Tobacco use and related psychosocial risk factors among youth in urban India: Assessment of Project MYTRI follow-up surveys

Project MYTRI (Mobilizing Youth for Tobacco-Related Initiatives in India) was a large 2-year randomized school-based trial with a goal to reduce and prevent tobacco use among students in 6th and 8th grades in Delhi and Chennai in India (n=32 schools). Baseline analyses in 2004 showed that 6th grade students reported more tobacco use than 8 th grade students, opposite of what is typically observed in developed countries like the US. The present study aims to study differences in tobacco use and psychosocial risk factors between the 6th grade cohort and 8th grade cohort, in a compliant sub-sample of control students that were present at all 3 surveys from 2004-06. Both in 2004 and 2005, 6th grade cohort reported significantly greater prevalence of ever use of all tobacco products (cigarettes, bidis, chewing tobacco, any tobacco). These significant differences in ever use of any tobacco between cohorts were maintained by gender, city and socioeconomic status. The 6th grade cohort also reported significantly greater prevalence of current use of tobacco products (cigarettes, chewing tobacco, any tobacco) in 2004. Similar findings were observed for psychosocial risk factors for tobacco use, where the 6th grade cohort scored higher risk than 8th grade cohort on scales for intentions to smoke or chew tobacco and susceptibility to smoke or chew tobacco in 2004 and 2005, and for knowledge of health effects of tobacco in all three years.^ The evidence of early initiation of tobacco use in our 6th grade cohort in India indicates the need to target prevention programs and other tobacco control measures from a younger age in this setting. With increasing proportions of total deaths and lost DALYs in India being attributable to chronic diseases, addressing tobacco use among younger cohorts is even more critical. Increase in tobacco use among youth is a cause for concern with respect to future burden of chronic disease and tobacco-related mortality in many developing countries. Similarly, epidemiological studies that aim to predict future death and disease burden due to tobacco should address the early age at initiation and increasing prevalence rates among younger populations. ^

THE SHORT- AND LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF A HANDBOOK ON THE ANTIMICROBIAL PRESCRIBING PATTERNS OF HOSPITAL PHYSICIANS

This study evaluates the effect of a specially designed, physician-oriented handbook of antimicrobial use on the prescribing patterns of a group of fifty doctors at a university hospital. Data were evaluated over a peroid of one-and-one-half years, before and after the distribution of the handbook. For the purposes of this study, antimicrobial therapy was classified: (1) inappropriate if it violated one of a number of recognized principles of antimicrobial therapy, (2) appropriate if it agreed with specific recommendations or alternatives given in the distributed reference handbook, and (3) acceptable if it was neither inappropriate nor appropriate as defined by the handbook. An initial survey of antimicrobial prescribing patterns was made. Five months later the handbook was distributed and a two-week orientation program, consisting of the distribution and promotion of the problem-oriented, pocket-size handbook of appropriate antimicrobial therapy, was conducted. The handbook, which was developed by the authors and reviewed and approved by a panel of infectious disease specialists, presented guidelines for appropriate and efficacious usage of antimicrobial agents as most currently accepted in common clinical infections. Subsequent surveys were then conducted two weeks, three months, and six months after distribution of the handbook. A statistically significant difference (p < 0.01) in antimicrobial prescribing patterns was noted between the survey conducted two weeks after the introduction of the handbook and the other surveys. In this survey, while therapy classified inappropriate decreased from 44% to 28%, therapy appropriate as recommended increased from 31% to 53%. The findings of this study demonstrate that the introduction and promotion of the handbook decreases abuse and increases proper use of antimicrobial therapy, although the effect is sustainable for only a short duration--no longer than three months. These results indicate the need for a vigorous, updated program to achieve and maintain current appropriate antibotic therapy in clinical medicine. ^

Description and analysis of variation in dairy product and concomitant nutrient purchases between Hispanic and non -Hispanic households using a panel of shoppers' purchase records

The purpose of this research was development of a method of estimating nutrient availability in populations as approximated by supermarket purchase records. Demographic information describing 12,516 panel households was obtained from a marketing and advertising program operated by H. E. Butt Grocery Company of San Antonio, Texas. A non-probability sample of 2,161 households meeting expenditure criteria was selected and all purchases of dairy products for this sample of households were organized into a database constructed to facilitate the retrieval, aggregation, and analysis of dairy product purchases and their nutrient contents. Two hypotheses were tested: (1) no difference would be found between Hispanic and non-Hispanic purchases of dairy product categories during the study period and (2) no difference would be found between Hispanic and non-Hispanic purchases of nutrients contained in those dairy products during the thirteen-week study period.^ Food purchase records were used to estimate nutrient exposure on a weekly, per capita basis for Hispanic and non-Hispanic households by linking some 40,000 dairy purchase Universal Product code (UPC) numbers with food composition values contained in USDA Handbook 8-1. Results of this study suggest Hispanic sample households consistently purchased fewer dairy products than did non-Hispanic sample households and consequently had fewer nutrients available from dairy purchases. While weekly expenditures for dairy products among the sample households remained relatively constant during the study period, shifts in the types of dairy products purchased were observed. The effect of ethnicity on dairy product and nutrient purchases was significant over the thirteen-week period. A database consisting of customer, household, and purchase information can be developed to successfully associate food item UPC numbers with a standard reference of food composition to estimate nutrient availability in a population over extended periods of time. ^

Spectral reflectance library of selected biotic and abiotic coral reef features in Glovers Reef, Belize

Underwater spectral reflectance was measured for selected biotic and abiotic coral reef features of Glovers Reef, Belize from March 6 - 10, 2005. Spectral reflectance's of 63 different benthic types were obtained in-situ. An Ocean Optics USB2000 spectrometer was deployed in an custom made underwater housing with a 0.5 m fiber-optic probe mounted next to an artificial light source. Spectral readings were collected with the probe (bear fibre) about 5 cm from the target to ensure that the target would fill the field of view of the fiber optic (FOV diameter ~4.4 cm), as well as to reduce the attenuating effect of the intermediate water (Roelfsema et al., 2006). Spectral readings included for one target included: 1 reading of the covered spectral fibre to correct for instrument noise, 1 reading of spectralon panel mounted on divers wrist to measure incident ambient light, and 8 readings of the target. Spectral reflectance was calculated for each target by first subtracting the instrument noise reading from each other reading. The corrected target readings were then divided by the corrected spectralon reading resulting in spectral reflectance of each target reading. An average target spectral reflectance was calculated by averaging the eight individual spectral reflectance's of the target. If an individual target spectral reflectance was visual considered an outlier, it was not included in the average spectral reflectance calculation. See Roelfsema at al. (2006) for additional info on the methodology of underwater spectra collection.

Spatially explicit estimates of length and biomass of Micromesistius poutassou (Blue Whiting) and Clupea harengus (Norwegian spring spawning herring) from acoustic and trawl surveys in the North-East Atlantic (2004-2012)

Acoustic estimates of herring and blue whiting abundance were obtained during the surveys using the Simrad ER60 scientific echosounder. The allocation of NASC-values to herring, blue whiting and other acoustic targets were based on the composition of the trawl catches and the appearance of echo recordings. To estimate the abundance, the allocated NASC -values were averaged for ICES-squares (0.5° latitude by 1° longitude). For each statistical square, the unit area density of fish (rA) in number per square nautical mile (N*nm-2) was calculated using standard equations (Foote et al., 1987; Toresen et al., 1998). To estimate the total abundance of fish, the unit area abundance for each statistical square was multiplied by the number of square nautical miles in each statistical square and then summed for all the statistical squares within defined subareas and over the total area. Biomass estimation was calculated by multiplying abundance in numbers by the average weight of the fish in each statistical square then summing all squares within defined subareas and over the total area. The Norwegian BEAM soft-ware (Totland and Godø 2001) was used to make estimates of total biomass.

Spatially explicit estimates of length and biomass of Micromesistius poutassou (Blue Whiting) from acoustic and trawl surveys in the North-East Atlantic in May 2007

Acoustic estimates of herring and blue whiting abundance were obtained during the surveys using the Simrad ER60 scientific echosounder. The allocation of NASC-values to herring, blue whiting and other acoustic targets were based on the composition of the trawl catches and the appearance of echo recordings. To estimate the abundance, the allocated NASC -values were averaged for ICES-squares (0.5° latitude by 1° longitude). For each statistical square, the unit area density of fish (rA) in number per square nautical mile (N*nm-2) was calculated using standard equations (Foote et al., 1987; Toresen et al., 1998). To estimate the total abundance of fish, the unit area abundance for each statistical square was multiplied by the number of square nautical miles in each statistical square and then summed for all the statistical squares within defined subareas and over the total area. Biomass estimation was calculated by multiplying abundance in numbers by the average weight of the fish in each statistical square then summing all squares within defined subareas and over the total area. The Norwegian BEAM soft-ware (Totland and Godø 2001) was used to make estimates of total biomass.

Spatially explicit estimates of length and biomass of Micromesistius poutassou (Blue Whiting) from acoustic and trawl surveys in the North-East Atlantic in May 2005

Acoustic estimates of herring and blue whiting abundance were obtained during the surveys using the Simrad ER60 scientific echosounder. The allocation of NASC-values to herring, blue whiting and other acoustic targets were based on the composition of the trawl catches and the appearance of echo recordings. To estimate the abundance, the allocated NASC -values were averaged for ICES-squares (0.5° latitude by 1° longitude). For each statistical square, the unit area density of fish (rA) in number per square nautical mile (N*nm-2) was calculated using standard equations (Foote et al., 1987; Toresen et al., 1998). To estimate the total abundance of fish, the unit area abundance for each statistical square was multiplied by the number of square nautical miles in each statistical square and then summed for all the statistical squares within defined subareas and over the total area. Biomass estimation was calculated by multiplying abundance in numbers by the average weight of the fish in each statistical square then summing all squares within defined subareas and over the total area. The Norwegian BEAM soft-ware (Totland and Godø 2001) was used to make estimates of total biomass.

Segundo panel : Hacer historia reciente : Tensiones entre lo público y lo privado en el uso de fuentes producidas por fuerzas represivas

Fil: Barletta, Ana María. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias de la Educación; Argentina.

Primer panel : Presentación de los instrumentos de descripción del fondo documental de la ex DIPPBA

Fil: Lanteri, Magdalena. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias de la Educación; Argentina.

Segundo panel : Hacer historia reciente : Tensiones entre lo público y lo privado en el uso de fuentes producidas por fuerzas represivas

Fil: Barletta, Ana María. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias de la Educación; Argentina.

Primer panel : Presentación de los instrumentos de descripción del fondo documental de la ex DIPPBA

Fil: Lanteri, Magdalena. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias de la Educación; Argentina.

Spatially explicit estimates of length and biomass of Micromesistius poutassou (Blue Whiting) from acoustic and trawl surveys in the North-East Atlantic in May 2008

Acoustic estimates of herring and blue whiting abundance were obtained during the surveys using the Simrad ER60 scientific echosounder. The allocation of NASC-values to herring, blue whiting and other acoustic targets were based on the composition of the trawl catches and the appearance of echo recordings. To estimate the abundance, the allocated NASC -values were averaged for ICES-squares (0.5° latitude by 1° longitude). For each statistical square, the unit area density of fish (rA) in number per square nautical mile (N*nm-2) was calculated using standard equations (Foote et al., 1987; Toresen et al., 1998). To estimate the total abundance of fish, the unit area abundance for each statistical square was multiplied by the number of square nautical miles in each statistical square and then summed for all the statistical squares within defined subareas and over the total area. Biomass estimation was calculated by multiplying abundance in numbers by the average weight of the fish in each statistical square then summing all squares within defined subareas and over the total area. The Norwegian BEAM soft-ware (Totland and Godø 2001) was used to make estimates of total biomass.