Impact of Social Media in the Fight Against Misinformation on Corona Virus Pandemic

This study examined the impact of social media within the fight against misinformation on coronavirus pandemic. The study therefore assessed the character of coronavirus pandemic information shared on social media sites by undergraduate students in central region of Ghana. Structured questionnaire copies were administered to 355 undergraduate students in University of Education, Winneba, University of Cape Coast, and Cape Coast Technical University. Data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Result showed that 71.3% of the scholars across the chosen universities were conscious of social media and made used of it. Facebook was the foremost favourite social media platform followed by Instagram and WhatsApp, while Kinschat, LinkedIn, Skype and BBM were least preferred social media sites. Independent samples test result showed there was no significant gender difference within the preference of social media sites (t = 1.039, p>0.05). The result showed that 81.4% of the scholars had encounter coronavirus pandemic information on social media, while only 24.8% had shared coronavirus pandemic information on social media. Prevention methods and general coronavirus pandemic knowledge were the most sorts of information shared. ANOVA result further revealed significant variation within the sort of coronavirus pandemic information shared on social media among the three universities (F = 5.177; p<0.05). The Post Hoc Test of multiple comparison indicated that the type of coronavirus pandemic information shared in Cape Coast Technical University differed significantly from those shared in University of Education, Winneba and University of Cape Coast respectively. Keywords: SOCIAL MEDIA, MISINFORMATION, CORONA VIRUS PANDEMIC DOI: 10.7176/NMMC/95-05 Publication date: February 28th 202

Health in a Dynamic World

The world has faced a number of major health challenges over the past few decades. These include the resurgence of a number of infectious diseases, the HIV epidemic, periodic pollution disasters, the rising burden of chronic illness and the SARS outbreak. There is a growing realisation that the world’s population is interconnected and an associated concern about the possibility of global pandemics. Health has been rising up the political agenda in rich and poor countries. Governments and charitable foundations are increasingly willing to support initiatives for addressing health-related needs. The political concern about global health is creating major opportunities for improving the lives of poor people. It is also creating risks that poorly designed interventions will fail to achieve their objective or even have damaging consequences. This paper argues that we are approaching a major turning point in the organisation of national and global health systems. Its aim is to stimulate debate about how to support systems that take into account the complex interactions between ecology, technology and social organisation within which health problems arise and are addressed. Its primary concern is how best to ensure that the health systems that emerge from this period of change address the needs of the poor.ESR

2018 GREAT Day Program

SUNY Geneseo’s Twelfth Annual GREAT Day.https://knightscholar.geneseo.edu/program-2007/1012/thumbnail.jp

A data-driven epidemic model to analyse the course of covid-19 in the Veneto region

The current COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented global health crisis, with severe economic impacts and social damages. Mathematical models are playing an important role in this ongoing emergency, providing scientific support to inform public policies worldwide. In this thesis work, an epidemic model for the spread of the novel Coronavirus disease in the Veneto region has been proposed. Starting from the available local Health System data to examine past year contagion numbers and other features potentiality, a SEIQRD (Susceptible Exposed Infected Quarantined Removed Deceased) compartmental schema has been designed generalizing the classic SIR model. Then, the infection dynamics have been practically implemented in two versions: as a Deterministic Equation-based formulation and as an Agent-based model. While the former has been maintained simple and computationally inexpensive in order to serve as a baseline and to quickly provide parameter estimates, for the latter a detailed metapopulation of agents with personalized attributes and network of contacts has been developed to recreate as realistic as possible simulations. Once these models have been trained and validated, they could became valuable tools for various types of analysis and predictions. In particular, the agent-based version, thanks to its flexibility as well as to its higher resolution, could be exploited for exclusive a posteriori evaluations of the effectiveness of the adopted containment measures in reducing the pandemic in Veneto.ope

White Paper 2: Origins, (Co)Evolution, Diversity & Synthesis Of Life

Publicado en Madrid, 185 p. ; 17 cm.How life appeared on Earth and how then it diversified into the different and currently existing forms of life are the unanswered questions that will be discussed this volume. These questions delve into the deep past of our planet, where biology intermingles with geology and chemistry, to explore the origin of life and understand its evolution, since “nothing makes sense in biology except in the light of evolution” (Dobzhansky, 1964). The eight challenges that compose this volume summarize our current knowledge and future research directions touching different aspects of the study of evolution, which can be considered a fundamental discipline of Life Science. The volume discusses recent theories on how the first molecules arouse, became organized and acquired their structure, enabling the first forms of life. It also attempts to explain how this life has changed over time, giving rise, from very similar molecular bases, to an immense biological diversity, and to understand what is the hylogenetic relationship among all the different life forms. The volume further analyzes human evolution, its relationship with the environment and its implications on human health and society. Closing the circle, the volume discusses the possibility of designing new biological machines, thus creating a cell prototype from its components and whether this knowledge can be applied to improve our ecosystem. With an effective coordination among its three main areas of knowledge, the CSIC can become an international benchmark for research in this field

Studies on the in vitro culture of Taeniidae and on the antigenic properties of their metabolic products

The dissertation is divided into five parts, namely studies on the parasite-host models in vivo, in vitro culture of Taenia taeniaeformis oncospheres, in vitro growth and maintenance of mature larvae of Taenia saginata and T. taeniaeformis, the antigens released by the latter in vitro and finally the immunogenic properties of these antigens.In Part I, four strains of T. taeniaeformis, from Belgium (B), Iraq (i), Malaysia (m) and Scotland (S), were compared as regards their infectivity for CF1 mice and Sprague-Dawley rats. Two strains, S and M, appeared to be almost exclusively adapted to mice and rats respectively. Mice were generally more susceptible than rats for strains B and I. Thin layer starch gel electrophoresis of extracts of T. taeniaeformis of these four strains showed different patterns for the isoenzymes of hexokinase.Part II is concerned with in vitro culture of T. taeniaeformis starting with oncospheres. Techniques for hatching and activating oncospheres based on peptic digestion followed by incubation in an artificial intestinal solution, gave unsatisfactory results. Better results were obtained by first disintegrating the embryophores with sodium hypochlorite, followed by stationary incubation in a culture medium containing trypsin, bile and serum. Attempts to cultivate these oncospheres in vitro were not as successful as those described by Heath (1973).Part III describes attempts to monitor the maintenance of T. taeniaeformis strobilocerci in vitro. The weight of the larvae, glucose uptake and lactic acid production were measured at regular intervals. None of these parameters proved to be suitable for comparing different media; the response was either too slow or too irregular to be reliable. Different types of culture for T. saginata metacestodes were tried. The best growth was obtained by using a diphasic medium with disrupted coagulated serum as the solid sub¬ strate. The most developed forms showed segmentation and early development of the sexual organs.Studies concerned with the nature of the metabolic antigens are described in Part IV. These were primarily concerned with establish¬ ing whether these antigens were materially different from somatic antigen or were merely the result of progressive disintegration of the worms in vitro. Immunoelectrophoresis, ELISA for detecting antibodies and ITAS-ELISA for detecting antigen each allowed the metabolic and somatic antigens to be distinguished. The former appeared to be similar to cyst fluid, in so far as precipitating antigens were concerned, whereas in the ELISA and ITAS-ELISA studies metabolic antigen seemed to give more specific results. Cyst fluid or somatic antigen gave less specificity with sera from mice infected with T. taeniaeformis or Taenia crassiceps. Furthermore, as the level of somatic antigen increased in culture fluids, so did the specificity decrease.This release of antigens into culture media was studied in relation to time for different culture media and also by comparing this for dead and living larvae maintained under the same in vitro conditions. The results suggested that the release rate for antigen as measured by ITAS-ELISA could provide a useful means of monitoring viii. such cultures, since the inverse relationship between this and the integrity of the cultured metacestodes was more consistent than any of the parameters studied in Part III or the release rate for metabolic antigen.Finally, a study of the efficacy of these metabolites as immunogens was undertaken in mice and rats and is described in Part V. The results of these experiments were inconsistent; some batches of culture antigen gave significant protection but no relationship between this and their protein content or the proportion of metabolic and somatic antigen could be demonstrated

A political ecology of bovine tuberculosis eradication in Northern Ireland

Bovine tuberculosis (TB) is arguably the most important animal health problem in the world. TB is endemic in the Global South, and also affects several nations and regions with highly developed cattle farming industries and statutory eradication programmes in the European Union, including Northern Ireland. The disease has implications for livestock agriculture, wildlife ecology, public health, and the national economy. In addition to scientific and technical complexities, socio-economic and socio-cultural factors affect efforts to control the disease. Disease problems such as TB at the human-nature interface are complex and indeterminate, and require innovative multidisciplinary research to find holistic and workable solutions: geography has much to contribute. This investigation uses a political ecology framework, and provides explanations for the historical and geographical patterns of the disease through a ‘chain of explanation’ approach (Blaikie & Brookfield, 1987). It utilizes political ecology, STS, rural, cultural, health, ‘more-than-human’ and veterinary literatures to produce a political ecology of animal disease control in the First World. Significantly, this account is as much about people and politics as it is about land use, technology, cattle, badgers, bacteria and disease. Conducted from the positionality of being a vet and a farmer’s son, and based on ethnographic interviews with farmers, vets, policy makers and other agricultural industry representatives, the links in the chain explain why the statutory eradication programme has not yet been successful in achieving its original aim. The disease continues to spread across the landscape and evades efforts to eradicate. The thesis shows how TB permeates time and space shaped by global economic forces, political structures, cultural practices and complex ecologies. TB, often invisible and underestimated, must be made visible again. New network structures are required to rescale governance and move closer to the target of TB eradication

Understanding drivers of experimental malaria sub-unit vaccine induced immunity in Tanzania volunteers

Despite being a preventable and treatable disease, Plasmodium falciparum malaria remains a major threat, especially in children and pregnant women in sub-Saharan Africa. Considerable progress has been achieved during the past decade, however, these positive trends have stalled in 2017. Efforts towards better disease control and focal elimination are hindered by development and spread of insecticide and drug resistance, leaving a malaria vaccine as a required tool to complement these approaches. RTS, S a subunit pre-erythrocyte stage vaccine is the only advanced malaria vaccine that has received approval for pilot administration in three countries in sub-Saharan Africa. This vaccine is however challenged by low efficacy and fast waning of protection. There is, therefore, an urgent need for the development of more potent malaria vaccines. WHO targets malaria elimination by 2030 and achieving this goal will depend on stopping malaria transmission. This goal will largely depend on reducing asexual blood stage Plasmodium parasites – which are not only the cause of morbidity and mortality -but also responsible for the development of gametocytes. Induction of parasite growth inhibitory antibodies has been shown to be key for protection following natural exposure and therefore, many vaccine development approaches try to follow this guidance from nature. In order to reach this goal of a highly protective vaccine targeting asexual blood stages with acceptable longevity of duration, more research is needed understand mechanisms of optimal induction of long-lived antibody responses in a population that is also affected from other co-infections like helminths or HIV. Therefore, this thesis aimed to 1) investigate a novel blood stage sub-unit malaria vaccine candidate, P27A, for its potential to induce long-lasting antibody responses when formulated in the novel adjuvant GLA-SE in malaria pre-exposed populations, 2) understanding magnitude and cytokine production of the CD4 T cell responses induced by this novel vaccine formulation and the interaction with ongoing helminth co-infections, 3) shed more light on the mechanism of GLA-SE adjuvant being able to induce high and long-lasting antibody responses by studying follicular helper T cells in peripheral blood, 4) implement lymph node excision biopsy in rural Tanzania for detailed investigation of germinal centre responses which are crucial for production of potent antibody response. The antigen P27A, when formulated with GLA-SE, induced a robust humoral immunity, with enhanced production of cytophilic antibodies, IgG1 and IgG3 and expansion of CD4 Th1 cells producing IL2, TNFa and IFNg, and subsequent memory development. In addition, the adjuvant GLA-SE promoted the expansion of peripheral follicular helper T cells and recruitment of T cells bearing common T cell receptors, which is essential for a vaccine intended for the general population

Rumours and riots: Local responses to mass drug administration for the treatment of neglected tropical diseases among school-aged children in Morogoro region, Tanzania

This thesis was submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and was awarded by Brunel UniversityIn August 2008, a biomedical intervention providing free drugs to school aged children to treat two endemic diseases –schistosomiasis haematobium and soil-transmitted helminths - in Morogoro region, Tanzania, was suspended after violent riots erupted. Parents and guardians rushed to schools to prevent their children taking the drugs when they heard reports of children dying in Morogoro town after receiving treatment. When pupils heard these reports, many of those who had swallowed the pills began to complain of dizziness and fainted. In Morogoro town hundreds of pupils were rushed to the Regional Hospital by their parents and other onlookers. News of these apparent fatalities spread throughout the region, including to Doma village where I was conducting fieldwork. Here, protesting villagers accused me of bringing the medicine into the village with which to “poison” the children and it was necessary for me to leave the village immediately under the protection of the Tanzanian police. This thesis, based on eleven months fieldwork between 2007 and 2010 in Doma village and parts of Morogoro town, asks why was this biomedical intervention so vehemently rejected? By analysing local understandings and responses to the mass distribution of drugs in relation to the specific historical, social, political, and economic context in which it occurred, it shows that there was a considerable disjuncture between biomedical understandings of these diseases, including the epidemiological rationale for the provision of preventive chemotherapy, and local perspectives. Such a disjuncture, fuelled by the reports of fatalities and the pupil’s fainting episodes brought about considerable conjecture both locally and nationally, that the drugs had been faulty, counterfeit, or hitherto untested on humans. Among many of the poorer inhabitants of Morogoro town, there was suspicion that this had been a covert sterilization campaign. From an official perspective, such conjecture was dismissed as mere rumour, proliferated by “ignorant” people. However, from an anthropological perspective, these ‘rumours’ reveal profound local anxieties including a pervasive fear that poor Africans are being targeted for covert eugenics projects by governments in the industrialized world. The thesis also shows that many of the assumptions embedded in global policies seeking to control neglected tropical diseases are mistaken. Indeed, it is suggested that it is unlikely that schistosomiasis haematobium and soil-transmitted helminths will be controlled so long as policy makers persist with the idea that one policy, designed by staff working for the World Health Organisation – with minor modifications added in Dar es Salaam - can be rolled out uniformly, irrespective of the political, social and economic context in which the programme occurs