Designing a Blockchain-Based Digital Twin for Cyber-Physical Production Systems

Trust in all processes on the shopfloor is crucial for the success of a production process, especially in cross company scenarios such as shared manufacturing, in which independent parties interact with each other. A cyber-physical production system (CPPS) contributes to the vision of a decentralized, self-configuring and flexible production. Digital twins (DTs) can visualize the material, information and financial flows in real time and improve the process transparency of such production systems. The efficiency of digital twins depends on the integrity of the provided data, especially if data is shared across company borders. Due to its characteristics such as immutability and transparency, blockchain technology (BCT) provides a basis for establishing the desired trust in the systems on the shopfloor. This paper proposes the design of a BCT-based DT in CPPS. The design is demonstrated by a prototype including smart contracts attached to a CPPS simulation model visualizing the information and material flow. Tasks are decentrally allocated, deployed and safely documented via blockchain. The demonstrator is revealing supplementary benefits in terms of transparency provided by the BCT. This paper further examines whether BCT can enrich existing solutions and provide a reliable information basis for profound data and process analysis

Fine‐Tuning Blue‐Emitting Halide Perovskite Nanocrystals

Lead halide perovskite nanocrystals (NCs) with narrow, bright emission in the visible range are promising candidates for light-emitting applications. Near-unity quantum yields have been realized for green and red-emitting perovskites, but efficient, stable blue-emitting perovskite materials are scarce. Current methods to synthesize quantum-confined CsPbBr3 NCs with blue emission are limited to specific wavelength ranges and still suffer from inhomogeneously broadened emission profiles. Herein, anisotropic blue-green emitting CsPbBr3 NCs are synthesized in ambient atmosphere using a spontaneous crystallization method. Optical spectroscopy reveals a gradual, asymptotic photoluminescence (PL) redshift of pristine colloidal NCs after synthesis. During this process, the emission quality improves notably as the PL spectra become narrower and more symmetric, accompanied by a PL intensity increase. Electron microscopy indicates that the gradual redshift stems from an isotropic growth of the CsPbBr3 NCs in at least two dimensions, likely due to residual precursor ions in the dispersion. Most importantly, the growth process can be halted at any point by injecting an enhancement solution containing PbBr2 and organic capping ligands. Thus, excellent control over NC size is achieved, allowing for nanometer-precise tunability of the respective emission wavelength in the range between 475 and 500 nm, enhancing the functionality of these already impressive NCs

Zebrafish type I collagen mutants faithfully recapitulate human type I collagenopathies

The type I collagenopathies are a group of heterogeneous connective tissue disorders, that are caused by mutations in the genes encoding type I collagen and include specific forms of osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) and the Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS). These disorders present with a broad disease spectrum and large clinical variability of which the underlying genetic basis is still poorly understood. In this study, we systematically analyzed skeletal phenotypes in a large set of zebrafish, with diverse mutations in the genes encoding type I collagen, representing different genetic forms of human OI, and a zebrafish model resembling human EDS, which harbors a number of soft connective tissues defects, typical of EDS. Furthermore, we provide insight into how zebrafish and human type I collagen are compositionally and functionally related, which is relevant in the interpretation of human type I collagen-related disease models. Our studies reveal a high degree of intergenotype variability in phenotypic expressivity that closely correlates with associated OI severity. Furthermore, we demonstrate the potential for select mutations to give rise to phenotypic variability, mirroring the clinical variability associated with human disease pathology. Therefore, our work suggests the future potential for zebrafish to aid in identifying unknown genetic modifiers and mechanisms underlying the phenotypic variability in OI and related disorders. This will improve diagnostic strategies and enable the discovery of new targetable pathways for pharmacological intervention

The Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) Band-1 Receiver

The Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array(ALMA) Band 1 receiver covers the 35-50 GHz frequency band. Development of prototype receivers, including the key components and subsystems has been completed and two sets of prototype receivers were fully tested. We will provide an overview of the ALMA Band 1 science goals, and its requirements and design for use on the ALMA. The receiver development status will also be discussed and the infrastructure, integration, evaluation of fully-assembled band 1 receiver system will be covered. Finally, a discussion of the technical and management challenges encountered will be presented

Stereotactic MR-Guided On-Table Adaptive Radiation Therapy (SMART) for Borderline Resectable and Locally Advanced Pancreatic Cancer: A Multi-Center, Open-Label Phase 2 Study

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Radiation dose escalation may improve local control (LC) and overall survival (OS) in select pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) patients. We prospectively evaluated the safety and efficacy of ablative stereotactic magnetic resonance (MR)-guided adaptive radiation therapy (SMART) for borderline resectable (BRPC) and locally advanced pancreas cancer (LAPC). The primary endpoint of acute grade ≥ 3 gastrointestinal (GI) toxicity definitely related to SMART was previously published with median follow-up (FU) 8.8 months from SMART. We now present more mature outcomes including OS and late toxicity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective, multi-center, single-arm open-label phase 2 trial (NCT03621644) enrolled 136 patients (LAPC 56.6 %; BRPC 43.4 %) after ≥ 3 months of any chemotherapy without distant progression and CA19-9 ≤ 500 U/mL. SMART was delivered on a 0.35 T MR-guided system prescribed to 50 Gy in 5 fractions (biologically effective dose RESULTS: Mean age was 65.7 years (range, 36-85), induction FOLFIRINOX was common (81.7 %), most received elective coverage (57.4 %), and 34.6 % had surgery after SMART. Median FU was 22.9 months from diagnosis and 14.2 months from SMART, respectively. 2-year OS from diagnosis and SMART were 53.6 % and 40.5 %, respectively. Late grade ≥ 3 toxicity definitely, probably, or possibly attributed to SMART were observed in 0 %, 4.6 %, and 11.5 % patients, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Long-term outcomes from the phase 2 SMART trial demonstrate encouraging OS and limited severe toxicity. Additional prospective evaluation of this novel strategy is warranted

Beiträge zum 28. Darmstädter Geotechnik-Kolloquium am 09. März 2022

Themenschwerpunkte: 1. Modell- und Feldversuche 2. Digitalisierung und künstliche Intelligenz in der Geotechnik 3. Nationale und internationale Großprojekte 4. Normung und Rechtliche