Body water conservation through selective brain cooling by the carotid rete: a physiological feature for surviving climate change?

Some mammals have the ability to lower their hypothalamic temperature below that of carotid arterial blood temperature, a process termed selective brain cooling. Although the requisite anatomical structure that facilitates this physiological process, the carotid rete, is present in members of the Cetartiodactyla, Felidae and Canidae, the carotid rete is particularly well developed in the artiodactyls, e.g. antelopes, cattle, sheep and goats. First described in the domestic cat, the seemingly obvious function initially attributed to selective brain cooling was that of protecting the brain from thermal damage. However, hyperthermia is not a prerequisite for selective brain cooling, and selective brain cooling can be exhibited at all times of the day, even when carotid arterial blood temperature is relatively low. More recently, it has been shown that selective brain cooling functions primarily as a water-conservation mechanism, allowing artiodactyls to save more than half of their daily water requirements. Here, we argue that the evolutionary success of the artiodactyls may, in part, be attributed to the evolution of the carotid rete and the resulting ability to conserve body water during past environmental conditions, and we suggest that this group of mammals may therefore have a selective advantage in the hotter and drier conditions associated with current anthropogenic climate change. A better understanding of how selective brain cooling provides physiological plasticity to mammals in changing environments will improve our ability to predict their responses and to implement appropriate conservation measures.EM201

Reconstructing the 3-D Trajectories of CMEs in the Inner Heliosphere

A method for the full three-dimensional (3-D) reconstruction of the trajectories of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) using Solar TErrestrial RElations Observatory (STEREO) data is presented. Four CMEs that were simultaneously observed by the inner and outer coronagraphs (COR1 and 2) of the Ahead and Behind STEREO satellites were analysed. These observations were used to derive CME trajectories in 3-D out to ~15Rsun. The reconstructions using COR1/2 data support a radial propagation model. Assuming pseudo-radial propagation at large distances from the Sun (15-240Rsun), the CME positions were extrapolated into the Heliospheric Imager (HI) field-of-view. We estimated the CME velocities in the different fields-of-view. It was found that CMEs slower than the solar wind were accelerated, while CMEs faster than the solar wind were decelerated, with both tending to the solar wind velocity.Comment: 17 pages, 10 figures, 1 appendi

Detection of diffuse and specular interface reflections and inter-reflections by color image segmentation

We present a computational model and algorithm for detecting diffuse and specular interface reflections and some inter-reflections. Our color reflection model is based on the dichromatic model for dielectric materials and on a color space, called S space, formed with three orthogonal basis functions. We transform color pixels measured in RGB into the S space and analyze color variations on objects in terms of brightness, hue and saturation which are defined in the S space. When transforming the original RGB data into the S space, we discount the scene illumination color that is estimated using a white reference plate as an active probe. As a result, the color image appears as if the scene illumination is white. Under the whitened illumination, the interface reflection clusters in the S space are all aligned with the brightness direction. The brightness, hue and saturation values exhibit a more direct correspondence to body colors and to diffuse and specular interface reflections, shading, shadows and inter-reflections than the RGB coordinates. We exploit these relationships to segment the color image, and to separate specular and diffuse interface reflections and some inter-reflections from body reflections. The proposed algorithm is effications for uniformly colored dielectric surfaces under singly colored scene illumination. Experimental results conform to our model and algorithm within the liminations discussed.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/41303/1/11263_2004_Article_BF00128233.pd

D-brane anti-D-brane effective action and brane interaction in open string channel

We construct the effective action of a $D_p$-brane-anti-$D_p$-brane system by making use of the non-abelian extension of tachyonic DBI action. We succeed the construction by restricting the Chan-Paton factors of two non-BPS $D_p$-branes in the action to the Chan-Paton factors of a $D_p\bar{D}_p$ system. For the special case that both branes are coincident, the action reduces to the one proposed by A. Sen. \\The effective $D_p\bar{D}_p$ potential indicates that when branes separation is larger than the string length scale, there are two minima in the tachyon direction. As branes move toward each other under the gravitational force, the tachyon tunneling from false to true vacuum may make a bubble formation followed by a classical evolution of the bubble. On the other hand, when branes separation is smaller than the string length scale, the potential shows one maximum and one minimum. In this case, a homogeneous tachyon rolling in real time makes an attractive potential for the branes distance. This classical force is speculated to be the effective force between the two branes.Comment: Latex, 14 pages, 1 figure, the version appears in JHE

4pi Models of CMEs and ICMEs

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs), which dynamically connect the solar surface to the far reaches of interplanetary space, represent a major anifestation of solar activity. They are not only of principal interest but also play a pivotal role in the context of space weather predictions. The steady improvement of both numerical methods and computational resources during recent years has allowed for the creation of increasingly realistic models of interplanetary CMEs (ICMEs), which can now be compared to high-quality observational data from various space-bound missions. This review discusses existing models of CMEs, characterizing them by scientific aim and scope, CME initiation method, and physical effects included, thereby stressing the importance of fully 3-D ('4pi') spatial coverage.Comment: 14 pages plus references. Comments welcome. Accepted for publication in Solar Physics (SUN-360 topical issue

Highly-parallelized simulation of a pixelated LArTPC on a GPU

The rapid development of general-purpose computing on graphics processing units (GPGPU) is allowing the implementation of highly-parallelized Monte Carlo simulation chains for particle physics experiments. This technique is particularly suitable for the simulation of a pixelated charge readout for time projection chambers, given the large number of channels that this technology employs. Here we present the first implementation of a full microphysical simulator of a liquid argon time projection chamber (LArTPC) equipped with light readout and pixelated charge readout, developed for the DUNE Near Detector. The software is implemented with an end-to-end set of GPU-optimized algorithms. The algorithms have been written in Python and translated into CUDA kernels using Numba, a just-in-time compiler for a subset of Python and NumPy instructions. The GPU implementation achieves a speed up of four orders of magnitude compared with the equivalent CPU version. The simulation of the current induced on 10^3 pixels takes around 1 ms on the GPU, compared with approximately 10 s on the CPU. The results of the simulation are compared against data from a pixel-readout LArTPC prototype

Physiological responses of Bos taurus and Bos indicus cattle to prolonged, continuous heat and humidity

Two experiments were conducted to investigate the physiological responses of Bos taurus (Angus cross, n = 6) and Bos indicus (Brahman, n = 6) cattle to prolonged heat and humidity, as can occur during live export by sea. Each experiment was carried out in climate-controlled rooms, where heifers were exposed to 15 d of sustained heat and humidity. The treatment was designed to be representative of a long-haul, live-export voyage leaving a southern Australian winter and traveling to a Middle Eastern summer. Wet bulb temperature (WBT) was used to give a combined measure of dry bulb temperature and relative humidity and was increased over several days, culminating in 5 d at 3

A nonsurgical method allowing continuous core temperature monitoring in mares for extended periods, including during endurance exercise

Reasons for performing study: Body temperature can be a useful measure of how well the horse responds to thermal challenges of exercise and environment. Currently there is little information available about how body temperature changes throughout an endurance ride, and no nonsurgical methods to evaluate internal temperature of exercising horses during prolonged periods and during long distances. Objective: To develop and test a nonsurgical method, using temperature loggers, of continuously recording internal temperature during exercise and over an extended period. Methods: Loggers were inserted transcervically into the uterus of mares to measure internal temperature. A total of 9 mares were implanted for periods of 3 days to 6 weeks. The internal temperature was recorded while horses underwent their normal training and competition. Loggers were validated against rectal temperature over a range of internal temperatures while mares were alternatively exercised and rested. Results: The technique proved to be straightforward and accurate. There were no ill effects observed and all mares retained the logger in utero until removal manually, except for one mare, which expelled the logger when she came into oestrus. The intrauterine and deep rectal temperatures were highly correlated and increased during exercise and decreased with aggressive cooling after exercise. Conclusions: The technique is a useful and accurate nonsurgical method for prolonged monitoring of internal temperature in mares, including those animals in athletic competition. Potential relevance: This method allows more intensive studies of core temperature during prolonged exercise in competition and under different environmental conditions. It also enables comparison to be made of different methods of cooling of horses post exercise

Do changes in feed intake or ambient temperature cause changes in cattle rumen temperature relative to core temperature?

A technique was developed to monitor and describe the relationship between core body temperature (Tc) and rumen temperature (Trum) in cattle. This relationship was assessed in cattle subjected to varying environmental temperatures and subsequent variations in dry matter and water intake. Increasing the environmental wet bulb temperature (WBT) from ambient conditions (approximately 15 °C WBT) to mild heat stress conditions (25 °C WBT) caused an increase in both Tc and Trum with significant decreases in feed intake and increases in water consumption. Despite increases in both Tc and Trum, reductions in dry matter intake, and an increase in water consumption, the relationship between Tc and Trum did not change