On the Principles of Design of Transport Nodes

The methodology developed by the authors refers to designing, calculating, and optimising transport nodes based on the original systemic approach as a main method. The use of the methodology will make it possible to design transport nodes more rationally and to evaluate their development projects more correctly.A «system» is understood as a general natural form of structuring organised substance, which enables it to function stably in a changeable environment. The basic principles are formulated as follows: the system consists of elements, each of which is also a system; active self-maintenance is developed in the system, that is, active actions are counteracting external adverse influences; it is shown that self-maintenance is provided by adaptability, and in transport systems the self-maintenance is particularly provided by adaptive technology.A contradiction (a dialectical one) arises: on the one hand, the elements are independent systems that have their own system parameters and mechanisms for their active maintenance, and on the other hand, they are subordinate creatures capable of flexibly changing their work to maintain the parameters of the supersystem. It is necessary to find harmony between the levels of development of these opposite properties. Transport nodes are also considered from these systemic positions. Exposition of several definitions of nodes by leading national scientists is followed by a statement showing that they all contradict the new systemic approach.Suggested system definition of a node describes it as a set of stations. The authors also propose a new classification of transport nodes, formulate criteria for their rational design depending on the classes, and propose correct design and optimisation principles.

EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH OF PARTIAL REGULAR MICRORELIEFS FORMED ON ROTARY BODY FACE SURFACES

The basic regularities in the influence of processing parameters on the geometrical characteristics of the partially regular microreliefs, formed on the rotary body face surface, are established. Combinations of partially regular microreliefs are formed by using a contemporary CNC milling machine, and an advanced programing method, based on previously developed mathematical models. Full factorial experimental design is carried out, which consist of three factors, varied on three levels. Regression stochastic models in coded and natural form, which give the relations between the width of the grooves and the deforming force, feed rate and the pitch of the axial grooves, are derived as a result. Response surfaces and contour plots are built in order to facilitate the results analysis. Based on the dependencies of the derived regression stochastic models, it is found that the greatest impact on the width of the grooves has the magnitude of the deforming force,followed by the feed rate. Also, it is found that the axial pitch between adjacent toolpaths has the least impact on the width of the grooves. As a result of the full-factorial experiment, the average geometric parameters of the microrelief grooves were obtained on their basis. When used, these values will provide for the required value of the relative burnishing area of the surface with regular microreliefs, and, accordingly, the specified operational properties.

INFLUENCE OF MODERN PAINTING ON HANDICRAFTS OF JODHPUR DISTRICT

English: With the development of civilization, we get evidence of handicrafts creation art. Many types of were made by humans, whose use is seen in many forms. According to the demand of time and their utility, their form changed. In the present time, the forms, shapes, expressions etc. of the prevailing arts have been changed and influenced. In such a situation, how can ancient arts like handicrafts remain untouched. The desire for new art and new experiments have changed the meaning of handicraft art. In this context, The influence of modern painting can also be on the handicrafts being made in jodhpur district. Handicrafts made of wood and iron sheet can also be seen combined and separately. In this work, handicrafts are being made from 80:20 part of wood and iron sheet and only iron sheet, in which the creation of spiritual form, natural form, human figures and animal and bird forms is very artistic. The mutual competitions have also changed the sentiments and thoughts of the handicraftsmen. Combining antiquity and modernity with the influence of new promises, a new revolution is being initiated in the field of handicrafts. In the present time, handicraft art has also covered the colors, forms and expressions of modern painting. Hindi: सभ्यता के विकास क्रम के साथ ही हमें हस्तशिल्प सृजन कला के प्रमाण मिलते है। मानव द्वारा कई प्रकार के हस्तशिल्प बनाये गये, जिनका उपयोग कई रूपों में दृष्टिगत होता है। समय की मांग और इनकी उपयोगिता के आधार पर इनके स्वरूप बदलते गये। वर्तमान समय में प्रचलित कलाओं के रूप, आकार, भाव आदि परिवर्तित व प्रभावित हो चुके है। ऐसे में हस्तशिल्पीय जैसी प्राचीन कलाएँ कैसे अछूती रह सकती है। नूतन कला की चाह और नवीन प्रयोगों ने हस्तशिल्पीय कला के मायने ही बदल दिये है। इसी संदर्भ में जोधपुर जिले में बनाये जा रहे हस्तशिल्पों पर भी आधुनिक चित्रकला के प्रभावों को देखा जा सकता है। लकड़ी व लौह चद्दर से बने हस्तशिल्पों को संयुक्त व पृथक रूप में भी देखा जा सकता है। इस कार्य में लकड़ी व लौह चद्दर का 80ः20 भाग एवं सिर्फ लौह चद्दर से भी हस्तशिल्प बनाये जा रहे है, जिनमें आध्यात्मिक रूप, प्राकृतिक रूप, मानवाकृतियॉ व पशु-पक्षी रूपों का सृजन अत्यंत ही कलात्मक है। आपसी प्रतिस्पर्द्धाओं ने हस्तशिल्पी के भावों और विचारों को भी परिवर्तित कर दिया है। नये-नये वादों के प्रभाव के साथ पुरातन व आधुनिकता का मेल करते हुए हस्तशिल्पीय कला के क्षेत्र में मानों नवीन क्रान्ति का सूत्रपात किया जा रहा हो। वर्तमान समय में हस्तशिल्पीय कला भी आधुनिक चित्रकला के रंग, रूप और भावों का आवरण ओढ़ चुकी है।

Combined Oral Contraceptives and Venous Thromboembolism: Review and Perspective to Mitigate the Risk

Many factors must be considered and discussed with women when initiating a contraceptive method and the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) is one of them. In this review, we discuss the numerous strategies that have been implemented to reduce the thrombotic risk associated with combined oral contraceptives (COCs) from their arrival on the market until today. Evidences suggesting that COCs were associated with an increased risk of VTE appeared rapidly after their marketing. Identified as the main contributor of this risk, the dosage of the estrogen, i.e., ethinylestradiol (EE), was significantly reduced. New progestins were also synthetized (e.g., desogestrel or gestodene) but their weak androgenic activity did not permit to counterbalance the effect of EE as did the initial progestins such as levonorgestrel. Numerous studies assessed the impact of estroprogestative combinations on hemostasis and demonstrated that women under COC suffered from resistance towards activated protein C (APC). Subsequently, the European Medicines Agency updated its guidelines on clinical investigation of steroid contraceptives in which they recommended to assess this biological marker. In 2009, estradiol-containing COCs were marketed and the use of this natural form of estrogen was found to exert a weaker effect on the synthesis of hepatic proteins compared to EE. In this year 2021, a novel COC based on a native estrogen, i.e., estetrol, will be introduced on the market. Associated with drospirenone, this preparation demonstrated minor effects on coagulation proteins as compared with other drospirenone-containing COCs. At the present time, the standard of care when starting a contraception, consists of identifying the presence of hereditary thrombophilia solely on the basis of familial history of VTE. This strategy has however been reported as poorly predictive of hereditary thrombophilia. One rationale and affordable perspective which has already been considered in the past could be the implementation of a baseline screening of the prothrombotic state to provide health care professionals with objective data to support the prescription of the more appropriate contraceptive method. While this strategy was judged too expensive due to limited laboratory solutions, the endogenous thrombin potential-based APC resistance assay could now represent an interesting alternative.

Real-Time Sign Language Detection and Recognition

Sign language is one of the oldest and most natural form of language for communication, but since most people do not know sign language and interpreters are very difficult to come by we have come up with a real time method using neural networks for fingerspelling based American sign language. In our method, the hand is first passed through a filter and after the filter is applied the hand is passed through a classifier which predicts the class of the hand gestures.

Functional Group Evaluation of Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil Using FTIR Method

This study aimed to predict the functional group changes in the natural form to hydrogenated form of vegetable oils using FTIR spectroscopic method. The edible oil, which are palm oil, groundnut oil, sesame oil, and vanaspathi(hydrogenated vegetable oil) were observed with relative intensities of the peak and characteristic area percentage of peaks. It is found that trans fatty acids at the peak of 966.34cm-1 in the region of 980-960cm-1 strong C=C bending vibration due to the presence of alkene disubstituted (trans) observed in the hydrogenated form of vegetable oil. Because the nutritional composition of the vegetable oil is intensely reduced and long-term consumption will bringadversative health problems for humans. Keywords: FTIR, Palm oil, Groundnut oil, Sesame oil, Vanaspathi, Transfats

CD38 Down-Regulation on Ex Vivo Activated and Expanded NK Cells for Cell Therapy Persists after Infusion

Introduction: Immunotherapies are gaining more and more importance in the treatment of multiple myeloma (MM). Antibodies directed against MM antigens like CD38, SLAMF7 or BCMA are used either in their natural form, conjugated to drugs, or in the form of bispecific T-cell engagers. Cellular therapies make use of cytotoxic lymphocytes, i.e. T cells or NK cells that can also be modified to express chimeric antigen receptors to target MM cells. Combinations of antibody and cellular therapies could further improve the outcome as, for example, NK cells can mediate antibody dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC). However, NK cells also express CD38 and SLAMF7 and would be targeted by the therapeutic antibodies against these antigens. We have recently reported our clinical study infusing multiple doses of ex vivo activated and expanded autologous NK cells in six patients with MM post autologous stem-cell transplantation (EudraCT 2010-022330-83). Here, we report results of a phenotypic analysis of the ex vivo expanded NK cells and peripheral blood NK cells before and after infusion with implications for possible combination therapies. Methods: Ex vivo activated and expanded NK cells and NK cells in peripheral blood of the patients were analyzed by multiparameter flow cytometry. Peripheral blood cells were taken from the non-NK cell infusion arm before and at three different timepoints after infusion. NK-cell sub-populations within these samples were analyzed using t-SNE clustering. Results: Upon ex vivo activation and expansion, we observed that the NK cells gained a unique activated phenotype including populations of CD56 brightCD16 +Ki67 +HLA-DR + NK cells. Interestingly, these NK cells showed a reduced expression of CD38 compared to peripheral blood NK cells. Clustering analyses of data from peripheral blood samples revealed the gradual appearance of a new NK cell population with a similar phenotype in a dose-dependent fashion over four hours following infusion of the NK cell product. Infused NK cells could be detected in circulation up to four weeks after the last infusion. Like the NK cell infusion product, these cells expressed little to none CD38, high levels of NKG2D, 2B4, TIM-3, and TIGIT and similar levels of SLAMF7 compared to peripheral blood NK cells. Conclusions: The persistent high expression of CD16 and the low expression of CD38 in infused NK cells offers the choice to combine ex vivo activated and expanded NK cells with anti-CD38 antibody therapy without concern for antibody-mediated NK-cell death. Based on these findings, we have started a clinical trial testing this combined therapy (NCT04558931). Disclosures Nahi: XNK Therapeutics AB: Consultancy. Chrobook: XNK Therapeutics AB: Consultancy. Meinke: XNK Therapeutics AB: Consultancy, Current holder of stock options in a privately-held company. Gilljam: XNK Therapeutics AB: Current holder of individual stocks in a privately-held company. Stellan: XNK Therapeutics AB: Current holder of individual stocks in a privately-held company. Walther-Jallow: XNK Therapeutics: Other: Shareholder in the company. Liwing: XNK Therapeutics AB: Current Employment. Gahrton: XNK Therapeutics AB: Current holder of individual stocks in a privately-held company; Fujimoto Pharmaceutical Corporation Japan: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Ljungman: Takeda: Consultancy, Other: Endpoint committee, speaker; OctaPharma: Other: DSMB; Enanta: Other: DSMB; Merck: Other: Investigator, speaker; AiCuris: Consultancy; Janssen: Other: Investigator. Ljunggren: XNK Therapeutics AB: Current holder of individual stocks in a privately-held company, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Alici: XNK Therapeutics AB: Current holder of individual stocks in a privately-held company.

The science of transhumanism: Are we nearly there?

Transhumanism looks to utilise science and technology to move humans beyond the limitations of their natural form. Recent scientific advances have, for the first time, presented plausible genetic interventions for the directed evolution of humans. In separate developments, electromechanical innovations, including miniaturisation of components and improvements in bio-compatible materials, have seen breakthroughs in brain-machine interfaces (BMIs) that potentiate a cybernetic dimension, in which mechanical devices would be under the direct control of the mind. This article offers insight into the most important of these recent advances, with particular emphasis on genome editing and therapeutic uses of BMIs in which the same technology might be employed for enhancement.

Sequestering Biomass for Natural, Efficient, and Low-Cost Direct Air Capture of Carbon Dioxide (Version 4)

Many corporations and governments aspire to become Net Zero Carbon Dioxide by 2030-2050. Achieving this goal requires understanding where energy is produced and consumed, the magnitude of CO2 generation, and the Carbon Cycle. Many prior proposed solutions focus on reducing future CO2 emissions from continued use of fossil fuels. Examination of these technologies exposes their limitations and shows that none offer a complete solution. For example, bioethanol is shown to be both carbon and energy inefficient. Direct Air Capture technologies are needed to reduce CO2 already in the air. The most natural form of Direct Air Capture involves letting nature do the work of creating biomass via photosynthesis. However, it is necessary to break the Carbon Cycle by permanently sequestering that biomass carbon in “landfills” modified to discourage decomposition to CO2 and methane. Tree leaves and biomass grown on-purpose, such as high yield switchgrass, are proposed as good biomass sources for this purpose. Left unsequestered, leaves decompose with a short Carbon Cycle time constant releasing CO2 back to the atmosphere. While in any given year, leaves represent a small fraction of a tree’s above ground biomass, leaves can represent a substantial fraction of the total biomass generated by a tree when integrated over a tree’s lifetime. Understanding the chemistry of the distinct phases landfills undergo is the key to minimizing or eliminating decomposition. First, the compact cross-linked structure of cellulose and keeping water out will make it difficult for initial depolymerization to release sugars. Air ingress should be minimized to minimize Phase I aerobic decomposition. pH manipulation can discourage acid formation during Phase II. Lignocellulose is low in nutrients needed for anaerobic decomposition. Inhibitors can be added if needed. The goal is to move quickly to the dormant phase where decomposition stops. The cost for Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) for growing and sequestering high yield switchgrass is estimated to be lower than CCS for steam reforming of methane hydrogen plants (SRM) and supercritical or combined cycle coal power plants. Thus, sequestration of biomass is a natural, carbon efficient, and low-cost method of Direct Capture. Biomass sequestration can provide CO2 removal on giga tonnes per year scale and can be implemented in the needed timeframe (2030-2050).

Gauss: program synthesis by reasoning over graphs

While input-output examples are a natural form of specification for program synthesis engines, they can be imprecise for domains such as table transformations. In this paper, we investigate how extracting readily-available information about the user intent behind these input-output examples helps speed up synthesis and reduce overfitting. We present Gauss, a synthesis algorithm for table transformations that accepts partial input-output examples, along with user intent graphs. Gauss includes a novel conflict-resolution reasoning algorithm over graphs that enables it to learn from mistakes made during the search and use that knowledge to explore the space of programs even faster. It also ensures the final program is consistent with the user intent specification, reducing overfitting. We implement Gauss for the domain of table transformations (supporting Pandas and R), and compare it to three state-of-the-art synthesizers accepting only input-output examples. We find that it is able to reduce the search space by 56×, 73× and 664× on average, resulting in 7×, 26× and 7× speedups in synthesis times on average, respectively.