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Factor I (FI) is a serine protease that inhibits all complement pathways by degrading activated complement components C3b and C4b. FI functions only in the presence of several cofactors such as factor H, C4b-binding protein, complement receptor 1 and membrane cofactor protein. FI is composed of two chains linked by a disulphide bridge; the light chain comprises only the serine protease (SP) domain

Shallow groundwater in unconsolidated sediments represents a substantial water resource in the Chinese Loess Plateau. However, prior to development of the water supply for agriculture, annual and seasonal fluctuation of the recharge mechanism should be clarified. Since the region is arid, the effect of plant water uptake on groundwater fluctuation must also be assessed. A study was therefore under

Experimental data on precipitation chemistry were collected at a semi-arid savanna in Senegal (Dahra) in 2013, 2014 and 2017. The chemical composition of precipitation was analyzed for inorganic and organic ions, using ionic chromatography. The pH values of precipitation range from 4.50 to 8.50 with 89% of the samples having basic pH. The composition of precipitation was controlled by four source

Solar-Induced Chlorophyll Fluorescence (SIF) can provide key information about the state of photosynthesis and offers the prospect of defining remote sensing-based estimation of Gross Primary Production (GPP). There is strong theoretical support for the link between SIF and GPP and this relationship has been empirically demonstrated using ground-based, airborne, and satellite-based SIF observation

Prekallikrein, a glycoprotein involved in contact phase activation, circulates in plasma in the form of a binary complex with high molecular weight kininogen (H-kininogen). The binding to H-kininogen is mediated by the prekallikrein heavy chain consisting of four repetitive domains, A1-A4. To define more precisely the region(s) involved in kininogen binding, we have employed an affinity cross-link

Thermodynamic stability is a crucial fitness constraint in protein evolution and is a central factor in shaping the sequence landscapes of proteins. The correlation between stability and molecular fitness depends on the mechanism that relates the biophysical property with biological function. In the simplest case, stability and fitness are related by the amount of folded protein. However, when pro

Peroxiredoxins (Prxs) are vital regulators of intracellular reactive oxygen species levels in all living organisms. Their activity depends on one or two catalytically active cysteine residues, the peroxidatic Cys (CP) and, if present, the resolving Cys (CR). A detailed catalytic cycle has been derived for typical 2-Cys Prxs, however, little is known about the catalytic cycle of 1-Cys Prxs. We have

Antimony-based perovskite-inspired materials (PIMs) are solution-processable halide absorbers with interesting optoelectronic properties, low toxicity, and good intrinsic stability. Their bandgaps around 2 eV make them particularly suited for indoor photovoltaics (IPVs). Yet, so far only the fully inorganic Cs3Sb2ClxI9−x composition has been employed as a light-harvesting layer in IPVs. Herein, th