The Biosphere

rg255

7:29 AM

can someone with high rep induce a delete vote on this: biology.stackexchange.com/questions/31025/…

I'm trying a new homework strategy: biology.stackexchange.com/questions/45669/…

James

7:54 AM

@rg255 Nice idea. I hope it plays well! It sounds like it could be productive.

rg255

8:08 AM

thanks @James - here's a meta meta.biology.stackexchange.com/questions/3371/…

skill patrol

Indeed, a very creative idea. Perhaps one that other sites should also consider.

rg255

I do feel like I'm holding the answer to ransom, but it is for altruistic reasons :D

skill patrol

+1

WYSIWYG

8:34 AM

@rg255 AAnd.. It's gone

rg255

nice

WYSIWYG

A couple of new LQ questions have arrived

rg255

efficient work :) my rep is such that I can cast delete votes if someone initiates that, but I can't cast the first delete vote... so frustrating, theirs only 3 non-mods that can cast the first delete vote (>20k)

WYSIWYG

@rg255 The problem with feature requests involving a change of site mechanics is that they need to be widely applicable.

rg255

or I can "recommend deletion" via the review queue... whatever that means

WYSIWYG

8:38 AM

In such cases, that FR belongs to MSE.

rg255

yeah I know its a big ask

terdon

@rg255 I think that actually casts a delete vote.

rg255

maybe if the consensus is positive here I will transfer it in a couple of days, perhaps we can discuss it here first to iron out problems/refine the idea before sending to meta stack exchange

WYSIWYG

@rg255 We can take some policy decisions but I am afraid MSE folks would not really pay any attention.

HW is a problem specific to certain sites

rg255

As a general feature it might be good to extend it such that any closed question can have an answer queued

WYSIWYG

8:47 AM

That sounds general enough.

nature.com/nature/journal/v532/n7600/full/532438a.html

Seems like an interesting read

skill patrol

Nice oxymoron

Nyet, nyet soviet :D

WYSIWYG

Costs ~$40 plus import charges!!

skill patrol

:O

WYSIWYG

A lot of chemistry articles in this issue of nature

skill patrol

Any biochem?

WYSIWYG

8:57 AM

Not really. One about Crispr-Cas

and there is one about continuous evolution of Bt toxin using phages to combat resistance by insects.

But a relatively more number of chemistry papers than usual

Two on organic synthesis.

skill patrol

Has anyone ever tried to start a biochem.SE?

WYSIWYG

Nope. Not necessary I guess.

biochemistry is our core tag.

skill patrol

hmm...

WYSIWYG

There are biochem questions in Chemistry too. These are more towards the chemistry side.

skill patrol

Right, thanks.

rg255

9:11 AM

... I'm going to be annoyed if that Q gets closed and never reopened, I will have wasted time writing an answer that will never see the light of day!

skill patrol

Ask it yourself.

WYSIWYG

@rg255 Why don't you post your answer?

rg255

because I don't think answers should be posted on questions where its clearly homework - that defeats the point, it's why we close these questions - so people don't get their homework done for them

I've commented to tell them that there is an answer waiting for them if they make the question meet the standards

WYSIWYG

@rg255 We cannot take up the task of inculcating morals and ethics to people. IMO, we close trivial/HW questions because it is a waste of our time.

terdon

^^

Exactly.

WYSIWYG

9:17 AM

Since you have already spent your time framing an answer, then why not post it? It would be a good content for the site.

terdon

Although I don't see how you could have answered that question, I don't even understand what it's asking. I mean, "how would the ability to clone individuals affect the population of a species?" Well, that depends on how many you clone.

rg255

if they want me to do their homework for them they can pay me, if they just want some help to learn then I do it for free.

WYSIWYG

@terdon I think the OP wants to ask whether introduction of clones would impact the population.

Akin to a bottleneck effect.

rg255

Basically its asking can/could clones be used to deal with conservation issues, specifically related to the potential impact on genetic variation

terdon

@WYSIWYG The only question I see is:

> It has been noted that with the ability to clone animals, endangered species can have their population numbers increased in a short time. How would this impact these population from the perspective of genetics/ the gene pool?

OK, but in all cases it would depend on how many WT individuals are left and how many you clone. I don't see how it's answerable without specific numbers.

rg255

9:20 AM

... depleted gene pools are an issue for conservation efforts, can cloning be used to address this issue?

WYSIWYG

@terdon That statement could be refined. I guess the intention is to know the effect of reduced genetic variation.

terdon

Ah, right.

OK, that makes more sense and is indeed actually an interesting question. Come on @rg255, post your answer.

Remember that we don't answer questions for the OP alone, we do it for the site. If someone uses us to do their homework, that's their problem, not ours.

rg255

The answer is yes, in part because it allows the breeding of more individuals, intervention reduces variance in breeding success thus reduces drift

WYSIWYG

This is a question that I would consider worth closing:

-1

Q: What is PCR kinetics?

What is PCR kinetics and the application of PCR kinetics? What are the types of graphs are required and how can we interpret the graphs?

rg255

already voted to close on that one

WYSIWYG

9:22 AM

Basically this guy wants us to give him a crash course for tomorrow's exam.

@rg255 time is running out.. Post your answer :)

terdon

Man, I remember how long it took me to get my head around the concept of PCR. I remember having to strain to understand it but I can't, for the life of me, understand why I found it hard. It seems so blindingly obvious in its simple elegance today.

rg255

like I've said, I'm not a homework service, so I refuse to be used like one - I'm going to stick to my principles on that. If the question gets closed then so be it, all I can hope is that it gets reopened if the effort is put in by the OP

WYSIWYG

@terdon Of all the DNA sequencing techniques, I find Sanger's the most elegant.

Chris

@terdon No, this is something I got really fast. And I understand the story of Kary Mullis dreaming of it. It is sooo obvious once you understood it.

terdon

@Chris Exactly, it's a classic "Wow, how come I didn't think of that one?"

Chris

9:25 AM

@WYSIWYG I wouldn't restrict it to this. The newer ones which couple it to the use of Pyrophosphate and so on, Nanopores are elegant as well.

@terdon Yep. Right place and idea are a rare combination.

terdon

But for some reason, it took effort to grasp as an undergraduate. I have a very clear image of myself struggling with it for an exam. That's what I find so strange, I really can't understand what confused me about it. It's so simple.

Nanopores are way cool!

Single molecule sequencing!

WYSIWYG

@Chris I certainly find Illumina a bit inelegant. Once I had heard (I don't know from where) but a possible DNA/peptide sequencing technique using scanning tunnelling microscopy.

Chris

@terdon I remember a seminar as an undergrad in my basic biochemistry course. There all students had to explain the basic techniques to the other ones - and PCR was my topic. Was fun. And long ago, we used daylight projectors at that time...

WYSIWYG

or Atomic force.

Just place the polymer extended on a slide and probe through it to sequence it.

Now I don't know if it was a dream or I heard it somewhere :D

Chris

@WYSIWYG Illumina is a relatively simple mass principle but not elegant, I agree. But it is solid and works for really high thoughput.

terdon

9:27 AM

@Chris :) How old are you? I had overhead projectors in university as well but they were already being replaced by powerpoint.

rg255

If you struggled to understand PCR at the start I'd suggest the blame lies with the teacher - I had a similar struggle with PCR, it wasn't until my PhD supervisor threw me under the bus and made me teach the PCR lab... before that I'd done one (failed) PCR in my life

thats when I learnt about PCR properly

Chris

I remember that I got a tour through deCode genetics in Iceland when they showed us their sequencing hall. I don't remember how many Illumina machines where lined up there. But it was a good proportion of the machines they built in total.

@terdon 41.

WYSIWYG

@Chris Did you mean 42? :D

terdon

@Chris Heh, strange how small differences show in this sort of thing. I'm 35 so I was just after you.

Chris

@WYSIWYG I have done literally thousands of them. And teached them. You have to get the concept then if you are not a completely helpless case.

@WYSIWYG You're right. Almost :-)

terdon

9:31 AM

Are any of you working on variant calling by any chance?

Chris

@terdon I started studying a bit later. Powerpoint was coming up, but it took a while.

@terdon Nope. I got introduced to ABIs variant caller when we got the training for our 3130XL. But I never used it.

WYSIWYG

@Chris thousands of Illumina-seq?

I have not done any sequencing myself. There was a group in our institute who used to monopolize over all seq experiments and get authorships. Another ally of that group would do the analysis and would make it sound like alchemy (secretly handed down from many generations). So one day I decided that I'll learn about this stuff myself.

@Chris you married?

rg255

9:56 AM

... is this building to a proposal @WYSIWYG ?

;P

WYSIWYG

@rg255 Haha.. Not now.. But certainly Chris seems to be a good candidate ;D

rg255

I see, so you've ranked us ;)

WYSIWYG

@rg255 xkcd.com/1673

@rg255 :D No I don't merely consider the rep points.

Chris

11:50 AM

@WYSIWYG I think 50+ of the most powerful machines. Illumina had built around 100 of these at that time. This is almost 10 years ago :-)

WYSIWYG

@Chris It was solexa then, right?

Chris

@WYSIWYG I think so. We weren't allowed to make images.

MattDMo

2:17 PM

i think i am a student with eagerness to get a simplified definition of the term and its application. I think if u are incapable to answer my question that's your problem. Then your website is of no standard. And to the point "google'ing" things.. how you think i got your website? yours not answer.com that everybody knows. And to the point attaining lecture i am a 9 grade student i need no certification from you. Very unprofessional. i think you are a crappy head teacher of your institution @WYSIWYG — anurup roy 1 hour ago