#Centrifugal Technique

[coquelicoq]

love kim dokja's non sequitur answer to people thinking he's into yoo joonghyuk: "i like women." okay? good for you?? quick question totally unrelated but have you heard of bisexuality.

[uberstrainer]

Advancing Cell Separation: Comprehensive Solutions for Leukocyte Enrichment and PBMC Isolation

This article explores the advanced cell separation technologies, highlighting the ready-to-use density gradient media for efficient isolation and enrichment of leukocytes and PBMCs from blood samples, which are crucial for immunological and clinical research.

Cell separation technology is a cornerstone of immunological and clinical research, enabling scientists to isolate specific cell populations from complex biological samples. pluriSelect offers a range of ready-to-use density gradient media designed for the precise and efficient isolation of various blood cell populations. These media facilitate single-step density gradient centrifugation, providing high yields and purity for downstream applications such as antibody cell separation, particle filtration, and cell culture.

Density Gradient Centrifugation: A Key Technique

Density gradient centrifugation is an essential method in cell separation technology. This technique separates cells based on their density by layering blood or other sample materials over a density gradient medium and subjecting them to centrifugal force. The cells stratify into distinct layers, allowing researchers to extract target cell populations with high purity.

PBMC-Spin®: Precision in PBMC Isolation

PBMC-Spin® is a density gradient medium with a density of 1.077 g/ml, optimized for isolating peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), including lymphocytes and monocytes, from fresh samples. This ready-to-use medium ensures efficient separation within 12 hours of sample collection. PBMC-Spin® is ideal for obtaining PBMCs for various research applications, including immunological studies and cell culture.

Leuko Spin: Enriching All Leukocytes

Leuko Spin is another innovative product designed for the enrichment of all leukocytes from fresh human peripheral blood or buffy coat. This sterile, ready-to-use medium allows for the isolation of mononuclear and polymorphonuclear cells through single-step density gradient centrifugation. When combined with PBMC-Spin® in a double gradient centrifugation process, Leuko Spin enables the simultaneous isolation and separation of granulocytes and PBMCs, providing high yield and purity. The enriched cells are suitable for a range of downstream applications, such as magnetic activated cell sorting (MACS) and stem cell research.

PBMC24+ Spin: Effective Isolation from Older Samples

For researchers working with blood samples older than 12 to 24 hours, PBMC24+ Spin is the recommended choice. This medium minimizes contamination with granulocytes and erythrocytes that typically increase over time. PBMC24+ Spin ensures high purity and yield, even 24 hours post-sampling, making it an excellent solution for isolating PBMCs from older samples. These cells can be used in various downstream applications, including MACS and stem cell research.

PLT Spin: Optimized for Platelets

PLT Spin Medium is specifically formulated for the isolation of platelets from fresh human peripheral blood. This ready-to-use, sterile medium facilitates high-yield platelet separation through single-step centrifugation, making it invaluable for research applications requiring pure platelet populations.

Monocyte Spin: Gentle Enrichment for Monocytes

Monocyte Spin Medium offers a gentle alternative to bead-mediated monocyte enrichment methods. This ready-to-use, sterile medium is designed for the isolation of monocytes from fresh peripheral blood or buffy coat, achieving purity levels of 60-80%, depending on the sample. Monocyte Spin is particularly suitable for downstream applications such as cell culture and differentiation, where maintaining cell integrity is crucial.

Customizable Density Solutions: HDSM and DDM Spin Medium Set

For researchers requiring tailored density gradients, pluriSelect provides the High Density Spin Medium (HDSM) and Density Diluent Medium (DDM) set. This set allows for the preparation of customized density working solutions for the enrichment of cells, bacteria, and other particles. By mixing HDSM with DDM, users can achieve densities between 1.0 and 1.1 g/ml, accommodating a wide range of sample types and isolation requirements.

Applications and Benefits

The enriched cell populations obtained using pluriSelect’s density gradient media are suitable for various applications, including:

Immunological Research: Isolating specific immune cell populations to study immune responses.

Stem Cell Research: Enriching stem cells for differentiation and proliferation studies.

MACS: Using magnetic beads to further purify specific cell types.

Cell Culture: Culturing isolated cells for in vitro studies.

In conclusion, pluriSelect’s comprehensive range of density gradient media supports efficient and precise cell separation, facilitating advancements in immunological and clinical research. These products enable researchers to achieve high yields and purity in their cell separation procedures, contributing to the development of targeted therapies and a deeper understanding of cellular biology.

[shantechni]

Mikey: stares as he wages a mental war with the falling debris and thinks of 128 ways of dodging the havoc and chasing down the centrifuge instead of jumping to the right

Leo: uses his special teleportation technique

Leo: "GET THE FU—"

[mysticstronomy]

WHAT IS THE INFORMATION PARADOX??

Blog#355

Wednesday, December 6th, 2023

Welcome back,

Afew years ago a team of chemists unboiled an egg. Boiling causes protein molecules in the egg to twist around one another, and a centrifuge can disentangle them to restore the original. The technique is of dubious utility in a kitchen, but it neatly demonstrates the reversibility of physics. Anything in the physical world can run both ways—it's one of the deepest features of the laws of physics, reflecting elemental symmetries of space, time and causality.

If you send all the parts of a system into reverse, what was done will be undone. The information required to wind back the clock is always preserved. Of course, undoing a process may be easy in simple systems but is less so in complex ones, which is why the egg unboiler was so nifty.

But there's a troubling exception: black holes. If a massive enough star collapses under its own weight, its gravity intensifies without limit and locks matter in its grip. Jump into one, and there's no going back. Merge two together, and you can't split them apart.

A black hole presents an almost completely featureless façade to the universe. Looking at it, you can't tell what fell in. The black hole does not seem to preserve information. This irreversibility, first appreciated by physicist David Finkelstein in 1958, was the earliest inkling of the black hole information paradox—“paradox” because how could reversible laws have irreversible effects? The paradox signaled a deeper disease in physicists' understanding of the world.

Scientists have many reasons to seek a grand unified theory of nature, but the information paradox is their most specific motivation, and it has guided their way when they have little else to go on.

At last, more than 60 years after this puzzle began to appear, physicists are seeing hope for a solution. In the year leading up to the pandemic and through the months of lockdown, a coalition of theorists took huge strides to understand the paradox—the most progress in decades, some say.

They bolstered the idea that black holes, despite appearances, are reversible, and they dissolved the official paradox. Physical theory is no longer at odds with itself. The work is contentious, though, and by its proponents' own admission, it is at best a starting point for a full explanation of black holes.

Until recently, most of the “progress” physicists have made on this paradox over the decades has consisted of realizing the problem is even harder than they'd thought. Finkelstein's original work left loopholes.

For one, it was based on Einstein's general theory of relativity, which physicists knew was not the full story, because it left out quantum effects. In the 1970s Stephen Hawking—in the work that made him a household name—took a first crack at including those effects. His calculations predicted that black holes slowly release energy. But this emission carries no information about whatever had fallen in, so it doesn't help wind back the clock.

If anything, the outgoing trickle of particles worsens the predicament. The black hole eventually empties itself of energy and evaporates away like a puddle on a summer's day. All the matter it imprisoned is not freed but wiped out of existence. Hawking's analysis elevated a general unease into a full-fledged crisis for physics.

Originally published on www.scientificamerican.com

COMING UP!!

(Saturday, December 9th, 2023)

"WHAT ARE WHITE DWARFS??"

[sifu-kisu]

Cutting Down Trees, Uprooting Roots, and Destroying Roots

Cutting Down Trees: This involves using a power chain and striking force, relying on dynamic acceleration.

Uprooting Roots: This uses lever and centrifugal forces, extending the lever to perform work.

Destroying Roots: This relies on stick, Jam, and centripetal forces, emphasizing close-range power exertion.

Most practical combat begins with power chain strikes, such as long-range kicks, close-range strikes, elbows, and knees in offense and defense. All martial arts schools emphasize such training, so we compare it to cutting down trees. Close combat, such as throwing, falling, and Qin Na, are body contact techniques categorized as uprooting and destroying roots. Many Kung Fu schools neglect these techniques, making them weak points in close-quarters combat.

Throwing is considered uprooting roots while falling is seen as destroying roots. I participated in the wrestling team at Taiwan’s Chien Guo High School for three years, where our coach was Chang Dongsheng. In the last century, Master Chang became famous for his unmatched wrestling skills with Baoding Quick Wrestling, earning him the nickname “Wrestling King.” Based on my understanding of wrestling, I’ll use Baoding wrestling as an example to briefly explain the characteristics of uprooting roots:

1. Quick Wrestling wins with fast and varied footwork, like a butterfly flitting about, making it difficult for opponents to cope. Grandmaster Chang was known for his "Butterfly" style.

2. When an opponent attacks, one can often use strength to guide them to the ground and use the reaction force to create deceptive techniques (also known as "dark hands" or "black hands").

3. When adjusting the angle of the opponent's resistance point to become a fulcrum, one can find a better point of application to form a lever and throw the opponent.

4. The lever should be long, and one’s body needs to control a large area of the opponent.

5. Use lightning-fast acceleration to trip the opponent and achieve the full effect.

Throwing techniques differ significantly from falling techniques. Throws often use centrifugal force, whereas falls rely on centripetal force. Throwing is like throwing a stone from a catapult while falling like stirring water into a whirlpool.

Falling techniques are centered around the spine and core muscles. By using active footwork to get close to the opponent and applying close-contact techniques like Baji Quan or Bagua Zhang, you direct the energy into the ground to destroy the opponent’s root. A famous anecdote about Great Master Li Shu Wen is that he practiced Sticking -Jamming against trees, eventually causing several trees to wither, so Grand Master Liu Yun Chiao referred to this type of force as "destroying roots."

Additionally, throwing techniques involve large, powerful movements, often using grips or breaking grips to control the opponent and make them lose balance. Falling techniques involve smaller, faster movements, usually starting with a power chain, then using close contact rolling to disrupt the opponent’s energy field and center of gravity, ensuring they cannot get up after falling, which is the true meaning of “destroying roots.”

In my lifetime, I have had the fortune of experiencing the throwing and falling techniques of Master Liu and Master Chang. When asked about their differences, I would say that Master Chang’s techniques felt direct, fast, and authoritative, while Master Liu’s techniques were enigmatic, smooth, and encompassing the earth. The former leans more towards uprooting roots, while the latter focuses more on destroying roots. I cannot describe it further in words; it’s like "drinking water—only you know if it’s cold or warm."

Both throwing and falling techniques are inseparable from Qin Na. The true meaning of Qin Na is not just joint locks, as commonly believed. The Chinese term "擒拿" (Qin Na) is two characters. “擒” means trying to catch a bird (chicken) with hands, and "拿" means to grasp firmly with both hands. Trying to catch a chicken is much more complex than simple grabbing. It includes techniques like separating tendons, misaligning bones, blocking energy flow in the body, cutting energy meridian along the limb, and pressure point strikes. Our book, Qin Na: Taking Control of Energy, co-authored with Arthur Schonfeld, provides a detailed explanation of Qinna techniques, accompanied by a DVD for demonstration and explanation.

Qin Na skills are not limited to standing techniques; ground techniques like Shaolin Di Gong (ground wrestling) and Dog Fist differ from the jiu-jitsu developed on mats and are suitable for street fights. With BJJ’s rise in popularity today, martial arts practitioners should study traditional ground techniques for emergencies.

Chinese traditional martial arts are diverse, encompassing long-range kicks, close-range strikes, Falling, Wrestling, and Qin Na techniques. This article merely highlights the comprehensive nature of conventional martial arts; whether one dedicates a long time to diligent practice depends on personal willingness.

伐樹，拔根，摧根

伐樹－動力鏈，打擊力，依靠動力加速度。

拔根－槓桿力，離心力。加長槓桿做功。

摧根－丹田力，向心力。強調貼靠發勁。

大部分的實戰是從動力鏈打擊開始：那就是遠踢，近打加肘膝等攻防技法。所有門派都重視這類訓練我無需多說，在此我們將它比做伐樹。而貼身摔跌加擒拿則歸類為拔根與摧根，往往是許多門派忽略的技法而成為零距離作戰時的弱點。

貼身的摔法是拔根而貼身的跌法為摧根。

我高中時參加台灣建國中學的摔角隊三年，當時我們的指導老師是常東昇。上個世紀常師以保定快跤摔遍全國無敵手成為家喻戶曉的摔跤王。基於對摔跤有某程度的了解，在此我以保定跤為例，簡單地說明拔根的特色：

1。快跤以快速及多變化的活步取勝，如穿花蛺蝶般地, 使對手無從應付。常師當年就有花蝴蝶的稱號。

2、 敌手来時舍己從人、 往往將来力傳於地。再利用上傳的反作用力，形成聲東擊西的暗手(或稱為黑手)。

3、 我將敌來手的抗力點稍轉角度成为我的支點。此时我慿感觉另找个最佳的施力點、形成槓杆將对方��倒。

4. 槓桿要長， 我的身體控制對方的面積要大。

5、 要用迅雷不及掩耳的加速度施絆子以竟全功。

跌法與摔法迥然不同， 摔多為離心力而跌則以向心力為主。摔似拋石，跌如漩渦。

跌法是以背脊與核心肌群為中心，由活步領身挨近敵人，再以如八極拳似的貼靠或八卦掌般的纏卷將此勁道導入地下，以摧敵之根。祖師李書文有個為人津津樂道的武林軼事：他常以貼靠樹木來練功， 竟然將多株樹靠到枯死， 這是劉雲樵師爺稱此種勁為“摧根”的由來。

此外，摔法的拔根動作大而威力強，多以抓把或破把來控制對方使其失去平衡， 跌法的摧根動作小，速度快，常從動力鏈開始，再以貼靠卷纏破壞對方氣場與重心，使對手倒地後無法起身， 那就是摧根的真正意義。

此生有幸曾領略過劉師與常師兩位大師的摔跌功力。 曾有人問到他倆的不同處。我的回答是被常師摔時，我可以很清楚的感覺他的勁道的冷脆，快速而霸氣凌人， 而劉師的則是莫測，圓滾又渾厚包容。前者拔根多於摧根，後者則摧根多過拔根。我無法以文字作更進一步描述。只能說 “如人飲水，冷暖自知”.

不論摔法或跌法都離不開擒拿，擒拿真正的含義不是一般人認為的反關節， 中文擒拿的“擒”是以手捉禽鳥(雞), ��拿”是合手, 即以兩手將之抓牢。其實擒比拿要複雜的多， 所以傳統擒拿包括： 分筋，錯骨， 閉氣，截脈， 點穴。我與學生Arthur Schonfeld. 共同著作的各類武術裡有 Qin Na：Taking Control of Energ一書對擒拿有詳細說明並附有光盤講解與示範。

中國的擒拿術不只是站立技，還有地面技如地躺門，狗拳等，與墊上發展的柔術不同，是適合街鬥的武術。當今BJJ 大行其道，功夫武者有必要研究傳統的地面技，以備不時之需。

中囯傳統武術琳瑯滿目， 但都脫離不了遠踢，近打，貼靠, 摔跌加擒拿。 此文只說明了傳統武術的全方位���，至於是否要花長時間苦心修煉，那就看個人的意願了。

[wildimaginationus]

JTTW: Demon Strike Back X Demon Slayer Part 2:

・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・Now, My friend gave me better ideas for the pilgrims' breaths, more personalized with their powers and personalities. ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・

Sun Wukong: 《Divine Monkey Breathing》

Battle Style: Combines agility and precision, evoking quick and precise movements inspired by a divine ape.

[Techniques]

First Form:《Golden Sky》Sun Wukong moves at breakneck speeds, allowing him to hit the enemy multiple times before they can react.

Second Form:《Ruyi Strike》A powerful strike using her magical staff, which extends and crushes her opponents from long distances.

Third Form:《Celestial Mirror》 A defensive technique where Sun Wukong uses reflections to create illusions of himself, confusing enemies. [Yes, inspired by Muichiro Tokito]

Fourth Form: 《Dawn Awakening》An explosive attack with Wukong's staff. With lightning speed, he delivers multiple strikes in an instant, as if channeling the first glimpse of dawn. The movements are almost impossible to follow, with bursts of light shining as the staff moves.

Fifth Form: 《Midnight Sun》Sun Wukong creates a blinding flash as he launches his staff at high speed, using the light as a distraction before appearing behind his opponent to attack. This move plays with the enemy's perception, making them believe they are in the dark when the real danger comes from the light.

Zhu Bajie: 《Breath of the Divine Boar》 Battle Style: Wild and destructive, Bajie moves unpredictably, charging at enemies with great force.

[Techniques]

First Form: 《Mountain Charge》A direct charge that devastates everything in its path, crushing demons with its brute force.

Second Format: 《Fury Unleashed》Bajie enters a state of frenzy, increasing his speed and strength at the cost of his own stamina.

Third Form: 《Mountain Impact》 Bajie swings his weapon with overwhelming downward force, as if he were crushing his enemies with the weight of a mountain. The blow causes the ground beneath his feet to shake and crack.

Fourth Form: 《Underground River》 A defensive technique, where Bajie uses his strength to deflect attacks by stabbing his weapon into the ground, creating a shockwave that knocks his enemies backwards. This technique can block almost any attack and stabilize its surroundings.

Fifth Form: 《Earth Erosion》Bajie strikes the ground with such force that it causes seismic movement, causing the earth beneath his enemies' feet to crumble, collapsing its stability. Opponents lose balance, making them easier to eliminate.

Sandy/Sha wujing 《Breath of the Mystic River》

Battle Style: Fluid and adaptable, his movements mimic the currents of the river, allowing him to attack and defend with calculated elegance.

[Techniques]

First Form《 Smooth Flow》Sandy moves like water, dodging attacks while counterattacking precisely.

Second Form 《Overwhelming Current》A continuous attack where its blows mimic a flood, overwhelming opponents and trapping them in a flurry of blows.

Third Form: 《Whirlpool of the Abyss》 Sandy spins his weapon at high speed, creating a whirlpool of water around him. This defensive whirlwind repels attacks and flings enemies back. Centrifugal force can disarm nearby enemies.

Fourth Form: 《Choking Tide》A more aggressive technique in which Sandy surrounds her opponent with quick and accurate movements, attacking from all directions as if the enemy were being swept away by an uncontrollable current. As the technique progresses, the pressure increases, suffocating the enemy.

Fifth Form: 《Storm of the Immortal Ocean》 In his most powerful form, Sandy summons a storm of aquatic energy that surrounds him as he attacks. Each blow launches blasts of water that hit with the force of a destructive wave, devastating everything within reach.

[ssudas]

Techniques and craftmanship methods require for Jewelry making

Jewelry making involves a wide range of techniques and craftsmanship methods, each requiring specific skills, tools, and materials. Here are some of the most common techniques used in jewelry making, whether for handmade artisanal pieces or mass-produced collections:

Hand Fabrication

Sawing: Using a jeweler’s saw to cut metal sheets into desired shapes.

Filing & Sanding: Smoothing and refining metal surfaces or edges after cutting.

Soldering: Using heat to melt solder (a metal alloy) to join pieces of metal, such as attaching clasps, links, or settings.

Forging: Shaping metal by hammering it to create texture, thin it out, or curve it.

Polishing: Using buffing machines, wheels, or cloth to achieve a high-shine finish on the metal.

Casting

Lost Wax Casting: A mold is created from a wax model, which is then melted and replaced with molten metal. This is one of the oldest techniques used for making detailed metal jewelry pieces.

Centrifugal & Vacuum Casting: Used to ensure the molten metal flows evenly into the mold, minimizing air bubbles and imperfections.

Stone Setting

Prong Setting: Small metal prongs are used to hold a gemstone in place. Common for engagement rings.

Bezel Setting: A metal rim encircles the gemstone to hold it securely.

Pavé Setting: Multiple small gemstones are set closely together, often giving the illusion of a continuous surface of stones.

Channel Setting: Gemstones are set between two strips of metal, allowing for a seamless, smooth look.

Flush Setting: The gemstone is set flush with the metal surface, offering a sleek and modern aesthetic.

Gypsy Setting: Similar to flush setting but usually involves a hammered finish around the gemstone, used for bold, simple designs.

Engraving & Embellishment

Hand Engraving: Using sharp tools to carve intricate patterns or designs into metal surfaces.

Laser Engraving: A modern technique that uses lasers to create detailed engravings or inscriptions, often used for personalization.

Etching: Using acid or other chemicals to corrode the surface of the metal in specific patterns, creating a textured or detailed design.

Filigree

Wire Work: Fine wires of gold or silver are twisted and shaped into intricate designs, often with lace-like appearances. This technique requires high precision and is often used in traditional jewelry.

Enameling

Cloisonné: Small cells or compartments are created with metal wire, which are then filled with enamel (colored glass powder) and fired to create vibrant patterns.

Champlevé: Enamel is applied into recessed areas of metal, then fired to create a colored design.

Plique-à-Jour: A transparent enamel technique that allows light to shine through, giving a stained-glass effect.

Hammering & Texturing

Chasing: A technique where the surface of the metal is hammered from the front to create patterns or designs.

Repoussé: The reverse of chasing, where the metal is hammered from the back to create a raised design.

Texturing: Using different hammers, stamps, or other tools to create a variety of surface textures, such as hammered, brushed, or matte finishes.

Wirework

Wire Wrapping: Jewelry made from twisting and wrapping wire into shapes and loops, often around gemstones, beads, or crystals.

Weaving & Knotting: Using wire or string to weave intricate patterns, often incorporating beads or small stones.

Beadwork

Stringing: Threading beads, pearls, or gemstones onto a string or wire to create necklaces or bracelets.

Knotting: Tying knots between beads (commonly pearls) to ensure they don’t rub against each other and for added strength.

Loom Beading: Using a loom to weave tiny seed beads into patterns for bracelets, necklaces, or other accessories.

Electroforming

Metal Coating: This is a process where a base material (such as a wax or organic object) is coated with a metal layer through electroplating. It’s commonly used for creating lightweight, hollow jewelry pieces.

CNC & 3D Printing

CNC Machining: This computerized technique is used to carve precise patterns and designs into metal or wax, enabling intricate designs that are difficult to achieve by hand.

3D Printing: Used for prototyping or creating complex designs, 3D printing involves creating a wax or resin model layer by layer, which can then be cast in metal using traditional techniques.

Inlay & Marquetry

Stone Inlay: Stones, such as turquoise or lapis lazuli, are cut into thin pieces and inserted into metal grooves to create decorative designs.

Wood or Shell Inlay: Wood, shell, or other non-metal materials are inlaid into metal surfaces to create intricate designs or mosaics.

Embossing & Stamping

Stamping: Using metal stamps or dies to create patterns or letters on the surface of a piece.

Embossing: Using pressure to raise designs on metal surfaces, creating a three-dimensional effect.

Granulation

Beading Technique: Small metal beads or granules are applied to the surface of a piece and soldered to create intricate designs, often used in ancient and traditional jewelry styles.

Soldering & Welding

Soldering: Used to join metal pieces together with the help of solder and heat.

Laser Welding: A modern technique using laser technology to weld small or delicate pieces of metal together, often for intricate repairs.

Pearl & Bead Setting

Knotting: Hand-knotting is used in pearl necklaces to separate each pearl and add durability.

Glue Setting: Some beads and pearls are set using adhesives, especially in designs where drilling holes isn't practical.

By mastering these techniques and methods, jewelry makers can produce pieces ranging from simple, minimalist designs to complex, ornate creations. The choice of technique depends on the desired aesthetic, materials used, and the skill level of the jeweler.

[rathologic]

it’s me again! thank you so much for your response on my first ask!

so, my next question is this: what does the Town do for more, like, advanced medical stuff? because you don’t need high tech for some ailments, such as stitching wounds and setting bones, and a few illnesses can be made out just through visible symptoms.

but what about things like stomach pumping? X-rays? stuff like that? would the Town have it, or would that be too “modern”?

i know the Town has IVs (at least, i think those were IVs in P2), and Rubin seems to have a bit of a more “modern” look to his lab, but i’m not sure how far that “modernness” extends.

I generally go by "if the doctors in Town aren't using it under the critical circumstances in-game, it doesn't exist" - the bachelor points out that he doesn't have adequate instrumentation, and the haruspex was sent out of the town to study modern techniques in the first place. the Town is also pre-electric so that's not a point in favor of complex equipment... here's my review of stuff that we Can find

the Haruspex has an alembic, which is used for distillation, and another thing - a brewing tank in 2, but its patho1 equivalent looks more like another kind of separatory device (note the spouts at differing heights) and its tooltip is just [Mixture]. I would guess this is rockable along the support rod, used 2 mix or separate fluids

isidor's house doesn't have much of any equipment but this second thing, which I can't quite place - it also looks like a separatory device but is hand-cranked. (alembic pic also inserted so it's not huge)

medical equipment provided in 2's theatre is overwhelmingly "tins of unknown substance" which are likely to reflect the prevalence of herbal medicines. & yeah, these are IVs formed from what looks like a waterskin and needle (of absurd gauge! mamma mia! I hope it's just that large so it shows up on the game screen)

I was surprised while checking locations for this that rubin's crappy p2 hideout has literally no instrumentation, he has a bonesaw and a water pump and a couple of cans/packages laying around. afaik he doesn't even make the vaccine in p2 which tracks with that :-( but in p1, he has visible a microscope, scale, sealable fluid tanks, and a variety of glassware: test tubes with racks, and stoppered Erlenmeyer and cylindrical flasks of multiple sizes. which is a lot more than dankovsky has (only a microscope + tubes). speaking of microscopes, the way their UI works in-game confirms that blood samples are not centrifuged so a lot of modern techniques aren't going to be applicable.

anyway for advanced stuff I think people just died unfortunately.

[buggbuzz]

You should be allowed to kill during the exam. Just 1 person

this is actually really funny cause it's reminding me of how the professor said she added a couple problems just because my friend kept asking her specific questions

and everyone turned to look at him and he was just like "...everyone gets one kick 😞" LMAOOOO

anyways the exam wasn't objectively terrible, it was lowkey my fault for letting my stardew fixation get in the way, but wow talk about a thorough ass test! the short response wanted a full flow chart of the process of RT-PCR (with enzymes and temperatures) and the long response wanted a full explanation of how i would synthesize a hormone (EPO) excreted from the human kidney that required glycosylation with thorough details on how each step and technique worked and why i picked them 😭😭😭

i actually got a perfect score on the short response and almost a perfect score on the long response but i was so unsure of how exactly cloning worked and didnt wanna say something false that i glossed over that which cost me 8/10 points for that part💔💔

since i really wanna talk abt this tho cause im lowkey proud of what i came up with:

since a human hormone is probably produced by a pretty large gene i'd want something bigger than a regular plasmid or bacteriophage. since i need proteins to be produced, a cosmid or ti vector are also off the table (because the viral capsid and plant cell wall would greatly interfere with extraction), and since i need a post-translational modification (glycosylation) performed i need a eukaryotic vector, eliminating bacterial artificial chromosomes (BACs), which leaves the best vector as a yeast artificial chromosome (YAC).

then, because i figured if any gene was gonna have alternative gene splicing it was gonna be the one for some fancy human hormone that regulates blood synthesis, i wanted to extract an mRNA transcript (if i'd just said i would isolate it from a pig kidney or smth i would've gotten more points😭😭😭) that i'd then synthesize cDNA for through RT PCR to eliminate any introns.

since that was like 90% of what i could guess was necessary without more information about EPO or yeast transformation, i kinda just picked random extraction, chromatography, and verification techniques for the rest of it. i said i'd assume that the yeast would excrete the protein like the kidney cells would, meaning i'd just extract the buffer, use some salts to dehydrate the buffer so the hydrophobic proteins would clump together, centrifuge it to make them collect into a pellet, use size-exclusionary chromatography to isolate the presumably-large EPOs from the other proteins, then use X ray crystallography to verify the protein extracted was indeed EPO. i really wanted to mention western blotting but i wasn't very sure of how i'd describe it beyond the double antibody thing (which i LOVE) so i didnt wanna risk it lol.

[charmcoin]

Actually & another thing my lab partner for this course is actually pretty chill and i think we get along well (unlike my partner for freshman biochem lab FUCK HER) but sometimes he will like. ok not really mansplain per se but maybe say something condescending that implies that he knows more about what we're doing than me and like i get that he's been in a lab and done a lot of the techniques we're doing before but so have i and like i know he means well but at the same time it is not my first day on earth and i know how to fucking centrifuge cells thanks so much. like there are some things he has more experience with than me which i am grateful for because i don't really work with solid media i only culture with liquid in flasks etc but at the same time i have been doing cell work regularly for like a year and a half man like i know what i'm doing

[swampstew]

What's the Magic Word?

Chapter 15: Oh Shit!

Smut in this chapter and also mentions of pregnancy, if that makes you uncomfortable I'm sorry but it will span for at least another chapter.

Also taking some liberties on Kid's background. If you think you recognize the tiny descriptor of his father, send an ask with your guesses :3

For three weeks the Kid Pirates sailed the New World exploring for their next destination. Surprisingly, they had come across zero small islands or territories along the way and the crew was feeling cagey.

Kid spent his time ordering them to do chores or to fuck off; in between that time, he would work with Rowena in his workshop to build a desalination tank, which with a lot of elbow grease and cursing, was completed. Rowena’s job was to fill the tank with sea water when it was empty, then the machine would mimic her centrifuge technique to pull the salt from the water, and then it was filtered and mixed with minerals to balance the flavor. When finished, the water was usable and drinkable for the crew.

Not only that, she helped him build a solar powered wash n’ dry machine so the pirates could routinely clean their clothes and sheets; something they had severely lacked before she came aboard.

Rowena split her time between chores, engineering, and magic; she even began helping more in the galley as she had some excellent recipes she learned from her own crew and culture that she wanted to share. Kid had loved and praised every single one; so did the crew yet she only felt her stomach flutter when the Captain would speak on it.

There were some tense times between them; like the first day he had walked into his cabin for a quick shower and had found the Witch marking his floors with chalk creating a giant pentagram. He hadn’t been upset about that in particular, no it was the abundant drawings of red eyes that made him feel uneasy. And that they were tacked up on his walls put him in a grumpy mood.

She had taken them down but he was curious, and maybe a little jealous, about why she was constantly drawing the eyes. He was also confused by the weird characters she was studying – but he said nothing. In fact, he would encourage her studies and sit back and monitor her practice occasionally, strictly to ensure no other explosions went off, he had told her.

To his delight – not that he would openly admit it – Rowena had been spending a lot of time in his room and had been going out of her way to speak with him or generally hang out around him again. It was a slow process but by the third week it was almost like old times again. For that he was grateful.

Rowena had forgiven him a while back but she had been cautious about letting him back in. She didn’t want to admit it to herself but she cared for Kid. After their mutual apologies and time apart, she had missed him to the point it would keep her up at night. She would wage war in her mind: justifying her reasons for keeping him at bay; and yet a part of her needed him, wanting the intimacy they shared back. Desperately.

Rowena didn’t understand how the Supernova managed to worm his way into her brain, and in such a short period too. She didn’t understand why she…liked…a man like Kid. A man who was feral, kind of scary and aggressive in everything he did; a man she also really enjoyed spending time with and actually had fun with, occasionally. For those conflicting reasons, she held herself back. She was afraid he would hurt her again, and he probably would too.

But like any average human beings: both craved each other and those urges would manifest one way or another. For Kid – that meant unrelenting sex dreams again. To make it worse better, the dreams were no longer faceless; Kid got to escape to a wonderful reality in his dreams where he could happily fuck Rowena without any consequences or awkward feelings. At least this time he had the wash n’ dry machine so he could clean his sheets with ease. Feeling proud that he got in and out before anyone caught him using it excessively.

For Rowena, her urges manifested in big hoe energy. During the third week at sea, she had begun wearing certain outfits when she would be around Kid. The looks he would give her would rile her up. What she did not intend or expect do though, was infiltrate Kid’s dreams. One night she had been trying to sleep, uncomfortably horny, and she began to think of Kid while she pleasured herself when she suddenly found herself in an active sex dream with the Supernova.

It had felt so real…too real, as real as the disappointment when she came alone in her bed. She wasn’t sure at first if the incident was real, was he even dreaming about her in those ways? A quick examination of her body showed no marks but she could physically feel the stretch and soreness of all her muscles. The following morning she watched Kid, from her position in the crow’s nest, sneaking his sheets in the wash n’ dry machine just before dawn and she knew. And it happened for several days straight.

On the 20th day at sea, Rowena decided to try to bridge the intimacy gap. Whether she was just incredibly horny or touch-starved for his affections, it mattered not – she couldn’t stand the empty feeling any longer.

In the late afternoon after she made sure he would be tinkering in his workshop, Rowena sat in his room and started working on sound barrier spells. By the time Kid came into his room, he did not see the Witch, but he saw that his room had been in use. Rowena had even tidied his desk and made his bed. He smiled to himself and began undressing, eager to wash himself after metal working.

Entering his bathroom, he saw that the ofuro tub had already been filled and even topped with bubbles, the bathroom was nice and steamy. This was one of those moment where Kid was eternally grateful he had outfitted his bathroom with the huge tub. All he wanted was to relax his body without the threat of drowning. He stepped down the wooden steps and let his body sink, enjoying the scalding heat on his body.

He leaned his head back and let out a huge sigh. He thought he felt something tickle his foot but paid it no mind at first, until the touch become unbearable. He opened his eyes, moving his foot around, and he watched with shocked eyes as Rowena popped up from under the water.

Her hair covered her face. “I’m sorry I didn’t think you’d be back now,” huge, lavender eyes peeked shyly from under wet hair. He didn’t say anything, just gulped. All his blood rushed south.

“You been in here long?”

“No, I just got in a few minutes ago. Had an intense day with spellbinding.”

“Hope you don’t mind then; I’ve also had an intense day. And I’m melded to the seat.” She nodded; eyes locked with his.

“Kid?”

He grunted at her with his eyebrow cocked. Rowena began to rise as she moved towards him, he couldn’t help but ogle at her glistening tits and hips as she stood in front of him, water droplets lazily running down her curves.

“Do you still find me attractive?”

He nodded slowly, he felt like he was suffocating.

“Then, can you…can you touch me?”

“Are you sure?” his hands trembled under the water.

Rowena nodded, standing in between his legs now. Kid raised his hands and cupped her tits, giving them a gentle squeeze and she closed her eyes, letting out a quiet moan. He reached up to wrap one hand around the back of her neck, the other moved to her waist; he pulled her close and crushed his lips against hers. The sound she made when he kissed her woke a beast inside him.

He picked her up and made her straddle his lap, his hands rushed back to her chest greedily kneading her breasts as he devoured her mouth. Rowena responded with a ferocious need too, pulling his hair roughly as she pushed her body into his, desperately seeking his cock with her lower half. It took exactly three seconds, his cock pushed against her inner thigh. She groaned into his mouth, diving a hand under the water. She gripped his length, Kid moaned loudly into her mouth as she pumped him. He felt like putty in her hands; it had been too long since she had touched him and he needed her now more than ever.

He rose from the water, carrying her body against his as she continued jacking him off. He laid her on the cool bathroom tile, kissing her torso. Kid wrapped his hand around hers, together they fisted his cock.

“Ro’ I need you. Fuck I can’t take it anymore; I need you to be mine again!”

She let out a gasp as she bucked her hip upwards, grinding against his stiff length. “Kid, I want you so badly. I’ve missed your touch, I’ve missed being with you! I want to be yours again, please, please, fill me up.”

That was all he needed. He guided his cock to her entrance and thrusted himself in until his pelvis was flushed against hers. Her body rocked forward, back arching upwards, hands splayed on the floor as she let out a throaty moan.

The sight was burned in his mind. Kid began to pull out, seeing his cock glisten with her wetness; he couldn’t keep himself in check anymore. He gripped Rowena’s hips with bruising intensity and began fucking into her with insatiable need and speed. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, screaming out in pleasure and desperation. She didn’t realize just how hollow she had felt, how much she needed his cock to fill her up for her to feel whole again. Rowena wrapped her legs around his waist, angling him in deeper and she could see stars in her vision.

Kid let out guttural growls as he pumped himself into her, he was going to lose himself very quickly. He could slow down and enjoy her, to tease her and drag out their pleasure, but he had one goal at the moment: to fuck her until she milked him dry and he needed it right the fuck now. He was about to get his wish. Rowena’s voice got louder as she moaned and cried in ecstasy, he could feel her walls clenching down even tighter.

“Ahh, Kid, I’m gonna, I’m gonna cum all over your cock,” she whimpered, breathless.

“Yes baby cum for me, squeeze my cock with your ecstasy,” he grunted over her, quickening his pace, slamming his hips harder against her.

Rowena’s body arched up, molding into his body as she screamed his name, her walls clenching him so tightly he stopped breathing but he didn’t dare stop thrusting in and out of her. Her pussy throbbed and pulsed on his cock and he let go; he came groaning her name as he laid his head on her mouthwatering tits, spilling his seed inside his woman with deep thrusts. They stilled, holding each other close as they caught their breaths.

His Witch cupped his face, making him look at her. “Again,” she whispered, pupils dilated and leaving a sliver of lavender.

Without pulling out, he picked her body up and brought her into the water once more. Before he even had a chance to sit on the steps, Rowena was already bouncing up and down his sensitive shaft. He let her do the work this time as he enjoyed the sensations on his cock.

Kid let his head hang back as she assaulted his neck with kisses and bites. Her every touch imprinted on his skin, he felt like he was being electrified in small doses. It didn’t take long for Rowena to build up her next orgasm as she lifted herself up and down, the feeling of fire – sheer white heat was pooling in her body, reaching down to her toes.

She was bouncing on him so hard and fast she was almost vibrating. Her hips bucked wildly, grinding down on him, her breasts flushed against his chest – she came again, crying out in pleasure; Kid wanted to frame a photo of her face in pure ecstasy.

She began to slow down but he couldn’t have that. He gripped her hips and lifted her up and down, once more bouncing her on his cock. Smirking at her whimpering and gasps, he bit down on her neck and she stifled a shriek.

He held her there as he bucked himself into her. Her attempts to manhandle him were met with pinning her limbs as he thrusted into her core. He didn’t stop his jackhammering until he came again; cum mixing in the water from his relentless thrusting.

Laying her head on his shoulder, her body slumped against his as he finished and relaxed with her. They stayed like that as the tub drained. Untangling herself from him, she wrapped her body in a towel; Kid scooped her up and carried her to bed. He wasn’t done with her, not by a long shot.

“All I want to do is eat and fuck,” Kid groaned as he stretched, the sunset cast a hazy orange glow through the bay window. Rowena giggled, snuggling up to his body and peppering kisses on him.

“I could eat but I’m so tired I don’t think I can do either.”

“You decided to start something you couldn’t finish.”

“That’s not true at all! You kept me up all night, my body is sore and I can’t move my legs, and I took it like a champion,” she scrunched her face at him.

Kid laughed, running his hand through her hair, “You sure did. That’s my girl,” he brought her face to his and kissed her. Rowena let out a soft moan at his words and Kid could feel his body reacting. He pulled her hand down to his groin and she groaned against him.

“Last one and then you owe me some food and a very long, uninterrupted nap,” she rolled her eyes at him; he gave her a wicked grin and pulled the blankets over them. They ended up fucking two more times before Rowena finally kicked him out of bed, depleted of energy. Kid was in a great mood and his horniness was in overdrive. He got dressed and made his way to the galley, piling up dinner plates for them both.

Killer pulled him aside to let him know they would make port in about two days. Kid told him to meet him at the helm later and they would discuss it some more; practically racing back to his cabin.

He frowned when he noticed Rowena was not in bed. He put the plates down on the table as she walked out of the bathroom wrapped in a silk robe, a troubled look on her face. It made Kid uneasy. He scooped her up to sit on his lap as he sat on the edge of the bed; she held on to his neck and buried her face in his skin before she spoke.

“Kid…there’s no easy way to say this…I missed my last period,” her voice low and shaky.

He blinked, frozen to the spot.

“It’s only by a week but…shit…we’ve been so irresponsible. I didn’t even think about discussing birth control with you, I just…” tears pricked her eyes and her voice caught in her throat. Kid was silent as he opened the robe and slid a hand down to her stomach, tracing his fingers on her abdomen.

“Shit…We’ll reach an island in a few days. When we get there, we’ll find you a doctor and get some answers.”

“How are you so calm right now? I feel like, like, I don’t know, like I fucked up badly,” she cried.

“You didn’t fuck up; it takes two right? We should wait until we have evidence that you actually are with…baby…before we drive ourselves crazy. And if you are, I’m…I’ve never given any thought to having children…but if it’s with you I don’t think it would be so bad. Little brat will have the two strongest parents in the world,” he said softly, rubbing small circles on her belly.

“But we’re on different crews, how could that ever work?”

He paused his movements, eyes narrowing, “If you are pregnant I want you here. I don’t want you raising our child alone or with your idiotic crew.”

“Kid,” she started slowly and he stilled completely. “Would it even be safe to have a baby, on a pirate ship with a highly wanted crew? Your bounty alone – it could put a target on our child. Don’t you remember at Marineford, how Sengoku told the world how the Marines targeted pregnant women when they caught wind Gold Roger had a lover? Her identity was unknown for ages – you’ve seen the updated bounties and the news – they know I’m sailing with you now.”

Kid was like stone; he didn’t move or speak for some time. He recalled the updated bounties, being quite proud at how much Rowena’s had gone up – now at a total of 60,000,000 beli. Brought back to the present when Rowena cupped his face, concern and a hint of fear laced in her eyes. He began rubbing her stomach again with his thumb.

“Then we make a base; we find an isolated island and make it ours. You can have solid land under your swollen, pregnant feet and no one will ever find us,” he leaned his head on top of hers.

“Promise?” Her voice trembled.

“I promise.”

“I want my friends allowed to visit.”

“Ugh fine, we’ll give them the coordinates.”

“Kid?” he looked at her, eyebrow cocked. “I never knew my father. Our coven didn’t have males, and if a Witch wanted to conceive, they left the island and came back once they were pregnant. I always…kind of resented the coven for not letting us know or meet our fathers. I don’t want to repeat the cycle. I would need you with me to be a present father.”

He sighed, “You’ll have Killer, he’ll be a present uncle.” Rowena grumbled and bit his neck, hard. “OW FUCK! I was kidding,” he rubbed the sore spot.

“Look I told you before, my ma died when I was young and I know how hard it was for her to raise me alone, we were dirt poor. And my piece of shit da,” spitting on the ground, “Off hoarding his wealth and getting himself killed for it. I don’t want any brat of mine going through that type of shit, poverty or dead parents.”

Kid cleared his throat, “I’ll be there with you for every step you need me for. For now, I need you to eat something and get some sleep.”

The Witch complied, turning to get up but Kid sat her down on the bed, bringing the plate to her. They ate together making small talk before she laid down and went to sleep. Kid kissed her forehead, then leaned down and kissed her stomach, before heading to the main deck.

“Killer – meet me in the dinosaur’s mouth,” Kid barked, heading through the doors.

As he waited for the man, he paced irately inside the mouth, his thoughts racing. The Massacre Soldier didn’t make it halfway through the door before Kid was word vomiting.

“Con-congratulations?”

“Don’t say that yet. We won’t know until we reach this fucking island – how much longer?”

“A day and change if we speed up. Can we borrow Rowena to do so?”

“Fuck no. I want her inside and not doing a damn thing until she’s seen a doctor.”

“Then two days.”

Kid spat in frustration.

“Does this change our plans?”

“No,” Kid scowled. “We’ll have to make a few extra detours; I already wanted to set up a base island anyways so this is just one more thing,” he sighed.

“Kid for as long as I’ve known you, you’ve never mentioned wanting a family. Has Rowena really changed you that much?”

“You got a fucking problem with that?!?!” he turned, red-faced and fists clenched; for once tired of Killer’s constant questions and nagging on his budding...situation..ship.

Killer raised his hands in surrender, “Not at all. I look forward to being a doting uncle. I just want to make sure that this is what you want too.”

Kid stopped pacing, looking out at the horizon. “I don’t, at least not right now anyways with so much still left to do…but if she is pregnant, then what else am I supposed to do? Just didn’t think it would happen to me so soon. I’m not even 22 yet.”

Looking back at his best friend, “Rowena’s powerful, could take us all out if she really felt inclined. Her entire culture revolved exclusively on not relying on men. She doesn’t really need me for this but she said she wants me to be, so I will. Whatever it takes for her to want me as much as I want her. I want her by my side when we take over this world.”

Killer sniffed, “I can hear the wedding cannons going off already. Can I be your best man?”

“Obviously,” the redhead rolled his eyes. The two men clasped forearms, Killer thumping Kid on the back.

Read on AO3

[bubblecham]

These are the details of my One Piece OC

𐙚. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁🦇ྀི° ᡣ𐭩 . ° .

★Name:

╰┈➤Gecko Shiro

𓏲 ๋࣭ ࣪ ˖🏮𖦹 ๋࣭ ࣪

Former Surname:

╰┈➤Sterlo Shiro

༘⋆₊ ⊹★🔭๋࣭ ⭑⋆｡˚

★Nickname:

╰┈➤I don't have one

༘⋆🌷🫧💭₊˚ෆ

★Age:

╰┈➤46 years

✩♬ ₊˚.🎧⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

★Birthday:

╰┈➤December 19

𓊆ྀི❤︎𓊇ྀི

★Zodiac Sign:

╰┈➤Sagittarius

🌊☆⋆｡🪼𖦹°‧★🐚

★Sea of Origin:

╰┈➤West Blue

𓆝 ⋆｡𖦹°‧🫧

★Gender:

╰┈➤Female

♡₊˚ 🦢・₊✧

★Blood Type:

╰┈➤Type S (O)

‧˚꒰🐾꒱༘⋆

Height:

╰┈➤3.90 m

𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒ ᰔᩚ

Weight:

╰┈➤18.6 kg

୧ ‧₊˚ 🍵 ⋅

Skin or Hair Color:

╰┈➤She is an albino woman

꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷🦢꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷🦢꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷🦢꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷🦢꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦

˚ʚ 🦢 ₊˚✧ ﾟ.

Fighting Style

╰┈➤Shadow Dance (Shadōdansu)

Inspired by Camilla from Hazbin Hotel.

⋆ ˚｡౨ৎ ⋆˚🦢ྀི

╰┈➤Grace and Precision:

Every movement is carefully calculated, using the grace of ballet to dodge attacks and find openings in the opponent's defense.

★‧°𖦹｡⋆✮ 🦢 ✮ ⋆｡𖦹°‧★

╰┈➤Leg Strength:

Ballet develops incredible leg strength, allowing powerful kicks and high jumps, ideal for attacking from above or at unexpected angles.

ִֶָ𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ🦢་༘࿐

Technique Names

࿔‧ ֶָ֢˚˖🦢˖˚ֶָ֢ ‧࿔

╰┈➤"Cutting Pirouette" (Kiri no Piruetto):

A quick and precise spin that uses the extended leg to slice through the enemy's defenses.

ִֶָ𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ🦢་༘࿐

╰┈➤"Dragonfly Jump" (Tonbo no Janpu):

A high jump followed by a powerful descending kick, like a dragonfly attacking from above.

˚˖𓍢ִ໋🦢˚

"Devastating Arabesque" (Hakai-tekina Arabesuku):

╰┈➤An attack where the fighter extends a leg backward in an arabesque and then descends with a powerful kick.

﹒⌗﹒🦢﹒౨ৎ˚₊‧

"Whirlwind Spin" (Arashi no Mawari):

╰┈➤A rapid spin with both arms extended, creating a centrifugal force that knocks down multiple enemies around.

˙ . ꒷ 🦢 . 𖦹˙—

"Destruction Pas de Deux" (Hakai no Pasu do Deu):

╰┈➤A combined attack where the fighter performs a series of ballet steps in a fluid sequence, ending with a devastating final blow.

[bxldrsdraumar]

Heart of Sword

Swordsmasters of Elyos and Hoshido have long inspired people with their signature finishing move: the ability to cut through an opponent with dazzling speed, so fast that one can’t even perceive the blade leaving its sheath. The Battle of the Eagle and Lion reignites interest in learning these techniques. Determined students have made some progress but haven’t quite mastered the move. Think you can help them? [ Grants Sword +1 ]

(starter for @fangedjustice)

"Sir Sigurd, Sir Sigurd!"

"Hm?" Sigurd craned his neck to see the commotion: along a wall of the training area, a group of students had gathered about, encircling a line of old wooden dummies. From where he stood, the dummies looked to be falling apart at their seams and well on their last legs - which seemed all the better for their intended purpose, he learned, as he saw a student twist his body, sword sheathed at his hip, before releasing the centrifugal force, drawing the sword at the very middle of the turn -

Only to get it stuck, another notch in the poor training dummy's side. The student tugged once, twice! Before he freed his sword, slumping at his supposed failure.

"What's all this, then?" Sigurd approached the group, turning to the boy who had called him over.

"A new technique, Sir Sigurd," the boy explained, patting his friend on the back. "There are some swordsmen overseas who can rush their blade clean through an enemy - one sweep! We have some people from those countries here, my lord, and we've asked them to show us how it's done."

"I see!" Sigurd hefted the training sword in his grip thoughtfully, excited at the prospect of such a talent. What skill that would require! "Have any of you succeeded in this technique?"

"None yet. Perhaps you should give it a shot! I've read all about you, Sir Sigurd - your sword arm is the stuff of legends!"

Oh. Well. He wouldn't say that. He could not reasonably say that he was so skilled as the warriors who could accomplish something like this, before or after his injury - especially now, that his hands still trembled after too long in the training arena. He laughed, raising an arm to scratch at the back of his head. "Perhaps I shall! Let's see, shall we?"

The students surrounded him, showing him the proper stance that they had been taught - feet planted wide, knees bent, leaning into the draw of the blade, then as you twist you strike!

Clack!

His sword glanced pitifully off of the side of the dummy's neck, and Sigurd could not help but laugh. "It seems my years have caught up to me!" he joked to the students. "I am more of a mounted combatant, myself - perhaps what we need is someone used to having his feet on the ground. Ah! Young man - sir knight! Over here! Perhaps you can show us how it's done."

[tokiro07]

What did you think of Red Hood 2

The ten seconds it took me to understand what the hell you were talking about might as well have been an eternity with all of the thoughts that went through my mind

"Red...Hood...? ...Hoodwinked 2??? No, no, why would anyone ever talk to me about Hoodwinked, I haven't seen the first one since I was a kid and I've never mentioned it to anyone...

"Oh! Was there a sequel to Under the Red Hood?? I haven't been keeping up with the DC animated movies in a bit, so maybe there's a new one! Wait...no, no, that can't be it, they're working on the Tomorrowverse now, they wouldn't backtrack like that, would they...

"This is one of the Undead Unluck folks, maybe...something happened in this week's chapter that they're making a joke about? But what...

"...Red Hood is a manga. That I read in its entirety. It had...the boy with an axe...LIKE ICE-HEAD GILL, THE NEW MANGA IN JUMP"

While I frequently boast about how smart I am, I have never once claimed that I am not a scatterbrained weirdo

Anyway, chapter 1 was not particularly impressive to me. The art style is nice, with a lot of similarities to Demon Slayer to the point that I suspect that the author was an assistant to Gotouge Koyoharu, but also like Demon Slayer, it is very clearly this author's first serialized work

Everything was told instead of shown, what little that was shown wasn't given the gravitas that it should have to leave an impact, and I don't have a clear image of what to expect from this series going forward. I know that Gill wants to discover the truth of what happened to his dad and that Liches are involved, but nothing we're shown gives me any reason to feel invested in that

Since Gill's dad is such an important character and the mystery of what he did is central to the plot, I think chapter 1 might have been better served doing something more akin to One Piece's first chapter, showing Gill's childhood with his father and the contrast between what Gill knows and what the world thinks happened

It's super clear that either Gill's dad was possessed by a Lich or that everyone he killed was and he did it to protect everyone else from them, but we have no context for any of these characters aside from the fact that they're in a Viking-inspired setting. We don't know what Gill lost, we don't know how significant the axe his father made for him is, we don't know anything about that book, we didn't even know that Liches existed until the moment they became a problem. They talk about the troll language and that trolls are extinct, but then they just drop that someone else that Gill happens to know is part trolls without ever mentioning trolls before that point

So many topics are introduced completely unceremoniously, making it really difficult for me to feel any real connection to the cast or setting. The aesthetic looks cool, and I especially like the Lich design, but the choreography doesn't exactly leap off the page and I'm not sure what actually makes Gill special at all. He's good with an axe, but...in what sense? "No spin" "one spin" okay, he's using centrifugal force, but is he using some kind of special ability, a special technique, a special weapon, what? Why is it strong enough that he was able to beat a Lich? That certainly wasn't a great showing for the Lich if the small child was able to win with one technique

I'm sure the author intends to explain it, and mystery is a great way to entice readers to keep going, but all of my questions aren't being led by breadcrumbs trying to lead me to an answer, they're led by frustration with how vague the details are in the first place

Obviously, I'm going to keep reading, as I always do, with the hope that the author's experiences will help develop the story into something greater than its initial impression. I hated Mashle's first chapter, and Demon Slayer didn't actually grab my attention until the fight with Daki and Gyutaro, so there's always a chance that things will turn around at any time

In short, while I didn't necessarily like what I saw, I'm not the type to let a rocky start keep me from enjoying the ride

[mixelation]

Hi so I’m sorry if this question comes of as strange, but what is it like working in a lab??? Currently majoring in bio in undergrad and I’m thinking maybe I wanna go for my PhD but I’ve had people tell me working in a lab can be boring. Just curious bc you’re kind of the only person I know of who seems to be working in a lab?? Sorry just an internet stranger looking for advice 🙃

yeah, man!

i actually really like working in a lab, but i don't think it's for everyone, and not every lab experience is the same. i like what i do now because i run my own experiments, which allows me control over what i do, and also i get to do different stuff everyday. a lot of the individual tasks are like... pipetting clear liquids together, or centrifuging and then washing stuff and a bunch of times, which I can see a lot of people finding boring. some assays/techniques are really frustrating. i get annoyed with misuse of communal equipment pretty frequently (but not enough that i like... go home mad very often lmao). i like most of the people i interact with.

some of the biggest complaints i've heard from people looking to transition away from lab work are things like... sometimes you put in a lot of work for something that doesn't work and doesn't get you publishable data, and that's just science. the funding landscape can make labs that are really competitive or have toxic work cultures. i used to work with vertebrates and i was constantly coming in on the weekend just to care for them, which i hated. (i still work on the weekends pretty frequently but it feels less soul-destroying when it's an experiment you designed yourself?) some lab jobs are literally just doing the same assay all day everyday, and some people like that and some people hate it.

if you're not sure about going for a PhD (which is a HUGE commitment), i do highly recommend either getting a tech job or a postbac for a year or two to see if you like research full time! i don't think research is for everyone, but i personally find it rewarding, and even if you find out it's really boring... well, then you'll know that

[sanemyamen]

Magnetic Beads Market Outlook: World Approaching Demand & Growth Prospect 2022-2027

Global Magnetic Beads Market Report from AMA Research highlights deep analysis on market characteristics, sizing, estimates and growth by segmentation, regional breakdowns & country along with competitive landscape, players market shares, and strategies that are key in the market. The exploration provides a 360° view and insights, highlighting major outcomes of the industry. These insights help the business decision-makers to formulate better business plans and make informed decisions to improved profitability. In addition, the study helps venture or private players in understanding the companies in more detail to make better informed decisions.

Major Players in This Report Include Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc (United States),Merck KGaA, Darmstadt (Germany),Polysciences, Inc. (United States),Qiagen (Germany),MagQu Co. Ltd. (Taiwan),FUJIFILM Wako Pure Chemical Corporation (Japan),Takara Bio Inc. (Japan),Spherotech Inc (United States),Cube Biotech GmbH (Germany),Lab on a Bead AB (Sweden)

Magnetic beads & particles are used as carriers of antibodies, antigens, catalyzers, proteins as well as nucleic acids, allowing action on viruses, cells, bacteria, & other biological entities. Magnetic beads are an ultimate tool for immobilizing molecules such as proteins or nucleic acids on a solid phase. They can be additionally used in many applications. This magnetic bead separation process is an efficient, rapid, clean which many scientists are using to substitute centrifugation, filtration, as well as separation techniques. These are used for immunoprecipitation applications. These ensure the rapid & reproducible isolation of proteins. Market Drivers Growing Number of Life Sciences Research Activities

Rising Need to Identify Antigens That Are Related With Autoimmune Diseases

High Demand in The Biopharmaceuticals Field Involving The Application, Opportunities For New Innovation in The Field of Life Science

Opportunities Growing Genomics & Proteomics Research with the Increasing Adoption of Immunoprecipitation in the Coming Years

Growing Funding for Cell Based R&D by Government and Biotechnology companies

Challenges Quality Concerns over Research Antibodies

The Magnetic Beads market study is being classified by Application (Human Cell Separation, Animal cell separation (clinical study), Secondary cell separation), End Users (Healthcare Facilities (Hospitals, Clinics, and Others), Individual Pathology Labs, Research Institutes, Others), Magnetic Beads Size (Small beads (1-10 µm), Medium beads (20-40 µm), Large beads (70-120 µm)), Isolation Technique (Positive, Negative, Others (Depletion, and Others)) Presented By

AMA Research & Media LLP