An open-source framework for automated high-throughput cell biology experiments

Modern data analysis methods, such as optimization algorithms or deep learning have been successfully applied to a number of biotechnological and medical questions. For these methods to be efficient, a large number of high-quality and reproducible experiments needs to be conducted, requiring a high degree of automation. Here, we present an open-source hardware and low-cost framework that allows for automatic high-throughput generation of large amounts of cell biology data. Our design consists of an epifluorescent microscope with automated XY stage for moving a multiwell plate containing cells and a perfusion manifold allowing programmed application of up to eight different solutions. Our system is very flexible and can be adapted easily for individual experimental needs. To demonstrate the utility of the system, we have used it to perform high-throughput Ca2+ imaging and large-scale fluorescent labeling experiments

Development of sustainable transport in smart cities

© 2017 IEEE. Smart Mobility is one of the main directions of transportation systems development in Smart Cities. In this case along with intellectualization of management the issue of transition to 'green', safe and sustainable modes of transport, such as bicycle, should be solved. Democracy and availability, cheapness and environmental friendliness, promotion of healthy lifestyle are the reasons for the growing popularity of this mode of transport all over the world. This paper proposes one of the possible ways of bicycle transport development in smart city, that allows expanding the number of users by reducing physical requirements for cyclist. The proposed development represents a concept of the Smart Bike that monitors condition of the cyclist and environment and turns on electric motor in critical situations. This reduces physical load of cyclist, as well as the battery consumption, that positively affects the ecology of Smart Cities

A Combine On-Line Acoustic Flowmeter and Fluorocarbon Coolant Mixture Analyzer for The ATLAS Silicon Tracker

An upgrade to the ATLAS silicon tracker cooling control system may require a change from C3F8 (octafluoro-propane) to a blend containing 10-30% of C2F6 (hexafluoro-ethane) to reduce the evaporation temperature and better protect the silicon from cumulative radiation damage with increasing LHC luminosity. Central to this upgrade is a new acoustic instrument for the real-time measurement of the C3F8/C2F6 mixture ratio and flow. The instrument and its Supervisory, Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) software are described in this paper. The instrument has demonstrated a resolution of 3.10-3 for C3F8/C2F6 mixtures with ~20%C2F6, and flow resolution of 2% of full scale for mass flows up to 30gs-1. In mixtures of widely-differing molecular weight (mw), higher mixture precision is possible: a sensitivity of < 5.10-4 to leaks of C3F8 into the ATLAS pixel detector nitrogen envelope (mw difference 160) has been seen. The instrument has many potential applications, including the analysis of mixtures of hydrocarbons, vapours for semi-conductor manufacture and anaesthesia

Translation Lookaside Buffer on the 65-nm STG DICE Hardened Elements

This paper presents the design of hardened translation lookaside buffer based on Spaced Transistor Groups (STG) DICE cells in 65-nm bulk CMOS technology. The resistance to impacts of single nuclear particles is achieved by spacing transistors in two groups together with transistors of the output combinational logic. The elements contain two spaced identical groups of transistors. Charge collection from particle tracks by only transistors of just one of the two groups doesn’t lead to the cell upset. The proposed logical element of matching based on the STG DICE cell for a content-addressable memory was simulated using TCAD tool. The results show the resistance to impacts of single nuclear particles with linear energy transfer (LET) values up to 70 MeV×cm2/mg. Short-term noise pulses in combinational logic of the element can be observed in the range of LET values from 20 to 70 MeV×cm2/mg

Development of a custom on-line ultrasonic vapour analyzer/flowmeter for the ATLAS inner detector, with application to gaseous tracking and Cherenkov detectors

Precision sound velocity measurements can simultaneously determine binary gas composition and flow. We have developed an analyzer with custom electronics, currently in use in the ATLAS inner detector, with numerous potential applications. The instrument has demonstrated ~0.3% mixture precision for C3F8/C2F6 mixtures and < 10-4 resolution for N2/C3F8 mixtures. Moderate and high flow versions of the instrument have demonstrated flow resolutions of +/- 2% F.S. for flows up to 250 l.min-1, and +/- 1.9% F.S. for linear flow velocities up to 15 ms-1; the latter flow approaching that expected in the vapour return of the thermosiphon fluorocarbon coolant recirculator being built for the ATLAS silicon tracker.Comment: Paper submitted to TWEPP2012; Topical Workshop on Electronics for Particle Physics, Oxford, UK, September 17-21, 2012. KEYWORDS: Sonar; Saturated fluorocarbons; Flowmetry; Sound velocity, Gas mixture analysis. 8 pages, 7 figure

КОМПЛЕКС СТЕНДОВ ДЛЯ ИСПЫТАНИЯ ШАССИ НА ВОЗДУШНОЙ ПОДУШКЕ ЛЕТАТЕЛЬНЫХ АППАРАТОВ И ТРАНСПОРТНЫХ СРЕДСТВ

This article deals with a set of stands made in NIMK TSAGI for testing and creating the air cushion chassis for the aircraft and vehicles. It allows to fully embrace the process of developing and constructing the air cushion chassis for aircraft and solve problems relating to peculiarities of such aircraft on the takeoff, landing and movement in the elementary prepared and unprepared soil runways, flat terrain and water areas. The complex includes: the experimental installation to study aeroelasticity phenomena of the chassis in the extending and retracting process with simulation of aircraft and ekranoplane takeoff and landing modes in the air flow, including the wind tunnels; the experimental stand with vertical screen for testing of ekranoplane models in T-5 wind tunnel of NIMC TsAGI, permitting to simultaneously vary the model’s position relatively to the screen, roll, pitch (angle of attack), and banking; mobile experimental stand with contact crawler gear, for experimental determination and comparative evaluation of the chassis with different patterns of formation and air cushion fences for all-year-round testing in natural conditions at elementary-prepared and unprepared sites and water areas. Based on mathematical simulation of flow past in the wind tunnel the possibility of use booth stand with vertical screen and experimental installation to study aeroelasticity phenomena of the chassis for experimental studies, respectively, by definition of the aerodynamic characteristics of forces and moments of the air cushion aircraft and ekranoplanes models and the research of phenomena of aeroelasticity of flexible fencing is substantiated.В данной статье рассматривается комплекс стендов, созданных в НИМК ЦАГИ для отработки и создания шасси на воздушной подушке (ШВП) для летательных аппаратов (ЛА) и транспортных средств. Он позволяет в полной мере охватить процесс разработки и конструирования шасси ЛА на ВП и решить вопросы, связанные с особенностями таких ЛА на взлете, при посадке и движении по элементарно подготовленным и неподготовленным грунтовым ВПП, площадкам равнинной местности и водным акваториям. В состав комплекса входит: экспериментальная установка для исследования явлений аэроупругости ШВП в процессах выпуска и уборки и с имитацией взлетно-посадочных режимов полета самолетов и экранопланов с ШВП в набегающем потоке воздуха, в том числе в аэродинамических трубах (АДТ); стенд с вертикальным экраном для аэродинамических испытаний моделей экранопланов и самолетов с ШВП в АДТ Т-5 НИМК ЦАГИ на шестикомпонентных автоматизированных весах с возможностью одновременного варьирования расположения модели относительно экрана по высоте, крену, тангажу (углу атаки) и скольжению; подвижный стенд с контактным гусеничным движителем для экспериментального определения и сравнительной оценки характеристик ШВП с различными схемами формирования и ограждениями ВП для круглогодичных испытаний в натурных условиях на элементарно подготовленных и неподготовленных площадках и акваториях. На основе математического моделирования обтекания потоком воздуха в АДТ стенда с вертикальным экраном и установки для исследования явлений аэроупругости гибких ограждений обоснована возможность использования стенда и установки для экспериментальных исследований, соответственно, по определению аэродинамических характеристик сил и моментов моделей ЛА с ШВП и экранопланов и исследований явлений аэроупругости гибких ограждений

Applications and perspectives of ultrasonic multi-gas analysis with simultaneous flowmetry

We have developed ultrasonic instrumentation for simultaneous flow and composition measurement in a variety of gas mixtures. Flow and composition are respectively derived from measurements of the difference and average of sound transit times in opposite directions in a flowing process gas. We have developed a sound velocity-based algorithm to compensate for the effects of additional gases, allowing the concentrations of a pair of gases of primary interest to be acoustically measured on top of a varying baseline from ‘third party’ gases whose concentrations in the multi-gas mixture are measured by other means. Several instruments are used in the CERN ATLAS experiment. Three monitor C3F8, (R218), and CO2 coolant leaks into N2-purged environmental envelopes. Precision in molar concentration of better than 2 × 10−5 is routinely seen in mixtures of C3F8 in N2 in the presence of varying known concentrations of CO2. Further instruments monitor air ingress and C3F8 vapor flow (at high mass flows around 1.1 kg s−1) in the 60 kW thermosiphon C3F8 evaporative cooling recirculator. This instrumentation and analysis technique, targeting binary pairs of gases of interest in multi-gas mixtures, is promising for mixtures of anesthetic gases, particularly in the developing area of xenon anesthesia.</jats:p