Religiosity and Sexual Risk Behaviors Among Latina Adolescents: Trends from 1995 to 2008

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine trends in the influence of religiosity on sexual activity of Latina adolescents in the United States from 1995 to 2008 and to determine if differences existed between the Mexican American and other Latina groups. Methods: The sample comprised the subset of unmarried, 15–21-year-old (mean 17 years) Latina female respondents in the 1995 (n=267), 2002 (n=306), and 2006–2008 (n=400) National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG) datasets. Associations between religiosity (importance of religion and service attendance) and history of ever having sex, number of sex partners, and age of sexual debut were investigated. Results: Less than one half of Latinas in 1995 (44%) and in 2006–2008 (44%) reported that religion was very important to them, whereas in 2002, 50% reported it was important. Only in 1995 did Latinas who viewed religion as very important have a significantly lower level of sexual initiation. In 1995 and in 2006–2008, Latinas who held religion as very important had significantly fewer partners. In all three cohorts, the higher religious importance group had higher virgin survival rates. Across cohorts, approximately one third of respondents reported frequent religious attendance. In all cohorts, frequent attenders were less likely to have had sex, had fewer partners, and had older age at sexual debut. The survival rate as virgins for Mexican origin Latinas was higher in 1995 and 2002 compared to non-Mexican Latinas but was almost the same in 2006–2008. Conclusions: Religiosity had a protective association with sexual activity among Latina adolescents. The association of importance of religion with sexual activity has diminished from 1995 to 2008, however, whereas the importance of service attendance has remained stable. The influence of religion was more apparent among the Latinas of Mexican origin, but this greater influence also diminished by 2006–2008

Effects of SB Plant Invigorator on Bemisia tabaci Development in Tomato Plants

Whitefly control programmes are mostly based on the application of insecticides. However, Bemisia tabaci is able to develop resistance to many of these chemical substances, and high levels of resistance have been reported for many insecticides in different agricultural systems worldwide. Moreover, many of these chemical products are toxic to the environment if they are not used properly. These disadvantages make necessary to search for alternative strategies of pest control for its implementation in IPM programmes. Utilization of new products which fight physically but not chemically against pest is one of the alternative methods investigated nowadays. The Stan Brouard Group has developed an environmentally respectful stimulant of plant growth called SB Plant Invigorator (SBPI) which helps the plant to produce quality fruits. It presents a physical mode of action that makes the product respectful with the environment. Due to its formulation, SBPI is not a pesticide but a plant stimulant, and it is proved not to be a toxic but an environmentally safe product. No harvest interval is therefore required after use, special health and safety measures for users are not necessary, and the product does not cause problems with residuals in food. As its activity against insects is achieved by physical means, insects do not develop resistance to SBPI and it continues being useful after a long time application. The objective of the present study was to test whether SBPI is effective to control B. tabaci in commercial tomato plants (cv. Marmande) which lack the Mi-1 gene of resistance to whiteflies. Three days after the first foliar spraying (2ml/l solution), the product seemed to be ineffective against the adult insects, as the numbers of died females were practically equal for both, control and treated plants. No statistically significant differences were found for the oviposition values, although the mean number of eggs laid on SBPI-treated leaves was slightly greater than that observed on control plants. Treatment was repeated weekly during the next 4 weeks. At 31 days, new adult whiteflies started to emerge from pupae in control plants, with significant differences with the SBPI-treated plants where any L3, L4 or new adults were not found. Differences in the number of L1+L2 were not statistically significant, although the mean number of individuals in these larval stages on SBPI-treated plants was twice as much on control plants. In conclusion, SBPI is an effective alternative product to control B. tabaci in tomato as foliar application under these conditions inhibits or delays larval development avoiding the risk of a new whitefly generation.Peer reviewe

Effects of the plant growth stimulant SBPI on Bemisia tabaci Genn. (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae)

The environmentally friendly plant growth stimulant and pesticide SB Plant Invigorator (SBPI, Stan Brouard Group)helps the plant to produce quality fruit. Three days after tomato plants were sprayed for the first time with SBPI (2 ml*L-1 solution), this product seemed to be ineffective against Bemisia tabaci adults, as the numbers of dead females were practically equal on control and treated plants. After 3 days oviposition values on control plants did not differ significantly from those on treated plants. However, 31 days after the first treatment with weekly repeated treatments, new adult whiteflies started to emerge from pupae on control plants, but no L3, L4 or new adults were found on SBPI-treated plants. However, differences in the number of 1st+2nd instar larvae were not statistically significant. From these findings it can be concluded that, under these conditions, SBPI is an effective alternative product for the control of B. tabaci on tomato plants, as foliar application inhibits larval development decreasing the risk of a new whitefly generation.Peer reviewe

Intrauterine growth curves in a high-income population

OBJECTIVE: growth curves can be used to assess intrauterine growth, to predict diseases in newborns, and to characterize different populations. The objective of this study was to obtain intrauterine growth curves of newborns from the maternity ward of the Hospital Albert Einstein (MAE) and compare them with intrauterine growth curves of a population from California, USA. METHODS: We plotted the growth curves according to weight at birth and gestational age, which was obtained according to information from the mother, after the 32nd week of gestation, between February 1995 and February 1999. We calculated the birth weights for the 10th, 50th, and 90th percentiles of weight at birth for each gestational age and compared them with those of the growth curves from California. RESULTS: The growth curves for the 10th and the 50th percentiles did not differ from the California growth curves. For the 90th percentile, however, the MAE growth curves were lower than those of California. The MAE population presented fewer small-for-gestational age (SGA) and big-for-gestational age (BGA) newborns when assessed according to the California curves. The categories of SGA, normal, and BGA for both male and female newborns indicated a statistically significant relation with the weight gain of mothers. CONCLUSIONS: The two populations assessed in this study were different according to intrauterine growth curves. Further studies should be carried out in order to identify specific factors that may be acting on the MAE population.OBJETIVO: as curvas de percentil constituem uma das formas de avaliação do crescimento intra-uterino e podem predizer doenças do recém-nascido como também caracterizar uma população. Este trabalho teve por objetivo construir as curvas de crescimento intra-uterino dos recém-nascidos da Maternidade do Hospital Albert Einstein (MAE), hospital que atende a uma população de alto nível socioeconômico, e comparar com as curvas de crescimento intra-uterino de uma população norte-americana da Califórnia. MÉTODOS: foram construídas curvas de crescimento intra-uterino a partir do peso do recém-nascido de parto único, tomado logo após o nascimento, e da idade gestacional segundo informações maternas, a partir da 32ª. semana de idade gestacional, abrangendo os nascimentos ocorridos na MAE no período de fevereiro de 1995 a fevereiro de 1999. Foram calculados os percentis 10, 50 e 90 do peso ao nascer para cada idade gestacional e comparados com os das curvas da Califórnia. RESULTADOS: as curvas dos percentis 10 e 50 na população da MAE não diferiram das curvas da Califórnia. Para o percentil 90, a curva da MAE ficou abaixo das curvas da Califórnia. Houve número menor de pequenos e grandes para a idade gestacional (PIG e GIG) quando classificados pelas curvas da Califórnia. A classificação em PIG, AIG, GIG mostrou-se relacionada significantemente com o ganho de peso materno nos dois sexos. CONCLUSÕES: as duas populações analisadas segundo as curvas de crescimento intra-uterino são diferentes entre si; deverão ser identificados fatores específicos que atuem na população da MAE.UNIFESP-EPMSociedade Beneficente Israelita Brasileira Hospital Albert Einstein Instituto de Ensino e PesquisaUSPPrefeitura Municipal de São Paulo Serviços em SaúdeUNIFESP, EPMSciEL

Supervised Visitation and Monitored Exchange: Review of the Literature and Annotated Bibliography

Though courts increasingly rely on supervised visitation services in custody disputes and child welfare cases (Salem, Kulak, & Deutsch, 2007), a search of the literature produces few studies reporting empirically validated aspects of supervised visitation programs. The current literature about supervised visitation extensively documents the rationale for providing the service and contains numerous descriptions of provider programs (Birnbaum & Alaggia, 2006). The next generation of research must focus on long-term outcomes that demonstrate effectiveness of supervised visitation programs (Birnbaum & Alaggia, 2006). This project involves a review of the literature concerning supervised visitation and child access services. The intent of the research is to summarize best practices supported by empirical evidence. It identifies emerging trends, issues, and gaps in the relevant literature. It also integrates the best practices analysis with recommendations for further consideration by the leadership of the Maryland Judiciary

Malnutrition and Length of Stay - A Relationship?

The admission nutrition status of 135 consecutive general medical patients admitted to a single nursing unit was evaluated using a simple questionnaire and available laboratory studies. A statistical analysis of the data obtained indicates that prolonged length of stay may be related to admission nutritional status