Modular Process Research Articles

Dynamical modules in metabolism, cell and developmental biology.

Modularity is an essential feature of any adaptive complex system. Phenotypic traits are modules in the sense that they have a distinguishable structure or function, which can vary (quasi-)independently from its context. Since all phenotypic traits are the product of some underlying regulatory dynamics, the generative processes that constitute the genotype–phenotype map must also be functionally modular. Traditionally, modular processes have been identified as structural modules in regulatory networks. However, structure only constrains, but does not determine, the dynamics of a process. Here, we propose an alternative approach that decomposes the behaviour of a complex regulatory system into elementary activity-functions. Modular activities can occur in networks that show no structural modularity, making dynamical modularity more widely applicable than structural decomposition. Furthermore, the behaviour of a regulatory system closely mirrors its functional contribution to the outcome of a process, which makes dynamical modularity particularly suited for functional decomposition. We illustrate our approach with numerous examples from the study of metabolism, cellular processes, as well as development and pattern formation. We argue that dynamical modules provide a shared conceptual foundation for developmental and evolutionary biology, and serve as the foundation for a new account of process homology, which is presented in a separate contribution by DiFrisco and Jaeger to this focus issue.

Fieldswarm technology for tillage and crop care

Abstract Today agriculture equipment is characterized by a high level of productivity and automation. Tractor-implement systems establish productivity by increasing working width and higher operational speed supported by larger storage volumes and increased tractor power availability. Dimensions and weight of tractor – implement systems have become the most important limitations for further growing productivity. A trend from Bigger, Faster, Wider towards Smart, Connected and Modular is under discussion. Modular and scalable systems with a high and variable degree of autonomy have potential to deliver configuration capability regarding actual task and field conditions while providing scalability of peak performance, productivity and economy. Possible machine concepts can consist of a tractor with automated and modular process units and / or autonomous self-propelled systems working as single unit or in a fleet (swarm). Swarm operation requires an adaptive and multimodal frontend to manage and lead a heterogeneous swarm of smart process applications. The example Feldschwarm, shown in the paper, is designed to the requirements of tillage and seeding in a first step.

Development of a Low-Cost, Modular Muscle-Computer Interface for At-Home Telerehabilitation for Chronic Stroke.

Stroke is a leading cause of long-term disability in the United States. Recent studies have shown that high doses of repeated task-specific practice can be effective at improving upper-limb function at the chronic stage. Providing at-home telerehabilitation services with therapist supervision may allow higher dose interventions targeted to this population. Additionally, muscle biofeedback to train patients to avoid unwanted simultaneous activation of antagonist muscles (co-contractions) may be incorporated into telerehabilitation technologies to improve motor control. Here, we present the development and feasibility of a low-cost, portable, telerehabilitation biofeedback system called Tele-REINVENT. We describe our modular electromyography acquisition, processing, and feedback algorithms to train differentiated muscle control during at-home therapist-guided sessions. Additionally, we evaluated the performance of low-cost sensors for our training task with two healthy individuals. Finally, we present the results of a case study with a stroke survivor who used the system for 40 sessions over 10 weeks of training. In line with our previous research, our results suggest that using low-cost sensors provides similar results to those using research-grade sensors for low forces during an isometric task. Our preliminary case study data with one patient with stroke also suggest that our system is feasible, safe, and enjoyable to use during 10 weeks of biofeedback training, and that improvements in differentiated muscle activity during volitional movement attempt may be induced during a 10-week period. Our data provide support for using low-cost technology for individuated muscle training to reduce unintended coactivation during supervised and unsupervised home-based telerehabilitation for clinical populations, and suggest this approach is safe and feasible. Future work with larger study populations may expand on the development of meaningful and personalized chronic stroke rehabilitation.

Modular Domino Process toward Highly Functionalized Pyrroles via Pd-Catalyzed [4 + 1] Annulation under Mild Conditions.

A Pd-catalyzed decarboxylative approach for the modular synthesis of highly functionalized pyrroles is presented. This protocol utilizes readily available cyclic carbonates and amines as reaction partners and only generates CO2 and H2O as byproducts. This methodology could be operated at room temperature and open to air, thus serving as an ideal means for the derivatization of bioactive compounds. Mechanism investigations suggested that the stereoselective formation of the (Z)-configured γ-amino ketone intermediate is crucial for the success of the reaction.

Non-deterministic model validation methodology for simulation-based safety assessment of automated vehicles

Safeguarding and type approval of automated vehicles is a key enabler for their market launch in our complex traffic environment. Scenario-based testing by means of computer simulation is becoming increasingly important to cope with the enormous complexity and effort. However, there is a huge gap when assessing the safety of the virtual vehicle while the real vehicle will drive on the road. Simulation must be accompanied by model validation to ensure its credibility since errors and uncertainties are inherent in every model. Unfortunately, this is rarely addressed in the current literature. In this paper, a modular process is presented covering both model validation and safeguarding. It is characterized by the fact that it quantifies a large number of errors and uncertainties, represents them in the form of an error model, and ultimately integrates them into the safeguarding results. It is applied to a type-approval regulation for the lane-keeping behavior of a vehicle under various scenario conditions. The paper contains a thorough validation of the methodology itself by comparing its results with actual ground truth values. For this comparison, a binary classifier and confusion matrices are used that relate the binary type-approval decisions. The classifier demonstrates that the methodology of this paper identifies a systematic error of the simulation model across several safeguarding scenarios. Finally, the paper provides recommendations for alternative configurations of the modular methodology depending on different requirements.

Operability and control in process intensification and modular design: Challenges and opportunities

AbstractIn this article, the importance of considering operability and control criteria in the analysis and design of intensified and modular processes is discussed. We first analyze the impact on operability of key factors including: (i) degrees of freedom, (ii) process constraints, (iii) numbering up vs. scaling up, and (iv) dynamic/periodic operation. Comparative examples are presented to showcase the pros and cons in intensified/modular systems vs. their conventional counterparts from operability and control aspects. Then we look into metrics and tools to address these challenges such as: (i) flexibility analysis, (ii) operability‐based design, and (iii) advanced model‐based control. Considering different conceptual design stages as synthesis intensification, steady‐state design, and dynamic operational optimization, we highlight the need to incorporate different levels of operability considerations. Future research opportunities and perspectives are also identified, particularly emphasizing the importance of a holistic strategy for integrated design, operability, and control of intensified and modular process systems.

Diagnose in der Modularen Produktion

This paper presents concepts of operator- and system-centered diagnostics as well as approaches for the implementation of standardized diagnostics in modular process units - prepared by the ZVEI/NAMUR working group 4.1.1. Availability is a critical issue in the operation of process plants. Maintenance should not signify a substantial cost driver. By combining a MTP-like and NOA-like diagnostic channels, the balance between the encapsulation in operation (via MTP) and the necessary transparency for efficient diagnostics (via NOA) can be handled. In this paper, insights of both channels are presented to allow for open discussions about these concepts.

Addressing Environmental Challenges of Porphyrin Mixtures Obtained from Statistical Syntheses

AbstractSyntheses of complex molecular mixtures on the preparative scale are often challenging steps for chemists, which go hand in hand with expensive purification steps. Herein, the preparation and isolation of unsymmetrically substituted porphyrins, obtained from statistical reactions between two benzaldehydes, were investigated. Therefore, a semi‐automated modular process was developed to lower the consumable costs, save time, and reduce waste production. We utilized a monomode microwave reactor equipped with an autosampler, and a medium pressure liquid chromatography (MPLC) flash purification device, equipped with a UV/Vis detector and a re‐usable glass column packed with SiO2. With this method, it was possible to synthesize and purify several statistical porphyrin mixtures, while simultaneously reducing the environmental factor (E‐factor) significantly, compared to conventionally performed porphyrin syntheses. Our approach shows that a sustainable investigation of academically relevant low‐symmetrical porphyrins can be carried out feasibly, without sacrificing invested time.

Sequencing Groebke–Blackburn–Bienaymé and Aza-Michael Addition Reactions: A Modular Strategy for Accessing a Diverse Collection of Constrained Benzoxazepine and Imidazopyrazine Systems

We present a divergent strategy that permits access to diversely functionalized benzoxazepinium scaffolds fused to various heterocycles. The described strategy features a one-pot combination of the Groebke–Blackburn–Bienayme reaction and an aza-Michael addition. Methyl (E)-4-(2-formylphenoxy)but-2-enoate and its derivatives are utilized as central elements in this cascade. These building blocks are reacted with a variety of functionalized amino-azines and tert-butyl isocyanide under ytterbium triflate [Yb(OTf)3] catalysis. The ensuing cascade represents a rapid, modular and atom-economic process that leads to the construction of a diverse collection of constrained benzoxazepinium systems from a wide substrate scope.

A Distributed Modular Data Processing Chain Applied to Simulated Satellite Ozone Observations

Remote sensing of the atmospheric composition from current and future satellites, such as the Sentinel missions of the Copernicus programme, yields an unprecedented amount of data to monitor air quality, ozone, UV radiation and other climate variables. Hence, full exploitation of the growing wealth of information delivered by spaceborne observing systems requires addressing the technological challenges for developing new strategies and tools that are capable to deal with these huge data volumes. The H2020 AURORA (Advanced Ultraviolet Radiation and Ozone Retrieval for Applications) project investigated a novel approach for synergistic use of ozone profile measurements acquired at different frequencies (ultraviolet, visible, thermal infrared) by sensors onboard Geostationary Equatorial Orbit (GEO) and Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites in the framework of the Copernicus Sentinel-4 and Sentinel-5 missions. This paper outlines the main features of the technological infrastructure, designed and developed to support the AURORA data processing chain as a distributed data processing and describes in detail the key components of the infrastructure and the software prototype. The latter demonstrates the technical feasibility of the automatic execution of the full processing chain with simulated data. The Data Processing Chain (DPC) presented in this work thus replicates a processing system that, starting from the operational satellite retrievals, carries out their fusion and results in the assimilation of the fused products. These consist in ozone vertical profiles from which further modules of the chain deliver tropospheric ozone and UV radiation at the Earth’s surface. The conclusions highlight the relevance of this novel approach to the synergistic use of operational satellite data and underline that the infrastructure uses general-purpose technologies and is open for applications in different contexts.

Sequencing Groebke–Blackburn–Bienaymé and Aza-Michael Addition Reactions: A Modular Strategy for Accessing a Diverse Collection of Constrained Benzoxazepine and Imidazopyrazine Systems

AbstractWe present a divergent strategy that permits access to diversely functionalized benzoxazepinium scaffolds fused to various heterocycles. The described strategy features a one-pot combination of the Groebke–Blackburn–Bienaymé reaction and an aza-Michael addition. Methyl (E)-4-(2-formylphenoxy)but-2-enoate and its derivatives are utilized as central elements in this cascade. These building blocks are reacted with a variety of functionalized amino-azines and tert-butyl isocyanide under ytterbium triflate [Yb(OTf)3] catalysis. The ensuing cascade represents a rapid, modular and atom-economic process that leads to the construction of a diverse collection of constrained benzoxazepinium systems from a wide substrate scope.

ОСОБЛИВОСТІ МОДЕЛЮВАННЯ МУЛЬТИКОМПОНЕНТНОЇ ІНФОРМАЦІЙНОЇ ТЕХНОЛОГІЇ АВТОМАТИЗОВАНОГО ТЕСТУВАННЯ

This work considers the problems of the software life cycle testing stage. After the analysis, the relevance to use automated testing systems in the implementation of software products was determined. Based on this, the structure of information technology of automated testing and features of the implementation of software interface components and dynamic analyzers are described. As a result, the multicomponent information technology of automated testing is modeled, which satisfies the needs of users in the high-quality implementation of the modular testing process.

Synthesis of substituted 3,4-dihydroquinazolinones via a metal free Leuckart-Wallach type reaction.

The 3,4-dihydroquinazolinone (DHQ) moiety is a highly valued scaffold in medicinal chemistry due to the vast number of biologically-active compounds based on this core structure. Current synthetic methods to access these compounds are limited in terms of diversity and flexibility and often require the use of toxic reagents or expensive transition-metal catalysts. Herein, we describe the discovery and development of a novel cascade cyclization/Leuckart–Wallach type strategy to prepare substituted DHQs in a modular and efficient process using readily-available starting materials. Notably, the reaction requires only the addition of formic acid or acetic acid/formic acid and produces H2O, CO2 and methanol as the sole reaction byproducts. Overall, the reaction provides an attractive entry point into this important class of compounds and could even be extended to isotopic labelling via the site-selective incorporation of a deuterium atom.

Towards a modular end-to-end statistical production process with mobile network data

Mobile network data has proved to be an outstanding data source for the production of statistics in general, and for Official Statistics, in particular. Similarly to another new digital data sources, this poses the remarkable challenge of refurbishing a new statistical production process. In the context of the European Statistical System (ESS), we substantiate the so-called ESS Reference Methodological Framework for Mobile Network Data with a first modular and evolvable proposed statistical process comprising (i) the geolocation of mobile devices, (ii) the deduplication of mobile devices, (iii) the statistical filtering to identify the target population, (iv) the aggregation into territorial units, and (v) the inference to the target population. The proposal is illustrated with synthetic data generated from a network event data simulator developed for these purposes.

Modular Design Method for Reconfigurable Manufacturing Systems

Reconfigurable manufacturing systems (RMS) have the potential to reduce investments, time-to-market, and cost of variety in increasingly complex markets. However, tools to support the transition in industry are lacking. One enabler of RMS is modularity, however few methods support the design of modular manufacturing systems, and even fewer modular RMS. This research proposes an adaption of the Modular Function Deployment method to address this issue, and also identifies a number of additional module drivers which are relevant to support the modularization process of RMS.

Design and Costing of an ION Clean Energy CO2 Capture Plant Retrofitted to a 700 MW Coal-fired Power Station

ION Clean Energy’s (ION) advanced solvent is one of the leading solvent systems currently under development for post-combustion carbon dioxide (CO2) capture. ION has partnered with Nebraska Power Public District (NPPD), Sargent & Lundy (S&L), Koch Modular Process Systems (KMPS), and Siemens to design a commercial-scale (700 MW) capture system utilizing ION’s advanced solvent. The resulting CO2 capture plant design utilizes ION’s ICE 21 solvent and was designed to take full advantage of the solvent benefits, which include an efficient physical plant layout, reduced energy requirements, less solvent degradation, lower emissions, and lower capital costs relative to systems built with (U.S. Department of Energy) DOE Bituminous Baselines Study (BBS) case benchmark solvents. This Front-End Engineering and Design (FEED) is the continuation of a successful pre-FEED study on a 300 MW capture system at NPPD’s Gerald Gentleman Station (GGS) in Nebraska, USA, where cost of capture was determined to be approximately $32 per tonne of CO2. The overall objective of this project is to provide a detailed design resulting in an accurate cost estimate for a commercial-scale CO2 capture facility retrofitted onto a 700 MW existing coal-fired power station. The engineering design and costing will be provided at an Association for the Advancement of Cost Engineering (AACE) Class 2 estimate, which will result in cost accuracy in the range of 15 to +20%, supported by completion of up to 70% of the engineering effort. This paper reviews the engineering work completed to support the cost estimate, which includes process flow diagrams, utility flow diagrams, and general arrangement drawings. Balance of plant (BOP) engineering design was also completed to support the costing effort and includes the necessary tie-ins to the power station for steam, electricity, cooling water, makeup water, and flue gas. The culmination of this work is a 3D model of the carbon capture system as integrated at GGS. The 3D model incorporates the capture island and all the BOP modifications and necessary subsystems for the inclusion of the CO2 capture plant and ensure that the necessary level of detailed engineering has been achieved to support the cost estimate. A preliminary cost evaluation is discussed projecting the expected capital cost, operation and maintenance (O&M) cost, and cost of capture outcome based on the above engineering work. The CO2 capture rate efficiency was not confined or restricted for the FEED project but when optimized for this design basis remained at approximately 90% for full load operation. During the periods of turndown for the power plant, the CO2 capture efficiency increases to over 95% from the flue gas to fully utilize the installed equipment. This paper will also discuss the design and engineering challenges encountered while striving to integrate a CO2 capture system onto an existing power station. These challenges are not unique to this installation and include: • Sizing the system to best match the power station demands in a flexible power market • Designing a steam supply system that covers operations at all load conditions • Designing a heat rejection system with limited availability of cooling water resources and other factors that are site specific The project team has integrated several independent studies into this FEED project to address these specific challenges and this paper will review these results.

MaRS: A Modular and Robust Sensor-Fusion Framework

State-of-the-art recursive sensor filtering frameworks allow the fusion of multiple sensors tailored to a specific problem but do not allow a dynamic and efficient introduction of additional sensors during runtime - an important feature to enable long-term missions in dynamic environments. This letter presents a robust, modular sensor-fusion framework that enables the addition and removal of sensors at runtime.These sensors could not be a priori known to the system. The framework handles the complexity of system and sensor initialization, measurement updates, and switching of asynchronous multi-rate sensor information with sensor self-calibration in a truly modular and generic design. In addition, the framework can handle delayed measurements, out-of-sequence updates, and can monitor sensor health. The introduced true-modularity is based on covariance segmentation to allow the isolated (i.e., modular) processing of propagation and updates on a per-sensor basis. We show how crucial properties of the overall state covariance can be maintained as naive implementation of such a modularization would invalidate the covariance matrix. We evaluate our framework for a precision landing scenario switching between combinations of GNSS, barometer, and vision measurements. Tests are performed in simulation and in real-world scenarios to show the validity of the introduced method. The presented framework will be open-sourced and made available online to the community.

Optimization of Prefabricated Components in Housing Modular Construction

In modular construction—a type of industrialized construction—production planning is very important, as it is closely related to the project’s duration, quality, and sustainability. The constraints (production area, delivery due date) often differ for each project, yet production planning in modular construction has failed to change with the project characteristics. As a result, bottlenecks and construction delays are common problems seen in modular construction, which, in turn, decreases the production ratio, causing the production to be inefficient. To this end, this paper applied a prefabricated component in the modular production process. The paper developed a process analysis model considering constraint factors (production period, production area) to derive the optimal configuration of the prefabricated components in various alternatives. The developed analysis model was then applied to a virtual case to analyze the productivity improvement and select the optimal process. The optimal production process was derived by simulating the possible production planning within a limited production area and production timeline. The result of a simulation indicates that the production period has been halved by optimizing the process. Furthermore, by applying prefabricated components, the production efficiency was further increased because the existing linear production process’s bottleneck disappeared. The model is deemed to have the potential to optimize various production methods across production facilities or modular factories that simultaneously perform multiple projects.

ПРОИЗВОДСТВО КОРМОВОЙ ДОБАВКИ ДЛЯ ЖИВОТНОВОДСТВА ИЗ БУРЫХ УГЛЕЙ НА МОДУЛЬНОЙ ТЕХНОЛОГИЧЕСКОЙ ЛИНИИ (НА ПРИМЕРЕ ООО «БОГРАДСКИЙ ГОК»)

The article presents the composition of known feed additives. The combination of components used in the feed additive can solve the problem of vitamin and energy deficiency, normalize metabolism, remove toxic products accumulated in the gastrointestinal tract, increase the resistance of young animals and adult animals, and avoid losses of dairy and meat productivity. Common disadvantages of feed additives are their multicomponent composition, high labor intensity and duration of production. (Research purpose) The research purpose is in developing the technologies for the production of feed additives with a wide range of biological activity based on the processing of oxidized brown coal on a modular production line. (Materials and methods) The article presents the study of the efficiency of a modular processing line to provide flexibility in the technology of processing brown coal to obtain feed additives. The article presents the practical results of checking the quality of the obtained feed additive on the parameters and operating modes of individual units and aggregates. (Results and discussion) Authors developed a technology for the production of feed additives for cattle. The proposed feed additive was tested in Andreevskoe LLC of the Republic of Khakassia on a dairy herd of cattle, where two groups of animals of 20 heads each were formed: a control group and an experimental group. Authors tested the addition at the end of the winter stall period. (Conclusions) The article presents the influence of the “Humates of Khakassia” feed additive on the dairy and meat productivity of cattle on the example of LLC «Andreevskoe». Authors optimized the feeding standards and the composition of feed additives for dairy cattle in the Republic of Khakassia. The article presents developed recommendations for the use of feed additives in the stable period.

Psychological Competence of Educator as a Prerequisite of Effective Developmental Interaction with Students

The purpose of our article is to substantiate theoretically and prove empirically that the level of psychological competence of educators-researchers influences significantly on the quality of organization and effectiveness of full-fledged developmental interaction with the students in modern Institution of Higher Education. Methods of the research. The authors used theoretical methods of cognition (critical analysis, theoretical synthesis, ranking, abstraction, criterion comparison, methodological generalization, theoretical modeling, etc.), as well as empirical methods of factual data recording (closed questionnaire, psychological and pedagogical experiment, psycho-diagnostic techniques: the questionnaire «Who will pick up the paper?» by A. Furman, the «Self-Actualization Test» (SAT) by E. Shostrom etc.). 65 teachers and 511 undergraduate students (1–4 years of studying) of the Faculty of Law of Ternopil National Economic University (TNEU) were involved in the experiment started in September, 2017 and finished in September, 2019. The results of the research. This article outlines the current tasks and innovative ways to improve the psychological training of educators of modern Institutions of Higher Education, in particular, reveals the authors’ experience in implementing the training program of educator-psychologist-researcher (690 hours), that is accompanied by the increasing of expert-mental conditions in the teaching staff’s innovative activity; five groups of experimental changes (innovations), which led to the positive restructuring of the educator-researchers’ inner world, are characterized; the growth dynamics of psychological competence of educators of the Faculty of Law of TNEU is being observed experimentally for two years of fundamental experiment; the total coefficient growth of the educator-researchers’ self-actualization is empirically substantiated on 13 scales of measurements. The obtained quantitative indicators convince clearly that both total indicator of the coefficient of self-actualization of the faculty teaching staff (from 43.2% to 48.8%) and its structural components (rapport – 9%, self-acceptance – 7.7%, flexibility of behavior – 7.5%, synergy – 7.3%, sensitivity – 6.2%, spontaneity – 6.0%, etc.) have significantly increased for two years of fundamen tal experimentation. The fact of increasing tendencies to self-realization of educators due to the basic scales of time competence and support, the total growth of which is 15.6%, is particularly positive. Conclusions. The modular developmental system of education has a number of advantages in comparison with the classical academic system. In particular, it enables the training of educators for professional activity with psychological and pedagogical content of the current educational process and due to the appropriate technologies it allows the more thoroughly implementation of the multilevel developmental interaction with students in the practice of modern Institution of Higher Education. The effectiveness of this interaction primarily depends on the psychological literacy of an educator, the humanization of tasks, the content and style of educational activities and the implementation of original technologies for a holistic modular developmental process conducting. The qualitatively higher professional and psychological training of an educator can be achieved when the educational process center is not the content of studying, but the interaction of mentor and student, that does not only humanize the educational environment, but also predicts the position changes of each subject of relevant relationships. The integral psychometric indicator of the development of culture and educator-researchers functional literacy is the coefficient of self-actualization, the growth of which indicates a significant boundaries expansion of the constructive expression of freedom, altruism, creativity, self-esteem, persons’ mutual understanding and mutual acceptance in the individually oriented educational process.