RESUMO
Using data from the fourth wave of the National Study of Adolescent Health, this paper offers a preliminary investigation of factors implicated in the physical and mental health of bisexual individuals. The roles of sleep, socioeconomic status, feelings of disrespect, and reported lack of health insurance are considered. Further, this study examines depression as a psychological stress response and systemic inflammation as a physiological stress response. Systemic inflammation in this population was estimated using the biomarker C-reactive protein (CRP). Reported acute illness in the past month and blood pressure serve as measures of physical health outcomes. Analyses revealed a pattern of elevated CRP (>3mg/L) among participants who reported no health insurance coverage. For participants who reported no health insurance coverage and identified as mostly homosexual, bisexual, or mostly heterosexual, feelings of disrespect were associated both with their sleep outcomes as well as their total household income. Moreover, linear regression showed that CRP significantly predicted blood pressure values. These analyses serve to bring health disparities and specific considerations for individuals attracted to more than one gender further into scientific conversation. Suggestions for further study of bisexual minority stress and bisexual health are offered.
RESUMO
Acute toxicity of the leaves and extracts of Dichapetalum barteri for mice, rabbits and goats was investigated. Consumption of 0.5 g/kg and 2.2 g/kg body weight of dried leaves was lethal to rabbits and goats, respectively, within 4 h. Plants collected in the dry season were more toxic than those collected during the wet season. Clinical signs observed were initial depression followed by restlessness, convulsions, and death. The main lesions observed were acute vasculitis and congestion of the liver, lung, kidney, spleen as well as extensive oedema and congestion of the myocardium. The water extract of the leaves was lethal to mice at 2.0 g/kg, to rabbits at 0.1 g/kg and toxic to isolated rabbit heart at 2 mg/ml of Locke's solution. Monofluoroacetate was detected in the plant material and is probably the toxic principle of D. barteri.