Metagenome-assembled genome of sp. from coenocytic alga .

Here, we report a draft metagenome-assembled genome and annotation of sp. obtained from the sequenced genome of . The genome completeness was 97.

Synthesis of the Novel -(2-Hexadecynoyl)-l-Homoserine Lactone and Evaluation of Its Antiquorum Sensing Activity in .

is commonly found in soil and freshwater within tropical and subtropical regions. Although not a common occurrence, this bacterium has the potential to cause severe diseases in humans and animals, such as liver and lung abscesses and septicemia. Herein we report the synthesis of novel -acyl homoserine lactones (HSLs) to evaluate their effectiveness as antiquorum sensing (anti-QS) agents in .

Verminous bronchitis and pneumonia by nasal trematodes in Greater Caribbean manatees from Puerto Rico.

Five adult Greater Caribbean manatees Trichechus manatus manatus were found stranded on various coasts of Puerto Rico; 2 stranded alive and 3 stranded dead. Clinical signs observed in live-stranded manatees included emaciation, weakness, bradypnea, arrhythmia, and nasal mucus discharge. Postmortem examinations revealed serosanguinous, mucohemorrhagic, or suppurative exudate in bronchi associated with luminal adult Pulmonicola cochleotrema (range: 18-182 trematodes), accompanied by pulmonary abscesses in 2 cases.

Refractive Errors of School Children from Economically Disadvantaged Areas in Northwest México.

: Refractive errors, including myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism, are the leading causes of visual impairment in school-aged children and can significantly impact their academic performance and quality of life. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of refractive errors among school children from economically disadvantaged areas in Northwest México, using a consistent methodology to facilitate comparison with global data. : We adopted the Refractive Error Study in Children (RESC) protocol by the World Health Organization to examine the prevalence of myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism.

Characterization of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and other constituents in MSW landfill leachate from Puerto Rico.

Elevated per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) concentrations have been reported in municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill leachate with higher levels in wet and warmer subtropical climates. Information about landfill leachate characteristics is much more limited in tropical climates. In this study, 20 landfill leachate samples were collected from three MSW landfills on the tropical island of Puerto Rico and results were compared against landfills nationally and within Florida, USA.

The hierarchical radiation of phyllostomid bats as revealed by adaptive molar morphology.

Adaptive radiations are bursts in biodiversity that generate new evolutionary lineages and phenotypes. However, because they typically occur over millions of years, it is unclear how their macroevolutionary dynamics vary through time and among groups of organisms. Phyllostomid bats radiated extensively for diverse diets-from insects to vertebrates, fruit, nectar, and blood-and we use their molars as a model system to examine the dynamics of adaptive radiations.

Elucidating Best Geospatial Estimation Method Applied to Environmental Sciences.

The aim of this study is to assess and identify the most suitable geospatial interpolation algorithm for environmental sciences. The research focuses on evaluating six different interpolation methods using annual average PM concentrations as a reference dataset. The dataset includes measurements obtained from a target air quality network (scenery 1) and a sub-dataset derived from a partitive clustering technique (scenery 2).

Biochemical and Molecular Characterization of sp. Cultured in Temporary Immersion Bioreactor.

The genus sp. contains commercially important fleshy fruit-producing plants, including plantains and bananas, with a strong potential for providing food security and sources of revenue to farmers. Concerns with the quality of vegetative tissues along with the possibility of the transmission of phytopathogens makes the availability of healthy plantlets limited for farmers.

Puerto Rican Students Rising in STEM: Findings from a Multicampus Collaborative CURE Program to Promote Student Success.

Although Hispanic population is growing rapidly, Latino students earn fewer STEM degrees than their peers. Therefore, it is mandatory to implement strategies that improve STEM retention and graduation rates for Hispanic students. There is little research about the ways in which multicampus collaborative CUREs combined with additional academic support, affect low-income, Hispanic students and none that focus solely on Puerto Rican students in STEM.

Refractive Error Changes Due to COVID-19 Pandemic Confinement in Children from Puerto Rico: A Retrospective Study.

Significance: The progression of myopia increased in children after the pandemic confinement. A myopic shift in the refractive error of the Hispanic population was found regardless of the refractive status of the school-aged children studied.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the refractive error in Puerto Rican children before and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Chaperone Activity and Protective Effect against Aβ-Induced Cytotoxicity of Blanco and Mart. ex Thell Seed Protein Extracts.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common type of dementia and is listed as the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States. Recent findings have linked AD to the aggregation of amyloid beta peptides (Aβ), a proteolytic fragment of 39-43 amino acid residues derived from the amyloid precursor protein. AD has no cure; thus, new therapies to stop the progression of this deadly disease are constantly being searched for.

Virtually the Same? Evaluating the Effectiveness of Remote Undergraduate Research Experiences.

In-person undergraduate research experiences (UREs) promote students' integration into careers in life science research. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic prompted institutions hosting summer URE programs to offer them remotely, raising questions about whether undergraduates who participate in remote research can experience scientific integration and whether they might perceive doing research less favorably (i.e.

Prevalence of refractive errors in children of Puerto Rico.

Aim: To determine the prevalence of refractive error in 5- to 17-year-old schoolchildren in Puerto Rico.

Methods: A quantitative descriptive study of 2867 children aged 5 to 17y from all seven educational regions of Puerto Rico was conducted from 2016-2019. Refractive error was determined static and subjective refraction.

Manatee calf call contour and acoustic structure varies by species and body size.

Vocal activity and signal characteristics of mammals are driven by several factors that result in both stability and plasticity over multiple time scales. All three extant species of manatee communicate with several calls that are especially important for maintaining contact between cows and calves. Determining if calf calls differ across manatee species will provide insights into the evolution of species-specific acoustic communication traits.

Blood Reference Intervals for Antillean Manatees () from Puerto Rico.

Antillean manatees () are endangered throughout the southwestern Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean coast of Central and South America, the Greater Antilles, and the northeastern coast of South America to Brazil. Establishing blood reference intervals is essential as a tool in classifying health status, diagnosing, establishing treatment regimens, and monitoring the progress of a disease in rescued manatees. We collected blood samples from 44 free-ranging and 26 rescued manatees from Puerto Rico between 1992 and 2020 for hematology and blood chemistry analysis.

Vinyl halogenated fatty acids display antibacterial activity against clinical isolates of methicillin-resistant .

Methicillin-resistant is a pathogen responsible for skin and wound infections, pneumonia, and bloodstream infections. Serious attention is needed because Methicillin-resistant is also resistant to many other commonly used antibiotics. This study explores the potential of vinyl halogenated fatty acids as antibacterial agents.

Hispanic neuropsychologists in the United States: What do we know about them and how can the field address their needs?

Background: Despite numerous calls throughout the years for an increase in ethnic, cultural, and racial diversity within the field of psychology, it remains an elusive reality for Hispanic neuropsychology practitioners in the United States (U.S.).

Inhibitory effects of Syzygium jambos extract on biomarkers of endothelial cell activation.

Background: Disordered endothelial cell activation plays an important role in the pathophysiology of atherosclerosis, cancer, sepsis, viral infections, and inflammatory responses. There is interest in developing novel therapeutics to regulate endothelial cell function in atherothrombotic, metabolic, vascular, and hematological diseases. Extracts from leaves of the Syzygium jambos (L.

Medical management and resolution of perinatal bilateral exophthalmia and secondary corneal ulcers in an Antillean manatee (Trichechus manatus manatus) neonate from Puerto Rico.

Objective: To present a novel case of perinatal bilateral exophthalmos and corneal ulcers in a neonate Antillean manatee and describe the medical treatment that led to the resolution of the observed clinical signs and vision restoration.

Animal Studied: A manatee stranded alone in Puerto Rico on July 5, 2020.

Results: The manatee was found in critical condition with pronounced exophthalmos, lagophthalmos, and corneal opacification of both eyes (OU).

"How Do We Do This at a Distance?!" A Descriptive Study of Remote Undergraduate Research Programs during COVID-19.

The COVID-19 pandemic shut down undergraduate research programs across the United States. A group of 23 colleges, universities, and research institutes hosted remote undergraduate research programs in the life sciences during Summer 2020. Given the unprecedented offering of remote programs, we carried out a study to describe and evaluate them.

Speciation in the deep: genomics and morphology reveal a new species of beaked whale .

The deep sea has been described as the last major ecological frontier, as much of its biodiversity is yet to be discovered and described. Beaked whales (ziphiids) are among the most visible inhabitants of the deep sea, due to their large size and worldwide distribution, and their taxonomic diversity and much about their natural history remain poorly understood. We combine genomic and morphometric analyses to reveal a new Southern Hemisphere ziphiid species, Ramari's beaked whale, , whose name is linked to the Indigenous peoples of the lands from which the species holotype and paratypes were recovered.