CDC - a hit and a miss

Speaking of the CDC, I've posted on this before but it's worthy of a repost.


Wonder why Zombies, Zombie Apocalypse, and Zombie Preparedness continue to live or walk dead on a CDC web site? As it turns out what first began as a tongue in cheek campaign to engage new audiences with preparedness messages has proven to be a very effective platform. We continue to reach and engage a wide variety of audiences on all hazards preparedness via Zombie Preparedness; and as our own director, Dr. Ali Khan, notes, "If you are generally well equipped to deal with a zombie apocalypse you will be prepared for a hurricane, pandemic, earthquake, or terrorist attack."

The graphic novel, "Preparedness 101: Zombie Pandemic" demonstrates the importance of being prepared in an entertaining way that people of all ages will enjoy. Readers follow Todd, Julie, and their dog Max as a strange new disease begins spreading, turning ordinary people into zombies. Stick around to the end for a surprising twist that will drive home the importance of being prepared for any emergency. Included in the novel is a Preparedness Checklist so that readers can get their family, workplace, or school ready before disaster strikes. You can also download the novella on Google books here or download a printable pdf version here.

The CDC got lots of press for addressing the zombie issue and it seemed to be well received. Unfortunately they decided to follow up with the CDC's guide to surviving your wedding day. Worst. Sequel. Ever. (and no longer available at their website although you can find it at the Internet Archive if you really must)

Zombie preparedness

You may remember the Center for Disease Control's tongue-in-cheek guide to surviving a zombie pandemic from last year. I thought it was a good idea, capturing people's interest in an entertaining way and teaching them a little about diseases and, more importantly, disaster preparedness.

Our graphic novel, "Preparedness 101: Zombie Pandemic" demonstrates the importance of being prepared in an entertaining way that people of all ages will enjoy. Readers follow Todd, Julie, and their dog Max as a strange new disease begins spreading, turning ordinary people into zombies. Stick around to the end for a surprising twist that will drive home the importance of being prepared for any emergency. Included in the novel is a Preparedness Checklist so that readers can get their family, workplace, or school ready before disaster strikes. Click on the image below to view the novella. A transcript can be found by clicking on the “accessible text” PDF. You can also download the novella on Google books here or download a printable pdf versions here.

They got lots of press for it and it seemed to be received well. Unfortunately they decided to follow up with the CDC's guide to surviving your wedding day. Worst. Sequel. Ever.

Friday videos

If you were unable to make class today here are two videos you missed. Plus a bonus video at the end if you already saw these two.





The last video shows a horsehair worm (Nematomorpha) exiting from its host.  The larvae live inside the insect and absorb nutrients directly through their skin. The adults are mostly free living in freshwater or marine environments

In Spinochordodes tellinii, which has grasshoppers and crickets as its larval host, the infection acts on the insect's brain and causes it to seek water and drown itself, thus returning the nematomorph to water. They are also able to survive the predation of their host, being able to wriggle out of the predator that has eaten the host! This manipulation of the host is documented here: Do hairworms (Nematomorpha) manipulate the water seeking behaviour of their terrestrial hosts?

S Z R Models

It seems somehow appropriate to reanimate this blog post from last year

I introduced the basic SIR model for a simple epidemic to you. this model actually has a long history and was first described by Kermack and McKendrick in 1927.

As I indicated this model has since been expanded to include virtually every disease scenario you can imagine.

Last year a group of Canadian mathematicians used this SIR format as the basis for an analysis of a zombie epidemic. Their paper: WHEN ZOMBIES ATTACK!: MATHEMATICAL MODELLING OF AN OUTBREAK OF ZOMBIE INFECTION ) - somehow it seemed appropriate to keep that in capitals) - describes a model that should look basically familiar to you.

Notice in their S Z R model (Z for Zombie of course) there are two extra transitions - from R back to Z (reanimation of the dead is well established in the zombie movie genre) and a movement directly from S to R (non zombie related death).

This is, perhaps unsurprisingly, the first mathematical analysis of an outbreak of zombie infection. While the scenarios considered are obviously not realistic, it is nevertheless instructive to develop mathematical models for an unusual outbreak. This demonstrates the flexibility of mathematical modelling and shows how modelling can respond to a wide variety of challenges in ‘biology’.

In summary, a zombie outbreak is likely to lead to the collapse of civilisation, unless it is dealt with quickly. While aggressive quarantine may contain the epidemic, or a cure may lead to coexistence of humans and zombies, the most effective way to contain the rise of the undead is to hit hard and hit often. As seen in the movies, it is imperative that zombies are dealt with quickly, or else we are all in a great deal of trouble.

Diseases are Fun!: Infectonator : World Dominator

Infectonator


It's a game about zombies.

A very simple game, in fact. Point on the screen near a group of people, and those nearby will become zombies (most of the time). Helpful hint: try to infect stronger enemies like police, soldiers, gangsters, terrorists, or Eskimos.

   Upgrade them to make them stronger, faster, and more infectious. Also included are "special" zombies like undead Ronald McDonald and Colonel Sanders.

   Starting in Africa, Spread your Infection across the globe to places like Tokyo, New York( where you can attempt to Infect Spider-Man), and the North Poll (where you can unlock Zombie Santa).

Enjoy!

S Z R Models

I introduced the basic SIR model for a simple epidemic to you. this model actually has a long history and was first described by Kermack and McKendrick in 1927.

As I indicated this model has since been expanded to include virtually every disease scenario you can imagine.

Last year a group of Canadian mathematicians used this SIR format as the basis for an analysis of a zombie epidemic. Their paper: WHEN ZOMBIES ATTACK!: MATHEMATICAL MODELLING OF AN OUTBREAK OF ZOMBIE INFECTION ) - somehow it seemed appropriate to keep that in capitals) - describes a model that should look basically familiar to you.

Notice in their S Z R model (Z for Zombie of course) there are two extra transitions - from R back to Z (reanimation of the dead is well established in the zombie movie genre) and a movement directly from S to R (non zombie related death).

This is, perhaps unsurprisingly, the first mathematical analysis of an outbreak of zombie infection. While the scenarios considered are obviously not realistic, it is nevertheless instructive to develop mathematical models for an unusual outbreak. This demonstrates the flexibility of mathematical modelling and shows how modelling can respond to a wide variety of challenges in ‘biology’.

In summary, a zombie outbreak is likely to lead to the collapse of civilisation, unless it is dealt with quickly. While aggressive quarantine may contain the epidemic, or a cure may lead to coexistence of humans and zombies, the most effective way to contain the rise of the undead is to hit hard and hit often. As seen in the movies, it is imperative that zombies are dealt with quickly, or else we are all in a great deal of trouble.

When Zombies attack

A strange increase in Zombie related news lately. First, a number of news outlets have picked up on the publication of a paper entitled 'When zombies attack!: Mathematical Modelling of an Outbreak of Zombie Infection.' For example there's a BBC article entitled 'Science ponders 'zombie attack' and a CBC Canada artcile entitled 'Zombie attack would be the death of us'. Venturing into the blogosphere reveals some criticisms of the model eg here and here. The model, by the way, should look familiar to you since it's a pretty basic SIR model.

I like the fact one of the authors is named Professor Robert Smith? - the question mark is part of his surname and not a typographical mistake.

Also making headlines, in the LA Times at least is the success of 'Pride and Prejudice and Zombies', a surprise bestseller with '85% Austen's original text and 15% brand-new blood and guts'. I bumped into this in Goleta library the other day. I must admit the premise is amusing and the cover is excellent but I found the joke wearing a bit thin after a few pages. Maybe I'll wait for the sequel: Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters (no, really, that is the title of the next book).

Even Austen purists admit a grudging admiration for the "Zombies" concept.
"In publishing terms, it's brilliant," said Claire Harman, a Columbia University professor and author of "Jane's Fame: How Jane Austen Conquered the World."
"Why did I spend three years writing a critical book on Austen? Why didn't I just think of that?"