Critical Capacity Research Articles

Mechanical behavior and mechanism investigation on the optimized and novel bio-inspired nonpneumatic composite tires

Abstract Two novel nonpneumatic tires named Tweel-2, designed based on the commercial Tweel model, and Saddle with hyperbolic paraboloid spokes are proposed in this study. Four nonpneumatic tire samples were successfully prepared with the 3D printing technology to measure and analyze and compare their properties. The results of quasi-static compression experiments showed that with the same relative density, the vertical bearing capacity of Tweel-2 tire was 1.4 times that of Tweel tire, while the vertical bearing capacity of the saddle tire was 4 times and 2.4 times that of Tweel and honeycomb tires, respectively. The finite element simulation method was used to explore the mechanism of improvement in vertical bearing capacity and energy absorption of the Tweel-2 and saddle design. The so-called circumferential unit in Tweel-2 and honeycomb tires enhances the deformation coordination between the spokes of Tweel-2 and increases the critical bearing capacity of the spokes by shortening the length of the deformation zone, so that more external work can be consumed under the same vertical deformation. The spatial configuration of the hyperbolic paraboloid can optimize the spatial stress distribution of the saddle tire and makes sure that a bigger amount of material deforms and participates in energy absorption, thus improving the overall strain energy level of the spokes.

A machine learning and clustering-based approach for county-level COVID-19 analysis.

COVID-19 is a global pandemic threatening the lives and livelihood of millions of people across the world. Due to its novelty and quick spread, scientists have had difficulty in creating accurate forecasts for this disease. In part, this is due to variation in human behavior and environmental factors that impact disease propagation. This is especially true for regionally specific predictive models due to either limited case histories or other unique factors characterizing the region. This paper employs both supervised and unsupervised methods to identify the critical county-level demographic, mobility, weather, medical capacity, and health related county-level factors for studying COVID-19 propagation prior to the widespread availability of a vaccine. We use this feature subspace to aggregate counties into meaningful clusters to support more refined disease analysis efforts.

Case Study of Multi-Course Project-Based Learning and Online Assessment in Electrical Engineering Courses during COVID-19 Pandemic

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there was an urgent need to move to online teaching and develop innovative teaching techniques to ensure that student learning outcomes (SOs) were fulfilled. This paper tries to answer the important question of whether an established teaching strategy through a multi-course project-based learning (MPL) approach, along with online assessment techniques, helps in the effective achievement of SOs in a senior-level electrical engineering (EE) course. The authors have developed a course project for attaining the objectives of a senior and a capstone course, where students are registered at the same time. In addition, the course conducts assessments online. The paper reports the effect of the two approaches on the attainment of the SOs of the two courses, along with testing the programming and problem-solving abilities of the students. It is known that the MPL approach enhances the critical thinking capacity of students, which is also a major outcome of Sustainable Development Education (ESD). It was ensured that the project that was used to test the fulfillment of a series of SOs were concentrated on soft engineering and project management skills. The difficulty of adopting the MPL method for the senior-level courses is in the scheduling of the course materials to help the student advance to the final project while also aligning the project towards fulfilling the learning outcomes of the individual course. The study also provides the students with feedback on online assessment techniques incorporated within the MPL. Besides this, the effect of the innovative teaching approaches was compared with the same senior course taught using conventional methods in an earlier semester. Based on the feedback from teachers and students from a previously conducted case study, it was concluded that the MPL approach had supported the student learning. The results of the statistical analysis (Chi-square, two-tailed T statistics and hypothesis testing using a z-test) show that an MPL approach and online assessment improved the attainment of the SOs despite the constraints posed by the pandemic.

Using Outcome Mapping to Mobilize Critical Stakeholders for a Gender Responsive Rift Valley Fever and Newcastle Disease Vaccine Value Chain in Rwanda.

Approximately 752 million of the world's poor keep livestock to produce food, generate income, and build assets. Women represent two-thirds (~400 million people) of low-income livestock keepers. Infectious diseases are a major issue in preventing livestock keepers from optimizing production earnings and improving food security. In Rwanda, highly contagious yet preventable diseases that affect animals that women manage, such as Rift Valley fever in goats and Newcastle disease in chickens have a high-mortality rate and can devastate their herds. Women are disproportionately affected because they bear primary responsibility for goats and chickens. These diseases are preventable through vaccination, but smallholder women farmers rarely benefit from livestock vaccines. Social norms and entrenched cultural stereotypes limit women's confidence and decision-making and restrict their access to resources and information. Women smallholder farmers find that there is little support for the small livestock they manage, because of the official preference given to cattle. They are also challenged by limited availability of livestock vaccines due to lack of a cold chain, inadequate extension, and veterinary services, especially for goats and chickens, and unreliable structures for vaccine delivery. To identify opportunities for women's engagement in the livestock vaccine value chain (LVVC) and reduce their barriers to accessing and using livestock vaccines, we used Outcome Mapping, a stakeholder engagement tool, and the Gender Equality Continuum Tool to classify and engage critical partners in the LVVC. We analyzed each critical partner's capacities, incentives, and drivers for engagement with women, challenges and barriers that hinder their support for women farmers, opportunities at systemic and programmatic levels for women's participation and benefit in the LVVC, and the gender capacities and perceptions of different stakeholders. Enhanced positioning and visibility of women in the LVVC can occur through a systemic engagement of all stakeholders, and recognition of the roles that women play. Women smallholder farmer involvement when determining and shaping the potential entry-points is critical to ensure support for their existing responsibilities in family food security, and future opportunities for generating income. Strengthening gender capacities of LVVC stakeholders, addressing identified barriers, and building on existing opportunities can increase women's participation in the LVVC.

How children revise their beliefs in light of reasons.

We investigate how the ability to respond appropriately to reasons provided in discourse develops in young children. In Study 1 (N=58, Germany, 26girls), 4- and 5-, but not 3-year-old children, differentiated good from bad reasons. In Study 2 (N=131, Germany, 64girls), 4- and 5-year-old children considered both the strength of evidence for their initial belief and the quality of socially provided reasons for an alternative view when deciding whether to change their minds. Study 3 (N=80, the United States, 42girls, preregistered) shows that 4- and 5-year-old children also consider meta-reasons (reasons about reasons) in their belief revision. These results suggest that by age 4, children possess key critical thinking capacities for participating in public discourse.

Performance Characteristics of a Novel 3D-Printed Bubble Intermittent Mandatory Ventilator (B-IMV) for Adult Pulmonary Support.

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought attention to the need for developing effective respiratory support that can be rapidly implemented during critical surge capacity scenarios in healthcare settings. Lung support with bubble continuous positive airway pressure (B-CPAP) is a well-established therapeutic approach for supporting neonatal patients. However, the effectiveness of B-CPAP in larger pediatric and adult patients has not been addressed. Using similar principles of B-CPAP pressure generation, application of intermittent positive pressure inflations above CPAP could support gas exchange and high work of breathing levels in larger patients experiencing more severe forms of respiratory failure. This report describes the design and performance characteristics of the BubbleVent, a novel 3D-printed valve system that combined with commonly found tubes, hoses, and connectors can provide intermittent mandatory ventilation (IMV) suitable for adult mechanical ventilation without direct electrification. Testing of the BubbleVent was performed on a passive adult test lung model and compared with a critical care ventilator commonly used in tertiary care centers. The BubbleVent was shown to deliver stable PIP and PEEP levels, as well as timing control of breath delivery that was comparable with a critical care ventilator.

Het laatste woord in Uphoffs ‘Rotte Boek’

Imagology studies the representation of national identities in (literary) texts, but is usually limited to a cultural-historical and intertextual focus. Hence the textual, ‘aesthetic function’ of literature is often neglected. In this article we argue that the textual analysis of literary techniques, specifically metafiction, can be a useful theoretical impulse for the premises of imagology. This proposed focus also does more justice to (metafictional) literature’s critical capacities regarding the representation of national identities and ‘the other’. This ‘textual’ form of imagology, focused on metafiction, will be applied to the literary representation of a specific European region, the Balkans, in De spelers [The players] (2009) by Manon Uphoff. This novel deals with a love affair between a Dutch woman and a man who fled his native country in response to the violent conflicts that resulted from the disintegration of Yugoslavia in the 1990’s. The representation of Bosnia and Herzegovina in De spelers could be typified as stereotypical or balkanist discourse – a view that was articulated by reviewer Elsbeth Etty in the national paper NRC Handelsblad. We will argue, however, that the self-referential elements of Uphoffs novel have (self-)critical potential with regard to its balkanist representation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Experimental Bulging and Buckling of Bi-segmented Cylinders

This paper studies the experimental free bulging and buckling of bi-segmented cylinders. Two cylindrical shells are manufactured using argon-arc welding and analyzed for manufacturing errors. Next, free bulging tests and hydrostatic pressure tests are conducted to verify the feasibility of the free bulging technique and to confirm the destruction form of the bulged bi-segmented barrel. At the same time, the reasonableness of the circular thick plate is examined, which is determined according to the deformation consistency. The results show that the bi-segmented cylindrical preforms exhibit good welding quality by TIG welding technology. It has the same critical pressure load as a single cylindrical preform. Nevertheless, the bi-segmented cylindrical preforms have larger internal volume and better buoyancy capability than the single cylindrical preform. The free bulging bi-segmented shell has good symmetry along the axial direction. It has larger internal volume and higher critical buckle capacities than the non-bulging one.

Portrait of the Emergency Department at Orotta National Referral and Teaching Hospital in Asmara, Eritrea: A Prospective Observational Study.

BackgroundProvision of high-quality emergency care for acute, life-threatening illnesses can significantly reduce DALY and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa. Here, we present data on the profile of an Emergency Department (ED) in the largest referral hospital in Eritrea and potential gaps for intervention.Patients and MethodsThis was a prospective single-center observational study of 1093 patients who presented to the ED between September and October of 2020. Data were collected using a questionnaire from the patients’ interview, observation and medical record review. The data were summarized using descriptive statistics and where applicable logistic regressions were performed.ResultsThe median age was 45.0 years among the patients. In terms of acuity, 741 (68.5%), 283 (26.2%), 48 (4.4%), 10 (0.9%) patients were triaged as green, yellow, red, and black, respectively. In addition, the number of self-referred patients was 857 (79.1%) and among all the visitors, 376 (34.9%) used Ambulance service. The median ± IQR for ED length of stay (LOS) was 2.7 (1.4–10.0) Hours. Further, 154 (14.4%) patients stayed in the ED for >24 hours. The hospitalization rate was 146 (14.7%). In the multivariate analysis, higher likelihood of prolonged ED LOS was observed in: medical department patients (aOR = 3.53, 95% CI = 2.03–6.14); patients referred from primary health-care centers (aOR = 2.63, 95% CI = 1.10–6.30) and hospital (aOR = 3.70, 95% CI = 2.15–6.37). Prolonged ED LOS was also associated with prior emergency visit (aOR = 1.96, 95% CI = 1.13–3.40); consultation (aOR = 12.27, 95% CI = 6.98–21.56); the need for inpatient admission (aOR = 2.34, 95% CI = 1.38–3.96); and the need for investigation and treatment (aOR = 2.03, 95% CI = 1.07–3.85).ConclusionImprovements regarding ED specialist personnel, inpatient ward capacity, availability of investigations throughout the day and night shifts, amendments in referral system, strengthening ED and critical care capacity in zonal referral hospitals, and access to quality care among the non-communicable disease patients may ameliorate most of the bottlenecks observed in this set-up.

Teacher Education Course Design for Improving Pre-service Teachers’ Critical Thinking Ability

<p>社會愈趨複雜，批判思考是人們需要具備的能力之一，師資生是未來的教師，師資培育課程需要提供充分的訓練機會，以引領下一代學生有足夠能力理解社會。本研究以批判思考歷程為基礎，以具有意識形態的議題為教材內容，以結合課中知識理解與課後非同步討論的混成學習策略為教學活動，再以批判思考能力測驗為評量設計，整合設計一門提升批判思考能力之師培課程，再進行一個學期的教學，研究目的在於探討上述課程設計對於師資生的批判思考能力提升之情形，進而確認此課程設計的可行性。本研究根據既有的師培課程內容轉化與發展八個討論議題，並以準實驗研究法之不等組前後測設計進行探究，全程參與者包含實驗組31人和對照組35人，本研究針對實驗組八次的批判思考歷程內容進行等級分析，兩組再進行批判思考能力測驗之前後測對照比較。研究發現實驗組參與者在課中與課後內容的整合以及教育議題討論的參與下，其批判思考能力顯著提升。此課程設計具有合宜性，而建議師培教授在設計批判思考能力的課程時，議題內容選擇、混成學習策略以及符合認知思考歷程的教學活動流程是需要考慮的關鍵要素。</p> <p> </p><p>Due to complicated social lives, critical thinking is a critical capacity for people. The training of critical thinking is vital for teacher education students because they themselves will be teachers who can lead students to understand the complicated society. This study constructed a course design regarding critical thinking training based on critical thinking elements, consisting of ideological issues as instructional materials, blended learning with asynchronous dialogue as learning activities, and critical thinking quizzes as learning assessments. The above course was conducted for a semester, and the purpose of this study was to investigate teacher education students’ ability of critical thinking and to further identify the feasibility of the course design. A quasi-experimental design with a non-equivalent pre-test-post-test design was used to collect data about the rankings of the eight performances on critical thinking issues transformed from the content knowledge of the teacher education course for the experimental group and pre-test and post-test in critical thinking quizzes for the two groups. The experimental group contained 31 students, while the control group contained the other 35 students. This study concluded that the participants promoted their critical thinking ability through the integration of classroom delivery and asynchronous online communication. The course design of this study is feasible and recommended for teacher educators when considering the contents of ideological issues, the activities of blended learning, and the processes of teaching activities based on the transformation of critical thinking cognitive processes when designing a course regarding critical thinking.</p> <p> </p>

On some new travelling wave structures to the (3+1)-dimensional Boiti-Leon-Manna-Pempinelli model

In this article, the (1G′)-expansion method, the Bernoulli sub-ordinary differential equation method and the modified Kudryashov method are implemented to construct a variety of novel analytical solutions to the (3+1)-dimensional Boiti-Leon-Manna-Pempinelli model representing the wave propagation through incompressible fluids. The linearization of the wave structure in shallow water necessitates more critical wave capacity conditions than it does in deep water, and the strong nonlinear properties are perceptible. Some novel travelling wave solutions have been observed including solitons, kink, periodic and rational solutions with the aid of the latest computing tools such as Mathematica or Maple. The physical and analytical properties of several families of closed-form solutions or exact solutions and rational form function solutions to the (3+1)-dimensional Boiti-Leon-Manna-Pempinelli model problem are examined using Mathematica.

Dimensional crossover of Bose–Einstein condensation of atomic gases in anisotropic harmonic traps

We investigate the dimensional crossover of Bose–Einstein condensation of atomic gases trapped in anisotropic harmonic potentials. The crossover from three dimension to lower dimensions is studied by calculating some thermodynamic quantities, such as critical temperature, heat capacity, entropy and atom number fluctuations in Bose–Einstein condensate. The smooth transition behavior indicates that a decimal dimension may be employed to describe the corresponding intervenient states. We compare the theoretical curves with recent experimental results on the fluctuations of the condensate atom numbers, revealing how the geometry and size of the condensates affect the thermodynamic characteristics.

A novel bioscrubber for the treatment of high loads of ammonia from polluted gas.

This work presents a novel bioscrubber configuration for the treatment of high ammonia loads at short contact times. The biological reactor was designed to work as a moving-bed biofilm rector (MBBR) increasing biomass retention time. This configuration is still unexplored for the treatment of waste gases. Long-term operation of a lab-scale bioscrubber under different inlet concentrations of ammonia (60-570 ppmv) and a gas contact time of 4s was performed to study the system operational limits during 250days. The effect of the dissolved oxygen concentration on the nitrification rate was also evaluated. Under these conditions, a critical elimination capacity (EC) of 250 NH3·m-3·h-1 and a maximum EC of 300g NH3·m-3·h-1 were obtained. The maximum nitrification rate obtained was 0.5kgN·m-3·day-1. However, this nitrification rate only was possible to be achieved under partial nitrification. For complete nitrification, the critical nitrification rate was 0.3kgN·m-3·day-1. These results confirm that bioscrubber coupled to a MBBR is a good alternative to treat high ammonia loads with remarkable advantages, such as the retention of properly biomass concentration without auxiliary equipment.

Critical Temperatures, Pressures, Heat Capacities, and Thermal Diffusivities of C3 to C6 Dinitriles

Critical Temperatures, Pressures, Heat Capacities, and Thermal Diffusivities of C3 to C6 Dinitriles

Synthesis and Performance Analysis of New Anionic–Nonionic Gemini Surfactants

Microwave-assisted method was used to synthesize successfully a series of new surfactants. Maleic anhydride, ethylenediamine, polyoxyethylene lauryl ether (number of polymerization of ethylene oxide = 3, 5, 7, 9, 12) and sodium sulfite were used. The optimal reaction conditions for synthesizing five new surfactant products were obtained by response surface design. The chemical structure of five new surfactant products were confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), mass spectrometry, elementary analysis and 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR) analysis. The critical micelle concentration (CMC), surface tension, emulsifying power and foaming capacity in aqueous solution were studied. The microemulsion cutting fluid was also prepared by micro-emulsification of self-made new anionic–nonionic Genimi surfactant. The influence of the different structural unit of ethoxy (EO) and additives on the surface properties of five new prepared products was researched. CMC and γcmc of five new prepared products were in the scope of 3.39×10−4~3.48×10−4 mol/L and 21.9~23.4 mN/m respectively. Oxalamide polyoxyethylene(12) lauryl biether succinate sodium sulfonate was the optimum foamability and foam stability among five new prepared surfactants. Oxalamide polyoxyethylene( 3) lauryl biether succinate sodium sulfonate was the best emulsification power in the five new product. The cutting fluid prepared by self-made Gemini surfactant showed good performance. Experimental results show that it is expected to be a wide range applications in oil emulsification and other fields for new Gemini surfactants.

26 Running a Safe Aortic Service in the Covid-Era

Abstract Introduction Within the Covid-19 pandemic, elective surgery has been cancelled to increase critical care capacity. With two thirds of abdominal aortic aneurysm ruptures lethal, it is important to consider how to run a safe aortic service within the pandemic. Vascular patients have an increased risk of mortality from Covid-19. By considering ambulatory care, shortening hospital stay and discharging to level 1 care for non-complex infrarenal endovascular aneurism repairs (EVAR), critical care capacity can be kept available and exposure to nosocomial Covid-19 can be reduced. Method A retrospective audit of EVAR patient’s documentation examined the ASA, level of postoperative care, time to discharge, geographical and personal care factors. These were compared with pre-established criteria deeming suitability for ambulatory or ward level care. Results were presented locally and subsequent reaudit conducted. Results The initial audit included 40 records. 30% of patients were potential targets for ambulatory care with the median discharge on postoperative day 3. All patients were admitted to the high dependency unit (HDU) with 12.5% of patients receiving treatment that required a HDU level of care. Upon reaudit, 8 records were included with all patients admitted to HDU and the median day of discharge postoperative day 2. Notably, 37.5% patients were discharged on postoperative day 1 and a day of surgery admission (DOSA) process was implemented. Conclusions By reviewing a health board’s EVAR caseload, suitability for short stay EVARs can be assessed. Implementing an early discharge and DOSA process keeps care capacity available and may protect against nosocomial Covid-19.

SARS-CoV-2, Lung Protective Ventilation, Low Middle Income Countries, and Pediatric Intensivists as Cross Disciplinary Knowledge Translation and Implementation Science Specialists

PurposeWe hypothesized that despite the low incidence of severe SARS-CoV-2 infections in children in Guyana, due to their specific skillset in lung protective ventilation, our Pediatric Intensivists were uniquely positioned to address significant training and readiness gaps in our colleagues attending a surging critically ill Adult COVID-19 patient population.Methods & MaterialsIn Guyana, there are few clinicians trained in Critical-Care Medicine (CCM). The high incidence of ventilator dependence in seriously ill SARS-CoV2 patients, combined with a dearth of CCM practitioners competent in complex mechanical ventilation management left Guyana ill prepared to manage these patients. This knowledge deficit was further exacerbated in that many clinicians at our National Infectious Diseases Hospital were co-opted into CCM roles from other specialties with little to no CCM training. We have a very small core of Pediatric Surgical Critical Care Medicine staff that was formally trained in PCCM outside of Guyana. This core was instrumental in establishing a unique and formal Pediatric Critical-Care Medicine Micro-Modular Fellowship (PCCM-MMF) program that allowed the creation of Guyana's only Pediatric ICU. A significant number of that core are also involved in Guyana‘s National COVID Task Force. Given that all graduates of our PCCM-MMF program are extensively trained in Lung Protective Ventilation, it was very appropriate to utilize them to augment Adult critical care capacity. Thirty physicians with primarily adult practices and little to no previous knowledge of ventilator management were enrolled in a multi-modal triphasic mechanical ventilation short course facilitated by PCCM staff.ResultsWe were able to rapidly enable two cohorts of 15 Adult clinicians to competently address critical knowledge deficits and staffing shortfalls. We improved morbidity and mortality amongst our mechanically ventilated adult COVID-19 patients, as well as relieved significant multifactorial caregiver strain.ConclusionOur successful utilization of PCCM staff as Mechanical Ventilation didactic and clinical educators for an Adult patient population carries implications for cross disciplinary Knowledge Translation and Implementation Science in a wide variety of practice milieus. We are actively pursuing research opportunities to further experiment with other skill sets incorporated in our PCCM Micro-Modular Fellowship and welcome potential collaborators.

Cannabis users and Homo Sovieticus. Stigma, culture, and delegitimization in Riga, Latvia

Cannabis ‘formula stories’ are disproportionately conceptualized from the gaze of a few mostly high-income Anglo-American nations that not only shape their own narratives and policies of cannabis but are also influential abroad. Lack of research in other mostly non-English-speaking countries has translated into a gap in knowledge about what cannabis formula stories are adopted, and how stigma is conceptualized by cannabis users. Using semi-structured interviews with cannabis users, this paper gives the first insight into how cannabis stigma is constructed in the post-Soviet European Riga, Latvia. Analysis corroborates previous findings of the delegitimization strategies that cannabis users adopt to resist stigma. However, people who stigmatize cannabis use are constructed as Soviet-born and agency-stripped Homo Sovieticus, who perceives all cannabis users as physically discriminable ‘potheads.’ To avoid sanctions, cannabis users, as members of the generation that does possess agency, avoid appearing as potheads. Thus, the knowledge and considered evasion of symbols that adhere to societal discriminatory ideas about ‘pothead’ cannabis users represent users’ ‘secret knowledge’ and their functional relationship with a cannabis-disdaining society. The study demonstrates how exaggerated stories shift user attention away from reflections about consumption patterns and toward a concern for the critical capacity of exaggerated cannabis story disseminators.

Rheological characteristics analysis of shear thickening fluids based on response surface methodology

This paper analyzed the influence of various components and the external environment on the rheological properties of shear thickening fluid (STF). The single-factor experimental study was carried out with the silica particle size, the mass fraction of silica particles, the continuous phase’s average molecular weight, and the temperature as the influencing factors. Obtain the influence of various factors on the initial viscosity, critical shear rate, thickening period and thickening ratio of STF samples. According to the crossover relationship between the shear stress and the intermolecular force when the shear thickening occurs, the STF’s critical shear rate criterion is constructed. By introducing the mechanical balance between small molecules, the relationship between the particles’ volume fraction and the distance between particles in the suspension system is established. The influencing factors and formulas of the STF’s critical shear rate and shear capacity are deduced, which supports the conclusions obtained in the single-factor experiment. Based on the single-factor experiment conclusion, the mass fraction of silica particles, the average molecular weight of the continuous phase and the temperature are used as the influencing factors, and the critical shear rate, shear thickening ratio and maximum viscosity are the responses indicators. According to the Box-Behnken response surface methodology (RSM) design, 15 analysis experiments with three factors and three levels are carried out. Obtain the rheological characteristics of the STF and regression equation between each factor, based on the three-dimensional response surface graph and F-value in ANOVA result. We found that among the interaction effects, the interaction between the continuous phase’s average molecular weight and the temperature has the most significant impact on the critical shear rate of the STF. The interaction between the silica particles’ mass fraction and the continuous phase’s average molecular weight significantly impacts the shear thickening ratio of the STF. The interaction between silica particles’ mass fraction and the temperature has the most significant impact on the maximum viscosity of the STF. Finally, according to the response surface methodology experimental results and ideal STF rheological characteristics standard in engineering applications, when the mass fraction of silica particles is 35%, the average molecular weight of the continuous phase is 387, and the temperature is 20 °C. The critical shear rate of the STF system is 5.84 1/s, the shear thickening ratio is 102.8, and the peak viscosity is 1191.7 Pa·s, reaching the optimal theoretical value within the value scope.

A Coordinated Public Health Laboratory Response to COVID-19 in Mali

Ability to rapidly and accurate diagnose pathogens during disease outbreaks is essential for public health. Diagnosis depends largely on laboratory capacity, which can be challenging in resource limited settings. We report Mali’s experience involving four research laboratories in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This coordinated effort leveraged the emerging infectious pathogens diagnostic capacity and partnerships built from the 2014/2015 Ebola outbreak. Since Mali’s first two COVID-19 cases in March 2020, 349,292 suspected cases were tested in the four Bamako laboratories as of July 31, 2021. Laboratory operation, safety considerations, diagnostic assays, and challenges are described herein from the perspective of a participating laboratory, the Mali University Clinical Research Center (UCRC). We also highlight additional roles of the UCRC laboratory in the COVID-19 response, including roll out of vaccination and research efforts. Mali’s readiness to detect the index cases early in the epidemic and continued response to the COVID-19 pandemic highlight the need for strengthening the critical role and capacity of clinical research laboratories for response to emerging infectious disease epidemics in Africa.