Publications by authors named "Bermudez D"

In the work presented here, we explore the upcycling of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) that was derived from water bottles. The material was granulated and extruded into a filament compatible with fused filament fabrication (FFF) additive manufacturing platforms. Three iterations of PET combined with a thermoplastic elastomer, styrene ethylene butylene styrene with a maleic anhydride graft (SEBS-g-MA), were made with 5, 10, and 20% by mass elastomer content.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: The current study examined the relationships between neighborhood risk, perceived ethnic-racial discrimination, and depressive symptoms among rural Latinx adolescents. We also tested for potential moderation effects of ethnic-racial identity (ERI) and how these associations differ by gender.

Methods: Interviewer-administered surveys were used to collect quantitative data for this cross-sectional study in 2017.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objective: To assess the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary impact of among Latino young adults.

Methods: Forty Latino young adults (ages 18 to 25) who were currently vaping received , a vaping cessation text messaging intervention available in English and Spanish. was measured by the eligibility, enrollment, and follow-up rates.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background And Objectives: Women of reproductive age with substance use (SU) disorders have lower rates of contraceptive use and higher rates of unintended pregnancy than women without SU disorders and are less likely to access treatment than men. Integration of SU and sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services, using a model known as Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT), has been proven effective in reducing SU and improving health care equity. The SBIRT model includes screening, brief intervention (a short client-centered conversation providing an opportunity to identify/discuss concerns), and referral to treatment.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Positron Emission Tomography (PET) is a powerful medical imaging technique widely used for detection and monitoring of disease. However, PET imaging can be adversely affected by patient motion, leading to degraded image quality and diagnostic capability. Hence, motion gating schemes have been developed to monitor various motion sources including head motion, respiratory motion, and cardiac motion.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Stereolithography (SLA) 3D printing is a rapid prototyping technique and reproducible manufacturing platform, which makes it a useful tool to develop advanced microfluidic devices for bioanalytical applications. However, limited information exists regarding the physical, chemical, and biological properties of the photocured polymers printed with SLA. This study demonstrates the characterization of a commercially available SLA 3D printed polymer to evaluate the potential presence of any time-dependent changes in material properties that may affect its ability to produce functional, capillary-action microfluidic devices.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Hypoxia-inducible factor pathway genes are linked to adaptation in both human and nonhuman highland species. , a notable target of hypoxia adaptation, is associated with relatively lower hemoglobin concentration in Tibetans. We provide evidence for an association between an adaptive variant (rs570553380) and the same phenotype of relatively low hematocrit in Andean highlanders.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Impaired motion perception in schizophrenia has been associated with deficits in social-cognitive processes and with reduced activation of visual sensory regions, including the middle temporal area (MT+) and posterior superior temporal sulcus (pSTS). These findings are consistent with the recent proposal of the existence of a specific 'third visual pathway' specialized for social perception in which motion is a fundamental component. The third visual pathway transmits visual information from early sensory visual processing areas to the STS, with MT+ acting as a critical intermediary.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Nanoscale particles described by Mie resonance in the UV-vis-NIR region are in high demand for optical applications. Controlling the shape and size of these particles is essential, as it results in the ability to control the wavelength of the Mie resonance peak. In this work, we study the extensive scattering properties of gadolinium niobate particles with complex bar- and cube-like shapes in the UV-vis-NIR region.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The current study examines the role of ethnic-racial socialization (ERS) and maternal autonomy granting in predicting ethnic-racial identity (ERI) exploration, resolution, and affirmation trajectories in a sample of Mexican-origin girls (N = 338) in early and middle adolescence at Wave 1. Latent growth curve analyses showed significant growth in ERI exploration, resolution, and affirmation over 3.5 years.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

In the last decade, the role of the microbiota-gut-brain axis has been gaining momentum in the context of many neurodegenerative and metabolic disorders, including Alzheimer's disease (AD) and diabetes, respectively. Notably, a balanced gut microbiota contributes to the epithelial intestinal barrier maintenance, modulates the host immune system, and releases neurotransmitters and/or neuroprotective short-chain fatty acids. However, dysbiosis may provoke immune dysregulation, impacting neuroinflammation through peripheral-central immune communication.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background And Hypothesis: Motion processing deficits in schizophrenia have been linked to impairments in higher-order social-cognitive processes. The neural underpinnings are not fully understood but it has been hypothesized that middle temporal area (MT+) may serve as a bridge between purely sensory and more cognitive proceseses. We investigated the interrelationship between MT+ sensory processing deficits and impairments in higher-order processing using naturalistic videos with explicit motion and static images with implied-motion cues.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Some perceptual manipulations, such as font size or bolding, can affect the estimations of future memorability (i.e., judgments of learning or JOLs).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Amyloid deposition is a primary predictor of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and related neurodegenerative disorders. Retinal changes involving the structure and function of the ganglion cell layer are increasingly documented in both established and prodromal AD. Visual event-related potentials (vERP) are sensitive to dysfunction in the magno- and parvocellular visual systems, which originate within the retinal ganglion cell layer.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • High-altitude (HA) hypoxia can impact the neurovascular unit (NVU), a critical component for brain health, and this study investigates the effects on lowlanders vs. lifelong highlanders.
  • After 14 days at 4300 m, lowlanders showed signs of cognitive impairment and axonal injury, while highlanders demonstrated preserved cognitive function, better cerebral blood flow, and lower markers of neuronal damage.
  • The research suggests that highlanders have developed neuroprotective adaptations that help them cope with the chronic stress of HA hypoxia, highlighting their resilience compared to lowlanders.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The purpose of this study was to assesses the effectiveness of proactive and reactive methods in the recruitment of Black and Latino adolescents into a vaping-prevention randomized controlled trial (RCT). This study also assessed the characteristics of study participants by recruitment method. Proactive recruitment strategies included study presentations at community-based events (e.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Purpose: Second opinion consultation for patients with suspicious findings on breast imaging and patients with known breast cancer is not uncommon. We sought to determine the frequency of second opinion breast and axillary ultrasound imaging review and the subsequent impact on clinical management.

Materials And Methods: An IRB-approved retrospective chart review was conducted on 400 consecutive patients with second opinion radiology interpretations performed by subspecialized breast radiologists at a designated cancer center, including mammogram and ultrasound review.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

At high altitude Andean region, hypoxia-induced excessive erythrocytosis (EE) is the defining feature of Monge's disease or chronic mountain sickness (CMS). At the same altitude, resides a population that has developed adaptive mechanism(s) to constrain this hypoxic response (non-CMS). In this study, we utilized an in vitro induced pluripotent stem cell model system to study both populations using genomic and molecular approaches.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

We experimentally observe the stimulated analogue of Hawking radiation produced in a photonic-crystal fiber, with a pulsed pump and a continuous-wave probe. In particular, we propose and demonstrate an innovative method to boost the efficiency and probe the coherence characteristics of the analogue Hawking effect relying on a double pump pulse with a controlled temporal delay. We show that the emitted analogue Hawking radiation corresponds to the coherently-added, interfering Hawking signals resulting from the probe interacting with each pump pulse.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

One important aspect for managing social interactions is the ability to perceive and respond to facial expressions rapidly and accurately. This ability is highly dependent upon intact processing within both cortical and subcortical components of the early visual pathways. Social cognitive deficits, including face emotion recognition (FER) deficits, are characteristic of several neuropsychiatric disorders including schizophrenia (Sz) and autism spectrum disorders (ASD).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Erythrocytosis refers to the increased production of red blood cells, which is commonly observed in high-altitude populations.
  • While having more red blood cells can improve oxygen delivery and is helpful in high-altitude environments,
  • excessive erythrocytosis may result in health issues, such as chronic mountain sickness (CMS), which can be detrimental to individuals.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

In this work, we experimentally demonstrate a photon-pair source with correlations in the frequency and polarization degrees of freedom. We base our source on the spontaneous four-wave mixing (SFWM) process in a photonic crystal fiber. We show theoretically that the two-photon state is the coherent superposition of up to six distinct SFWM processes, each corresponding to a distinct combination of polarizations for the four waves involved and giving rise to an energy-conserving pair of peaks.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • The research focuses on designing materials for additive manufacturing by leveraging the unique properties that arise during the fabrication process.
  • The study builds on previous findings regarding binary shape memory polymer blends, finding that phase texturization from fused filament fabrication (FFF) enhances shape memory characteristics.
  • Two new shape memory polymer systems were created, revealing that similar miscibility parameters lead to more reliable systems, while differing parameters suggest the potential for polymers to hold multiple temporary shapes simultaneously.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death. The combination of new molecular classifications with clinicopathological data could contribute to the individualization of patients and to the development of new therapeutic strategies. We examined the various associations in two molecular types of GC: HER2-positive (human epidermal growth factor receptor 2) and microsatellite instability (MSI), assessing their influence on treatment and prognosis.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Monge's disease (chronic mountain sickness (CMS)) is a maladaptive condition caused by chronic (years) exposure to high-altitude hypoxia. One of the defining features of CMS is excessive erythrocytosis with extremely high hematocrit levels. In the Andean population, CMS prevalence is vastly different between males and females, being rare in females.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF