglycerol kinases. The authors don't really discuss why they thought quercetin might inhibit their enzyme, but it's in the same section as the nucleotide analogs: maybe the flat fused rings targets the nucleotide binding site?
Friday, August 03, 2012
word of the day: electrostriction
The word of the day is electrostriction:
n. chiefly Physics change in the volume or shape of a substance, esp. a dielectric, resulting from the application of an electric field. (OED)
"With these approximations the following equation was derived... where Vi is the partial molal volume of the apolar part of the monomer, (Vs-vs) equals the electrostriction of the electrolyte in solution and beta0 is the compressibility of water at temperature T."
- Tausk et al., "Physical chemical studies of short-chain lecithin homologues. I. Influence of the chain length of the fatty acid ester and of electrolytes on the critical micelle concentration", Biophysical Chemistry 1:175 (1973)
n. chiefly Physics change in the volume or shape of a substance, esp. a dielectric, resulting from the application of an electric field. (OED)
"With these approximations the following equation was derived... where Vi is the partial molal volume of the apolar part of the monomer, (Vs-vs) equals the electrostriction of the electrolyte in solution and beta0 is the compressibility of water at temperature T."
- Tausk et al., "Physical chemical studies of short-chain lecithin homologues. I. Influence of the chain length of the fatty acid ester and of electrolytes on the critical micelle concentration", Biophysical Chemistry 1:175 (1973)
molecule of the day: iodoacetate
The molecule of the day is iodoacetate:
(PubChem)
It's a sulfhydryl reagent, which means it reacts with sulfhydryl groups, in proteins, for example, as in this paper.
It's a sulfhydryl reagent, which means it reacts with sulfhydryl groups, in proteins, for example, as in this paper.
Thursday, August 02, 2012
word of the day: coacervate
The word of the day is coecervate:
"At concentrations slightly above the critical micelle concentration a phase separation occurs by formation of a coacervate (in the erminology of Bungenberg de Jon: a unicomplexcoacervate)."
- Tausk et al., "Physical chemical studies of short-chain lecithin homologues. I. Influence of the chain length of the fatty acid ester and of electrolytes on the critical micelle concentration", Biophysical Chemistry 1:175 (1973)
Etymology:
Backformation < coacervation n.
Chem.
An aggregate forming viscous drops in a colloidal solution.
1929 De Jong & Kruyt in Proc. Konink. Akad. van Wetenschappen te Amsterdam XXXII. 853
The coacervate is a drop or a layer, in which the particles have flocked together as bees in a swarm. (OED)
"At concentrations slightly above the critical micelle concentration a phase separation occurs by formation of a coacervate (in the erminology of Bungenberg de Jon: a unicomplexcoacervate)."
- Tausk et al., "Physical chemical studies of short-chain lecithin homologues. I. Influence of the chain length of the fatty acid ester and of electrolytes on the critical micelle concentration", Biophysical Chemistry 1:175 (1973)
molecule of the day: dithionitrobenzoic acid
The molecule of the day is dithionitrobenzoic acid (DTNB):
(PubChem)
It's a sulfhydryl reagent, which means it reacts with sulfhydryl groups, in proteins, for example, as in this paper.
It's a sulfhydryl reagent, which means it reacts with sulfhydryl groups, in proteins, for example, as in this paper.
Wednesday, August 01, 2012
word of the day: cochleate
The word of the day is cochleate:
"It has been shown previously that calcium induces massive aggregation of sonicated phosphatidylserine vesicles, release of vesicle contents, and formation of large cochleate structures."
- Wilschut et al., "Studies on the Mechanism of Membrane Fusion: Kinetics of Calcium Ion Induced Fusion of Phsophatidylserine Vesicles Followed by a New Assay for Mixing of Aqueous Vesicle Contents", Biochemistry 19:6011 (1980)
Etymology:
< Latin coc(h)leāt-us screw-formed, spiral, < coc(h)lea.
Formed like a spiral shell; twisted, spiral. (OED)
"It has been shown previously that calcium induces massive aggregation of sonicated phosphatidylserine vesicles, release of vesicle contents, and formation of large cochleate structures."
- Wilschut et al., "Studies on the Mechanism of Membrane Fusion: Kinetics of Calcium Ion Induced Fusion of Phsophatidylserine Vesicles Followed by a New Assay for Mixing of Aqueous Vesicle Contents", Biochemistry 19:6011 (1980)
molecule of the day: N-ethylmaleimide
The molecule of the day is N-ethylmaleimide (NEM):
(PubChem)
It's a sulfhydryl reagent, which means it reacts with sulfhydryl groups, in proteins, for example, as in this paper.
It's a sulfhydryl reagent, which means it reacts with sulfhydryl groups, in proteins, for example, as in this paper.
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
word of the day: smectic
The word of the day is smectic:
"From the recent work of de Haas and co-workers, it appeared that the mode of aggregation of lecithins plays an essential role in their interaction with porcine pancreatic lipase A. This enzyme catalyses the hydrolysis of the 2 fatty acid ester bonds. It was found to be very weakly active on dispersions of natural or synthetic lecithins, when aggregated in the form of smectic liquid crystals."
- Tausk et al., "Physical chemical studies of short-chain lecithin homologues. I. Influence of the chain length of the fatty acid ester and of electrolytes on the critical micelle concentration", Biophysical Chemistry 1:175 (1973)
Etymology:
< Latin smēcticus (Pliny), < Greek σμηκτικός , < σμήχειν to wipe, cleanse
1. Cleansing, abstersive, detergent. rare.
2. Physical Chem.
Applied to (the state of) a mesophase (a liquid crystal) in which the
molecules all have the same orientation and are arranged in well-defined
planes. (OED)
"From the recent work of de Haas and co-workers, it appeared that the mode of aggregation of lecithins plays an essential role in their interaction with porcine pancreatic lipase A. This enzyme catalyses the hydrolysis of the 2 fatty acid ester bonds. It was found to be very weakly active on dispersions of natural or synthetic lecithins, when aggregated in the form of smectic liquid crystals."
- Tausk et al., "Physical chemical studies of short-chain lecithin homologues. I. Influence of the chain length of the fatty acid ester and of electrolytes on the critical micelle concentration", Biophysical Chemistry 1:175 (1973)
molecule of the day: p-chloromercuribenzoic acid
The molecule of the day is p-chloromercuribenzoic acid (PCMB):
(PubChem)
It's a sulfhydryl reagent, which means it reacts with sulfhydryl groups, in proteins, for example, as in this paper.
It's a sulfhydryl reagent, which means it reacts with sulfhydryl groups, in proteins, for example, as in this paper.
Monday, July 30, 2012
word of the day: lecithin
The word of the day is lecithin:
i.e., phosphatidylcholine,
(PubChem)
phosphatidylethanolamine,
(PubChem)
etc.
"Physical chemical studies of short-chain lecithin homologues. I. Influence of the chain length of the fatty acid ester and of electrolytes on the critical micelle concentration", Tausk et al., Biophysical Chemistry 1:175 (1973)
I guess these days we'd just say "phospholipids"? Not quite sure what the significance of the choline part of the molecule is that it deserves its own term.
Etymology:
< French lécithine (N. T. Gobley 1850, in Jrnl. de Pharm. et de Chim. XVII. 411), < Greek λέκιθος yolk of egg
Chem.
a.
Any of a group of phospholipids found in plants and animals which are
esters of a phosphatidic acid with choline and on hydrolysis yield
choline, phosphoric acid, glycerol, and two fatty acids; also used as a
generic name for these compounds.
b.
A commercial mixture of lecithin with other phosphatides and often
other lipids obtained from natural products and used industrially, esp.
that from soya beans. (OED)
i.e., phosphatidylcholine,
phosphatidylethanolamine,
(PubChem)
etc.
"Physical chemical studies of short-chain lecithin homologues. I. Influence of the chain length of the fatty acid ester and of electrolytes on the critical micelle concentration", Tausk et al., Biophysical Chemistry 1:175 (1973)
I guess these days we'd just say "phospholipids"? Not quite sure what the significance of the choline part of the molecule is that it deserves its own term.
Thursday, July 26, 2012
word of the day: nomogram
The word of the day is nomogram:
"McClure has solved Eq. (12) numerically, and the results are presented in Fig. 3 as nomograms showing the time required to reach 99% of Qss for different values of k2 and k3."
- "Techniques in Coupled Enzyme Assays", Rudolph et al., Methods in Enzymology 63:22 (1979)
Etymology:
< nomo- comb. form + -gram comb. form, after French nomogramme (1905). Compare nomograph n.
A diagram representing a relationship
between three or more variables by means of a number of straight or
curved scales, so arranged that the value of one variable corresponding
to given values of the others can be found by a simple geometrical
construction (e.g. by means of one or more straight lines drawn to
intersect the scales at the appropriate values). Also called alignment chart. (OED)
"McClure has solved Eq. (12) numerically, and the results are presented in Fig. 3 as nomograms showing the time required to reach 99% of Qss for different values of k2 and k3."
- "Techniques in Coupled Enzyme Assays", Rudolph et al., Methods in Enzymology 63:22 (1979)
molecule of the day: tartaric acid
The molecule of the day is tartaric acid:
(PubChem)
It can be used to model Ins(1,3,4,5)P4
(PubChem)
in crystal structures.
It can be used to model Ins(1,3,4,5)P4
in crystal structures.
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
word of the day: hysteresis
The word of the day is hysteresis:
< Greek ὑστέρησις a coming short, deficiency, < ὑστερεῖν to be behind, come late, etc., < ὕστερος late.
A phenomenon observed in some physical systems, by which changes in a property (e.g. magnetization, or length) lag behind changes in an agent on which they depend (e.g. magnetizing force, or stress), so that the value of the former at any moment depends on the manner of the previous variation of the latter (e.g. whether it was increasing or decreasing in value); any dependence of the value of a property on the past history of the system to which it pertains. (OED)
"Lag time will depend on the system being studied. A lag of 30 sec, or longer, may not be a problem in some assays if a long linear region is then observed. If the primary enzyme is suspected of being hysteretic, the lag time should be minimal to ensure the actual measurement of the primary enzyme's behavior."
- "Techniques in Coupled Enzyme Assays", Rudolph et al., Methods in Enzymology, 63:22 (1979)
< Greek ὑστέρησις a coming short, deficiency, < ὑστερεῖν to be behind, come late, etc., < ὕστερος late.
A phenomenon observed in some physical systems, by which changes in a property (e.g. magnetization, or length) lag behind changes in an agent on which they depend (e.g. magnetizing force, or stress), so that the value of the former at any moment depends on the manner of the previous variation of the latter (e.g. whether it was increasing or decreasing in value); any dependence of the value of a property on the past history of the system to which it pertains. (OED)
"Lag time will depend on the system being studied. A lag of 30 sec, or longer, may not be a problem in some assays if a long linear region is then observed. If the primary enzyme is suspected of being hysteretic, the lag time should be minimal to ensure the actual measurement of the primary enzyme's behavior."
- "Techniques in Coupled Enzyme Assays", Rudolph et al., Methods in Enzymology, 63:22 (1979)
molecule of the day: diisopropyl fluorophosphate
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
molecule of the day: leupeptin
word of the day: plasmalemma
The word of the day is plasmalemma:
"The inner surface of the plasma membrane is rich in phsophatidylserine, making the erythrocyte inside-out vesicle a good model for studying the translocation of diacylglycerol kinase and protein kinase C from cytosol to the inner aspect of the plasmalemma."
- Besterman et al., "Diacylglycerol-induced translocation of diacylglycerol kinase: Use of affinity-purified enzyme in a reconstitution system", Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 83:9378 (1986).
These days I think we use the term "plasma membrane", but, if you are going to use plasmalemma, I do wholeheartedly endorse the use of the plural plasmalemmata. (Maybe if you're talking about intercellular interactions?)
A lipid bilayer surrounding the cytoplasm of a cell; a plasma membrane, a cell membrane; esp. one immediately within the wall of a plant cell. (OED)
"The inner surface of the plasma membrane is rich in phsophatidylserine, making the erythrocyte inside-out vesicle a good model for studying the translocation of diacylglycerol kinase and protein kinase C from cytosol to the inner aspect of the plasmalemma."
- Besterman et al., "Diacylglycerol-induced translocation of diacylglycerol kinase: Use of affinity-purified enzyme in a reconstitution system", Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 83:9378 (1986).
These days I think we use the term "plasma membrane", but, if you are going to use plasmalemma, I do wholeheartedly endorse the use of the plural plasmalemmata. (Maybe if you're talking about intercellular interactions?)
Monday, July 23, 2012
the importance of quantitative analysis
"In practice, FRET can be detected when the distance between the dyes is < 2 x Ro (27). The Forster radius for the Alexa dyes used was calculated to be 5.4 nm (see Materials and Methods). This means that the distance between PLA2 molecules at the end of the lag phase and the burst of activity are, on average, below 11 nm."
- "Amyloid-Type Fiber Formation in Control of Enzyme Action: Interfacial Activation of Phospholipase A2", Code et al., Biophysical Journal 95:215 (July 2008)
The really great thing about FRET (Forster resonance energy transfer) is its high signal-to-noise ratio: you get a signal when two molecules are close, and you don't when they're far.
So I have no idea how they can conclude, from the fact that they have a FRET signal, that the distance "on average" is below 11 nm: it seems to me they can only conclude that at least some of the molecules are within 11 nm of each other. Any determination of what proportion of the molecules are within 11 nm would require a more quantitative analysis comparing the amplitude of the signal they detect with the amplitude they would expect if all their molecules were lit up. And, because you aren't seeing the molecules that are far away from one another, I have no idea how you would determine the average distance.
They go on:
"On the other hand, for a uniform distribution the average distance between PLA2 molecules on the liposome surface would be ~30 nm (Data S1). Thus, the sole fact that we see FRET demonstrates a non-uniform distribution of PLA2 on the membrane surface."
I guess this statement is true: you would indeed expect zero FRET signal if all the molecules were exactly 30 nm away from one another. But the statement still seems vacuous to me, because when do you ever expect a uniform distribution in that sense?
Consider: if I drop 100 balls onto a 10 x 10 grid, and if the balls don't interact with one another in any way (imagine the squares are very large compared to the size of the ball, for example), although you do indeed expect to find, on average, one ball per square, I would actually be quite surprised if I found exactly one ball per square. Instead, I would expect some squares to have more than one ball in them, and some squares to have no balls in them. Considering from the balls' point of view, I would expect some balls would be close to other balls, and some balls would be far from other balls.
Similarly, if molecules are randomly distributed on the surface of a liposome, I would expect some molecules, by chance, to be close to one another, and some, by chance, to be far away from any other molecules. If I plotted the distance between molecules as a histogram, I would expect a normal distribution around 30 nm (assuming neither attraction nor repulsion among molecules, our null hypothesis).
So, once again, because FRET will give a signal for close molecules, but no signal for molecules far away from one another, even with this random distribution, I would still expect some nonzero FRET signal. So once again, in order to determine whether there are additional forces at play here, I would still think that "the sole fact that we see FRET" is not the evidence we need: what is needed here is a quantitative analysis comparing the signal observed to the signal expected.
I once again conclude that the reviewers were not doing their job. Or am I missing something here?
- "Amyloid-Type Fiber Formation in Control of Enzyme Action: Interfacial Activation of Phospholipase A2", Code et al., Biophysical Journal 95:215 (July 2008)
The really great thing about FRET (Forster resonance energy transfer) is its high signal-to-noise ratio: you get a signal when two molecules are close, and you don't when they're far.
So I have no idea how they can conclude, from the fact that they have a FRET signal, that the distance "on average" is below 11 nm: it seems to me they can only conclude that at least some of the molecules are within 11 nm of each other. Any determination of what proportion of the molecules are within 11 nm would require a more quantitative analysis comparing the amplitude of the signal they detect with the amplitude they would expect if all their molecules were lit up. And, because you aren't seeing the molecules that are far away from one another, I have no idea how you would determine the average distance.
They go on:
"On the other hand, for a uniform distribution the average distance between PLA2 molecules on the liposome surface would be ~30 nm (Data S1). Thus, the sole fact that we see FRET demonstrates a non-uniform distribution of PLA2 on the membrane surface."
I guess this statement is true: you would indeed expect zero FRET signal if all the molecules were exactly 30 nm away from one another. But the statement still seems vacuous to me, because when do you ever expect a uniform distribution in that sense?
Consider: if I drop 100 balls onto a 10 x 10 grid, and if the balls don't interact with one another in any way (imagine the squares are very large compared to the size of the ball, for example), although you do indeed expect to find, on average, one ball per square, I would actually be quite surprised if I found exactly one ball per square. Instead, I would expect some squares to have more than one ball in them, and some squares to have no balls in them. Considering from the balls' point of view, I would expect some balls would be close to other balls, and some balls would be far from other balls.
Similarly, if molecules are randomly distributed on the surface of a liposome, I would expect some molecules, by chance, to be close to one another, and some, by chance, to be far away from any other molecules. If I plotted the distance between molecules as a histogram, I would expect a normal distribution around 30 nm (assuming neither attraction nor repulsion among molecules, our null hypothesis).
So, once again, because FRET will give a signal for close molecules, but no signal for molecules far away from one another, even with this random distribution, I would still expect some nonzero FRET signal. So once again, in order to determine whether there are additional forces at play here, I would still think that "the sole fact that we see FRET" is not the evidence we need: what is needed here is a quantitative analysis comparing the signal observed to the signal expected.
I once again conclude that the reviewers were not doing their job. Or am I missing something here?
Saturday, July 21, 2012
word of the day: antipode
The word of the day is antipode:
"Another very clear situation is found in the work of Bonsen et al (86) with the two optical antipodes of dihexanoyl, diheptanoyl, and dioctanoyl lecithin."
- Verger and de Haas, "Interfacial enzyme kinetics of lipolysis", Annual Review of Biophysics & Bioengineering 5:77 (1976)
Personally, I would use the word "enantiomer".
Etymology:
< Latin antipodes, < Greek (οἱ) ἀντίποδες (in sense 1 below), plural of ἀντίπους having the feet opposite, < ἀντί opposite + πούς foot (whence also a singular antipos n.).
1.
Those who dwell directly opposite to each other on the globe, so that
the soles of their feet are as it were planted against each other; esp. those who occupy this position in regard to us. Obs.
2. fig. Those who in any way resemble the dwellers on the opposite side of the globe. Obs.
3. Places on the surfaces of the earth directly opposite to each other, or the place which is directly opposite to another; esp. the region directly opposite to one's own.
4. a. transf. The exact opposite of a person or thing. (In this sense the sing. antipode is still used.)
b. at antipodes phr. in direct opposition.
5. As adv. (orig. n. in apposition) in phrases like to walk antipodes to . Obs.
"Another very clear situation is found in the work of Bonsen et al (86) with the two optical antipodes of dihexanoyl, diheptanoyl, and dioctanoyl lecithin."
- Verger and de Haas, "Interfacial enzyme kinetics of lipolysis", Annual Review of Biophysics & Bioengineering 5:77 (1976)
Personally, I would use the word "enantiomer".
letter to the Sun: horror vs. terror
Here's a letter I sent to the Sun:
Dear Baltimore Sun,
I was intrigued by
your choice to use the word “horror” and not “terror” in your headline for your
report on the devastating shooting in Colorado (“Real-life horror”, July 21). I was then disappointed to not find any
meaningful discussion in the story about whether this act of violence should be
considered an act of terrorism. Perhaps there
are good reasons not to, but, without a presentation of those reasons, I cannot
help but wonder whether if the suspected shooter were Muslim, had brown-colored
skin, or had an Arabic-sounding name, your editorial choices would have been
different.
The distinction
may seem academic to the families of the victims, who are now going through the
darkest hours of their lives, but this question actually raises two important
issues. During a time of limited
resources and concern about the deficit, questions about how we will allocate
those resources get to the very core of our priorities as Americans. Our nation spends literally billions of
dollars fighting terrorism: are we going to spend some of those dollars to
prevent violent and, yes, terrifying attacks in our own country, even when the
perpetrators are white?
The second issue
is continued hostility toward Muslim Americans.
These sorts of editorial choices contribute to the misconception that
only Muslims are terrorists, which leads to the further confusion that all
Muslims are terrorists, which leads to irrational activities such as the
inquiries currently led by U.S. Rep. Bachmann.
Not only are these inquiries a poor use of our aforementioned scant
resources, but they also broadcast to the world how hypocritical Americans are:
the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution reflects that this country was
first colonized by Europeans primarily in order to escape religious
persecution, and, by prohibiting any sort of religious test for public office,
our Founding Fathers recognized that someone’s religion is a poor basis on
which to judge their character. And an
ugly perception of Americans around the world will, sadly, fuel more violence
against Americans.
****
Tone Alert gave me five red bars for this one: but I'm not sure there's a way to talk about terrorism and racism without setting it off.
Friday, July 20, 2012
word of the day: obviate
The word of the day is obviate:
"The endotherm asymmetry at 13 mole % GD1a suggests a phase transition which is more complex than a simple first order transition. (Fig. 6 1B, 1C, also see ref. 34.) It also obviates the possibility that a new species, such as mixed micelles, is formed in the dispersion (as was suggested for egg PC: GD1a dispersions having more than 10 mole% GD1a."
- Barenholz et al., "Characterization of micellar and liposomsal dispersions of gangliosides and phospholipids", Advances in experimental medicine and biology 125:105 (1980)
Of course, knowing the meaning of this word is not enough to help me decipher this sentence: it would be nice if this paper actually had a Figure 6 1B and 1C.
Etymology:
< classical Latin obviāt-, past participial stem (compare -ate suffix3) of obviāre to act contrary to, to go against (late 2nd cent. a.d.), in post-classical Latin also to meet (Vulgate), to withstand, oppose, prevent (5th cent.)
1. trans.
a.
To meet and dispose of; to circumvent, do away with, remove (a
difficulty, need, etc.); to prevent or avoid by anticipatory measures.
2. trans. To meet, encounter; to withstand, oppose. Obs.
3. trans. To lie in the way between. Obs. rare.
"The endotherm asymmetry at 13 mole % GD1a suggests a phase transition which is more complex than a simple first order transition. (Fig. 6 1B, 1C, also see ref. 34.) It also obviates the possibility that a new species, such as mixed micelles, is formed in the dispersion (as was suggested for egg PC: GD1a dispersions having more than 10 mole% GD1a."
- Barenholz et al., "Characterization of micellar and liposomsal dispersions of gangliosides and phospholipids", Advances in experimental medicine and biology 125:105 (1980)
Of course, knowing the meaning of this word is not enough to help me decipher this sentence: it would be nice if this paper actually had a Figure 6 1B and 1C.
Molecule of the day: trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid
The molecule of the day is trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (TNBS).
It's often used to neutralize peptide terminal amino groups, but will react with any primary amine, and can also be used to measure the bilayer integrity of membranes containing phosphatidylethanolamine:
(Sadly, the "submitted" reference appears to have never made it into print.)
It's often used to neutralize peptide terminal amino groups, but will react with any primary amine, and can also be used to measure the bilayer integrity of membranes containing phosphatidylethanolamine:
(Sadly, the "submitted" reference appears to have never made it into print.)
Friday, July 13, 2012
word of the day: lyotropic
The word of the day is lyotropic:
Etymology: lyotrop- (in lyotrope adj.) + -ic suffix: see -tropic comb. form.
Physical Chem. 1. Associated with the change of internal pressure of a solution from that of the solvent which is caused by the solute. lyotropic series, a series in which ions are arranged in order of their lytropic effects, esp. their ability to cause precipitation of a lyophilic sol.
2. Of a mesophase: having its phase transitions readily effected by a change of concentration. Also applied to the mesomorphism exhibited by such a mesophase. (OED)
Perhaps this definition from Case Western is a little more helpful:
"Liquid crystals come in two basic classifications: thermotropic and lyotropic . The phase transitions of thermotropic liquid crystals depend on temperature, while those of lyotropic liquid crystals depend on both temperature and concentration."
"The gangliosides, which are part of the lipid bilayer of the membranes differ in their lyotropic behaviour from the phospholipids and cholesterol which constitute the main components of the membrane. The membrane phospholipids have two long hydrophobic chains, an interface region and a relatively small inogenic head group. They are classified as 'non-soluble swelling amphipaths, implying that they do not form micelles but disperse spontaneously in water, forming bilyaered multilamellar large liposomes (MLV) or, upon ultrasonic irradiation small unilamellar vesicles (SUV). In contrast, the gangliosides are 'soluble amphipaths' which form micelles in water. The fact that, in spite of their two long hydrophobic chains the gangliosides are classified as 'soluble' amphipaths is explained by their large and highly negatively charged polar head group."
- Barenholz et al., "Characterization of micellar and liposomal dispersions of gangliosides and phospholipids", Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology 125:105 (1980).
I'm pretty sure they meant "ionogenic" instead of "inogenic".
I also have an irrepressible desire to look up the authors and mail them each a copy of Lynne Truss's Eats, Shoots, & Leaves.
Etymology: lyotrop- (in lyotrope adj.) + -ic suffix: see -tropic comb. form.
Physical Chem. 1. Associated with the change of internal pressure of a solution from that of the solvent which is caused by the solute. lyotropic series, a series in which ions are arranged in order of their lytropic effects, esp. their ability to cause precipitation of a lyophilic sol.
2. Of a mesophase: having its phase transitions readily effected by a change of concentration. Also applied to the mesomorphism exhibited by such a mesophase. (OED)
Perhaps this definition from Case Western is a little more helpful:
"Liquid crystals come in two basic classifications: thermotropic and lyotropic . The phase transitions of thermotropic liquid crystals depend on temperature, while those of lyotropic liquid crystals depend on both temperature and concentration."
"The gangliosides, which are part of the lipid bilayer of the membranes differ in their lyotropic behaviour from the phospholipids and cholesterol which constitute the main components of the membrane. The membrane phospholipids have two long hydrophobic chains, an interface region and a relatively small inogenic head group. They are classified as 'non-soluble swelling amphipaths, implying that they do not form micelles but disperse spontaneously in water, forming bilyaered multilamellar large liposomes (MLV) or, upon ultrasonic irradiation small unilamellar vesicles (SUV). In contrast, the gangliosides are 'soluble amphipaths' which form micelles in water. The fact that, in spite of their two long hydrophobic chains the gangliosides are classified as 'soluble' amphipaths is explained by their large and highly negatively charged polar head group."
- Barenholz et al., "Characterization of micellar and liposomal dispersions of gangliosides and phospholipids", Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology 125:105 (1980).
I'm pretty sure they meant "ionogenic" instead of "inogenic".
I also have an irrepressible desire to look up the authors and mail them each a copy of Lynne Truss's Eats, Shoots, & Leaves.
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
molecules of the day: filipin and amphotericin B
word of the day: monotectic
The word of the day is monotectic:
The reversible transition, on cooling, of a liquid to a mixture of a second
liquid and a solid. (IUPAC Compendium on Chemical Terminology)
"An equimolar mixture of dilauroyl phosphatidylcholine and distearoyl phosphatidylcholine, which shows a monotectic behaviour, is hydrolysed at all temperatures."
- J.A.F. Op den Kamp et al., "Action of pancreatic phospholipase A2 on phosphatidylcholinebilayers in different physical states", Biochimica et Biophysica Acta 406:169 (1975).
The reversible transition, on cooling, of a liquid to a mixture of a second
liquid and a solid. (IUPAC Compendium on Chemical Terminology)
"An equimolar mixture of dilauroyl phosphatidylcholine and distearoyl phosphatidylcholine, which shows a monotectic behaviour, is hydrolysed at all temperatures."
- J.A.F. Op den Kamp et al., "Action of pancreatic phospholipase A2 on phosphatidylcholinebilayers in different physical states", Biochimica et Biophysica Acta 406:169 (1975).
Tuesday, July 03, 2012
Word of the day: sessile
The word of the day is sessile:
sessile, adj.
Etymology: < Latin sessilis sitting down, dwarfed, stunted, < sess- , participial stem of sedēre to sit
1. Having no footstalk.
a. Bot. Of leaves, fruits, flowers, or other organs: Immediately attached by the base; not having a peduncle, pedicel, or the like. Hence of a species or variety (e.g. of oak) bearing sessile fruits: opposed to pedunculated.
b. Zool. Of limbs or organs: Immediately in contact with the structure to which they are attached; having no connecting neck or footstalk. Also of certain animals.c. Pathol. Of morbid growths, warts, etc.: Adhering close to the surface.
2. Of certain animals: Sedentary, fixed to one spot; not ambulatory. Of cells: Immobile. Also in extended use.
3. Crystallogr. Of a dislocation in a crystal: unable to migrate through the lattice; fixed. (OED)
"This is ridiculous! Hive queens are supposed to be sessile!"
- Tarvek, Girl Genius volume 12, page 103, Phil and Kaja Foglio
sessile, adj.
Etymology: < Latin sessilis sitting down, dwarfed, stunted, < sess- , participial stem of sedēre to sit
1. Having no footstalk.
a. Bot. Of leaves, fruits, flowers, or other organs: Immediately attached by the base; not having a peduncle, pedicel, or the like. Hence of a species or variety (e.g. of oak) bearing sessile fruits: opposed to pedunculated.
b. Zool. Of limbs or organs: Immediately in contact with the structure to which they are attached; having no connecting neck or footstalk. Also of certain animals.c. Pathol. Of morbid growths, warts, etc.: Adhering close to the surface.
2. Of certain animals: Sedentary, fixed to one spot; not ambulatory. Of cells: Immobile. Also in extended use.
3. Crystallogr. Of a dislocation in a crystal: unable to migrate through the lattice; fixed. (OED)
"This is ridiculous! Hive queens are supposed to be sessile!"
- Tarvek, Girl Genius volume 12, page 103, Phil and Kaja Foglio
Saturday, June 30, 2012
spider sighting
Found this spider outside my front door yesterday morning:
The community at spiders.us (because, as it turns out, there are people whose idea of fun is looking at other people's grainy cell phone pictures and trying to identify the spiders depicted therein: how did people live before the internet?) identified it as a wolf spider, but I didn't think the eye configuration looks quite right.
The community at spiders.us (because, as it turns out, there are people whose idea of fun is looking at other people's grainy cell phone pictures and trying to identify the spiders depicted therein: how did people live before the internet?) identified it as a wolf spider, but I didn't think the eye configuration looks quite right.
Friday, June 29, 2012
Molecule of the day: tripropionin
The molecule of the day is tripropionin:
It can be used as a soluble substrate for pancreatic lipase.
I would probably call it TriC3: a triglyceride of chain length 3.
It can be used as a soluble substrate for pancreatic lipase.
I would probably call it TriC3: a triglyceride of chain length 3.
Monday, June 25, 2012
Sun letter follow-up
On the one hand, the Sun published my letter; on the other hand, their editorial choices reveal that they completely missed the point.
I don't even know why they need to tamper with it at all: it can't be in the interest of conserving space, because then why replace parentheses with two m-dashes and the word "incidentally"? I think it's quite audacious to start throwing unsolicited adverbs into other people's writing.
But let some good come of this incident: no more will I blame the authors of any idiotic letters I find printed in the Sun, for I know that the editors probably just butchered a letter that had once been filled with subtlety and nuance.
I don't even know why they need to tamper with it at all: it can't be in the interest of conserving space, because then why replace parentheses with two m-dashes and the word "incidentally"? I think it's quite audacious to start throwing unsolicited adverbs into other people's writing.
But let some good come of this incident: no more will I blame the authors of any idiotic letters I find printed in the Sun, for I know that the editors probably just butchered a letter that had once been filled with subtlety and nuance.
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
letter to the Sun: liquor store and crime correlation
In which I once again link all of our city's problems to a lack of STEM education:
Dear Baltimore Sun,
The city health officials who plan to strip non-conforming
liquor stores of their licenses because of the Johns Hopkins University study
linking them to violent crime (“City Targets Liquor Stores”, June 17 [warning: pay wall]) are
confusing correlation with causation. It
could be that the liquor stores themselves are not causing the crime, but
rather that some other underlying cause is causing both the non-conforming
liquor stores and the violent crime. The
distinction is important, because if the liquor stores are not causing the
crime, then closing them would not actually be predicted to decrease violent
crime, and could even exacerbate it.
As it turns out, property vacancy also correlates with
violent crime (for example, Goodstein, Ryan and Lee, Yan Y., Do
Foreclosures Increase Crime? (May 2010). Available at SSRN:
http://ssrn.com/abstract=1670842 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1670842). If a non-conforming liquor store loses its
license, it seems at least as likely that the store will end up as a vacant
property than that the owners will decide to open a healthy food store in its
place, as the city officials hope.
Before taking away licenses and, as a
consequence, closing small businesses (that would furthermore
disproportionately impact a particular ethnic group), the city needs to
carefully consider the evidence to determine whether the benefits of doing so
really are predicted to outweigh the costs.
This story once again emphasizes the importance of having a basic
mathematics education (for no student in the first week of an introductory
statistics course would confuse correlation with causation), both for our city
officials as well as for our journalists.
Saturday, May 26, 2012
Molecule of the day: terephthalic acid
The molecule of the day is terephthalic acid:
It's a precursor in making polyethylene terephthalate (PET). It's in the news because of a new biobased (i.e., sustainable) route to producing p-xylene, which can then be converted to terephthalic acid: the currently used methods produce terephthalic acid from petrochemicals.
It's a precursor in making polyethylene terephthalate (PET). It's in the news because of a new biobased (i.e., sustainable) route to producing p-xylene, which can then be converted to terephthalic acid: the currently used methods produce terephthalic acid from petrochemicals.
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