scholarly journals Comparative transcriptome analysis revealed omnivorous adaptation of the small intestine of Melinae

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lidong Wang ◽  
Xiufeng Yang ◽  
Shengyang Zhou ◽  
Tianshu Lyu ◽  
Lupeng Shi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Small Intestine ◽  
Adaptive Evolution ◽  
Feeding Habits ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Intestinal Fluids ◽  
Animal Feeding ◽  
Small Intestinal ◽  
Transcriptome Resource ◽  
Insight Into

AbstractAs the main digestive organ, the small intestine plays a vital role in the digestion of animals. At present, most of the research on animal feeding habits focuses on carnivores and herbivores. However, the mechanism of feeding and digestion in omnivores remains unclear. This study aims to reveal the molecular basis of the omnivorous adaptive evolution of Melinae by comparing the transcriptome of the small intestines of Asian Badgers (Meles leucurus) and Northern Hog Badgers (Arctonyx albogularis). We obtained high-quality small intestinal transcriptome data from these two species. Key genes and signalling pathways were analysed through Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and other databases. Research has mainly found that orthologous genes related to six enzymes have undergone adaptive evolution. In addition, the study also found three digestion-related pathways (cGMP-PKG, cAMP, and Hippo). They are related to the digestion and absorption of nutrients, the secretion of intestinal fluids, and the transport of food through the small intestine, which may help omnivorous animals adapt to an omnivorous diet. Our study provides insight into the adaptation of Melinae to omnivores and affords a valuable transcriptome resource for future research.

scholarly journals A breakdown in communication? Understanding the effects of aging on the human small intestine epithelium

2015 ◽  
Vol 129 (7) ◽  
pp. 529-531 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neil A. Mabbott
Keyword(s):  
Small Intestine ◽  
Barrier Function ◽  
Intestinal Barrier ◽  
Intestinal Barrier Function ◽  
Human Small Intestine ◽  
Small Intestinal ◽  
Effects Of Aging ◽  
Insight Into

A new study by Man and colleagues provides further insight into the effects of aging on small intestinal barrier function in humans. Here, their findings are briefly summarised and the wider implications discussed.

scholarly journals Negotiating (dis-)engagement in K-12 blended learning

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nina Bergdahl ◽  
Melissa Bond
Keyword(s):  
Active Learning ◽  
Blended Learning ◽  
Digital Technologies ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Socially Disadvantaged ◽  
Leadership Engagement ◽  
Upper Secondary ◽  
K 12 ◽  
Engagement And Disengagement

AbstractIt is well-recognised that engagement is critical for learning and school success. Engagement (and disengagement) are, however, also influenced by context. Thus, as digital technologies add complexity to the educational context, they influence classroom leadership, lesson designs and related practices, and thereby engagement. Despite being critical, engagement and disengagement are not well explored concerning these influences, with a lack of research undertaken within socially disadvantaged schools. In this qualitative study, 14 classroom observations were conducted, during five months, in twelve classes in an upper secondary school in Sweden, along with dialogues with teachers (n=12) and students (n=32). The data were analysed using thematic analysis and descriptive statistics. Identified themes include digital context, teacher leadership, engagement and disengagement. A network of relations between the (dis-)engagement compound and themes is presented. The results identified processes in which engagement shifted into disengagement and vice versa; in particular, that the intention of active learning does not automatically translate to active learning for all students, although teachers employed a higher work pace than did their students. Teacher self-efficacy and awareness of how to manage digital technologies in and outside the classroom was found to play a vital role in facilitating engagement. Understanding the (dis-)engagement compound in blended learning environments is key to inform active and visible learning for future research and supportive organisational structures.

Towards Interconnected Blockchains

2021 ◽  
Vol 54 (7) ◽  
pp. 1-39
Author(s):  
Ankur Lohachab ◽  
Saurabh Garg ◽  
Byeong Kang ◽  
Muhammad Bilal Amin ◽  
Junmin Lee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
State Of The Art ◽  
The State ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Missing Link ◽  
Layered Architecture ◽  
Blockchain Technology ◽  
Wide Scale ◽  
Effective Development ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
Game Changer

Unprecedented attention towards blockchain technology is serving as a game-changer in fostering the development of blockchain-enabled distinctive frameworks. However, fragmentation unleashed by its underlying concepts hinders different stakeholders from effectively utilizing blockchain-supported services, resulting in the obstruction of its wide-scale adoption. To explore synergies among the isolated frameworks requires comprehensively studying inter-blockchain communication approaches. These approaches broadly come under the umbrella of Blockchain Interoperability (BI) notion, as it can facilitate a novel paradigm of an integrated blockchain ecosystem that connects state-of-the-art disparate blockchains. Currently, there is a lack of studies that comprehensively review BI, which works as a stumbling block in its development. Therefore, this article aims to articulate potential of BI by reviewing it from diverse perspectives. Beginning with a glance of blockchain architecture fundamentals, this article discusses its associated platforms, taxonomy, and consensus mechanisms. Subsequently, it argues about BI’s requirement by exemplifying its potential opportunities and application areas. Concerning BI, an architecture seems to be a missing link. Hence, this article introduces a layered architecture for the effective development of protocols and methods for interoperable blockchains. Furthermore, this article proposes an in-depth BI research taxonomy and provides an insight into the state-of-the-art projects. Finally, it determines possible open challenges and future research in the domain.

The Application of the Blockchain Technology in Voting Systems

2021 ◽  
Vol 54 (3) ◽  
pp. 1-28
Author(s):  
Jun Huang ◽  
Debiao He ◽  
Mohammad S. Obaidat ◽  
Pandi Vijayakumar ◽  
Min Luo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Research Agenda ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Voting Systems ◽  
Comprehensive Review ◽  
Formal Expression ◽  
Future Research Agenda ◽  
Blockchain Technology ◽  
Peer Network ◽  
Peer To Peer Network ◽  
Insight Into

Voting is a formal expression of opinion or choice, either positive or negative, made by an individual or a group of individuals. However, conventional voting systems tend to be centralized, which are known to suffer from security and efficiency limitations. Hence, there has been a trend of moving to decentralized voting systems, such as those based on blockchain. The latter is a decentralized digital ledger in a peer-to-peer network, where a copy of the append-only ledger of digitally signed and encrypted transactions is maintained by each participant. Therefore, in this article, we perform a comprehensive review of blockchain-based voting systems and classify them based on a number of features (e.g., the types of blockchain used, the consensus approaches used, and the scale of participants). By systematically analyzing and comparing the different blockchain-based voting systems, we also identify a number of limitations and research opportunities. Hopefully, this survey will provide an in-depth insight into the potential utility of blockchain in voting systems and device future research agenda.

Application of a dynamic mechanistic model of small intestinal starch digestion in the dairy cow

2002 ◽  
Vol 2002 ◽  
pp. 104-104
Author(s):  
J. A. N. Mills ◽  
E. Kebreab ◽  
L. A. Crompton ◽  
J. Dijkstra ◽  
J. France
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Data ◽  
Small Intestine ◽  
Dairy Cow ◽  
Energy Recovery ◽  
Mechanistic Model ◽  
Biological Knowledge ◽  
Dietary Energy ◽  
Starch Digestion ◽  
High Contribution ◽  
Small Intestinal

The high contribution of postruminal starch digestion (>50%) to total tract starch digestion on certain energy dense diets (Mills et al. 1999) demands that limitations to small intestinal starch digestion are identified. Therefore, a dynamic mechanistic model of the small intestine was constructed and evaluated against published experimental data for abomasal carbohydrate infusions in the dairy cow. The mechanistic structure of the model allowed the current biological knowledge to be integrated into a system capable of identifying restrictions to dietary energy recovery from postruminal starch delivery.

scholarly journals A Conceptual Framework and Propositions for the Acceptance of Mobile Services

2007 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 61-73 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sally Rao ◽  
Indrit Troshani
Keyword(s):  
Mobile Services ◽  
User Acceptance ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Research Directions ◽  
Consumer Adoption ◽  
Business Opportunities ◽  
Managerial Implications ◽  
Lead Users ◽  
Future Research Directions ◽  
Insight Into

Mobile services are heralded to create a tremendous spectrum of business opportunities. User acceptance of these services is of paramount importance. Consequently, a deeper insight into theory-based research is required to better understand the underlying motivations that lead users to adopting mobile services. As mobile services bring additional functional dimensions, including hedonic and experiential aspects, using extant models for predicting mobile services acceptance by individuals may be inadequate. The aim of this paper is to explore, analyse and critically assess the use of existing acceptance theories in the light of the evolving and ubiquitous mobile services and their underlying technologies. Constructs affecting consumer adoption behaviour are discussed and relevant propositions are made. Managerial implications are explored and future research directions are also identified.

Influence of microbial species on small intestinal myoelectric activity and transit in germ-free rats

2001 ◽  
Vol 280 (3) ◽  
pp. G368-G380 ◽  
Author(s):  
Einar Husebye ◽  
Per M. Hellström ◽  
Frank Sundler ◽  
Jie Chen ◽  
Tore Midtvedt
Keyword(s):  
Small Intestine ◽  
Intestinal Microflora ◽  
Burst Activity ◽  
Intestinal Transit ◽  
Myoelectric Activity ◽  
Regular Spike ◽  
Spike Burst ◽  
Germ Free ◽  
Microbial Species ◽  
Small Intestinal

The effect of an intestinal microflora consisting of selected microbial species on myoelectric activity of small intestine was studied using germ-free rat models, with recording before and after specific intestinal colonization, in the unanesthetized state. Intestinal transit, neuropeptides in blood (RIA), and neuromessengers in the intestinal wall were determined. Clostridium tabificum vp 04 promoted regular spike burst activity, shown by a reduction of the migrating myoelectric complex (MMC) period from 30.5 ± 3.9 min in the germ-free state to 21.2 ± 0.14 min ( P < 0.01). Lactobacillus acidophilus A10 and Bifidobacterium bifidum B11 reduced the MMC period from 27.9 ± 4.5 to 21.5 ± 2.1 min ( P < 0.02) and accelerated small intestinal transit ( P < 0.05). Micrococcus luteus showed an inhibitory effect, with an MMC period of 35.9 ± 9.3 min compared with 27.7 ± 6.3 min in germ-free rats ( P < 0.01). Inhibition was indicated also for Escherichia coli X7gnotobiotic rats. No consistent changes in slow wave frequency were observed. The concentration of neuropeptide Y in blood decreased after introduction of conventional intestinal microflora, suggesting reduced inhibitory control. Intestinal bacteria promote or suppress the initiation and aboral migration of the MMC depending on the species involved. Bacteria with primitive fermenting metabolism (anaerobes) emerge as important promoters of regular spike burst activity in small intestine.

Su1211 The Utility of Small Intestine Capsule Endoscopy and Balloon-Assisted Enteroscopy in the Diagnosis of Small Intestinal Tumors

2017 ◽  
Vol 85 (5) ◽  
pp. AB316
Author(s):  
Ryoichi Sawada ◽  
Ryosuke Miyazaki ◽  
Ayako Ishii ◽  
Yusuke Nagata ◽  
Makio Ogawa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Small Intestine ◽  
Capsule Endoscopy ◽  
Intestinal Tumors ◽  
Small Intestinal

Serum cobalamin concentrations and small intestinal ultrasound changes in 75 cats with clinical signs of gastrointestinal disease: a retrospective study

2016 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 48-56 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria C Jugan ◽  
John R August
Keyword(s):  
Small Intestine ◽  
Gastrointestinal Disease ◽  
Clinical Signs ◽  
Small Animal ◽  
Abdominal Ultrasound ◽  
Wall Layer ◽  
Normal Serum ◽  
Definitive Diagnosis ◽  
Albumin Concentration ◽  
Small Intestinal

Objectives The aim of the study was to evaluate ultrasonographic changes in the small intestine of cats with clinical signs of gastrointestinal disease and low or low–normal serum cobalamin concentrations. Methods Records for client-owned cats presenting to the small animal hospital with signs of gastrointestinal disease and in which serum cobalamin concentrations were measured from 2000–2013 were reviewed. Inclusion criteria were cobalamin concentrations <500 ng/l, abdominal ultrasound within 1 month of cobalamin testing and definitive diagnosis. Results Of 751 serum cobalamin measurements, hypocobalaminemia or low–normal cobalamin was identified in 270 cats, abdominal ultrasound was performed in 207 of those cats and a diagnosis was available for 75 of them. Small intestinal ultrasound changes were detected in 49/75 (65%) cats. Abnormalities included thickening, loss of wall layer definition, echogenicity alterations and discrete masses. Serum cobalamin concentrations <500 ng/l were observed with diagnoses of inflammatory disease, neoplasia, infectious disease and normal histopathology. Cobalamin concentration was significantly lower in cats with lymphoma or inflammatory bowel disease compared with other gastrointestinal neoplasia ( P = 0.031). No difference was found between cobalamin concentration and the presence of ultrasound abnormalities, specific ultrasound changes or albumin concentration. Conclusions and relevance One-third of symptomatic cats with hypocobalaminemia or low–normal cobalamin concentrations may have an ultrasonographically normal small intestine. For the majority of cats in this study, histopathologic abnormalities were observed in the small intestine, regardless of ultrasound changes. These findings suggest gastrointestinal disease should not be excluded based on low–normal cobalamin concentrations, even with a concurrent normal ultrasound examination. Additional studies are needed in cats with low–normal serum cobalamin concentrations, as a definitive diagnosis was not pursued consistently in those cats. However, data from this study suggest that careful monitoring, histopathologic evaluation and future cobalamin supplementation may be warranted.

Carbohydrase activity in the pancreatic tissue and small intestine mucosa of sheep fed dried-grass or ground maize-based diets

1985 ◽  
Vol 104 (2) ◽  
pp. 435-443 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. N. Janes ◽  
T. E. C. Weekes ◽  
D. G. Armstrong
Keyword(s):  
Small Intestine ◽  
Amylase Activity ◽  
Total Activity ◽  
Pancreatic Tissue ◽  
Proximal Region ◽  
Small Intestinal Mucosa ◽  
Intestine Mucosa ◽  
Ruminant Animals ◽  
Specific Activities ◽  
Small Intestinal

SummaryTwo groups of six sheep were fed either dried-grass or ground maize-based diets for at least 4 weeks before slaughter. Samples of the small intestinal mucosa and spancreatic tissue were assayed for a-amylase, glucoamylase, maltase and oligo-l,6-glucosidase.The pancreatic tissue contained high activities of α-amylase and much lower activities of glucoamylase, maltase and oligo-1,6-glucosidase. There was no effect of diet on the specific activities of any of these enzymes in the pancreatic tissue.The activity of α-amylase adsorbed on to the mucosa of the small intestine was greatest in the proximal region of the small intestine, the activity generally declining with increasing distance away from the pylorus. There was no diet effect on the absorbed α-amylase activity.Similar patterns of distribution along the small intestine were observed for maltase, glucoamylase and oligo-1,6-glucosidase with the highest activities in t he jejunum. There was no overall effect of diet on glucoamylase or maltase specific activities and glucoamylase total activity, although the total activities of maltase and oligo-1,6-glucosidase were significantly greater for the sheep fed the ground maize-based diet (P < 0·05).It is suggested that ruminant animals may be capable of digesting large amounts of starch in the small intestine through an adaptation in the activity of the host carbohydrases.

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