The purpose of this study is to provide descriptions of conversations with survivors of suicide, including their relationships with the persons who committed suicide, the relationships that followed these deaths, their experiences of suicide, and the way that they made sense of these deaths. The epistemological framework of this dissertation is ecosystemic and social constructionist. This study involved in-depth interviews with three suicide survivors, exploring personal and professional domains. Thematic analysis was the method used to generate patterns of meaning. The researcher recounted the research participants' stories and punctuated emergent themes and patterns according to what she deemed important. Each story was contextualised, and included reflections of the researcher. Themes both common and unique to each participant story were highlighted and discussed. The information yielded from this study could have value to survivors of suicide and psychotherapists whose clients commit suicide. / Psychology / M.A. (Clinical Psychology)

Indivíduos infectados pelo vírus da imunodeficiência humana do tipo 1 (HIV-1) que controlam a replicação viral, mesmo na ausência de tratamento com drogas antirretrovirais, representam um exemplo de contenção bemsucedida do vírus. O entendimento das respostas imunes antivirais presentes nestes indivíduos pode auxiliar no delineamento de vacinas, particularmente no caso de estratégias vacinais desenvolvidas para induzir um fenótipo de controle da replicação viral e, assim, diminuir o ritmo da progressão à AIDS e/ou a taxa de transmissão para terceiros. A resposta imune celular contra HIV-1 é geralmente mapeada em ensaios de ELISPOT-IFN-γ empregando-se peptídeos pentadecâmeros sobrepostos por 11 aminoácidos sintetizados a partir de seqüências consensuais do vírus. Contudo, este método pode subestimar a detecção da real amplitude da resposta imune celular contra epitopos contidos na seqüência autóloga do vírus infectivo. Neste trabalho, foram comparadas respostas imunes celulares contra peptídeos 15-meros baseados nas seqüências de vif e nef do consenso do subtipo B do HIV-1 e respostas imunes contra peptídeos HLA-restritos de nove ou 10 aminoácidos baseados tanto nas seqüências de vif e nef do consenso do subtipo B do HIV-1, quanto nas seqüências autólogas dos vírus seqüenciados a partir de seis pacientes controladores da replicação do HIV-1. Nossa análise revelou que três dos seis pacientes investigados mostraram maior amplitude de resposta imune celular contra epitopos em Vif e Nef quando os peptídeos HLA-restritos foram empregados, tenham sido eles preditos a partir da seqüência consensual ou a partir das seqüências do vírus autólogo. O número de respostas positivas aumentou de quatro para 16 em Vif e de oito para 22 em Nef, com o uso dos reagentes HLA-restritos. Estes resultados sugerem que emprego de peptídeos 15-meros pode sub-representar a amplitude real da resposta imune celular envolvidas no controle da replicação do HIV-1 e que o conhecimento acerca das respostas imunes de sucesso em indivíduos controladores pode ser melhorado e ampliado com a revisão dos métodos empregados. / Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-infected individuals who spontaneously control viral replication represent an example of successful containment of the AIDS virus. Understanding the anti-viral immune responses in these individuals may help in vaccine design, particularly vaccine strategies designed to induce a controller phenotype and thus, prevent disease progression and decrease risk of transmission. Immune responses against HIV-1 are normally screened using 15-mer peptides overlapped by 11 amino acids from HIV-1 consensus sequences in ELISPOT-IFN-γ assays. However, this method may underestimate the real breadth of the cellular immune responses against the autologous sequence of the infecting virus. We compared cellular immune responses against nef and vif-encoded consensus B 15-mer peptides to responses against HLA class I-predicted minimal optimal epitopes from consensus B and autologous sequences in six patients who have controlled HIV-1 replication. Interestingly, our analysis revealed that three of our patients had broader cellular immune responses against Vif- and Nef-HLA class I-predicted minimal optimal epitopes from either autologous viruses or from the consensus B sequence, when compared to responses against the 15-mer HIV-1 consensus B peptides. The number of positive responses against epitopes in these two HIV-1 proteins increased from four to 16 for Vif and from eight to 22 for Nef. These findings suggest that immune responses assessed using 15-mers peptides may underrepresent the real breadth of the immune control of the infecting virus and the knowledge about the successful responses in controller individuals could be improved after reviewing the employed methods.

Os linfócitos T têm um papel central no controle da infecção pelo HIV-1. As respostas mediadas por esses linfócitos contra epitopos do HIV-1 restritos a moléculas HLA de classe I podem estar associadas à proteção natural em indivíduos LTNP. Relatos sugerem que determinados alelos HLA apresentamse mais representados entre os LTNP. Para avaliar esses aspectos na coorte francesa ALT, coletamos células mononucleares de sangue periférico (CMSP) de 24 indivíduos LTNP e verificamos a freqüência de respostas específicas para o HIV-1. Para isso, utilizamos pools de peptídeos sobrepostos de Gag e regiões imunodominantes da RT e Nef, e identificamos epitopos do HIV-1 restritos a moléculas HLA de classe I, associados ou não à proteção, através do ensaio de ELISPOT IFN-?. Todos os indivíduos apresentaram respostas específicas aos pools testados, com uma mediana de 5 (2-12). Todas as proteínas do HIV-1 foram reconhecidas, sendo que Gag-p24 e Nef foram as mais freqüentemente reconhecidas pelas CMSP dos indivíduos avaliados. A intensidade total de resposta de linfócitos T específicos aos pools de Gag, RT e Nef do HIV-1 em cada indivíduo variou de 160 a 12307 SFC/106 CMSP (mediana: 2025). Observamos o reconhecimento de 22 epitopos já descritos na literatura, contidos nas proteínas Gag-p17, Gag-p24 e Nef do HIV-1, restritos a moléculas HLA de classe I, a maioria descrita como protetoras da progressão para a doença. Quatro novos epitopos ainda não descritos na literatura também foram observados. Concluímos que: respostas específicas mediadas por linfócitos T, eficazes e dirigidas contra um amplo painel de epitopos do HIV-1, estão presentes nos indivíduos LTNP; a presença de moléculas HLA de classe I associadas à proteção favorece o reconhecimento preferencial de epitopos do HIV-1 restritos por elas na maioria dos indivíduos LTNP; esses aspectos devem ser levados em conta na perspectiva do desenvolvimento de uma vacina candidata contra o HIV-1. / T lymphocytes (T-L) have a paramount role in the control of HIV-1 infection. The responses mediated by these cells against HLA class I epitopes may be associated to the natural protection in long-term non-progressors (LTNP). The literature suggests that some HLA alleles relate to the protection against the immune dysfunction. The aim of this research is to study the recognition of HIV-1 Gag, Nef and RT epitopes by T-L through an ELISPOT IFN-? assay in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of 24 LTNP selected from French ALT study group. We evaluated the frequency of anti-HIV-1 responses and identified HLA class I epitopes. All individuals presented specific responses to the pools of peptides tested with a median of 5 (2-12). Gag-p24 and Nef were the most frequently recognized proteins. The magnitude of the responses varied from 160 to 12307 SFC/106 PBMC (median=2025). We observed the recognition of 22 epitopes already described in HIV-1 Gag-p17, Gag-p24 and Nef, restricted to HLA class I molecules reported as protective. We have also observed four new epitopes not already described in the literature. Our results suggest that: HIV-1 responses by T-L are present in LTNP; the presence of HLA class I molecules associated with protection in the majority of LTNP are related to the recognition of MHC restricted HIV-1 epitopes; these aspects must be taken into account in the development of a candidate vaccine against HIV-1.

Introdução: Câncer de mama é o mais comum em mulheres. Embora sua incidência ainda esteja em ascensão, as taxas de recorrência e mortalidade têm diminuído, em especial nos países desenvolvidos. Assim o câncer pode ser considerado um choque transitório que não impede que os sobreviventes retomem a normalidade em suas vidas, incluindo atividades laborais. Na América do Norte e Europa, as taxas de RT entre as pacientes com câncer de mama variam de 24-66% após 6 meses e 53-82% após 36 meses de diagnóstico. Os fatores mais associados ao RT são: idade, quimioterapia, sequelas da terapia do câncer e apoio do empregador e colegas de trabalho. Esses achados, no entanto, variam sugerindo que outros fatores e até aspectos de diferentes legislações podem interferir no RT. Na América Latina há escassez de dados sobre RT após o diagnóstico de câncer de mama. Objetivos: Avaliar as taxas de retorno ao trabalho nos meses 12 e 24 após o diagnóstico de câncer de mama e verificar a correlação de fatores à retomada ao trabalho aos 24 meses. Métodos: Estudo prospectivo observacional avaliando taxas de RT em mulheres com câncer de mama tratadas no Instituto do Câncer do estado de São Paulo, com idade > 18 e < 57 anos e que trabalhavam de forma remunerada por pelo menos 03 meses ao diagnóstico. Pacientes com doença inoperável ou metastática foram excluídas. Nos meses 06, 12 e 24 do seguimento responderam à questionários do estudo e de qualidade de vida (FACT-B), por telefone. Resultados: Entre julho/2012 e setembro/2014, 125 pacientes assinaram o TCLE. Quatro foram excluídas da análise (02 óbitos e 02 sem contato por telefone). A idade média foi de 45.1 anos (± 8,1). A maioria (94%) gostava do trabalho, 73% receberam apoio do empregador, mas apenas 29% relataram ter recebido oferta de ajuste no trabalho. Metade apresentava doença no estádio II e 93% fizeram quimioterapia como parte de seu tratamento. As taxas de RT foram 21,5%, 30,3% e 60,4% aos 06, 12 e 24 meses, após o diagnóstico de câncer de mama. Na análise multivariada os fatores que afetaram de forma positiva as taxas de RT foram: renda familiar mensal >= 02 salários mínimos (OR 17,76, IC95% 3,33-94,75, p 0,001), cirurgia conservadora da mama (OR 9,77, IC 95% 2,03-47,05, p 0,004) e oferta de ajuste no trabalho pelo empregador (OR 37,62, IC95% 2,03-47,05, p 0,004). Fatores que se associaram de forma negativa ao RT foram: terapia endócrina (OR 0,11, IC95%0,02-0,74, p 0,023) e diagnóstico de depressão após o câncer (OR 0,07, IC95% 0,01-0,63, p 0,017). Conclusões: As taxas de RT aos 12 e 24 meses após diagnóstico de câncer de mama são inferiores a maioria dos estudos conduzidos na América do Norte e Europa. Oferta de ajuste no trabalho, maior renda familiar, cirurgia conservadora da mama, terapia endócrina adjuvante e diagnóstico de depressão após o câncer de mama desempenharam importante papel no RT / Background: Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women. While its incidence has been increasing, recurrence and mortality rates have been decreasing, mainly because of better treatment options. Because of that cancer can be regarded as a transient shock that does not prevent survivors resume normality in their lives including return to their workplace. In North America and Europe return to work (RTW) rates vary among breast cancer patients from 24- 66% after 06 months and 53-82% after 36 months of diagnosis. Factors most associated with the decision to return to work are: age, chemotherapy, sequelae related to cancer therapy and support from the employer and coworkers. However, these findings vary among the different populations evaluated, suggesting that other factors and even variations in countries laws may interfere with the decision to return to work. So far there is a lack of data on RTW after breast cancer diagnosis in Latin America. Endpoints: To evaluate return to work rates on months 12 and 24 after breast cancer diagnosis, and check the correlation of some factors with the decision to return to work at 24 months. Methods: A prospective, observational study evaluating RTW rates in patients with breast cancer diagnosis, > 18 and < 57 years old and a paid work for at least 03 months at the time of dianosis. Patients with inoperable or metastatic disease were excluded. On months 6, 12 and 24 they answered a telephone interview and the quality of life questionnaire (FACT-B). Results: Between july/2012 and september/2014, 125 patients were enrolled. Two of them died and two other could not be reached by telephone, and were excluded from the analysis. Mean age was 45,1 years (± 8,1). Most of them reported that they liked their job (94%) and received support from employer (73%), but only 29,1% reported having been offered work adjustment. Half of patients had stage II disease and 93% received chemotherapy as part of their treatment. Overall, 21,5%, 30,3% and 60,4% of patients returned to work 06, 12 and 24 months after breast cancer diagnosis, respectively. In the multivariate analysis, factors associated with positive RTW outcomes included higher income (OR: 17,76, CI95% 3,33-94,75; p = 0,001), breast conserving surgery (OR: 9,77, CI95% 2,03-47,05; p = 0,004) and work adjustment (OR: 37,62, CI95% 2,03-47,05; p= 0,004). Factors associated with negative RTW outcomes included adjuvant endocrine therapy (OR: 0,11, IC95% 0,02-0,74; p = 0,023) and depression diagnosis after breast cancer diagnosis (OR: 0,07, IC95% 0,01-0,63; p = 0,017). Conclusion: RTW rates after 12 and 24 months of breast cancer diagnosis are lower than reported in North America (with exception for low income americans) and Europe. Workplace adjustments, higher income, breast conserving surgery, endocrine therapy and depression after breast cancer played an important role in the RTW decision

This Master thesis deals with the subject of aid to women who are victims of Intimate Partner Violence, in the context of the recently passed Victims of Crime Act. The aim of the theoretical part is to describe the basic specifics of intimate partner violence and problems that arise from these specifics for the victims and for the practice of organizations and individuals helping the victims. In the subsequent part the options of aid to and protection of the victims within the criminal proceeding are discussed. The last chapter of the theoretical part covers the legislation context of giving aid to victims, with a special emphasis on the Victims of Crime Act and its possible contribution to solve problems related to this. The empirical part consists of an analysis of qualitative interviews and questionnaires with experts with at least five years of practice in aiding victims of intimate partner violence. The objective of the practical part is to deliver recommendations how to activate victims. The research aims to verify whether the problems of activation of the victims described in both domestic and foreign literature correspond to the practice of experts, what strategies have proved successful in reaction to those problems and in the end to what extent the law on victims can help in this...

This study used life experience methods to gather the narratives of seven adult Indigenous transracial adoptees who have reclaimed their Indigenous identities after experiencing closed adoption during the late 1950s through to the early 1980s. Participants had been members of Aboriginal (First Nations, Metis, Inuit) communities at birth but were then raised outside their Indigenous nations in non-Indigenous families. Through analysis of their stories, I identified four themes that marked their trajectories to reclamation: Imposed fracture (prior to reclamation); Little anchors (beginning healing); Coming home (on being whole); Our sacred bundle (reconciling imposed fracture). Their stories of reconnecting to their Indigeneity, decolonizing and healing illustrate their shifts from hegemonic discourse spaces that characterized their lived experiences as “other” to spirit-based discourses that center Indigenous knowledge systems as valid, life affirming, and life changing. This dissertation contributes to the debate on state sanctioned removal of children and the impacts of loss of Indigenous identity in Canadian society. My findings indicate that cultural and spiritual teachings and practices, as well as, the knowledge of colonization and its impacts on Indigenous families, communities, and nations, all contributed to adoptees’ healing and ability to move forward in their lives. Key recommendations include: further exploration of the concept of cultural genocide in relation to settler-colonial relations in Canada; further examination of the intersection of counter-narratives, resistance discourse, and colonial violence; increased investigation of the connections between Indigenous knowledge systems, living spirit-based teachings and educative aspects of community wellness; and more research examining education beyond formal schooling, including the formative effects upon Indigenous youth of social values, public policy, and legal frameworks. / Graduate

This thesis compares the different trauma received at the three major hiding places for Jewish children in Belgium during the Holocaust: Christian establishments, private families, and Jewish orphanages. Jewish children hidden at Christian establishments received mainly religious trauma and nutritional, sanitary, and medical neglect. Hiding with private families caused separation trauma and extreme hiding situations. Children staying at Jewish orphanages lived with a continuous fear of being deported, because these institutions were under constant supervision of the German occupiers. No Jewish child survived their hiding experience without receiving some major trauma that would affect them for the rest of their life. This thesis is based on video interviews at Shoah Visual History Foundation and Blum Archives, as well as autobiographies published by hidden children.

This paper examines the correspondence, manuscripts, and speeches of ex-mental patient activists. I chronicle the activities of the emergent psychiatric survivors movement from its beginnings in the early 1970’s focusing on the work of the Boston based activist, Judi Chamberlin (1944-2010). This paper examines how mental patients in post-war America began to organize in order to have their voices included in the process of their own recovery. I present Chamberlin’s experience as a mental patient as being representative of the “rootlessness” that many post-war women experienced. Chamberlin’s work as an ex-patient activist presented one aspect of the overall struggle on the part of mental patients to claim their place in a wider society. I also pay attention to interdisciplinary scholarly analyses of madness to investigate how discussion of the subject influenced ex-patient activists, as well as whether or not the ex-patients’ narrative reciprocally influenced the scholarly discussion about madness. In the final chapters, I also look at how the successes of this social movement ironically led to the prevalence of today’s diagnostic models of treatment that rely heavily on pharmacological methods and highly regimented evidence-based psychotherapies while still excluding patients’ voices. The voices of mental patients both in the asylum era and today have been excluded from the treatment process.

Contexte. Bien qu'il s'agisse d'une population à haut risque, il existe peu d'informations sur la manière dont l'alimentation peut influencer la santé cardiométabolique des survivants de la leucémie lymphoblastique aiguë (LLA) chez les enfants. Objectifs. Cette étude vise à explorer les associations entre l'indice de la qualité de la diète et les indicateurs de santé cardiométabolique dans cette population. Méthodologie. Les participants ont été recrutés dans le cadre de l'étude PETALE (n=241, 49,4% d'hommes ; âge médian : 21,7 ans). L'adhérence à 6 scores alimentaires a été calculée : MEDAS (14-point Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener), KIDMED (Mediterranean Diet Quality Index for Children and Adolescents), HDI-2018 (Healthy Diet Indicator), HEI-2015 (Health Eating Index), E-DII (Energy Adjusted Dietary Inflammatory Index) et FRAP (ferric-reducing antioxidant potential). L'apport calorique des aliments ultra-transformés a été déterminé selon la classification NOVA. Des régressions logistiques multivariées, des tests t de Student et des tests de Mann-Whitney ont évalué les associations entre l’alimentation, les issues de santé cardiométabolique et inflammatoire. Résultats. Nous avons constaté que 88 % des adultes et 46 % des enfants adhèrent peu à la diète méditerranéenne. En effet, moins du quart des adultes consommaient au moins 3 portions de légumineuses ou de poisson par semaine, alors que plus du tiers des enfants mangeaient des pâtisseries telles que des chocolatines au déjeuner et 96% d’entre eux prenaient des bonbons régulièrement. 36,9 % avaient une mauvaise adhérence aux recommandations de l'OMS, où l’on a observé un apport excédant 2g de sodium par jour chez plus de 95% de tous les participants. 76,3 % avaient une alimentation pouvant être améliorée selon le score HEI-2015, lequel a démontré que les survivants de notre cohorte consommaient en moyenne 7 portions de produits céréaliers raffinés par jour ainsi qu’un apport quotidien en sucres libres atteignant 15% de l’énergie totale. En moyenne, les aliments ultra-transformés représentaient 51% de l'apport énergétique total. Un faible taux de HDL-C était associé à une alimentation plus inflammatoire (score E-DII) et à une consommation plus importante d'aliments ultra-transformés. Un score E-DII plus élevé était associé à indice HOMA-IR plus élevé et une consommation plus importante d'aliments ultra-transformés a été associée à des taux plus élevés de triglycérides. Les participants ayant une meilleure adhérence au score HEI-2015 avaient des niveaux de TNF-α circulant plus faibles. Les niveaux d'adiponectine étaient plus élevés chez ceux qui avaient une meilleure adhérence à la diète méditerranéenne. Conclusion. Les survivants de la LLA ont une faible adhérence aux recommandations nutritionnelles, ce qui pourrait affecter négativement leur santé cardiométabolique et leur statut inflammatoire. / Context. Although they are a high-risk population, there is little information about how diet may influence the cardiometabolic health of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (cALL) survivors. Objectives. This study aims to explore the associations between diet quality index and cardiometabolic health indicators in this population. Methodology. Participants were recruited as part of the PETALE study (n=241, 49.4% males; median age: 21.7 years). Adherence to 6 dietary scores were calculated: MEDAS (14-point Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener), KIDMED (Mediterranean Diet Quality Index for Children and Adolescents), HDI-2018 (Healthy Diet Indicator), HEI-2015 (Health Eating Index), E-DII (Energy Adjusted Dietary Inflammatory Index) and FRAP (ferric-reducing antioxidant potential). Caloric intake from ultra-processed foods was determined based on the NOVA Classification. Multivariate logistic regressions, Student t-tests and Mann-Whitney tests evaluated the associations between diet, cardiometabolic and inflammatory outcomes. Results. We found that 88% of adults and 46% of children adhered poorly to the Mediterranean diet. In fact, less than a quarter of adults consumed at least 3 servings of legumes or fish per week, while more than a third of children ate pastries such as chocolate croissant at breakfast and 96% of them took sweets regularly. Also, 36.9% had poor adherence to the WHO recommendations, where more than 95% of all participants had a sodium consumption exceeding 2g per day. 76.3% had a diet to be improved according to the HEI-2015 score, which showed that the survivors of our cohort consumed an average of 7 servings of refined grain products per day and a daily intake of free sugars of up to 15% of total energy. On average, ultra-processed foods accounted for 51% of total energy intake. Having low HDL-C was associated with a more inflammatory diet (E-DII score) and higher consumption of ultra-processed foods. A higher E-DII score was associated with elevated HOMA-IR and consumption of ultra-processed foods with having high triglycerides. Participants with a better adherence to the HEI-2015 score had lower levels of circulating TNF-α. Adiponectin levels were higher in those who better adhered to the Mediterranean diet. Conclusion. Survivors of cALL have poor adherence to dietary recommendations, negatively affecting their cardiometabolic health and inflammatory status.

Deaf individuals experience significant obstacles to participating in behavioral health research when careful consideration is not given to accessibility in the design of study methodology. To inform such considerations, we conducted a secondary analysis of a mixed-methods study that explored 16 Deaf trauma survivors’ help-seeking experiences. Our objective was to identify key findings and qualitative themes from consumers' own words that can be applied to the design of behavioral clinical trials methodology. In many ways, the themes that emerged are what we would expect of any research participant, Deaf or hearing – a need for communication access, empathy, respect, strict confidentiality procedures, trust, and transparency of the research process. However, additional considerations must be made to better recruit, retain, and engage Deaf trauma survivors. We summarize our findings in a “Checklist for Designing Deaf Behavioral Clinical Trials” to operationalize the steps researchers should take to apply Deaf-friendly approaches in their empirical work.