I must not fear.
Fear is the mind-killer.
Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.
I will face my fear.
I will permit it to pass over me and through me.
And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path.
Where the fear has gone there will be nothing.
Only I will remain.
THE PAIN!!
This stuff isn't really new and it's extremely overhyped.
I agree on the overhype. What the article fails to properly elucidate is that this is a common expansion of existing molecular modeling techniques. All modern molecular modeling simulations are based on equations of force and motion experienced by the individual atoms. Even with "simple" interactions such as electrostatics, the equations are often rendered into power series approximations of the more complicated higher order equations. This makes it easier to do computationally intensive calculations by dropping the latter parts of the power series. In addition, some forces just are not modeled. These decisions are based on the computational expense of evaluating each of the force equations. As computers get more powerful, more of these dropped factors can be added back into the set of field equations.
Certainly there are difficulties in optimizing the mathematics to add new equations to the field set, as would be the case for modeling proton tunneling or sharing. A field that takes these factors into account is a great step forward. One of the biggest problems with modeling of biochemical systems is the lack of accurate accounting of hydrogen bond interactions. Some molecular fields are better than others, but most rely on a fudging of partial charge electrostatics by weighting interactions that have the features of a hydrogen bond (angle, distance, components). Hydrogen bonds are not easy to model, because they are a strange partial bond between covalent and ionic bonds.
That the researchers of this linked article have begun to include factors that could account for more computationally intensive quantum mechanic evaluations in their molecular modeling field is an exciting step for biophysical computation. It is not, however, a groundbreaking combination of quantum physics and biology like the article and slashdot abstract/title suggest. These fields already lie within a shared spectrum, and the connections outlined in this article are not a novel discovery of connection, but a novel utility of an already established connection.
While peptide drugs certainly are problematic to apply therapeutically, particularly orally, this at least opens up another target for drug development. An existing active molecule and a known possibel target allows for medicinal chemists, molecular modelers and molecular pharmacologists to develop synthetic organic molecules with a similar action. This is likely to create compounds that are not only more potent than the parent peptide, but better distributed and longer lasting.
Actually, not all of the ADHD medicines are amphetamines, and have slightly different modes of action. The primary action of amphetamines, such as Adderal, is to trigger the release of neurotransmitters (primarily dopamine) from both the axon (the "sending" side of the synapse) and the vesicles in the axon that are storing the neurotransmitters for the next signalled release. This occurs by the drug triggering a reversal of the "pumps" that take the neurotransmitters back up into the axon or into the vesicles in the axon for storage. This is actually the source of much of amphetamines' reported neurotoxicity, the vast depletion of the neurotransmitters to a high degree. Ritalin, as with cocaine, does not appear to reverse the synaptic and vesicle transporters like amphetamines do, but instead appears to block the uptake of neurotransmitters at the synapse (mainly dopamine). This lessens its potential to be neurotoxic, but not completely. Strattera acts in a similar way, but only on norepinephrine transporters.
Just because these compounds are prescribed by doctors does not mean they are safe by any means. Nor should you necessarily trust anything our government has to say about recreational use or other ingestion not overseen by a doctor. Too many lies and exaggerations have shadowed the really important information. Instead, find out everything you can about these compounds, from multiple sources, know what they will do to you and why, what the potential risks and side effects are, and weigh for yourself the consequences of your actions. Know yourself, know your source, know your drug.
Actually, most universities do not fund or are even involved in the approval of most scientific research occuring on their campuses (with the exeption of research needing ethical review). Most scientific research is funded by public grants, and some from collaboration with private companies. While universities are very happy when a product of research is profitable/licenseable, there is more money to be had in scoring more grants, which can only occur with good research and extensive publication.
...but from our blurred photographs this version looks to have a VT8237 South Bridge, SODIMM RAM slot, SATA connector, 2 x IDE connectors, (1) PS/2 connector, TV-Out...
Actually, it looks to me like there is a composite and s-video TV out and no PS/2 connector. The specs that bazik posted from epia-center seem to confirm this as well.
I don't see how this is controversial. It seems very reasonable to me that organic self-replicating polymers (such as RNA) would develop near inorganic catalytic matrices, which could then allow further development of more complex "organic" life. Yes, the definition of organic and inorganic breaks down somewhat here, as organic is usually defined as "originating from a living organism" and typically involve carbon compounds (thus not diamonds or graphite). The UV protection and catalytic properties of water, coupled to the heat of a thermal vent seems like an ideal place for me for life to develop.
aloha,
psilo
(VG) at the end of an IMDB entry means it is a Video Game. I don't quite get why the "International Movie Database" lists video games as well, but I guess a number of actors have had voice roles in them, and there does seem to be some bleedover from Hollywood into games, as you noted.
Slashdot Mirror
You, my friend, need a Carnivalé.
I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain. THE PAIN!!
I agree on the overhype. What the article fails to properly elucidate is that this is a common expansion of existing molecular modeling techniques. All modern molecular modeling simulations are based on equations of force and motion experienced by the individual atoms. Even with "simple" interactions such as electrostatics, the equations are often rendered into power series approximations of the more complicated higher order equations. This makes it easier to do computationally intensive calculations by dropping the latter parts of the power series. In addition, some forces just are not modeled. These decisions are based on the computational expense of evaluating each of the force equations. As computers get more powerful, more of these dropped factors can be added back into the set of field equations.
Certainly there are difficulties in optimizing the mathematics to add new equations to the field set, as would be the case for modeling proton tunneling or sharing. A field that takes these factors into account is a great step forward. One of the biggest problems with modeling of biochemical systems is the lack of accurate accounting of hydrogen bond interactions. Some molecular fields are better than others, but most rely on a fudging of partial charge electrostatics by weighting interactions that have the features of a hydrogen bond (angle, distance, components). Hydrogen bonds are not easy to model, because they are a strange partial bond between covalent and ionic bonds.
That the researchers of this linked article have begun to include factors that could account for more computationally intensive quantum mechanic evaluations in their molecular modeling field is an exciting step for biophysical computation. It is not, however, a groundbreaking combination of quantum physics and biology like the article and slashdot abstract/title suggest. These fields already lie within a shared spectrum, and the connections outlined in this article are not a novel discovery of connection, but a novel utility of an already established connection.
alohapsilo
While peptide drugs certainly are problematic to apply therapeutically, particularly orally, this at least opens up another target for drug development. An existing active molecule and a known possibel target allows for medicinal chemists, molecular modelers and molecular pharmacologists to develop synthetic organic molecules with a similar action. This is likely to create compounds that are not only more potent than the parent peptide, but better distributed and longer lasting.
Actually, not all of the ADHD medicines are amphetamines, and have slightly different modes of action. The primary action of amphetamines, such as Adderal, is to trigger the release of neurotransmitters (primarily dopamine) from both the axon (the "sending" side of the synapse) and the vesicles in the axon that are storing the neurotransmitters for the next signalled release. This occurs by the drug triggering a reversal of the "pumps" that take the neurotransmitters back up into the axon or into the vesicles in the axon for storage. This is actually the source of much of amphetamines' reported neurotoxicity, the vast depletion of the neurotransmitters to a high degree. Ritalin, as with cocaine, does not appear to reverse the synaptic and vesicle transporters like amphetamines do, but instead appears to block the uptake of neurotransmitters at the synapse (mainly dopamine). This lessens its potential to be neurotoxic, but not completely. Strattera acts in a similar way, but only on norepinephrine transporters.
Just because these compounds are prescribed by doctors does not mean they are safe by any means. Nor should you necessarily trust anything our government has to say about recreational use or other ingestion not overseen by a doctor. Too many lies and exaggerations have shadowed the really important information. Instead, find out everything you can about these compounds, from multiple sources, know what they will do to you and why, what the potential risks and side effects are, and weigh for yourself the consequences of your actions. Know yourself, know your source, know your drug.
aloha
psilo
Actually, most universities do not fund or are even involved in the approval of most scientific research occuring on their campuses (with the exeption of research needing ethical review). Most scientific research is funded by public grants, and some from collaboration with private companies. While universities are very happy when a product of research is profitable/licenseable, there is more money to be had in scoring more grants, which can only occur with good research and extensive publication.
aloha
psilo
From the mini-itx site with pictures:
...but from our blurred photographs this version looks to have a VT8237 South Bridge, SODIMM RAM slot, SATA connector, 2 x IDE connectors, (1) PS/2 connector, TV-Out...
Actually, it looks to me like there is a composite and s-video TV out and no PS/2 connector. The specs that bazik posted from epia-center seem to confirm this as well.
aloha
psilo
I don't see how this is controversial. It seems very reasonable to me that organic self-replicating polymers (such as RNA) would develop near inorganic catalytic matrices, which could then allow further development of more complex "organic" life. Yes, the definition of organic and inorganic breaks down somewhat here, as organic is usually defined as "originating from a living organism" and typically involve carbon compounds (thus not diamonds or graphite). The UV protection and catalytic properties of water, coupled to the heat of a thermal vent seems like an ideal place for me for life to develop. aloha, psilo
(VG) at the end of an IMDB entry means it is a Video Game. I don't quite get why the "International Movie Database" lists video games as well, but I guess a number of actors have had voice roles in them, and there does seem to be some bleedover from Hollywood into games, as you noted.
aloha
psilo