Epidemic Cities

This introductory article presents the objectives, scope and contents of the Special Issue titled Labor Migration and Commodity Production in Africa: Global Entanglements. By congregating a diverse team of scholars from Brazil, Turkey, Germany, France, the United States, and Cameroon, all at different stages of their careers, this Special Issue seeks to build upon current trends in the fields of Global and African History to expand our current understanding of the centrality of African subjects in the making of the contemporary, densely globalized yet deeply unequal world. This introduction sets the theoretical framework that guided our call for papers, summarizes the key findings of each article, and situate their individual contributions within the topics related to the agency of African subjects in the creation of increasingly interconnected societies. We argue that the articles in this Special Issue offer a path to further strengthen and expand both fields of African and Global History by incorporating the analysis of understudied sources from diverse linguistic backgrounds, such as Arabic, Turkish, Portuguese and German, as well as legal documents produced by contemporary African states.

Temporary aquatic environments are widespread in the world, and although there are considerable regional differences in their type and method of formation they have many physical, chemical and biological properties in common. With the aim to increase knowledge of urban temporary pool fauna, the objectives of this work were to assess the seasonal patterns of species composition, richness, and diversity of the aquatic insect community inhabiting rain pools in urban temperate Argentina, and to identify the environmental variables associated to these patterns. Four temporary pools of an urban green space in Buenos Aires City were studied throughout a 1-year period. Eleven flood cycles with very varied hydroperiods and dry periods, mainly associated with rainfall, were identified. Insect species richness in these temporary urban pools, 86 taxa were documented, was found to be within the range reported for wild temporary water bodies of other regions of the world. The present results provide evidence for the existence of a clear link between habitat and community variability. Hydroperiod and seasonality were the main environmental factors involved in structuring the insect communities of the studied water bodies. Urban pools in green spaces have the potential to act to its dwellers like corridors through the urban matrix. Taking into account these characteristics and their accessibility, urban temporary pools can be considered as promising habitats for the study of ecological processes involving the insect community.

Jenny Pronczuk de Garbino: A Global Champion for Children’s Health

Background: Integrative conjugative elements (ICEs) play a significant role in the dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes among Vibrio cholerae strains. However, there are currently no standardized methods for ICE typing that allow for the analysis of large genomic datasets. Aim: To conduct a comparative analysis of ICE sequences in Vibrio cholerae strains of various origins and to develop an algorithm for their typing. Materials and methods: The study utilized whole-genome sequencing data from 120 toxigenic (ctxAB+tcpA+) V. cholerae O1 El Tor strains obtained using the MiSeq platform (Illumina, USA) and MinION platform (Oxford Nanopore, UK), as well as data from NCBI databases (1,886 genomes) and the European Nucleotide Archive (441 strains). The software for ICE detection and typing was developed in Java (version 11.0.13) and is available at: http://antiplague.ru/ice-genotyper/. Results: A comparative analysis of ICE elements in toxigenic V. cholerae strains was performed. An ICE typing algorithm based on gene composition was proposed. Analysis of the V. cholerae genome collection revealed three previously undescribed ICE elements, designated ICEVchRus1, ICEVchHai3, and ICEVchLaos. Conclusions: The study identified three previously undescribed ICE elements and mapped their distribution across Russia and other regions of the world. It was established that during the cholera outbreak in Dagestan in 1994, strains containing ICEVchBan11 and ICEVchBan9 were circulating simultaneously.

The causative agent of cholera, Vibrio cholerae, has been shown to be autochthonous to riverine, estuarine, and coastal waters along with its host, the copepod, a significant member of the zooplankton community. Temperature, salinity, rainfall and plankton have proven to be important factors in the ecology of V. cholerae, influencing the transmission of the disease in those regions of the world where the human population relies on untreated water as a source of drinking water. In this study, the pattern of cholera outbreaks during 1998-2006 in Kolkata, India, and Matlab, Bangladesh, and the earth observation data were analyzed with the objective of developing a prediction model for cholera. Satellite sensors were used to measure chlorophyll a concentration (CHL) and sea surface temperature (SST). In addition, rainfall data were obtained from both satellite and in situ gauge measurements. From the analyses, a statistically significant relationship between the time series for cholera in Kolkata, India, and CHL and rainfall anomalies was determined. A statistically significant one month lag was observed between CHL anomaly and number of cholera cases in Matlab, Bangladesh. From the results of the study, it is concluded that ocean and climate patterns are useful predictors of cholera epidemics, with the dynamics of endemic cholera being related to climate and/or changes in the aquatic ecosystem. When the ecology of V. cholerae is considered in predictive models, a robust early warning system for cholera in endemic regions of the world can be developed for public health planning and decision making.

Distance education is a growing trend in all regions of the world. There are more than 850 institutions around the world delivering education at a distance (Alsunbul, 2002; D'Orise & Day, 2006). Distance education is also one of the fastest growing areas in higher education. Enrollments have increased tremendously since 1995 (Hunter, 2007). The majority of distance learners are adult women (Hunter, 2007). There are more than 3.48 million online students in the United States and probably more than 10 million enrolled students who receive distance education services across the world (Storey & Tebes, 2008).Distance education has a very short history in the Arab world (Al Otaibi & Abdul Gani, n.d.). Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, and Zvacek (2009) explained that changes in society, politics, economics, and technologies have a major influence on the status of distance education. However, learners in rural areas perceive distance education as a hope and an opportunity to achieve their goals. Lorenzetti (2007) defined the world of distance education as a means to observe how online learning can help students manage geographic distance and time to pursue an education. Distance education aims to release the pressure on the traditional institutions and to make higher education available to employed students who cannot attend face-to-face classes (Salah, 1992).There are three modes of open and distance learning institutions in the Arab world:The articles in this section present different aspects of distance education in the Middle East including cultural difference in distance education between Arab and American distance learners, evaluating e-learning in Jordanian institutions, and the needs of distance learning at the Palestinian institutions.Aisha S. Al-Harthi from Sultan Qaboos University conducted a study entitled “Cultural Differences in Transactional Distance Preference by Arab and American Distance Learners.” Her study investigated the cultural differences between Arab and American distance learners' preference. Aspects of Moore's (1997) transactional distance theory were investigated in Al-Harthi's study including structure and interaction. The finding from Al-Harthi's study supported that instructional design and student support in distance education programs are the key to learners' success culture-wise.Ahmad Mashhour and Zakaria Saleh from the Yarmouk University conducted an evaluation study entitled “Evaluating E-Learning in Jordanian Institutions: Why is it Lagging?” The deployment and the progress of distance education (e-learning) were evaluated in this study to find the rationales behind the lack in utilizing technology to deliver education. The findings of this study showed general acceptance of distance education in Jordan. However, there are numerous obstacles that hold back the advancement of e-learning in Jordan such as inadequate infrastructure, lack of government support, and higher education senior management.Yousef Abuzir from Al-Quds Open University conducted a study entitled “Needs and Context of ODL at Palestinian Institutions.” Abuzir, in this study, investigated the needs and challenges of open and distance learning (ODL) for institutions, staffs and students at the Palestinian universities. Furthermore, Abuzir recommended, in this study, implementing the necessary infrastructure and services that will support successful open education delivery.The Arab region is considered a late adopter of distance education; nevertheless, some Arab countries have had some experience in this innovative development (Alsunbul, 2002).Distance education is important to many learners in the Middle East; it could support the evidence that distance education is a solution to overcome educational barriers. Closer attention is needed to improve instructional design so it can fit students' needs internationally.

Fire is a critical component of the Earth system, and substantially influences land surface, climate change, and ecosystem dynamics. To accurately predict the fire regimes in the 21st century, it is essential to understand the historical fire patterns and recognize the interaction among fire, human, and environment factors. Until now, few efforts are put on the studies regarding to the long‐term fire reconstruction and the attribution analysis of anthropogenic and environmental factors to fire regimes at global scale. To fill this knowledge gap, we developed a 0.5° × 0.5° data set of global burned area from 1901 to 2007 by coupling Global Fire Emission Database version 3 with a process‐based fire model and conducted factorial simulation experiments to evaluate the impacts of human, climate, and atmospheric components. The average global burned area is ~442 × 104 km2 yr−1during 1901–2007 and our results suggest a notable declining rate of burned area globally (1.28 × 104 km2 yr−1). Burned area in tropics and extratropics exhibited a significant declining trend, with no significant trend detected at high latitudes. Factorial experiments indicated that human activities were the dominant factor in determining the declining trend of burned area in tropics and extratropics, and climate variation was the primary factor controlling the decadal variation of burned area at high latitudes. Elevated CO2and nitrogen deposition enhanced burned area in tropics and southern extratropics but suppressed fire occurrence at high latitudes. Rising temperature and frequent droughts are becoming increasingly important and expected to increase wildfire activity in many regions of the world.

IntroductionSince 1947, Zika virus has been identified sporadically in humans in Africa and Asia; however, clinically consequential Zika virus disease had not been documented prior to the current outbreak in...

Currently, in cities in different regions of the world, forest bathing (FB) is considered a practice to promote public health in vulnerable groups, such as the elderly, who have a higher risk of hypertension. This practice has had limited development in Latin American countries, and therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the benefits of forest baths on blood pressure and heart rate in a group of older adults in Guadalajara, Mexico. A program of six sessions was designed, the first to welcome and recognize the natural environment of the urban forest and the other five dedicated to each of the senses (hearing, touch, smell, sight, and taste), using the methodology of the Forest Therapy Hub (FTHub). The type of study was observational (before and after) with a single group, where the participants’ blood pressure and heart rate were evaluated. The results obtained showed significant effects of FB on reduction in high systolic blood pressure and diastolic hypertension before and after FB, with no significance on heart rate. Forest baths can be considered as an alternative strategy to manage the risk of hypertension in older adults, due to their ability to induce relaxation and normalize blood pressure levels.

Segregation is a particular residential distribution of the city's population whereby members of a particular population category are not distributed uniformly across space in relation to the rest of the population. Research has focused on groups whose spatial separation was perceived as a social or political problem, such as racial or ethnic minorities, the poor, and the lower categories in established social hierarchies. The levels and patterns of segregation are a spatial configuration of social and ethnic stratification, mediated by national and local institutional arrangements in the allocation of land and housing. Comparisons were initially informed by an evolutionary perspective seeking to identify a common segregation path across cities in different regions of the world. Recent theorizations attempt to understand how historical contingencies and path dependency shape the diverse outcomes of global economic restructuring, rising income inequality, and transnational migration.

Due to the spillover nature of air pollution, the territorial separate governance mode is ineffective in combating pollution, making Joint Prevention and Control of Air Pollution (JPCAP) among multiple regions the only viable option. However, determining the appropriate scopes and priorities for JPCAP is known to be a challenging and significant issue. To address this, we propose a new two-stage hybrid model. In the first stage, making use of long-term, wide area monitoring data provided by the air pollution monitoring network, we propose a new method for subdividing large regions into sub-regions by using data mining techniques. In the second stage, we propose a comprehensive decision-making framework to evaluate the priorities of JPCAP sub-regions from three different perspectives, namely, the impact of a sub-region on the pollution level of the entire target region, as well as the urgency and elasticity of sub-regional air pollution control. A case study is conducted on 27 cities of the Yangtze River Delta region of China. The case study demonstrates the validity and practicality of the proposed two-stage hybrid model. This work provides a viable tool for the effective implementation of air pollution control in China and other regions of the world.

Smart city development Models: A cross-cultural regional analysis from theory to practice

In this chapter the competitiveness of Accra, Ghana, is compared to cities in other regions of the world. Integrating the resource-based view of the firm with other perspectives, the study theorizes the city as a bundle of resources including knowledge and capabilities that can confer some advantages on firms located within it. The study utilizes data from the World Bank Enterprise Surveys to validate the arguments, bringing to the fore issues of resource advantages within specific locations, especially cities. In doing so, it makes a significant contribution, establishing a link between location theory (agglomeration and industrial complexes), the new economic geography, the new growth theory and resource-based theory (including capabilities).

Urban Heat Islands (UHI) pose a significant challenge for tropical cities, especially as global temperatures continue to rise. Despite the prevalence of this problem, medium-sized cities in tropical regions remain underrepresented in UHI studies compared to large cities in temperate climates. This study aimed to characterize the UHI effect in a rapidly growing medium-sized city in a tropical region, which has experienced unplanned urban sprawl. Temperature data were collected using data loggers in ten distinct areas of the city. The results revealed a pronounced UHI effect, with higher intensities in the city center and lower intensities in areas with native vegetation. During the dry season, extreme UHI effects (> 6°C) were observed 10% of the time, with strong UHI effects (4°C-6°C) present 50% of the month. In contrast, during the wet season, moderate UHI effects (2°C-4°C) were recorded only 15% of the time. A strong correlation was identified between land use, particularly vegetation cover, and UHI intensity. This study not only sheds light on the dynamics of UHI in this specific tropical city, but also offers relevant insights for other mid-sized cities in similar tropical contexts around the world. The findings provide valuable knowledge for the development of adaptation and mitigation strategies in urban planning, which can be applied globally to cities facing rapid urbanization in hot climates. Furthermore, this research contributes to the advancement of UHI analysis methodologies that can be replicated in tropical and temperate cities, building on previous studies conducted in Brazil and other regions of the world.

According to published data, there are differences in the registered incidence of chronic Ph-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) in some regions of the world. In this study, for the first time, we compare the Ph- MPN incidence in the regions of Belarus in order to determine the regional features.It was shown that for the period 2014-2018 the highest rates of standardized incidence of polycythemia vera were noted in the Brest region – 1,17 and Minsk – 1,11, the lowest incidence rate was determined in the Vitebsk region – 0,68 per 100,000 population per year, p<0,05. The maximum incidence rates of essential thrombocythemia were recorded in Minsk city – 1,04 and Gomel region – 0,86, which is significantly higher than in Minsk region – 0,27, Vitebsk region – 0,35 and Grodno region – 0,44 per 100 000 population per year. The highest incidence rates of primary myelofibrosis were noted in Gomel – 0,63 and Vitebsk regions – 0,53, they were significantly higher than in Grodno – 0,14 and Minsk regions – 0,24 per 100 000 population per year.Differences in the incidence of Ph-MPN between the regions of Belarus were revealed, while the overall incidence rates in Minsk city, Gomel, Brest and Mogilev regions exceeded those in Vitebsk, Grodno and Minsk regions. In addition, variation in incidence rates for individual nosologies was noted. The information obtained can be used to make management decisions when organizing medical observation and treatment of patients with Ph- MPN in Belarus.