Today we had our paper discussion for the current module: GPCRs (G-Protein Coupled Receptors) and cardiac hypertropy (enlargement of heart due a variety of reasons; can lead to heart failure). The PIs for this module (and we have four) decided to split the class to discuss each paper, and then swap half way through to discuss the other paper (and I win a point for recognizing what methylxanthine is). (It's caffeine.)
It happens that the PIs are also as fond of calling on random people as waiting for volunteers, so in a brief segue to why the transgenic mice had faster heart rates, the guy who is my sort-of lab partner (as in we have different projects but use almost the exact same protocols and about half of our results overlap, leading a great deal of "hey, so what're you doing for THIS" on our parts) got called on.
"What makes the heart rate go up?" asked the PI, obviously fishing for an answer.
"Adrenaline," said the guy.
And somehow the PI managed to hear "treadmill" instead of adrenaline and said "Treadmill? Good, good, that's the right answer" while the poor guy tried to explain that no, he said adrenaline, really. "But what does the signals act on?" continued the PI, blithely ignoring the protests.
"Uh," said the guy, "adrenaline receptors."
"Good," said the PI, "and what acts on adrenaline receptors?"
"...adrenaline." Said the guy.
"Great!" Said the PI, clearly pleased that he had led one student toward the light.
Meanwhile, those of us sitting near the guy had a brief outbreak of hilarity. The PI didn't get it, of course. He thought we pleased as punch because the guy got the fact that heart rate increase in this case is also due to adrenaline. (Well, and also the over-expression of receptors, but that's not relevant to the story.)
...
Gmail theme in Firefox is interesting. I tried the space one first (of course) except it made my inbox look like someone's flipped off the light switch. I wonder why anyone would care whether or not the inbox theme is location-based.
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