Smart Community and Social Resilience: Reflection on the COVID-19 Pandemic

This paper presents a study on how smart community in Singapore functioned to generate social resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic. As conventional community can no longer function amid social distancing and lockdown regulation, smart community began to fill the void that is left behind. The study demonstrated how smart community generated each of the six attributes of social resilience, which has greater importance given the disruption and distress brought about by the pandemic. The analysis revealed how smart community can function to not only maintain but also enhance social resilience. Implications of this study is then presented, with greater emphasis given to future research direction given the embryonic state of this research area. Considering the increasing need for smart community in the new normal of a post COVID-19 world, further research into how smart community may contribute to the social resilience of the community will be needed

Electronic Actuation of a Motorcycle Clutch

ME450 Capstone Design and Manufacturing Experience: Fall 2015The problem that the Michigan Formula SAE Racing Team would like to solve is how to reduce tire slip in straight-line acceleration situations. Solving this will result in faster acceleration times and more points in the competition. As per the sponsor’s request, the solution will be approached through the implementation of clutch-control, a form of launch control using a closed-loop system. The main user requirements of the project include generating at least 10 ft-lbs of torque, avoiding bending moment damage with a safety factor of 1.2, disassembling the system from the vehicle within 20 minutes, and creating a high speed system that can adjust the clutch within .02 seconds. These specifications were used to choose the AmpFlow A28-150 High Performance motor along with the MAE3 Absolute Magnetic Encoder Kit for the final design. A proof-of-concept electrical circuit that is connected to a small DC motor has been built that allows the system to drive current from the power source and protect the motor from backwards flowing current by implementing an opto-isolator. The controls model in Simulink has also been created where mock signals were run through the code to determine the program’s validity. When the motor was connected to the power source, the clutch lever could be actuated through its full range of motion proving that it could generate enough torque. Welding the truss onto the mounting frame resulted in minimal deflection which validated stiffness. In addition, the disassembling/assembling the system took two minutes, well under the limit. The next steps for this project would be to create a more robust circuit involving thicker wiring for the AmpFlow motor, determining coefficient for the PID controller, and testing vehicle lap times with the system integrated into the car to validate that the system results in faster acceleration times.http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/117348/1/ME450-F15-Project30-FinalReport.pd

Robust estimation of bacterial cell count from optical density

Optical density (OD) is widely used to estimate the density of cells in liquid culture, but cannot be compared between instruments without a standardized calibration protocol and is challenging to relate to actual cell count. We address this with an interlaboratory study comparing three simple, low-cost, and highly accessible OD calibration protocols across 244 laboratories, applied to eight strains of constitutive GFP-expressing E. coli. Based on our results, we recommend calibrating OD to estimated cell count using serial dilution of silica microspheres, which produces highly precise calibration (95.5% of residuals <1.2-fold), is easily assessed for quality control, also assesses instrument effective linear range, and can be combined with fluorescence calibration to obtain units of Molecules of Equivalent Fluorescein (MEFL) per cell, allowing direct comparison and data fusion with flow cytometry measurements: in our study, fluorescence per cell measurements showed only a 1.07-fold mean difference between plate reader and flow cytometry data

DNA methylation age of blood predicts all-cause mortality in later life

Background: DNA methylation levels change with age. Recent studies have identified biomarkers of chronological age based on DNA methylation levels. It is not yet known whether DNA methylation age captures aspects of biological age. Results: Here we test whether differences between people's chronological ages and estimated ages, DNA methylation age, predict all-cause mortality in later life. The difference between DNA methylation age and chronological age ({increment}age) was calculated in four longitudinal cohorts of older people. Meta-analysis of proportional hazards models from the four cohorts was used to determine the association between {increment}age and mortality. A 5-year higher {increment}age is associated with a 21% higher mortality risk, adjusting for age and sex. After further adjustments for childhood IQ, education, social class, hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and APOE e4 status, there is a 16% increased mortality risk for those with a 5-year higher {increment}age. A pedigree-based heritability analysis of {increment}age was conducted in a separate cohort. The heritability of {increment}age was 0.43. Conclusions: DNA methylation-derived measures of accelerated aging are heritable traits that predict mortality independently of health status, lifestyle factors, and known genetic factors

How Digital Platforms Enhance Urban Resilience

Throughout human history, natural and man-made disasters have devastated cities in unpredictable ways. Cities must therefore respond faster and better to minimize the risks posed by disasters. Nowadays, with the rapid development of communication technology, digital platforms are increasingly becoming an indispensable part of people’s lives; hence, they could become a new force for urban resilience. However, there are few studies on how digital platforms enhance urban resilience, so this paper attempts to use the method of CiteSpace (V.5.8.R3, 64 bit) scientometrics analysis and literature analysis to study the dimensions and trends of urban resilience, the role of digital platforms in the dimensions of urban resilience, especially focusing on how digital platforms impact on urban resilience during COVID-19. The results showed that there is considerable literature on natural disasters and infrastructure, but few papers discuss urban governance, knowledge systems, and social media. Furthermore, it is also found that digital platforms contributed to the enhancement of urban resilience in China and Singapore during COVID-19. These suggests that enhancing urban resilience through digital platforms can be a viable approach

How Digital Platforms Enhance Urban Resilience

Throughout human history, natural and man-made disasters have devastated cities in unpredictable ways. Cities must therefore respond faster and better to minimize the risks posed by disasters. Nowadays, with the rapid development of communication technology, digital platforms are increasingly becoming an indispensable part of people’s lives; hence, they could become a new force for urban resilience. However, there are few studies on how digital platforms enhance urban resilience, so this paper attempts to use the method of CiteSpace (V.5.8.R3, 64 bit) scientometrics analysis and literature analysis to study the dimensions and trends of urban resilience, the role of digital platforms in the dimensions of urban resilience, especially focusing on how digital platforms impact on urban resilience during COVID-19. The results showed that there is considerable literature on natural disasters and infrastructure, but few papers discuss urban governance, knowledge systems, and social media. Furthermore, it is also found that digital platforms contributed to the enhancement of urban resilience in China and Singapore during COVID-19. These suggests that enhancing urban resilience through digital platforms can be a viable approach

User Adaptation of Digital Platforms: A Conceptual Framework

The success of a digital platform depends on the number of users, as users co-create value in the ecosystem. However, users may use the platform in unintended ways. Hence, a good understanding of user adaptation of digital platform and its implications is imperative. Most IS studies on user adaptation focus on mandatory use of a system, which is different from the voluntary use of a digital platform. We propose a conceptual framework to examine user adaptation in digital platforms. This research-in-progress paper aims to conduct a case study of user adaptation in a newly-formed digital platform. Our study contributes to the limited research on user adaptation of digital platform, especially giving consideration to the effects upon the ecosystem. Findings can also inform developers in their design of digital platforms to encourage user participation and to cultivate a thriving user community to build and sustain an impactful digital platform ecosyste

Long-term survival with anlotinib as a front-line treatment in an elderly NSCLC patient: A case report

BackgroundHalf of the population of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients are older than 70 years and have limited therapeutic options due to poor tolerance and being excluded in most clinical trials. Anlotinib hydrochloride, a novel oral multi-target tyrosine kinase inhibitor, has been approved for the standard third-line treatment for NSCLC in China. Herein we report an elderly NSCLC patient without any driver gene mutations who was undergoing anlotinib as a front-line treatment and who achieved long-term survival.Case summaryThe 77-year-old male patient was admitted to the hospital for chest tightness after engaging in physical activity for a week. The patient has been diagnosed with stage IIIB driver gene-negative squamous cell lung carcinoma. After that, he was treated with anlotinib for 2 years and 10 months from the first diagnosis until the last disease progression. Briefly, anlotinib combined with platinum-based chemotherapy was performed as the first-line therapy over six cycles. After 6 more cycles of anlotinib monotherapy maintenance, disease progression occurred. Then, anlotinib combined with tegafur was administered as a salvage treatment, and the disease was controlled again. After 29 cycles of anlotinib combined with tegafur regimens, the disease progressed finally. The patient achieved a total of 34 months of progression-free survival after anlotinib was used as the front-line treatment. He is still alive with a good performance status now (performance status score: 1).ConclusionThis patient achieved long-term survival using anlotinib as a front-line regimen combined with chemotherapy

Prenatal air pollution exposure and ultrasound measures of fetal growth in Los Angeles, California

BackgroundFew previous studies examined the impact of prenatal air pollution exposures on fetal development based on ultrasound measures during pregnancy.MethodsIn a prospective birth cohort of more than 500 women followed during 1993-1996 in Los Angeles, California, we examined how air pollution impacts fetal growth during pregnancy. Exposure to traffic related air pollution was estimated using CALINE4 air dispersion modeling for nitrogen oxides (NOx) and a land use regression (LUR) model for nitrogen monoxide (NO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and NOx. Exposures to carbon monoxide (CO), NO2, ozone (O3) and particles <10μm in aerodynamic diameter (PM10) were estimated using government monitoring data. We employed a linear mixed effects model to estimate changes in fetal size at approximately 19, 29 and 37 weeks gestation based on ultrasound.ResultsExposure to traffic-derived air pollution during 29 to 37 weeks was negatively associated with biparietal diameter at 37 weeks gestation. For each interquartile range (IQR) increase in LUR-based estimates of NO, NO2 and NOx, or freeway CALINE4 NOx we estimated a reduction in biparietal diameter of 0.2-0.3mm. For women residing within 5km of a monitoring station, we estimated biparietal diameter reductions of 0.9-1.0mm per IQR increase in CO and NO2. Effect estimates were robust to adjustment for a number of potential confounders. We did not observe consistent patterns for other growth endpoints we examined.ConclusionsPrenatal exposure to traffic-derived pollution was negatively associated with fetal head size measured as biparietal diameter in late pregnancy