Applause

I had blast!
Finally delivered the seminar today. Things went pretty smoothly.
I used the LCD projector for the first time. I loved every aspect of it. I did all the connections, wiring, setup...typical geekstuff.
There was no technical snag. But my own laser-pointer defied me :(
The words flowed out magically. I managed to convey atleast 50% of what I was saying. Partly becuse the 2nd half was kinda drab...perhaps too geeky for the un-enchanted-by-how-things-work.

I particularly liked my end-note:
"Our civilization has always been struggling to build tools which help us to measure time. First came the sand-clock, then the pendulum based ones and recently we have these hi-tech atomic clocks. But, ironically we all - the biologicals have had, right from the beginning an internal biological clock which keeps time faithfully. And now this clock [pause] this process has become aware of itself !"

A Simple Java Code

Code

import java.util.Vector;

public class MyCodons{

//globals
Vector codons = new Vector();
String[] bases = {"a","g","c","t"};

//fill the 'codons' vector with values
public MyCodons(){
for(int x=0; x<bases.length; x++){
for(int y=0; y<bases.length; y++){
for(int z=0; z<bases.length; z++){
codons.add(bases[x]+bases[y]+bases[z]);
}
}
}
}

//display the 64 codons
public void printCodons(){
System.out.println(codons.size()+" possible codons\n"+ codons);
}

//main method
public static void main(String[] args){
System.out.println("Generating codons...\n");
MyCodons obj = new MyCodons();
obj.printCodons();
}
}

Molecular Logic: Biological Time Keeping

Going to give a seminar in the coming fortnight. We were given the freedom of choosing our topic. This topic hunt was something that I enjoyed.

I was reading a book 'Fly' - in which drosophila has been glorified as 'the' tool of molecular biology research. I stumbled upon a chapter on circadian clocks and got hooked. Drosophila apparently is the ideal model to study molecuar logic of circadian clocks.

The clock basically consists of three modules - the light input component, the oscillator and the output component. I am especially fascinated by biological light sensors, the first component. The idea that a clock can be implemented using transcriptional feed-back loops is really interesting, the second component. The role of the clock in organismal behaviour, the third component, immediately implies that this clock is not just another clock but an important control in organismal behaviour.

It seems that even a single aspect of this little insect, its clock, has a lot to offer. I should'nt have any problem gathering material for my upcoming 1 hr. speech.

Following is one of the interesting links I found on the web:
http://www.scienceden.com/mbiology/research/circadian

P.S.: The flash on this site is very helpful. As someone important has said "If a picture is worth a 1000 words what do you say about a moving picture !"

H'ppy B'day 2 Me

I feel good tarara ra ra ra...

Went to the Institute. Had no lectures today. Just had a stupid practical - Biuret Qualitative Analysis. Distributed Perk XL to buddies.
Came home. Mom had made mango and strawberry ice-cream. Enjoyed four scoops.
I really feel special.

Its good to be me.

Tom's Favorite Quotes and Mine Too

I was on a Google spree. Stumbled upon his really awesome collection of quotes.
Its a must read.
Tom's Favorite Quotes

P.S. Dont forget to listen to:

• fennyman's voice
• "Back off man, I am a scientist" - Ghostbusters. [ lmao ]

'Sound' Synthesis

I was thinking of an approach to do synthesis of sound - 'synthesis of voice' to be precise.

I have made few basic assumptions upon which the sound synthesis approach will be based. They are -

• speech is not continuous but it is made up of discreet elements.
• each individual has his own 'library of sound elements' from which s/he assembles speech.
• a library has one atrribute - number of elements (size).
• each element also has one attribute - the sound (note) which we hear.
• the libraries of any two individuals are of same size and contain the same types of notes.
• two analogous notes from any two different libraries differ only slightly so as to accomodate the fact that no two voices are same.
  

More to come ...

Such Extravagance! I know

*
Shopping Spree ... Went shopping for a Nokia 6600 for Rajas.

* Courtesy Rajas's 6600. Of course, Rajas is behind the lens.