Syften med uppsatsen var att ta reda på hur folk som är en del av anti-vaccinationsrörelsen kommunicerar i sociala medier. Uppsatsen undersöker hur de kommunicerar i inlägg och kommentarer i en sluten grupp på Facebook. Med hjälp av ett kodschema så blev 97 inlägg analyserade och placerad i olika kategorier med olika variabler. Utifrån kodschemat blev flera tabeller skapade som visade den mest relevanta faktan. Utifrån den information, och med flera detaljerat beskriva exempel-inlägg, beskrivs den generella stämningen i gruppen och hur de talar med varandra. Resultatet blev att de kommunicerar med varandra på ett vänligt och stöttande sätt, bidrar med relevant information när det frågas efter, men med lite fientlighet visas mot de som kommer med motsatta åsikter. Gruppen var sluten, vilket innebär att bara individer som delar samma åsikter som dem är medverkande på plattformen, vilket också betyder att åsikter blir så gott som aldrig utmanade. / The purpose of this essay has been to figure out how people that are a part of the anti-vaccination movement communicate in social media. The essay explores how they communicate in posts and comments in a closed group on Facebook. With the help of a coding scheme, 97 posts became analysed and placed in different categories with different variables. A couple of tables were created from the code scheme that demonstrated the most relevant facts. From that information, and with several detailed descriptions of example posts, describes the general mode in the group and how they speak with each other. The result was that they communicate with each other in a nice and supporting way, contribute with relevant information when it was asked for, but with some hostility shown towards those who come with opposite views. The group was closed, which means that only individuals who share the same views as them are involved with the platform, which also means that opinions are almost never challenged.

Typescript (photocopy). / Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries

Francisella tularensis is a Gram-negative pathogenic organism that causes the disease tularemia. This disease can be potentially fatal without treatment. Francisella tularensis virulent strains can cause disease in humans with an infectious dose as low as 10 organisms. As a result of this low infectious dose, high mortality, and ease to produce an aerosol inoculum, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has classified Francisella tularensis as a Tier I select agent, the highest threat level. Much research has been done to determine the cause for the extreme virulence. However, despite these efforts, little is known about the mechanisms by which Francisella goes undetected inside host cells until it is too late for the host to respond. Researchers in the Jones' laboratory utilized a transposon site hybridization (TraSH) screen with human monocyte derived macrophages (MDMs) as the host cell and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) screen of pools of transposon mutants searching for virulence determinants and genes responsible for Francisella capsule or LPS. Through the TraSH screen, our group identified a locus of genes, FTT1236, FTT1237, and FTT1238c as being important for survival within human MDMs. From the mutant library screen using ELISA, I identified the same genes, FTT1236 and FTT1238c. In addition, I also identified wzy, wbtA, FTT0846, and hemH as being involved in LPS and or capsule production. A similar ELISA screen was done by researchers in Apicella laboratory using a different monoclonal antibody that identified insertions in, dnaJ, manB and an intergenic region between FTT0673 and FTT0674c that potentially disrupted LPS and capsule biogenesis. Previously, FTT1236, FTT1237, and FTT1238c mutants were observed by our laboratory to be serum sensitive and activate MDMs by an unknown mechanism. I further characterized these mutant strains by analyzing the changes in the LPS core. I identified core truncations for the FTT1236 and FTT1237 mutants, but not FTT1238c. Combining this new data with previously published work and bioinformatical analysis of the FTT1236, FTT1237 and FTT1238c proteins, I hypothesized that these proteins have functions similar to Waa proteins of other organisms, which are involved in LPS core assembly and O-antigen ligation. With functional complementation and mass spectrometry of LPS preparations, I have designated FTT1236, FTT1237, and FTT1238c as WaaY, WaaZ, and WaaL respectively. In addition to this work characterizing the biochemical functions of these gene products, I examined the effect of mutations in these genes on the virulence of Francisella. In contrast to infection with wild type Schu S4, mice infected either intraperitoneally or intranasally displayed significant inflammatory responses to infection and the strains were significantly attenuated by either route of infection. I also observed that waaY and waaL mutant strains disseminated to the liver and spleen after an intranasal infection despite their lack of O-antigen and capsule. At an i.n. dose of 106 CFU these mutant strains still caused lethal murine infection, but death occurred around day 12 post infection; mice infected with <20 CFU of Schu S4 succumb at day 5 post infection. The cause of the death in mice infected with these mutant strains was pulmonary edema, rather than multiple organ failure induced by Schu S4. Of the additional seven mutant strains identified from the ELISA screens, I characterized their physical phenotypes, virulence defects, and their potential as an attenuated live vaccine. All of these strains were determined to be sensitive to human pooled serum to various degrees. Three of these strains, dnaJ::Tn5, hemH::Tn5, and FTT0673p/prsAp::Tn5 did not have identifiable defects in capsule or LPS biosynthesis, nor were they attenuated in mice. The remaining four strains, FTT0846::Tn5, manB::Tn5, wzy::Tn5, and wbtA::Tn5, were found to have LPS O-antigen and capsule defects, and two of these strains had LPS core defects (FTT0846::Tn5 and manB::Tn5). Each of these four strains was attenuated in mice, when compared to WT. I also tested the ability of mice infected with waaY::TrgTn, waaL::TrgTn, and wbt::Tn5 to be protected from lethal challenges of Schu S4. All three strains provided some level of protection against lethal Schu S4 challenges. In addition, I also tested Francisella LPS and capsule to provide protection against lethal challenges of LVS and Schu S4. I determined that LPS and capsule protected against high doses of LVS, but LPS did not provide any protection when immunized mice were challenged with Schu S4. Interestingly, we observed that mice immunized with capsule were partially protected from lethal Schu S4 challenges. In addition, I observed a novel difference between virulent Francisella strains and LVS, in that virulent strains have O-antigen glycosylated and LVS appears to be lacking this characteristic. Collectively, this work adds to the growing data of the importance of LPS and the role of capsule role in immune evasion as well as the significance of capsule and LPS mutant strains to provide protection against Schu S4.

Streptomycin resistance in both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria is usually caused by a single mutation in the rpsL gene. The rpsL gene encodes the S12 protein of the ribosomal complex. The rpsL genes of various bacteria have consensus regions in their sequences. Primers were designed from these consensus pockets and a fragment of the rpsL gene was sequenced from S. gordonii using PCR based methodologies. Using the Multiplex Restriction Sequence PCR(mRS PCR), which used the known primer at one end and a restriction site primer on the other, a gene walk was conducted. In streptomycin resistant strains of S. gordonii, namely GP204, SP204 and SP635, the AAA coding for Lys56 was mutated to ACA, coding for Thr56. The lysine to threonine transition, causing resistance to streptomycin was identical to that expected from the literature. The streptomycin resistance gene of S. pyogenes was mapped using similar techniques. Streptomycin resistant strains S43 ATCC, 543/192/4 and S43/192/30R were studied. In streptomycin resistant S43 ATCC and S43/192/30R strains, the lysine 56 changed to isoleucine and threonine respectively. Surprisingly, the 192/4 had two mutations, in each of the two hotspots in the rpsL gene where mutations due to streptomycin resistance occur. It had the amino acid 56, lysine, mutated to arginine and lysine 101 changed to asparagine. To check if this mutation was stable in the host animal, S43/192/4 P8 (S43/192/4 passaged eight times in mice) was sequenced and the sequence was identical to the streptomycin resistant 192/4. Hence, the lys101 mutation was stable and unlike the ancillary mutations in E.coli and S. typhimurium, which are compensated by new mutations. The pathogenesis of S. pyogenes depends in part on the ability of the pathogen to adhere to the epithelial cells of the throat and the quantity of M protein. Pathogenesis studies done on mice revealed the avirulence of S43/192/4smR strain. To elucidate the reason for this avirulence, the adherence properties and the production of M protein of the two strains S43/192/4smR and S43/192/30R were tested. Qualitative immunoblot analysis of the M protein of 192/4 and 30R revealed no significant difference. Competition ELISA was conducted to quantitate the M protein, and this also did not show any significant difference in the M protein levels. The adherence of 30R and 192/4 was measured on human pharyngeal epithelial cell line. The adherence properties of S43/192/4 SmR, was no different from other strains in this experiment. Electron microscopy, using immunogold to highlight the M protein on the cell surface showed no differences. / Graduation date: 2000

The U.S. beef industry is very large with many inter-connected facets. Nutrition and health are key components of a system striving to compete economically while striving to produce a high quality product. The decisions made in one part of the system may often determine outcomes in the other parts of the system. Therefore, it is necessary to look at the beef industry in a systems type of framework. Each management decision is likely tied to a result that may alter several other management questions. At the cow/calf level, producers must decide whether or not to vaccinate their calves. Vaccination leads to reduced disease incidence and severity in the feedyard, thus being beneficial to the feeder. However, if the feedlot does not respond economically in any way, producers may feel that it is not warranted to vaccinated calves. Pre-conditioning programs work in the same manner as they may have beneficial effects for the feeder but not for the harvester. Therefore, pre-conditioning may not be a program that is valued back to the farm level. Answers to these kinds of questions are hard to ascertain. Each segment has its own demands and drivers, which determine how much it can reward to other segments for their efforts. Because the market is continuously changing, the target rewards are changing as well. Therefore targets cannot be theorized, rather exact relationships should be shown. In this dissertation, it is intended to characterize the relationships vaccination protocols and other management strategies can have on various aspects of cattle performance in various industry segments.

Two consecutive experiments were conducted to evaluate the influence of dietary composition, specifically protein and amino acid profile, on performance parameters, oocyst output, and lesion development in male and female replacement broiler breeders of two different genetic lines vaccinated with a live coccidiosis vaccine. Dietary formulations were based on either breeder specific recommendations or formulations of a broiler integrator. On day 28, males of each genetic line were added to female pens to evaluate the effect of co-mingling on male performance. Lesion assessment was performed on three separate occasions per each experiment. Fecal material was collected to determine oocyst cycling patterns. During experiment 1, flock uniformity was improved (P less than/equal to 0.05) in Line A males fed the integrator diet. Increased body weight and improved uniformity of Line B females was observed with the breeder recommended diet. Co-mingling negatively impacted (P less than/equal to 0.05) male body weight. Multiple oocyst peaks were observed in both genetic lines, with the first peak occurring at approximately 16 to 18 days post placement. This first peak tended to have the highest observed magnitude and corresponded with the highest level of intestinal lesions observed during the experiment. In experiment 2, diet impacted (P less than/equal to 0.05) average body weight in Line A males, Line B males, and Line B females. Line A males fed the breeder recommended diet had increased (P less than/equal to 0.05) body weight at the termination of the experiment. Line B males and females fed the breeder recommended diet had increased (P less than/equal to 0.05) body weights throughout the experiment beginning on day 7. Negative effects (P less than/equal to 0.05) on male body weight resulting from co-mingling were observed. Oocyst peaks were delayed and at a lower magnitude in both genetic lines compared to peaks observed in experiment 1. Dietary interactions were observed in both experiments where magnitude of peak, duration of oocyst output, and severity of lesion development was influenced by diet in both male and female genetic lines. These data indicate that co-mingling negatively impacts male performance and dietary composition can impact male and female performance, oocyst cycling, and lesion development during coccidiosis vaccination in replacement broiler breeders and should be taken into consideration when rearing replacement broiler breeders.

Dissertation--Kiel--Philosophische Fakultät, Christian-Albrechts-Universität, 2006. / Bibliogr. p. 175-182.

Thesis(Ph.D.)--Case Western Reserve University, 2010 / Title from PDF (viewed on 2010-01-28) Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics Includes abstract Includes bibliographical references and appendices Available online via the OhioLINK ETD Center

This dissertation consists of three chapters on health economics, two of which focus on contraception and the third on vaccination. Chapter one examines the impact of state-level contraception insurance coverage mandates on women's fertility outcomes. It utilizes variation in mandated insurance coverage for contraception across states and over time to determine the causal impact of insurance coverage of contraception on fertility outcomes, specifically abortion rates and birth rates. State-level results indicate that a mandate decreases abortion rates by 6% in the year of introduction and decreases birth rates by 3% two years following introduction, with the magnitude of both effects remaining steady over the long run. Chapter two utilizes longitudinal data on varicella (chicken pox) immunizations in order to estimate the causal effects of state-level school-entry and daycare-entry immunization mandates within the United States. We find significant causal effects of mandates upon vaccination rates among preschool children aged 19-35 months; these effects appear in the year of mandate adoption, peak two years after adoption, and show a minimal difference from the aggregate trend about six years after adoption. For a mandate enacted in 2000, the model and estimates imply that roughly 20% of the short-run increase in state-level immunization rates was caused by the mandate introduction. We find no evidence of differential effects for different socioeconomic groups. Combined with the previous cost-benefit analyses of the varicella vaccine, the estimates suggest that state-level mandates have been effective from an economic standpoint. Chapter three utilizes variations in access to emergency contraception (EC) across states to determine the impact of over the counter access on abortion rates, birth rates, and risky sexual behavior. Using state-level data, a flexible time specification finds that giving individuals over the counter access to EC reduces births and increases risky behavior, which is captured by STD rates. These effects are larger for adults compared with teenagers, however, there are not significant differential effects by race. Finally, the effects are increasing over time following the legislation. / text

Pregnant women infected with influenza virus are more likely to experience severe complications compared with their non-pregnant peers. Yet influenza vaccine uptake is low among pregnant women. The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence and predictors of seasonal influenza vaccine uptake among pregnant women in Hong Kong. Using a multi-centre cross-sectional design, we recruited 2,822 new mothers during their immediate postpartum stay at all eight public obstetric hospitals over a three-month period from April through June 2011. We assessed their antenatal maternal influenza vaccination status as well as health beliefs and perceptions toward influenza and influenza vaccination. Bivariable and multivariable logistic regression was used to identify the predictors of vaccination uptake. Only 49 (1.7%; 95% CI 1.3% to 2.3%) participants were vaccinated during pregnancy. Fears that the vaccine would harm their foetuses or themselves were the most common reasons for not being vaccinated. Being aware of vaccination recommendations (OR=2.69; 95% CI 1.06, 6.82), being advised by a health care provider (HCP) to be vaccinated (OR=6.30; 95% CI 3.19, 12.46), a history of influenza vaccination (OR=2.47; 95% CI 1.25, 4.91), perceived susceptibility to influenza infection (OR=3.67; 95% CI 1.64, 8.22), and perceived benefits of influenza vaccination (OR=9.98; 95% CI 3.79, 26.24) were all independently associated with vaccination. Perceived barriers to vaccination (OR=0.17; 95% CI 0.07, 0.40) were strongly associated with failure to vaccinate. A qualitative descriptive design was also used to explore a broad spectrum of health knowledge and beliefs of participants regarding influenza infection and influenza vaccination during pregnancy. An interview guide was developed based on the Health Belief Model. A sub-sample of participants who completed the quantitative study were invited to take part in the qualitative interviews. A total of 32 postpartum women were interviewed and only two had been vaccinated during pregnancy. Following thematic analysis, three themes emerged that further highlighted the pregnant women’s perceptions toward influenza vaccine and their decision-making process, perceived risk of influenza infection, perceived risk of an influenza vaccine, and decision-making cues. Overall, participants held negative impressions about influenza vaccination during pregnancy. This could be because of misconceptions and underestimation of the threats of influenza infection to themselves and their foetuses. They were also confused about the safety and efficacy of the influenza vaccine. Participants were confused about the differences between preventive strategies and treatment for influenza and HCPs did not offer or recommend vaccination. Because of negative media reports about the pros and cons of vaccination, participants were hesitant to receive the vaccine. Nevertheless, findings suggested that motivating forces for vaccine acceptance were a high prevalence of circulating influenza infection during their pregnancy and HCP recommendations and reassurances that the vaccination was safe, effective, and beneficial for the foetus. Vaccination promotion strategies need to focus on encouraging HCPs to discuss vaccination with their pregnant clients and provide accurate and unbiased information about the risks of influenza infection and the benefits of vaccination. / published_or_final_version / Nursing Studies / Doctoral / Doctor of Nursing