Sunday, January 23, 2011

Gene Ontology

A major bioinformatics initiative to unify the representation of gene and gene product attributes across all species:


Gene Ontology (GO)

The Gene Ontology project provides an ontology of defined terms representing gene product properties. The ontology covers three domains: cellular component, the parts of a cell or its extracellular environment; molecular function, the elemental activities of a gene product at the molecular level, such as binding or catalysis; and biological process, operations or sets of molecular events with a defined beginning and end, pertinent to the functioning of integrated living units: cells, tissues, organs, and organisms.

For example, the gene product cytochrome c can be described by the molecular function term oxidoreductase activity, the biological process terms oxidative phosphorylation and induction of cell death, and the cellular component terms mitochondrial matrix and mitochondrial inner membrane.

The GO ontology is structured as a directed acyclic graph, and each term has defined relationships to one or more other terms in the same domain, and sometimes to other domains. The GO vocabulary is designed to be species-neutral, and includes terms applicable to prokaryotes and eukaryotes, single and multicellular organisms. [source: GeneOntology.org: An Introduction to the Gene Ontology]

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Saturday, January 22, 2011

Mixx

A user-driven social media web site, started in 2007, which serves to help users submit or find content by peers based on interest and location; it combines social networking and bookmarking with web syndication, blogging and personalization tools:


Mixx

Mixx (A user-driven social media web site, started in 2007, which serves to help users submit or find content by peers based on interest and location; it combines social networking and bookmarking with web syndication, blogging and personalization tools)

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PNAS

The official scientific journal of the United States National Academy of Sciences, printed since 1915, publishes highly cited research reports, reviews, perspectives, feature articles, etc. of the Academy:

PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences)

Click on any of the following pictures to navigate to PNAS website.


PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences)

PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences)

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Note: The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) is an honorific society of distinguished scholars engaged in scientific and engineering research, dedicated to the furtherance of science and technology and to their use for the general welfare. [source: The National Academy of Sciences (NAS)]

NAS (the National Academy of Sciences)
The National Academy of Sciences (NAS)

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Maserati

An Italian luxury car manufacturer whose emblem is a trident:


Maserati

Maserati Emblem

See Maserati's models here:

Maserati website


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Oleg Antonov

A Soviet aircraft designer, the founder of a Ukrainian aircraft manufacturing and services company with particular expertise in the field of very large aircraft construction (later named in his honor):


Oleg Antonov

Oleg Antonov (1906-1984)
[image source: http://zakharov.2y.net/antonov.htm]

Oleg Antonov is the founder of Antonov Aeronautical Scientist/Technical Complex (Antonov ASTC), a Ukrainian aircraft manufacturing and services company with particular expertise in the field of very large aircraft construction; Antonov An-225 is the largest and heaviest aircraft in the world.


Antonov An-225


The Newest Kindle

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Sleep Apnea

A sleep disorder characterized by abnormal pauses in breathing or instances of abnormally low breathing during sleep:


Sleep Apnea (Sleep Apnoea in British English)

People with sleep apnea stop breathing for short periods of time while they are asleep. They generally don't wake up fully when this happens, but in the morning they feel exhausted and continue to feel sleepy during the day [source: University of Maryland Medical System: Sleep apnea].

There are two types of sleep apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common and is caused when your throat muscles relax, blocking your airway. The other type, central sleep apnea, is caused when your brain doesn' t send the right signals to the muscles that control your breathing. Some people have a combination of the two types, called complex sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a potentially serious condition and should be treated.

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Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Shaolin Kung Fu

A collection of Chinese martial arts that claim affiliation with a Chán Buddhist temple at Song Shan in China:


Shaolin Kung Fu


Shaolin Kung Fu
Shaolin Kung Fu (image sourcewww.chinapictures.org)

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Mount Song

One of the Five Sacred Mountains of Taoism, located in Henan province on the south bank of the Yellow River in China:


Mount Song (known in Chinese as Song Shan)

Mount Song (Song Shan)

Mount Song (Song Shan)

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Kung-fu

A Chinese term, borrowed into English, which refers colloquially to any individual accomplishment or skill cultivated through long and hard work:


Kung-fu

Note: Chinese martial arts, also referred to by the Mandarin Chinese term wushu and popularly as kung-fu are a number of fighting styles that have developed over the centuries in China.


Kung-fu
Kung-fu

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Sunday, January 9, 2011

FriendFeed

A real-time feed aggregator, acquired by Facebook in 2009, which consolidates the updates from social media and social networking websites, social bookmarking websites, blogs, micro-blogging updates, and any other types of RSS/ Atom feed:


FriendFeed

Website: http://www.friendfeed.com


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F-35 Lightning II

A family of single-seat, single-engine, fifth generation multirole fighters under development to perform ground attack, reconnaissance, and air defense missions with stealth capability, which will replace various tactical aircraft, including the US F-16, A-10, F/A-18, AV-8B and British Harrier GR7 and GR9s, and the Canadian CF-18:


Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II

F-35 Lightning II (source: F-35 Lightning II Product Brochure)

The F-35 Lightning II, also known as the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), integrates advanced very low observable stealth into a supersonic, highly agile 5th generation fighter. The capabilities built into the F-35 Lightning II provide the pilot with unprecedented situational awareness and unmatched lethality and survivability.

While each variant (F-35A, F-35B, F-35C) is uniquely designed to operate from different bases, all three variants set new standards in network-enabled mission systems, sensor fusion, supportability and maintainability.

The world’s most experienced aerospace industry leaders (Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, BAE Systems and the Fighter Engine Team—Pratt & Whitney and GE Rolls-Royce) combine sophisticated manufacturing, engineering and technological capabilities to develop the F-35 Lightning II. This, along with global partnerships, has been an integral part of the JSF Program. Setting the stage for reliability and maintainability, the F-35’s built-in sustainment establishes new levels of operational readiness and helps meet the needs across the spectrum of military operations.

With its host of next-generation technologies and unprecedented capabilities, the F-35 is the world’s most advanced multirole fighter. [source: Lockheed Martin: F-35 Lightning II]

Jon Beesley
Jon Beesley was the first person to fly the F-35 Lightning II and is the program’s chief test pilot.
(sourceF-35 Lightning II Updates)

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Bhutan

A landlocked country in South Asia, located at the eastern end of the Himalayas and bordered to the south, east and west by India and to the north by China:


Bhutan

Bhutan Flag

Bhutan Map (Improve Your General Knowledge in Leisure Time!)
Bhutan Map (Improve Your General Knowledge in Leisure Time!)
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sourceCentral Intelligence Agency

Background

In 1865, Britain and Bhutan signed the Treaty of Sinchulu, under which Bhutan would receive an annual subsidy in exchange for ceding some border land to British India. Under British influence, a monarchy was set up in 1907; three years later, a treaty was signed whereby the British agreed not to interfere in Bhutanese internal affairs and Bhutan allowed Britain to direct its foreign affairs. This role was assumed by independent India after 1947. Two years later, a formal Indo-Bhutanese accord returned the areas of Bhutan annexed by the British, formalized the annual subsidies the country received, and defined India's responsibilities in defense and foreign relations. A refugee issue of over 100,000 Bhutanese in Nepal remains unresolved; 90% of the refugees are housed in seven United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) camps. In March 2005, King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK unveiled the government's draft constitution - which would introduce major democratic reforms - and pledged to hold a national referendum for its approval. In December 2006, the King abdicated the throne to his son, Jigme Khesar Namgyel WANGCHUCK, in order to give him experience as head of state before the democratic transition. In early 2007, India and Bhutan renegotiated their treaty to allow Bhutan greater autonomy in conducting its foreign policy, although Thimphu continues to coordinate policy decisions in this area with New Delhi. In July 2007, seven ministers of Bhutan's ten-member cabinet resigned to join the political process, and the cabinet acted as a caretaker regime until democratic elections for seats to the country's first parliament were completed in March 2008. The king ratified the country's first constitution in July 2008.

Bhutan Large Map
Bhutan Map [Large] (Improve Your General Knowledge in Leisure Time!)
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Geography of Bhutan
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Bhutan - Location:

Southern Asia, between China and India

Bhutan - Geographic coordinates:

27 30 N, 90 30 E

Bhutan - Map references:

Asia

Bhutan - Area:

total: 38,394 sq km
country comparison to the world: 136
land: 38,394 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Bhutan - Land boundaries:

total: 1,075 km
border countries: China 470 km, India 605 km

Bhutan - Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Bhutan - Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Bhutan - Climate:

Current Weather
varies; tropical in southern plains; cool winters and hot summers in central valleys; severe winters and cool summers in Himalayas

Bhutan - Terrain:

mostly mountainous with some fertile valleys and savanna

Bhutan - Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Drangeme Chhu 97 m
highest point: Gangkar Puensum 7,570 m

Bhutan - Natural resources:

timber, hydropower, gypsum, calcium carbonate

Bhutan - Land use:

arable land: 2.3%
permanent crops: 0.43%
other: 97.27% (2005)

Bhutan - Irrigated land:

400 sq km (2003)

Bhutan - Total renewable water resources:

95 cu km (1987)

Bhutan - Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.43 cu km/yr (5%/1%/94%)
per capita: 199 cu m/yr (2000)

Bhutan - Natural hazards:

violent storms from the Himalayas are the source of the country's name, which translates as Land of the Thunder Dragon; frequent landslides during the rainy season

Bhutan - Environment - current issues:

soil erosion; limited access to potable water

Bhutan - Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Bhutan - Geography - note:

landlocked; strategic location between China and India; controls several key Himalayan mountain passes

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People of Bhutan

Population:

699,847
country comparison to the world: 164
note: the Factbook population estimate is consistent with the first modern census of Bhutan, conducted in 2005; previous Factbook population estimates for this country, which were on the order of three times the total population reported here, were based on Bhutanese government publications that did not include the census (July 2010 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 30.2% (male 106,410/female 102,164)
15-64 years: 64.3% (male 235,988/female 208,484)
65 years and over: 5.5% (male 20,169/female 17,926) (2010 est.)

Median age:

total: 24.3 years
male: 25 years
female: 23.7 years (2010 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.236% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 101


Birth rate:

19.62 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 95


Death rate:

7.25 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 124


Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
country comparison to the world: 88


Urbanization:

urban population: 35% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 4.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)


Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.13 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.12 male(s)/female
total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2010 est.)


Infant mortality rate:

total: 46.92 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 55
male: 47.8 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 45.99 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)


Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 66.71 years
country comparison to the world: 159
male: 65.89 years
female: 67.57 years (2010 est.)


Total fertility rate:

2.29 children born/woman (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 105


HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

less than 0.1% (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 113


HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

fewer than 100 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 162


HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA


Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: intermediate
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria
water contact disease: leptospirosis (2009)


Nationality:

noun: Bhutanese (singular and plural)
adjective: Bhutanese


Ethnic groups:

Bhote 50%, ethnic Nepalese 35% (includes Lhotsampas - one of several Nepalese ethnic groups), indigenous or migrant tribes 15%


Religions:

Lamaistic Buddhist 75%, Indian- and Nepalese-influenced Hinduism 25%


Languages:

Dzongkha (official), Bhotes speak various Tibetan dialects, Nepalese speak various Nepalese dialects


Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 47%
male: 60%
female: 34% (2003 est.)


School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 11 years
male: 12 years
female: 11 years (2008)


Education expenditures:

5.1% of GDP (2008)
country comparison to the world: 63

Bhutan - Google Map

People of Bhutan

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Saturday, January 8, 2011

Microsoft Surface

A multi-touch product by Microsoft developed as a software and hardware combination technology that allows users to manipulate digital content by the use of gesture recognition:


Microsoft Surface

Website: http://www.microsoft.com/surface/

Microsoft Surface
Microsoft Surface

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Persian

An Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages, widely spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and to some extent in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Bahrain:


Persian Language

Note 1: Farsi and Parsi are two local names for the Persian language.

Note 2: Dari (also referred to as Afghan Persian), in contemporary usage, refers to the dialects of modern Persian language spoken in Afghanistan.

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Silk Road

An extensive network of trade routes across Asian connecting East, South, and Western Asia with the Mediterranean world, North and Northeast Africa, and Europe:


Silk Road (also called Silk Routes)


Silk Road
(Image Sourcehttp://www.east-site.com)
Click here to see a large map!
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Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Valley of the Temples

An archaeological site in Agrigento (ancient Greek Akragas), Sicily, southern Italy; one of the most outstanding examples of Greater Greece art and architecture, and one of the main attractions of Sicily as well as a national monument of Italy, included in the UNESCO Heritage Site list:


Valley of the Temples (Valle dei Templi [Sicilian: Vaddi di li Tempri])

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The Temple of Ercole (Temple of Heracles) in Agrigente

Battle of Salamis

A naval battle fought between an Alliance of Greek city-states and the Achaemenid Empire of Persia in September 480 BC, marked the high-point of the second Persian invasion of Greece which had begun in 480 BC:


Battle of Salamis

Salamis started a decisive swing in the balance of power toward the Greeks, which would culminate in an eventual Greek victory, severely reducing Persian power in the Aegean. (source: Holland, Tom. Persian Fire. London: Abacus, 2005)

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WikiMapia

An online map and satellite imaging resource that combines Google Maps with a wiki system, allowing users to add information, in the form of a note, to any location on Earth:


WikiMapia

Website: http://www.wikimapia.org

WikiMapia
WikiMapia

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Saturday, January 1, 2011

Tron: Legacy

A 2010 American science fiction film directed by Joseph Kosinski and produced by Walt Disney Pictures which is a sequel to a 1982 film written and directed by Steven Lisberger:


Tron: Legacy

Tron


Plot (source: Wikipedia.org: Tron:_Legacy)
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In 1989, Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges), an innovative software engineer and the CEO of ENCOM International, disappears. Twenty years later, his son, Sam (Garrett Hedlund), who became the controlling shareholder after his father's disappearance, takes little interest in the company besides an annual practical joke on the board of directors. Sam is visited by his father's friend and ENCOM executive Alan Bradley (Bruce Boxleitner), who urges Sam to investigate a mysterious pager message originating from Flynn's old arcade. While exploring the arcade, Sam discovers a concealed computer laboratory and unintentionally transports himself to The Grid.
Sam is captured and taken to the game arena. He is eventually pitted against Rinzler, the champion of the games, who notices that Sam is not a program, but a User. Rinzler takes him before Clu, a digital copy of Sam's father who rules The Grid. Clu nearly kills Sam in a Light Cycle match before Quorra (Olivia Wilde) rescues him. Taken to a distant hideout "off-grid," Sam is reunited with his father, who reveals that Clu betrayed him and defeated Tron, seizing control of The Grid and forcing Kevin to remain in hiding. Clu also committed genocide against sentient "isomorphic algorithms" (ISOs), self-produced programs that carried the potential to unlock mysteries in science, religion, and medicine that Clu considered to be an imperfection. When the portal closed, Flynn became a captive inside his own creation until Sam re-opened it from the outside.
Resolving to make it back to the real world where he would be able to delete Clu, Sam makes his way back to The Grid, destined for the End of Line Club to find program called Zuse, whom he believes can provide safe passage to the portal. The club owner, Castor (Michael Sheen) is revealed to be Zuse and betrays Sam to Clu's guards. Though Kevin and Quorra arrive just in time to help Sam escape, Quorra is wounded in the process and Zuse steals Kevin's identity disc. Knowing the disc works as a master key to The Grid, Zuse attempts to negotiate with Clu but Clu simply takes it and destroys the club.
Stowing away on a transport ship, Kevin heals Quorra, who is revealed to be the last surviving ISO. The three unexpectedly arrive at a station aboard a massive warship. When Quorra allows Rinzler to capture her to serve as a distraction, Kevin recognizes Rinzler as a reprogrammed Tron. Clu addresses an army of troops, expressing his desire to enter the real world and reform it to his ideal of perfection.
Sam saves Quorra and retakes Kevin's disc. The trio then commandeer an aerial shuttle, pursued by Clu, his guards, and Rinzler using Light Jets. The three manage to shoot down the guards, and during the conflict, Rinzler regains the memories of his true identity as Tron. He declares that he "fights for the users", and deliberately collides with Clu's Light Jet, causing both of their vehicles to derezz. Rinzler falls into the Sea of Simulation, where the orange illumination on his armor reverts back to his original white. Clu uses Rinzler's spare baton to create another light jet, allowing him to arrive at the portal first. When Sam, Kevin and Quorra reach the portal, a scuffle ensues. Kevin sacrifices himself, re-integrating with Clu to ensure Sam and Quorra escape. The two merge and explode just as Sam and Quorra use Kevin's disc to transport through the portal returning to the real world.
Back in the basement of Flynn's Arcade, Sam saves a backup of The Grid onto his flash drive. He then meets Alan and tells him that he will start working at ENCOM, and, as the controlling interest shareholder, he will name Alan chairman of the board. Sam leaves with Quorra on his motorcycle, showing her the real world she has longed to see.

Tron Legacy (2010)

Video Games (source: Wikipedia.org: Tron:_Legacy)
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A tie-in video game, entitled Tron: Evolution, was released in December 2010. The story sits between the original Tron film and Tron: Legacy. Teaser trailers were released in November 2009, while a longer trailer was shown during the Spike Video Game Awardsi.

There was also a game for the iOS devices (iPhone, iPod, and iPad) called LightBike 1 and 2 and there was another game for the iOS devices (iPhone, iPod, and iPad) for the movie.

Disney commissioned N-Space to develop a series of multiplayer games based on Tron Legacy for the Wii console. Propaganda Games developed a single player adventure game for the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360.

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Disney XD

An American digital cable television channel, owned by the Disney-ABC Television Group division of The Walt Disney Company, launched on February 13, 2009:


Disney XD


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Click here to see the list of movies broadcast by Disney XD!

Click here to see the list of programs broadcast by Disney XD!