Modular Research Articles

Development of the design and technology for manufacturing a combined fiber-optic sensor used for extreme operating conditions

The objects of research are the designs and manufacturing technologies of a combined fiber-optic sensor. It is used in extreme operating conditions. The essence of the task is to study the constructive and technological compatibility of optical and micromechanical principles of simultaneous measurement of several heterogeneous physical quantities. In this regard, the chosen modular conversion principle solves the problem of combined conversion. The developed design and technology of the electro-adhesive connection make it possible to significantly reduce the internal mechanical stresses in the sensor and thereby increase the stability of the combined sensors in extreme operating conditions. Analytical models linking the magnitude and orientation of internal mechanical stresses with the characteristics of temporary stability for complex structures, as a rule, are absent. In practice, the obtained research results can be applied to combined pressure and temperature sensors, pressure and vibration, etc.

On the Problem of Optimal Microbiological Decontamination of Air Environment and Surfaces

Modern civilization, providing economic and social progress, at the same time objectively creates—sometimes close to ideal—conditions for the spread of various infections. The catastrophic consequences of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic clearly indicate that homo sapiens appeared to be unable to effectively resist the onslaught of the coronavirus. The purpose of this publication is an attempt to fill the gap in the development of effective methods and means for microbiological decontamination that are optimal in terms of critical parameters. The observational data indicate that a significant number of SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus infections occur by air without a direct contact with the source, including over a long time interval. Precipitation helps to cleanse the air from pollutants and viruses, reducing noncontact contamination, which additionally brings up to date the problem of optimal microbiological decontamination of the air environment and surfaces. A thermodynamic approach has been used to optimize microbiological sterilization. It is shown that irreversible chemical oxidation reactions are the shortest way to achieve sterility, and they are capable of providing high reliability of decontamination. It has been established that oxygen is an optimal oxidant, including from the point of view of ecology, since its reactive forms harmoniously fit into natural exchange cycles. The optimal method for obtaining reactive oxygen species for disinfection is the use of low-temperature (“cold”) plasma, which provides the energy-efficient generation of oxidative reactive forms: atomic oxygen (O), ozone (O3), hydroxyl radical (•OH), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), superoxide ({text{O}}_{2}^{ - }), and singlet oxygen O2(a1Δg). Due to a short lifetime for most of the above forms outside the plasma applicator, objects remote from the plasma generator should be sterilized with ozone (O3), the minimum lifetime of which is quite long. It has been substantiated that the microwave method of generating oxygen plasma is optimal for energy-efficient ozone production. A modular principle of generation is proposed for varying the productivity of ozone-generating units over a wide range. The module has been developed on the basis of an adapted serial microwave oven, in which a non-self-sustaining microwave discharge is maintained thanks to ionizers (igniters), including those based on radiating radionuclides-emitters. In case of massive contamination of surfaces, it is advisable—in addition to ozone (O3) air disinfecting—to use aqueous solutions of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). It is essential that these reactive oxygen species for disinfecting objects remote from the plasma generator are highly efficient and, at the same time, environmentally neutral. Reliable and affordable personal protective equipment is proposed for activities in zones of increased ozone concentration. The considered optimal means of disinfection can be applicable not only in medicine but also adapted for numerous practices in agriculture, industry, and everyday life.

COMPONENTS OF GRAPHIC TRAINING CONCEPT FOR FUTURE MECHANICAL ENGINEERS

The article considers the components of graphic training concept for future mechanical engineers in institutions of higher and vocational education. The definition of «concept» is analyzed in various aspects of application. The essence of «didactic concept» is clarified and pedagogical theories that are embedded in the concept of the developed methodology are identified. It is determined that on the basis of the theory the methodology of learning at university is formed. It is proved that the implementation of this approach in training is based on both purely didactic principles and didactic principles of production training: polytechnic principle, the principle of combining learning with practical activities, the principle of modeling professional activity in the educational process, the principle of professional mobility, the principle of modularity, the principle of self-management in cognitive and production training, the principle of computerization of the pedagogical process, the principle of individuality, the principle of subjectivity, the principle of free choice, the principle of creative realization, the principle of developing potential. Principles of production training have their own characteristics, which are characterized in the article.
 It is determined that the detailed stage of the concept expresses the specific subject methodology and includes: the goals of teaching engineering graphics by means of computer modeling at the level of engineering and graphic training of future mechanical engineers, at the level of training of engineering and graphic disciplines (in particular, the educational discipline «Descriptive geometry, engineering and computer graphics»), at the level of organization of educational and cognitive subject activities training; didactic principles of structuring the content of engineering and graphic disciplines (including the discipline «Descriptive geometry, engineering and computer graphics»); interactive style of learning engineering graphics by means of computer modeling; criteria, indicators and levels of engineering and graphic training of students as a result of teaching engineering and graphic disciplines.

Teacher Training for the Formation and Evaluation of Functional Literacy of Students in the Process of Individualized Professional Development

Education today faces many challenges caused not only by the high rates of technology development, but also by the rapid changes in the political and socio-economic situation in the world. A graduate of a modern school should be able to use his constantly updated knowledge and skills to solve a wide range of life tasks, i. e. he should have a sufficiently high level of functional literacy. However, international comparative studies record an insufficient level of functional literacy among Russian schoolchildren. The formation of functional literacy of students is becoming one of the main tasks of a modern school. The problem of individualized teacher training for the formation and evaluation of functional literacy in the process of professional development has not been raised and has not been solved. The purpose of this article is to reveal a variant of individualized teacher training for the formation and evaluation of functional literacy of students through the description of the content of an additional professional program designed on the basis of the modular principle. The methodological basis of this study is the acmeological approach, since it allows us to study the patterns of professional development of teachers in the process of professional development, as well as the principles of andragogy formulated by domestic and foreign scientists. The article describes a variant of the implementation of a modular additional professional program, the content of invariant and variable modules aimed at the formation of psychological, theoretical and practical readiness of teachers for the formation and evaluation of functional literacy of students. The described variant of individualized teacher training for the formation and evaluation of functional literacy of students can be used to design additional professional programs in various areas of development of Russian education, and will also be useful to researchers engaged in the search for effective options for preparing teachers for any direction of professional activity in the process of professional development.

Імперативи розвитку банківської системи України в умовах цифровізації та ринкових трансформацій

Abstract. Introduction. The development of digitalization processes causes the appearance of new participants in the financial market, changes the structure of competition in the banking sector, reduces the profitability of traditional banking activities, and therefore forces banks to look for new sources of income. Transformations are also dictated by new challenges that stimulate the active growth of digital operations and create demand for digital products and services in the financial sphere. The article proves that digital and market transformation processes affect the future development of the banking system of Ukraine, requiring constant monitoring and adaptation to today's requirements. Purpose. The purpose of the research is to reveal the imperatives of the development of the banking system of Ukraine in view of the rapid processes of digitalization and systematic market transformations. Results. Based on the study of scientific sources and the current state of the banking system, the key imperatives of its development in the conditions of digitalization and market transformations are determined: improvement of the financial ecosystem; promotion of neobanks; open banking; artificial intelligence and machine learning; cryptocurrency. The classification of types of banking innovations (product innovations, process innovations, innovations in business models) is shown indicating the specifics of their implementation. The stages of the process of development and introduction of new banking products are considered, as well as the evolution of the financial ecosystem and the NBU ecosystem in the context of the global financial ecosystem are presented. Conclusions. . It is proven that there will be a transition to a new world of adaptive banking services, and technology will allow banks to satisfy the unique set of changing preferences of each client with the help of services or programs created according to the principle of modularity or the designer, according to which each user will choose only the modules he needs. Implementation of the above-mentioned trends in banking activity requires banks to develop clear strategy based on the types of innovations in partnership with external business structures, thanks to the development of new competencies and the transformation of corporate culture.

Later credits: resourceful reasoning for the later modality

In the past two decades, step-indexed logical relations and separation logics have both come to play a major role in semantics and verification research. More recently, they have been married together in the form of step-indexed separation logics like VST, iCAP, and Iris, which provide powerful tools for (among other things) building semantic models of richly typed languages like Rust. In these logics, propositions are given semantics using a step-indexed model, and step-indexed reasoning is reflected into the logic through the so-called “later” modality. On the one hand, this modality provides an elegant, high-level account of step-indexed reasoning; on the other hand, when used in sufficiently sophisticated ways, it can become a nuisance, turning perfectly natural proof strategies into dead ends. In this work, we introduce later credits , a new technique for escaping later-modality quagmires. By leveraging the second ancestor of these logics—separation logic—later credits turn “the right to eliminate a later” into an ownable resource, which is subject to all the traditional modular reasoning principles of separation logic. We develop the theory of later credits in the context of Iris, and present several challenging examples of proofs and proof patterns which were previously not possible in Iris but are now possible due to later credits.

“Caught in the Act” @ disruption of A-ET-E process in the recognition of F− by a lamellar EuIII-MOF in heterogeneous manner with logic gate construction: From protagonist idea to implementation world

Development of cost-effective and reliable fluoride sensor for assessing water quality of natural water samples is of immense importance in developing countries as they can provide an easy platform for safeguarding human health. These sensors should be as simple as possible to be fabricated locally by layman. In this context, EuIII-based MOFs provide trustable platform with bright luminescence in the visible region due to their absorbance-energy transfer-emission (A-ET-E) process. Herein the designed synthesis of a 2D porous coordination polymer, Eu@CMERI, has been carried out following a solvothermal reaction route. The compound shows selective “turn-off“ sensing of fluoride in heterogeneous manner from purely aqueous phase and other biological matrices with a detection limit of 28.4 ppb and it carries enormous importance for drinking water analysis under internal regulations. Prohibition of A-ET-E cycle of the EuIII-MOF is proposed to be the prime reason for fluorescence quenching upon interaction with F−. DFT studies also revealed that lowest △EHOMO-LUMO and highest chemical potential value (μ) of F− are the driving forces for selectivity of EuIII-MOF towards the targeted anion. The high stability of the porous frameworks along with its interesting sensing features, including fast response and wide linear detection range etc. instigated us not to restrict the chemistry of EuIII-MOFs at protagonist idea rather to explore its application to real-world analysis. Based on the fluorescence signal exhibited by the targeted analyte, an integrated AND-OR logic gate has also been fabricated which depicts its applicability in molecular electronics. In view of the modular design principle of our polymeric probe, the proposed strategy could open a new horizon to construct powerful sensing materials for ultrafast detection of other important pollutants in the domain of supramolecular chemistry in coming days.

КОНЦЕПЦІЯ МОДУЛЬНИХ ТРЕНАЖЕРНИХ СИСТЕМ ІЗ МОЖЛИВІСТЮ ШВИДКОЇ ЗМІНИ ФУНКЦІОНАЛЬНОГО ПРИЗНАЧЕННЯ

In the study, the author considers the concept of building simulator systems of vehicles based on theoretical justification, creation and construction of technical systems according to modular principles. The modern view of the process of creating training systems is based on the principles of strict compliance of each object of imitation to its purposefully created training system. The use of modular principles of creating training systems allows you to solve problems related to increasing their efficiency and reliability. This approach corresponds to the concept of creating universal, adaptive training systems: a limited number of training systems - the maximum number of simulation objects. The concept of modular training systems is a novelty, which is distinguished by the fact that in the presence of modules there is a possibility of quickly changing the functional purpose of the system, while the number of modifications of training systems is significantly reduced. The modern development of scientific and technical progress, modern equipment and technologies in the vast majority is carried out according to the principle of modular creation of various technical devices, which differ significantly from each other in the principle of operation, physical parameters and intended use. The "Trainer" module can be represented by any design solution and consists of a fixed support, a frame, a turning mechanism, a lifting mechanism, a balancing mechanism, a turning mechanism of the cab, which is an element of connection with the "Cabin" module through a universal base. The application of the principle of modular construction in exercise equipment will allow to create a single system of construction of exercise equipment and exercise equipment, which in turn provides an opportunity to establish uniform requirements for exercise complexes and methods of their evaluation and comparison. This modular approach to the construction of simulators will determine the maximum economic and technical result of the implementation of simulator equipment. Keywords: modular principle; operator's cabin; dynamic platform; simulator; simulator training; information subsystem.

РЕЗУЛЬТАТИ ЕКСПЕРИМЕНТАЛЬНИХ ДОСЛІДЖЕНЬ БАГАТОДІАПАЗОННОГО ІМІТАТОРА ПОСТАНОВНИКА АКТИВНИХ ШУМОВИХ ПЕРЕШКОД

The article provides information on the results of experimental studies of a multi-band hardware and software complex for simulating the action of an active noise jammer, which has been created for the training of operators of radar stations of radio engineering troops. One of the important elements of the professional training of the radar stations operators of the air defense radio engineering forces is their ability to work in difficult target and jamming conditions. The existing simulators for training operators do not fully meet the requirements of the quality of training, since they form only secondary bearing marks on the jammer manufacturer and do not reproduce the situation of deterioration of target detection conditions as a result of the simultaneous action of active and passive noise jammer, as well as the influence of the autocompensator of jammer on the quality of the radar, as it happens in real situation. The offered device for simulating the influence of active jammer has been built according to the modular principle and implemented using software-defined radio technology, which allows to quickly change both the type of signal and its parameters. Power amplifiers and antenna systems have been designed to operate in the 140–190 MHz, 470–900 MHz, and 2500–3500 MHz bands, and for experimental research radar stations in the meter, decimeter, and centimeter wave ranges have been involved. The method of using the simulator has been substantiated, and the conducted studies showed that for radar stations in which the angular beams of the directional pattern have different operating frequencies, there is an additional possibility of simulating the action of the active jammer by changing the frequency of the jammer in the case of operation of the complex directly near the suppression object, where the directional pattern of the radar station antenna has not yet been formed. The method of using the complex both for training sessions and during tactical exercises of the radio technical troops unit to simulate the action of an air-based jamming device or a dropped jamming transmitter has been substantiated. Keywords: active noise jammer; simulation; hardware and software complex; radar station; programmed radio.

DYNAMICS OF PNEUMATIC DRIVE. LECTURE CYCLE.MATHEMATICAL MODEL OF THE SERVO PNEUMATIC ACTUATOR

The paper considers the basic concepts of a mathematical model. The connection between the model and reality and its place and relevance in the modern world is shown. The developed mathematical model of a servo pneumatic device, which includes an actuator and a proportional or discrete pneumatic valve, is presented. The basic equations describing the dynamics of the servo pneumatic device, boundary and initial conditions are given, which make it possible to analyze the stability of the drive. A non-linear object-oriented computer model of a pneumatic servo device is presented. The model is built in the form of block diagrams of equations that describe the relationship between the original physical quantities. The influence of the nature of the inductance of the electromagnet coil on the dynamic properties of the system is shown. The developed method for identifying the transfer function of pneumatic devices and its application in the preparation of mathematical models is presented. A technique for studying the stability of pneumatic systems has been created, based on establishing an unambiguous relationship between the experimentally obtained frequency characteristics of the pneumatic apparatus included in the system and the type of its transfer function. The form of transfer functions for the pneumatic devices under consideration is obtained. For the proportional pneumatic valves presented in the work, the quality indicators of transient processes in the time domain are formulated and determined, and the phase and amplitude margins are found. The criteria for the performance of pneumatic systems are formulated. The ratios for determining the described criteria are given. The boundaries of the operability of systems with a pneumatic drive have been established. The scientific novelty of the results presented in the work is that a non-linear object-oriented computer model of a servo pneumatic device has been created, unlike the existing ones, it is built in the form of block diagrams of equations that describe the relationship between the initial physical quantities, and has the principle of modularity. The model includes the transfer function of the control devices obtained using the developed method for identifying the parameters of the transfer function. This work is based and is implemented as a course of lectures of the course “Dynamics of Pneumatic drive”, is red by the author at the Bauman Moscow State Technical University at the Department of “Hydromechanics, Hydraulic Machines and Hydropneumoautomatics” (E10), as part of the preparation of masters in the specialty 05.04.13 – Hydraulic machines and hydropneumatic drives.

FRAGLER: A Fragment Recycler Application Enabling Rapid and Scalable Modular DNA Assembly.

Rapid and flexible plasmid construct generation at scale is one of the most limiting first steps in drug discovery projects. These hurdles can partly be overcome by adopting modular DNA design principles, automated sequence fragmentation, and plasmid assembly. To this end we have designed a robust, multimodule golden gate based cloning platform for construct generation with a wide range of applications. The assembly efficiency of the system was validated by splitting sfGFP and sfCherry3C cassettes and expressing them in E. coli followed by fluorometric assessment. To minimize timelines and cost for complex constructs, we developed a software tool named FRAGLER (FRAGment recycLER) that performs codon optimization, multiple sequence alignment, and automated generation of fragments for recycling. To highlight the flexibility and robustness of the platform, we (i) generated plasmids for SarsCoV2 protein reagents, (ii) automated and parallelized assemblies, and (iii) built modular libraries of chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) variants. Applying the new assembly framework, we have greatly streamlined plasmid construction and increased our capacity for rapid generation of complex plasmids.

DYNAMICS OF PNEUMATIC DRIVE. LECTURE CYCLE.MATHEMATICAL MODEL OF THE SERVO PNEUMATIC ACTUATOR

The paper considers the basic concepts of a mathematical model. The connection between the model and reality and its place and relevance in the modern world is shown. The developed mathematical model of a servo pneumatic device, which includes an actuator and a proportional or discrete pneumatic valve, is presented. The basic equations describing the dynamics of the servo pneumatic device, boundary and initial conditions are given, which make it possible to analyze the stability of the drive. A non-linear object-oriented computer model of a pneumatic servo device is presented. The model is built in the form of block diagrams of equations that describe the relationship between the original physical quantities. The influence of the nature of the inductance of the electromagnet coil on the dynamic properties of the system is shown. The developed method for identifying the transfer function of pneumatic devices and its application in the preparation of mathematical models is presented. A technique for studying the stability of pneumatic systems has been created, based on establishing an unambiguous relationship between the experimentally obtained frequency characteristics of the pneumatic apparatus included in the system and the type of its transfer function. The form of transfer functions for the pneumatic devices under consideration is obtained. For the proportional pneumatic valves presented in the work, the quality indicators of transient processes in the time domain are formulated and determined, and the phase and amplitude margins are found. The criteria for the performance of pneumatic systems are formulated. The ratios for determining the described criteria are given. The boundaries of the operability of systems with a pneumatic drive have been established. The scientific novelty of the results presented in the work is that a non-linear object-oriented computer model of a servo pneumatic device has been created, unlike the existing ones, it is built in the form of block diagrams of equations that describe the elationship between the initial physical quantities, and has the principle of modularity. The model includes the transfer function of the control devices obtained using the developed method for identifying the parameters of the transfer function. This work is based and is implemented as a course of lectures of the course “Dynamics of Pneumatic drive”, is red by the author at the Bauman Moscow State Technical University at the Department of “Hydromechanics, Hydraulic Machines and Hydropneumoautomatics” (E10), as part of the preparation of masters in the specialty 05.04.13 – Hydraulic machines and hydropneumatic drives.

Analysis of Technical Properties of Small Passenger Ships in the Mediterranean Sea with Overview of Future Market Needs – Environmental and Comfort Issues

Coastal shipping is nowadays a very important research topic, where the em-phasis is mainly on the improvement of ship energy efficiency (reduction of fuel consumption) and its environmental performance. In line with this, the ship design procedure is being more complicated aiming to offer competitive products with high level of comfort for both crew and passengers, low operative costs and minimum environmental footprint. This paper reviews the technical properties of existing small passenger vessels in countries in the Mediterranean and future market needs for these vessels considering more stringent habitability criteria and future emission reduction targets. It represents an important step of a novel design procedure for small passenger vessels for Mediterranean, based on the modular principle. Analysis of technical properties of existing small passenger vessels has been made from data avail-able in the IHS Fairplay database. Beside overview of design requirements related to ship environmental friendliness and comfort, available countermeasures are reviewed.

Layout synthesis based on the modular principle of the element base of mechatronic technological complexes

The main shortcomings of modern technological machine-tool complexes are shown. They are: the lack of consideration of individual consumer needs and their insufficient flexibility that do not take into account the trend of rapid changes in the production program. A concept for the development of metal-cutting machine tools based on the principles of the modular technology is proposed. The created machine tool complexes are designed to satisfy the individual needs of consumers, while the flexibility of production equipment should ensure the transition to the manufacture of new parts and the replacement of the technological processing scheme by changing the processing modes, readjustment and reconfiguration of machines; the development of machine tools should be carried out simultaneously with the improvement of the technology of processing parts. Technological complexes should be created by the layout synthesis using the element base that should contain two groups of functional modules, technological and service, and the service purpose of the machine should include the range of both the manufactured surface modules with their characteristics and the modules of technological support.

Improving the professional readiness of cadets for emergency rescue and firefighting

Introduction. The development of professional education in the field of fire safety is an urgent task, the solution of which is aimed at increasing the level of protection of the population and territories from fires. The system of practical training of cadets in the field of emergency rescue and fire extinguishing includes the development and improvement of practical skills and ability of performing fire-drill standards, which are basic exercises that form the professional readiness of the graduate.Problem statement. The main objective of the research is to develop a methodology of practical training aimed at developing practical skills and skills of performing fire drill standards and maintaining them at a high practical level.Methodology of the study. To fulfill the task of the study, a list of control fire drill standards was selected, forming the professional readiness of the graduate to carry out emergency rescue and firefighting. The entrance control of the implementation of fire drill standards in control groups was carried out a year after the end of practical training, a significant loss of previously acquired skills and abilities was revealed. In order to improve and maintain professional skills at a sufficient level, the applied methods of training firefighters have been studied, taking into account which the procedure for organizing the training of cadets and the methodology for fulfilling standards have been developed.Results. In contrast to the individual-group methods of practical training aimed at the formation of the technique of performing exercises and its gradual consolidation, a sequential-group method is proposed, which allows, among other things, to ensure the simultaneous maintenance of previously formed skills and abilities at a high practical level. The proposed methodology is based on the modular principle of forming a structural and methodological scheme of practical training for the consistent performance of practical exercises in small groups, providing high-intensity work of cadets during the lesson.Conclusions. The results of the pedagogical experiment showed the effectiveness of the proposed methodology in improving the practical skills of performing fire drill standards, which allows for systematic training of learners to maintain previously formed skills and abilities.

Squaring a Circle: To What Extent Are Traditional Circuit Analogies Impeding Synthetic Biology?

Synthetic biology has been significantly shaped by modular design principles through analogies to electrical and computer engineering. Although convenient, these parallels often break down in practice, and we are still largely unable to engineer sophisticated systems that behave as predicted. As nature has achieved robust and intricate programs without requiring strict modularity, we may want to revisit genetic circuit design approaches. Rather than pursuing modularity, we could aim for a robust and scalable design framework that embraces the uncertainty that context dependence brings to engineering in a biological chassis. Systems and control theory offer a starting point, but a substantial conceptual leap will be needed to quantitatively predict system behavior and establish flexible context-aware design processes. Only by overcoming these hurdles shall we be able to capitalize on synthetic biology in particular—and on biotechnology in general—for medicine, environmental engineering, and energy production.

Distributed Control System for Agrotechnical Processes Using Customizable Procedural Regulations

Nowadays, the technical and technological capabilities achieved in the field of agriculture permit to implement quickly convertible (adaptive) crop production systems. This, along with increased efficiency, also greatly complicates the management process. Automated control systems (ACS) with adaptive properties are needed. The concept of creating an ACS assumes the implementation of the principle of modularity and flexible changes in the structure of the management hierarchy, powers, tasks and functions for geographically distributed decision-making centers and executors. Key technologies in the design of such ACS are: synthesis of a temporary control loop from geographically distributed elements and synthesis of procedural regulations for a decision-making center included in the temporary control loop. The article formulates the problem of synthesis of procedural regulations in the form of a tensor transformation problem of the original electrical network (library of procedures) into a network with specified properties. A method for obtaining the tensor equation of transformation of the original network is presented based on the requirements for the composition of the input and output data of the synthesized procedural regulations. The solution obtained after tensor transformation has the form of a matrix of connections and a vector of voltages on the intermediate coils of the original electrical network (library of procedures). This forms structural links for the synthesized procedural rules. The demonstrated approach can be extended to solve a wide range of problems of adaptive changes in the structures of organizational management systems.

Parameter Optimisation for FCϵRIγ Pathway to Two Different Datasets Using Least-Squares Optimisation

Syk is a tyrosine kinase important to bridge the receptor ligation and downstream signallings such as Ca2+ and PI3K. Once the cell receptor binds with the ligand, FCϵRIγ (ITAM receptor) is recruited and phosphorylated by Lyn. The phosphorylated ITAM then recruits protein tyrosine kinase (Syk). The previously developed FCϵRIγ (FCϵ) model contained a greater level of complexity. This study aims to build a simple model of signalling of FCϵ that still represents biological understanding. The parameter estimation is addressed using least-squares optimisation, which implements the Levenburg-Marquardt gradient method (greedy algorithm) to minimise an objective function. More importantly, this model was fitted to two data sets that captured a temporal FCϵ, Syk and Grb2 phosphorylation. Model uncertainty often has done as an analysis that is carried out after model construction and calibration have been completed. This study assessed for sensitivity to parameter choices and model uncertainty to perform the analysis. The modular design principles are applied to the construction of the model. The model is designed to be reproducible. In other words, the model can be effectively applied in simulation conditions or optimised to new datasets for new experimental situations.

A new concept for the production of 11C-labelled radiotracers

BackgroundThe GMP-compliant production of radiopharmaceuticals has been performed using disposable units (cassettes) with a dedicated synthesis module. To expand this “plug ‘n’ synthesize” principle to a broader scope of modules we developed a pressure controlled setup that offers an alternative to the usual stepper motor controlled rotary valves. The new concept was successfully applied to the synthesis of N-methyl-[11C]choline, L-S-methyl-[11C]methionine and [11C]acetate.ResultsThe target gas purification of cyclotron produced [11C]CO2 and subsequent conversion to [11C]MeI was carried out on a TRACERlab Fx C Pro module. The labelling reactions were controlled with a TRACERlab Fx FE module. With the presented modular principle we were able to produce N-methyl-[11C]choline and L-S-methyl-[11C]methionine by loading a reaction loop with neat N,N'-dimethylaminoethanol (DMAE) or an ethanol/water mixture of NaOH and L-homocysteine (L-HC), respectively and a subsequent reaction with [11C]MeI. After 18 min N-methyl-[11C]choline was isolated with 52% decay corrected yield and a radiochemical purity of > 99%. For L-S-methyl-[11C]methionine the total reaction time was 19 min reaction, yielding 25% of pure product (> 97%). The reactor design was used as an exemplary model for the technically challenging [11C]acetate synthesis. The disposable unit was filled with 1 mL MeMgCl (0.75 M) in tetrahydrofuran (THF) bevore [11C]CO2 was passed through. After complete release of [11C]CO2 the reaction mixture was quenched with water and guided through a series of ion exchangers (H+, Ag+ and OH−). The product was retained on a strong anion exchanger, washed with water and finally extracted with saline. The product mixture was acidified and degassed to separate excess [11C]CO2 before dispensing. Under these conditions the total reaction time was 18 ± 2 min and pure [11C]acetate (n = 10) was isolated with a decay corrected yield of 51 ± 5%.ConclusionHerein, we described a novel single use unit for the synthesis of carbon-11 labelled tracers for preclinical and clinical applications of N-methyl-[11C]choline, L-S-methyl-[11C]methionine and [11C]acetate.

Development of Interface Device for Modular Agricultural Robotic Platform

To create multifunctional robotic platforms for agricultural use, it is reasonable to use a modular principle that will allow installing various equipment depending on the tasks assigned to the robotic tool. Providing autonomous reconfiguration capabilities will reduce human interference and maintenance costs. (Research purpose) This work is aimed at developing a scalable device for interfacing functional modules with the agricultural robotic base platform, which can provide mechanical fixation, energy transfer and information exchange. (Materials and methods) This article analyzes the previous research into the solutions for interfacing modules in robotic complexes and points out their benefits and drawbacks. Based on the analysis and own research, the interface mechanism structure was developed to ensure the correct mutual position and fixation of the module to the base platform under the assumption of possible energy and information exchange. (Results and discussion) In the course of the work, the design ratios for the interface device were derived, making it possible to calculate the permissible linear displacements and permissible angular deviation of the mechanism interfacing elements. Based on the permissible linear deviations up to 10-13 millimeters and a permissible angular deviation of 20 degrees, the main dimensions of the device prototype were obtained. A prototype interface device was operationalized with the dimensional specifications of 200 millimeters in length, 130 millimeters in width, 58 millimeters in height. Several experiments with the device prototype were carried out based on various linear and angular deviations of the interfacing elements. (Conclusions) It was found out that successful interfacing occurs in 98 percent of cases subject to admissible calculated displacements. It was concluded that the proposed interface device will allow for the autonomous replacement of modules of multifunctional robotic platforms.