Flow visualization of a rocket injector spray using gelled propellant simulants

A study was conducted at NASA-Lewis to compare the atomization characteristics of gelled and nongelled propellant simulants. A gelled propellant simulant composed of water, sodium hydroxide, and an acrylic acid polymer resin (as the gelling agent) was used to simulate the viscosity of an aluminum/PR-1 metallized fuel gel. Water was used as a comparison fluid to isolate the rheological effects of the water-gel and to simulate nongelled RP-1. The water-gel was injected through the central orifice of a triplet injector element and the central post of a coaxial injector element. Nitrogen gas flowed through the outer orifices of the triplet injector element and through the annulus of the coaxial injector element and atomized the gelled and nongelled liquids. Photographs of the water-gel spray patterns at different operating conditions were compared with images obtained using water and nitrogen. A laser light was used for illumination of the sprays. The results of the testing showed that the water sprays produced a finer and more uniform atomization than the water-gel sprays. Rheological analysis of the water-gel showed poor atomization caused by high viscosity of water-gel delaying the transition to turbulence

PRELIMINARY PALEONTOLOGICAL AND GEOLOGICAL NOTES ABOUT AN ABANDONED QUARRY NEAR MANDURIA (SALENTO PENINSULA, SOUTHERN ITALY)

A collection of fossil vertebrates from the Salento Peninsula (Italy), and housed at the Natural History Museum of Verona, prompted new fieldwork in the area. The attention was focused on the northern sector of the Salento Peninsula, and led to the study of an abandoned quarry near Manduria (Taranto, Italy). The preliminary results of this investigation are reported here. The original quarry operations had exposed about 8 meters of Upper Cretaceous “platten-kalke”-type deposits, containing interesting and quite peculiar palaeontological and geological features. A high-resolution litho-biostratigraphic analysis was performed. The lithotypes outcropping in the quarry are dominated by the cyclic alternation of: i) mm- to cm-thick, dome-shaped, cyanoalgal laminites, sometimes presenting mud-cracks; ii) “vuggy” layers made of prismatic-to-discoidal voids, related to evaporitic salts dissolution; and iii) pedogenetic horizons (terre rosse). The facies analysis suggests a supratidal depositional setting for these “fenestral” and laminated mudstones, under hypersaline evaporitic conditions. A unique, oligotypic, and mostly well-preserved thanatocoenosis characterizes the stratigraphic framework, adding further constraining information about the depositional environment. The macrofauna is strictly oligotypic, and is represented by articulated fish remains, coprolites, regular sea urchins and few specimens of Chondrodonta sp.; the echinoids and their spines are preserved as “phantoms”, since the original high-Mg calcite of the tests is not preserved, and the spines are always found disarticulated. The preferential orientation of the echinoid spines provides some evidence about the paleocurrents that affected the area. The microfauna is missing, possibly as a result of the extreme conditions of the depositional environment and/or because of postmortem dissolution. The colonization of supratidal environments by benthic organisms and fishes could be related to periodical and ephemeral flooding of the area by normal-salinity seawater

A versatile magnetic exposure system for in-vitro, ex-vivo, and in-vivo experiments ifnalized to therapeutic applications in the IF range

The use of magnetic fields in therapeutic applications has considerably increased in recent years. In particular, many researchers have focused their attention on the use of low-intensity magnetic fields, either alone or in combination with nanoparticles for drug delivery systems in nanomedicine. Laboratory experiments aimed at defining in vitro and in vivo outcomes are required, and reliable low-intensity magnetic field exposure systems are needed. In the present study, we have performed the analytical and numerical design of a novel magnetic exposure system suitable for different biological applications, such as magnetoliposome drug delivery, ex vivo experiments on brain slices, and in vivo studies. This system is able to generate intensities of the order of mT in a frequency range from ELF to 20 kHz

A Versatile Magnetic Exposure System for In-Vitro, Ex-Vivo, and In-Vivo Experiments Finalized to Therapeutic Applications in the if Range

The use of magnetic fields in therapeutic applications has considerably increased in recent years. In particular, many researchers have focused their attention on the use of low-intensity magnetic fields, either alone or in combination with nanoparticles for drug delivery systems in nanomedicine. Laboratory experiments aimed at defining in vitro and in vivo outcomes are required, and reliable low-intensity magnetic field exposure systems are needed. In the present study, we have performed the analytical and numerical design of a novel magnetic exposure system suitable for different biological applications, such as magnetoliposome drug delivery, ex vivo experiments on brain slices, and in vivo studies. This system is able to generate intensities of the order of mT in a frequency range from ELF to 20 kHz

Kids geosciences labs: the experience of “Sabato al Museo” 2016

During the events “Sabato al Museo” (7th and 21th May 2016) and the European Night at the Museums (21th May 2016), organized by the Polo museale Sapienza (https://web.uniroma1.it/polomuseale/), the Italian Geological Society (SGI - http://www.socgeol.it/) designed and realized six laboratories for children. These were carried out at “Sapienza University of Rome” inside the MUST (University Museum of Earth Science) and the Museum of Anthropology. The main goal of these labs was to mediate the research activities performed by the Sapienza University in different fields of geosciences to an audience of children (from six to twelve years old). The laboratories were holded by selected experts in teaching and disseminating for children. The activities were organized in two phases. In the first phase (about 15 minutes), the operators introduced the audience in the topic of the laboratory by means of multimedia material, involving children with questions and discussions. In the second phase (about thirty minutes), the children carried out experimental activities using the proper scientific methodology. The SGI organized and realized the following laboratories: “Dinosaurs… even in Italy!” (in collaboration with MUSE – Science Museum of Trento); “Footprints”; “Microworlds” (a micropalentological laboratory); “Prey and predators” (in collaboration with PaleoFactory Lab – Sapienza University of Rome); “Discovering our history: apes, fossils and man” and “Ancient weapons”. About 800 children attended these laboratories. The feedback of the audience proved to be very positive, as testified by ex post questionnaires; they had indeed the opportunity to explore topics that commonly capture their imagination. We are deeply convinced that these activities can greatly contribute to expanding the cultural background of the younger generations, in particular the geosciences that unfortunately are still too neglected