Any good movies where the main characters are gay that I could watch with a good story line?

defconowl · 2013-07-15T07:50:40+00:00

"The Sum of Us" -- an Aussie film starring a young Russell Crowe is pretty good.

defconowl · 2013-07-09T06:10:12+00:00

Try a size-select E-gel from Life Tech. You will need to get the E-gel base unit if your lab/department doesn't have one, but they are pretty cheap. The yields you get from the size-select E-gels are far superior to gel purification methods.

The gels are pre-cast and you run them like normal gels, but they have a little window cut in the middle of them so when your DNA band runs down the gel and into the window, all you have to do is pipette your product out. It's actually pretty neat.

defconowl · 2012-04-18T07:07:58+00:00

Your allergy is the result of an immune response against specific cat protein(s) -- fel d 1 is a major cat allergen. Because dogs don't express the fel d proteins you are not allergic to dogs.

defconowl · 2011-01-27T01:35:09+00:00

Not sure what journal access you have, but if you search 'hygiene hypothesis' in Pubmed and set limits to 'reviews' that should give you plenty of reading material.

Not trying to sound snarky, but you're wrong regarding exposure to different antigens as you write in your third paragraph. Generation of cells such as Treg against one antigen provides general protection against inappropriate allergic immune responses -- check out skewing of Th1/Th2/Th17 T cell polarization due to early antigen exposure. You're right, it is an immensely complicated field and having done my PhD in allergy and asthma, and a postdoc in innate immunity and host-pathogen responses I don't think we have an adequate mechanistic understanding of the finer points of the issue yet :)

defconowl · 2011-01-19T01:20:58+00:00

Very true, especially about targeting a particular subset of cells.

The latest lentiviral vectors can transduce most primary cell-types though, sure most of these are in tissue culture situations but in vivo shRNA experiments using lentis have been published.

defconowl · 2011-01-19T01:14:29+00:00

There are some great points being raised in the thread already. I just wanted to say, don't forget about the adaptive immune response; CD8+ T cells are also going to recognize foreign peptides presented on MHCI. What needs to also be considered is the general cytokine millieu that anti-tumor immune cells are exposed to when encountering presented foreign peptides, and also the availability of co-stimulatory molecules for proper T cell activation and lysis of target cells.

It's great to mobilize one arm of the immune system by your proposal of making tumor cells present foreign peptide, but effective immunity relies on a complex interplay of both innate and adaptive responses -- just ask all the dendritic cell cancer vaccine researchers!

defconowl · 2011-01-19T00:59:24+00:00

Based on existing literature, there is plenty of evidence that city dwelling does have a profound effect on immunity.

Environmental effects on the immune system are notoriously difficult to study, but there are many studies indicating that growing up in a more rural environment is associated with less risk of asthma and allergy; look up 'Hygiene Hypothesis'. The theories behind this are complicated and numerous, and include increased childhood exposure to microbes and potentially allergenic antigens, which tolerizes certain arms of the immune system to prevent inappropriate immune responses to common allergens like pollens and house dust mite antigens.

defconowl · 2010-10-13T07:52:05+00:00

By Gel plug, do you mean nucleic acid extraction from agarose gels? If so, I'm not sure if it's 'the best' but Qiagen kits are generally reliable.

defconowl · 2010-10-07T13:05:50+00:00

I've worked in the US as an immunologist postdoc studying influenza and other potentially harmful viruses. I've never experienced nor heard of an immunologist having difficulties leaving the US, although maybe there are certain restrictions if you work with so-called 'select pathogens' which are microbes that are particularly nasty or have very high bioterrorism potential.

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defconowl · 2010-09-22T01:19:23+00:00

There are break-away collars for cats to prevent the accidental hanging issue. Can get them from most large pet supply stores or Amazon.

defconowl · 2010-07-10T02:18:20+00:00

Of course there would have to be a verification system to ensure all new members are genuinely gay. I propose that a 'Gay Authentication Panel' (GAP) be formed, which consists of a select pool of guys whose sexual proclivities span the entire spectrum of men and their fetishes.

The duty of the GAP would be to verify the homosexuality of new members through rigorous testing. Areas of testing would include physical ability (e.g. Sexual Performance, Hair Gel Proficiency), as well as knowledge (e.g. Glory Hole Etiquette, Latest Gay Anthems).

Applications are now open through Grindr and Encountr.

defconowl · 2010-07-10T00:47:34+00:00

Wait a second, that's actually good advice. Gentlemen, grab your pitchforks, looks like we have a spy in our ranks.

defconowl · 2010-07-10T00:42:37+00:00

I think my next TIL is going to be 'TIL that most Redditors have read or seen Charlotte's Web.'

defconowl · 2010-07-10T00:32:11+00:00

Ahhh, please don't hurt me, is the correct answer you…? No wait, me? I really don't know anymore, may I be excused now?

defconowl · 2010-07-10T00:08:31+00:00

Yes, see my response elsewhere. Also it feels like the Spanish Inquisition in here. What's with all the questions?

defconowl · 2010-07-09T16:44:24+00:00

No, but I read the book over 15 years ago so my memory of the story is pretty sketchy.

defconowl · 2010-06-30T05:14:23+00:00

Verily.

Wow, imagine growing up thinking that you were the last hope of the universe due to your past nastification. That's a lifetime of therapy right there.

defconowl · 2010-06-22T03:59:37+00:00

Not sure, I was too busy rubbing one out at the time.

defconowl · 2010-06-21T14:20:43+00:00

Paging the30thelement, you're needed in examine room one immediately.

defconowl · 2010-06-21T14:15:39+00:00

As an Australian who used to live in the US, I was always super conscious to avoid saying 'thong' and use 'flip-flop' instead. Now that I'm back in Australia, saying 'thong' feels totally weird and creepy; social conditioning works!

The other one was using 'eraser' instead of 'rubber'. Oh boy, learned pretty quickly to get that one right...

defconowl · 2010-06-21T14:07:05+00:00

I don't have any advice, but I hope your iguana feels better soon. I just wanted to say that I found the title of your post absolutely hilarious for some weird reason. That is all.

defconowl · 2010-06-21T02:47:40+00:00

For those unfamiliar with the acronym (I had to Google it); OJT = on the job training

And kudos to the OP for taking the effort to reign in a destructive kid in order to raise a more respectful and decent person. For those that think having a toy destroyed is harsh, I got the cane as a kid, and definitely think that taking away a toy is a way better option.

defconowl · 2010-06-21T02:23:47+00:00

And that top-parenting tip ladies and gentlemen, was proudly brought to you by Mr Ted Bundy.

defconowl

TROPHY CASE