Why are our intestines so dang long? | AskScience Blog

Pages

Saturday, March 26, 2022

Why are our intestines so dang long?

Why are our intestines so dang long?


Why are our intestines so dang long?

Posted: 26 Mar 2022 07:35 PM PDT

What would happen if the vasa recta flowed in the same direction as the loop of Henle?

Posted: 26 Mar 2022 09:10 PM PDT

I am trying to better understand nephron physiology by thinking of what would happen if things were changed around.

My understanding is that the vasa recta is vascular tissue (fenestrated capillary) whose purpose is mainly to provide perfusion to the tissues of the medullary cortex, and which also helps with h2o and solute re-absorption from the nephron.

I also somewhat understand that the design of the vasa recta is set up in a clever way so as not to 'wash out' and 'carry away' the cortico-medullary salt concentration gradient created by the countercurrent multiplication system of the loop of Henle, while it is busy carrying out its mission of perfusion.

It sort of makes sense to me that the hairpin turn of the vasa recta, combined with low speed of flow, allows for salt to leave the VR on its ascent from the medulla almost as much as it was entering during the descent.

But my A&P2 textbook really stresses the importance of the reversed flows, and I don't see the significance. Why would a co-current flow between the vasa recta and the loop of Henle be problematic in steady state?

The only relevant asymmetry I can pinpoint is the differing permeability of the limbs of the loop of Henle.

Could it be as simple as: the sodium leaving the ascending limb of Henle would diffuse into the cocurrent vasa recta AFTER it has already completed its descent, causing complete washout of the gradient?

I'm not so sure, and this is where my tiny brain stops working.

submitted by /u/gorplo
[link] [comments]

Has domesticating livestock influenced micro biome in animals?

Posted: 26 Mar 2022 05:25 PM PDT

Changes in diet and even chemical control with the use of antibiotics has surely had an effect on the gut flora of so many animals no?

If so has there been new species evolve - possibly like the plastic eating variety mentioned in a recent post - entirely made possible due to the changed biochemistry of the domestication history?

Lastly could some of those have migrated to wild animals, or crossed species ?

submitted by /u/daynomate
[link] [comments]

How does an adrenal tumor affect the eyes?

Posted: 26 Mar 2022 02:09 PM PDT

What lead Kepler to discover his third law ?

Posted: 26 Mar 2022 05:23 PM PDT

What lead Kepler to discover his third law ?

submitted by /u/Representative_Loss
[link] [comments]

Why can't we transplant Femoral head?

Posted: 26 Mar 2022 11:14 AM PDT

Like any other transplant, what stops us from transplanting cadaver or donor femur heads with intact major terminal arteries and then anastomose that to patient rather than doing THR, provided theoretically no limit of donors/sizes/matches. What stops us then, just fine vessel suturing? If we can do transtrochanteric osteotomies, then why not total femur head grafting?

submitted by /u/Lord_Crawley
[link] [comments]

Since the Dragon capsule is fully autonomous could it be used to “park” next to Hubble and provide the ability for a repair/upgrade mission?

Posted: 25 Mar 2022 03:58 PM PDT

I understand interior volume is limited but maybe be reconfigured for 2 pilots and room for spacesuits and tools/equipment. Or launch cargo Dragon and put it into close proximity with the equipment for repair or upgrade. Then be able to bring it closer when the crew Dragon arrives. The cost of a Falcon 9 launch is tiny compared to a shuttle launch. And then there is Starship coming within a few years.

submitted by /u/Clueless_dope
[link] [comments]

when did modern elephants diverge into the african and asian varieties?

Posted: 25 Mar 2022 04:40 PM PDT

So basically I was reasearching elephants out of boredom and got confused. Im sure this sounds stupid but when and how did the 2 groups diverge? And how did mammoths and the american mastodonts fit into the picture?

Edit: another stupid question, why is it both species of african elephant have a scientific name starting with laxodonta but not asian elephants?

submitted by /u/Sea_Charity_3927
[link] [comments]

How far from Earth does an object need to be before it no longer makes sense to say “it’s high up?”

Posted: 25 Mar 2022 05:12 PM PDT

We would commonly say birds/planes/clouds are "high" relative to us. When a rocket is launched we ask "how high?"

How high does something need to be before we just talk about it in terms of "distance from earth" rather than "height off the ground?" Is there a specific scientific consensus for that?

submitted by /u/Grandclosing
[link] [comments]

When soup, broth, or nutmilk is sold in a Tetra-Pak or similar cardboard carton, is it boiled (canned) in the packaging?

Posted: 25 Mar 2022 04:05 PM PDT

And if so, wouldn't that lead to chemicals from the packaging leaching into the liquid?

submitted by /u/orangegore
[link] [comments]

No comments:

Post a Comment