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Proposal of the Construction of the Asian-Oceanic
Avian Influenza Comprehensive Information System

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Background
Avian Influenza (AI) is an acute and highly infectious disease of birds caused by any of several strains of orthomyxo viruses, categorized as type A contagion by World Organization for Animal Health (OIE). AI has many different subtypes, among which, the highly pathologic subtypes of H5 and H7 bring most seriously damage to human beings. Since 1959, there have been 40 outbreaks of highly pathologic avian influenza, 31 of which occurred in 1990s. Particularly, since the end of 2003, many reports on the outbreak of highly pathologic avian influenza caused by H5N1 subtype have come out in succession in Korea and Japan. Subsequently, H5N1 inducted avian influenza struck such east-Asian countries as Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia and tended to spread. In 2005, the reports on AI epidemic situation have been issued in many regions throughout the world, some of which are on the infection and death of human (mostly caused by H5N1 subtype), especially in Asian countries.

World Health Organization (WHO), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) are appealing to all the countries and regions in the world to unite to prevent the spread and dissemination of AI. Many countries have taken measures to control the spread of AI. In China, in addition to the measures adopted by the government and the health organizations, Chinese Academy of Science also cooperates with the Ministry of Agriculture and China Agriculture University to establish ¡°the Avian Influenza alarming and predicting system¡±, which implements the epidemiologic and ecological researches and investigations on AI virus based on AI basic database, and sets up comprehensive information and alarming and predicting system of AI.

Due to various political and economic factors, the information about AI epidemic situation and the disease mostly fall into confidential information or incompletely exoteric information in most of the countries. Furthermore, AI is under the supervision of several international organizations such as WTO, FAO and OIE. All these result in the failure of the transparency and sharing of the AI¡¡information. Obviously, this is bad for the AI epidemic situation and controlling of the disease, and even worse for the implementation of the scientific research on AI, such as the diagnosis technology, method of prevention, therapy as well as the pharmaceutical research, etc.

Therefore, it is desirable to set up a new organization that aims at serving for AI scientific researches, within which the AI specimens, samples and varied scientific research data and achievements can be fully shared. In order to realize the global sharing of AI information resources and the scientific research achievements, it is necessary to develop an efficient and integrated system of global AI comprehensive information to provide the scientists engaged in the work of AI prevention and therapy with a platform for exchange and cooperation. In addition, on account of the extraordinarily severe situation of AI in Asian-Pacific region and the frequent reports of human infection and death in this area, it is especially of significance to establish the Asian-Pacific AI comprehensive information system. We should make the best of the AI specimens to implement such researches as AI bioinformatics, the diagnosis technology, method of prevention, therapy, as well as the pharmaceutical research, then move forward to employ these scientific achievements worldwide so as to contribute to the steady development of livestock agriculture and the improvement of human health.

Objectives
1. To establish the mechanism and platform of scientific research on Avian Influenza in Asian-pacific region; to formulate metadata standards of the Avian Influenza information resource and descriptive language; to develop the data model for Avian Influenza database; to integrate and conform the information resource of the Avian Influenza in Asian-pacific region; and to set up a distributed, general and scientific system for the Avian Influenza database.

2. On the basis of Avian Influenza database, using the research method of associating Spatial information technology with epidemiology to analyze the spatial and temporal distribution characteristics as well as its influencing factors of Avian Influenza, to study and establish regional or even global data model for the spreading of Avian Influenza and to bring the model database of spreading into existence.

3. By means of super computer and gridding technology to establish a comprehensive information system gateway for Avian Influenza in Asian-pacific region based on the Avian Influenza database and the model database of spreading, so as to realize the dissemination and sharing of the information and to promote the inter-disciplinary and inter-regional cooperation and exchange between scientists.

Main Tasks
The comprehensive information system for Avian Influenza in Asian-pacific region is a joint research project which is inter-disciplinary and inter-regional. Through this joint project, the Asian-pacific nations can develop the mechanism and platform of scientific research on Avian Influenza; they can also study and formulate standards of the Avian Influenza information resource to guide the establishment of Avian Influenza database and to exploit the comprehensive information system gateway for Avian Influenza in Asian-pacific region on the basis of Avian Influenza database. Every participant country can ground on this system to carry on their basic scientific research on AI, bioinformatics comprehensive analysis and AI alarming and predicting system. The picture below illustrates the main contents of the research. 

1. The study and formulation of the standards
In order to realize the integration, conformity and sharing of the AI information resource, we will study and formulate the international AI information resource data standards, metadata standards as well as the standards for data services and interface, and provide the establishment of a integral, normative and systematic system for the AI scientific data in participant countries with technical support and normative instructions, the following standards are developed:

    1. Metadata standards of the AI information resource and descriptive language: to analyze the contents and characteristics of various AI data resources, formulating the metadata standards of the AI data resources under the requirement of the integrated application of the resources, and further developing the standards into a descriptive language of the AI resources based on XML technology, which can be directly employed in the organization, management, discovery and application of AI information resources, so as to realize the integration of the resources.
    2. The AI database model and data standards: for the good of the integration and application of the AI database, to analyze the content standards for AI database, and to establish the data model and data standards for the AI database, using them to directly conduct and apply to the construction of the AI database.
    3. Uniform resource access interface of the AI information resources: to set down the standards and protocol for the access interface of the AI information resources on the basis of gridding and web services technology, including the descriptive standard of interface, the data code form as well as the data exchange form, etc.
    4. To study and formulate the regulation on submitting, integrating and sharing of the AI data, and to study and formulate the quality control and evaluation methods for the produce, storage, exchange, transmission and sharing of the AI data.

2. The development of information resources
Under the guidance of the above standards, we will integrate and conform AI basic database£¬ gradually establish a general and scientific system for the AI database by adopting distributed technology, analyze AI data by virtue of object-oriented and data mining technologies, and build up linkage between different databases. The development of following data resources is aimed to be achieved:

  1. Viral resource database of AI: providing AI virus strain information, including source, nomenclature, morphology, sampling location, separation time, host, subtype, culture characteristics, titration, genetic mutation, methods of collection and activation, biological and serological properties.
  2. Genetic resource database of AI: collecting different subtypes of separated virus, functional genome plasmid, nucleotide sequences, structural genome and molecular properties.
  3. Historic epidemic situation database of AI: keeping the records on AI outbreak around the world (for the recent 127 years), including the time, location, subtype of virus, virulence, susceptible hosts, ways of spreading, damage and losses, methods of prevention and therapy, types of vaccine, peripheral epidemic situation, natural environment factors, epidemic monitoring, diagnosis and treatments, as well as quarantine and depuration.
  4. Dynamic observations database of AI: dynamically tracing and providing the information about AI outbreak around the world, plotting countries, time, regions, susceptible hosts, features of spreading, types of virus, possible ways of spreading, methods of prevention and therapy, vaccine and immunity, imperilment to human and livestock agriculture and economic losses, etc; and launching the dynamic setting, supervision and query systems of the epidemic prevention areas.
  5. Range of hosts and environment database of AI: collecting information about AI virus hosts (waterfowls, poultry, mammal), their living behaviors, relevant environment factors and ecological environment (geographic location, longitude and latitude, climate, humidity, sunlight, degree of vegetation, etc.)
  6. Scientific literature database of AI: gathering scientific literature on AI researches by data mining technology and extracting latest useful information to provide reference supports for AI researches.
  7. International nucleotide and protein sequences database of AI: collecting information on AI nucleotide sequences of different virus subtype, then rearranging and classifying the data to construct databases.
  8. International research progress database of AI: cooperating with other research centers and relevant institutes in the world, constantly gathering the information about the latest breakthroughs and related news to develop a basis database for the international research as well as the news and information of AI, which provides sufficient information for AI researches.

The following chart demonstrates the relationship of the entities of AI information resources:

3. The establishment of comprehensive information system gateway for AI

    1. To provide the uniform access interface of data resources or web services based on the standards and protocol for uniform access interface of the AI information resources.
    2. To establish a system gateway for AI information in Asian-Pacific region based on AI database and uniform access interface of information resources, to publicize and issue the important research achievements of this project, to share AI information resources, to collect and integrate information about world¡¯s latest AI epidemic situation and scientific research progress, to provide registration of web services for AI data and its discovery mechanism, so as to become the important information gateway for the global AI research.
    3. To realize the integrated searching, sharing services and utilization of AI information resources in Asian-Pacific region by virtue of comprehensive information system gateway. To study and develop varied interfaces of data services as well as web services according to needs for application, such as the AI alarming and predicting system, the bioinformatics comprehensive analysis platform and the basic scientific research on AI.

Implementation Solution
1. Organization
This project adopts open cooperative model, into which every Asian-pacific country, area and individual can voluntarily participate. In order to assure the implementation and development of this project, an Asian-pacific expert group, an Asian-pacific working group and several local working groups will be set up.

(1) Expert group of Asian-Pacific region
Expert group of Asian-Pacific region mainly consists of experts in the field of AI research from participant countries and areas. In view of expert group¡¯s application for CODATA mission group¡ªAsian-Pacific CODATA expert group for AI comprehensive information system, the expert group may consist of members nominated by participant countries or local committees of Asian-Pacific CODATA. Expert group is chiefly in charge of the construction of AI comprehensive information system of Asian-Pacific region, instructing and supervising the work of working group of Asian-Pacific region. Expert group has a president, who presides over the organization and convening of the expert group workshop (at least once each year). 

(2) Working group of Asian-Pacific region
Working group of Asian-Pacific region is under the conduct and supervision of the expert group of Asian-Pacific region and is responsible for all the practical work for the construction of AI comprehensive information system of Asian-Pacific region. Meanwhile, it is supposed to report the working progress to the expert group and listen to their suggestions and recommendations. Each participant country will appoint one representative to the working group, and the expert group must designate one of its commissioners as the group leader of the international working group, who will take charge of the affairs in the working group.

(3) Local working group
Local working group is responsible for the work in different areas and countries. The designation of its members may depend on the practical needs of every area and country.

2. Technical routine
This project will abide by the principle of ¡°standards¡± antecedence. It will establish a complete system of AI database, set down the data model of the spreading of AI utilizing spatial technology and epidemiology measures, and develop the comprehensive information system for AI in Asian-pacific region to facilitate the scientific research services and data sharing application. It will provide services at the same time of its construction, so as to contribute to the development of stockbreeding and the improvement of human health.

(1)Fomulating standards based on the investigation and study on AI information resources 

  1. To organize all participant countries to carry out the investigation and study on AI information resources. To definite and classify different types of data resources, then to extract and indicate the inter-relationship among those resources. To develop data and metadata standards of information resources. Meanwhile to investigate existing international standards, using their successful experiences for reference to formulate standards system which is employed for conducting the comprehensive system for AI in Asian-pacific region.
  2.  To analyze the relation of different entities of AI information resource. To reveal and construct the model of AI database with UML and XML.
  3. To study and formulate the standards and protocol on uniform access interface of the AI database in accordance with the needs of data application services.

(2)The survey on AI epidemic source and construction and application of the database

  1. To study and collect specimens from the AI infected wild fowls, poultry and mammals at the main overwinter places and habitat lakes along the flyway of migratory birds as well as different epidemic-stricken areas. To establish databases of host and ecological environment.
  2. To carry through the identification on subtypes of AI virus, the analysis of molecular features and evolution, as well as living specimen virus and scientific information so as to promptly complement the influenza virus resources storage and databases.
  3. To conduct analysis on the spreading way of virus by sampling survey, analysis on relevant data of ecological environment, the information about the distribution and density of the susceptible hosts so as to provide related basic databases, meanwhile to provide the research work in appropriate domains with important scientific basis.
  4. To prescribe model data standards on the spreading of AI based on survey data of AI pathological and relevant ecological data of the hosts, then to establish a model database on the spreading of AI on this foundation.

(3)technical routine of the AI comprehensive information system gateway

  1. Every database should provide uniform distributed access interface in line with the standards and protocol of uniform resource access interface as well as the needs for applications.
  2. To assimilate the achievements in the domain of information technology, including the instant communication system, emails, Wiki (documents system), sharing application system, workflow system, groupware (middleware) and multimedia long-distance exchange environment of the data sharing. To continue research work in the environment which of is cross-organization, interlaced virtuality and reality, multi-objective and multi-personnel and to realize intellectualized coordinative scientific research environment.
  3. To collocate and develop all kinds of service registration and discovery system on the basis of WEB service registration and discovery protocol used in AI in the information system gateway. By employing uniform authorization and CA security system to realize the security of comprehensive information system gateway.

Working Plan
This project will be implemented in three stages. Each stage spans 12 months.

1. Stage1: the start of the project (Jan. 31, 2006 -- Dec 31, 2006)

  • To establish preparatory group for ¡°CODATA Asian-Pacific AI comprehensive information task group¡±. To coordinate and complete the proposal for the establishment of the ¡°CODATA Asian-Pacific AI comprehensive information task group¡± ;
  • To submit proposal for the establishment of ¡°CODATA Asian-Pacific AI comprehensive information system¡± task group, and further to set up the working group of Asian-Pacific region;
  • The preparatory group for ¡°CODATA Asian-Pacific AI comprehensive information task group¡± will coordinate and organize the survey on AI information resources in Asian-Pacific region. After the ¡°CODATA Asian-Pacific AI comprehensive information system¡± task group comes into existence, the latter will take on this task;
  • To initiate the investigation of relevant standards for AI information resources data. To preliminarily ascertain the general framework of standards for AI data and metadata.

2. Stage 2:Implementation (Jan. 31, 2007 -- Dec 31, 2007)

  • To set down the metadata and data standards of AI information resource. To develop the data model of AI information resources, the overall scientific AI database system as well as the accumulation and integration of the data;
  • To initiate and accomplish the formulation of uniform access interface standards and protocol for AI information resources;
  • To initiate and fulfill the construction of the comprehensive information system gateway, including publication system, the searching of information and resources, web services registration and discovery system, uniform authorization and secure visiting system, etc.;
  • To initiate the study and establishment of AI virus spreading model and to set up AI virus spreading model database.

3. Stage3: Application (Jan. 31, 2008 -- Dec 31, 2008)

  •  To enhance the accumulation, integration and conformity of the AI data resources. To establish overall and scientific AI database group and to provide service for external usage through comprehensive database system;
  • To initiate and accomplish the development of quality controlling and evaluation criterion for AI data and to scientifically evaluate, conform and modify the AI database.
  • To modify data model of the AI spreading according to the feedback of application services, to study and develop application interface and web service based on the practical needs, such as alarming and predicting system, comprehensive bioinformatics analysis system and basic scientific researches.

Problems should be solved
1. Financial support

  • The way of collecting funding

2. Organization

  • The preparatory group
  • The group leader
  • The group members
  • Expert group of Asian-Pacific region
  • Working group of Asian-Pacific region
  • Local working group
  • The working manners of each working group

3. Participant countries

  • The condition of the participant countries
  • Participant countries

4. Next steps

  • Applying for financial support
  • Establishing the preparing for preparatory group
  • Applying for the establishment of CODATA Asian-Pacific AI comprehensive information task group
  • Survey of AI information resource
  • The achievement to be displayed at the conference in Beijing in 2006