Background: Hypertension among African American women is of epidemic proportions. Nonadherence to treatment contributes to uncontrolled blood pressure in this population. Factors associated with adherence to treatment in African American women are unknown. The purpose of this study was to identify factors associated with adherence to hypertension treatment in African American women. Methods: Five audio-taped focus groups were conducted with hypertensive African American women, 35 years and older receiving treatment for hypertension from an inner-city free clinic. All transcripts from the tapes were analyzed for content describing adherence to treatment factors. Findings: Factors associated with adherence to treatment in hypertensive African American women were in three main categories including: beliefs about hypertension, facilitators of adherence to treatment, and barriers to adherence to treatment. Implications: The study supports the need for education on managing hypertension and medication side effects, early screening for depression in hypertensive African Americans, development of culturally sensitive hypertension educational material, and formation of support groups for promoting adherence to treatment among African American women with hypertension.

The results presented in this paper refer to a host survey, lasting approximately three and a half years (February 2003-July 2006), undertaken in the Vale do Rio Doce Natural Reserve, a remnant area of the highly endangered Atlantic Rain Forest located in Linhares County, State of Espírito Santo, Brazil. A total of 330 fruit samples were collected from native plants, representing 248 species and 51 plant families. Myrtaceae was the most diverse family with 54 sampled species. Twenty-eight plant species, from ten families, are hosts of ten Anastrepha species and of Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann). Among 33 associations between host plants and fruit flies, 20 constitute new records, including the records of host plants for A. fumipennis Lima and A. nascimentoi Zucchi. The findings were discussed in the light of their implications for rain forest conservation efforts and the study of evolutionary relationships between fruit flies and their hosts.

Background After a single tooth extraction, remodelling processes are initiated and morphological changes occur in the alveolar bone. It has been suggested that implant placement in a fresh extraction socket may partly reduce the alveolar ridge contraction and that several factors like the thickness of the buccal bone wall and the size of the gap between the implant and the facial bone wall may play a role on peri‐implant tissues dimensional alterations. Methods Twenty‐six patients treated with single‐tooth maxillary implants were included in this study. A CBCT exam allowed to access the initial buccal bone thickness (BT). Digital impressions were taken prior to extractions (T0), 1 month (T1), 4 months (T2), and 12 months (T3) after implant insertion and superimposed with a computer software allowing to quantitatively analyse the three‐dimensional changes occurred in the adjacent tissues. Variables related to thickness and volume were computed. Results Participants with BT ≤ 1 mm exhibited a significantly increased buccal peri‐implant tissue thickness change than patients with BT > 1 mm (P = 0.049). At T3 patients representing BT ≤ 1 mm exhibited a total volume change of −8.53% ± 5.47% compared with patients presenting BT > 1 mm, −4.37% ± 2.08%. No statistical significance was found on the distance between implant shoulder and the buccal bone plate (BID) effect. Conclusion After the first year of treatment peri‐implant tissues showed continuous changes resulting in a higher thickness and volume reduction at thin buccal bone plates.

Twenty-seven species of armored scale insects (Hemiptera: Diaspididae) are newly recorded from Espírito Santo, Brazil, and information on the host plants and geographic distribution of the 31 species of Diaspididae that have been identified in the State is provided. New plant host records are reported for 11 of the diaspidid species studied and results are discussed with respect to development of agriculture in this and similar areas with objectives of modernization and diversification.

RESUMO-Objetivou-se verificar o desempenho agronômico da cultura do milho em função do tratamento de sementes com o inoculante Azo Total ® composto de Azospirillum sp., com o bioestimulante Stimulate ® e com o fertilizante líquido Cellerate ® , individualmente e em combinação. O experimento foi conduzido a campo em Sete Lagoas, MG, utilizando-se o delineamento de blocos casualizados com quatro repetições e tratamentos dispostos em esquema fatorial 2x8, sendo duas cultivares de milho (P30F53 e P30F53 YH) e sete tratamentos de sementes mais a testemeunha (T1 = Testemunha; T2 = Azo Total ® ; T3 = Stimulate ® ; T4 = Cellerate ® ; T5 = Azo Total ® + Stimulate ® ; T6 = Azo Total ® + Cellerate ® ; T7 = Stimulate ® + Cellerate ® ; T8 = Azo Total ® + Cellerate ® + Stimulate ®). Para a análise do desempenho agronômico, foram avaliadas as características: altura de planta; altura de espiga; número de espigas; produtividade; diâmetro do colmo; análise foliar; estande final; índice de espiga; e peso de 1.000 grãos. Nas condições de realização deste trabalho, a cultivar P30F53YH proporciona maior produtividade de grãos quando tratada com os produtos Azo Total ® , Stimulate ® e Cellerate ®. Tratamentos de sementes de milho com os produtos comerciais Azo Total ® , Stimulate ® e Cellerate ® não incrementam significativamente a produtividade de grãos. Tratamento de sementes com Azo Total ® , Stimulate ® e Cellerate ® não influenciam os teores foliares de nutrientes em plantas de milho. Palavras-chave: Zea mays; produtividade; qualidade fisiológica; tratamento de sementes.