Re:Difference Between Nanobacteria and Prions?
on
Nanobacteria Discovered?
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· Score: 2, Interesting
I think it's actually the buildup of prionic aggregates that causes tissue damage; I don't think it affects very many distinct proteins in the cell.
Small nitpick... This is an intensely debated point in prion theory. At the moment we are not really sure what causes the actual damage to the cell. In the preclinical state of prion diseases, there can be a massive buildup of prion aggregates, while no cell damage is visible. The damage might as well arise from the loss of function of the correctly folded prion protein PrP(C), which is depleted by misfolding and aggregation. It is hypothesized that one of the functions of the prion protein is the prevention of oxidative damage to the cell. Depletion of PrP(C) would cause a rise in oxidative stress on the neuron, resulting in the activation of apoptotic signals which trigger programmed cell death. On the other hand, certain fragments of the prion protein could be proven to be cytotoxic to cultured neurons in quite small quantities. Up to now there is no conclusive evidence which mechanism triggers cell death in the brain.
In addition, a strongly hydrophobic environment, as present in a petroleum-based fuel, tends to inactivate prions. One of the theories regarding the outbreak of BSE in Great Britain goes as follows: Meat-and-Bone meal (MBM) based feeds have been used for decades but did not cause significant number of BSE cases. First cases came up in the early 80ies. Five years before, MBM production has been changed. Due to economic reasons, a fat extraction step using hot hydrocarbon solvents was omitted. It is believed that this extraction step inactivated potentially infectious prions - which can be shown in vitro.
So cow-brain based fuel would most likely not contain any infectious particles. And even if it did, they would most likely be decomposed at burning temperatures in the engine.
You might be interested in this guy. He is doing a page-per-page review of left behind. Started last year, has managed it to get to pg. 45 up to now. Absolutely hilarious, witty and theologically well founded. I never got past page 30 of Left Behind myself, but I'm closely following this review.
Re:This book is a walking DMCA violater's manual!
on
Hardware Hacking
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· Score: 1
If you seriously consider any of the books in the 'Left Behind' series to be well-made, that I can't wait to see some of the games that come out of this conference.
Well, the two-dimensional charakters and the overall flatness of the story would lend itself to a 2D-sidescroller...
Re:This book is a walking DMCA violater's manual!
on
Hardware Hacking
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· Score: 3, Funny
Friend computer strongly encourages you to turn in mutant commie traitors who even think about modifiying the sacred hardware of friend computer. This is solely reserved for programmers with ultraviolet clearance. As for your contact with this abomination, friend computer requires you to visit the next confession booth to receive proper reward for your information...
Everytime I (a guy) see an ad for "feminine hygiene products", I know they haven't.
Point taken...
I have to add that I am European, as far as I know from my occasional exposition to american TV, there seems to be a difference in advertising style, which is, though, slowly but steadily diminishing. But...
Lowest common denominators
... is certainly a common theme across all cultures.
On the other hand, facing people trying to manipulate you, paranoia is a necessity.
Ok, tinfoil-hat-mode aside - I get your point. But - the ad-producers are sure enough aware of that point too. You are an informed consumer, taking in their messages from a distanced, reflected point of view. You - and, for what it matters, me too, can separate creative content from the BUY-BUY-BUY message. But advertisment will adapt to that. This is the content of my paranoid rant in the grand-parent. How can we be sure that they haven't already adapted? We are amidst a fight between mental spammers - the advertisers - and our mental spam filters.
can watch ads and enjoy their creative content without ever knowing what product they advertise.
Err.. ok... switching to tinfoil-hat-mode... Are you sure this isn't the way they intented their ads to work? Giving you those subtle subliminal cues... Is there any creative content in an ad that is separated from the product it is advertising? You receive those mental cues, those memes, and, even without realizing what product they are advertising, as soon as you see it, these cues kick back in, building up connections to the areas in your brain which identified the ad-content as creative, thereby marking it in a positive fashion, creating those needs, desires, and then... you start shelling out money?
Here in jolly old England, we regulary have crisps (translated: 'potato chips') forced upon us, with such flavours as:
...
Hedgehog(!)
Err... Hedgehog??? What would that be? Stewed hedgehog? Crispy fried hedgehog? Hedgehog barbecue? Hedgehog with mint sauce??? I mean, I knew you Brits are kind of strange, aren't you, but hedgehog??? And you still wonder why your empire fell???
Well, preach to the converted... But I refuse to view capitalism as something more than the best we've been able to come up with. A fact which should keep us thinking about ways to improving it. Keep an open mind - we are by no means at the end of our imagination and possibilities regarding the organization of economy and society.
While you might be right on the imitational nature of linux - nonwithstanding it's quality - (note me getting distance..), do you really want to pull the wrath of zealot-land on you? I mean, it's like dancing on on a mountain top during a weather storm, wearing a copper helmet and cursing the gods...
In addition to the vivid discussion on open publication that already ensued, I'd like to propose another concept: publication of failed experiments. Scientist all over the world conduct experiments on a daily basis that don't yield results. There is practically no chance at the moment to get such results or non-result published - though they would be of enormous value to other researchers, simply by pointing out paths of research not to take.
Bad style, I know... but I'm in karma-burning mode at the moment.. Tell me, Mr. Moderator, how can a post that hasn't be moderated before, be moderated as "overrated"? My question from the previous post is still valid. And yes, I RTFA. Did you, Mr. Moderator???
Slashdot Mirror
Small nitpick... This is an intensely debated point in prion theory. At the moment we are not really sure what causes the actual damage to the cell. In the preclinical state of prion diseases, there can be a massive buildup of prion aggregates, while no cell damage is visible. The damage might as well arise from the loss of function of the correctly folded prion protein PrP(C), which is depleted by misfolding and aggregation. It is hypothesized that one of the functions of the prion protein is the prevention of oxidative damage to the cell. Depletion of PrP(C) would cause a rise in oxidative stress on the neuron, resulting in the activation of apoptotic signals which trigger programmed cell death.
On the other hand, certain fragments of the prion protein could be proven to be cytotoxic to cultured neurons in quite small quantities. Up to now there is no conclusive evidence which mechanism triggers cell death in the brain.
Meat-and-Bone meal (MBM) based feeds have been used for decades but did not cause significant number of BSE cases. First cases came up in the early 80ies. Five years before, MBM production has been changed. Due to economic reasons, a fat extraction step using hot hydrocarbon solvents was omitted. It is believed that this extraction step inactivated potentially infectious prions - which can be shown in vitro.
So cow-brain based fuel would most likely not contain any infectious particles. And even if it did, they would most likely be decomposed at burning temperatures in the engine.
Well, next you gonna tell me this happend in Soviet Russia...
The first appropriate Soviet Russia joke on /. Rejoice all ye nerds! An ancient artform has regained its quality!
Cooperate with EndNote and/or ReferenceManager, for example... At least that's it for me... Quite handy when writing a lot of scientific stuff.
You might be interested in this guy. He is doing a page-per-page review of left behind. Started last year, has managed it to get to pg. 45 up to now. Absolutely hilarious, witty and theologically well founded. I never got past page 30 of Left Behind myself, but I'm closely following this review.
All hail friend computer.
Well, the two-dimensional charakters and the overall flatness of the story would lend itself to a 2D-sidescroller...
All hail friend computer!
Wouldn't that be the GNU/continuum??
Well, and that from a guy named Tumbleweed... If there were weeds, it would be tumbleweed county, if nothing else...
Point taken...
I have to add that I am European, as far as I know from my occasional exposition to american TV, there seems to be a difference in advertising style, which is, though, slowly but steadily diminishing. But...
Lowest common denominators
On the other hand, facing people trying to manipulate you, paranoia is a necessity.
... who wants to go there? Looks worse than Nebraska...
Ok, tinfoil-hat-mode aside - I get your point. But - the ad-producers are sure enough aware of that point too. You are an informed consumer, taking in their messages from a distanced, reflected point of view. You - and, for what it matters, me too, can separate creative content from the BUY-BUY-BUY message. But advertisment will adapt to that. This is the content of my paranoid rant in the grand-parent. How can we be sure that they haven't already adapted? We are amidst a fight between mental spammers - the advertisers - and our mental spam filters.
Err.. ok... switching to tinfoil-hat-mode... Are you sure this isn't the way they intented their ads to work? Giving you those subtle subliminal cues... Is there any creative content in an ad that is separated from the product it is advertising? You receive those mental cues, those memes, and, even without realizing what product they are advertising, as soon as you see it, these cues kick back in, building up connections to the areas in your brain which identified the ad-content as creative, thereby marking it in a positive fashion, creating those needs, desires, and then... you start shelling out money?
Or might it just be me being paranoid?
That's what you get for participating in flame-wars...
...
Hedgehog(!)
Err... Hedgehog??? What would that be? Stewed hedgehog? Crispy fried hedgehog? Hedgehog barbecue? Hedgehog with mint sauce??? I mean, I knew you Brits are kind of strange, aren't you, but hedgehog???
And you still wonder why your empire fell???
Nasty but not really a problem. Simply don't do it. I didn't.
Well, preach to the converted... But I refuse to view capitalism as something more than the best we've been able to come up with. A fact which should keep us thinking about ways to improving it. Keep an open mind - we are by no means at the end of our imagination and possibilities regarding the organization of economy and society.
But yes, the SCO claims are crap either way.
No.
Might it be that you are talking 'bout the benefits of capitalism? Or is it just me being in cynical karma-burning mode?
In addition to the vivid discussion on open publication that already ensued, I'd like to propose another concept: publication of failed experiments. Scientist all over the world conduct experiments on a daily basis that don't yield results. There is practically no chance at the moment to get such results or non-result published - though they would be of enormous value to other researchers, simply by pointing out paths of research not to take.
Bad style, I know... but I'm in karma-burning mode at the moment.. Tell me, Mr. Moderator, how can a post that hasn't be moderated before, be moderated as "overrated"? My question from the previous post is still valid. And yes, I RTFA. Did you, Mr. Moderator???
By the way, what is it about, the article?
Ahh... I should go to bed...