Tight junctions, as zones of close contact between epithelial and endothelial cells, form a physical barrier as one of the first host defense strategies that prevent the intrusion of pathogens across epithelia and endothelia. Recently, an interaction between the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus (SARS-CoV) envelope protein (E) and PALS1, a member of the CRB tight junction complex, was identified in the Virus-Host Interaction group at HKU-Pasteur Research Centre (Teoh et al, 2010). In this report, I present in vitro data which helps to better understand how this protein-protein interaction could interfere with the formation and maintenance of tight junctions at the apical domain of epithelial cells. In previous research, the interaction between E and PALS1 was identified through a yeast two-hybrid screen and confirmed in vitro. A PDZ-binding motif (PBM) was identified at the C-terminal end of E, which interacts with the PDZ domain of PALS1. The objective of my research was to further enhance the knowledge of this interaction by studying the effect of E expression on PALS1 localization and tight junction structure in epithelial cells. I have shown that expression of E is associated with a partial relocalization of PALS1 to the Golgi compartment. Also, I discovered that when wild-type E, E(wt), was expressed in the MDCKII cell model, the time required for tight junction formation was extended to 6-8 hours, while normal cells only required two hours. Interestingly, expression of the E protein with a deletion of the PBM, E(ΔPBM) did not affect the timing of tight junction formation. This finding indicates that the PBM plays a critical role in the process of alteration of tight junctions mediated by E, most likely through its interaction with PALS1. Furthermore, the localization pattern of E was altered when its PBM was deleted. In the MDCKII model, E(wt) located, as expected, at membranes of the Golgi compartment, whereas E(ΔPBM) had a diffused distribution in the cytosol. This observation suggests that the PBM acts as a localization signal for the E protein to the Golgi region, which is the assembly site of the virus. Finally, to examine the role of the PBM in the context of the whole virus, I participated in the production of SARS-CoV recombinant viruses, with mutations in the PBM of E. Though this work is still in progress, the use of these viruses should help to delineate the role of E PBM in SARS-CoV induced pathogenesis in vitro and ultimately in vivo. / published_or_final_version / Pathology / Master / Master of Philosophy

The risk perception as presented by the media is important because it is usually through the media that the general population first receives information about an important event or crisis. The unique position of the media comes with a responsibility to provide a ‘communication bridge’ between the government and the general population. However the editorial choices determining the appropriateness of source, amount, and type of information conveyed to the public during a crisis is influenced by the contextual environment. The issue attention framework proposed by Downs was used to explore the possible links between the trajectory of a crisis and the media response may shed some light on the populations perception of risk during a crisis (the Hong Kong SARS epidemic in 2003) in which WiseNews was used to search the grey literature. The articles identified were classified into 4 categories: incidence, public health information, economy, and sensationalism by date of publication. These categories were then plotted on the Hong Kong hospital admissions and deaths epidemic curves. The study explored the potential link between key events during the Hong Kong SARS epidemic and the specific content of the medial publications. / published_or_final_version / Community Medicine / Master / Master of Public Health

published_or_final_version / abstract / Microbiology / Master / Master of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / Nursing Studies / Master / Master of Nursing in Advanced Practice

published_or_final_version / Public Administration / Master / Master of Public Administration

published_or_final_version / abstract / toc / Clinical Psychology / Master / Master of Social Sciences

媒體危機事件扮演之角色: 以台灣印刷媒體在SARS危機為例 / This study aims to explore the interaction between the media and the government during Taiwan’s SARS crisis of 2003 and observe the media’s attitude toward the government’s efforts to contain the epidemic. This paper is particularly interested understanding whether the media presented the government in a way that enabled or inhibited the government’s efforts to manage the crisis. Qualitative content analysis is used to operationalize print media’s “framing” of events. Articles are collected from two print media outlets, China Post and Taipei Times.

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) was first recognized in Guangdong Province, China, in November 2002. Subsequent to its introduction to Hong Kong in mid-February 2003, the virus spread to more than 30 countries infecting over 8,000 individuals across five continents. Toronto was particularly affected and SARS's outbreak there resulted in the emergence of five ethical issues in the following areas: isolation and quarantine, privacy and personal information, professional duty of care, collateral damage and the WHO's SARS-related Travel Advisory for Toronto. In what follows each of these issues will be explored in depth.

本研究欲分析媒體記者在面對SARS新興傳染病的報導經驗，他（她）們的專業角色認知，以及在報導時所面臨的困境與因應，從傳染病本身的特性，剖析採訪環境在主、客觀環境的變化，對記者專業認知的衝擊與挑戰，嘗試描繪出在這一波重大疫病的當下，記者如何從經驗中學習與改變，以期對未來的媒體環境及新聞從業人員有所反思與進步。 本研究從健康風險的傳播，探討新興傳染病具有哪些特性，致使記者在採訪時面臨的限制與困境，以及隨著全球化的腳步，所帶來風險社會，民眾所仰賴的專家也未必具備完全的知識，記者在採訪時，面對專家也不瞭解之際，記者的報導策略。另外，從健康風險的新聞報導，探討科學新聞的困難度以及醫藥新聞的進展與陷阱，探討有關健康傳播的不同面向。再者，從記者與新聞組織、消息來源的關係，分析記者在採訪新聞時，如何判斷消息來源，以及新聞組織對新聞的影響，希冀從SARS新聞的流程中，一探新聞組織在此所扮演的角色。 　 本研究以第一線的採訪記者為主要研究對象，主要的媒體包括《聯合報》、《中國時報》、《自由時報》、《民生報》與《蘋果日報》，電子媒體則包括TVBS及東森有線電視台的記者，以深訪的方式瞭解他（她）們當時記者採訪SARS新聞時，如何面對這一場新興傳染病的疫情，以及外界提出各種責難與批評時的反應，並由第一線記者檢視新聞出錯事件，包括「華昌國宅爆社區汙染」、「馬偕瓶中信」、「高雄長庚醫師殉職」等，亦為本研究欲蒐集的資料，希冀進一步探討新聞出錯的原因及環節，作為未來新聞從業人員的省思與自我期許。 關鍵字：SARS、醫藥新聞、健康傳播、風險社會

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karol. inst., 2005. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.