Impact of Seismic Activity on Access to Health Care in Hispanic/Latino Cancer Patients from Puerto Rico.

On 7 January 2020, the southern region of Puerto Rico was struck by a 6.4 magnitude earthquake, followed by continual seismic activity. Our team performed secondary analyses to explore the relationship between exposure to seismic activity, protection (support) received, and barriers to health care access for cancer patients.

Rapid response infrastructure for pandemic preparedness in a tertiary care hospital: lessons learned from the COVID-19 outbreak in Cologne, Germany, February to March 2020.

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has caused tremendous pressure on hospital infrastructures such as emergency rooms (ER) and outpatient departments. To avoid malfunctioning of critical services because of large numbers of potentially infected patients seeking consultation, we established a COVID-19 rapid response infrastructure (CRRI), which instantly restored ER functionality. The CRRI was also used for testing of hospital personnel, provided epidemiological data and was a highly effective response to increasing numbers of suspected COVID-19 cases.

Are Constant Pain, Night Pain, or Abnormal Neurological Examination Adequate Predictors of the Presence of a Significant Pathology Associated With Pediatric Back Pain?

Introduction: Previous studies have suggested that most cases of pediatric back pain do not have an identifiable cause. No reliable sign or indication differentiates between a benign or serious cause of the symptom. Constant pain, night pain, and abnormal neurological examination have been suggested as adequate predictors of an identifiable cause, when plain radiographs could not explain the symptoms.

KeratoDetect: Keratoconus Detection Algorithm Using Convolutional Neural Networks.

Keratoconus (KTC) is a noninflammatory disorder characterized by progressive thinning, corneal deformation, and scarring of the cornea. The pathological mechanisms of this condition have been investigated for a long time. In recent years, this disease has come to the attention of many research centers because the number of people diagnosed with keratoconus is on the rise.

Vitamin D levels and fracture risk among Hispanic children.

Purpose: There is a lack of knowledge about whether low vitamin D levels increase the risk of pediatric low-energy fractures among Hispanic population. The objective of this study is to determine whether there is a direct relationship between low vitamin D levels and the incidence of low-energy fractures in Hispanic children.

Method: Cases included all consecutive patients evaluated with low-energy fractures in the pediatric orthopedic clinic.

The Spinal Structure and Lung Function Relationship in an Untreated Nonambulatory Myelomeningocele Group of Patients.

Introduction: The relationship between spinal structure and respiratory function has been coined as thoracic insufficiency syndrome and is defined as the inability of the thorax to support normal respiratory function or lung growth. Little is known about what supports this relationship in untreated nonambulatory myelomeningocele patients.

Methods: A prospective cross-sectional study of nonambulatory myelodysplasia patients was performed.

Mast cells are critical for the limitation of thrombin-induced skin inflammation.

Thrombin, a key player in coagulation, is widely held to induce and promote inflammation. As of now, the features, kinetics and control of thrombin's proinflammatory effects on the skin remain to be characterized in detail. We, therefore, injected thrombin into the ear skin of mice and observed strong, dose-dependent and transient ear swelling responses as well as mast cell (MC) degranulation.

One-step (standard) versus two-step surgical approach in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis posterior spinal fusion: Which is better?

Study Design: A retrospective cohort study with IRB approval.

Introduction: Significant blood loss remains an important concern in terms of the performance of the posterior spinal fusion in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. Several strategies have been reported to minimize blood loss during surgery.

Epidemiology of pediatric bone fractures across age groups: Analysis of a pediatric population at an outpatient clinic in the Southwest region of Puerto Rico.

Background: Background: Gender disparities in pediatric fracture events has been well-documented however, less is known about racial disparities. The aim of this study is to investigate the epidemiology of pediatric bone fractures in a Hispanic population.

Methods: This is a retrospective cross-sectional analysis of patient’s records from a Pediatric Orthopeadic outpatient clinic in the Southwest region of Puerto Rico during a 1-year span (August 2014 – August 2015).

Murine and human mast cell progenitors.

The development of mature mast cells (MCs) from hematopoietic progenitor cells as well as the identification and characterization of committed progenitor cells are a current focus of mast cell research. Most published reports in this area are on the origin and differentiation of MCs in mice. Evidence for the human system, i.

A novel method to generate and culture human mast cells: Peripheral CD34+ stem cell-derived mast cells (PSCMCs).

The identification and characterization of human mast cell (MC) functions are hindered by the shortage of MC populations suitable for investigation. Here, we present a novel technique for generating large numbers of well differentiated and functional human MCs from peripheral stem cells (=peripheral stem cell-derived MCs, PSCMCs). Innovative and key features of this technique include 1) the use of stem cell concentrates, which are routinely discarded by blood banks, as the source of CD34+ stem cells, 2) cell culture in serum-free medium and 3) the addition of LDL as well as selected cytokines.

Gender differences following computer-navigated single- and double-bundle anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

Purpose: Female patients not only demonstrate an increased risk for injury, but also a poorer response following anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture. However, no study has investigated gender-related differences between computer-navigated single-bundle (SB) and double-bundle (DB) ACL reconstruction. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of gender on the outcome of computer-navigated SB and DB ACL reconstruction and to present reference values.

Rotational and translational laxity after computer-navigated single- and double-bundle anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

Based on biomechanical cadaver studies, anatomic double-bundle reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) was introduced to achieve better stability in the knee, particularly in respect of rotatory loads. Previously, the success of ACL reconstruction was believed to be mainly dependent on correct positioning of the graft, irrespective of the number of reconstructed bundles for which computer-assisted surgery was developed to avoid malpositioning of the tunnel. The aim of the present study is to compare rotational and translational stability after computer-navigated standard single-bundle, and anatomic double-bundle ACL reconstruction.

The role of the dentist at crime scenes.

The medical response to a mass casualty further complicates the hectic environment that follows a terrorist event. In addition to providing treatment, medical professionals may discover items or persons of interest to the pending investigation and should be aware of how to handle these situations appropriately. Examples of case law are provided to illustrate how practitioners' actions could help or hinder prosecution.

Clinical results of computer-navigated anterior cruciate ligament reconstructions.

Growing participation in sports activities over recent years has increased the number of anterior cruciate ligaments (ACL) injuries. Thus, more surgeons became active in this field, leading to a high incidence of transplant failure. In the past 2 1/2 years, 235 patients were treated through navigated ACL reconstruction with semitendinosus-gracilis tendon (STG) autograft.

Clinical presentation and treatment options for mitral valve myxoma.

Myxomas rarely are located on the mitral valve. We report the case of a 44-year-old man operated on successfully with mitral valve conservation, which is the 21st case of mitral valve myxoma reported in the western literature. Among the cases reported in the literature, the diagnosis was made at the time of autopsy in 6 cases, with premortem heart failure in 1 case.

Autonomic nervous system involvement in rheumatoid arthritis. 50 cases.

Objective: To investigate the involvement of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), which is rarely discussed.

Methods: Fifty cases of RA were selected, excluding all patients liable to develop dysautonomia or having a treatment interfering with ANS. They were investigated by cardiovascular tests of heart rate variations in deep breathing, Valsalva maneuver and orthostatic change in posture.

Regression of allopurinol-induced peripheral neuropathy after drug withdrawal.

A patient experienced an axonomyelinic peripheral neuropathy during a long-term allopurinol treatment. The symptoms and signs regressed after drug withdrawal, and the nerve conduction velocities and distal latencies improved. The incidence of allopurinol-induced peripheral neuropathy is very low.

[Study of sensory involvement and dysautonomia in HIV infected patients. A prospective study of 55 cases].

Subclinical impairment of the peripheral nervous system (PNS) is frequent during HIV infection. Nevertheless, little attention has been given to the autonomic nervous system (ANS). We undertook a prospective study of the ANS, exploring 55 HIV+ subjects with non-invasive functional tests for the cardiac ANS.

A natural history of Dupuytren's contracture treated by surgical fasciectomy: the influence of diathesis (76 hands reviewed at more than 10 years).

Fifty-six patients (51 males and 5 females) were reviewed more than 10 years after surgical fasciectomy for Dupuytren's disease (average 12 years 7 months). 76 hands were operated upon (20 bilateral cases) for a total of 137 fingers (out of 152 affected digits). The average pre-operative score based on Tubiana's classification was of 4.

Effect of beet necrotic yellow vein virus RNA composition on transmission by Polymyxa betae.

Beet necrotic yellow vein virus (BNYVV) is naturally transmitted by the soil-borne fungus Polymyxa betae and usually remains confined to the roots of infected sugarbeets. In naturally infected sugarbeets the virion RNA always consists of four components which are uniform in size in different isolates but when BNYVV is propagated by mechanical inoculation to leaves of Chenopodium quinoa the two smallest RNA components, RNA-3 and -4, may undergo deletion or disappear from the isolate, suggesting that they are only essential for the natural mode of infection. To test this hypothesis, several C.

Modeling of peak profiles. Application to the preparative liquid chromatography of steroids.

The solution of the mass balance equations in liquid chromatography describes the propagation of signals of finite concentration through the column. The general numerical solution requires the prior determination of the partition isotherm. For low solute concentrations, when the isotherm equation can be replaced with a two-term expansion, an analytical solution for the peak profiles is obtained.

Identification of calmodulin in the green alga Mougeotia and its possible function in chloroplast reorientational movement.

A soluble protein was isolated from Mougeotia by chloropromazine-sepharose 4 B affinity chromatography. The protein matches the properties of calmodulin in terms of heat stability, Ca(2+)-dependent electrophoretic mobility in sodium-dodecyl-sulfate polyacrylamide gels, and its ability to activate cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase in a Ca(2+)-dependent manner. Phytochrome-mediated chloroplast reorientational movement in Mougeotia was inhibited by the calmodulin antagonist trifluoperazine, a hydrophobic compound, or N-(6-aminohexyl)-5-chloro-1-naphthalenesulfonamide (W-7), a hydrophilic compound; 50% inhibition (IC50) of chloroplast movement is caused by 20-50 μmol l(-1) trifluoperazine or 100 μmol l(-1) W-7.

Scanning and transmission electron microscopic study of tissue-invading microorganisms in localized juvenile periodontitis.

This transmission and scanning electron microscope study documents the invasion of microorganisms into the gingiva and along resorbing alveolar bone surfaces in a 15-year-old patient with localized juvenile periodontitis. The invading bacteria were mainly Gram-negative fusiform, coccobacilli and spirochetes. Microorganisms identified as Mycoplasma were also found to invade in some areas.