Integrated dataset for air travel and reported Zika virus cases in Colombia (Data and Resources Paper)

This open-access dataset provides consistent records of air travel volumes between 205 airport catchments in Colombia and the associated number of reported human cases of Zika virus within these catchments during the arbovirus outbreak between October 2015 and September 2016. We associated in this dataset the monthly air travel volumes provided by the Colombian Civil Aviation Authority (AEROCIVIL) with the reported human cases of Zika Virus published by The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). Our methodology consists of geocoding all the reported airports and identifying the catchment of each airport using the municipalities' boundaries since reported human cases of Zika Virus are available at the municipal level. In addition, we calculated the total population at risk in each airport catchment by combining the total population count in a catchment with the environmental suitability of the Aedes aegypti mosquito, the vector for the Zika virus. We separated the monthly air travel volumes into domestic and international based on the location of the origin airport. The current dataset includes the total air travel volumes of 23,539,364 passengers on domestic flights and 11,592,197 on international ones. We validated our dataset by comparing the monthly aggregated air travel volumes between airport catchments to those predicted by the gravity model. We hope the novel dataset will provide a resource to researchers studying the role of human mobility in the spread of mosquito-borne diseases and modeling disease spread in realistic networks

Failure of PCR to Detect Treponema pallidum ssp. pertenue DNA in Blood in Latent Yaws.

Yaws, caused by Treponema pallidum ssp. pertenue, is a neglected tropical disease closely related to venereal syphilis and is targeted for eradication by 2020. Latent yaws represents a diagnostic challenge, and current tools cannot adequately distinguish between individuals with true latent infection and individuals who are serofast following successful treatment. PCR on blood has previously been shown to detect T. pallidum DNA in patients with syphilis, suggesting that this approach may be of value in yaws. We performed real-time PCR for Treponema pallidum ssp. pertenue on blood samples from 140 children with positive T. pallidum Particle Agglutination (TPPA) and Rapid Plasma Reagin (RPR) tests and 7 controls (negative serology), all collected as part of a prospective study of yaws in the Solomon Islands. All samples were also tested by a nested PCR for T. pallidum. 12 patients had clinical evidence of active yaws whilst 128 were considered to have latent yaws. 43 children had high titre rapid plasma reagins (RPRs) of ≥1:32. PCR testing with both assays gave negative results in all cases. It is possible that the failure to detect T. pallidum ssp. pertenue in blood reflects lower loads of organism in latent yaws compared to those in latent infection with T. pallidum ssp. pertenue, and/or a lower propensity for haematogenous dissemination in yaws than in syphilis. As the goal of the yaws control programme is eradication, a tool that can differentiate true latent infection from individuals who are serofast would be of value; however, PCR of blood is not that tool

Exploring the impact of an evolving war and terror blogosphere on traditional media coverage of conflict

This article analyses the evolution of a war and terror blogosphere between 2001 and 2011. It identifies seven areas where blogs and related online genres could provide ‘alternative’ accounts to traditional media narratives of conflict. The article also assesses the challenges and opportunities of blogs in each area from the perspective of the working journalist in order to deepen our understanding of the changing influence of blogs on traditional media narratives of conflict. Parallel accounts and interpretations of conflict will collaborate and compete in a war and terror blogosphere in the future, but it has been significantly influenced by the adoption of blogging by military actors since 2008. The war and terror blogosphere is no longer a relatively unmonitored online space which is having an impact on both the production of ‘alternative’ accounts of conflict and the incorporation of these accounts into traditional journalism

Statistical analysis of climatological data to characterize erosion potential : 1. precipitation events in western Oregon

Periods of precipitation with certain combinations of characteristics (e.g„ high intensity rainfall on saturated soil) can lead to appreciable soil loss in western Oregon. In order to assign realistic probabilities to the occurrence of these periods for use in predicting long-term erosion rates, a soil erosion-specific definition of a precipitation event is applied to more than 31 years of hourly wet season precipitation data from Portland, Salem, and Eugene, Oregon. The values of nine characteristics (duration, magnitude, average intensity, maximum intensity, hours between events, and four measures of antecedent rainfall) that are associated with each event are examined. The statistical analysis of the precipitation event characteristics includes consideration of the marginal distributions and order and return statistics of the individual characteristics as well as joint and conditional distributions of several pairs of characteristics. The order and return statistics provide information about extreme values of individual characteristics, whereas the probabilities of occurrence of some combinations of characteristics are estimated by the joint distributions. Examination of the conditional distributions suggests the types of relationships that exist among the characteristics. The results of these analyses provide general information regarding the types of precipitation events that occur in western Oregon as well as estimates of specific probabilities that are important in the modeling and forecasting of soil erosion in this region.Published October 1984. Facts and recommendations in this publication may no longer be valid. Please look for up-to-date information in the OSU Extension Catalog: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalo

Haemophilus ducreyi Cutaneous Ulcer Strains Are Nearly Identical to Class I Genital Ulcer Strains

BACKGROUND: Although cutaneous ulcers (CU) in the tropics is frequently attributed to Treponema pallidum subspecies pertenue, the causative agent of yaws, Haemophilus ducreyi has emerged as a major cause of CU in yaws-endemic regions of the South Pacific islands and Africa. H. ducreyi is generally susceptible to macrolides, but CU strains persist after mass drug administration of azithromycin for yaws or trachoma. H. ducreyi also causes genital ulcers (GU) and was thought to be exclusively transmitted by microabrasions that occur during sex. In human volunteers, the GU strain 35000HP does not infect intact skin; wounds are required to initiate infection. These data led to several questions: Are CU strains a new variant of H. ducreyi or did they evolve from GU strains? Do CU strains contain additional genes that could allow them to infect intact skin? Are CU strains susceptible to azithromycin? METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: To address these questions, we performed whole-genome sequencing and antibiotic susceptibility testing of 5 CU strains obtained from Samoa and Vanuatu and 9 archived class I and class II GU strains. Except for single nucleotide polymorphisms, the CU strains were genetically almost identical to the class I strain 35000HP and had no additional genetic content. Phylogenetic analysis showed that class I and class II strains formed two separate clusters and CU strains evolved from class I strains. Class I strains diverged from class II strains ~1.95 million years ago (mya) and CU strains diverged from the class I strain 35000HP ~0.18 mya. CU and GU strains evolved under similar selection pressures. Like 35000HP, the CU strains were highly susceptible to antibiotics, including azithromycin. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: These data suggest that CU strains are derivatives of class I strains that were not recognized until recently. These findings require confirmation by analysis of CU strains from other regions

Statistical analysis of climatological data to characterize erosion potential: 5. joint precipitation and freezing events in Western Oregon

When precipitation falls on frozen soil, serious soil loss can occur. In order to assign realistic probabilities to the occurrence of this condition for use in predicting erosion rates over long time periods, a technique for combining characteristics of precipitation and air temperature records is applied to more than 31 years of hourly, wet season data from Portland, Salem, and Eugene, Oregon. Periods of overlapping precipitation and freezing air temperature events are combined into clusters and the values of thirteen characteristics that are associated with each cluster are examined. The statistical analysis of the cluster characteristics includes discussions of the marginal distributions and order statistics of the individual characteristics as well as joint distributions of several pairs of characteristics. The order statistics provide information about extreme values of individual characteristics (e.g., minimum temperature) whereas the probabilities of occurrence of certain combinations of characteristics (e.g., precipitation amount and freeze index) are estimated by the joint distributions. The results of these analyses provide information regarding the types of precipitation events that occur in combination with freezing air temperatures in western Oregon as well as estimates of specific probabilities that are important in the modeling and forecasting of soil erosion in this region.Published March 1984. Facts and recommendations in this publication may no longer be valid. Please look for up-to-date information in the OSU Extension Catalog: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalo

Statistical analysis of climatological data to characterize erosion potential : 4. freezing events in eastern Oregon/Washington

The occurrence of frozen soil has a major effect on runoff and soil loss in the Pacific Northwest. Hence, information regarding the probabilities of occurrence of periods during which the soil may be frozen is necessary in order to adequately forecast long-term erosion rates for this region. In order to assign realistic probabilities to the occurrence of these periods, a long record of hourly surface air temperature data from Pendleton in eastern Oregon and Walla Walla in eastern Washington are summarized in terms of freezing events. The values of several characteristics of freezing events which may be useful for predicting soil frost occurrence are examined. The statistical analysis of the freezing event characteristics includes consideration of the marginal distributions and order and return statistics of the individual characteristics as well as joint and conditional distributions of several pairs of characteristics. The order and return statistics provide information about extreme values of individual characteristics, whereas the probabilities of occurrence of some combinations of characteristics are estimated by the joint distributions. Examination of the conditional distributions suggests the types of relationships that exist among the characteristics. The results of these analyses provide general information regarding the types of freezing events that occur in eastern Oregon and eastern Washington as well as estimates of specific probabilities that are important in the modeling and forecasting of soil erosion in this region.Published October 1984. Facts and recommendations in this publication may no longer be valid. Please look for up-to-date information in the OSU Extension Catalog: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalo

Statistical analysis of climatological data to characterize erosion potential : 6. joint precipitation and freezing events in eastern Oregon/Washington

When precipitation falls on frozen soil, serious soil loss can occur. In order to assign realistic probabilities to the occurrence of this condition for use in predicting erosion rates over long time periods, a technique for combining characteristics of precipitation and air temperature records is applied to hourly wet season data from Pendleton, Oregon and Walla Walla, Washington. Periods of overlapping precipitation and freezing air temperature events are combined into clusters and the values of thirteen characteristics that are associated with each cluster are examined. The statistical analyses of the cluster characteristics include discussions of the marginal distributions and order statistics of the individual characteristics as well as joint distributions of several pairs of characteristics. The order statistics provide information about extreme values of individual characteristics (e.g., minimum temperature) whereas the probabilities of occurrence of certain combinations of characteristics (e.g., precipitation amount and freeze index) are estimated by the joint distributions. The results of these analyses provide information regarding the types of precipitation events that occur in combination with freezing air temperatures in eastern Oregon and Washington as well as estimates of specific probabilities that are important in the modeling and forecasting of soil erosion in this region.Published April 1984. Facts and recommendations in this publication may no longer be valid. Please look for up-to-date information in the OSU Extension Catalog: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalo