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question for the flist; ongoing bang torture
- Question for the more science-types on my flist. (Or those that have better google-fu than me!) This is for one of my exchange fics. Say everyone was born with a genetic marker that pre-disposed them to something (a skill, a bond, whatevs), and this marker could be picked up by SCIENCE REASONS, how could that work? It doesn't have to be TRUE, just plausible. (I am at Olympic skill levels of handwaving science for stories but there are REASONS I cannot do it for this one).
- Signed up for![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
inception_bang even though this is my current to do list:
* 2 xmarvel_bangs (one is the required 80% done, the other IS NOT)
* 2 x exchange fics. (goingonfacebook and... I can't for the life of me remember the other comm name!)
* 1 x BELATED birthday fic for![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
deirdre_c.
* 1 x charity fic (argh!)
* 1 x Toy Story AU to finish.
I feel like I'm forgetting something!
- Newsflash: Jeremy Renner has a face I'm kinda partial to.
- Signed up for
inception_bang even though this is my current to do list:* 2 x
marvel_bangs (one is the required 80% done, the other IS NOT)* 2 x exchange fics. (
goingonfacebook and... I can't for the life of me remember the other comm name!)* 1 x BELATED birthday fic for
deirdre_c.* 1 x charity fic (argh!)
* 1 x Toy Story AU to finish.
I feel like I'm forgetting something!
- Newsflash: Jeremy Renner has a face I'm kinda partial to.
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Another way is to use a special stain.
Or you could use electrophoresis-- that's where you take a cell sample and put it in a gel, add electric current, and the heavier molecules move to the top slower than the smaller molecules. Then you stain the gel to find the specific band you're looking for.
Or you could detect the 'byproduct' of the mutation and test for that-- that's how we mostly test for cancer cells now.
I don't know how much detail you need. Believe me, I could bore you to tears with the specifics!
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I don't know how much detail you need. Believe me, I could bore you to tears with the specifics!
BORE ME! :D
Basically - there are certain people predisposed to being able to bond with dragons, control them etc. Could this be a mutation (because then it could be covered by the X Gene because this is Marvel 'verse).
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Would this mutation be something like Pheromones? Or maybe a certain wavelength of sound? I'd 'detect' both of those differently.
If you're looking for the specific gene, is it already known, or are they looking for it?
So, if it's a pheromone, I'd probably use an antibody that binds with the protein receptor of the cells that would produce it. If it's able to think or hear or communicate on a different level, I'd probably enhance the gene using a technique called Polymerase chain reaction (which amplifies the DNA) and then detect it with a florescence.
If it's something that's only suspected, and they're looking for what's different about the people who can control, I'd use a gel electrophoresis technique to start with, to detect what's different about that person's DNA.
Or maybe gene sequencing.
Labs are usually Magic Places-- samples go in the door and results come out. Nobody but the people running the test actually knows what goes on back there. *g*
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Basically, one character gets tested because they'd missed previous screenings (their parents fairly... hippy-ish and paranoid and not wanting The Man to have a way to track them) but a screening certificate is required to graduate college.
I'm just looking for a way to kind of explain how this character is found and recruited. Pheremones would work well, acting as a calmative and recognition tool for the dragons.
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I'd use a PCR amplification (Polymerase chain reaction) with florescence.
Here is a URL for one that we actually do all the time. http://www.aruplab.com/guides/ug/tests/0097720.jsp This one is for a clotting deficiency, but it will work for all genetic testing. This technique makes millions of copies of the suspect DNA if it's there, so that it's easier to detect. It doesn't give you a 'strength' since it amplifies, but it's pretty definitive.
You can name your mutation pretty much whatever, but they're often named after the first person who discovered it. *shrugs* Or you don't really have to name it at all, just call it The Mutation or whatever.
Do you want a little bit of lab stuff to write a scene? Or are you good with just mentioning a specific technique?
I'm glad I've been able to help a little! :D
ETA OHOH! Also, you can say that this test was just developed, and the earlier testing wasn't as sensitive. OR, you could have the hippy parents somehow have switched samples so their kid wouldn't be singled out.
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I might come back to you just to reassure me when I've written the thing just to make sure everywhere that I mention it is right. I'm trying to non-handwave but handwave at the same time - as in skirt the science without actually ignoring it completely so specific lab stuff at the moment no, but I might change my mind as I write. :D
Is it possible that the earlier testing could have missed her? So it's not as sensitive say until 12 months ago and she gets caught by the re-screening required to graduate college?
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In fact . . . they do a lot of quick testing in the doctors office.
On example is a screen for strep throat. It's very quick, and a positive is definitely a positive-- but it's only about 89% accurate. That means that all negatives should be confirmed.
Same with drug testing. All positives need to be confirmed because of interfering substances that can cause a false positive (think poppy seed muffins causing a positive screen for opiates).
All screening tests are quick, inexpensive, simple tests that give you a yes/no answer. They are are not the gold standard-- they are simply a screen. If you want the most accurate result possible, you do that actual test.
That could be your answer here. The test in the Dr's office could be a 'screen' and then this new PCR test came out, so they've decided to retest all negatives with the more sensitive, confirmatory PCR.
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--
"Is this all because I failed the PCR screening?"
"You didn't... there's no failing a PCR screening," Coulson says. "There's a postive and negative result."
"Mine was positive."
"Yes."
"Then I failed."
--
Her parents had been less than thrilled that she'd been picked up during a routine PCR screening. She's been tested back in Iowa during high school but the labs there had been using a previous protocol, less sensitive than the government re-screen she'd taken that was required to graduate. Her results had come back positive for the mutation that allowed people to bond and control a dragon.
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In essence she 'failed' the screen (was negative) and 'passed' the test (was positive for the gene that helps control dragons)
Or in her words, passed the screen, cuz it kept her out of the dragon thing, and failed the test, cuz it put her right in the middle of the dragon thing-- if that makes sense to you. *g*
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Basically - there are certain people predisposed to being able to bond with dragons, control them etc. Could this be a mutation (because then it could be covered by the X Gene because this is Marvel 'verse).
Could this be the extra chromosome thing?
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If scientists were aware of a specific gene meaning that a person was pre-disposed for something, it would be a relatively simple DNA test that could be aimed at the gene in question, or testing for byproducts of the gene if it caused markers to appear in the blood or other bodily fluids.
Figuring out what gene (or combination of genes) does what is the hard part, but if you already have a group of people with whatever "symptom" in common to study, it would be a matter of time to crack it.
All of my genetic science comes from inhaling four seasons of ReGenesis. They had a science adviser that kept them in the realm of the possible, even if it was out there stuff. One of the story threads in the first series had to do with the Spanish Flu and its origin. They got it right before scientists completed genetic sequencing in the real world, and they did it in much the same manner.
Newsflash: Jeremy Renner has a face I'm kinda partial to.
There are other portions I'm rather fond of as well. Oh, and I finally saw Bourne Legacy Friday! Not nearly enough arm porn, but there were shirtless scenes, so I'm not complaining.
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Where does the pic in your icon come from?
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Is v. purdy. ;)
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I just bought 28 Weeks Later because it was super cheap at the store and I only remembered from the orginal viewing that it had a super cute soldier in it, I didn't remember it was JR!!
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What's funny is that I actually remember thinking the soldier was adorable! :D
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If that method sounds appealing, I've spelled it out a bit more: Basically, genes are made up of long DNA sequences, but you don't have to test what that sequence is, you can just use primers to copy a part of it. extracting DNA is really easy these days, and after you do a PCR you run your PCR product on a gel (gel electrophoresis, like feather_autant mentioned) Ater you stain it you have a clear yes/no answer. if you see the copied ("amplified") DNA at the right size, you have the gene, if not you don't. this picture breaks it down pretty well: http://users.ugent.be/~avierstr/principles/pcrgel.gif, where 2 and 4 would be positive for your gene because they have 'bands' at the right size. you know the size cuz the 'ladder' on the left has known sizes, which they've marked. it sounds detailed, but it's pretty much a short string of techniques that are all very common in labs, and this method is popular because it's cheaper than florescence. also, in actual practice, there's very little technical jargon. you would say you ran your PCR product on a gel, and it does or doesn't have the band, and so your person is positive/negative for that gene. the rest of the work involved is implied.
and lastly, if I could throw in my 2 cents, having an extra gene or a mutation is waaaay more likely than having an extra chromosome, partially because that's often associated with some serious diseases, and partially because Meyer did that in Twilight and everyone went WTF?
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Basically - is it appropriate to say that there is a PCR screening? Is that the right way to phrase it?
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Legitimate science discussions for the sake of fanfic! Technical explanations intercut with asides about Twilight and The Renner = brilliant!
Also, Relevant To Your Interests:
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Last time I had people breaking down synthetic humans for me and how that could work and how they could eat food and just really interesting stuff and I know I could handwave science but I don't need to when there are THESE PEOPLE WITH AMAZEBALL BRAAAAAAINS.
There needs to be a #don'tnneedtohandwavescience comm for non-science types like me to have all our science questions answered. Maybe a general #noneedtohandwave resource where people can post questions about science/military etc etc etc. :D
HELLO SHINY NEW THING!!
BTW, I've friended you because of REASONS. :D
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So learning science through fanfic sounds PERFECT to me. You could have monthly guest fandoms, where people explain how all the 'science' in their fandoms would/could/will NEVER EVER work - guns, military ranks/protocols, wormholes, cloning, robotics, the process of deductive/inductive reasoning, sneaking around in people's dreams - ALL THE SCIENCE-Y/EXPERT KNOWLEDGE THINGS. People could comment at #talktothehandwave and get the lowdown on stuff for their fic- or just for fun. What qualifications do you need to apply to the FBI? What RL weapon would be used in such-and-such situation? If you were blinded, could you actually learn truly badass ninja skills? What kind of sound/concussive force can for real shatter eardrums? So many questions ....
The awesome thing is that there are probably tons of people in any given fandom who are totally RL science BMFs who have all this info at their fingertips, and are all 'Serious Science' in their day jobs but, like, read meta on A/B/Omega fic tropes in their spare time. (which reminds me, this hypothetical comm would be the ideal place to post the article I was linked to about how everything people know about 'Alpha' wolves is based on outdated research. The scientist was really irked that people are still quoting his original findings. Basically, the only data they had was on wolves in captivity - in the wild, wolves just break off into their own small family packs rather than fighting for dominance as they would in an artificial, enforced pack! Can't wait to see this idea percolate through fandom...)
Friended you back! Renner fans must support each other in the face of his continuous ridiculously tranfixing hotness! Plus he is personally responsible for my new Tumblr addiction, so. /o\ Someone needs to do science! to explain why I am compelled to stare at his faaaaace (and other parts)
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Basically… if you have a science question of any kind (fanfiction, homework, idle curiosity, whatever!) and you want a quick answer, or a detailed answer, or an answer you can’t find on Google, or an explanation of something you did find on Google, or something you can’t quite put into words well enough to Google or… anything… you can ask me - ModernPrometheusScience
*geeks out*
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Newsflash: Jeremy Renner has a face I'm kinda partial to.
Me too! And I don't understand it...I mean, it just seemed to happen so suddenly. One minute, I think that he has this odd scrunched-up but in a cute way face, and the next, he's the hottest man on the planet. On my f-list right now at least half the icons are of him, and every single one makes me smile.
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