A research program to reduce interior noise in general aviation airplanes: Noise reduction through a cavity-backed flexible plate

A prediction method is reported for noise reduction through a cavity-backed panel. The analysis takes into account only cavity modes in one direction. The results of this analysis were to find the effect of acoustic stiffness of a backing cavity on the panel behavior. The resulting changes in the noise reduction through the panel are significant

Comparison of theoretical predicted longitudinal aerodynamic characteristics with full-scale wind tunnel data on the ATLIT airplane

An analytical method is presented for predicting the lift coefficient, the pitching moment coefficient, and the drag coefficient of light, twin-engine, propeller-driven airplanes. The method was applied to the Advanced Technology Light Twin-Engine airplane. The calculated characteristics were then correlated against full scale wind tunnel data. The analytical method was found to predict the drag and pitching moment fairly well. However, the lift prediction was extremely poor

An experimental and theoretical investigation of deposition patterns from an agricultural airplane

A flight test program has been conducted with a representative agricultural airplane to provide data for validating a computer program model which predicts aerially applied particle deposition. Test procedures and the data from this test are presented and discussed. The computer program features are summarized, and comparisons of predicted and measured particle deposition are presented. Applications of the computer program for spray pattern improvement are illustrated

Remote Infrared Thermography for In-Flight Flow Diagnostics

The feasibility of remote in-flight boundary layer visualization via infrared in incompressible flow was established in earlier flight experiments. The past year's efforts focused on refining and determining the extent and accuracy of this technique of remote in-flight flow visualization via infrared. Investigations were made into flow separation visualization, visualization at transonic conditions, shock visualization, post-processing to mitigate banding noise in the NITE Hawk's thermograms, and a numeric model to predict surface temperature distributions. Although further flight tests are recommended, this technique continues to be promising

In-Flight Flow Visualization Using Infrared Thermography

The feasibility of remote infrared thermography of aircraft surfaces during flight to visualize the extent of laminar flow on a target aircraft has been examined. In general, it was determined that such thermograms can be taken successfully using an existing airplane/thermography system (NASA Dryden's F-18 with infrared imaging pod) and that the transition pattern and, thus, the extent of laminar flow can be extracted from these thermograms. Depending on the in-flight distance between the F-18 and the target aircraft, the thermograms can have a spatial resolution of as little as 0.1 inches. The field of view provided by the present remote system is superior to that of prior stationary infrared thermography systems mounted in the fuselage or vertical tail of a subject aircraft. An additional advantage of the present experimental technique is that the target aircraft requires no or minimal modifications. An image processing procedure was developed which improves the signal-to-noise ratio of the thermograms. Problems encountered during the analog recording of the thermograms (banding of video images) made it impossible to evaluate the adequacy of the present imaging system and image processing procedure to detect transition on untreated metal surfaces. The high reflectance, high thermal difussivity, and low emittance of metal surfaces tend to degrade the images to an extent that it is very difficult to extract transition information from them. The application of a thin (0.005 inches) self-adhesive insulating film to the surface is shown to solve this problem satisfactorily. In addition to the problem of infrared based transition detection on untreated metal surfaces, future flight tests will also concentrate on the visualization of other flow phenomena such as flow separation and reattachment

Carbenoxolone induced depression of rhythmogenesis in the pre-Bötzinger Complex

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Licens

Flight evaluation of the effect of winglets on performance and handling qualities of a single-engine general aviation airplane

A flight evaluation was conducted to determine the effects of winglets on the performance and handling qualities of a light, single-engine general aviation airplane. The performance measurements were made with a pace airplane to provide calibrated airspeeds; uncalibrated panel instruments in the test airplane were used to provide additional quantitative performance data. These tests were conducted with winglets on and off during the same day to measure relative performance effects. Handling qualities were evaluated by means of pilot comments. Winglets increased cruise speed 8 knots (5.6 percent) at 3962 m (13,000 ft) density altitude and 51 percent maximum continuous power setting. Maximum speed at 3962 m was virtually unchanged. Rate of climb increased approximately 6 percent, or 0.25 m/sec (50 ft/min), at 1524 m (5000 ft). Stall speed was virtually unchanged. Handling qualities were favorably affected

Alterations in Nitric Oxide Activity and Sensitivity in Early Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetes Depend on Arteriolar Size

Changes in NO activity may play an important role in the early increase in microvascular flow that has been implicated in the pathogenesis of diabetic microangiopathy. We assessed, in the in situ spinotrapezius muscle preparation of 6 weeks' streptozotocin-diabetic rats (n = 6) and of agematched controls (n = 8), basal inside diameters of A2–A4 arterioles and the reactivity to topically applied acetylcholine and nitroprusside, before and after NG-nitro-L-arginine. In diabetic rats, cholinergic vasodilatation in A2–A4 arterioles was intact. Basal diameter in A3 and A4 arterioles was significantly higher in streptozotocin-diabetic rats. The increased basal diameter in A3 arterioles was partially due to an increased contribution of NO to basal diameter. The response to nitroprusside was impaired in streptozotocin-diabetic rats in A2, but not in A3 and A4 arterioles. Thus, this study shows that NO activity and sensitivity are altered after 6 weeks of streptozotocin-induced diabetes. These streptozotocin-induced changes are anatomically specific and, for arterioles, depend on their position within the vascular tree

RNA Sequencing of Pancreatic Circulating Tumour Cells Implicates WNT Signaling in Metastasis

Circulating tumour cells (CTCs) shed into blood from primary cancers include putative precursors that initiate distal metastases. While these cells are extraordinarily rare, they may identify cellular pathways contributing to the blood-borne dissemination of cancer. Here, we adapted a microfluidic device for efficient capture of CTCs from an endogenous mouse pancreatic cancer model and subjected CTCs to single molecule RNA sequencing, identifying Wnt2 as a candidate gene enriched in CTCs. Expression of Wnt2 in pancreatic cancer cells suppresses anoikis, enhances anchorage-independent sphere formation, and increases metastatic propensity in vivo. This effect is correlated with fibronectin upregulation and suppressed by inhibition of Map3k7 (Tak1) kinase. In humans, formation of non-adherent tumour spheres by pancreatic cancer cells is associated with upregulation of multiple Wnt genes, and pancreatic CTCs revealed enrichment for Wnt signaling in 5 of 11 cases. Thus, molecular analysis of CTCs may identify candidate therapeutic targets to prevent the distal spread of cancer