NACA Technical Notes

"A method is presented for calculating the aerodynamic forces on a moncylane wing, taking into account the elastic twisting of the wing due to these forces. The lift distribution along the span is calculated by the formulas of Amstutz as a function of the geometrical characteristics of the wing and of the twist at stations 60 and 90 percent of the semispan. The twist for a given lift distribution is calculated by means of influence lines" (p. 1)

Unrecognised long-lasting tramadol-induced delirium in two elderly patients. A case report

We present the cases of two elderly patients with intermittent long-term tramadol intake against chronic back pain. Over a period of more than two years they experienced fluctuating confusional states and cognitive deficits, reversible only after discontinuation of tramadol. According to the DSM IV-criteria, an unrecognised recurrent tramadol-induced delirium can be diagnosed in both cases. Although tramadol may represent a well established safe therapy for chronic non-malignant pain in the elderly, these cases demonstrate that it should be applied with caution even in healthy subjects

Design and Synthesis of CNS-targeted Flavones and Analogues with Neuroprotective Potential Against H; 2; O; 2; - and Aβ; 1-42; -Induced Toxicity in SH-SY5Y Human Neuroblastoma Cells

With the lack of available drugs able to prevent the progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD), the discovery of new neuroprotective treatments able to rescue neurons from cell injury is presently a matter of extreme importance and urgency. Here, we were inspired by the widely reported potential of natural flavonoids to build a library of novel flavones, chromen-4-ones and their; C; -glucosyl derivatives, and to explore their ability as neuroprotective agents with suitable pharmacokinetic profiles. All compounds were firstly evaluated in a parallel artificial membrane permeability assay (PAMPA) to assess their effective permeability across biological membranes, namely the blood-brain barrier (BBB). With this test, we aimed not only at assessing if our candidates would be well-distributed, but also at rationalizing the influence of the sugar moiety on the physicochemical properties. To complement our analysis, log; D; 7.4; was determined. From all screened compounds, the; p; -morpholinyl flavones stood out for their ability to fully rescue SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells against both H; 2; O; 2; - and Aβ; 1-42; -induced cell death. Cholinesterase inhibition was also evaluated, and modest inhibitory activities were found. This work highlights the potential of; C; -glucosylflavones as neuroprotective agents, and presents the; p; -morpholinyl; C; -glucosylflavone; 37; , which did not show any cytotoxicity towards HepG2 and Caco-2 cells at 100 μM, as a new lead structure for further development against AD

Connections of climate change and variability to large and extreme forest fires in southeast Australia

The 2019/20 Black Summer bushfire disaster in southeast Australia was unprecedented: the extensive area of forest burnt, the radiative power of the fires, and the extraordinary number of fires that developed into extreme pyroconvective events were all unmatched in the historical record. Australia’s hottest and driest year on record, 2019, was characterised by exceptionally dry fuel loads that primed the landscape to burn when exposed to dangerous fire weather and ignition. The combination of climate variability and long-term climate trends generated the climate extremes experienced in 2019, and the compounding effects of two or more modes of climate variability in their fire-promoting phases (as occurred in 2019) has historically increased the chances of large forest fires occurring in southeast Australia. Palaeoclimate evidence also demonstrates that fire-promoting phases of tropical Pacific and Indian ocean variability are now unusually frequent compared with natural variability in preindustrial times. Indicators of forest fire danger in southeast Australia have already emerged outside of the range of historical experience, suggesting that projections made more than a decade ago that increases in climate-driven fire risk would be detectable by 2020, have indeed eventuated. The multiple climate change contributors to fire risk in southeast Australia, as well as the observed non-linear escalation of fire extent and intensity, raise the likelihood that fire events may continue to rapidly intensify in the future. Improving local and national adaptation measures while also pursuing ambitious global climate change mitigation efforts would provide the best strategy for limiting further increases in fire risk in southeast Australia