The age-related decline in intestinal lipid uptake is associated with a reduced abundance of fatty acid-binding protein

Aging is associated with changes in the absorptive capacity of the small intestine. We tested the hypotheses that (i) aging is associated with a decline in lipid absorption, and that (ii) this decreased lipid absorption is due to a decline in the abundance of mRNA and/or the enterocyte cytosolic intestinal FA-binding protein (I-FABP), the liver FA-binding protein (L-FABP), and the ileal lipid-binding protein (ILBP). In vitro uptake studies were performed on Fischer 344 rats at ages 1, 9, and 24 mon. Northern blotting (L-FABP, ILBP) and immunohistochemistry (I-FABP, ILBP) were performed. Aging was associated with decreased animal weights, but the surface area of the intestine was not significantly altered with age. The rates of ileal uptake of 16∶0, 18∶0, 18∶1, and 18∶2 were reduced by greater than 50% with aging when expressed on the basis of mucosal weight. This decline was not associated with reduced expression of mRNA for L-FABP or ILBP but was associated with a 50% decrease in the abundance of I-FABP and a 40% decrease in the abundance of ILBP. Thus, the decrease with aging in the ileal uptake of some FA when rates were expressed on the basis of mucosal weight was associated with a reduced abundance of I-FABP and ILBP.     

Prevalence of disorders in preweaned dairy calves from 731 dairies in Germany: A cross-sectional study

The objective of this cross-sectional study was to determine the prevalence of disorders in preweaned calves in 3 regions in Germany, exemplary for structural diversity in dairy farming. A farm visit was performed on a single occasion on 731 dairy farms in the northern, eastern, and southern regions of Germany between December 2016 and July 2019. Farms differed in herd size, geographical location, and management. In the northern region, the farms had a median of 90 milking cows and were often run as full-time family businesses, partly with external workers. The eastern region tended to have larger farms (a median of 251 milking cows), which were often large-scale agricultural enterprises with employees. In the southern region, the farms had a median of 39 milking cows and were often traditional family businesses, some of these being part-time businesses. Clinical examinations were performed on 14,164 preweaned dairy calves (median 12 calves per farm) by trained veterinarians. A complete data set was available for 13,656 calves. Almost half (42.0%) of the evaluated calves were classified as being affected by at least 1 of the common calf disorders. Omphalitis (O, 20.9%; n = 2,876) and diarrhea (D, 18.5%; n = 2,670) were the most frequently recorded diagnoses, whereas respiratory diseases (RD) were observed to a lesser extent (8.7%; n = 1,100). A striking feature was the fact that 7.1% (n = 987) of the calves were affected by more than 1 disorder at the same time (multimorbidity, M). The following combinations of disorders were frequently observed: O and D (n = 596), O and RD (n = 164), and D and RD (n = 140). Disorders such as O and D, as well as M, were predominantly observed in calves aged 2 wk. A gradual increase in the frequency of RD was observed with age. For all disorders except RD, male calves were more often affected than females. Omphalitis was predominantly diagnosed in the summer months, whereas RD, D, and M were more common in the fall. We detected several statistically significant differences in the prevalence of clinical signs and disorders in preweaned dairy calves between the 3 exemplary regions. The prevalence of RD was higher in the south (10.8%) than in the north (8.2%) and east (7.4%). In the north (33.2%), O was observed more frequently than in the other regions (east: 18.9%; south: 10.5%), whereas D was found less frequently in the north (13.8%) than in the east (21.6%) and south (20.0%).     

Primary structure and phylogeny of the Calvin cycle enzymes transketolase and fructosebisphosphate aldolase of Xanthobacter flavus

Xanthobacter flavus, a gram-negative facultatively autotrophic bacterium, employs the Calvin cycle for the fixation of carbon dioxide. Cells grown under autotrophic growth conditions possess an Fe(2+)-dependent fructosebisphosphate (FBP) aldolase (class II) in addition to a class I FBP aldolase. By nucleotide sequencing and heterologous expression in Escherichia coli, genes encoding transketolase (EC 2.2.1.1.; CbbT) and class II FBP aldolase (EC 4.1.2.13; CbbA) were identified. A partial open reading frame encoding a protein similar to pentose-5-phosphate 3-epimerase was identified downstream from cbbA. A phylogenetic tree of transketolase proteins displays a conventional branching order. However, the class II FBP aldolase protein from X. flavus is only distantly related to that of E. coli. The autotrophic FBP aldolase proteins from X. flavus, Alcaligenes eutrophus, and Rhodobacter sphaeroides form a tight cluster, with the proteins from gram-positive bacteria as the closest relatives.     

Resource Complementarity and IT Economies of Scale: Mechanisms and Empirical Evidence

ABSTRACT

In this study, we explore economies of scale for IT infrastructure and application services. An in-depth appreciation of economies of scale is imperative for an adequate understanding of the impact of IT investments. Our findings indicate that even low IT spending organizations can make a difference by devoting at least 60% of their total IT budget on IT infrastructure in order to foster economies of scale and extract strategic benefits.     

The Enamelled Mead: History and practice of exotic perennials grown in grassy swards

The history of the practice of growing exotic perennials in grassy swards, which is considered by some to be a new practice, is researched. The available information is surveyed, and a number of different trends are identified. It is concluded that there is a long pedigree, with the earliest verified evidence dating from the Middle Ages, from which time the practice has continued in private gardens, but has been applied in public parks only in the 20th century. The earliest known terminology for the practice, in use by the early 17th century, appears to be ‘enamelling’, but this word became disused during the 19th century, when it became seen as an aspect of ‘wild gardening’. During the 20th century the mediaeval representation of this practice has been referred to as ‘flowery mead’, while the contemporary 20th-century practice became known as ‘meadow gardening’.     

组景序列所表现的现象学景观：中国传统景观感知体验模式的现代性

对中国古代的大量组景序列实例的研究,表明了中国传统景观感知体验模式的现代性,这一传统所记录的不仅是直接视觉所反映的景观,而且是具有历史纵深引用的场景,它同时也是来自多种感官体验的景观感知,很多实例中的题名通过与特殊的季节、气候、节日、事件相关联,从而强调了景观主客体之间的互动性和景观体验的时效性.组景序列往往用诗意的隐喻指出了体验的方式和延续性的时间深度、身体多种感官的参与等现象学景观研究焦点,甚至涉及历史景观遗产的欣赏保护.     

生态城市的理念

自然生态系统中各种要素相互关联,而生态城市的发展理应遵循这种系统思想。在城市发展中,绿化是人们改善人居环境品质的手段之一,不应被视作目的或结果。现代主义运动中的某些发展模式可为我们提供警示,新近一些成功案例则很好地体现了生态城市理念,包括建筑与城市绿地系统的有机混合、城市与乡村的相互交融、公共绿地与私家庭院的和谐并存、绿地系统建设的大众参与和渐进式生长、低层发展模式、资源循环利用、不同年龄人群的共生等。     

Analysis and application of three-phase induction motor voltagecontroller with improved transient performance

An improved transient performance of three-phase inductance machines with controlled thyristor triggering is presented. A recently developed dynamic function for the thyristor triggering angle is utilized. The triggering angle function influences the phase modulation of the machine-supplied voltage such that the normal transient problems are avoided. Simulation of transients, based on the analytical solution of the machine differential equations, for all modes of operation is provided. The simulation model results show that a smooth switching process for an induction machine, running at any speed, for both motor and generator operation, is achievable. The beneficial effect of the suggested function is smoothing the transient flux, currents and torque is illustrated. Application of the function to different switching conditions is performed with actual laboratory tests     

System Study on Hydrothermal Gasification Combined With a Hybrid Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Gas Turbine

The application of wet biomass in energy conversion systems is challenging, since in most conventional systems the biomass has to be dried. Drying can be very energy intensive especially when the biomass has a moisture content above 50 wt.% on a wet basis. The combination of hydrothermal biomass gasification and a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) gas turbine (GT) hybrid system could be an efficient way to convert very wet biomass into electricity. Therefore, thermodynamic evaluation of combined systems with hydrothermal gasification units and SOFC–GT hybrid units has been performed. Three hydrothermal gasification cases have been evaluated; one producing mainly methane, a second one producing a mixture of hydrogen and methane and the last one producing mainly hydrogen. These three gasification systems have been coupled to the same SOFC–GT hybrid system. All the integrated systems have electrical exergy efficiencies around 50%, therefore, the combination of supercritical water gasification and SOFC–GT hybrid systems seems promising. The overall system performance depends for a large part on the liquid gas separation. Further research is required for finding out the optimal separation conditions.