Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “attenuator”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 775 records · Page 43
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1999

Low LBNP Tolerance in Men is Associated With Attenuated Activation of Renin-Angiotensin System

Vasoactive hormone concentrations (epinephrine (pE), norepinephrine (pNE), angiotensin II (pATII), vasopressin (pVP), endothelin 1 (pET1)] and plasma renin activity (pRA) were measured during lower body negative pressure (LBNP) to test the hypothesis that responsiveness of the reninangiotensin system is related to LBNP tolerance. Healthy men (2,822 cal per day, 2 mmol per kilogram per day Na (+)) were exposed to 30 min of progressive LBNP to -50mmHg. LBNP was uneventful for 7 men (2512 yr, HiTol group), but 8 men (26 plus or minus 3 yr) reached pre-syncope after 11 plus or minus 1 min (P less than 0.001, LoTol group). Mean arterial pressure was unchanged. Central venous pressure and left atrial diameter decreased in both groups (5-6 mmHg by 30%, P less than 0.05). Control [hormone] were similar but, pRA differed between groups (LoTol 0.6 plus or minus 0.1, HiTol 1.2 plus or minus 0.1 ng Ang1 per milliliter per hour, per hour, P less than 0.05). LBNP increased (P less than 0.05) pRA and pATII more in HiTol (9.9 plus or minus 2.2 ng Ang1 per milliliter per hour and 58 plus or minus 12 pg per milliliter) than LoTol (4.3 plus or minus 0.9 ng Angl per milliliter per hour and 28 plus or minus 6 pg per milliliter). In contrast, pVP was higher (P less than 0.05) in LoTol than in HiTol. The response of the renin-angiotensin system seems linked to the occurrence of pre-syncope, and measurement of resting pRA may be predictive.

Greenleaf, John E.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Low LBNP Tolerance in Men is Associated With Attenuated Activation of The Renin-Angiotensin System

Vasoactive hormone concentrations [epinephrine (pE), norepinephrine (pNE), angiotensin II (pATII), vasopressin (pVP), endothelin 1 (pET1)] and plasma renin activity (pRA) were measured during lower body negative pressure (LBNP) to test the hypothesis that responsiveness of the renin-angiotensin system is related to LBNP tolerance. Healthy men (2,822 cal/day(exp -1), 2 mmol*kg(exp -1)*day(exp -1)) Na(+)) were exposed to 30 minutes of progressive LBNP to -50 mmHg. LBNP was uneventful for seven men (25 +/- 2 years, HiTol group), but eight men (26 +/- 3 years) reached pre-syncope after 11 +/- 1 minutes (P < 0.001, LoTol group). Mean arterial pressure was unchanged. Central venous pressure and left atrial diameter decreased in both groups (5-6 mmHg by approx. 30%, P < 0.05). Control [hormone] were similar but, pRA differed between groups (LoTol 0.6 +/- 0.1, HiTol 1.2 +/- 0.1 ng Ang1/(ml(exp -1)*h(exp -1)), P < 0.05). LBNP increased (P < 0.05) pRA and pATII more in HiTol (9.9 +/- 2.2 ng Ang1/(ml(exp -1)*h(exp -1)) and 58 +/- 12 pg/ml(exp -1)) than LoTol (4.3 +/- 0.9 ng Ang1/(ml*h) and 28 +/- 6 pg/ml(exp -1)). In contrast, pVP was higher (P < 0.05) in LoTol than in HiTol. The response of the renin-angiotensin system seems linked to the occurrence of pre-syncope, and measurement of resting pRA may be predictive.

Greenleaf, J. E.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Modeling Studies of the MODIS Solar Diffuser Attenuation Screen and Comparison with On-Orbit Measurements

The MODIS instrument relies on solar calibration to achieve the required radiometric accuracy. This solar calibration occurs as the TERRA spacecraft comes up over the North Pole. The earth underneath the spacecraft is still dark for approximately one minute and the sun is just rising over the earth's north polar regions. During this time the sun moves through about 4 degrees, the scan mirror rotates about 19 times and about 50 frames (exposures) are made of the white solar diffuser. For some of MODIS'S bands the brightness of the screen is reduced, to prevent detector saturation, by means of a pinhole screen, which produces approximately 600 pinhole images of the sun within the field of view of any one detector. Previous attempts at creating a detailed radiometric model of this calibration scenario produced intensity variations on the focal planes with insufficient detail to be useful. The current computational approach produces results, which take into account the motion of the sun and the scan mirror and produces variations, which strongly resemble the observed focal plane intensity variations. The computational approach and results and a comparison with actual observational data are presented.

Waluschka, Eugene↗
NASA NTRS2002

Attenuated sympathetic nerve responses after 24 hours of bed rest

Bed rest reduces orthostatic tolerance. Despite decades of study, the cause of this phenomenon remains unclear. In this report we examined hemodynamic and sympathetic nerve responses to graded lower body negative pressure (LBNP) before and after 24 h of bed rest. LBNP allows for baroreceptor disengagement in a graded fashion. We measured heart rate (HR), cardiac output (HR x stroke volume obtained by echo Doppler), and muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) during a progressive and graded LBNP paradigm. Negative pressure was increased by 10 mmHg every 3 min until presyncope or completion of -60 mmHg. After bed rest, LBNP tolerance was reduced in 11 of 13 subjects (P <.023), HR was greater (P <.002), cardiac output was unchanged, and the ability to augment MSNA at high levels of LBNP was reduced (rate of rise for 30- to 60-mmHg LBNP before bed rest 0.073 bursts x min(-1) x mmHg(-1); after bed rest 0.035 bursts x min(-1) x mmHg(-1); P < 0.016). These findings suggest that 24 h of bed rest reduces sympathetic nerve responses to LBNP.

NASA Discipline Neuroscience↗
NASA NTRS2001

Long-term insulin-like growth factor-I expression in skeletal muscles attenuates the enhanced in vitro proliferation ability of the resident satellite cells in transgenic mice

Insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) overexpression for 1-month in mouse skeletal muscle increases satellite cell proliferation potential. However, it is unknown whether this beneficial enhancement by IGF-I expression would persist over a longer-term duration in aged mice. This is an important issue to address if a prolonged course of IGF-I is to be used clinically in muscle-wasting conditions where satellite cells may become limiting. Using the IGF-I transgenic (IGF-I Tg) mouse that selectively expresses the IGF-I transgene in striated muscles, we found that 18-months of continuous IGF-I overexpression led to a loss in the enhanced in vitro proliferative capacity of satellite cells from Tg skeletal muscles. Also 18-month-old IGF-I Tg satellite cells lost the enhanced BrdU incorporation, greater pRb and Akt phosphorylations, and decreased p27(Kip1) levels initially observed in cells from 1-month-old IGF-I Tg mice. The levels of those biochemical markers reverted to similar values seen in the 18-months WT littermates. These findings, therefore, suggest that there is no further beneficial effect on enhancing satellite cell proliferation ability with persistent long-term expression of IGF-I in skeletal muscles of these transgenic mice.

Non-NASA Center↗
NASA NTRS1999

Angiotensin-(1-7) antagonist [D-Ala7-Ang-(1-7);A-779] attenuates post-suspension hypotension in Sprague-Dawley rats

Cardiovascular deconditioning manifested by reduction in mean arterial pressure (MAP) and cardioaccleration are usually observed in astronauts during standing postflight. The head-down tilt (HDT) rat model with "unloaded" hindlimbs has been extensively studied because some of the observed responses mimic observations made during exposure to microgravity. Angiotensin-(1-7) is a biologically active component of the renin-angiotensin system that acts to oppose the pressor and proliferative actions of Angiotensin II. It produces a hypotensive response by either stimulating production of vasodilator prostaglandins (i.e., prostacyclin), increasing nitric oxide or both. In the present study, we have evaluated the role of a specific inhibitor of Ang-(1-7), D-Ala7-Ang-(1-7)[A-779], as a countermeasure against post-suspension hypotension.

Hindlimb Suspension↗
NASA NTRS1999

AV3V lesions attenuate the cardiovascular responses produced by blood-borne excitatory amino acid analogs

Systemic injections of the excitatory amino acid (EAA) analogs, kainic acid (KA) and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA), produce a pressor response in conscious rats that is caused by a centrally mediated activation of sympathetic drive and the release of arginine vasopressin (AVP). This study tested the hypothesis that the tissue surrounding the anteroventral part of the third ventricle (AV3V) plays a role in the expression of the pressor responses produced by systemically injected EAA analogs. Specifically, we examined whether prior electrolytic ablation of the AV3V region would affect the pressor responses to KA and NMDA (1 mg/kg iv) in conscious rats. The KA-induced pressor response was smaller in AV3V-lesioned than in sham-lesioned rats (11 +/- 2 vs. 29 +/- 2 mmHg; P < 0.05). After ganglion blockade, KA produced a pressor response in sham-lesioned but not AV3V-lesioned rats (+27 +/- 3 vs. +1 +/- 2 mmHg; P < 0.05). The KA-induced pressor response in ganglion-blocked sham-lesioned rats was abolished by a vasopressin V1-receptor antagonist. Similar results were obtained with NMDA. The pressor response to AVP (10 ng/kg iv) was slightly smaller in AV3V-lesioned than in sham-lesioned ganglion-blocked rats (45 +/- 3 vs. 57 +/- 4 mmHg; P < 0.05). This study demonstrates that the pressor responses to systemically injected EAA analogs are smaller in AV3V-lesioned rats. The EAA analogs may produce pressor responses by stimulation of EAA receptors in the AV3V region, or the AV3V region may play an important role in the expression of these responses.

Non-NASA Center↗
NASA NTRS1997

Insulin attenuates atrophy of unweighted soleus muscle by amplified inhibition of protein degradation

Unweighting atrophy of immature soleus muscle occurs rapidly over the first several days, followed by slower atrophy coinciding with increased sensitivity to insulin of in vitro protein metabolism. This study determined whether this increased sensitivity might account for the diminution of atrophy after 3 days of tall-cast hindlimb suspension. The physiological significance of the increased response to insulin in unweighted muscle was evaluated by analyzing in vivo protein metabolism for day 3 (48 to 72 hours) and day 4 (72 to 96 hours) of unweighting in diabetic animals either injected with insulin or not treated. Soleus from nontreated diabetic animals showed a similar loss of protein during day 3 (-16.2%) and day 4 (-14.5%) of unweighting, whereas muscle from insulin-treated animals showed rapid atrophy (-14.5%) during day 3 only, declining to just -3.1% the next day. Since fractional protein synthesis was similar for both day 3 (8.6%/d) and day 4 (7.0%/d) of unweighting in insulin-treated animals, the reduction in protein loss must be accounted for by a slowing of protein degradation due to circulating insulin. Intramuscular (IM) injection of insulin (600 nmol/L) stimulated in situ protein synthesis similarly in 4-day unweighted (+56%) and weight-bearing (+90%) soleus, even though unweighted muscle showed a greater in situ response of 2-deoxy-[3H]glucose uptake to IM injection of either insulin (133 nmol/L) or insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) (200 nmol/L) than control muscle. These findings suggest that unweighted muscle is selectively more responsive in vivo to insulin, and that the slower atrophy after 3 days of unweighting was due to an increased effect of insulin on inhibiting protein degradation.

NASA Discipline Musculoskeletal↗
NASA NTRS1995

Mechanism of thirst attenuation during head-out water immersion in men

The purpose was to determine whether extracellular volume or osmolality was the major contributing factor for reduction of thirst in air and head-out water immersion in hypohydrated subjects. Eight males (19-25 yr) were subjected to thermoneutral immersion and thermoneutral air under two hydration conditions without further drinking: euhydration in water (Eu-H2O) and euhydration in air, and hypohydration in water (Hypo-H2O) and hypohydration in air (3.7% wt loss after exercise in heat). The increased thirst sensation with Hypo-H2O decreased (P < 0.05) within 10 min of immersion and continued thereafter. Mean plasma osmolality (288 +/- 1 mosmol/kgH2O) and sodium (140 +/- 1 meq/l) remained elevated, and plasma volume increased by 4.2 +/- 1.0% (P < 0.05) throughout Hypo-H2O. A sustained increase (P < 0.05) in stroke volume accompanied the prompt and sustained decrease in plasma renin activity and sustained increase (P < 0.05) in plasma atrial natriuretic peptide during Eu-H2O and Hypo-H2O. Plasma vasopressin decreased from 5.3 +/- 0.7 to 2.9 +/- 0.5 pg/ml (P < 0.05) during Hypo-H2O but was unchanged in Eu-H2O. These findings suggest a sustained stimulation of the atrial baroreceptors and reduction of a dipsogenic stimulus without major alterations of extracellular osmolality in Hypo-H2O. Thus it appears that vascular volume-induced stimuli of cardiopulmonary baroreceptors play a more important role than extracellular osmolality in reducing thirst sensations during immersion in hypohydrated subjects.

NASA Center ARC↗
NASA NTRS1992

Glucocorticoid-induced skeletal muscle atrophy in vitro is attenuated by mechanical stimulation

Glucocorticoids induce rapid atrophy of fast skeletal myofibers in vivo, and either weight lifting or endurance exercise reduces this atrophy by unknown mechanisms. We examined the effects of the synthetic glucocorticoid dexamethasone (Dex) on protein turnover in tissue-cultured avian fast skeletal myofibers and determined whether repetitive mechanical stretch altered the myofiber response to Dex. In static cultures after 3-5 days, 10(-8) M Dex decreased total protein content 42-74%, total protein synthesis rates 38-56%, mean myofiber diameter 35%, myosin heavy chain (MHC) content 86%, MHC synthesis rate 44%, and fibronectin synthesis rate 29%. Repetitive 10% stretch-relaxations of the cultured myofibers for 60 s every 5 min for 3-4 days prevented 52% of the Dex-induced decrease in protein content, 42% of the decrease in total protein synthesis rate, 77% of the decrease in MHC content, 42% of the decrease in MHC synthesis rate, and 67% of the decrease in fibronectin synthesis rate. This in vitro model system will complement in vivo studies in understanding the mechanism by which mechanical activity and glucocorticoids interact to regulate skeletal muscle growth.

Non-NASA Center↗
NASA NTRS2007

Deployable System for Crash-Load Attenuation

An externally deployable honeycomb structure is investigated with respect to crash energy management for light aircraft. The new concept utilizes an expandable honeycomb-like structure to absorb impact energy by crushing. Distinguished by flexible hinges between cell wall junctions that enable effortless deployment, the new energy absorber offers most of the desirable features of an external airbag system without the limitations of poor shear stability, system complexity, and timing sensitivity. Like conventional honeycomb, once expanded, the energy absorber is transformed into a crush efficient and stable cellular structure. Other advantages, afforded by the flexible hinge feature, include a variety of deployment options such as linear, radial, and/or hybrid deployment methods. Radial deployment is utilized when omnidirectional cushioning is required. Linear deployment offers better efficiency, which is preferred when the impact orientation is known in advance. Several energy absorbers utilizing different deployment modes could also be combined to optimize overall performance and/or improve system reliability as outlined in the paper. Results from a series of component and full scale demonstration tests are presented as well as typical deployment techniques and mechanisms. LS-DYNA analytical simulations of selected tests are also presented.

Kellas, Sotiris↗
NASA NTRS2007

The Potential Benefits of Advanced Casing Treatment for Noise Attenuation in Utra-High Bypass Ratio Turbofan Engines

In order to increase stall margin in a high-bypass ratio turbofan engine, an advanced casing treatment was developed that extracted a small amount of flow from the casing behind the fan and injected it back in front of the fan. Several different configurations of this casing treatment were designed by varying the distance of the extraction and injection points, as well as varying the amount of flow. These casing treatments were tested on a 55.9 cm (22 in.) scale model of the Pratt & Whitney Advanced Ducted Propulsor in the NASA Glenn 9 by 15 Low Speed Wind Tunnel. While all of the casing treatment configurations showed the expected increase in stall margin, a few of the designs showed a potential noise benefit for certain engine speeds. This paper will show the casing treatments and the results of the testing as well as propose further research in this area. With better prediction and design techniques, future casing treatment configurations could be developed that may result in an optimized casing treatment that could conceivably reduce the noise further.

Elliott, David↗
NASA NTRS2008

Photogrammetric Measurements of CEV Airbag Landing Attenuation Systems

High-speed photogrammetric measurements are being used to assess the impact dynamics of the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) for ground landing contingency upon return to earth. Test articles representative of the Orion capsule are dropped at the NASA Langley Landing and Impact Research (LandIR) Facility onto a sand/clay mixture representative of a dry lakebed from elevations as high as 62 feet (18.9 meters). Two different types of test articles have been evaluated: (1) half-scale metal shell models utilized to establish baseline impact dynamics and soil characterization, and (2) geometric full-scale drop models with shock-absorbing airbags which are being evaluated for their ability to cushion the impact of the Orion CEV with the earth s surface. This paper describes the application of the photogrammetric measurement technique and provides drop model trajectory and impact data that indicate the performance of the photogrammetric measurement system.

Barrows, Danny A.↗
NASA NTRS2006

Attenuating Stereo Pixel-Locking via Affine Window Adaptation

For real-time stereo vision systems, the standard method for estimating sub-pixel stereo disparity given an initial integer disparity map involves fitting parabolas to a matching cost function aggregated over rectangular windows. This results in a phenomenon known as 'pixel-locking,' which produces artificially-peaked histograms of sub-pixel disparity. These peaks correspond to the introduction of erroneous ripples or waves in the 3D reconstruction of truly Rat surfaces. Since stereo vision is a common input modality for autonomous vehicles, these inaccuracies can pose a problem for safe, reliable navigation. This paper proposes a new method for sub-pixel stereo disparity estimation, based on ideas from Lucas-Kanade tracking and optical flow, which substantially reduces the pixel-locking effect. In addition, it has the ability to correct much larger initial disparity errors than previous approaches and is more general as it applies not only to the ground plane.

pixel locking effect↗
NASA NTRS2004

Dynamic Foot Stimulation Attenuates Soleus Muscle Atrophy Induced by Hindlimb Unloading in Rats

Unloading-induced myofiber atrophy is a phenomenon that occurs in the aging population, bed-ridden patients and astronauts. The objective of this study was to determine whether or not dynamic foot stimulation (DFS) applied to the plantar surface of the rat foot can serve as a countermeasure to the soleus muscle atrophy normally observed in hindlimb unloaded (HU) rats. Thirty mature adult (6-month-old) male Wistar rats were randomly assigned into ambulatory control (AMB), hindlimb unloaded alone (HU), or hindlimb unloaded with the application of DFS (HU+DFS) groups. A dynamic pattern of pressure was applied to the right foot of each HU animal using a specially fabricated boot containing an inflatable air bladder connected to a solenoid air pump controlled by a laptop computer. The anti-atrophic effects of DFS were quantified morphometrically in frozen cross-sections of soleus muscle stained using the metachromatic-ATPase fiber typing technique. Application of DFS during HU significantly counteracted the atrophic response observed in the soleus by preventing approximately 85% of the reduction in Type I myofiber cross-sectional area (CSA) observed during HU. However, DFS did not protect type II fibers of the soleus from HU-induced atrophy or any fiber type in the soleus muscle of the contralateral control leg of the DFS-treated HU animals. These results illustrate that the application of DFS to the rat foot is an effective countermeasure to soleus muscle atrophy induced by HU.

Kyparos, Antonios↗