On June 11, 2009, the World Health Organization declared a global influenza pandemic due to a novel influenza A virus subtype of H1N1. Public health emergencies, such as an influenza pandemic, can potentially impact disadvantaged populations disproportionately due to underlying social factors. Canada???s First Nation population was severely impacted by the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic. Most First Nation communities suffer from poor living conditions, impoverished lifestyles, lack of access to adequate health care, and uncoordinated health care delivery. Also, there are vulnerable populations who suffer from co-morbidities who are at a greater risk of falling ill. Moreover, First Nation communities that are geographically remote (nearest service center with year-round road access is located over 350 kilometers away) and isolated (only accessible by planes year-round) face additional challenges. For example, transportation of supplies and resources may be limited, especially during extreme weather conditions. Therefore, remote and isolated First Nation communities face unique challenges which must be addressed by policy planners in order to mitigate the injustice that may occur during a public health emergency. The Assembly of First Nations noted that there has been very little inclusion of First Nations??? input into current federal and provincial pandemic plans. Disadvantaged groups know best how they will be affected by a public health emergency and are able to identify barriers and solutions. Therefore, the objective of my research was to gain retrospective insight into the barriers faced by three remote and isolated First Nation communities of sub-arctic Ontario (i.e., Fort Albany, Attawapiskat, and Kashechewan) during their 2009 H1N1 pandemic response. Culturally-appropriate community-based suggestions for improvement of existing community-level pandemic plans were also elicited. Collected data informed modifications to community-level pandemic plans, thereby directly applying research findings. Being a qualitative community-based participatory study, First Nation community members were involved in many aspects of this research. Semi-directed interviews were conducted with adult key informants (n=13) using purposive sampling of participants representing the three main sectors responsible for health care services (i.e., federal health centers, provincial hospitals, and Band Councils). Data were manually transcribed and coded using deductive and inductive thematic analysis to reveal similarities and differences experienced within and between each community (and government body) regarding their respective pandemic response. Another round of semi-directed interviews (n=4) and community pandemic committee meetings were conducted to collect additional information to guide the modifications to the community-level pandemic plans. Reported barriers due to being geographically remote and isolated included the following: overcrowding in houses, insufficient human resources, and inadequate community awareness. Primary barriers faced by government bodies responsible for health care delivery were reported as follows: receiving contradicting governmental guidelines and direction from many sources, lack of health information sharing, and insufficient details in community-level pandemic plans. Suggested areas for improvement included increasing human resources (i.e., nurses and trained health care professionals), funding for supplies, and community awareness. Additionally, participants recommended that complementary communication plans should be developed. As suggested by participants, community-specific information was added to update community-level pandemic plans. Remote and isolated First Nation communities faced some barriers during their 2009 H1N1 health sector pandemic response. Government bodies should focus efforts to provide more support in terms of human resources, monies, and education. In addition, various government organizations should collaborate to improve housing conditions, timely access to resources, and the level of coordination regarding health care delivery. Furthermore, as pandemic plans are dynamic, government bodies should continue to aide First Nation communities with updating their community-level pandemic plans to satisfy their evolving needs. These recommendations should be addressed so that remote and isolated western James Bay First Nation communities and other similar communities can be better prepared for the next public health emergency.

This thesis explores the distinctive forms of journalism that have emerged in mainstream news websites in mainland China. Two case studies, the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and the H1N1 influenza pandemic in 2009, are employed to identify features in Chinese and Western news online. Specifically, a comparison is made between the in-depth news sections of popular mainstream news websites in China and those in the United States, the United Kingdom, and New Zealand. The study finds that the Chinese version of mainstream web news genre differs significantly from the Western version. This thesis argues that journalists’ practice is strongly context dependent. Distinctive economic, organizational, social and cultural factors contribute to shaping Chinese web journalism in a way that contradicts the notion of a homogeneous worldwide journalism or of a single set of norms for journalism. The study challenges the dominance of the political explanatory framework that considers political factors as the most important approach to study Chinese web-based media. In the face of a sparse literature and sporadic studies concerning the development of the internet as a novel platform in China for news production and transmission, this thesis aims to bring more academic interest to an overlooked research area and to contribute to a broader understanding of the actual diversity of global communication research.

Despite the devastating scope of the Spanish Influenza Pandemic of 1918, curiously few references to the flu exist in literature. Katherine Anne Porter offered one of modernism's only extensive fictional treatments of the pandemic in her short novel “Pale Horse, Pale Rider,” decades after her own near-death encounter with the flu. Porter was able to give voice to an experience that had traumatized others into silence by drawing on an early form of magical realism. Magical realism's ghosts—everyday presences rather than otherworldly beings to be feared—are of particular relevance to “Pale Horse, Pale Rider” since ghosts “haunt” Porter's semi-autobiographical Miranda throughout the story, acting as correctives to Miranda's (and Porter's) desire to isolate herself from the familial and regional heritage that burdens her with unwanted and often conflicting ideologies. Ultimately, in using magical realism to explore her sense of self and to articulate the alienating effects of her near-death experience, Porter is able to embrace her complicated heritage and her fractured past, reclaiming interconnectedness while maintaining her individuality.

Em março de 2009, foram identificados os primeiros casos de vírus influenza A, não subtipado anteriormente e que levou a comunidade internacional a enfrentar a primeira pandemia do século XXI, na vigência do novo Regulamento Sanitário Internacional de 2005. No intervalo das semanas epidemiológicas 16 e 33, foram notificados 34.506 casos de síndrome respiratória aguda grave no Brasil. No Brasil, a maior incidência ocorreu nas faixas etárias de crianças ≤ 5 anos (3.8/100.000) e com idades entre 20-29 anos (4.6/100.000). Neste período os casos ficaram concentrados nas regiões sul e sudeste, com 94% dos casos notificados. A taxa de mortalidade na população durante este período foi 0.39/100.000 habitantes. Pessoas que apresentaram comorbidades relacionadas apresentaram o dobro de risco de evolução para o óbito, quando comparado às pessoas sem comorbidade. (RR = 1,89 IC 95% 1,64-2,18). Apesar do clima tropical, o Brasil foi um dos países mais afetados pela pandemia. No entanto, este evento está possibilitando o fortalecimento das ações de vigilância e assistência que serão úteis em todas as situações de emergências de saúde pública de importância nacional e internacional. / In March 2009, identified the first cases of a new influenza A virus, not subtyped previously. Without immunity, the international community suffered the first pandemic of the century, the term of the International Health Regulations 2005. Between epidemiological weeks 16 and 33, were reported 34,506 cases of severe acute respiratory syndrome in Brazil. In Brazil, the highest incidence occurred in younger children ≤ 5 year (3.8/100,000) and one at ages 20-29 years (4.6/100,000). Ninety-four percent of cases concentrated in two of Brazil’s five geographic regions – the south and southeast. . The mortality rate in the population during this period was 0.39/100,000 inhabitants. Cases with a reported comorbidity had approximately twice the risk of those without (RR=1.89; 95%CI 1.64 – 2.18). Despite the tropical climate, Brazil was one of the countries most affected by the pandemic. However, this event is allowing the strengthening of surveillance and assistance that will be useful in all situations of public health emergencies of national and international concern.

Em março de 2009, foram identificados os primeiros casos de vírus influenza A, não subtipado anteriormente e que levou a comunidade internacional a enfrentar a primeira pandemia do século XXI, na vigência do novo Regulamento Sanitário Internacional de 2005. No intervalo das semanas epidemiológicas 16 e 33, foram notificados 34.506 casos de síndrome respiratória aguda grave no Brasil. No Brasil, a maior incidência ocorreu nas faixas etárias de crianças ≤ 5 anos (3.8/100.000) e com idades entre 20-29 anos (4.6/100.000). Neste período os casos ficaram concentrados nas regiões sul e sudeste, com 94% dos casos notificados. A taxa de mortalidade na população durante este período foi 0.39/100.000 habitantes. Pessoas que apresentaram comorbidades relacionadas apresentaram o dobro de risco de evolução para o óbito, quando comparado às pessoas sem comorbidade. (RR = 1,89 IC 95% 1,64-2,18). Apesar do clima tropical, o Brasil foi um dos países mais afetados pela pandemia. No entanto, este evento está possibilitando o fortalecimento das ações de vigilância e assistência que serão úteis em todas as situações de emergências de saúde pública de importância nacional e internacional. / In March 2009, identified the first cases of a new influenza A virus, not subtyped previously. Without immunity, the international community suffered the first pandemic of the century, the term of the International Health Regulations 2005. Between epidemiological weeks 16 and 33, were reported 34,506 cases of severe acute respiratory syndrome in Brazil. In Brazil, the highest incidence occurred in younger children ≤ 5 year (3.8/100,000) and one at ages 20-29 years (4.6/100,000). Ninety-four percent of cases concentrated in two of Brazil’s five geographic regions – the south and southeast. . The mortality rate in the population during this period was 0.39/100,000 inhabitants. Cases with a reported comorbidity had approximately twice the risk of those without (RR=1.89; 95%CI 1.64 – 2.18). Despite the tropical climate, Brazil was one of the countries most affected by the pandemic. However, this event is allowing the strengthening of surveillance and assistance that will be useful in all situations of public health emergencies of national and international concern.

Em março de 2009, foram identificados os primeiros casos de vírus influenza A, não subtipado anteriormente e que levou a comunidade internacional a enfrentar a primeira pandemia do século XXI, na vigência do novo Regulamento Sanitário Internacional de 2005. No intervalo das semanas epidemiológicas 16 e 33, foram notificados 34.506 casos de síndrome respiratória aguda grave no Brasil. No Brasil, a maior incidência ocorreu nas faixas etárias de crianças ≤ 5 anos (3.8/100.000) e com idades entre 20-29 anos (4.6/100.000). Neste período os casos ficaram concentrados nas regiões sul e sudeste, com 94% dos casos notificados. A taxa de mortalidade na população durante este período foi 0.39/100.000 habitantes. Pessoas que apresentaram comorbidades relacionadas apresentaram o dobro de risco de evolução para o óbito, quando comparado às pessoas sem comorbidade. (RR = 1,89 IC 95% 1,64-2,18). Apesar do clima tropical, o Brasil foi um dos países mais afetados pela pandemia. No entanto, este evento está possibilitando o fortalecimento das ações de vigilância e assistência que serão úteis em todas as situações de emergências de saúde pública de importância nacional e internacional. / In March 2009, identified the first cases of a new influenza A virus, not subtyped previously. Without immunity, the international community suffered the first pandemic of the century, the term of the International Health Regulations 2005. Between epidemiological weeks 16 and 33, were reported 34,506 cases of severe acute respiratory syndrome in Brazil. In Brazil, the highest incidence occurred in younger children ≤ 5 year (3.8/100,000) and one at ages 20-29 years (4.6/100,000). Ninety-four percent of cases concentrated in two of Brazil’s five geographic regions – the south and southeast. . The mortality rate in the population during this period was 0.39/100,000 inhabitants. Cases with a reported comorbidity had approximately twice the risk of those without (RR=1.89; 95%CI 1.64 – 2.18). Despite the tropical climate, Brazil was one of the countries most affected by the pandemic. However, this event is allowing the strengthening of surveillance and assistance that will be useful in all situations of public health emergencies of national and international concern.

A pandemic subtype of influenza A sometimes replaces (e.g., in 1918, 1957, 1968) but sometimes coexists (e.g., in 1977) with the previous seasonal subtype. This research aims to determine a condition for replacement or coexistence of influenza subtypes. We formulate a hybrid model for the dynamics of influenza A epidemics taking into account cross-immunity of influenza strains depending on the most recent seasonal infection. A combination of theoretical and numerical analyses shows that for very strong cross-immunity between seasonal and pandemic subtypes, the pandemic cannot invade, whereas for strong and weak cross-immunity there is coexistence, and for intermediate levels of cross-immunity the pandemic may replace the seasonal subtype. Cross-immunity between seasonal strains is also a key factor of our model because it has a major influence on the final size of seasonal epidemics, and on the distribution of susceptibility in the population. To determine this cross-immunity, we design a novel statistical method, which uses a theoretical model and clinical data on attack rates and vaccine efficacy among school children for two seasons after the 1968 A/H3N2 pandemic. This model incorporates the distribution of susceptibility and the dependence of cross-immunity on the antigenic distance of drifted strains. We find that the cross-immunity between an influenza strain and the mutant that causes the next epidemic is 88%. Our method also gives an estimated value 2.15 for the basic reproduction number of the 1968 pandemic influenza. Our hybrid model agrees qualitatively with the observed subtype replacement or coexistence in 1957, 1968 and 1977. However, our model with the homogeneous mixing assumption significantly over estimates the pandemic attack rate. Thus, we modify the model to incorporate heterogeneity in the contact rate of individuals. Using the determined values of cross-immunity and the basic reproduction number, this modification lowers the pandemic attack rate slightly, but it is still higher than the observed attack rates. / Graduate

Cette étude a pour objectif d’évaluer la stratégie d’utilisation de critères de base, d’un point de vue éthique, dans l’allocation d’une quantité limitée d’antiviraux pour une utilisation préventive, lors d’une pandémie. Il est entendu qu’une réserve publique pour la prévention n’est pas présentement en vue. Ainsi un des objectifs de cette recherche est de servir de guide aux personnes ressources en positions décisionnelles, à savoir si l’acquisition d’une telle réserve est justifiée, et dans l’affirmatif, à qui elle serait destinée. La perspective spécifique de deux groupes de professionnels de la santé œuvrant en première ligne est considérée. Le premier groupe est constitué de professionnels provenant des hôpitaux de la région de Toronto qui ont vécu l’expérience du SRAS en 2003. Le second groupe est composé de travailleurs en santé de la région de Montréal qui n’auront pas vécu cette crise sanitaire. Les deux groupes sont analysés ensemble sur leur discours verbal et sur leurs réponses à un questionnaire bâti afin d’évaluer quel poids les participants donnent aux critères proposés. / The goal of this study is to assess the use of criteria as a means of deciding who might be priority recipients of an antiviral stockpile, aimed specifically at prevention, during an influenza pandemic. It is understood that a public antiviral stockpile for prevention is not available at this time. Thus one of the objectives of this research is to provide guidance to decision-makers in terms of feedback from healthcare workers on the issue of whether it is necessary to acquire such a stockpile and, if so, for whom. The specific perspectives of two groups of front-line healthcare workers are considered. One group consists of healthcare workers from Toronto hospitals who have experienced the 2003 SARS outbreak. The other group consists of healthcare workers from hospitals in Montreal who did not experience the SARS outbreak. The two groups analyses are based on verbal comments and their responses to a questionnaire designed to evaluate how participants with different background experiences will view and rank the proposed criteria.

A presente pesquisa investiga as epidemias de febre amarela - em 1897 e 1900 - e de gripe espanhola - em 1918 - ocorridas em Sorocaba e a atuação do médico Álvaro César da Cunha Soares no seu combate, a fim de revelar as condições sanitárias de uma cidade que passava por grandes transformações, como o crescimento urbano e a industrialização, em um contexto de consolidação da medicina oficial e de acirrados debates em torno das questões relacionadas à saúde pública. Para tanto, traça-se um panorama das condições sanitárias e de saúde pública de Sorocaba entre o final do século XIX e o início do século XX, apontando o agravamento dos problemas sociais e o aumento do número de casos de determinadas enfermidades. Desse modo, pretende-se demonstrar como a condição de vida da população pobre sorocabana foi se deteriorando cada vez mais enquanto a cidade apresentava um relativo crescimento urbano e industrial. As epidemias de febre amarela são reconstituídas, abordando-se questões políticas, sociais e científicas que se desenrolaram no decorrer dos surtos epidêmicos, em um contexto de disputa entre o poder estadual, representado pelo Serviço Sanitário do Estado de São Paulo, e os poderes locais, representados por médicos e autoridades públicas municipais, na condução das medidas de combate às epidemias. A epidemia de gripe espanhola na cidade representou um desafio às autoridades públicas locais e uma ameaça à estabilidade econômica local - em um momento em que o crescimento industrial da cidade era colocado em evidência. Desse modo, estudando as epidemias que assolaram Sorocaba na virada do século XIX para o XX e acompanhando a atuação de Álvaro Soares nesse contexto, pretende-se compreender melhor a relação entre a consolidação da medicina oficial no Estado de São Paulo e suas implicações nas práticas em saúde pública / This research investigates epidemics of yellow fever - in 1897 and 1900 - and the Spanish flu - in 1918 - occurred in Sorocaba and the performance of the medical Álvaro César Soares da Cunha in combating them, in order to reveal the sanitary conditions of a city passing through major transformations, such as urban growth and industrialization, in a context of consolidation of official medicine and heated debates on issues related to public health. To this end, draws up an overview of public health and sanitary conditions of Sorocaba in the late nineteenth and the early twentieth century, pointing to the worsening of social problems and the increasing number of cases of certain diseases. Thus, it is intended to demonstrate how the living conditions of the poor in Sorocaba was deteriorating more and more as the city had a relative urban and industrial growth. The yellow fever epidemics are reconstituted, addressing political, social and scientific issues that unfolded over the outbreaks, in a dispute context between state power, represented by the State Sanitation Service of São Paulo, and local authorities, represented by physicians and municipal authorities, in the conduct of measures to combat epidemics. The Spanish flu epidemic in the city was a challenge to local public authorities and a threat to local economic stability - at a time when the industrial growth of the city was placed in evidence. Thus, studying the epidemics that ravaged Sorocaba in the late nineteenth century to the twentieth and monitoring the performance of Alvaro Soares in this context, it is intended to better understand the relationship between the consolidation of official medicine in the State of São Paulo and its implications for practice in public health

In this thesis, we study three emerging applications of OR/MS, namely, (i) disease spread modeling, intervention strategies, and food supply chain management during an influenza pandemic, (ii) the practical applications of production planning and scheduling in the commercial lithographic printing industry, and (iii) packing/placement problems in chip design in the semiconductor industry. In the first part of the thesis, we study an emergency response planning problem motivated by discussions with the American Red Cross, which has taken on a responsibility to feed people in case of an influenza pandemic. During an emergency such as an influenza pandemic or a bioterror attack, regular distribution channels of critical products and services including food and water may be disrupted, or some of the infected individuals may not be able to go to grocery stores. We analyze the geographical spread of the disease and develop solution approaches for designing the food distribution supply chain network in case of an influenza pandemic. In addition, we investigate the effect of voluntary quarantine on the disease spread and food distribution supply chain network. Finally, we analyze the effect of influenza pandemic on the workforce level. In the second part, we study a real life scheduling/packing problem motivated by the practices in the commercial lithographic printing industry which make up the largest segment of the printing industry. We analyze the problem structure and develop efficient algorithms to form cost effective production schedules. In addition, we propose a new integer programming formulation, strengthen it by adding cuts and propose several preprocessing steps to solve the problem optimally. In the last part of the thesis, motivated by the chip design problem in the semiconductor industry, we study a rectangle packing/placement problem. We discuss the hardness of the problem, explore the structural properties, and discuss a special case which is polynomially solvable. Then, we develop an integer programming formulation and propose efficient algorithms to find a ``good' placement.