Dissertations / Theses: 'Epidemic context'

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Kidman, Rachel. "Child welfare in the context of HIV/AIDS epidemic: identifying vulnerable populations and shaping an effective response." Thesis, McGill University, 2010. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=86885.

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Background: Over 15 million children have been orphaned by AIDS. While a growing literature suggests orphans are disadvantaged, other studies have failed to find health or educational disparities. This contradictory evidence has fueled debate over whether orphans should be targeted for assistance, or whether the response should be expanded to other vulnerable children. Objectives: This study sought to: 1) to estimate educational disparities for orphans relative to other AIDS-affected children; 2) to estimate health disparities for orphans relative to other AIDS-affected children; and 3) to describe the extent of community and public support available to households fostering orphans. Methods: Data are drawn from the 2004-5 Malawi Integrated Household Survey, a nationally-representative survey of 52,707 individuals in 11,280 households in 564 communities. Multilevel models examine the association between orphanhood and other AIDS-related impacts and 1) education for children 6-14 years; and 2) health status for children 6-17 years. Weighted descriptives and regression models are used to examine whether orphan households receive greater private, community and public support. Results: Double and maternal orphans are more likely to be out of school (OR=2.2, 2.5 respectively) and behind in attainment (grade difference = -0.3); these disparities are not explained by poverty. While there is no evidence that orphans suffer greater morbidity, children whose parents have an AIDS-related illness have higher burdens of both acute and chronic morbidity (ORs=1.5-1.9). Finally, friends and relatives provided assistance to 75% of households, and this support was more likely to be targeted to households with double orphans. Community-based organizations for the chronically ill were present in 40% of communities and many included orphan-specific programming. Conclusion: There is growing international commitment to mitigate the impact of AIDS on children, but debate remains around how to best target resources. Orphans and poor children both demonstrate educational disadvantage, suggesting a simultaneous need for orphan-specific programming and general poverty alleviation. Children living with sick parents demonstrated poor health; community home-based care programs are best situated to identify these children and mitigate their risk. Finally, while many households with vulnerable children are already receiving assistance, the value and coverage is inadequate to match the need and needs to be drastically scaled-up. Contexte: Plus de 15 millions d'enfants sont devenus orphelins dès suites du SIDA. D'un côté, un nombre grandissant d'études suggèrent que les orphelins sont désavantagés, tandis que de l'autre, plusieurs études n'ont pas été capables de démontrer des inégalités au niveau de la santé et de l'éducation. Cette contradiction dans la littérature suscite le débat à savoir si les orphelins devraient être ciblés de façon spécifique ou s'ils devraient être inclus dans des programmes d'aide englobant d'autres enfants vulnérables. Objectifs: Cette étude a pour objectif de: 1) estimer les inégalités au niveau de l'éducation des orphelins par rapport à celle des autres enfants affectés par le SIDA; 2) estimer les inégalités au niveau de la santé des orphelins par rapport à celle des autres enfants affectés par le SIDA; et 3) décrire l'étendue du support communautaire et public destinés aux ménages hébergeant des orphelins. Méthodologie: Les données proviennent du Malawi Integrated Household Survey de 2004-5, une base de données nationale et représentative de 52 707 individus répartis dans 11 280 ménages dans 564 communautés. Les modèles multiniveaux étudient l'association entre le statut d'orphelin et d'autres impacts liés au SIDA et 1) l'éducation des enfants de 6 à 14 ans; et 2) les conditions de santé des enfants de 6 à 17 ans. Des données descriptives pondérées et des modèles de régression sont utilisés pour étudier si les ménages ayant au moins un orphelin reçoivent plus de soutien des milieux privé, communautaire et public que les autres ménages. Résultats: Les orphelins dont la mère ou les deux parents sont décédés sont plus susceptibles d'avoir décroché de l'école (OR=2.2, 2.5 respectivement) ou d'accuser un retard au niveau scolaire (différence de niveau = -0.3); ces inégalités ne sont pas expliquées par la pauvreté. Même si d'un côté aucun résultat ne prouve que les orphelins ont un taux de morbidité plus élevé, les enfants qui ont des parents atteints du SIDA ou d'autres maladies connexes ont un niveau plus élevé de maladies chroniques ou graves (ORs= 1.5-1.9). Finalement, les amis et la famille procurent de l'aide dans 75% des ménages, et ce soutien est plus souvent présent dans les ménages avec des orphelins ayant perdus leurs deux parents. Les organismes communautaires venant en aide aux personnes atteintes de maladies chroniques sont présents dans 40% des communautés et plusieurs incluent des programmes s'adressant spécifiquement aux orphelins. Conclusion: Il y a un engagement international croissant afin de freiner l'impact du SIDA sur les enfants, mais le débat demeure à savoir comment allouer les ressources le plus efficacement. Les orphelins et les enfants pauvres dénotent tous les deux des retard en éducation ce qui suggère qu'une aide devrait être octroyée simultanément pour les programmes destinés aux orphelins et pour ceux visant l'élimination globale de la pauvreté. Il a été démontré que les enfants vivant avec des parents malades ont une mauvaise santé; les programmes communautaires de soins à domiciles sont les mieux placés pour identifier ces enfants et freiner les risques. Finalement, bien qu'il y ait plusieurs ménages qui reçoivent déjà de l'aide, la valeur et l'étendue de cette aide est inadéquate et ne répond pas au besoin; du soutien de l'extérieur devrait être ajouté.

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Charters, Kathleen Anne. "Putting health behaviour theory into context and context into health behaviour theory. : COVID-19 through the health psychology looking glass." Electronic Thesis or Diss., Paris, EHESS, 2024. http://www.theses.fr/2024EHES0042.

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La pandémie de COVID-19 a mis en évidence l'importance des comportements de prévention pour réduire la propagation de la maladie et le fardeau sanitaire associé. Comprendre les déterminants psychologiques qui motivent l'engagement comportemental est donc essentiel dans un contexte épidémique. Au début de la pandémie, relativement peu de recherches portaient sur la dynamique de la réponse comportementale humaine face à cette menace épidémique en constante évolution. Cette recherche a cherché à combler cette lacune dans la littérature, d'abord en examinant les théories psychosociales des comportements de prévention existantes dans le contexte de la pandémie, et ensuite en élargissant cette base théorique pour tenir compte des effets de la situation épidémique, mettant ainsi les comportements de prévention en contexte et intégrant le contexte dans la théorie des comportements de prévention. La première partie de la recherche doctorale porte sur deux problématiques relatives aux comportements de santé qui préoccupaient les chercheurs et les autorités sanitaires : l'optimisme irréaliste et la compensation du risque. Les résultats de la première étude transversale répétée (N=12378), menée avant, au début et au pic de la première vague épidémique (février–avril 2020) en France, en Italie, au Royaume-Uni et en Suisse, ont indiqué que les participants de ces quatre pays devenaient de plus en plus optimistes de manière irréaliste avec le temps et que cette tendance était associée à un désengagement comportemental. Les résultats de la deuxième étude (N=14003) menée au cours des huit premiers mois du campagne vaccinale en France (février–septembre 2021) suggèrent l’existence d’une faible compensation du risque observable vers la fin de la campagne, en particulier s’agissant de l'évitement des rassemblements sociaux, parmi les participants présentant un schéma vaccinale complet. Puisque les résultats de ces premières études indiquaient que le contexte épidémique influençait la perception du risque et l'adhésion aux mesures de contrôle, nous avons cherché à caractériser dans la deuxième partie de la thèse l'effet du contexte épidémiologique sur les déterminants sociocognitifs des comportements de prévention, comblant ainsi une lacune dans la recherche dans ce domaine. Dix-sept enquêtes bimensuelles ont été menées sur neuf mois (mars–novembre 2020, N=34016).Une analyse de regression multiniveaux a révélé une association entre le contexte épidémiologique et les comportements de prévention, le temps modérant toutefois l'effet de l'incidence sur le comportement. Ensuite, une analyse plus approfondie des pistes causales a indiqué que l'effet du contexte épidémiologique sur le comportement n’était que partiellement médié par des variables sociocognitives. Étonnamment, à l'exception des normes sociales perçues, les variables de cognition sociale traditionnellement considérées comme déterminant de la réponse comportementale, ont peu contribué à la médiation de la relation entre le contexte épidémiologique et le comportement. Les implications pour la théorie, de futures recherches, ainsi que la pratique et la politique en matière de santé publique, sont discutées. Les résultats de cette recherche soulignent la nécessité de renforcer la théorie, tout en l'examinant, en la testant et en l'élargissant dans des contextes divers et variés. À travers l’élargissement de la théorie existante à une épidémie d'une maladie infectieuse émergente, la COVID-19, cette recherche explore les différents facteurs d'influence et les mécanismes causaux potentiellement impliqués dans le processus psychologique complexe et dynamique d'évaluation du risque et l'engagement comportemental qui en résulte. En plaçant la théorie dans son contexte et le contexte dans la théorie, cette recherche doctorale cherche à faire progresser la théorie, apportant ainsi une contribution significative au domaine de la recherche sur les comportements de prévention en matière de santé The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of health protective behaviours in reducing disease spread and subsequent health burden. Understanding the psychological determinants motivating behavioural engagement is therefore critical in an epidemic and pandemic setting. At the time of the pandemic outbreak, relatively little research attention had focused on the dynamics of human behavioural response to an unfolding, constantly evolving epidemic threat. This doctoral research therefore sought to address this gap in the literature firstly by investigating existing theory in the COVID-19 context, and secondly by expanding upon existing theory to account for the epidemic setting, thereby putting health behaviour theory into context and context into health behaviour theory. To this end, the first part of the doctoral research investigated two health behaviour issues of concern to researchers and health authorities: unrealistic optimism and risk compensation. Findings from the first repeated cross-sectional study (N=12,378), conducted at pre-, early and peak first-wave epidemic stages (February–April 2020) in France, Italy, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, indicated that people across all four countries became increasingly unrealistically optimistic over time and that this was associated with behavioural disengagement. Results of the second study (N=14,003) during the initial eight months of the vaccine rollout in France (February–September 2021), suggested risk compensation occurred towards the end of the vaccine rollout, particularly towards avoidance of social gatherings among those with a completed vaccination schedule.As results from these initial studies suggested that the epidemic setting influenced risk appraisal and adherence to mitigation measures, and addressing a gap in the literature due to the paucity of research in this area, the second part of the doctoral study explored the effect of the epidemiological context on behaviour and the social cognitive pathways involved. Seventeen bi-monthly surveys were conducted over nine months (March–November 2020, N=34,016). Multilevel analysis revealed that there was an association between the epidemiological context and protective behaviour, with time serving to moderate the effect of incidence on behaviour. Further pathway analysis indicated that the effect of the epidemiological context on behaviour was only partially mediated by social cognitive variables. Surprisingly, with the exception of perceived social norms, which made the greatest mediational contribution, social cognitions commonly and repeatedly found to predict behavioural response contrastingly contributed little to mediating the epidemiological context–behaviour relationship. Implications for theory, future research, public health policy and practice are discussed. Above all, these research findings highlight the need to nurture theory by examining, testing and expanding upon it in different contexts. Through its extension of extant theory to an epidemic of an emerging infectious disease, COVID-19, the current investigation explored the underlying layers of influence and possible causal mechanisms involved in the complex and dynamic psychological process of risk appraisal and behavioural engagement. By putting theory into context and context into theory, this doctoral research sought to nourish and advance theory, thereby making a significant contribution to the field of health behaviour research

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Croke, Rhian G. "Situating the HIV/AIDS epidemic in a historical context : a case study of orphans in Nguludi Mission Community, Malawi." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2003. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/12573.

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Includes bibliography. This thesis is based on a series of interviews with key informants and a census of orphan households in Nguludi Mission Community, Southern Malawi, in 2000. The thesis argues that although HIV/AIDS is a relatively recent phenomenon, any contemporary understanding of the epidemic must be informed by an understanding of the past. The impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic and the "orphan problem" at the local level, is, therefore, situated within the broader socio-economic context of the history of the region.

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Mantler, Janet L. "Judgements of responsibility for HIV-infection, a test of Weiner's Social Motivation Theory in the context of the AIDS epidemic." Thesis, National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, 1999. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk1/tape10/PQDD_0014/NQ52430.pdf.

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Kachale, Blessings. "Elderly carers : the experiences of the elderly caring for orphans and vulnerable children in the context of the HIV/Aids epidemic in Chiradzuru district, Malawi." Thesis, Queen Margaret University, 2015. https://eresearch.qmu.ac.uk/handle/20.500.12289/7464.

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PURPOSE: This qualitative study explores the day-to-day care experiences and livelihoods challenges of the elderly carers of orphan and vulnerable children (OVCs) in rural Chiradzuru district in Malawi. The study aims to highlight the impact of AIDS mortality on Elderly Households’ livelihood assets. METHOD: Using case study approach data was collected from 43 cases comprised of 23 individuals and 3 Focus Groups. The main study participants were elderly-headed households caring for OVCs. Data was collected and the evidence converged using the Sustainable Livelihood Framework (SLF) to analyse findings. FINDINGS: The main ten study participants were between the ages 55-90+ caring for thirty-eight OVCs; seven of whom were single females caring for OVCs aged between 2-16 years old-some of them caring for second generation of orphans(great grandchildren). Although this is crisis-led fostering, most of the elderly have accepted the responsibility regardless of their capabilities. This highlights the value of family based care in these families. Six of the ten elderly carers had lost a significant number of assets to AIDS sickness and death of family members. A few had given up their wage earning livelihoods to care for OVCs while for the very old (71-90) their physical old-age disabilities affected pursuance of livelihoods impacting their food security and acquisition of basic needs. There was mutual reciprocity between the OVCs and their carers to pursue livelihoods which increased household resilience. Conclusion: The elderly in Chiradzuru need social security support so that they must not give up care of their children to alternative care arrangements which can contribute to trauma on OVCs.

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Sun, Lan. "Epidemic Content Distribution in Mobile Networks : A study of epidemic content distribution characteristic with social relationship evaluation." Thesis, KTH, Kommunikationssystem, CoS, 2013. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-118470.

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With the growing popularity of integrating mobile networks and social networks, people now enjoy a freer and more efficient means of communication. Smarter mobile devices facilitate modern human life. In the information age, various new types of information have begun to appear. How to disseminate content to people in a swift and fair way has long been a question. Choosing the right strategy for content distribution is especially crucial for mobile social networks. In this thesis project we use epidemic models for content distribution in mobile social networks. Stochastic mobility models and an SIR epidemic model are set up in the evaluation. We analyze the impact of various parameters of mobility models and epidemic model on content distribution’s success rate and delivery delay. Also, we exploit the social relationships to facilitate content distribution and show the impact of social relationships on content distribution. Simulations have shown that increasing speed and node number in the mobility models will have positive impact on content distribution success rate as well as decreasing the delay. The infect time limit and infect count limit of the epidemic model are also important for swiftly distributing content while considering energy consumption and fairness for nodes. In the social relationship simulation, nodes’ meeting times during a period of time are calculated and a threshold based on a certain level of meeting times is used for categorizing the friendship relationships between nodes. The results show that it will be easier for a successful distribution to be achieved as the social relationship between nodes gets stronger. Also, the delay shows a decreasing trend until reaching the ideal distribution delay time. Med den växande populariteten för att integrera mobila nätverk och sociala nätverk, människor njuta nu en friare och effektivare sätt att kommunicera. Smartare mobila enheter underlättar moderna människans liv. I den information som ålder, har olika nya typer av information börjat visas. Hur sprida innehåll till människor påett snabbt och rättvist sätt har länge varit en fråga. Att välja rätt strategi för distribution av innehåll är särskilt viktigt för mobila sociala nätverk. I den här avhandlingen projekt använder vi epidemiska modeller för distribution av innehåll i mobila sociala nätverk. Stokastiska rörlighet modeller och en SIR-epidemi modell sätts upp i utvärderingen. Vi analyserar effekterna av olika parametrar rörlighet modeller och epidemisk modell påinnehållsdistribution s framgång och leveransförsening. Dessutom utnyttjar vi de sociala relationerna för att underlätta distribution av innehåll och visa hur sociala relationer pådistribution av innehåll. Simuleringar har visat att ökad hastighet och nodnummer i rörlighet modellerna kommer att ha en positiv inverkan pådistribution av innehåll framgång samt att minska fördröjningen. Den infektera tid och infektera räkna gräns epidemin modellen är ocksåviktiga för att snabbt distribuera innehåll och samtidigt överväga energiförbrukning och rättvisa för noder. I den sociala relationen simulering är noder möte tid under en tidsperiod beräknas och en tröskel baserad påen viss nivåav mötestiden används för att kategorisera vänskap relationer mellan noder. Resultaten visade att det blir lättare för en lyckad spridning uppnås som den sociala relationen mellan noder blir starkare. Dessutom visar fördröjningen en nedåtgående trend tills den når fördröjningen av en ideal fördelning.

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Ziki, Pondiso. "Factors influencing adoption of high risk sexual behaviour by undergraduate students at a private tertiary institution in Gauteng Province, South Africa, in the context of the HIV/AIDS epidemic." Thesis, Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/97771.

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Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. ENGLISH ABSTRACT: While there has been several studies that have been conducted targeting university students at state owned universities in South Africa, specifically on the impact of HIV/AIDS epidemic, no extensive study was conducted to establish what informs adoption of high risk sexual behaviour among university students in the context of HIV, STI and unplanned pregnancy epidemics at any of the state owned South African universities, let alone private universities. In order to address this identified gap in the body of knowledge, a cross-sectional study underpinned by the ‘social norms’ theory was undertaken at a private university in the Gauteng Province, South Africa to establish why undergraduate students engage in high risk sexual behaviour that puts them at risk of contracting HIV, STIs and unplanned pregnancy. Quantitative data was collected from 342 students through a questionnaire and qualitative data was collected from 38 students through the focus group discussions. Findings revealed that early sexual debut, intergenerational sex, multiple and concurrent partners, unprotected sex, sex under the influence of alcohol and illegal drugs and transactional sex constitute high risk sexual behaviour. The study concluded that peer pressure, independence, financial needs, drug and alcohol abuse, fear of being an outcast, need to identify with modernity, lack of individual perception of risk, campus culture and sexual partner influence are the factors influencing the adoption of high risk sexual behaviour on campus. Based on the findings and conclusions, recommendations are provided for the development of an HIV prevention programme on campus that is aimed at mitigating the negative consequences of the HIV/AIDS, STIs and unplanned pregnancy epidemics. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die literatuur toon aan dat daar alhoewel daar wel studies onderneem is ten einde die impak van die MIV epidemie onder studente aan openbare universiteite te bepaal onderneem is, daar nog steeds baie min kennis in hierdie verband bestaan. Die faktore wat ‘n rol vervul in hoërisiko seksuele gedrag onder studente aan hierdie universiteit is grootliks onbekend. Ten einde hierdie gaping te probeer oorbrug is hierdie studie onderneem aan ‘n privaat universiteit in Gauteng provinsie in Suid-Afrika. Die doel van die studie was om vas te stel wat voorgraadse studente motiveer om hoë seksuele gedrag te beoefen, wetende dat hulle hulleself blootstel aan MIV-infeksie en onbeplande swangerskappe. ‘n Steekproef van 342 student is in die studie gebruik en ‘n vraelys is deur hulle voltooi. ‘n Verdere 38 student het deelgeneem aan ‘n fokusgroepbespreking. Resultate toon aan dat studente dikwels meer as een seksuele maat het; dat seks beoefen word terwyl studente onder die invloed van alkohol is; dat seks dikwels onbeskermend plaasvind en dat alle hierdie faktore bydraend is tot hoë blootstelling aan MIV-infeksie. Die studie het verder gevind dat groepsdruk, finansiële probleme, dwelm- en alkoholmisbruik en groepsdruk verdere bydraende faktore tot hoë-risiko gedrag onder studente is. Resultate van die studie is gebruik om aanbevelings te maak vir die ontwikkeling van ‘n MIV-voorkomingsprogram wat daarop gerig is om die oordrag MIV en onbeplande swangerskappe aan die universiteit ( wat in die studie ondersoek is ) te bekamp.

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Nygren, Stina, and Moa Zeidlitz. "Investigating inclusive risk communication in the context of influenza outbreaks : Insights from South Korea and Vietnam." Thesis, Södertörns högskola, Utveckling och internationellt samarbete, 2020. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:sh:diva-41165.

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Outbreaks of novel influenza viruses are continually occurring on many places on our planet, with the ultimate and most extreme consequence being a full-scale pandemic. Modern communication technology is widely used for risk communication regarding recommended change in behavior patterns and other precautions in order to mitigate the transmission. However, the assumption and bias that modern communication technology constitutes the norm causes vulnerable groups to be at possible risk of systematic exclusion to correct and updated information. Through conducting a literature- and case analysis, the aim of this study is to identify insufficient or inadequate risk communication efforts in South Korea and Vietnam during influenza outbreaks, especially with concern of vulnerable groups. Further, to analyze how national influenza preparedness plans observe or ignore these insufficiencies. Results show that vulnerable groups are explicitly recognized in the preparedness plan of Vietnam. However, the South Korean preparedness plan show a more homogenous approach. Both South Korea and Vietnam showed a broad variety of channels used in their risk communication strategies which could be positive in terms of a broad outreach to a heterogenous population, including vulnerable groups. Four key factors that moderate the outcomes of risk communication were identified: Channels, Messages, Transparency and Trust.

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Daly, Kevin. "Newspaper readership and the construction of a heroin epidemic." Access to citation, abstract and download form provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company; downloadable PDF file, 63 p, 2009. http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=1674964141&sid=7&Fmt=2&clientId=8331&RQT=309&VName=PQD.

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Badham, Jennifer Marette Information Technology &amp Electrical Engineering Australian Defence Force Academy UNSW. "Role of social network properties on the impact of direct contact epidemics." Awarded by:University of New South Wales - Australian Defence Force Academy. School of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering, 2008. http://handle.unsw.edu.au/1959.4/38730.

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Epidemiological models are used to inform health policy on issues such as target vaccination levels, comparing quarantine options and estimating the eventual size of an epidemic. Models that incorporate some elements of the social network structure are used for diseases where close contact is required for transmission. The motivation of this research is to extend epidemic models to include the relationship with a broader set of relevant real world network properties. The impact of degree distribution by itself is reasonably well understood, but studies with assortativity or clustering are limited and none examine their interaction. To evaluate the impact of these properties, I simulate epidemics on networks with a range of property values. However, a suitable algorithm to generate the networks is not available in the literature. There are thus two research aspects: generating networks with relevant properties, and estimating the impact of social network structure on epidemic behaviour. Firstly, I introduce a flexible network generation algorithm that can independently control degree distribution, clustering coefficient and degree assortativity. Results show that the algorithm is able to generate networks with properties that are close to those targeted. Secondly, I fit models that account for the relationship between network properties and epidemic behaviour. Using results from a large number of epidemic simulations over networks with a range of properties, regression models are fitted to estimate the separate and joint effect of the identified social network properties on the probability of an epidemic occurring and the basic reproduction ratio. The latter is a key epidemic parameter that represents the number of people infected by a typical initial infected person in a population. Results show that social network properties have a significant influence on epidemic behaviour within the property space investigated. Ignoring the differences between social networks can lead to substantial errors when estimating the basic reproduction ratio from an epidemic and then applying the estimate to a different social network. In turn, these errors could lead to failure in public health programs that rely on such estimates.

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González, Marta C. "Contact networks of mobile agents and spreading dynamics." [S.l. : s.n.], 2006. http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bsz:93-opus-29332.

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Knock, Edward Stuart. "Stochastic epidemic models for emerging diseases incorporating household structure and contact tracing." Thesis, University of Nottingham, 2011. http://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/12046/.

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In this thesis, three stochastic epidemic models for intervention for emerging diseases are considered. The models are variants of real-time, responsive intervention, based upon observing diagnosed cases and targeting intervention towards individuals they have infected or are likely to have infected, be they housemates or named contacts. These models are: (i) a local tracing model for a disease spreading amongst a community of households, wherein intervention (vaccination and/or isolation) is directed towards housemates of diagnosed individuals, (ii) a contact tracing model for a disease spreading amongst a homogeneously-mixing population, with isolation of traced contacts of a diagnosed individual, (iii) a local tracing and contact tracing model for a disease spreading amongst a community of households, with intervention directed towards housemates of both diagnosed and traced individuals. These are quantified by deriving threshold parameters that determine whether the disease will infect a few individuals or a sizeable proportion of the population, as well as probabilities for such events occurring.

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Janes, Denys Zachary Alexander. "Dynamics of simultaneous epidemics on complex graphs." Thesis, University of Edinburgh, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/1842/28854.

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The subject of this thesis is the study of a system of multiple simultaneously spreading diseases, or strains of diseases, in a structured host population. The disease spread is modelled using the well-studied SEIR compartmental model; host population structure is imposed through the use of random graphs, in which each host individual is explicitly connected to a predetermined set of other individuals. Two different graph structures are used: Zipf power-law distributed graphs, in which individuals vary greatly in their number of contacts; and Poisson distributed graphs, in which there is very little variation in the number of contacts. Three separate explorations are undertaken. In the first, the extent to which two SEIR processes will overlap due to chance is examined in the case where they do not affect each other's ability to spread. The overlap is found to increase with increased heterogeneity in the number of contacts, all things equal. Introducing differences in infection probability or a delay between introducing the two strains produces more complex dynamics. I then extend the model to allow strains to modify each other's transmissibility. This is found to lead to modest changes in the size of the outbreak of affected strains, and larger effects on the size of the overlap. The extent of the effect is found to depend strongly on the order in which the strains are introduced to the population. Zipf graphs experience somewhat larger reductions in outbreak size and less reduction of overlap size, but overall the two graphs experience similar effects. This is due to the reduced effect of modification in key high-degree vertices in the Zipf graph being offset by higher local clustering. Finally, I introduce recombination and competition by replacement into the model from the first project. The number of recombinant strains that arise is found to be either very low or very high, with chance governing which occurs. Recombinant strains in Zipf distributed graphs have a significant chance of failing to spread, but not in Poisson distributed graphs. Replacement competition in the presence of a growing number of strains is found to both increase the chance of a strain failing to spread, and to reduce the overall size of outbreaks. This effect is equal in both graph types.

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Demirel, Güven. "Moment-Closure Approximations for Contact Processes in Adaptive Networks." Doctoral thesis, Saechsische Landesbibliothek- Staats- und Universitaetsbibliothek Dresden, 2013. http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bsz:14-qucosa-115868.

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Complex networks have been used to represent the fundamental structure of a multitude of complex systems from various fields. In the network representation, the system is reduced to a set of nodes and links that denote the elements of the system and the connections between them respectively. Complex networks are commonly adaptive such that the structure of the network and the states of nodes evolve dynamically in a coupled fashion. Adaptive networks lead to peculiar complex dynamics and network topologies, which can be investigated by moment-closure approximations, a coarse-graining approach that enables the use of the dynamical systems theory. In this thesis, I study several contact processes in adaptive networks that are defined by the transmission of node states. Employing moment-closure approximations, I establish analytical insights into complex phenomena emerging in these systems. I provide a detailed analysis of existing alternative moment-closure approximation schemes and extend them in several directions. Most importantly, I consider developing analytical approaches for models with complex update rules and networks with complex topologies. I discuss four different contact processes in adaptive networks. First, I explore the effect of cyclic dominance in opinion formation. For this, I propose an adaptive network model: the adaptive rock-paper-scissors game. The model displays four different dynamical phases (stationary, oscillatory, consensus, and fragmented) with distinct topological and dynamical properties. I use a simple moment-closure approximation to explain the transitions between these phases. Second, I use the adaptive voter model of opinion formation as a benchmark model to test and compare the performances of major moment-closure approximation schemes in the literature. I provide an in-depth analysis that leads to a heightened understanding of the capabilities of alternative approaches. I demonstrate that, even for the simple adaptive voter model, highly sophisticated approximations can fail due to special dynamic correlations. As a general strategy for targeting such problematic cases, I identify and illustrate the design of new approximation schemes specific to the complex phenomena under investigation. Third, I study the collective motion in mobile animal groups, using the conceptual framework of adaptive networks of opinion formation. I focus on the role of information in consensus decision-making in populations consisting of individuals that have conflicting interests. Employing a moment-closure approximation, I predict that uninformed individuals promote democratic consensus in the population, i.e. the collective decision is made according to plurality. This prediction is confirmed in a fish school experiment, constituting the first example of direct verification for the predictions of adaptive network models. Fourth, I consider a challenging problem for moment-closure approximations: growing adaptive networks with strongly heterogeneous degree distributions. In order to capture the dynamics of such networks, I develop a new approximation scheme, from which analytical results can be obtained by a special coarse-graining procedure. I apply this analytical approach to an epidemics problem, the spreading of a fatal disease on a growing population. I show that, although the degree distribution has a finite variance at any finite infectiousness, the model lacks an epidemic threshold, which is a genuine adaptive network effect. Diseases with very low infectiousness can thus persist and prevail in growing populations.

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Xia, Huadong. "Modeling, Analysis and Comparison of Large Scale Social Contact Networks on Epidemic Studies." Diss., Virginia Tech, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/51672.

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Social contact networks represent proximity relationships between individual agents. Such networks are useful in diverse applications, including epidemiology, wireless networking and urban resilience. The vertices of a social contact network represent individual agents (e.g. people). Time varying edges represent time varying proximity relationship. The networks are relational -- node and edge labels represent important demographic, spatial and temporal attributes. Synthesizing social contact networks that span large urban regions is challenging for several reasons including: spatial, temporal and relational variety of data sources, noisy and incomplete data, and privacy and confidentiality requirements. Moreover, the synthesized networks differ due to the data and methods used to synthesize them. This dissertation undertakes a systematic study of synthesizing urban scale social contact networks within the specific application context of computational epidemiology. It is motivated by three important questions: (i) How does one construct a realistic social contact network that is adaptable to different levels of data availability? (ii) How does one compare different versions of the network for a given region, and what are appropriate metrics when comparing the relational networks? (iii) When does a network have adequate structural details for the specific application we have. We study these questions by synthesizing three social contact networks for Delhi, India. Our case study suggests that we can iteratively improve the quality of a network by adapting to the best data sources available within a framework. The networks differ by the data and the models used. We carry out detailed comparative analyses of the networks. The analysis has three components: (i) structure analysis that compares the structural properties of the networks, (ii) dynamics analysis that compares the epidemic dynamics on these networks and (iii) policy analysis that compares the efficacy of various interventions. We have proposed a framework to systematically analyze how details in networks impact epidemic dynamics over these networks. The results suggest that a combination of multi-level metrics instead of any individual one should be used to compare two networks. We further investigate the sensitivity of these models. The study reveals the details necessary for particular class of control policies. Our methods are entirely general and can be applied to other areas of network science. Ph. D.

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Yin, Jun. "Bayesian statistical modeling in epidemics and the contact networks that transmit them." Diss., University of Iowa, 2014. https://ir.uiowa.edu/etd/6528.

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Infectious diseases, including influenza, measles, and sexually transmitted diseases, spread from person to person. Different attempts have been made to modify or extend traditional epidemic models to relax homogeneity assumptions, so as to handle more complex and realistic situations. We propose a network-based approach to the modeling and prediction of infectious disease outbreaks. Our focus is on heterogeneous populations where there is variation in individual susceptibility, infectivity, and person-to-person contact patterns. To address the complexity of disease propagation over a contact network, we develop a Bayesian survival model that maps the network onto a latent space and uses latent positions to predict disease transmission. We present an R package (`epinet') implementation of our methods and an application to a high school contact network. The package uses C code to implement an MCMC algorithm to efficiently estimate parameters and predict disease outcomes. Our application involves contact data collected by mobile sensors distributed to individuals, and provides estimates of disease transmission in line with the network structure. In it, we address issues that are of direct interest to public health professionals, such as prediction of future outbreaks of diseases. Questions such as whether quarantine will help mitigate an outbreak can also be explored using our proposed model.

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Lucio, Tais Vargas Freire Martins. "Dengue midiática: a construção da doença em um jornal regional da cidade portuária de Santos, São Paulo, Brasil." Universidade de São Paulo, 2017. http://www.teses.usp.br/teses/disponiveis/6/6132/tde-09062017-104657/.

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A dengue é a arbovirose urbana mais importante em saúde pública atualmente. A forma mais eficaz de controlar a doença é combatendo o mosquito Aedes aegypti, o vetor do vírus, que, além da dengue, também transmite a febre amarela urbana, a febre chigungunya e o zika. O objetivo geral deste estudo é identificar e analisar as temáticas veiculadas na imprensa escrita sobre a doença dengue na cidade portuária de Santos, no litoral sul do estado de São Paulo. Principal município da Região da Baixada Santista, Santos também abriga o maior porto do país. O objetivo específico deste trabalho é verificar se existem no noticiário informações sobre o controle integrado do mosquito Aedes aegypti, principal forma de controle da doença. De caráter qualitativo, esta tese submeteu o noticiário veiculado pelo jornal A Tribuna, o principal da região, à análise de conteúdo, buscando identificar nas mensagens jornalísticas a abordagem sobre a dengue, no período de 2012 a 2015. A pesquisa se justifica por ser a dengue endêmica na Região da Baixada Santista e pelo fato de os veículos de comunicação de massa exercerem influência na formação de opinião e na disseminação do conhecimento científico de interesse público. Os resultados encontrados na análise quantitativa demonstram maior frequência para os temas relacionados à incidência e à letalidade da dengue. A análise qualitativa dos textos demonstrou que temas relacionados ao controle do mosquito Ae.aegypti foram encontrados, porém não se encontrou notícias sobre o controle biológico, o que indica que o controle integrado do vetor não é abordado pela mídia. Este estudo propõe uma reflexão sobre o papel da mídia como agente propagador de informação geral e em saúde, postulando que a informação sobre dengue deve atingir a população de forma que ela se mobilize e atue como agente cuidador de sua própria saúde e da saúde do ambiente em que vive, como forma de eliminação da doença na região Dengue is the most importante urban arbovirus in Public Health today. The most effective way to control the disease is by fighting the Aedes aegypti mosquito, the vector of the virus, which in addition to dengue also transmits urban yellow fever, chikugunia fever and zika. The general objective of this study is to identify and analyze the themes presented in the written press about dengue disease in the port city of Santos, on the southern coast of the state of São Paulo. The main municipality of the Baixada Santista Region, Santos also houses the largest port of the country. The specific objective of this work is to verify if information on the integrated control of the Aedes aegypti mosquito, the main form of disease control, exists in the news. In a qualitative way, this thesis submitted the news story published by A Tribuna, the main newspaper in the region, to content analysis, seeking to identify in the journalistic messages the approach on dengue in the period from 2012 to 2015, The research is justified because it is the Endemic dengue fever in the Region of Baixada Santista and the fact that mass communication vehicles have exerted influence in the formation of opinion and in the dissemination of scientific knowledge of public interest. The results found in the quantitative analysis show that subjects related to the control of the Aedes aegypti mosquito were found, but no news was found about the biological control, wich indicates that the integrated control of the vector is not approached by the media. This study purposes a reflection on the role of the media as a propagating agent of general and health information, postulating that information about dengue should reach the population so that it can mobilize and act as caregiver for their own health and the health of the environment in which it lives, as a way of eliminating the disease on the area

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Ottaviano, Stefania. "The influence of the population contact network on the dynamics of epidemics transmission." Doctoral thesis, Università degli studi di Trento, 2016. https://hdl.handle.net/11572/369204.

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In this thesis we analyze the relationship between epidemiology and network theory, starting from the observation that the viral propagation between interacting agents is determined by intrinsic characteristics of the population contact network. We aim to investigate how a particular network structure can impact on the long-term behavior of epidemics. This field is way too large to be fully discussed; we limit ourselves to consider networks that are partitioned into local communities, in order to incorporate realistic contact structures into the model. The gross structure of hierarchical networks of this kind can be described by a quotient graph. The rationale of this approach is that individuals infect those belonging to the same community with higher probability than individuals in other communities. We describe the epidemic process as a continuous-time individual-based susceptibleâ€“infectedâ€“susceptible (SIS) model using a first-order mean-field approximation, both in homogeneous and in heterogeneous setting. For this mean-field model we show that the spectral radius of the smaller quotient graph, in connection with the infecting and curing rates, is related to the epidemic threshold, and it gives conditions in order to decide whether the overall healthy-state defines a globally asymptotically stable or an unstable equilibrium. Moreover we show that above the threshold another steady-state exists that can be computed using a lower-dimensional dynamical system associated with the evolution of the process on the quotient graph. Our investigations are based on the graph-theoretical notion of equitable partition and of its recent and rather flexible generalization, that of almost equitable partition. We also consider the important issue related to the control of the infectious disease. Taking into account the connectivity of the network, we provide a cost-optimal distribution of resources to prevent the disease from persisting indefinitely in the population; for a particular case of two-level immunization problem we report on the construction of a polynomial time complexity algorithm. In the second part of the thesis we include stochasticity in the model, considering the infection rates in the form of independent stochastic processes. This allows us to get stochastic differential equation for the probability of infection in each node. We report on the existence of the solution for all times. Moreover we show that there exist two regions, given in terms of the coefficients of the model, one where the system goes to extinction almost surely, and the other where it is stochastic permanent.

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Ottaviano, Stefania. "The influence of the population contact network on the dynamics of epidemics transmission." Doctoral thesis, University of Trento, 2016. http://eprints-phd.biblio.unitn.it/1684/1/PhdThesis.pdf.

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In this thesis we analyze the relationship between epidemiology and network theory, starting from the observation that the viral propagation between interacting agents is determined by intrinsic characteristics of the population contact network. We aim to investigate how a particular network structure can impact on the long-term behavior of epidemics. This field is way too large to be fully discussed; we limit ourselves to consider networks that are partitioned into local communities, in order to incorporate realistic contact structures into the model. The gross structure of hierarchical networks of this kind can be described by a quotient graph. The rationale of this approach is that individuals infect those belonging to the same community with higher probability than individuals in other communities. We describe the epidemic process as a continuous-time individual-based susceptible–infected–susceptible (SIS) model using a first-order mean-field approximation, both in homogeneous and in heterogeneous setting. For this mean-field model we show that the spectral radius of the smaller quotient graph, in connection with the infecting and curing rates, is related to the epidemic threshold, and it gives conditions in order to decide whether the overall healthy-state defines a globally asymptotically stable or an unstable equilibrium. Moreover we show that above the threshold another steady-state exists that can be computed using a lower-dimensional dynamical system associated with the evolution of the process on the quotient graph. Our investigations are based on the graph-theoretical notion of equitable partition and of its recent and rather flexible generalization, that of almost equitable partition. We also consider the important issue related to the control of the infectious disease. Taking into account the connectivity of the network, we provide a cost-optimal distribution of resources to prevent the disease from persisting indefinitely in the population; for a particular case of two-level immunization problem we report on the construction of a polynomial time complexity algorithm. In the second part of the thesis we include stochasticity in the model, considering the infection rates in the form of independent stochastic processes. This allows us to get stochastic differential equation for the probability of infection in each node. We report on the existence of the solution for all times. Moreover we show that there exist two regions, given in terms of the coefficients of the model, one where the system goes to extinction almost surely, and the other where it is stochastic permanent.

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Kasaie, Sharifi Parasto Alsadat. "Agent-Based Simulation Modeling and Analysis of Infectious Disease Epidemics and Implications for Policy." University of Cincinnati / OhioLINK, 2014. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1396531551.

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21

Knuchel, Marlyse. "Characterization of the surface glycoprotein and the nucleoprotein of porcine epidemic diarrhoea virus (PEDV) : application of their physico-chemical properties to the detection of anti-PEDV antibodies by ELISA /." [S.l.] : [s.n.], 1990. http://www.ub.unibe.ch/content/bibliotheken_sammlungen/sondersammlungen/dissen_bestellformular/index_ger.html.

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Costa, Camila Perroni Marouço da. "O passado no presente: estudo das memórias e representações sociais de profissionais de saúde no contexto da epidemia do HIV/Aids." Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, 2013. http://www.bdtd.uerj.br/tde_busca/arquivo.php?codArquivo=5098.

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Fundação Carlos Chagas Filho de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro O presente estudo tem como objetivo analisar os conteúdos das memórias sociais, construídas por profissionais de saúde, acerca da epidemia do HIV/Aids no Brasil, desde o seu surgimento até os dias atuais. Trata-se de um estudo exploratório-descritivo, pautado na abordagem qualitativa, orientado pela Teoria das Representações Sociais, em interseção com as Memórias Sociais. Os sujeitos do estudo foram 23 profissionais de saúde graduados de serviços ambulatoriais e/ou da atenção básica, atuantes em 18 instituições públicas de saúde da cidade do Rio de Janeiro que possuem o Programa Nacional de DST/Aids. A coleta de dados deu-se por meio de um roteiro de entrevista semiestruturada e um questionário de caracterização sócio profissional. Para a análise dos dados foi utilizada a técnica de análise lexical, realizada pelo software ALCESTE 4.10. Na análise do grupo total de sujeitos foram definidas três categorias denominadas: As primeiras décadas da epidemia: a formação da representação social do HIV/Aids e das memórias, abordando a formação das representações e os elementos de memória nas décadas de 80 e 90; As práticas multiprofissionais e o atendimento à pessoa com HIV/Aids nos dias atuais, abordando a cotidianidade e as representações acerca do HIV/Aids na atualidade e Formas de transmissão e precaução pessoal e profissional, abordando a precaução pessoal e profissional implicada na prevenção, enquanto conteúdo atemporal e transversal aos períodos analisados. A análise dos dados revelou que os profissionais de saúde delimitaram as memórias acerca da Aids no inicio da epidemia, associadas ao homossexualidade e à morte, tendo as mesmas se estruturado através da difusão dos conhecimentos estabelecidos na época pela mídia e pelo aparecimento dos primeiros casos assistidos pelos profissionais, que determinaram um cenário de estereótipos atrelados ao HIV e à Aids. A década de 90 foi relembrada como aquela de uma nova esperança com a inserção dos antirretrovirais e o estabelecimento de protocolos de acompanhamento determinando o início de uma mudança da representação. Na atualidade, as representações reconstroem a dinâmica estabelecida pelo Programa de Aids e Hepatites Virais enfatizando o papel das equipes multiprofissionais, a interdisciplinaridade, o tratamento e as práticas de cuidado. Observa-se a inserção de uma nova dinâmica relacionada à diminuição da importância da morte e da homossexualidade na centralidade da representação e a inserção de outros elementos relacionados ao Programa de Aids e Hepatites Virais estabelecido. Conclui-se que as memórias e representações sociais acerca do HIV/Aids e das pessoas acometidas foram construídas com base nas práticas de saúde estabelecidas pelos profissionais e, ainda, apoiadas nas características dos pacientes com Aids em cada período, conforme representadas. The present study aims to analyze the contents of social memories structured by health professionals, concerning the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Brazil, from its emergence to these days. It is an exploratory and descriptive study, based on the qualitative approach, oriented by the Theory of Social Representations, in intersection with the Social Memories. The subjects of the study were 23 health professionals graduated either in ambulatory service or basic attention. They act in 18 public health institutions from Rio de Janeiro which possess the National Program of STD/Aids. The collection of data was feasible by means of a script of a semistructured interview and a questionnaire about socio-professional characterization. In order to analyze the data, a lexical analysis technique, accomplished by the software ALCESTE 4.10, was used. In the analysis of the entire group of people, three categories have been established, as it follows: The first decades of the epidemic: the formation of HIV/Aids social representation and the formation of memories, approaching the formation of representations and the elements of memory in the 1980s and the 1990s; The multiprofessional practices and the assistance to the person with HIV/AIDS nowadays., approaching everyday life and the representations regarding the HIV/AIDS in current days and Ways of transmission, personal and professional precaution., approaching the personal and professional precaution implicating in the prevention, as non-temporal and transversal content to the analyzed periods. The analysis of the data revealed that health professionals have categorized the memories concerning Aids in the beginning of the epidemic associating them to homosexuality and to death. These memories have been structured through the diffusion of the assisted cases by the professionals, who determined a scenery of stereotypes linked to HIV/Aids. The 1990s has been remembered as a decade of new hope with the insertion of antiretrovirals and the establishment of follow-up protocols determining the beginning of a change in representation. Nowadays, the representations reconstruct the dynamic established by the Program of Aids and Viral Hepatitis emphasizing the role of multiprofessional teams, the interdisciplinarity, the treatment and the practices of medical care. It is noticeable the insertion of a new dynamic related to the reduction of the importance of death and homosexuality in the centrality of representation and the insertion of other elements related to the established Program of Aids and Viral Hepatitis. Therefore, the memories and social representations concerning HIV/Aids and the affected people were constructed under the basis of the health practices which were established by the professionals and, in addition, supported in the characteristics of the patients with Aids in each period, accordingly to its representation.

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Fajardo, Fuenzalida Trinidad. "Prácticas y modificaciones en la ritualidad funeraria en el contexto de la epidemia del cólera en Chile a fines del siglo XIX." Tesis, Universidad de Chile, 2013. http://www.repositorio.uchile.cl/handle/2250/116142.

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Mort, Sophia C. "Utilizing Health Professional Students’ Knowledge, Attitudes, and Beliefs to Inform the Development of a Contact-Based Educational Approach to Address the Opioid Epidemic." Ohio University / OhioLINK, 2020. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1597412295795281.

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Albuquerque, Débora de Paula Soares de Medeiros. "Avaliação do desempenho da ultrassonografia no diagnóstico pré-natal de microcefalia utilizando a curva de hadlock no contexto da epidemia de Zika vírus." reponame:Repositório Institucional da UFPR, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/1884/49319.

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Orientador : Rafael Frederico Bruns Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal do Paraná, Setor de Ciências da Saúde, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Tocoginecologia. Defesa : Curitiba, 21/07/2017 Inclui referências : f. 66-77 Resumo: Objetivo: Comparar o desempenho do método utilizado atualmente para o diagnóstico ultrassonográfico de microcefalia no período pré-natal, o Escore z (considerado padrão-ouro), com a curva de Percentis (mais utilizada na prática clínica). Material e Método: Foram selecionadas gestantes que fizeram seus exames ultrassonográficos de pré-natal em uma clínica privada de Curitiba. As medidas da circunferência craniana fetal foram avaliadas qualitativamente. Também foram classificadas conforme a sua distribuição na curva proposta por Hadlock et al., segundo os Percentis e Escore z, em suspeitas de microcefalia de acordo com 4 critérios (medidas abaixo do 5o Percentil; medidas abaixo do 2o Percentil; medidas de 2 DP abaixo da média esperada para a idade gestacional e medidas a 3 DP abaixo da média esperada para a idade gestacional). As medidas que não se enquadravam nesses critérios foram consideradas normais. Um questionário foi aplicado às gestantes para determinar se a suspeita ou a ausência de suspeita de microcefalia eram confirmadas após o parto. Resultados: Foram analisados 1683 exames ultrassonográficos de 400 gestantes, realizados nos 2º e 3º trimestres da gravidez, sendo 640 (38%) no 2º trimestre e 1043 (62%) no 3º trimestre. Ao se adotar o limiar de -3DP da média para a idade gestacional, em 0,9% dos exames o feto foi considerado microcéfalo; utilizando o corte de -2DP o valor foi de 4,2% exames positivos para microcefalia; com medidas abaixo do 2o percentil foram 3,9% e abaixo do 5o percentil foram 8%. Nenhum dos fetos da amostra teve a suspeita de microcefalia confirmada após o parto. A especificidade variou de 92 a 99,1% (para corte abaixo do 5o percentil e abaixo de 3DP, respectivamente). Foi encontrada diferença significativa (p<0,001) entre os dois trimestres quanto à proporção de casos suspeitos de microcefalia. Conclusão: Utilizar a curva de Percentis para suspeitar de microcefalia fetal aumenta a probabilidade de falsos positivos. Apesar do critério de corte da circunferência craniana em "abaixo do 2o percentil" e em "- 2DP" apresentarem eficácia semelhante no diagnóstico de microcefalia, é o Escore z que deve ser utilizado para diagnosticar essa anomalia. Descritores: Microcefalia; Ultrassonografia Pré-natal; Infecção Congênita; Zika Vírus; Circunferência craniana. Abstract: Purpose: To compare the performance of the currently method used for the ultrasonographic diagnosis of prenatal microcephaly, the z-score (considered gold standard), with the percentis curve (most used in clinical practice). Material and Method: were selected pregnant women who performed their prenatal ultrasound exams in a private clinic in Curitiba, Brazil. Measurements of fetal head circumference were qualitatively evaluated. They were also classified according to their distribution in the curve proposed by Hadlock et al, according to the percentiles and z-score, in suspected microcephaly according to 4 criteria (measures below the 5th percentile, measures below the 2nd percentile; measures 2 SD below the expected average for gestational age, and measures 3 SD below the expected average for gestational age). Measures that did not meet these criteria were considered normal. A questionnaire was applied to pregnant women to determine whether the suspicion or absence of suspected microcephaly was confirmed after birth. Results: A total of 1683 ultrasound exams of 400 pregnant women performed in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters of pregnancy were analyzed, 640 (38%) in the 2nd trimester and 1043 (62%) in the 3rd trimester. When adopting the threshold -3SD below average for gestational age, in 0.9% of the exams the fetus was considered microcephalus; using the threshold of -2SD, the result was 4.2% positive for microcephaly; 3.9% had measures below the 2nd percentile, and 8% below the 5th percentile. None of the fetuses in the sample had the suspected microcephaly confirmed after delivery. The specificity varied from 92 to 99.1% (for threshold below the 5th percentile and below -3SD, respectively). A significant difference (p <0.001) was found between the two trimesters regarding the proportion of suspected cases of microcephaly. Conclusion: To use the Percentis curve to suspect fetal microcephaly increases the propability of false positives. Although the cranial circumference at "below the 2nd percentile" and at "-2DP" have similar efficacy in the ultrasound diagnosis of microcephaly, it is the z score that should be used to diagnose this anomaly. Key words: Microcephaly; Ultrasonography, Prenatal; Congenital Infection, Zika Virus, Cephalometry.

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Ruiz, De La Cruz Sandra Anais. "Procrastinación académica y ansiedad en estudiantes universitarios en contexto de educación virtual en tiempos de pandemia, Chiclayo 2020." Bachelor's thesis, Universidad Católica Santo Toribio de Mogrovejo, 2021. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12423/3477.

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Teniendo en cuenta, las exigencias de la vida académica, social, familiar y sumado a ello, panorama actual de pandemia covid-19, es relevante estudiar el impacto en la población universitaria; es así que el presente estudio tiene como objetivo general determinar la relación entre procrastinación académica y ansiedad en estudiantes de Psicología de una universidad privada de Chiclayo; de igual manera, identificar los niveles de las dimensiones de procrastinación académica, identificar la frecuencia del perfil de riesgo, identificar los niveles de ansiedad, e identificar los niveles de las dimensiones de procrastinación académica según edad, sexo, doble rol (estudiante/trabajador) y ciclo académico. Además, el diseño es no experimental transversal, de tipo descriptivo correlacional. La muestra estuvo conformada por 151 estudiantes de la escuela de Psicología de una universidad privada de Chiclayo. Se empleó la técnica de la encuesta y se aplicaron dos instrumentos: Escala Académica de Procrastinación y el Inventario de Ansiedad rasgo estado. Los resultados muestran relación baja entre las dimensiones de procrastinación académica y ansiedad rasgo, asimismo se presenta con mayor frecuencia un nivel medio de postergación de actividades, y en autorregulación académica, de la misma forma, se encontró que un mayor porcentaje de estudiantes de psicología se ubican en un nivel moderado de ansiedad estado-rasgo; además, no se encontraron diferencias significativas entre las dimensiones de procrastinación académica y variables sociodemográficas, a excepción de postergación y ciclo académico, indicando que los estudiantes de VIII y X ciclo aplazan más sus actividades.

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Machens, Anna. "Processus épidémiques sur réseaux dynamiques." Thesis, Aix-Marseille, 2013. http://www.theses.fr/2013AIXM4066/document.

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Dans cette thèse nous contribuons à répondre aux questions sur les processus dynamiques sur réseaux temporels. En particulier, nous etudions l'influence des représentations de données sur les simulations des processus épidémiques, le niveau de détail nécessaire pour la représentation des données et sa dépendance des paramètres de la propagation de l'épidémie. Avec l'introduction de la matrice de distributions du temps de contacts nous espérons pouvoir améliorer dans le futur la précision des prédictions des épidémies et des stratégies d'immunisation en intégrant cette représentation des données aux modèles d'épidémies multi-échelles. De plus nous montrons comment les processus épidémiques dynamiques sont influencés par les propriétés temporelles des données In this thesis we contribute to provide insights into questions concerning dynamic epidemic processes on data-driven, temporal networks. In particular, we investigate the influence of data representations on the outcome of epidemic processes, shedding some light on the question how much detail is necessary for the data representation and its dependence on the spreading parameters. By introducing an improvement to the contact matrix representation we provide a data representation that could in the future be integrated into multi-scale epidemic models in order to improve the accuracy of predictions and corresponding immunization strategies. We also point out some of the ways dynamic processes are influenced by temporal properties of the data

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Krogh, Daniela da Silva Santos. "A reconfigura??o urbana de Campinas no contexto das epidemias de Febre Amarela no final do S?culo XIX (1880-1900)." Pontif?cia Universidade Cat?lica de Campinas, 2013. http://tede.bibliotecadigital.puc-campinas.edu.br:8080/jspui/handle/tede/109.

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Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-04T18:22:04Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Daniela da Silva Santos Krogh.pdf: 6044610 bytes, checksum: 30dd5f8e6cd0ba3116ba1c77484fa9b4 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-02-25 The objective of this study is to investigate the urban reconfiguration of the City of Campinas in the period between 1880 and 1900. During the big yellow fever epidemics in 1889, the city was in poor sanitary conditions, lack of water and waste supply infrastructure and also with some flooding areas. Those conditions made this city a favorable place to epidemics diffusion in the urban area. In the period between 1893 and 1990, the actions of sanitary authorities were strengthen in fighting against epidemics and sanitary improvements among urban area promoting a urban reconfiguration of Campinas. The study evaluate this reconfiguration analyzing two different moments: from 1893 to the beginning of 1896, when there was activities from the city sanitary authorities, the "Intend?ncia Municipal" and from July 1896 to 1900, when the activities were under the responsibility of the Sanitary Commission of S?o Paulo State lead by Doctor Em?lio Ribas and also the Sanitary Commission lead by the sanitary Engineer Saturnino de Brito. Este trabalho tem como objetivo investigar a reconfigura??o urbana de Campinas, no per?odo entre 1880 e 1900. Quando da grande epidemia de febre amarela ocorrida em 1889, a cidade se encontrava em prec?rias condi??es sanit?rias, com falta de redes de infraestrutura de abastecimento domiciliar de ?gua e canaliza??o de esgoto sanit?rio e ainda, com a presen?a de ?reas alagadi?as, condi??es estas que tornaram a cidade um local prop?cio para a difus?o de epidemias em sua ?rea urbana. No per?odo entre 1893 e 1900, a atua??o das autoridades sanit?rias foi conduzida com maior rigor no combate ?s epidemias e no saneamento do meio urbano promovendo uma reconfigura??o urbana de Campinas. O trabalho analisa esta reconfigura??o atrav?s do estudo do per?odo que foi dividido em dois momentos: de 1893 at? os primeiros meses de 1896, onde h? a atua??o das autoridades sanit?rias municipais, ou seja, a Intend?ncia Municipal e engenheiros da C?mara; e de julho de 1896 at? 1900, onde h? a atua??o da Comiss?o Sanit?ria do Estado de S?o Paulo, chefiada pelo m?dico Em?lio Ribas e da Comiss?o de Saneamento, sob a responsabilidade do engenheiro sanit?rio Saturnino de Brito.

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Anzolin, André Soares. "Entre espíritos doentios e doenças do espírito : tupi, jesuítas e as epidemias na América portuguesa (1549-1585)." reponame:Biblioteca Digital de Teses e Dissertações da UFRGS, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10183/88355.

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Esta pesquisa visa analisar algumas das principais implicações causadas pelas epidemias nas interações desenvolvidas entre índios Tupi e jesuítas na América Portuguesa entre os anos de 1549 e 1585. Para isto, buscamos, inicialmente, salientar a influência das interpretações elaboradas sobre as origens dos contágios, tanto para a construção de concepções sobre o “outro” formuladas a partir do encontro, quanto para a criação de diferentes soluções e acomodações concebidas com o intuito de mitigar os efeitos provocados por estes fenômenos. Em seguida, destacamos como as implicações acarretadas por estas medidas de proteção, aliadas as transformações ocasionadas pelas abruptas quedas demográficas, repercutiram nas relações que se estabeleceram entre indígenas e inacianos durante estas pouco mais de três décadas. Deste modo, foi possível relacionar a emergência de diferentes epidemias ao desenvolvimento de aproximações e rupturas nestas interações, e, com isto, sublinhar as consequências drásticas destes surtos nas dinâmicas dos primeiros contatos desenvolvidos entre os Tupi e a missão jesuítica no período quinhentista. This research aims to analyze the impacts of epidemics in the interactions between Tupi and Jesuits in América Portuguesa between the years 1549 and 1585. For this, we sought initially highlight the influence of interpretations elaborated on the origins of the contagions, both for the construction of conceptions of the "other" formulated from the encounter, and for the development of different solutions and adaptations designed with the intention of mitigate the effects caused by these phenomena. Then, we emphasize how the implications entailed by these protective measures, combined with transformations caused by abrupt demographic falls, affected the relations between indigenous and missionaries during these bit more three decades. Thereby, it was possible to relate the emergence of epidemics to approuches and disruptions in these interactions, and, thus, underline the drastic consequences of these outbreaks in the dynamics of the first contacts developed between Tupi and Jesuit mission in sixteenth- century.

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Debeuckelaere, Camille. "Synthèse d'allergènes marqués au carbone 13 et études par RMN HRMAS de leurs interactions avec des épidermes reconstruits." Thesis, Strasbourg, 2012. http://www.theses.fr/2012STRAF050.

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L'allergie de contact est une pathologie en constante augmentation et particulièrement répandue dans les pays industrialisés. Aucune thérapie n'existe actuellement et seule l'éviction totale de l'allergène permet d'éviter toute nouvelle réaction d'allergie. La base de l'allergie de contact est la formation d'une liaison entre l'allergène et les protéines épidermiques. C'est cette étape chimique clé qu' il est important de comprendre afin de développer de nouvelles méthodes dites« alternatives» dans le cadre de l'actuelle législation sur les cosmétiques. Le but de ce travail de thèse a été d'étudier la réactivité de différents allergènes connus face aux acides aminés et protéines d'épidermes reconstruits de type SkinEthic® par la technique RMN HRMAS dérivée de la RMN du solide. Six allergènes ont ainsi été étudiés et leur réactivité a été comparée a celle observée en solution face à une protéine modèle Contact dermatitis is one of the most common health problem and highly prevalent in industrialized countries. No therapy currently exists and only the total eviction of the allergen can prevent further allergie reaction.The key molecular event in skin sensitization is the formation of a bond between the allergen and the epidermal proteins. Due to the recent legislation on cosmetic and to help avoid the inappropriate use of new allergens, the understanding of this key step has to be expanded in order to develop new alternative metbods.The aim of this PhD work is to study the reactivity of some allergens towards amino acids and proteins presents in reconstructed human epidermis like SkinEthic® using the HRMAS NMR technique. Six allergens have been studied and their reactivity was compared to that observed ln solution with a model protein

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Moss, Éric. "Etude in situ par RMN HRMAS sur des épidermes reconstruits du métabolisme et de la réactivité de xénobiotiques allergisants." Thesis, Strasbourg, 2015. http://www.theses.fr/2015STRAF003/document.

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L’allergie de contact est une pathologie de la peau particulièrement répandue dans les pays industrialisés. Aucune thérapie ne permet actuellement de la soigner et seule l’éviction de l’allergène permet de la prévenir. Historiquement, l’évaluation du potentiel sensibilisant des molécules mises sur le marché a toujours été réalisée au moyen de tests sur l’animal. Cependant, le champ d’action de ces tests est aujourd’hui limité en raison de la nouvelle législation européenne sur les cosmétiques. Dans ce contexte, le développement de méthodes alternatives ne reposant pas sur l’utilisation d’animaux devient capital. L’allergie de contact repose sur une étape chimique clé : la formation d’un complexe antigénique allergène-protéine capable d’activer le système immunitaire cutané. Le but de ce travail de thèse a été d’étudier le comportement in situ d’allergènes au sein d’épidermes reconstruits de type SkinEthic®. A l’aide d’une technique d’analyse non invasive, la spectroscopie RMN HRMAS, il a été possible de suivre le devenir de différents allergènes, de leur éventuelle activation par voie métabolique, jusqu’à leur fixation sur les protéines épidermiques Contact dermatitis is a skin pathology particularly prevalent in industrialized countries. No therapy currently exists and only complete avoidance of the particular allergen can prevent an allergic reaction. Historically, the assessment of skin sensitisation potential of molecules placed on the market was always carried out by animal testing. However, the scope of this testing method is now limited by the new European cosmetics legislation. In this way, the development of alternative methods, not based on animal experimentation, become an important issue. Contact dermatitis results of a chemical key step: the formation of an antigenic complex allergen-protein complexe able to activate the cutaneous immune system. The aim of this PhD work was to study the in situ behaviour of allergens in reconstructed human epidermis (SkinEthic® model). By using an appropriate non-invasive analysis technique, HR-MAS NMR spectroscopy, it has been possible to study the mode of action of different allergens, from their possible activation through the metabolic pathway to the binding with epidermal proteins

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Kuresepi, Salen. "Alternative mechanisms in skin allergy processes : contribution of radical reactions from the molecule to the tissue." Thesis, Strasbourg, 2018. http://www.theses.fr/2018STRAF010/document.

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L’allergie de contact est une pathologie touchant de 15 à 20 % de la population occidentale. A l’heure actuelle il n’existe aucun traitement, la seule façon efficace de prévention étant l’éviction totale des allergènes. Les tests de sensibilisation de nouvelles molécules avant leur mise sur le marché ont été réalisés sur l’animal jusqu’à l’interdiction dans le 7ème amendement à la directive Européenne concernant l’industrie cosmétique. Dans ce contexte il est primordial de développer des méthodes alternatives. Ce travail de thèse propose d’analyser la problématique de l’allergie de contact en allant de la molécule au tissu pour les allergènes réagissant par voie radicalaire :In chemico : étude de la réactivité des hydroperoxydes allyliques vis-à-vis des acides aminés par la RMNIn situ : études de radicaux issus de ces composés sur des épidermes humains reconstitués par RPEIn cellulo : étude du stress oxydant sur les cellules dendritiques et la voie de signalisation Keap1/Nrf2/ARE Allergic contact dermatitis is a pathology affecting 15 to 20% of the Western population. Until now no treatment exists, the prevention is the eviction of allergens. In the past, tests concerning new molecules for the market were tested on animals until the prohibition in the 7th amendment of the European directive concerning the cosmetics industry. In this context it is essential to develop alternative methods to assess the allergenic potential of chemicals.This manuscript proposes to analyze the problem of the allergic contact dermatitis from the molecule to the tissue for allergens reacting through radical mechanisms:In chemico: study of the reactivity profile of allylic hydroperoxides toward amino acids by NMRIn situ: radical intermediates formation on reconstructed human epidermis from allylic hydroperoxides by EPR In cellulo: study of the oxidative stress from allylic hydroperoxides on dendritic cells trough the Keap1/Nrf2/ARE sensor pathway

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Darbon, Alexandre. "Épidémiologie sur réseau pour l'évaluation des risques dans la prévention et le contrôle des infections Network-based assessment of the vulnerability of Italian regions to bovine brucellosis Disease persistence on temporal contact networks accounting for heterogeneous infectious periods." Thesis, Sorbonne université, 2019. http://www.theses.fr/2019SORUS077.

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L’objectif de ma thèse est de proposer des solutions contre la propagation des maladies infectieuses dans des cas précis, en tenant compte de l'évolution des contacts entre les hôtes. Ce travail porte en particulier sur la détermination du seuil épidémique, un indicateur clé du risque épidémique. Il exploite et étend un formalisme mathématique issu de la théorie des réseaux, qui permet de déterminer le seuil épidémique dans des situations réelles, pour en dégager des mesures de santé publique. Un premier projet met en lumière des facteurs à l'origine de la persistance de la brucellose bovine en Italie en dépit des mesures d'éradication en place. L'approche théorique permet de calculer le seuil épidémique dans chaque région du pays à l'aide de données exhaustives sur les déplacements de bovins entre les exploitations italiennes sur plusieurs années, ainsi que des relevés datés de flambées épidémiques. Est ensuite présentée une extension du formalisme qui prend en compte différentes durées moyennes d’infection dans le calcul du seuil épidémique. Ce travail montre dans différents contextes épidémiologiques comment l’hypothèse classique selon laquelle la durée moyenne d’infection est homogène peut biaiser l’estimation du risque épidémique. Cette méthode permet également d'identifier les hôtes d'une population qui sont principalement responsables du risque épidémique global My doctoral thesis aims to propose solutions against the spread of infectious diseases in specific contexts, taking into account how host contacts evolve in time using a temporal network representation. It focuses on the determination of the epidemic threshold, a key indicator of the epidemic risk. By leveraging and extending a mathematical formalism from network theory, this work enables the computation of the epidemic threshold in real situations in order to identify public health measures. A first project addresses the persistence of bovine brucellosis in Italy despite the existing eradication measures. Using comprehensive data on cattle movements between Italian farms over several years, as well as time-stamped outbreak records, the epidemic threshold computation in each region of the country provides information on regions vulnerability and proposes factors that may explain disease persistence. An extension of the formalism is then presented, including heterogeneous average infectious periods in the epidemic threshold computation. This work shows in different epidemiological contexts how the classical assumption that the average infectious period is the same for all hosts in a population may bias epidemic risk assessments. This method also identifies the hosts in a population that are primarily responsible for the global epidemic risk

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Sahli, Fatma. "Les allergènes cutanés réagissant au travers de processus radicalaires : de la molécule au tissu." Thesis, Strasbourg, 2019. http://www.theses.fr/2019STRAF023.

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L’allergie cutanée représente un problème majeur de santé publique. La compréhension de tous les mécanismes conduisant à des réactions allergiques est capitale afin d’évaluer le potentiel de sensibilisation des molécules à risques. Les hydroperoxydes dérivés de l’autoxydation de terpènes utilisés dans les produits cosmétiques sont à l’origine de sensibilisations cutanées. L’objectif a été d’étudier l’intervention de mécanismes radicalaires dans la formation d’entités antigéniques de ces composés. Une approche intégrée de trois actions a été proposée : - "in chemico" : études de réactivité vis-à-vis des acides aminés afin d’établir un profil de réactivité complet suscitant des réactions radicalaires; - "in situ" : étude de la formation et comportement des intermédiaires radicalaires formés dans un modèle 3D d’épiderme humain reconstitué ; - "in cellulo" : étude de leur capacité à activer le système immunitaire inné, à savoir les cellules dendritiques dans leur contexte naturel kératinocytaire Skin allergy is a major public health problem. It is the most important immunotoxic reaction in humans. Understanding all mechanisms leading to allergic-inflammatory reactions is essential in order to evaluate the sensitization potential of molecules for risk assessment purposes. Hydroperoxides derived from autoxidation of odorant terpenes used in cosmetics cause skin sensitization. The objective was to study the involvement of radical mechanisms in the formation of the antigenic entities of these compounds. An integrated approach of three actions was proposed: - "in chemico" : reactivity studies with amino acids to establish a complete reactivity profile via radical reactions ; - "in situ" : formation and behavior of radical intermediates in a reconstructed human epidermis 3D model ; - "in cellulo" : ability to activate the innate immune system, namely dendritic cells in their natural keratinocyte context

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Koenders, Sedona L. "Veteran experiences of living with chronic pain in the context of VA care and an opioid 'epidemic'." Thesis, 2019. https://hdl.handle.net/2144/36577.

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While chronic pain is an increasingly prevalent condition in the United States, it is twice as common among the military veteran population. As many Vietnam War era veterans are aging and experiencing comorbid medical conditions, their chronic pain is becoming increasingly complex. Policies enacted in response to the ‘opioid epidemic’ have in some ways made treatment of pain safer, but have also left remaining questions regarding how to properly provide care. There are three fields of complexity that interact within this topic: patients with a clear need for care and pain management, providers committed to helping patients, and structural barriers that unintentionally interfere with the provision of care. The lived experience of chronic pain and receiving care through the VA healthcare system combined with a common military culture exemplifies a lifeworld centered on pain—which I call a ‘painworld.’ This painworld is seen in the illness narratives of older, white, male veterans with chronic pain. Examining the way a single VA site provides pain care shows the providers are dedicated to treating veteran patients and offer a large number of treatment options. While the need for pain management services is clear from both the patient and provider perspectives, translating the lived experience of these veterans and their medical needs into a hierarchical bureaucratic structure is difficult. Furthermore, the bureaucratic nature of a large federal organization creates gaps in the healthcare system. This leads to the creation of informal systems through systems-correcting praxis to fill the gaps and attempt to prevent siloing and slippage throughout. Together, these fields of complexity are organized into three chapters, building the argument that the convergence of veteran painworlds, pain care, and bureaucracy can contribute to miscommunication, leading to unintended slippage through the system and inadequate care, despite good intentions of staff. Furthermore, the VA system and structure of providing pain care both influences and is part of the painworld, as are the interactions that occur between veteran patients and staff.

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Nkurunziza, Corneille. "Responding to the HIV and AIDS epidemic in the context of unjust social structures : a challenge to the Burundian pentecostal churches' theology of mission." Thesis, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/10413/2881.

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That the HIV and AIDS epidemic is fuelled by structural injustices is not a new discovery. Several studies reveal the link between the HIV transmission and the spread of the epidemic and the structural inequalities created by human beings themselves in terms of economic and political structures sustained by the patriarchal socio-cultural and religious beliefs systems. In most African rural contexts, faith communities have the potential to alter the course of the epidemic given their moral authority in community and their direct connection with people. However, they are seldom theologically equipped to address the structural inequalities that fuel the spread of HIV and AIDS. This study critically analyses the specific factors driving the HIV and AIDS epidemic in Burundian context and the challenge that they pose to the Burundian Pentecostal churches‘ theology of mission. The study argues that Burundian Pentecostal churches are not responding the epidemic as they should because their responses are informed by a theological framework of mission that was elaborated in the early years of the 20th century and which was responding to theological and social questions quite different to the questions raised by the current HIV context. To overcome this theological irrelevancy that has led to a failure to respond to the political, socio-economic, and cultural factors that fuel the spread of HIV infection, the study suggests that there is a need to adopt a theological framework rooted in a holistic understanding of the mission of the church in the world as defined by the concept of missio Dei. The practical implication of this theological framework is that it challenges faith communities in general and Burundian Pentecostals in particular to become transforming agents not only interested in right relationships between God and humans but also committed to the transformation of political, economic, socio-cultural and religious structures that sustain unequal relationships between humans and between humanity and the rest of creation. Thesis (M.Th.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2010.

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Macia, Manuel Jose. "Male sexual behaviour and protective practices in the context of a generalized HIV/AIDS epidemic : a case study of an urban and rural area in Mozambique." Thesis, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/10413/4996.

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This study investigates male sexual behaviour and protective practices in the context of a generalized HIV/AIDS epidemic in Mozambique. It focus on how gender norms, particularly notions of masculinity influence sexual behaviour and the ability of men (and women) to protect themselves against HIV infection. A combination of qualitative and quantitative methods is used in this study. The qualitative data comes from 16 focus group discussions and 20 in-depth interviews and the quantitative data comes from a survey conducted with 209 men and 217 women. This methodological approach has proven useful in exploring complex and sensitive matters such as sexual behaviour. In this study, where it was possible, the findings from the survey were supported by quotes from focus groups discussions and in-depth interviews. The findings of this study reveal that traditional gender norms, particularly rigid notions of masculinity are still prevalent in the study settings. The existing notions of manhood are mostly associated with traditional views of men as providers and main breadwinners. In contrast, women are seen as the family caregivers. Practices which bring social prestige both in the community and in the society at large are highly valued for men. Meanwhile, traditional notions of masculinity face enormous challenges in the existing socio-economic context which is characterized by a lack of employment and widespread poverty. This has negative consequences for male self-esteem including their sense of manhood. The study shows that some men believe that having multiple sexual partners is part of male identity and is supported by culture. Similarly, some women also believe that a man cannot be satisfied with one partner or stay long without having sex. These beliefs have important implications in a country with a high prevalence of HIV/AIDS. The study found that traditional notions of manhood prevent men from accessing correct health information thereby perpetuating the cycle of harmful practices for themselves and their females partners. The findings of this study suggest that despite a universal awareness of HIV infection and protective strategies, multiple sexual partnerships and unprotected sex among heterosexual men and women are the driving force sustaining the HIV/AIDS pandemic in the study settings. This is worsened by the widespread negative meanings attached to condoms. The study shows that the level of condom use (31 percent among men and 20 percent among women) is encouraging but not sufficient to curb the level of HIV infections. Consistent condom use remains a major challenge as much fewer men and women report using condoms in all their sexual encounters. Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2010.

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Botha, Robert Anthony. "The James 1:27 trust programme : a case study of an information, communication and technology (ICT) response to orphans and vulnerable children in the context of an HIV and AIDS epidemic." Diss., 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/10500/3908.

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This case study examines the James 1:27 Trust as an information, communication and technology response to the plight of orphans and vulnerable children within the context of an HIV and AIDS epidemic. The James 1:27 Trust demonstrates how social networks can be mobilized in support of children at risk. The use of business information and management systems to administer concepts such as “virtual adoption” is deemed an important innovative contribution. The James 1:27 Trust and its model is studied as a contributor in finding solutions to scale and multiply levels of care by community and faith-based organisations to orphans and vulnerable children. The James 1:27 Trust is located at the Innovation Hub in Pretoria, Africa’s first internationally accredited science park. Social Work M.A. (Social Behaviour in HIV/AIDS))

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Sousa, Carla Patrícia Freitas. "Epidemic marketplace: Repositório e WEB services." Master's thesis, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/10451/14047.

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It is increasing the use of the Internet to store specific information, giving primacy to a better organization and availability of such data in a structured and simple way, allowing cooperation between the scientific community and its evolution over time. Is in these context that this project appears. With it I intend to present the design of Repository and Web Services, whose role is to manage his content. This conception was part of the European project, Epiwork, which aims to create a prediction, detection and simulation system of epidemics outbreaks temporal and spatially localized. I intend to respond to the needs felt in the first version whether the repository or the web services. The repository is designed in Fedora Commons with an authentication and authorization system of users and objects in the repository. This repository has as a graphical content management, the Drupal system. It uses all the features that Web services offer by providing an enjoyable navigation and content management of epidemiological data. The web services mediate between users (especially applications) and the repository and were implemented with a RESTful interface that provides several services which allowed a better data management. This system allows interoperability between other repositories, where the OAI-ORE approach was implemented and the integration of the OAI-PMH protocol. The development of this project opens possibilities for future capabilities system expansion.

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Hladish, Thomas Joseph. "Epidemic dynamics in heterogeneous populations." Thesis, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/2152/ETD-UT-2012-08-5982.

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Epidemiological models traditionally make the assumption that populations are homogeneous. By relaxing that assumption, models often become more complicated, but better representations of the real world. Here we describe new computational tools for studying heterogeneous populations, and we examine consequences of two particular types of heterogeneity: that people are not all equally likely to interact, and that people are not all equally likely to become infected if exposed to a pathogen. Contact network epidemiology provides a robust and flexible paradigm for thinking about heterogeneous populations. Despite extensive mathematical and algorithmic methods, however, we lack a programming framework for working with epidemiological contact networks and for the simulation of disease transmission through such networks. We present EpiFire, a C++ applications programming interface and graphical user interface, which includes a fast and efficient library for generating, analyzing and manipulating networks. EpiFire also provides a variety of traditional and network-based epidemic simulations. Heterogeneous population structure may cause multi-wave epidemics, but urban populations are generally assumed to be too well mixed to have such structure. Multi-wave epidemics are not predicted by simple models, and are particularly problematic for public health officials deploying limited resources. Using a unique empirical interaction network for 103,000 people in Montreal, Canada, we show that large, urban populations may feature sufficient community structure to drive multi-wave dynamics, and that highly connected individuals may play an important role in whether communities are synchronized. Finally, we show that heterogeneous immunity is an important determinant of influenza epidemic size. While many epidemic models assume a homogeneously susceptible population and describe dynamics for one season, the trans-seasonal dynamics of partially immunizing diseases likely play a critical role in determining both future epidemic size and pathogen evolution. We present a multi-season network model of a population exposed to a pathogen conferring partial cross-immunity that decays over time. We fit the model to 25 years of influenza-like illness epidemic data from France using a novel Bayesian technique. Using conservative priors, we estimate important epidemiological quantities that are consistent with empirical studies. text

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Shiller, Elisabeth. "EVOLVING CONTACT NETWORKS TO ANALYZE EPIDEMIC BEHAVIOUR AND STUDYING THE EFFECTS OF VACCINATION." Thesis, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/10214/5266.

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Epidemic models help researchers understand and predict the nature of a potential epidemic. This study analyzes and improves network evolution technology that evolves contact networks so that simulated epidemics on the network mimic a specified epidemic pattern. The evolutionary algorithm incorporates the novel recentering-restarting algorithm, which is adopted into the optimizer to allow for efficient search of the space of networks. It also implements the toggle-delete representation which allows for broader search of solution space. Then, a diffusion character based method is used for analyzing the contact networks. A comparison of simulated epidemics that result from changing patient zero for a single contact network is performed. It is found that the location of patient zero is important for the behaviour of an epidemic. The social fabric representation is invented and then tested for parameter choices. The response to vaccination strategies (including ring vaccination) is then tested by incorporating them into the epidemic simulations. Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS), Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC)

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Weie, Chang Chien, and 張謙韋. "A Content Analysis of News Coverage on SARS Epidemic: A Comparison between China Times and The Liberty Times." Thesis, 2007. http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/30512496665514548480.

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碩士 玄奘大學 資訊傳播研究所 96 Sever Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) has been one of the most serious diseases in modern times, and received a great amount of public’s anxious attention. News media, on the other hand, has played a vital role in informing the public on the development of SARS. Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate and compare the coverage of SARS in different newspapers during the SARS epidemic in the year of 2003. A content analysis was performed on news articles sampled with the keyword “SARS” from China Times and The Liberty Times during the period from March to July 2003, and a total of 1456 entries was collected. China Times provided a larger proportion of SARS coverage than The Liberty Times. Among all the articles, government agencies contributed to the majority of news articles as the source of information, and most articles were written either by medical correspondents or medical experts themselves. The research finding suggested that as major sources for health information, news media should include various information sources and viewpoints from different perspectives other than government agencies. Therefore, the public will be able to obtain more diverse, as well as professional information, and form a more accurate and comprehensive understanding toward major medial and health issues.

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Bansal, Khandelwal Shweta 1980. "Ecology of infectious diseases with contact networks and percolation theory." Thesis, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/2152/3910.

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Dowling, Peter J. "Violent epidemics : disease, conflict and Aboriginal population collapse as a result of European contact in the Riverland of South Australia." Master's thesis, 1990. http://hdl.handle.net/1885/114505.

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Many researchers have recognized the value of investigating the history of race contact in Australia, but too few have sought to explain in detail why the Aboriginal population declined so much and so rapidly when colonization advanced across the continent. The central aim of this thesis is to identify and assess the impact of the major causes of Aboriginal population collapse in the Riverland (Murray River) region of South Australia. It is estimated that prior to 1800 the population density of the Riverland was between 0.3 and 0.5 km^ per person with a total population for the region of around 3000. In 1881 the South Australian State Census enumerated just 14 Aboriginal people for the Riverland region. The population collapse has been viewed in two stages. The first has been termed pathological contact and is considered to be the major cause of the collapse. Introduced venereal syphilis, gonorrhoea and smallpox spread ahead of the major European frontiers of South Australia causing extreme mortality among the Riverland Aborigines. The second stage began after European settlement of South Australia. Violent clashes were quick to erupt on the overland cattle route which linked the settlement of Adelaide with the Eastern settlements. The combined effect resulted in an increase in the mortality rate, a decrease in the fertility rate and social and economic disruption. The population was unable to recover.

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Wosiyana, Mlungisi Jeffrey. "Transport issues that underpin access to a tiered government health system in the context of the HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis epidemics : a study of referral and emergency service transport in greater Pietermaritzburg." Thesis, 2001. http://hdl.handle.net/10413/3003.

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Abstract:

There is a very limited literature examining transport and access to health care, especially in the South African context. The existing literature does not provide an analysis of the influence of transport on access to health care and the utilisation of referrals by the patients. In the context of the HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis epidemics which have already increased the demand for health care and utilisation of referrals, transport is a critical issue to take into account with regard to access to health care. The case study presented in this dissertation examines the influence of transport (either public or private) on patient's access to health care facilities, particularly the referrals and Emergency Medical services (EMS). The findings are based on a sample of 30 EMS providers, 15 clinic and hospital nurses, doctors and senior administrators, as well as 200 patients (clients) seeking health care in the three clinics which were chosen as study sites. Using qualitative and quantitative methods, this study focuses on patients seeking health care as well as those who provide health care routinely at clinics and hospitals and in emergencies. The focus of interest was transport needs and services and its role in patient access in the context of HIV/AIDS and TB epidemics. Findings of this study confirm research undertaken in other developing contexts. They show that in rural and some remote urban settlements, transport is a serious barrier to equitable access to health care. Race and locality combine to generate a hierarchy of access to care in South Africa. The study concludes that there is a need to reallocate resources in the health sector in order to increase access. Transport needs have to be taken into account when access to services is planned. And alternative models of health care provision in the context of the epidemics have to be conceived, emphasising the provision of well-equipped and resourced primary health care facilities. Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2001.

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Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Epidemic context'

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