dagblog - Comments for "Epic Epigenetics"

Several articles on how we

PeraclesPlease — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 18:28:54 +0000

In reply to To split the difference, it's

Several articles on how we don't have the energy to build the super exascale machines we want to build for about a decade, though that doesn't stop China & US from building hundreds of petaflops and million core machines in the meantime.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/data_centre/hpc/

So I suppose our computers

Anonymous Trope — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 02:52:24 +0000

In reply to You wrote: I meant to say

So I suppose our computers can accurately predict the weather for a single location one week from today?

But the problem you face is that with all of the datasets you have, the future experiences that will influence the individual cannot be included. How these unknown variables will cascade through the unfolding expression cannot be predicted simply because the variables are ultimately unknowable.

We are talking about here specifically sexual orientation. Looking at the genetic makeup of a newborn, there is no way to look at how 21 years of experience will play out. I am reminded of the scene from Annie Hall.

The camera shows the full classroom, the students sitting behind their desks, 
the teacher standing in the front of the room.  One at a time, the young 
students rise u from their desks and speak.

				1ST BOY 
		I'm president of the Pinkus Plumbing Company.

				2ND BOY 
		I sell tallises.

				3RD BOY 
		I used to be a heroin addict.  Now I'm a 
		methadone addict. 

				2ND GIRL 
			I'm into leather.

Creature from the Black

Anonymous PP — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 20:01:29 +0000

In reply to From your link: The plan is

Creature from the Black Lagoon? Swamp Thing? Makes me think of Mono Lake.

From your link: The plan is

EmmaZahn — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 17:50:52 +0000

In reply to In the case of pollution, we

From your link:

The plan is to stick these machines in the vicinity of factories and power plants to absorb the waste carbon dioxide and turn it into ethanol.

Not a bad plan as climate change boondoggles go. I wonder if they plan to market home versions or would they, like home stills, be illegal. Not that my interest in acquiring one is ethanol related. It is just that many schemes to deal with CO2 accumulations like pumping the gas into deep cold waters or abandoned mines worry me way more than climate change. What happens if or when seismic activity cause multiple Lake Nyos?

To split the difference, it's

PeraclesPlease — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 16:40:10 +0000

In reply to You wrote: I meant to say

To split the difference, it's possible that scientists would come up with even more complex models if & when big data processing and analysis is even faster, more scalable and cheaper. We're still early on the curve of some of these models & computational approaches, and paying the early days premium. In 5, 10, 20 years...

You wrote: I meant to say

tmccarthy0 — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 15:35:23 +0000

In reply to I meant to say that even our

You wrote:

I meant to say that even our best computers can't deal with all of the variables involved in the unfolding of genetic expression.

That simply isn't true. And while I am loathe to get into a discussion about biomedical computational research with anyone on this website, genetic research uses exactly that type of modeling in genome research. And our best computers are more than able to handle this type of modeling and analysis using giant datasets.

Computational genome research is based on the use of probabilistic graphical models such as Bayesian networks, influence diagrams, and Markov decision processes.

Our current methodologies are enhanced by the power of computers today, which handle giant datasets, with billions of lines of information and are quite capable of modeling the large datasets produced by computational genome research. What is lacking in computational genome research is adequate funding.

In the case of pollution, we

PeraclesPlease — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 07:00:30 +0000

In reply to One huge problem in this

In the case of pollution, we moved a lot of our industry (and therefore pollution) to Mexico and China. Some cleanup as well. I remember the yellow smog over LA in the early 80's, quite horrid.

But what happens when all those cars on the LA freeway are electric, when every building has a seriously efficient solar array?

And what happens when these Jap chaps perfect light bombing the atmosphere to turn CO2 into alcohol? The future possibilities are intoxicating.

I meant to say that even our

Anonymous trope — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 02:08:22 +0000

In reply to The first thing that comes to

I meant to say that even our best computers can't deal with all of the variables involved in the unfolding of genetic expression. I hate communicating through my phone.

The first thing that comes to

Anonymous trope — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 02:04:08 +0000

In reply to Epic Epigenetics

The first thing that comes to mind is chaos theory sensitive dependence on initial conditions. The expression of the plethora of interacting genetic factors with the environment just within the first year of life is something even the most complex computer could handle. Whether sexual orientation or otherwise, we contain all of potential expressions in us.

One huge problem in this

Richard Day — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 23:22:22 +0000

In reply to Epic Epigenetics

One huge problem in this universe of intellectual diversification is that the 'we' really knows nothing.

So we read tomes written by experts who have studied some subject for ten, twenty, and thirty years and we usually have difficulty even discerning the conclusions.

And there is usually some monetary factor involved when an 'expert' publishes his/her findings. I mean a geneticist can hardly expect funding if he/she contended that there was no certainty in the research universe or if he/she began criticizing the large agriculture concerns.

I have stated several times that I have no idea whether or not 'mankind' is a substantial contributing factor in global warming and I have no idea what steps 'mankind' can take to abate the situation or at least ease the warming a bit.

But, I recall when smog was a lot heavier in the Twin Cities. And the air is cleaner than it was fifty years ago.

Cleaner air and cleaner water would certainly be a byproduct of the processes proposed by the global warming lobbyists. So how could a carbon tax not help our environment?

When President Obama had the auto industry by the short hairs he forced new regulations upon that industry. Better mileage and cleaner exhaust fumes certainly help the situation.

A truly renaissance man must remain in the era of the Renaissance!

As you point out however, when you stand back from the picture there are strange and wonderful things on out there in just about every area of study in science today.

And this fact is truly exciting.