Estimation of Sorting Time for Arthropod Samples Collected with Tullgren Funnels

Arthropods were sorted from samples obtained with Tullgren funnels. Each sorter maintained a log of time per session and arthropods removed per session. Five individuals removed all arthropods from 12 separate samples and sorted them into previously designated class or ordinal taxa. Each sample was sorted by a single student. Students were allowed to develop their own approaches to sorting and do it as time permitted. Mean sorting rate per sample was 2.43 arthropods per minute, with a range of 1.42-5.64, while mean sorting rate for a sorting session was 3.41 specimens per minute. Specimen density was only weakly correlated with sort time. Fatigue did not appear to be a major factor in sorting rate, as indicated by the similarity of the linear and quadratic coefficients of determination for each sample

Health Care Access and Breast Cancer Screening Among Latinas Along the California–Mexican Border

Latinas are more likely to exhibit late stage breast cancers at the time of diagnosis and have lower survival rates compared to white women. A contributing factor may be that Latinas have lower rates of mammography screening. This study was guided by the Behavioral Model of Health Services Use to examine factors associated with mammography screening utilization among middle-aged Latinas. An academic–community health center partnership collected data from community-based sample of 208 Latinas 40 years and older in the San Diego County who completed measures assessing psychosocial factors, health care access, and recent mammography screening. Results showed that 84.6 % had ever had a mammogram and 76.2 % of women had received a mammogram in the past 2 years. Characteristics associated with mammography screening adherence included a lower acculturation (OR 3.663) a recent physician visit in the past year (OR 6.304), and a greater confidence in filling out medical forms (OR 1.743), adjusting for covariates. Results demonstrate that an annual physical examination was the strongest predictor of recent breast cancer screening. Findings suggest that in this community, improving access to care among English-speaking Latinas and addressing health literacy issues are essential for promoting breast cancer screening utilization