scholarly journals Mitigation of SARS-CoV-2 Transmission at a Large Public University

Author(s):  
Diana Rose E. Ranoa ◽  
Robin L. Holland ◽  
Fadi G. Alnaji ◽  
Kelsie J. Green ◽  
Leyi Wang ◽  
...  

In the Fall of 2020, many universities saw extensive transmission of SARS-CoV-2 among their populations, threatening the health of students, faculty and staff, the viability of in-person instruction, and the health of surrounding communities.1, 2 Here we report that a multimodal “SHIELD: Target, Test, and Tell” program mitigated the spread of SARS-CoV-2 at a large public university, prevented community transmission, and allowed continuation of in-person classes amidst the pandemic. The program combines epidemiological modelling and surveillance (Target); fast and frequent testing using a novel and FDA Emergency Use Authorized low-cost and scalable saliva-based RT-qPCR assay for SARS-CoV-2 that bypasses RNA extraction, called covidSHIELD (Test); and digital tools that communicate test results, notify of potential exposures, and promote compliance with public health mandates (Tell). These elements were combined with masks, social distancing, and robust education efforts. In Fall 2020, we performed more than 1,000,000 covidSHIELD tests while keeping classrooms, laboratories, and many other university activities open. Generally, our case positivity rates remained less than 0.5%, we prevented transmission from our students to our faculty and staff, and data indicate that we had no spread in our classrooms or research laboratories. During this fall semester, we had zero COVID-19-related hospitalizations or deaths amongst our university community. We also prevented transmission from our university community to the surrounding Champaign County community. Our experience demonstrates that multimodal transmission mitigation programs can enable university communities to achieve such outcomes until widespread vaccination against COVID-19 is achieved, and provides a roadmap for how future pandemics can be addressed.

Buildings ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 270
Author(s):  
Mostafa Babaeian Jelodar ◽  
Feiya Shu

The low-level application of digital tools and information systems in construction implies that many projects cannot meet modern requirements and standard of work of advanced industries. This study adopts a practical and diagnostic approach to identify key attributes and implementation processes of information systems in construction and logistics. To have triangulation of knowledge, a three-step methodology is adopted. Initially an exploratory analysis of previous literature is performed. Secondly a diagnostic analysis of IS applications in construction is achieved by case studies. Finally, expert interviews are performed to examine and consolidate the findings. The study illustrated practical and innovative applications of low-cost digital tools in IS development and created a framework for documentation of these discrete and mostly unshared practices. It is recommended that the construction sector should embrace more advance technologies to minimise human intervention and enhance real-time capabilities. The practicality of how different low-cost and off-the-shelf tools and digital platforms can be combined is discussed and demonstrated. The study provides a clear distinction for practitioners and academics as to what is being practiced in comparison to the dominant theories.


Author(s):  
G A Parker ◽  
Y B Sun

The work presented in this paper deals mainly with a mechatronic approach to compact disc valve design and concentrates on improvements to the disc valve electromagnetic characteristics, the diaphragm design and the dynamic performance. A novel diaphragm-disc force motor has been successfully developed incorporating a pair of permanent ring magnets. It has the advantages of low electric power consumption at the null position, dual-lane electrical structure for fail-safe operation, high control accuracy and should be competitive with existing torque motors due to its low cost and simple construction. The research involved designing and testing a prototype disc pilot valve with a dual-lane operating mode. The test results showed that the valve has satisfactory static and dynamic characteristics for industrial applications.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hsiu An Lee ◽  
Hsin-Hua Kung ◽  
Wei-Chen Wu ◽  
Jai Ganesh Udayasankaran ◽  
Yu-Chih Wei ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an ongoing global pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The prevention and treatment methods for COVID-19 are not yet clear. At present, there are at least 287 preventive vaccines against COVID-19 in the world, of which 5 vaccines are available for emergency use as of June 2021, but none has completed clinical trial. Nevertheless, with the development of vaccines, disease conditions in various countries are gradually controlled. OBJECTIVE The vaccination rate has increased in time, and activities in various countries have gradually recovered. Therefore, the focus of the next stage is confirming and proving that everyone is vaccinated to ensure that those without vaccines will not become a breach in the next wave of diseases. The vaccination or RT-PCR test results are all certified and verified by paper documents issued by hospitals or testing institutions. Meanwhile, falsified documents are a major risk factor in confirming the vaccination status and laboratory test results. Although the Vaccine Passport (VP) may become an important key to future global activities based on the current strategy, the problems of document verification and data use among countries have not yet been resolved. METHODS The blockchain architecture proposed in this research can be applied together by public and private entities and be rapidly expanded. Furthermore, the open ledger of blockchain achieves transparency and data accuracy. On the other hand, smart contracts (SCs) achieve authorization and authentication, while the encryption and decryption mechanisms achieve data protection. In order to make it globally available, the international data standard “Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resource (FHIR)” is adopted into this research. In general, this blockchain architecture can achieve global vaccine passport verification accurately and at a low cost. RESULTS The open nature of the blockchain contributes to establishing transparency and data accuracy. Total three entities are included in this blockchain architecture. All of the authorization are public in the open ledger. The smart certificate enables authorization and authentication, while the encryption and decryption mechanism ensure data protection. This proof of concept demonstrates the design of blockchain architecture which, when adopted, can achieve global vaccine passport verification accurately and at a cost country can afford. An actual vaccine passport case was established and demonstrated in this study. Open blockchain, individually authorized authentication mechanisms, and international standard vaccine passports were adopted. CONCLUSIONS Blockchain architecture is used to build the authentication process of an executable international vaccine passport, with advantages of low cost, high interoperability, effectiveness, security and verifiability.


2002 ◽  
Vol 124 (3) ◽  
pp. 205-211 ◽  
Author(s):  
John H. Lau ◽  
S. W. Ricky Lee ◽  
Stephen H. Pan ◽  
Chris Chang

An elasto-plastic-creep analysis of a low-cost micro via-in-pad (VIP) substrate for supporting a solder bumped flip chip in a chip scale package (CSP) format which is soldered onto a printed circuit board (PCB) is presented in this study. Emphasis is placed on the design, materials, and reliability of the micro VIP substrate and of the micro VIP CSP solder joints on PCB. The solder is assumed to obey Norton’s creep law. Cross-sections of samples are examined for a better understanding of the solder bump, CSP substrate redistribution, micro VIP, and solder joint. Also, the thermal cycling test results of the micro VIP CSP PCB assembly is presented.


2014 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
pp. 61-66 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pavol Kajánek

Inertial navigation system (INS) is a self-contained navigation technique. Its main purpose is to determinate the position and the trajectory of the object´s movement in space. This technique is well represented not only as a supplementary method (GPS/INS integrated system) but as an autonomous system for navigation of vehicles and pedestrians, also. The aim of this paper is to design a test for low-cost inertial measurement units. The test results give us information about accuracy, which determine the possible use in indoor navigation or other applications. There are described some methods for processing the data obtained by inertial measurement units, which remove noise and improve accuracy of position and orientation.


Author(s):  
Hao Yang ◽  
Zhiqiang Ma

While current research on the flipped classroom generally focuses on test results and (or) student/teacher perceptions as a measurement of its pedagogical efficacy, students' adaptation to it and the essential conditions for its application are rarely explored. This exploratory case study aims to rectify this by examining how university students adapted to flipped classrooms implemented in a public university in East China. The findings suggest that while the flipped model is impeded by entrenched polarity between students in terms of their learning dispositions and academic competence, students do develop a prototype of theories of learning, a sense of better self through learning from their peers and an awareness of the importance of intrinsic motivation. A gradualist approach is thus proposed for implementing flipped classrooms, which requires longitudinal studies accordingly to understand its long-term effects on learning behavior hitherto left unexplored.


Buildings ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 355
Author(s):  
Qudeer Hussain ◽  
Anat Ruangrassamee ◽  
Somnuk Tangtermsirikul ◽  
Panuwat Joyklad ◽  
Anil C. Wijeyewickrema

This research investigates the behavior of square concrete columns externally wrapped by low-cost and easily available fiber rope reinforced polymer (FRRP) composites. This study mainly aims to explore the axial stress-strain relationships of FRRP-confined square columns. Another objective is to assess suitable predictive models for the ultimate strength and strain of FRRP-confined square columns. A total of 60 square concrete columns were cast, strengthened, and tested under compression. The parameters were the corner radii of square columns (0, 13, and 26 mm) and different materials of FRRP composites (polyester, hemp, and cotton FRRP composites). The strength and deformability of FRRP-confined specimens were observed to be higher than the unconfined specimens. It was observed that strength gains of FRRP-confined concrete columns and corner radii were directly proportional. The accuracy of ultimate strength and strain models developed for synthetic FRRP-confined square columns was assessed using the test results of this study, showing the need for the development of improved predictive models for FRRP-confined square columns. Newly developed unified models were found to be accurate in predicting the ultimate strength and strain of FRRP-confined columns.


Molecules ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (5) ◽  
pp. 1220
Author(s):  
Leticia Presa ◽  
Jorge L. Costafreda ◽  
Domingo A. Martín ◽  
Isabel Díaz

This work deals with anomalous concentrations of natural mordenite in the southeast of Spain. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) studies evidenced that the samples contain mainly monomineral zeolitic phase of mordenite (70% to 74%), usually accompanied by smectite (montmorillonite), the principal component of bentonite. A study of the applicability of these zeolites is presented to establish the potential use as pozzolanic cements. For comparative purposes, synthetic commercial mordenite is also characterized and tested. The initial mixtures were prepared using cement and mordenite at a 75:25 ratio. Chemical analysis and a pozzolanicity test showed the high pozzolanic character. These mixtures were further added to sand and water, yielding the cement specimens to be used as concrete. Mechanical test results showed that the mechanical compression at 7 and 28 days fall into the range of 19.23 to 43.05 MegaPascals (MPa) for the cement specimens built with natural mordenites. The obtained results fall in the same range of cement specimens prepared with natural clinoptilolite, using mixtures within the European requirement for commercial concretes. Thus, these results and the low cost of natural mordenite of San José de los Escullos deposit supports the potential use of natural mordenite as pozzolanic cement.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (21) ◽  
pp. 9063
Author(s):  
Alejandro Bonnet de León ◽  
Cecile Meier ◽  
Jose Luis Saorin

This paper describes a process to adapt tools in an artistic ceramic workshop in which custom molds are created using low-cost digital manufacturing technologies. The digitalization of busts by a 3D scanner and their transformation into 3D printed molds is a simple technique that only requires basic digital tools. These molds were used in the artistic ceramic workshop of the Psychopedagogical Center of the Order of San Juan de Dios in Tenerife, where the authors worked with people with intellectual disabilities to make ceramic pieces. These people, in most cases, do not have the necessary skills for detail modeling; however, with the help of digital manufacturing technologies, they can produce molds of their own faces and create personalized figures autonomously. In this way, they increase their self-esteem and autonomy and discover new possibilities for making products; as a result, they feel fulfilled and confirm that they can be part of the creation process. To obtain an evaluation of the activity, a qualitative study was carried out, and observation data were collected. The attitudes of the users were compared with observations made during a similar activity without using molds or technologies. It was observed that the attitude of the participants significantly improved when they obtained more satisfactory results with the use of molds.


Author(s):  
Christian E. Fischer

The drive for ever increasing productivity puts continuously increasing demands on cutting tool performance. With the cost of a single prototype tool design near $10,000, the benefits of virtual development are clear. Computer simulation can provide accurate information on chip form, cutting force, temperature, workpiece surface integrity and other vital performance information. Recent advances in simulation technology, combined with ever increasing available of computational power at low cost, have vastly expanded the range of machining applications which can be studied in practical times. This paper examines finite element solver technology, recent research and test results enabling virtual development and prototyping of cutting tools.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document