Vogel-Kerl
Vogel-Kerl t1_jbtu67a wrote
Reply to comment by CrazyisNSFW in What exactly is going on when a protein (or other molecule) binds with a receptor? by Eat-A-Torus
Great addition?? Thanks.
Vogel-Kerl t1_jbspwjh wrote
Reply to What exactly is going on when a protein (or other molecule) binds with a receptor? by Eat-A-Torus
There are two functions happening usually: Binding and Activating, for an agonist.
For an antagonist, you'll have Binding and Blocking. Usually you'll have a greater binding affinity for antagonists that can knock an agonist off of the receptor.
I know you're mentioning messenger proteins, but a chemical example is how Naloxone will knock off morphine from a receptor due to its higher affinity. The naloxone then blocks morphine from activating the receptor.
When an agonist binds, it can change the channel's confirmation allowing influx, or efflux of ions. Depending, this can increase or decrease the chances of an action potential to occur.
Sometimes things get even more complicated. The chloride channel that Valium works on, the GABA receptor, has receptors for GABA and receptors for benzodiazepines (valium-type drugs).
One single channel, or one single neuron may not play a large role, BUT..., When hundreds and thousands and millions of receptors and neurons are affected, you see an overall effect in the subject.
Vogel-Kerl t1_j6mp5ga wrote
Reply to ELI5: If drinking salt water further dehydrates the body, why is saline used to treated dehydration? by Dartualexmachina
Normal saline is 0.9% sodium chloride.
That's 9 grams of NaCl in one liter of water. This is isotonic to your blood.
Sea water has ~35 grams per liter, almost 4 times as much.
Vogel-Kerl t1_j6lrpfd wrote
Reply to comment by frustrated_staff in ELI5 Why is desalination so hard? by MiloFrank76
Sure, great ideas.
Besides sodium chloride, there are other salts as well:
Chloride (Cl-) 18.980 21.200 23.000 22.219 Sodium (Na+) 10.556 11.800 15.850 14.255 Sulfate (SO42-) 2.649 2.950 3.200 3.078 Magnesium (Mg2+) 1.262 1.403 1.765 742 Calcium (Ca2+) 400 423 500 225 Potassium (K+) 380 463 460 210 Bicarbonate(HCO3-) 140 - 142 146 Strontium (Sr2+) 13 - - - Bromide (Br-) 65 155 80 72 Borate (BO33-) 26 72 - - Fluoride (F-) 1 - - - Silicate (SiO32-) 1 - 1,5 - Iodide (I-)
Read more: https://www.lenntech.com/composition-seawater.htm#ixzz7rwm3A92W
Vogel-Kerl t1_j6jatcw wrote
Reply to ELI5 Why is desalination so hard? by MiloFrank76
I wouldn't say it is hard more than it's energy intensive.
Even using the Sun's heat--a solar still-- which is free, takes quite a bit of energy: I guess it depends on scale as well.
To provide potable water for a medium sized city needs a lot of energy. Then, what to do with the salty sludge leftover.
Do you return this to the ocean? It will make the dump site toxic. Do you store all of it somewhere on land? Again, it'll make that area toxic to plants and you don't want rain bringing that salt to the water table, contaminating it.
Vogel-Kerl t1_j64k7ia wrote
Reply to ELI5: How do we define the boundary between earth’s atmosphere and space? by crenshawcrane
Good question. The atmosphere just gets thinner and thinner the higher one goes.
The US defines space as above 50 miles. The rest of the world defines it as 100km, which is ~60 miles.
Not too far off.
*this is the older definition, I might be temporally wrong.
Vogel-Kerl t1_jdoy6pm wrote
Reply to ELI5: Why are zombies so damn fast? by Fickle-Interaction92
The only real world possibility of "zombies" have to have an intact cerebellum and primal brain functions.
Those zombie movies that suggest a virus, or fungus that destroys the brain's frontal lobes are in the realm of possibility.
Those zombie stories of the dead coming back to life are simply ludicrous. Without a functioning cerebellum to coordinate movements, zombies aren't crawling, let alone standing, let alone walking, or running.