• QFTCIBSI23 Game 1, Rounds 7-8: amino acids, Canadian directors

    From Mark Brader@21:1/5 to All on Tue May 30 05:13:52 2023
    These questions were written to be asked in Toronto on 2023-05-08,
    and should be interpreted accordingly.

    On each question you may give up to two answers, but if you give
    both a right answer and a wrong answer, there is a small penalty.
    Please post all your answers in a single followup to the newsgroup,
    based only on your own knowledge. (In your answer posting, quote
    the questions and place your answer below each one.) I will reveal
    the correct answers in about 3 days.

    All questions were written by members of Bloor St. Irregulars and
    are used here by permission, but have been reformatted and may have
    been retyped and/or edited by me. For further information please
    see my recent companion posting on "Questions from the Canadian
    Inquisition (QFTCI*)".


    * Game 1, Round 7 - Science - Amino Acids

    Amino acids are the molecules that serve as building blocks for
    proteins. This set of questions will focus on the 20 standard
    amino acids that make up the proteins of the human body. Where
    we ask for the name of an amino acid, we need the full name and
    not an abbreviation.

    1. Amino acids consist of a central carbon atom bonded to four
    chemical species, two of which give them their name. An amino
    group is a functional group consisting of hydrogen and which
    other element?

    2. All amino acids belong to which class of acids, due to the
    presence of a namesake COOH group? This class of acids also
    includes acetic acid, the constituent acid of vinegar.

    3. The other two species in an amino acid are a hydrogen atom and
    a side chain that defines which acid it is. Name the simplest
    amino acid, symbolized G, whose side chain is also just a
    hydrogen atom.

    4. 19 of the 20 amino acids can exist as "left-" and "right-handed"
    isomers that are mirror images of each other. The exception is
    glycine, because of its two identical hydrogen groups. What is
    the chemical term for handedness in a molecular structure?

    5. This amino acid, symbolized W, is a precursor to compounds like
    serotonin and melatonin. But it is probably *not* the main
    reason why turkey makes you sleepy. Name it.

    6. Which amino acid, symbolized E, is a precursor to GABA and
    names a class of biochemical receptors for compounds like NMDA?
    You probably know it better for its sodium salt, a popular
    flavor enhancer.

    7. Tryptophan, tyrosine, and phenylalanine are aromatic amino
    acids: they contain a functional group, which is what the
    "phenyl" in phenylalanine refers to, that's related to a
    ring-shaped molecule with formula C6H6. Name that molecule.

    8. The Delta F508 mutation, a phenylalanine deletion, is the most
    common cause for what genetic disorder? This disorder is
    diagnosed by measuring chloride levels in a patient's sweat.

    9. Phenylalanine and tryptophan are two of the nine amino acids
    described by what adjective? These amino acids are not
    sufficiently synthesized by the body, meaning that you must
    ingest them from food.

    10. Another <answer 9> amino acid is this one symbolized H. It is
    a precursor to a hormone whose receptors are blocked by drugs
    like Allegra or Reactine. Name *either* the amino acid or the
    hormone.


    * Game 1, Round 8 - Canadiana - Entertainment - Canadian Directors

    Name them.

    1. Born in Danville, Quebec, in 1880, he directed more than 311
    movies over the course of his career, including multiple shorts
    featuring the Keystone Kops or his namesake "Bathing Beauties".

    2. Born in Kapuskasing, Ontario, in 1954, this director is
    responsible for three of the four highest-grossing movies of
    all time -- as well as "Piranha II: The Spawning".

    3. Born in Toronto in 1926, this director founded the Canadian Film
    Centre and was nominated for the Best Director Oscar in 1967 for
    "In the Heat of the Night", in 1971 for "Fiddler on the Roof",
    and again in 1987 for "Moonstruck".

    4. Born in Toronto in 1979, this recent Oscar winner's feature-film
    directorial debut "Away from Her" was released in 2006.
    The director was 27 at the time, and had already spent over
    20 years in show business.

    5. Another recent Oscar winner, this Toronto-raised director
    immigrated from China in 1991, when she was 2 years old.
    She was the first woman to solo-direct a Pixar feature film,
    which was released in 2022. Name her *or* that 2022 Pixar movie,
    which was set in Toronto in 2002.

    6. Born in Kingston, Ontario, in 1959, this director made his
    name with an unofficial trilogy of rock-and-roll road movies --
    "Roadkill" (1989), "Highway 61" (1991), and "Hard Core Logo"
    (1996).

    7. Born in 1932, this member of the Abenaki Nation began her career
    as a singer before becoming a documentary filmmaker focused on
    the lives of First-Nation Canadians. Her best-known work is the
    1993 documentary "Kanehsatake: 270 Years of Resistance", about
    the 1990 Oka crisis. It's not *ironic* at all that she shares
    her first name with another Canadian singer from the 1990s.

    8. Born in India in 1950 and emigrating to Canada in 1973, this
    director is best known for her Elements trilogy: "Fire" (1996),
    "Earth" (1998), and "Water" (2005).

    9. Born in Toronto in 1980, this director has taken his place
    in the family business and achieved critical acclaim for the
    science-fiction horror movies "Antiviral (2012)", "Possessor"
    (2020), and "Infinity Pool" (2023).

    10. Born in Montreal in 1963, this director had a successful
    start in Quebec with "Black List" (1995) and "C.R.A.Z.Y."
    (2005). This allowed him to move over to Hollywood, where he
    directed Matthew MacConaughey and Jared Leto to acting Oscars in
    "Dallas Buyers Club" (2013). He also directed the HBO miniseries
    "Big Little Lies" (2017), for which he won an Emmy.

    --
    Mark Brader | We don't have "m"s in Florida. If it can't be measured
    Toronto | in inches and feet, we don't measure it.
    msb@vex.net | --Tony Cooper

    My text in this article is in the public domain.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Dan Tilque@21:1/5 to Mark Brader on Mon May 29 23:32:53 2023
    On 5/29/23 22:13, Mark Brader wrote:


    * Game 1, Round 7 - Science - Amino Acids

    Amino acids are the molecules that serve as building blocks for
    proteins. This set of questions will focus on the 20 standard
    amino acids that make up the proteins of the human body. Where
    we ask for the name of an amino acid, we need the full name and
    not an abbreviation.

    1. Amino acids consist of a central carbon atom bonded to four
    chemical species, two of which give them their name. An amino
    group is a functional group consisting of hydrogen and which
    other element?

    nitrogen


    2. All amino acids belong to which class of acids, due to the
    presence of a namesake COOH group? This class of acids also
    includes acetic acid, the constituent acid of vinegar.

    3. The other two species in an amino acid are a hydrogen atom and
    a side chain that defines which acid it is. Name the simplest
    amino acid, symbolized G, whose side chain is also just a
    hydrogen atom.

    4. 19 of the 20 amino acids can exist as "left-" and "right-handed"
    isomers that are mirror images of each other. The exception is
    glycine, because of its two identical hydrogen groups. What is
    the chemical term for handedness in a molecular structure?

    chirality


    5. This amino acid, symbolized W, is a precursor to compounds like
    serotonin and melatonin. But it is probably *not* the main
    reason why turkey makes you sleepy. Name it.

    tryptophan


    6. Which amino acid, symbolized E, is a precursor to GABA and
    names a class of biochemical receptors for compounds like NMDA?
    You probably know it better for its sodium salt, a popular
    flavor enhancer.

    7. Tryptophan, tyrosine, and phenylalanine are aromatic amino
    acids: they contain a functional group, which is what the
    "phenyl" in phenylalanine refers to, that's related to a
    ring-shaped molecule with formula C6H6. Name that molecule.

    benzine


    8. The Delta F508 mutation, a phenylalanine deletion, is the most
    common cause for what genetic disorder? This disorder is
    diagnosed by measuring chloride levels in a patient's sweat.

    9. Phenylalanine and tryptophan are two of the nine amino acids
    described by what adjective? These amino acids are not
    sufficiently synthesized by the body, meaning that you must
    ingest them from food.

    essential


    10. Another <answer 9> amino acid is this one symbolized H. It is
    a precursor to a hormone whose receptors are blocked by drugs
    like Allegra or Reactine. Name *either* the amino acid or the
    hormone.


    * Game 1, Round 8 - Canadiana - Entertainment - Canadian Directors

    Name them.

    1. Born in Danville, Quebec, in 1880, he directed more than 311
    movies over the course of his career, including multiple shorts
    featuring the Keystone Kops or his namesake "Bathing Beauties".

    2. Born in Kapuskasing, Ontario, in 1954, this director is
    responsible for three of the four highest-grossing movies of
    all time -- as well as "Piranha II: The Spawning".

    3. Born in Toronto in 1926, this director founded the Canadian Film
    Centre and was nominated for the Best Director Oscar in 1967 for
    "In the Heat of the Night", in 1971 for "Fiddler on the Roof",
    and again in 1987 for "Moonstruck".

    4. Born in Toronto in 1979, this recent Oscar winner's feature-film
    directorial debut "Away from Her" was released in 2006.
    The director was 27 at the time, and had already spent over
    20 years in show business.

    5. Another recent Oscar winner, this Toronto-raised director
    immigrated from China in 1991, when she was 2 years old.
    She was the first woman to solo-direct a Pixar feature film,
    which was released in 2022. Name her *or* that 2022 Pixar movie,
    which was set in Toronto in 2002.

    6. Born in Kingston, Ontario, in 1959, this director made his
    name with an unofficial trilogy of rock-and-roll road movies --
    "Roadkill" (1989), "Highway 61" (1991), and "Hard Core Logo"
    (1996).

    7. Born in 1932, this member of the Abenaki Nation began her career
    as a singer before becoming a documentary filmmaker focused on
    the lives of First-Nation Canadians. Her best-known work is the
    1993 documentary "Kanehsatake: 270 Years of Resistance", about
    the 1990 Oka crisis. It's not *ironic* at all that she shares
    her first name with another Canadian singer from the 1990s.

    8. Born in India in 1950 and emigrating to Canada in 1973, this
    director is best known for her Elements trilogy: "Fire" (1996),
    "Earth" (1998), and "Water" (2005).

    9. Born in Toronto in 1980, this director has taken his place
    in the family business and achieved critical acclaim for the
    science-fiction horror movies "Antiviral (2012)", "Possessor"
    (2020), and "Infinity Pool" (2023).

    10. Born in Montreal in 1963, this director had a successful
    start in Quebec with "Black List" (1995) and "C.R.A.Z.Y."
    (2005). This allowed him to move over to Hollywood, where he
    directed Matthew MacConaughey and Jared Leto to acting Oscars in
    "Dallas Buyers Club" (2013). He also directed the HBO miniseries
    "Big Little Lies" (2017), for which he won an Emmy.


    --
    Dan Tilque

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Joshua Kreitzer@21:1/5 to Mark Brader on Tue May 30 00:15:45 2023
    On Tuesday, May 30, 2023 at 12:16:21 AM UTC-5, Mark Brader wrote:

    * Game 1, Round 7 - Science - Amino Acids

    1. Amino acids consist of a central carbon atom bonded to four
    chemical species, two of which give them their name. An amino
    group is a functional group consisting of hydrogen and which
    other element?

    oxygen

    5. This amino acid, symbolized W, is a precursor to compounds like
    serotonin and melatonin. But it is probably *not* the main
    reason why turkey makes you sleepy. Name it.

    tryptophan

    6. Which amino acid, symbolized E, is a precursor to GABA and
    names a class of biochemical receptors for compounds like NMDA?
    You probably know it better for its sodium salt, a popular
    flavor enhancer.

    glutamate

    10. Another <answer 9> amino acid is this one symbolized H. It is
    a precursor to a hormone whose receptors are blocked by drugs
    like Allegra or Reactine. Name *either* the amino acid or the
    hormone.

    histamine

    * Game 1, Round 8 - Canadiana - Entertainment - Canadian Directors

    Name them.

    1. Born in Danville, Quebec, in 1880, he directed more than 311
    movies over the course of his career, including multiple shorts
    featuring the Keystone Kops or his namesake "Bathing Beauties".

    Sennett

    2. Born in Kapuskasing, Ontario, in 1954, this director is
    responsible for three of the four highest-grossing movies of
    all time -- as well as "Piranha II: The Spawning".

    Cameron

    3. Born in Toronto in 1926, this director founded the Canadian Film
    Centre and was nominated for the Best Director Oscar in 1967 for
    "In the Heat of the Night", in 1971 for "Fiddler on the Roof",
    and again in 1987 for "Moonstruck".

    Jewison

    4. Born in Toronto in 1979, this recent Oscar winner's feature-film directorial debut "Away from Her" was released in 2006.
    The director was 27 at the time, and had already spent over
    20 years in show business.

    Polley

    5. Another recent Oscar winner, this Toronto-raised director
    immigrated from China in 1991, when she was 2 years old.
    She was the first woman to solo-direct a Pixar feature film,
    which was released in 2022. Name her *or* that 2022 Pixar movie,
    which was set in Toronto in 2002.

    "Turning Red"

    8. Born in India in 1950 and emigrating to Canada in 1973, this
    director is best known for her Elements trilogy: "Fire" (1996),
    "Earth" (1998), and "Water" (2005).

    Mehta

    10. Born in Montreal in 1963, this director had a successful
    start in Quebec with "Black List" (1995) and "C.R.A.Z.Y."
    (2005). This allowed him to move over to Hollywood, where he
    directed Matthew MacConaughey and Jared Leto to acting Oscars in
    "Dallas Buyers Club" (2013). He also directed the HBO miniseries
    "Big Little Lies" (2017), for which he won an Emmy.

    Vallee

    --
    Joshua Kreitzer
    gromit82@hotmail.com

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Erland Sommarskog@21:1/5 to Mark Brader on Tue May 30 21:01:37 2023
    Mark Brader (msb@vex.net) writes:
    * Game 1, Round 7 - Science - Amino Acids
    1. Amino acids consist of a central carbon atom bonded to four
    chemical species, two of which give them their name. An amino
    group is a functional group consisting of hydrogen and which
    other element?

    Nitrogen

    2. All amino acids belong to which class of acids, due to the
    presence of a namesake COOH group? This class of acids also
    includes acetic acid, the constituent acid of vinegar.

    7. Tryptophan, tyrosine, and phenylalanine are aromatic amino
    acids: they contain a functional group, which is what the
    "phenyl" in phenylalanine refers to, that's related to a
    ring-shaped molecule with formula C6H6. Name that molecule.

    Benzene

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Dan Blum@21:1/5 to Mark Brader on Tue May 30 22:32:49 2023
    Mark Brader <msb@vex.net> wrote:

    * Game 1, Round 7 - Science - Amino Acids

    1. Amino acids consist of a central carbon atom bonded to four
    chemical species, two of which give them their name. An amino
    group is a functional group consisting of hydrogen and which
    other element?

    oxygen

    3. The other two species in an amino acid are a hydrogen atom and
    a side chain that defines which acid it is. Name the simplest
    amino acid, symbolized G, whose side chain is also just a
    hydrogen atom.

    glycine

    4. 19 of the 20 amino acids can exist as "left-" and "right-handed"
    isomers that are mirror images of each other. The exception is
    glycine, because of its two identical hydrogen groups. What is
    the chemical term for handedness in a molecular structure?

    I don't quite remember, but I note this should probably have been
    rot13-ed.

    5. This amino acid, symbolized W, is a precursor to compounds like
    serotonin and melatonin. But it is probably *not* the main
    reason why turkey makes you sleepy. Name it.

    tryptophan

    6. Which amino acid, symbolized E, is a precursor to GABA and
    names a class of biochemical receptors for compounds like NMDA?
    You probably know it better for its sodium salt, a popular
    flavor enhancer.

    glutamate

    7. Tryptophan, tyrosine, and phenylalanine are aromatic amino
    acids: they contain a functional group, which is what the
    "phenyl" in phenylalanine refers to, that's related to a
    ring-shaped molecule with formula C6H6. Name that molecule.

    benzene

    8. The Delta F508 mutation, a phenylalanine deletion, is the most
    common cause for what genetic disorder? This disorder is
    diagnosed by measuring chloride levels in a patient's sweat.

    cystic fibrosis

    10. Another <answer 9> amino acid is this one symbolized H. It is
    a precursor to a hormone whose receptors are blocked by drugs
    like Allegra or Reactine. Name *either* the amino acid or the
    hormone.

    histamine

    * Game 1, Round 8 - Canadiana - Entertainment - Canadian Directors

    1. Born in Danville, Quebec, in 1880, he directed more than 311
    movies over the course of his career, including multiple shorts
    featuring the Keystone Kops or his namesake "Bathing Beauties".

    Roach

    2. Born in Kapuskasing, Ontario, in 1954, this director is
    responsible for three of the four highest-grossing movies of
    all time -- as well as "Piranha II: The Spawning".

    Cameron

    5. Another recent Oscar winner, this Toronto-raised director
    immigrated from China in 1991, when she was 2 years old.
    She was the first woman to solo-direct a Pixar feature film,
    which was released in 2022. Name her *or* that 2022 Pixar movie,
    which was set in Toronto in 2002.

    Turning Red

    --
    _______________________________________________________________________
    Dan Blum tool@panix.com
    "I wouldn't have believed it myself if I hadn't just made it up."

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Mark Brader@21:1/5 to All on Wed May 31 07:20:01 2023
    Dan Blum:
    I don't quite remember, but I note this should probably have been
    rot13-ed.

    Actually I meant it to say <answer 3>, but forgot to make the edit.
    --
    Mark Brader | Does anybody seriously believe that if a bunch of horses
    Toronto | saw a giant egg broken into pieces, their response would msb@vex.net | be: "Hey! Let's try to reassemble this!"? --Dave Barry

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Pete Gayde@21:1/5 to Mark Brader on Thu Jun 1 20:02:31 2023
    Mark Brader wrote:
    These questions were written to be asked in Toronto on 2023-05-08,
    and should be interpreted accordingly.

    On each question you may give up to two answers, but if you give
    both a right answer and a wrong answer, there is a small penalty.
    Please post all your answers in a single followup to the newsgroup,
    based only on your own knowledge. (In your answer posting, quote
    the questions and place your answer below each one.) I will reveal
    the correct answers in about 3 days.

    All questions were written by members of Bloor St. Irregulars and
    are used here by permission, but have been reformatted and may have
    been retyped and/or edited by me. For further information please
    see my recent companion posting on "Questions from the Canadian
    Inquisition (QFTCI*)".


    * Game 1, Round 7 - Science - Amino Acids

    Amino acids are the molecules that serve as building blocks for
    proteins. This set of questions will focus on the 20 standard
    amino acids that make up the proteins of the human body. Where
    we ask for the name of an amino acid, we need the full name and
    not an abbreviation.

    1. Amino acids consist of a central carbon atom bonded to four
    chemical species, two of which give them their name. An amino
    group is a functional group consisting of hydrogen and which
    other element?

    2. All amino acids belong to which class of acids, due to the
    presence of a namesake COOH group? This class of acids also
    includes acetic acid, the constituent acid of vinegar.

    3. The other two species in an amino acid are a hydrogen atom and
    a side chain that defines which acid it is. Name the simplest
    amino acid, symbolized G, whose side chain is also just a
    hydrogen atom.

    4. 19 of the 20 amino acids can exist as "left-" and "right-handed"
    isomers that are mirror images of each other. The exception is
    glycine, because of its two identical hydrogen groups. What is
    the chemical term for handedness in a molecular structure?

    5. This amino acid, symbolized W, is a precursor to compounds like
    serotonin and melatonin. But it is probably *not* the main
    reason why turkey makes you sleepy. Name it.

    6. Which amino acid, symbolized E, is a precursor to GABA and
    names a class of biochemical receptors for compounds like NMDA?
    You probably know it better for its sodium salt, a popular
    flavor enhancer.

    7. Tryptophan, tyrosine, and phenylalanine are aromatic amino
    acids: they contain a functional group, which is what the
    "phenyl" in phenylalanine refers to, that's related to a
    ring-shaped molecule with formula C6H6. Name that molecule.

    8. The Delta F508 mutation, a phenylalanine deletion, is the most
    common cause for what genetic disorder? This disorder is
    diagnosed by measuring chloride levels in a patient's sweat.

    9. Phenylalanine and tryptophan are two of the nine amino acids
    described by what adjective? These amino acids are not
    sufficiently synthesized by the body, meaning that you must
    ingest them from food.

    10. Another <answer 9> amino acid is this one symbolized H. It is
    a precursor to a hormone whose receptors are blocked by drugs
    like Allegra or Reactine. Name *either* the amino acid or the
    hormone.


    * Game 1, Round 8 - Canadiana - Entertainment - Canadian Directors

    Name them.

    1. Born in Danville, Quebec, in 1880, he directed more than 311
    movies over the course of his career, including multiple shorts
    featuring the Keystone Kops or his namesake "Bathing Beauties".

    Sennett


    2. Born in Kapuskasing, Ontario, in 1954, this director is
    responsible for three of the four highest-grossing movies of
    all time -- as well as "Piranha II: The Spawning".

    3. Born in Toronto in 1926, this director founded the Canadian Film
    Centre and was nominated for the Best Director Oscar in 1967 for
    "In the Heat of the Night", in 1971 for "Fiddler on the Roof",
    and again in 1987 for "Moonstruck".

    4. Born in Toronto in 1979, this recent Oscar winner's feature-film
    directorial debut "Away from Her" was released in 2006.
    The director was 27 at the time, and had already spent over
    20 years in show business.

    5. Another recent Oscar winner, this Toronto-raised director
    immigrated from China in 1991, when she was 2 years old.
    She was the first woman to solo-direct a Pixar feature film,
    which was released in 2022. Name her *or* that 2022 Pixar movie,
    which was set in Toronto in 2002.

    6. Born in Kingston, Ontario, in 1959, this director made his
    name with an unofficial trilogy of rock-and-roll road movies --
    "Roadkill" (1989), "Highway 61" (1991), and "Hard Core Logo"
    (1996).

    7. Born in 1932, this member of the Abenaki Nation began her career
    as a singer before becoming a documentary filmmaker focused on
    the lives of First-Nation Canadians. Her best-known work is the
    1993 documentary "Kanehsatake: 270 Years of Resistance", about
    the 1990 Oka crisis. It's not *ironic* at all that she shares
    her first name with another Canadian singer from the 1990s.

    8. Born in India in 1950 and emigrating to Canada in 1973, this
    director is best known for her Elements trilogy: "Fire" (1996),
    "Earth" (1998), and "Water" (2005).

    9. Born in Toronto in 1980, this director has taken his place
    in the family business and achieved critical acclaim for the
    science-fiction horror movies "Antiviral (2012)", "Possessor"
    (2020), and "Infinity Pool" (2023).

    10. Born in Montreal in 1963, this director had a successful
    start in Quebec with "Black List" (1995) and "C.R.A.Z.Y."
    (2005). This allowed him to move over to Hollywood, where he
    directed Matthew MacConaughey and Jared Leto to acting Oscars in
    "Dallas Buyers Club" (2013). He also directed the HBO miniseries
    "Big Little Lies" (2017), for which he won an Emmy.


    Pete Gayde

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Mark Brader@21:1/5 to All on Fri Jun 2 04:07:03 2023
    Mark Brader:
    These questions were written to be asked in Toronto on 2023-05-08,
    and should be interpreted accordingly... For further information
    please see my recent companion posting on "Questions from the
    Canadian Inquisition (QFTCI*)".


    * Game 1, Round 7 - Science - Amino Acids

    Amino acids are the molecules that serve as building blocks for
    proteins. This set of questions will focus on the 20 standard
    amino acids that make up the proteins of the human body. Where
    we ask for the name of an amino acid, we need the full name and
    not an abbreviation.

    This was the hardest round in the original name.

    1. Amino acids consist of a central carbon atom bonded to four
    chemical species, two of which give them their name. An amino
    group is a functional group consisting of hydrogen and which
    other element?

    Nitrogen (accepting NH2). 4 for Dan Tilque and Erland.

    (Amine, ammonia, get it?)

    2. All amino acids belong to which class of acids, due to the
    presence of a namesake COOH group? This class of acids also
    includes acetic acid, the constituent acid of vinegar.

    Carboxylic acids (accepting "carboxyl").

    3. The other two species in an amino acid are a hydrogen atom and
    a side chain that defines which acid it is. Name the simplest
    amino acid, symbolized G, whose side chain is also just a
    hydrogen atom.

    Glycine. 4 for Dan Blum.

    4. 19 of the 20 amino acids can exist as "left-" and "right-handed"
    isomers that are mirror images of each other. The exception is
    glycine,

    (I meant to say <answer 3> there, of course.)

    because of its two identical hydrogen groups. What is the chemical
    term for handedness in a molecular structure?

    Chirality or enantiomerism. 4 for Dan Tilque.

    Proteins in life-forms on Earth use only the "left-handed" isomers.

    5. This amino acid, symbolized W, is a precursor to compounds like
    serotonin and melatonin. But it is probably *not* the main
    reason why turkey makes you sleepy. Name it.

    Tryptophan. 4 for Dan Tilque, Joshua, and Dan Blum.

    6. Which amino acid, symbolized E, is a precursor to GABA and
    names a class of biochemical receptors for compounds like NMDA?
    You probably know it better for its sodium salt, a popular
    flavor enhancer.

    Glutamate or glutamic acid (accepting monosodium glutamate).
    4 for Joshua and Dan Blum.

    7. Tryptophan, tyrosine, and phenylalanine are aromatic amino
    acids: they contain a functional group, which is what the
    "phenyl" in phenylalanine refers to, that's related to a
    ring-shaped molecule with formula C6H6. Name that molecule.

    Benzene. 4 for Dan Tilque, Erland, and Dan Blum.

    8. The Delta F508 mutation, a phenylalanine deletion, is the most
    common cause for what genetic disorder? This disorder is
    diagnosed by measuring chloride levels in a patient's sweat.

    Cystic fibrosis. 4 for Dan Blum.

    9. Phenylalanine and tryptophan are two of the nine amino acids
    described by what adjective? These amino acids are not
    sufficiently synthesized by the body, meaning that you must
    ingest them from food.

    Essential. 4 for Dan Tilque.

    10. Another <answer 9> amino acid is this one symbolized H. It is
    a precursor to a hormone whose receptors are blocked by drugs
    like Allegra or Reactine. Name *either* the amino acid or the
    hormone.

    Histidine, histamine. 4 for Joshua and Dan Blum.


    * Game 1, Round 8 - Canadiana - Entertainment - Canadian Directors

    Name them.

    1. Born in Danville, Quebec, in 1880, he directed more than 311
    movies over the course of his career, including multiple shorts
    featuring the Keystone Kops or his namesake "Bathing Beauties".

    Mack Sennett. 4 for Joshua and Pete.

    2. Born in Kapuskasing, Ontario, in 1954, this director is
    responsible for three of the four highest-grossing movies of
    all time -- as well as "Piranha II: The Spawning".

    James Cameron. 4 for Joshua and Dan Blum.

    The three are "Titanic" (1997), "Avatar" (2009), and "Avatar: The
    Way of Water" (2022).

    3. Born in Toronto in 1926, this director founded the Canadian Film
    Centre and was nominated for the Best Director Oscar in 1967 for
    "In the Heat of the Night", in 1971 for "Fiddler on the Roof",
    and again in 1987 for "Moonstruck".

    Norman Jewison. 4 for Joshua.

    4. Born in Toronto in 1979, this recent Oscar winner's feature-film
    directorial debut "Away from Her" was released in 2006.
    The director was 27 at the time, and had already spent over
    20 years in show business.

    Sarah Polley. 4 for Joshua.

    Her Oscar was for Best Adapted Screenplay, for "Women Talking" (2022).

    5. Another recent Oscar winner, this Toronto-raised director
    immigrated from China in 1991, when she was 2 years old.
    She was the first woman to solo-direct a Pixar feature film,
    which was released in 2022. Name her *or* that 2022 Pixar movie,
    which was set in Toronto in 2002.

    Domee Shi, "Turning Red". 4 for Joshua and Dan Blum.

    6. Born in Kingston, Ontario, in 1959, this director made his
    name with an unofficial trilogy of rock-and-roll road movies --
    "Roadkill" (1989), "Highway 61" (1991), and "Hard Core Logo"
    (1996).

    Bruce McDonald.

    7. Born in 1932, this member of the Abenaki Nation began her career
    as a singer before becoming a documentary filmmaker focused on
    the lives of First-Nation Canadians. Her best-known work is the
    1993 documentary "Kanehsatake: 270 Years of Resistance", about
    the 1990 Oka crisis. It's not *ironic* at all that she shares
    her first name with another Canadian singer from the 1990s.

    Alanis Obomsawin.

    8. Born in India in 1950 and emigrating to Canada in 1973, this
    director is best known for her Elements trilogy: "Fire" (1996),
    "Earth" (1998), and "Water" (2005).

    Deepa Mehta. 4 for Joshua.

    9. Born in Toronto in 1980, this director has taken his place
    in the family business and achieved critical acclaim for the
    science-fiction horror movies "Antiviral (2012)", "Possessor"
    (2020), and "Infinity Pool" (2023).

    Brandon Cronenberg. (Yes, Cronenberg was sufficient.)

    10. Born in Montreal in 1963, this director had a successful
    start in Quebec with "Black List" (1995) and "C.R.A.Z.Y."
    (2005). This allowed him to move over to Hollywood, where he
    directed Matthew MacConaughey and Jared Leto to acting Oscars in
    "Dallas Buyers Club" (2013). He also directed the HBO miniseries
    "Big Little Lies" (2017), for which he won an Emmy.

    Jean Marc Vallée. 4 for Joshua.

    He died of a heart attack in December 2021.


    Scores, if there are no errors:

    GAME 1 ROUNDS-> 2 3 4 6 7 8 BEST
    TOPICS-> Spo Lit His Mis Sci Can FOUR
    Stephen Perry 36 35 28 40 -- -- 139
    Joshua Kreitzer 32 32 36 36 12 28 136
    Dan Blum 12 19 26 32 24 8 101
    Dan Tilque 8 12 20 36 20 0 88
    Pete Gayde -- -- 16 40 0 4 60
    Erland Sommarskog 8 4 27 16 8 0 59

    --
    Mark Brader "If Benjamin Franklin was alive today, he'd be
    Toronto arrested for sailing a kite without a license." msb@vex.net -- Tucker: The Man and his Dream

    My text in this article is in the public domain.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)