2,224 research outputs found
The uptake of protons by heme-linked ionizable groups on azide binding to methemoglobin
When azide ion reacts with methemoglobin in unbuffered solution the pH of the solution increases. This phenomenon is associated with increases in the pK values of heme-linked ionizable groups on the protein which
give rise to an uptake of protons from solution.
We have determined as a function of pH the proton uptake, Ah', on azide binding to methemoglobin at 20°C.
Data for methemoglobins A (human), guinea pig and pigeon are fitted to a theoretical expression based on the
electrostatic effect of three sets of heme-linked ionizable groups on the binding of the ligand. From these fits the
pK values of heme-linked ionizable groups are obtained for liganded and unliganded methemoglobins. In unliganded methemoglobin pK1, which is associated with carboxylic acid groups, ranges between 4.0 and 5.5 for the three methemoglobins; pK,, which is associated with histidines and terminal amino groups, ranges from 6.2 to 6.7. In liganded methemoglobin pK1 lies between 5.8 and 6.3 and pK, varies from 8.1 to 8.5. The pH dependences of the apparent equilibrium constants for azide binding to the three methemoglobins at 20°C are well accounted for with the pK values calculated from the variation of Ah' with pH
The Effect of Heme-linked Ionizable Groups on Cyanide Binding to Methemoglobin*
The pH dependence of the kinetics of the binding of
cyanide ion to methemoglobins A and S and to guinea
pig and pigeon methemoglobins appears to be not directly
correlated with the net charges on the proteins.
The kinetics can, howeverb, e adequately explained in
terms of three sets of heme-linked ionizable groups
with pK, ranging between 4.9 and 5.3, pK, between
6.2 and 7.9, and pK3 between 8.0 and 8.5 at 20 “C.
pK1 is assigned to carboxylic acid groups, pKZ to histidines
and terminal amino groups, and pK3 to the acidalkaline
methemoglobin transition. Kinetic second order
rate constants have also been determined for the
binding of cyanide ion by the four sets of methemoglobin
species present in solution. The pKi values and the
rate constants of methemoglobin S are strikingly different
from those of methemoglobin A. This result is
explained in terms of different electrostatic contributions
to the free energy of heme linkage arising from
differences in the environments of ionizable groups at
the surfaces of the two molecules
The Changing Narratives of Death, Dying, and HIV in the United Kingdom
Death and infection were closely linked from the start of the HIV epidemic, until successful treatments became available. The initial impact of mostly young, gay men dying from HIV was powerful in shaping UK responses. Neoliberal discourses developed at the same time, particularly focusing on how citizens (rather than the state) should take responsibility to improve health. Subsequently “successful ageing” became an allied discourse, further marginalising death discussions. Our study reflected on a broad range of meanings around death within the historical UK epidemic, to examine how dying narratives shape contemporary HIV experiences. Fifty-one participants including people living with HIV, professionals, and activists were recruited for semistructured interviews. Assuming a symbolic interactionist framework, analysis highlighted how HIV deaths were initially experienced as not only traumatic but also energizing, leading to creativity. With effective antiretrovirals, dying changed shape (e.g., loss of death literacy), and better integration of palliative care was recommended
Axions and White Dwarfs
White dwarfs are almost completely degenerate objects that cannot obtain
energy from the thermonuclear sources and their evolution is just a
gravothermal process of cooling. The simplicity of these objects, the fact that
the physical inputs necessary to understand them are well identified, although
not always well understood, and the impressive observational background about
white dwarfs make them the most well studied Galactic population. These
characteristics allow to use them as laboratories to test new ideas of physics.
In this contribution we discuss the robustness of the method and its
application to the axion case.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figure, to appear in the Proceedings for the 6th Patras
meeting on Axions, WIMPs and WISP
Ageing with HIV
Applying Fraser’s inequalities framework to our UK-based HIV and Later Life (HALL) study, we show that, for the growing population of older people living with HIV (PLWH), HIV intersects with ethnicity, sex, sexuality, stigma, and ageism to produce bivalent identities. These shape their experience of ageing with HIV and intersect with economic factors, the social status order, and statutory policy to subject them to socioeconomic and cultural injustices only roughly captured by Fraser’s three domains of inequality. Under recognition, the stigmatization of HIV and its exacerbation by normative ageist expectations threaten social relationships. Under resources, older PLWH’s disproportionate financial disadvantage, linked to interrupted work histories, uncertain migration status, and recent changes to benefits on which PLWH are disproportionately reliant and whose new criteria disadvantage them, make access to support from others living with HIV and from HIV organizations even more essential for mental health and wellbeing. Finally, under representation, stigma and homophobia in care settings may undermine the quality of long-term care, and defunding of HIV organizations and welfare benefit changes via neo-liberal policies and austerity measures create political disenfranchisement and barriers to social participation. Thus, Fraser’s clear-cut domains imperfectly capture factors undermining underlying causes of older PLWH’s disadvantage: HIV-specific supports (resources) established to compensate for difficulties emanating from Fraser’s recognition and resources domains are increasingly threatened by agents operating within Fraser’s representation domain. Our conclusion considers other sources of older PLWH’s underrepresentation: their waning participation in activism and advocacy on their own behalf, and inadequate attention by non-HIV organizations
The initial-final mass relationship of white dwarfs in common proper motion pairs
A promising approach to decrease the uncertainties in the initial-final mass relationship, which is still poorly constrained, is to study white dwarfs for which external constraints are available, for instance, white dwarfs in common proper motion pairs (CPMPs). Important information of the white dwarf can be inferred from the study of the companion, since they were born at the same time and with the same initial chemical composition. In this contribution, we report new results obtained from spectroscopic observations of both members of several CPMPs composed of a F, G or K type star and a DA white dwarf
Effect of manganese doping on the size effect of lead zirconate titanate thin films and the extrinsic nature of dead layers
We have investigated the size effect in lead zirconate titanate (PZT) thin
films with a range of manganese (Mn) doping concentrations. We found that the
size effect in the conventional Pt/PZT/Pt thin-film capacitors could be
systematically reduced and almost completely eliminated by increasing Mn doping
concentration. The interfacial layer at the electrode-film interface appears to
disappear almost entirely for the PZT films with 2% Mn doping levels, confirmed
by the fits using the conventional in-series capacitor model. Our work
indicates that the size effect in ferroelectrics is extrinsic in nature,
supporting the work by Saad et al. Other implications of our results have also
been discussed. By comparing a variety of experimental studies in the
literature we propose a scenario that the dead layer between PZT (or barium
strontium titanate, BST) and metal electrodes such as Pt and Au might have a
defective pyrochlore/fluorite structure (possibly with a small portion of
ferroelectric perovskite phase).Comment: 21 pages, 6 figure
Topology of the polarization field in ferroelectric nanowires from first principles
The behaviour of the cross-sectional polarization field is explored for thin
nanowires of barium titanate from first-principles calculations. Topological
defects of different winding numbers have been obtained, beyond the known
textures in ferroelectric nanostructures. They result from the inward
accommodation of the polarization patterns imposed at the surface of the wire
by surface and edge effects. Close to a topological defect the polarization
field orients out of the basal plane in some cases, maintaining a close to
constant magnitude, whereas it virtually vanishes in other cases.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure
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