Fluid Core Research Articles

A prediction model of dementia conversion for mild cognitive impairment by combining plasma pTau181 and structural imaging features.

The early stages of Alzheimer's disease (AD) are no longer insurmountable. Therefore, identifying at-risk individuals is of great importance for precise treatment. We developed a model to predict cognitive deterioration in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Based on the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) database, we constructed models in a derivation cohort of 761 participants with MCI (138 of whom developed dementia at the 36th month) and verified them in a validation cohort of 353 cognitively normal controls (54 developed MCI and 19 developed dementia at the 36th month). In addition, 1303 participants with available AD cerebrospinal fluid core biomarkers were selected to clarify the ability of the model to predict AD core features. We assessed 32 parameters as candidate predictors, including clinical information, blood biomarkers, and structural imaging features, and used multivariable logistic regression analysis to develop our prediction model. Six independent variables of MCI deterioration were identified: apolipoprotein E ε4 allele status, lower Mini-Mental State Examination scores, higher levels of plasma pTau181, smaller volumes of the left hippocampus and right amygdala, and a thinner right inferior temporal cortex. We established an easy-to-use risk heat map and risk score based on these risk factors. The area under the curve (AUC) for both internal and external validations was close to 0.850. Furthermore, the AUC was above 0.800 in identifying participants with high brain amyloid-β loads. Calibration plots demonstrated good agreement between the predicted probability and actual observations in the internal and external validations. We developed and validated an accurate prediction model for dementia conversion in patients with MCI. Simultaneously, the model predicts AD-specific pathological changes. We hope that this model will contribute to more precise clinical treatment and better healthcare resource allocation.

Vibration analysis of a partially covered beam with a shear thickening fluid core

The vibration responses of a sandwich beam with partially covered by shear thickening fluid (STF) layer under an impact load are investigated. The nonlinear governing equations of the flexural vibration are derived based on extended Hamilton’s principle and are solved by the finite difference method. The model is then validated and used to develop a complete parametric study of partially covered beams with the STF-filled core to properly design and place the STF patch. It is found that, for the first vibration mode, maximum damping, and the smallest change in the natural frequency are achieved when the coverage length of the partial STF patch exceeds 50% and the center of the patch is positioned at 56.25% from the left edge. For the second vibration mode, the coverage length is 37.5% and the center of the patch is located at 75% from the left edge of the beam. Additionally, it has been observed that maintaining a thickness ratio of 0.75 between the constraining layer and the base beam leads to increased damping, while simultaneously minimizing alterations in the natural frequency of the original beam. The results can be used for the structural design of sandwich beams partially covered by STF.

Evaluation of core Biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease in saliva and plasma measured by chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassays on a fully automated platform

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) core biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), including amyloid peptide beta-42 (Aβ42), Aβ42/40 ratio, and phosphorylated tau (pTau), are precious tools for supporting AD diagnosis. However, their use in clinical practice is limited due to the invasiveness of CSF collection. Thus, there is intensive research to find alternative, noninvasive, and widely accessible biological matrices to measure AD core biomarkers. In this study, we measured AD core biomarkers in saliva and plasma by a fully automated platform. We enrolled all consecutive patients with cognitive decline. For each patient, we measured Aβ42, Aβ40, and pTau levels in CSF, saliva, and plasma by Lumipulse G1200 (Fujirebio). We included forty-two patients, of whom 27 had AD. Levels of all biomarkers significantly differed in the three biofluids, with saliva having the lowest and CSF the highest levels of Aβ42, Aβ40, and pTau. A positive correlation of pTau, Aβ42/40 ratio, and pTau/Aβ42 ratio levels in CSF and plasma was detected, while no correlation between any biomarker in CSF and saliva was found. Our findings suggest that plasma but not saliva could represent a surrogate biofluid for measuring core AD biomarkers. Specifically, plasma Aβ42/40 ratio, pTau/Aβ42 ratio, and pTau could serve as surrogates of the corresponding CSF biomarkers.

ANU-ADRI scores, tau pathology, and cognition in non-demented adults: the CABLE study

BackgroundIt has been reported that the risk of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) could be predicted by the Australian National University Alzheimer Disease Risk Index (ANU-ADRI) scores. However, among non-demented Chinese adults, the correlations of ANU-ADRI scores with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) core biomarkers and cognition remain unclear.MethodsIndividuals from the Chinese Alzheimer’s Biomarker and LifestyLE (CABLE) study were grouped into three groups (low/intermediate/high risk groups) based on their ANU-ADRI scores. The multiple linear regression models were conducted to investigate the correlations of ANU-ADRI scores with several biomarkers of AD pathology. Mediation model and structural equation model (SEM) were conducted to investigate the mediators of the correlation between ANU-ADRI scores and cognition.ResultsA total of 1078 non-demented elders were included in our study, with a mean age of 62.58 (standard deviation [SD] 10.06) years as well as a female proportion of 44.16% (n = 476). ANU-ADRI scores were found to be significantly related with MMSE (β = -0.264, P < 0.001) and MoCA (β = -0.393, P < 0.001), as well as CSF t-tau (β = 0.236, P < 0.001), p-tau (β = 0.183, P < 0.001), and t-tau/Aβ42 (β = 0.094, P = 0.005). Mediation analyses indicated that the relationships of ANU-ADRI scores with cognitive scores were mediated by CSF t-tau or p-tau (mediating proportions ranging from 4.45% to 10.50%). SEM did not reveal that ANU-ADRI scores affected cognition by tau-related pathology and level of CSF soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (sTREM2).ConclusionANU-ADRI scores were associated with cognition and tau pathology. We also revealed a potential pathological mechanism underlying the impact of ANU-ADRI scores on cognition.

Vibration analysis of a smart viscoelastic porous sandwich micro-shell with magnetorheological fluid core using the modified couple stress theory

In the current study, for the first time, the size-dependent vibration of a functionally graded (FG) porous sandwich cylindrical microshell with magnetorheological fluid core is investigated using modified couple stress theory (MCST) and the first-order shear deformation theory (FSDT). The microshell is made of FG porous material and for investigating the material properties, two types of porous distributions are considered. Based on FSDT and the MCST, the governing equations are derived using Hamilton’s principle regarding the energy dissipation due to the shear deformation of the magnetorheological core layer and the interaction between all layers. Different assumptions, based on the continuity in transverse shear stresses and slope of in-plane displacements, are considered in the theoretical formulation. The natural frequency and loss factor of the microshell with sliding simply supported boundary conditions are determined using Navier’s solution method. Finally, the influence of some parameters such as material length scale(l/h: 0-1), types of porous distributions (symmetric-asymmetric), porosity volume fraction (e0: 0-1), magnetic field intensity (B: 0-800) and aspect ratio (L/R: 1-8, R/h: 10-100) on the vibration damping characteristics of microshell, is investigated and validity of the results is studied.

Analysis of torsional buckling of a cylindrical sandwich shell with a magnetorheological fluid core layer

This study is an attempt to analyze the torsion buckling of a structure consisting of a cylindrical sandwich shell with two isotropic face sheets that surround a magnetorheological fluid (MRF) core layer. In this analysis, the simply supported boundary conditions were considered for the edges of the face sheets and the core layer. The components of displacement were calculated using the first-order shear deformation theory, and the governing equations were derived using Hamilton’s principle and were solved drawing upon the Galerkin method. The parameters of interest were magnetic field, buckling analysis, torsional buckling convergence, h/L ratio, ht/h ratio, and rt/L ratio. The equations obtained from MATLAB were verified using ABAQUS owing to the absence of any similar study in the existing literature. A good agreement was observed in terms of torsional buckling, indicating the robustness of the proposed structure. As smart sandwich structures are broadly used in robotics and aerospace, this structure can be a good choice thanks to its lightness (resulting from the thinness of the face sheets and hollowness) and strength and resistance (contributed by MRF core layer), which can be modified with the application of different magnetic fields.

MODELING AND OPTIMIZATION OF PERISTALTIC FLUID TRANSPORT IN AXISYMMETRIC, POROUS STRUCTURES

Peristaltic transport, a fundamental physiological and engineering process, involves the movement of fluid through a distensible tube via sequential compression and relaxation. This study investigates the peristaltic transport of an incompressible Newtonian fluid in an axisymmetric, porous, corrugated tube, emphasizing the interplay between fluid dynamics and the tube's structural characteristics. Utilizing lubrication theory and perturbation analysis within a wave frame of reference, we explore the effects of hydraulic resistivity, geometric parameters of the corrugation, and porous layer thickness on the phenomena of trapping and circulation. Our findings reveal that hydraulic resistivity significantly influences the development of circulation regions within the fluid core, which has implications for the efficiency of mixing and nutrient absorption in biological and industrial applications. Additionally, the geometric configuration of the wavy porous layer—specifically its amplitude and thickness—critically impacts the formation of trapping and circulation regions, thereby affecting fluid transport efficiency. This work not only advances our understanding of peristaltic pumping mechanisms but also highlights the potential for optimizing fluid transport processes in both biological systems and industrial applications. The insights gained from this study contribute to the design of more efficient peristaltic pumps and offer a valuable framework for future research aimed at enhancing substance delivery and mixing through peristaltic transport.

Semi-analytical solutions of Newtonian fluid-FENE-P fluid core annular flow

Water-lubricated transportation of viscous oil is an important application of core annular flow (CAF), which significantly reduces friction pressure drop and saves pump power. However, the core oil floats up due to the density difference of oil and water, causing instability and even destruction of CAF, which restricts the application and development of the drag reduction technology. The viscoelastic fluid in the annular can inhibit the tendency of the core oil to float up and enhance the stability of the CAF. Nevertheless, theoretical studies related to the viscoelastic fluid CAF are currently missing. To make up for the lack of theoretical research, the solutions of laminar concentric viscous oil-viscoelastic fluid CAF in horizontal and inclined pipes are obtained in this work, and the annular fluid is regarded as viscoelastic fluid conforming to the FENE-P model. Based on the Navier–Stokes equation and FENE-P model, a non-dimensional CAF model is established, and the Newton–Raphson method is used to solve the model. The rheological behavior of annular fluid and the effects of viscoelastic fluid rheology and viscosity ratio on various CAF flow characteristics, including holdup, pressure gradient, slip ratio, and Ledinegg instability, are investigated. The results indicate that the shear-thinning effect of viscoelastic fluid has a significant effect on water holdup and expands the multi-solution region. Different from Newtonian fluid, when the annulus fluid is viscoelastic, the slip ratio can be less than 2. The most significant property is that the shear-thinning effect can transform the hydraulic characteristic curve in the multi-valued region into a single-valued curve, which helps to eliminate Ledinegg instability.

Aeroelastic Stability Analysis of a Laminated Composite Sandwich Panel With a Magnetorheological Fluid Core Under Yawed Supersonic Airflow

Aeroelastic Stability Analysis of a Laminated Composite Sandwich Panel With a Magnetorheological Fluid Core Under Yawed Supersonic Airflow

Earth's core variability from magnetic and gravity field observations

Abstract. The motions of the liquid within the Earth's outer core lead to magnetic field variations together with mass distribution changes. As the core is not accessible for direct observation, our knowledge of the Earth’s liquid core dynamics only relies on indirect information sources. Mainly generated by the core dynamics, the surface geomagnetic field provides information about the variations of the fluid motion at the top of the core. The dynamic of the fluid core is also associated with mass distribution changes inside the core and produces gravitational field time fluctuations. By applying several statistical blind source separation methods to both the gravity and magnetic field time series, we investigate the common space–time variabilities. We report several robust interannual oscillations shared by the two observation sets. Among those, a common mode of around 7 years looks very significant. Whereas the nature of the driving mechanism of the coupled variability remains unclear, the spatial and temporal properties of the common signal are compatible with a core origin.

Tidal Dissipation in Stably Stratified and Semiconvective Regions of Rotating Giant Planets: Incorporating Coriolis Forces

We study how stably stratified or semiconvective layers alter tidal dissipation rates associated with the generation of inertial, gravito-inertial, interfacial, and surface gravity waves in rotating giant planets. We explore scenarios in which stable (nonconvective) layers contribute to the high rates of tidal dissipation observed for Jupiter and Saturn in our solar system. Our model is an idealized spherical Boussinesq system incorporating Coriolis forces to study effects of stable stratification and semiconvective layers on tidal dissipation. Our detailed numerical calculations consider realistic tidal forcing and compute the resulting viscous and thermal dissipation rates. The presence of an extended stably stratified fluid core significantly enhances tidal wave excitation of both inertial waves (due to rotation) in the convective envelope and gravito-inertial waves in the dilute core. We show that a sufficiently strongly stratified fluid core enhances inertial wave dissipation in a convective envelope much like a solid core does. We demonstrate that efficient tidal dissipation rates (and associated tidal quality factors )—sufficient to explain the observed migration rates of Saturn's moons—are predicted at the frequencies of the orbiting moons due to the excitation of inertial or gravito-inertial waves in our models with stable layers (without requiring resonance locking). Stable layers could also be important for tidal evolution of hot and warm Jupiters and hot Neptunes, providing efficient tidal circularization rates. Future work should study more sophisticated planetary models that also account for magnetism and differential rotation, as well as the interaction of inertial waves with turbulent convection.

Experimental test of a compressor cascade with non-axisymmetric end-wall contouring at off-design conditions

End-wall losses in axial flow turbomachinery, particularly in compressors, constitute a significant challenge due to their adverse impact on overall efficiency. Pioneering works in this field have demonstrated the potential for end-wall loss reduction by improving end-wall profiles. However, many previous efforts have concentrated solely on design conditions, largely disregarding the behavior of these contoured end-walls under off-design conditions—where compressors often operate. This study investigates the adaptability of a non-axisymmetric end-wall contour, performing well under design conditions, to off-design scenarios, focusing particularly on the influence of Mach numbers on its ability to control corner separation effects. Experimental research was conducted using a combination of surface static pressure taps and aerodynamic probes to quantitatively and qualitatively analyze the effect of the non-axisymmetric end-wall contour on reducing losses. Quantitative outcomes demonstrate a notable decrease in overall losses in the blade cascade due to this end-wall contour. For all tested Mach numbers, the average loss reduces by 4% at 0 degrees of incidence, with a 0.9° decrease in deviation angle, and an 8% average loss reduction at 5 degrees of incidence, accompanied by a 1.5° decrease in deviation angle. Qualitative findings suggest that the mechanism by which the non-axisymmetric end-wall contour reduces blade cascade losses involves the enhancement of pitchwise pressure gradients. This enhancement redirects low-momentum fluid toward the blade's suction surface, diminishing its reach in the pitchwise direction. However, it also intensifies loss in the low-momentum fluid core. Additionally, the presence of a convex feature in the rear section of the blade passage mitigates pitchwise static-pressure gradients, effectively ameliorating secondary flows and preventing their further decline. Moreover, it was observed that the control effectiveness of the end-wall contour on corner separation increases with higher Mach numbers.

Longitudinal cerebrospinal fluid measurements show glial hypo- and hyperactivation in predementia Alzheimer’s disease

BackgroundBrain innate immune activation is associated with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), but degrees of activation may vary between disease stages. Thus, brain innate immune activation must be assessed in longitudinal clinical studies that include biomarker negative healthy controls and cases with established AD pathology. Here, we employ longitudinally sampled cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) core AD, immune activation and glial biomarkers to investigate early (predementia stage) innate immune activation levels and biomarker profiles.MethodsWe included non-demented cases from a longitudinal observational cohort study, with CSF samples available at baseline (n = 535) and follow-up (n = 213), between 1 and 6 years from baseline (mean 2.8 years). We measured Aβ42/40 ratio, p-tau181, and total-tau to determine Ab (A+), tau-tangle pathology (T+), and neurodegeneration (N+), respectively. We classified individuals into these groups: A−/T−/N−, A+/T−/N−, A+/T+ or N+, or A−/T+ or N+. Using linear and mixed linear regression, we compared levels of CSF sTREM2, YKL-40, clusterin, fractalkine, MCP-1, IL-6, IL-1, IL-18, and IFN-γ both cross-sectionally and longitudinally between groups. A post hoc analysis was also performed to assess biomarker differences between cognitively healthy and impaired individuals in the A+/T+ or N+ group.ResultsCross-sectionally, CSF sTREM2, YKL-40, clusterin and fractalkine were higher only in groups with tau pathology, independent of amyloidosis (p < 0.001, A+/T+ or N+ and A−/T+ or N+, compared to A−/T−/N−). No significant group differences were observed for the cytokines CSF MCP-1, IL-6, IL-10, IL18 or IFN-γ. Longitudinally, CSF YKL-40, fractalkine and IFN-γ were all significantly lower in stable A+/T−/N− cases (all p < 0.05). CSF sTREM2, YKL-40, clusterin, fractalkine (p < 0.001) and MCP-1 (p < 0.05) were all higher in T or N+, with or without amyloidosis at baseline, but remained stable over time. High CSF sTREM2 was associated with preserved cognitive function within the A+/T+ or N+ group, relative to the cognitively impaired with the same A/T/N biomarker profile (p < 0.01).ConclusionsImmune hypoactivation and reduced neuron–microglia communication are observed in isolated amyloidosis while activation and increased fractalkine accompanies tau pathology in predementia AD. Glial hypo- and hyperactivation through the predementia AD continuum suggests altered glial interaction with Ab and tau pathology, and may necessitate differential treatments, depending on the stage and patient-specific activation patterns.

Modified couple stress theory (MCST) and refined zigzag theory (RZT) for wave propagation of embedded smart sandwich plates with magnetorheological fluid core and viscoelastic FG-CNTRC magnetostrictive face sheets

This paper discusses the wave propagation of a magnetorheological fluid (MRF) micro sandwich plate with magnetostrictive face sheets embedded in the Kerr foundation. The face sheets are reinforced with functionally graded carbon nanotubes (FG-CNT). It was hypothesized that the distribution of carbon nanotubes would be functionally graded along the thickness of face sheets in various patterns such as uniform distribution (UD), and three type of functionally graded (FG), that is, FG-O, FG-X, and FG-AV. The properties of the magnetostrictive layer are considered viscoelastic based on the Kelvin-Voigt model. The refined zigzag theory (RZT) is utilized to simulate displacements of the plate due to the sandwich nature of the system. The modified couple stress theory (MCST) is utilized to predict the influence of small-scale parameter. The equations of motion for the micro sandwich plate are derived by Hamilton's principle, and analytical solutions are utilized to acquire the phase speed, escape, and cut-off frequencies. After model verification, extensive analytical results are presented in detail. They demonstrated that the wave characteristics of the system are influenced by the micro sandwich plate parameters. Consequently, the dimensionless phase speed rises 66% via increasing the magnetic field magnitude from 12.5 to 17.5 G.

Wave-like motions and torques in Earth's core as inferred from geomagnetic data: A synthetic study

Here, we present a synthetic validation for the inversion of transient fluid motions at the surface of Earth's core. It is based on a numerical simulation of the geodynamo in which the main time-scales (based on rotation, magnetic field and velocity) are sufficiently separated to give rise to a variety of hydro-magnetic waves. We focus the study on wave-like motions with periods commensurate to the Alfvén time, which is based on the strength of the magnetic field in the core interior. Synthetic magnetic data are generated over 90 Alfvén times, representative of the era covered by observatory and satellite measurements. These synthetic data are inverted to estimate a magnetic field model. Thereafter, we apply the pygeodyn data assimilation tool to recover core surface flows. We investigate the quality of their reconstruction as a function of their time scale. The success of the reconstruction depends on the data accuracy and coverage and on the magnitude of the flow. We also retrieve axi-symmetric torsional Alfvén waves, despite their relatively weak magnitude.We use the synthetic data to investigate the exchanges of angular momentum between core and mantle that induce length-of-day (LOD) changes. These exchanges result from the electromagnetic torque between the fluid core and the mantle and the gravitational torque between the inner core and the mantle. The inverted flows convincingly predict LOD variations in the dynamo calculation. We find that core surface zonal motions match well with the geostrophic (axially invariant) motions at the origin of the LOD changes, on all considered time-scales. We also investigate the different contributions to the electro-magnetic torque. In the dynamo simulation, only a small part can be attributed to the leakage torque caused by electrical currents flowing from the core to the mantle. The relative contribution from the poloidal field induced in the mantle, which amounts to about 1/3 of the total torque, is significantly larger than estimated in previous studies, based on geomagnetic observations. The remaining torque, which is associated with the toroidal induced field, mostly stems from the solid body rotation interacting with the radial magnetic field up to spherical harmonic degree 30.

Dynamic gel-forming properties of cardanol modified phenolic resin gel system in long snake-like simulation core with heterogeneity matching actual reservoir conditions

ABSTRACT Gel system consisting of polymer and phenolic resin cross-linker commonly used for water shutoff is not environmentally friendly enough, and the homogeneity of the simulation core has important influence on the experimental results for evaluating the gel properties in the laboratory. In this paper, a modified cross-linker was obtained by substituting cardanol for phenol in the conventional cross-linker. Environmentally-friendly gel was prepared with polymer and cardanol modified cross-linker. A long snakelike core physical simulation system with multiple nonvolatile fluid sampling ports and core sampling ports was developed by connecting curved sand-packed pipes with straight pipes, and it was used to evaluate the dynamic gel-forming properties of the modified gel. The results showed that the strength and stability of the modified gel were not inferior to those of conventional gel. By intelligently controlling the applied force, the long snakelike core had a heterogeneity that matched the actual formation conditions. When injecting gel-forming solution using modified cross-linker into the snakelike core with porosity of 37.6% and permeability of 16.98 μm2, as the increase of the distance between the sampling port and the injection end, the viscosity of the system formed by placing the sampled gel-forming solution at 45°C for 24 hours decreased but remained consistently above 1000 mPa·s. The gel-forming solution could still form gel dynamically after migrating to 10.2 meters, thereby achieving effective plugging. The proposed long core in this work is helpful to study whether the gel systems can dynamically regulate the deep part of the reservoir, providing guidance for improving the macroscopic application properties of cardanol modified gel and promoting sustainable development for oilfields.

Libration- and Precession-driven Dissipation in the Fluid Cores of the TRAPPIST-1 Planets

The seven planets orbiting TRAPPIST-1 have sizes and masses similar to Earth and mean densities that suggest that their interior structures are comprised of a fluid iron core and rocky mantle. Here we use idealized analytical models to compute estimates of the viscous dissipation in the fluid cores of the TRAPPIST-1 planets induced by mantle libration and precession. The dissipation induced by the libration at orbital periods is largest for TRAPPIST-1b, of the order of 600 MW, and decreases with orbital distance, to values of 5–500 W for TRAPPIST-1h, depending on its triaxial shape. Extrapolating these results to the larger libration amplitudes expected at longer periods, dissipation may perhaps be as high as 1 TW in TRAPPIST-1b. Orbital precession induces a misalignment between the spin axes of the fluid core and mantle of a planet, the amplitude of which depends on the resonant amplification of its free precession and free core nutation. Assuming Cassini states, we show that the dissipation from this misalignment can reach a few TW for planets e and f. Our dissipation estimates are lower bounds, as we neglect ohmic dissipation, which may dominate if the fluid cores of the TRAPPIST-1 planets sustain magnetic fields. Our results suggest that dissipation induced by precession can be of the same order as tidal dissipation for the outermost planets, may perhaps be sufficient to supply the power to a generate a magnetic field in their liquid cores, and likely played an important role in the evolution of the TRAPPIST-1 system.

Effects of the Librationally Induced Flow in Mercury’s Fluid Core with an Outer Stably Stratified Layer

Observational constraints on Mercury’s thermal evolution and magnetic field indicate that the top part of the fluid core is stably stratified. Here we compute how a stable layer affects the core flow in response to Mercury’s main 88 day longitudinal libration, assuming various degrees of stratification, and study whether the core flow can modify the libration amplitude through viscous and electromagnetic torques acting on the core–mantle boundary (CMB). We show that the core flow strongly depends on the strength of the stratification near the CMB but that the influence of core motions on libration is negligible with or without a stably stratified layer. A stably stratified layer at the top of the core can, however, prevent resonant behavior with gravito-inertial modes by impeding radial motions and promote a strong horizontal flow near the CMB. The librationally driven flow is likely turbulent and might produce a nonaxisymmetric induced magnetic field with a strength of the order of 1% of Mercury’s dipolar field.

Cardiometabolic Effects of DOCA-Salt in Mice Depend on Ambient Temperature.

Mice prefer warmer environments than humans. For this reason, behavioral and physiological thermoregulatory responses are engaged by mice in response to a standard room temperature of 22 to 24 °C. Autonomic mechanisms mediating thermoregulatory responses overlap with mechanisms activated in hypertension, and, therefore, we hypothesized that housing at thermoneutral temperatures (TNs; 30 °C) would modify the cardiometabolic effects of deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA)-salt in mice. The effects of DOCA-salt treatment upon ingestive behaviors, energy expenditure, blood pressure, heart rate (HR), and core temperature were assessed in C57BL/6J mice housed at room temperature or TN. Housing at TN reduced food intake, energy expenditure, blood pressure, and HR and attenuated HR responses to acute autonomic blockade by chlorisondamine. At room temperature, DOCA-salt caused expected increases in fluid intake, sodium retention in osmotically inactive pools, blood pressure, core temperature, and also caused expected decreases in fat-free mass, total body water, and HR. At TN, the effects of DOCA-salt upon fluid intake, fat gains, hydration, and core temperature were exaggerated, but effects on energy expenditure and HR were blunted. Effects of DOCA-salt upon blood pressure were similar for 3 weeks and exaggerated by TN housing in the fourth week. Ambient temperature robustly influences behavioral and physiological functions in mice, including metabolic and cardiovascular phenotype development in response to DOCA-salt treatment. Studying cardiometabolic responses of mice at optimal ambient temperatures promises to improve the translational relevance of rodent models.

Regional geomagnetic core field and secular variation model over the Iberian Peninsula from 2014 to 2020 based on the R-SCHA technique

The Earth’s magnetic field originated in the fluid core, the so-called core field, is the dominant contribution to the geomagnetic field. Since ancient times, the core geomagnetic field has been used primarily for geographical orientation and navigation by means of compasses. Nowadays, thanks to the large amount of geomagnetic data available, core field models can be developed on a global or regional scale. Global models resolve large-scale geomagnetic field features, while regional models can resolve greater detail over a particular region. The spherical harmonic cap analysis is a widely used technique for regional-scale modelling of the geomagnetic field. In this work we have developed a regional model of the core field and its secular variation between 2014.5 and 2020.5 over the Iberian Peninsula, based on data from Swarm satellites, geomagnetic observatories and repeat stations. Its performance has been validated by comparing the fit to the available geomagnetic data using the regional model and the global models IGRF and CHAOS over the whole spatio-temporal range studied. In order to optimise the model, a detailed study of its input parameters has been carried out, showing that not all parameters have an equal influence on the modelling. This new model reproduces the input data with a root mean square error of 2.9 nT, improving the outcome of global models on this region. The results of this work will allow the Spanish Instituto Geográfico Nacional to produce the magnetic cartography of Iberia and the Balearic Islands in 2020.0, which for the first time will be based on a regional core field model, replacing the polynomial variation method used in the past.Graphical abstract