Health officials estimate that the 2014 Ebola crisis disproportionately victimized women, who made up 75% of the disease's victims. This interdisciplinary study has two main goals. The first is to evaluate the news media's performance in relation to their representation of women caught up in the Ebola crisis because the media play an important role in influencing public responses to health. This study sought to understand the information behavior patterns of journalists who covered the Ebola crisis by analyzing how job tasks influence a journalist's information behavior. This study employed qualitative methods to study the perceptions of journalists who covered the 2014 Ebola outbreak. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with Liberian and American journalists who covered the outbreak to understand the choices that guided their reporting of the Ebola crisis. A content analysis of The New York Times, The Times, and The Inquirer was also conducted to examine the new media's representation of women in an outbreak which mostly victimized women. The findings suggest that covering a dangerous assignment like Ebola affected the information behavior patterns of journalists. Audience needs, the timing of coverage, fear, and the accessibility of sources, were some of the factors that influenced the news gathering decisions taken by the reporters. The findings also suggest that women were mostly underrepresented by the media as sources, experts and subjects.

No description available.

See front file / Health Studies / DLITT ET PHIL (HEALTH ST)

A cultura do tomateiro (Solanum lycopersicum L.) é importante mundialmente devido ao alto consumo de seus frutos. Nos últimos anos surgiram nesta cultura no Brasil alguns vírus emergentes com altas taxas de disseminação, como begomovírus e crinivírus, transmitidos pela Bemisia tabaci biótipo B, que podem causar danos à produção do tomateiro. A espécie de begomovírus atualmente mais encontrada no Brasil, em plantios de tomateiro, é o Tomato severe rugose virus (ToSRV). De 2002 a 2004, pesquisadores relataram incidências desse vírus em mais da metade das amostras com sintomas de geminiviroses coletadas em vários estados brasileiros e sua presença continua sendo verificada frequentemente. No ano de 2006, um crinivírus, o Tomato chlorosis virus (ToCV), foi relatado no Brasil, infectando plantas de tomate no Estado de São Paulo e atualmente encontra-se presente em diveros estados brasileiros. Os objetivos desse trabalho foram: determinar os períodos mínimos de acesso à aquisição e à inoculação do ToSRV e do ToCV pela B. tabaci biótipo B; identificar o período de retenção do ToSRV no inseto e a interação do ToSRV e do ToCV na aquisição e na transmissão por esse aleirodídeo. Também foi avaliada a eficiência do inseticida cloridrato de cartape no controle da disseminação primária e secundária do ToSRV pela B. tabaci biótipo B em tomateiros em gaiolas em casa de vegetação. Finalmente avaliou-se a eficiência do aleirodídeo Trialeurodes vaporariorum na transmissão de um isolado brasileiro do ToCV. Os períodos mínimos de acesso à aquisição e à inoculação de ambos os vírus pela B. tabaci biótipo B foram de cinco minutos. O tempo de retenção do ToSRV em B. tabaci biótipo B foi de 25 dias. A eficiência de um único adulto de B. tabaci na transmissão simultânea do ToSRV e do ToCV para tomateiros foi de 44,7%, similar àquela da transmissão isolada do ToRSV (47,4%) e do ToCV (44,7%). A eficiência de T. vaporariorum na transmissão do ToCV foi inferior à da B. tabaci biótipo B. Usando 40 insetos por vaso com duas plantas as eficiências de transmissão foram 57,7% e 100%, respectivamente. O inseticida cloridrato de cartape reduziu a infecção secundária do ToSRV pela B. tabaci biótipo B, mas não foi eficiente para reduzir a infecção primária em tomateiros. / Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is one of the leading vegetables grown and consumed in Brazil and in the world, after potato. The importance of tomato is related to its high consumption worldwide and also its nutritive value. Presently the most important virus diseases responsible for yield losses on tomato crops in Brazil are those caused by begomovirus and crinivirus, both transmitted by Bemisia tabaci biotype B. At the moment the prevalent species of begomovirus is Tomato severe rugose virus (ToSRV). From 2002 to 2004, researchers reported incidence of this virus in more than half of the symptomatic tomato samples collected in several Brazilian states. In 2006, a crinivirus, Tomato chlorosis virus (ToCV), was reported for the first time in Brazil, infecting tomato plants in the State of São Paulo and at present the virus occurs in several Brazilian states. The objectives of this study were to determine the minimum acquisition and inoculation access periods of ToSRV and ToCV by B. tabaci biotype B; identify the retention period of ToSRV in the insect; and the interaction of ToSRV and ToCV on the transmission by this aleyrodidae. It was also evaluated the effectiveness of the insecticide cartap hydrochloride in controlling the primary and secondary spread of ToSRV by B. tabaci biotype B on tomato plants in a greenhouse. Finally, it was evaluated the efficiency of Trialeurodes vaporariorum in the transmission of a Brazilian isolate of ToCV. The minimum acquisition and inoculation access periods for both viruses by B. tabaci biotype B were five minutes. The maximum retention time of ToSRV in B. tabaci biotype B was 25 days. The efficiency of a single adult of B. tabaci to simultaneously transmit ToSRV and ToCV to tomato plants was 44.7%, similar to the transmission of ToRSV (47.4%), and ToCV (44.7%) separately. T. vaporariorum was less efficient than B. tabaci on the transmission of ToCV. Using 40 insects per pot with two plants, transmission efficiencies were 57.7% and 100%, respectively. The insecticide cartap hydrochloride reduced secondary infection of ToSRV transmitted by B. tabaci biotype B, but was not effective in reducing the primary infection in tomato.

Este trabalho teve por objetivo selecionar estirpes fracas do Passion fruit woodiness virus (PWV) e avaliar o seu efeito protetor para o controle do endurecimento dos frutos do maracujazeiro. Foram selecionadas seis estirpes fracas do PWV. Três a partir de plantas de elite, encontradas em pomares severamente afetados pelo vírus (F-101, F-102 e F-103) e três a partir de bolhas formadas em folhas de maracujazeiro com mosaico (F-99, F-144 e F-145). O efeito protetor das estirpes fracas foi avaliado em maracujazeiros, em casa de vegetação e em campo. Em casa de vegetação foi observada uma proteção parcial das estirpes F-101, F-102 e F-144, contra a estirpe severa PWV-SP. Em campo, num primeiro experimento, as seis estirpes fracas selecionadas foram avaliadas e aproximadamente 4 meses após o desafio com a estirpe PWV-SP, todas as plantas apresentaram sintomas severos da doença. Diante da proteção parcial em casa de vegetação e da ausência total de proteção no experimento de campo, duas hipóteses foram apresentadas para explicar a intensificação de sintomas em maracujazeiros premunizados e desafiados com a estirpe severa do virus: a) a ocorrência de baixa concentração e/ou distribuição irregular das estirpes fracas nos tecidos das plantas premunizadas permite a infecção e estabelecimento da estirpe severa posteriormente inoculada e b) as estirpes fracas selecionadas são de uma espécie diferente de Potyvirus, serologicamente relacionada com o PWV, mas que não oferecem proteção contra a estirpe severa deste último. A primeira hipótese foi estudada repetindo-se o experimento com maracujazeiros premunizados com as estirpes F-101 e F-144, separadamente, e cultivados em campo sob condições de telado. Antes do desafio, foram feitos estudos quantitativos das estirpes F-101 e F-144, em diferentes folhas das plantas, através do DAS-ELISA indireto. Foi observada uma grande variação na concentração das estirpes fracas nos tecidos de diferentes folhas da mesma planta. Em 68,3 %, de 300 discos foliares, as estirpes fracas não foram detectadas pelos critérios adotados nessa investigação. Mais uma vez todas as plantas premunizadas e desafiadas apresentaram sintomas severos da doença, quatro meses após o desafio. A segunda hipótese foi estudada através de testes de proteção em plantas de crotalária premunizadas com as estirpes F-101 e F-144 e da análise da seqüência de nucleotídeos do gene da capa protéica das estirpes F-101, F-103 e PWV-SP. Nos testes de proteção, todas as plantas premunizadas com as estirpes fracas ficaram protegidas contra a infecção e/ou manifestação dos sintomas causados pela estirpe severa PWV-SP. Estudos quantitativos das estirpes fracas nessa hospedeira revelaram uma maior uniformidade na concentração do vírus nos tecidos foliares. A análise da seqüência de nucleotídeos do gene que codifica a capa protéica, apontaram identidade de 99,7 % entre as estirpes fracas e de 97,5 % destas com a estirpe severa, mostrando tratarem-se de estirpes do mesmo vírus. Esses resultados mostram que a premunização não parece ser uma alternativa adequada para o controle do endurecimento dos frutos do maracujazeiro, devido à falha na proteção. Essa quebra de proteção parece estar relacionada com a baixa concentração e/ou distribuição irregular das estirpes fracas nas folhas do maracujazeiro, que propiciam a existência de sítios de infecção para a estirpe severa posteriormente inoculada. / The main purpose of this work was to select mild strains of Passion fruit woodiness virus (PWV) and to evaluate their protective effect in passion flower (Passiflora edulis f. flavicarpa Deg.) challenged with a severe strain of the virus. Three mild strains were selected from outstanding plants found in orchards severely affected by the virus (F-101, F-102 and F-103) and three others were obtained from blisters formed in passion flower leaves with mosaic (F-99, F-144 and F-145). The protective effect of the mild strains was evaluated in passion flower under greenhouse and field conditions. Plants preimmunized with mild strains F-101, F-102 and F-144, under greenhouse conditions, showed partial protection after challenge inoculation with the severe strain PWV-SP. Total absence of protection was observed in passion flower preimmunized with all six mild strains and challenged with PWV-SP in the first field experiment. Due to these results, two hypotheses were raised to explain the intensification of symptoms in passion flower preimmunized with mild strains and challenged with the severe strain of the virus: a) the occurrence of low concentration and/or irregular distribution of the mild strains in the tissues of the preimmunized plants allow the infection and establishment of the later inoculated severe strain and b) the selected mild strains belong to a different species of Potyvirus, serologically related to PWV, but that do not offer protection against the severe strain of PWV. The first hypothesis was studied in a field experiment with passion flower preimmunized with mild strains F-101 and F-144, separately, and cultivated under screenhouse. Before the challenge inoculation, leaf samples were taken from five leaves of all protected plants and the concentration of the mild strains was estimated by indirect DAS-ELISA. A group of plants was challenged in three expanded leaves of the vine and another group was challenged with viruliferous aphids placed on the tip of the vine. All preimmunized plants showed severe symptoms of the disease, four months after the challenge inoculation. A great variation was observed in the concentration of the mild strains in the tissues of different leaves of the same plant. The ELISA test was not able to detect the mild strains in extracts of 205 out of 300 leaf disks. The second hypothesis was tested with crotalaria plants (Crotalaria juncea L.) preimmunized with mild strains F-101 and F-144 and analysis of the nucleotide sequence of the coat protein gene of the F-101, F-103 and PWV-SP strains. All preimmunized crotalaria plants were protected against the infection and/or manifestation of the symptoms caused by the severe strain PWV-SP. Quantitative studies of the mild strains in crotalaria revealed a larger uniformity in the concentration of the virus in the leaves. The analysis of the nucleotide sequence of the coat protein gene pointed out identity of 99.7% among the mild strains. The severe strain shared 97.5 % identity with both mild strains, showing that they are all strains of the same virus. These results showed that preimmunization does not seem to be an appropriate alternative for the control of the passion fruit woodiness disease in passion flower due to the breakdown in protection. Failure in protection seems to be related to the low concentration and/or irregular distribution of the mild strains in the leaves of the passion flower, which allow the occurrence of infection sites available for superinfection with the severe strain.

Identifying and tracking individuals affected by this virus in densely populated areas is a unique and an urgent challenge in the public health sector. Currently, mapping the spread of the Ebola virus is done manually, however with the help of social contact networks we can model dynamic graphs and predictive diffusion models of Ebola virus based on the impact on either a specific person or a specific community. With the help of this model, we can make more precise forward predictions of the disease propagations and to identify possibly infected individuals which will help perform trace – back analysis to locate the possible source of infection for a social group. This model will visualize and identify the families and tightly connected social groups who have had contact with an Ebola patient and is a proactive approach to reduce the risk of exposure of Ebola spread within a community or geographic location. / Includes bibliography. / Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2017. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Sierra Leone was heavily affected by the West African Ebola virus disease (EVD) epidemic from 2013 to 2016. Ongoing EVD transmission during the epidemic was connected to several factors including unsafe traditional burial practices. This phenomenological qualitative study addressed Kono members' perceived knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs regarding how burial practices influenced EVD transmission. Rosenstock's health belief model provided the framework for the study. The participants purposefully selected from various religions and professions were interviewed individually and in focus group settings. Similar phrases and comments were identified from the interview responses resulted which resulted in the following 5 main themes: (a) Kono community leaders and public health workers were cognizant of important EVD issues, but there was a knowledge deficit among Konos about EVD and its mode of transmission; (b) although customary burial rituals were temporarily banned from 2014 to 2016, they were practiced among the Konos to promote culture-driven dignity and respect for the dead; (c) many Konos harbored grudges and mistrusted government officials and public health workers; (d) infrastructural deficits were a barrier to health care as private and public sectors lacked training and equipment to mitigate the 2013-2016 EVD outbreak; and (e) participants were willing to adopt safer burial practices if EVD outbreaks were to reemerge. These findings indicated that EVD transmission was connected to unsafe burial practices. Findings may be used to improve community engagement and public health outreach efforts to promote safer burial practices, especially during periods of infectious disease outbreaks.

See front file / Health Studies / DLITT ET PHIL (HEALTH ST)

abstract: The increased number of novel pathogens that potentially threaten the human population has motivated the development of mathematical and computational modeling approaches for forecasting epidemic impact and understanding key environmental characteristics that influence the spread of diseases. Yet, in the case that substantial uncertainty surrounds the transmission process during a rapidly developing infectious disease outbreak, complex mechanistic models may be too difficult to be calibrated quick enough for policy makers to make informed decisions. Simple phenomenological models that rely on a small number of parameters can provide an initial platform for assessing the epidemic trajectory, estimating the reproduction number and quantifying the disease burden from the early epidemic phase. Chapter 1 provides background information and motivation for infectious disease forecasting and outlines the rest of the thesis. In chapter 2, logistic patch models are used to assess and forecast the 2013-2015 West Africa Zaire ebolavirus epidemic. In particular, this chapter is concerned with comparing and contrasting the effects that spatial heterogeneity has on the forecasting performance of the cumulative infected case counts reported during the epidemic. In chapter 3, two simple phenomenological models inspired from population biology are used to assess the Research and Policy for Infectious Disease Dynamics (RAPIDD) Ebola Challenge; a simulated epidemic that generated 4 infectious disease scenarios. Because of the nature of the synthetically generated data, model predictions are compared to exact epidemiological quantities used in the simulation. In chapter 4, these models are applied to the 1904 Plague epidemic that occurred in Bombay. This chapter provides evidence that these simple models may be applicable to infectious diseases no matter the disease transmission mechanism. Chapter 5, uses the patch models from chapter 2 to explore how migration in the 1904 Plague epidemic changes the final epidemic size. The final chapter is an interdisciplinary project concerning within-host dynamics of cereal yellow dwarf virus-RPV, a plant pathogen from a virus group that infects over 150 grass species. Motivated by environmental nutrient enrichment due to anthropological activities, mathematical models are employed to investigate the relevance of resource competition to pathogen and host dynamics. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Applied Mathematics 2016

Este trabalho teve por objetivo selecionar estirpes fracas do Passion fruit woodiness virus (PWV) e avaliar o seu efeito protetor para o controle do endurecimento dos frutos do maracujazeiro. Foram selecionadas seis estirpes fracas do PWV. Três a partir de plantas de elite, encontradas em pomares severamente afetados pelo vírus (F-101, F-102 e F-103) e três a partir de bolhas formadas em folhas de maracujazeiro com mosaico (F-99, F-144 e F-145). O efeito protetor das estirpes fracas foi avaliado em maracujazeiros, em casa de vegetação e em campo. Em casa de vegetação foi observada uma proteção parcial das estirpes F-101, F-102 e F-144, contra a estirpe severa PWV-SP. Em campo, num primeiro experimento, as seis estirpes fracas selecionadas foram avaliadas e aproximadamente 4 meses após o desafio com a estirpe PWV-SP, todas as plantas apresentaram sintomas severos da doença. Diante da proteção parcial em casa de vegetação e da ausência total de proteção no experimento de campo, duas hipóteses foram apresentadas para explicar a intensificação de sintomas em maracujazeiros premunizados e desafiados com a estirpe severa do virus: a) a ocorrência de baixa concentração e/ou distribuição irregular das estirpes fracas nos tecidos das plantas premunizadas permite a infecção e estabelecimento da estirpe severa posteriormente inoculada e b) as estirpes fracas selecionadas são de uma espécie diferente de Potyvirus, serologicamente relacionada com o PWV, mas que não oferecem proteção contra a estirpe severa deste último. A primeira hipótese foi estudada repetindo-se o experimento com maracujazeiros premunizados com as estirpes F-101 e F-144, separadamente, e cultivados em campo sob condições de telado. Antes do desafio, foram feitos estudos quantitativos das estirpes F-101 e F-144, em diferentes folhas das plantas, através do DAS-ELISA indireto. Foi observada uma grande variação na concentração das estirpes fracas nos tecidos de diferentes folhas da mesma planta. Em 68,3 %, de 300 discos foliares, as estirpes fracas não foram detectadas pelos critérios adotados nessa investigação. Mais uma vez todas as plantas premunizadas e desafiadas apresentaram sintomas severos da doença, quatro meses após o desafio. A segunda hipótese foi estudada através de testes de proteção em plantas de crotalária premunizadas com as estirpes F-101 e F-144 e da análise da seqüência de nucleotídeos do gene da capa protéica das estirpes F-101, F-103 e PWV-SP. Nos testes de proteção, todas as plantas premunizadas com as estirpes fracas ficaram protegidas contra a infecção e/ou manifestação dos sintomas causados pela estirpe severa PWV-SP. Estudos quantitativos das estirpes fracas nessa hospedeira revelaram uma maior uniformidade na concentração do vírus nos tecidos foliares. A análise da seqüência de nucleotídeos do gene que codifica a capa protéica, apontaram identidade de 99,7 % entre as estirpes fracas e de 97,5 % destas com a estirpe severa, mostrando tratarem-se de estirpes do mesmo vírus. Esses resultados mostram que a premunização não parece ser uma alternativa adequada para o controle do endurecimento dos frutos do maracujazeiro, devido à falha na proteção. Essa quebra de proteção parece estar relacionada com a baixa concentração e/ou distribuição irregular das estirpes fracas nas folhas do maracujazeiro, que propiciam a existência de sítios de infecção para a estirpe severa posteriormente inoculada. / The main purpose of this work was to select mild strains of Passion fruit woodiness virus (PWV) and to evaluate their protective effect in passion flower (Passiflora edulis f. flavicarpa Deg.) challenged with a severe strain of the virus. Three mild strains were selected from outstanding plants found in orchards severely affected by the virus (F-101, F-102 and F-103) and three others were obtained from blisters formed in passion flower leaves with mosaic (F-99, F-144 and F-145). The protective effect of the mild strains was evaluated in passion flower under greenhouse and field conditions. Plants preimmunized with mild strains F-101, F-102 and F-144, under greenhouse conditions, showed partial protection after challenge inoculation with the severe strain PWV-SP. Total absence of protection was observed in passion flower preimmunized with all six mild strains and challenged with PWV-SP in the first field experiment. Due to these results, two hypotheses were raised to explain the intensification of symptoms in passion flower preimmunized with mild strains and challenged with the severe strain of the virus: a) the occurrence of low concentration and/or irregular distribution of the mild strains in the tissues of the preimmunized plants allow the infection and establishment of the later inoculated severe strain and b) the selected mild strains belong to a different species of Potyvirus, serologically related to PWV, but that do not offer protection against the severe strain of PWV. The first hypothesis was studied in a field experiment with passion flower preimmunized with mild strains F-101 and F-144, separately, and cultivated under screenhouse. Before the challenge inoculation, leaf samples were taken from five leaves of all protected plants and the concentration of the mild strains was estimated by indirect DAS-ELISA. A group of plants was challenged in three expanded leaves of the vine and another group was challenged with viruliferous aphids placed on the tip of the vine. All preimmunized plants showed severe symptoms of the disease, four months after the challenge inoculation. A great variation was observed in the concentration of the mild strains in the tissues of different leaves of the same plant. The ELISA test was not able to detect the mild strains in extracts of 205 out of 300 leaf disks. The second hypothesis was tested with crotalaria plants (Crotalaria juncea L.) preimmunized with mild strains F-101 and F-144 and analysis of the nucleotide sequence of the coat protein gene of the F-101, F-103 and PWV-SP strains. All preimmunized crotalaria plants were protected against the infection and/or manifestation of the symptoms caused by the severe strain PWV-SP. Quantitative studies of the mild strains in crotalaria revealed a larger uniformity in the concentration of the virus in the leaves. The analysis of the nucleotide sequence of the coat protein gene pointed out identity of 99.7% among the mild strains. The severe strain shared 97.5 % identity with both mild strains, showing that they are all strains of the same virus. These results showed that preimmunization does not seem to be an appropriate alternative for the control of the passion fruit woodiness disease in passion flower due to the breakdown in protection. Failure in protection seems to be related to the low concentration and/or irregular distribution of the mild strains in the leaves of the passion flower, which allow the occurrence of infection sites available for superinfection with the severe strain.