Reflective Focused Schlieren System Improved for Use in 10- by 10-Foot Supersonic Wind Tunnel

The reflective focused schlieren system that was developed for use in the 10- by 10-Foot Supersonic Wind Tunnel (10x10 SWT) at the NASA Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field as part of the Unstart Test Program was improved this past year. In April 1999, the development and use of the system was presented at the Supersonic Tunnel Association International in Bedford, England. A focused schlieren system is similar to a standard schlieren system in that shock waves coming from an object in supersonic flow can be seen using a standard video camera. Unlike the standard schlieren system, which produces a two-dimensional schlieren image, a focused schlieren system can produce a threedimensional image. The preceding drawing shows the components of the reflective focused schlieren system being developed for use in the 10x10 SWT. Although the system worked well for the Unstart Test Program, it was not sensitive enough to be classified as a facility capability. Therefore, a program was implemented to improve the sensitivity of the reflective focused schlieren system so that it could be a facility capability for Glenn's 10x10 SWT. Several techniques were implemented to increase the sensitivity and to improve the overall operation of the system. These included refinement of the source grid, improvement in the cutoff grid production, improvement of the source grid and cutoff grid alignment, installation of an improved light source, and incorporation of an image-enhancing system. These changes are being implemented with the system set up in the laboratory. A checkout test of the system is planned in the 10x10 SWT in March 2000. Of these techniques, the most developed is the refinement of the source grid. The original system had a pattern of -in. by -in. squares on -in. centers (distance between the center points of adjacent squares). This gave a ratio of light to dark (reflective to nonreflective area) of 3:1. The recommended ratio is 1:1. In order to accomplish this, a pattern of -in.-diameter dots on 3/8-in. centers was developed. Preliminary tests with this pattern showed an increase in system sensitivity and image clarity. Further testing and refinement are scheduled. The former and improved dot patterns are shown. The use of glass plates to produce the cutoff grid improved the cutoff grid's quality and helped to align it with the source grid. The cutoff grid, which is the negative of the source grid, is made by exposing photography film (or glass plates) to the proper light while it is installed in the focused schlieren system. The exposed film or plate is removed from the system and then developed as a photograph negative. Because the glass plates are rigid, they eliminate the risk of distortion when the negative is reinstalled in the system and realigned with the source grid

Experimental results of Hooper's gravity-electromagnetic coupling concept

Experiments were conducted to test assertions from Patent 3,610,971, by W.J. Hooper that self-canceling electromagnetic coils can reduce the weight of objects placed underneath. No weight changes were observed within the detectability of the instrumentation. More careful examination of the patent and other reports from Hooper led to the conclusion that Hooper may have misinterpreted thermal effects as his 'Motional Field' effects. There is a possibility that the claimed effects are below the detection thresholds of the instrumentation used for these tests

Skin bioavailability of dietary vitamin E, carotenoids, polyphenols, vitamin C, zinc and selenium

Dietary bioactive compounds (vitamin E, carotenoids, polyphenols, vitamin C, Se and Zn) have beneficial effects on skin health. The classical route of administration of active compounds is by topical application direct to the skin, and manufacturers have substantial experience of formulating ingredients in this field. However, the use of functional foods and oral supplements for improving skin condition is increasing. For oral consumption, some dietary components could have an indirect effect on the skin via, for example, secondary messengers. However, in the case of the dietary bioactive compounds considered here, we assume that they must pass down the gastrointestinal tract, cross the intestinal barrier, reach the blood circulation, and then be distributed to the different tissues of the body including the skin. The advantages of this route of administration are that the dietary bioactive compounds are metabolized and then presented to the entire tissue, potentially in an active form. Also, the blood continuously replenishes the skin with these bioactive compounds, which can then be distributed to all skin compartments (i.e. epidermis, dermis, subcutaneous fat and also to sebum). Where known, the distribution and mechanisms of transport of dietary bioactive compounds in skin are presented. Even for compounds that have been studied well in other organs, information on skin is relatively sparse. Gaps in knowledge are identified and suggestions made for future researc

The Role of Vocational Guidance in the Elementary School

It is the purpose of this study to collect and present material concerning the present need and importance of a vocational guidance program in the elementary school. Such material should: (1) assist the school administrator in understanding the need for promoting an elementary vocational guidance program; (2) acquaint the teacher with the need for this program while relating some ideas for its\u27 practical application; and, (3) acquaint the parents with this growing need in guidance, making them aware of practical methods by which they can assist their children

Family- Owned Business Leader Succession Planning Strategies

AbstractSome business leaders in family-owned businesses lack leadership succession planning strategies. Family-owned businesses that lack succession planning strategies decrease the likelihood of business sustainability after the transition from founder to the successor. Grounded in the socioemotional wealth theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore succession planning strategies first-generation family-owned business leaders in the metro Atlanta, Georgia area used to transfer leadership and ownership to the second generation. Data collected for this study consisted of semistructured interviews via teleconferences, company website information, press releases, and internal company documents. Yin’s 5 step process was used to analyze the data. Five themes emerged from the data analysis: successor factors, family factors, leader factors, transition factors, and next-generation succession planning factors. A key recommendation is for leaders of family-owned businesses to develop a succession plan that takes into account the non-economic aspects of the family firm in addition to the financial aspects. The implication for positive social change includes equipping leaders of family-owned businesses with strategies that may improve family business sustainability rates from generation to generation leading to growth and development opportunities within the firm and the community where the firm conducts its business

MK571 inhibits phase-2 conjugation of flavonols by Caco-2/TC7 cells, but does not specifically inhibit their apical efflux

AbstractMK571 is a multidrug resistance protein-2 (ABCC2, Mrp2) inhibitor and has been widely used to demonstrate the role of Mrp2 in the cellular efflux of drugs, xenobiotics and their conjugates. Numerous reports have described modulation of Caco-2 cellular efflux and transport of flavonoids in the presence of MK571. Since flavonoids are efficiently conjugated by Caco-2/TC7 cells, we investigated the effects of MK571 on the efflux of flavonoid conjugates. The flavonol aglycones kaempferol, quercetin and galangin were efficiently taken up, conjugated and effluxed by Caco-2/TC7 cells. Apically-applied MK571 caused significant reductions in both the apical and basolateral efflux of flavonol conjugates from Caco-2/TC7 monolayers. MK571 did not significantly alter the apical:basolateral efflux ratio for flavonol conjugates, however, which is not consistent with MK571 specifically inhibiting only apical Mrp2. Since MK571 decreased the total amounts of conjugates formed, and increased cellular flavonol aglycone concentrations, we explored the possibility that MK571 also inhibits phase-2 conjugation of flavonols. MK571 dose-dependently inhibited the intracellular biosynthesis of all flavonol glucuronides and sulphates by Caco-2 cells. MK571 significantly inhibited phase-2 conjugation of kaempferol by cell-free extracts of Caco-2, and production of kaempferol-4′-O-glucuronide was competitively inhibited. These data show that MK571, in addition to inhibiting MRP2, is a potential inhibitor of enterocyte phase-2 conjugation

Cocoa and health: a decade of research

It has been over 10 years since the first mention in a medical journal about cocoa and chocolate as potential sources of antioxidants for health. During this time, cocoa has been found to improve antioxidant status, reduce inflammation and correlate with reduced heart disease risk; with these results, and its popularity, it has received wide coverage in the press. However, after 10 years of research, what is known about the potential health benefits of cocoa and what are the important next steps in understanding this decadent source of antioxidants