Publications by authors named "Ana L Romero"

Article Synopsis
  • Infective endocarditis (IE) includes rare cases like Eustachian valve endocarditis (EVE), which can occur in patients without typical risk factors, as demonstrated in a 66-year-old male.
  • The patient showed various symptoms and complications, such as liver abscesses and spinal osteomyelitis, leading to the confirmation of EVE through transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) and blood cultures.
  • Successful treatment involved antimicrobial therapy, drainage of abscesses, and anticoagulation, highlighting the need for awareness of atypical endocarditis forms for timely diagnosis and management.
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Aortic stenosis is a common valvular disease that is expected to become more prevalent with the aging population. It is often undiagnosed in socioeconomically deprived groups. Diagnosis relies on echocardiography, and additional imaging techniques such as cardiac computed tomography (CCT) and cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) are increasingly used.

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Article Synopsis
  • Diverticular disease ranges from being asymptomatic to severe complications, with higher prevalence in Western countries (up to 60% in those over 60) compared to lower rates in Asia (13-25%).
  • Complications such as abscesses and perforations can occur, with perforation having a serious 20% mortality rate within a year, particularly as age increases.
  • A case study of a 39-year-old woman showed she had acute transverse diverticulitis, emphasizing that even though diverticular disease is common, it’s rare in the transverse colon.
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Article Synopsis
  • - Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) involves reduced blood flow to the heart muscle, risking heart damage, and EKGs help diagnose it by identifying affected heart areas.
  • - EKG readings can sometimes show changes that look like ACS but are actually caused by other non-heart-related issues, which can lead to misdiagnosis.
  • - A case study is highlighted involving a 57-year-old woman with a history of coronary artery disease who appeared unresponsive due to a perforated organ, showing misleading EKG ST-segment elevations.
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Systemic Lupus Erythematosus represents a chronic autoimmune disorder characterized by multiorgan involvement. Lupus myocarditis is a rare presentation of one of the cardiac complications of lupus with an incidence of 3-9%. It usually presents with non-specific symptoms such as dyspnea, orthopnea, chest pain, pedal edema, fever, diaphoresis, paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea, nausea, vomiting, or palpitations.

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Prosthetic valve endocarditis is a serious complication following valve replacement surgery, with the development of aortic root abscess being a catastrophic manifestation. We present a case of a 71-year-old female with a bioprosthetic aortic valve who presented with shortness of breath. Echocardiographic findings revealed vegetation on the prosthetic aortic valve with a periaortic, annular abscess.

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A left ventricular pseudoaneurysm (LVP) is defined as an outpouching contained by the surrounding pericardium. Clinical presentation is often unspecific with patients presenting with chest pain, dyspnea, symptoms consistent with heart failure, and post-myocardial infarction. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging represents an important tool for differentiating a pseudoaneurysm from a true aneurysm.

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Article Synopsis
  • Acute myocardial infarction can lead to rare but serious mechanical complications, particularly ventricular septal rupture (VSR) and left ventricular aneurysm (LVA), which pose significant risks to patient survival.
  • A case study of a 67-year-old man illustrates the simultaneous occurrence of apical LVA and VSR following a heart attack.
  • Timely diagnosis using echocardiography and left ventriculography is essential, as VSR typically requires immediate surgical intervention, while LVA surgery is considered only in specific scenarios, like persistent chest pain.
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Novel approaches in higher education are needed to reverse underrepresentation of racial/ethnic groups in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine (STEMM). Building on theoretical frameworks for practice in diverse learning environments, this study provides evidence for Inclusive Science as a conceptual model that reflects initiatives intended to diversify biomedical research training for undergraduates. Using multiple case study design and cross-case analysis, we analyzed data from 10 higher education sites that were awarded the Building Infrastructure Leading to Diversity (BUILD) grant funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

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Left Ventricular Non-Compaction Cardiomyopathy (LVNC) is a rare myocardial disorder characterized by abnormal myocardial tissue formation in which the left ventricular wall appears to be trabecular with prominent intertrabecular recesses. The diagnosis of LVNC is predominantly reliant on cardiac imaging, namely thoracic echocardiography, however, cardiac MRI is indicated in conditions in which echocardiography is inconclusive. Diagnostic criteria for both echocardiography and cardiac MRI differ, however, the general principle of diagnosis is a comparison of the thickness of non-compacted to compacted myocardial tissue.

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Brugada syndrome is an inherited disorder characterized by a channelopathy of cardiac sodium, potassium, and calcium channel. The pathophysiology of this disorder is not completely elucidated yet, however, most of the reported cases are caused by a pathogenic alteration in the SCN5A gene, leading to the malfunction of cardiac sodium channels. Several stressors are well known to unmask this pathology including fever and electrolytes imbalance.

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Wellens syndrome is usually diagnosed in asymptomatic patients with normal or only slightly elevated cardiac enzymes. There are two different ECG patterns (Type A and Type B) described in the literature. Earlier studies demonstrated that the appearance of the Wellens pattern had a specificity of 89% and a positive predictive value of 86% for severe stenosis of the left anterior descending artery (LAD) hence a timely recognition and therapeutic approach may prevent fatal outcomes in the patients.

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Mirizzi syndrome is a rare condition caused by the obstruction of the common bile duct or common hepatic duct by external compression from multiple impacted gallstones or a single large impacted gallstone in Hartman's pouch. The condition can easily be confused with choledocholithiasis, bile duct stricture or cholangiocarcinoma due to the presence of obstructive jaundice hence may be overlooked due to the rarity of the condition. The incidence of Mirizzi syndrome among patients with gallstones is reported to range from 0.

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There is a pressing need for deeper cultural awareness among postsecondary faculty, yet few studies focus on institutions with developing research infrastructure, which enroll large proportions of racially minoritized students. Using social exchange theory, we investigate faculty members' perceptions of "culturally diverse mentor training," which includes culturally aware mentor (CAM) training, , and self-designed mentor training initiatives. Data come from qualitative interviews with 74 faculty who participated in culturally diverse mentor training activities across 10 master's and doctoral institutions in the early stages of implementing grant-funded interventions focused on determining the most effective ways to engage and retain racially minoritized students in biomedical research.

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This study aimed to evaluate: the coverage of the Food and Nutritional Surveillance System (SISVAN) in the State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, and it Regional Health Offices in 2006; the nutritional status of children 0-10 years of age; and the reliability of data on nutritional status recorded in the system. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted with secondary data on 63,320 children. Coverage was defined as the proportion of children younger than 10 years covered by the Family Health Strategy in the State's various municipalities (counties).

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Psyllium, the husks from Plantago ovata (PO), is recognized as a potent agent in lowering plasma cholesterol. In this study, we tested the potential hypolipidemic effects of the seeds from PO and the mechanisms associated with the lowering of plasma lipids. Male Hartley guinea pigs (n = 30; 10 per group) were fed either a control diet or diets containing 7.

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