Optimization of the design of ducted-fan hovering micro air vehicles using finite element simulation and orthogonal design

The structural design and flight stability characteristics of micro air vehicles have received much attention due to its low Reynolds number. Compared with fixed-wing aircraft, hovering ducted-fan micro air vehicles with vertical takeoff and landing and hovering capabilities have promising prospect. In this article, a flexible membrane and inflatable structure has been used as the aerodynamic shape of an aircraft model. Its advantages have been analyzed and verified by fluid-structure interaction based on finite element method. The flight stability of hovering micro air vehicles has also been investigated based on the theory of motion of structure. In order to improve the flight stability of the designed hovering micro air vehicle model, the effects of geometrical parameters and materials have been analyzed through an orthogonal experimental design. Based on the optimized results, the aircraft prototype has been manufactured for experimental test. The elastic deformation produced on its flexible membrane structure is obtained by stroboscopic stereo imaging method and a purpose-built experimental environment. The numerical simulation results indicated that the thickness of membrane and material of vertical duct have significant effects on the micro air vehicle flight stability and disturbance resistance ability. The results have confirmed that the flexible aerodynamic mechanisms produced by the aeroelastic deformation of spherical membrane can enhance the micro air vehicle stability.This work was financially supported by Support Program of National Ministry of Education of China (No. 625010110), National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 61179043), and Specialized Research Fund for the Doctoral Program (SRFDP) of Higher Education (No. 20070056085)

Chocolate Bars Based on Human Nutritional Requirements

International audienceKey Points * The nutritional value of chocolate bars should be based on the nutritional value of the low energy dense late Paleolithic human diet to help reduce mental ill health, obesity, and other postprandial insults. * Current chocolate bars have a high energy density (>2 kcal/g). * Cocoa can be sweetened by the addition of calorie-free Purefruit™ (Tate & Lyle) monk fruit ( Siraitia grosvenorii ) extract. PUREFRUIT™ is approximately 200 times sweeter than sugar and has exceptional stability. * The energetic cost of the assimilation of chocolate can be increased by increasing its protein and fibre content. * Self-assembled, water-filled, edible nanotubes that self-organise into a more complex structure, possibly a 3D network of nanocellulose, could be incorporated into chocolate bars to lower their energy density to <1.6 kcal/g. * Durethan® KU 2-2601 packaging film enables the water content of chocolate bars to be increased without reducing product shelf life. * Aquatic biotechnology can provide all the nutrients needed to make chocolate really nutritious

A systems genetics resource and analysis of sleep regulation in the mouse

<div><p>Sleep is essential for optimal brain functioning and health, but the biological substrates through which sleep delivers these beneficial effects remain largely unknown. We used a systems genetics approach in the BXD genetic reference population (GRP) of mice and assembled a comprehensive experimental knowledge base comprising a deep “sleep-wake” phenome, central and peripheral transcriptomes, and plasma metabolome data, collected under undisturbed baseline conditions and after sleep deprivation (SD). We present analytical tools to interactively interrogate the database, visualize the molecular networks altered by sleep loss, and prioritize candidate genes. We found that a one-time, short disruption of sleep already extensively reshaped the systems genetics landscape by altering 60%–78% of the transcriptomes and the metabolome, with numerous genetic loci affecting the magnitude and direction of change. Systems genetics integrative analyses drawing on all levels of organization imply α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptor trafficking and fatty acid turnover as substrates of the negative effects of insufficient sleep. Our analyses demonstrate that genetic heterogeneity and the effects of insufficient sleep itself on the transcriptome and metabolome are far more widespread than previously reported.</p></div