Effect of low- and moderate-intensity endurance exercise on physical functioning among breast cancer survivors: a randomized controlled trial.

Purpose: Compare the effects of low-intensity and moderate-intensity exercise on physical functioning in breast cancer survivors.

Methods: Women aged 50 + years and post-primary treatment for stage 0 to III breast cancer were randomly assigned to a 6-month low-intensity (LIG) or moderate-intensity (MIG) exercise group. Participants were instructed to walk (low- or moderate-intensity) for 30 min five days a week, followed by flexibility exercises, and do strengthening and balance exercises twice weekly.

Management of adult sepsis in resource-limited settings: global expert consensus statements using a Delphi method.

Purpose: To generate consensus and provide expert clinical practice statements for the management of adult sepsis in resource-limited settings.

Methods: An international multidisciplinary Steering Committee with expertise in sepsis management and including a Delphi methodologist was convened by the Asia Pacific Sepsis Alliance (APSA). The committee selected an international panel of clinicians and researchers with expertise in sepsis management.

Rights Amidst Commercial Gentrification: A Comparative Case Study of Latinx Business Zones in Chicago and Santa Ana.

Gentrification in commercial districts of Latinx communities is raising debates among local stakeholders about how to best pursue revitalization. Through a comparative case study, we examine these debates in the context of the Right to the City and gentefication. How do stakeholders in two Latinx commercial districts envision revitalization projects amidst ongoing gentrification? We analyze the perspectives and policies of non-profit staff, business- and commercial property owners, in Puerto Rico Town Chicago and La Cuatro in Downtown Santa Ana.

Recurring Giant Conjunctival Cyst Effectively Treated With 20% Trichloroacetic Acid.

Giant conjunctival cysts, though rare, can cause significant discomfort and functional impairment due to their size as well as their potential for rupture and recurrence. We report the case of a 51-year-old female who presented with a recurrent giant conjunctival cyst in her left eye, experiencing considerable discomfort and pain upon eye movement. The cyst, located in the left eye, had previously recurred after surgical excision, though visual acuity remained 20/20 bilaterally.

COMPARING DETECTIONS OF AEDES AEGYPTI FEMALES USING THREE TYPES OF AUTOCIDAL GRAVID TRAPS.

We compared the number of Aedes aegypti females per trap and the number of detections of this mosquito species per week during 8 wk in 3 types of autocidal gravid traps, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Autocidal Gravid Ovitrap (AGO), Biogents Gravid Aedes Trap (GAT), and Singapore Gravitrap (SGT), in central Puerto Rico. These traps use the same principles for attracting gravid Ae. aegypti females as traditional ovitraps, such as dark colors, standing water, and decomposing plant materials.

Navigating a challenging airway: An ultrasound-guided approach to urgent tracheostomy.

Objectives: Airway compromise in neck cancer patients with distorted anatomy has been a challenge for head and neck surgeons. To the best of our knowledge, the use of ultrasound has not been reported as an adjunct prior to an awake urgent tracheostomy in these types of patients. Our main objective is to provide an additional tool for identification of vital neck structures in preparation for an awake tracheostomy.

Implementation of trauma and disaster mental health awareness training in Puerto Rico.

Climate change is disproportionately impacting youth mental health around the world. Using a Community-Based Participatory approach, three universities (one in South Carolina and two in Puerto Rico) partnered after the devastation of Hurricane Maria in 2017. We offered culturally and linguistically tailored trauma and disaster-informed mental health awareness training (e.

Inhibition of microRNA-660-5p decreases breast cancer progression through direct targeting of TMEM41B.

Background: Breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer among women worldwide. Most breast cancer-related deaths result from metastasis and drug resistance. Novel therapies are imperative for targeting metastatic and drug-resistant breast cancer cells.

Larval competition between the invasive Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) and the Caribbean endemic Aedes mediovittatus (Diptera: Culicidae) from Puerto Rico, USA.

Competition between mosquito species during the larval phase is a well-established mechanism structuring container mosquito communities, with invasive species often outperforming natives. We assessed the competitive outcome between 2 species that occur on the island of Puerto Rico, the historic invasive Aedes aegypti (L.) and the endemic Aedes mediovittatus (Coquillett) (Diptera: Culicidae).

Implication of the enteric glia in the IBS-like colonic inflammation associated with endometriosis.

Background: Endometriosis is a complex gynecological disorder characterized by the ectopic growth of endometrial tissue. Symptoms of endometriosis are known to impair the quality of life of patients, and among these are found dysmenorrhea, chronic pelvic pain, and gastrointestinal (GI) issues. GI issues such as painful bowel movements, bloating and constipation or diarrhea, are one of the common reasons for misdiagnosis with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

The alphavirus determinants of intercellular long extension formation.

The alphavirus chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a serious human pathogen that can cause large-scale epidemics characterized by fever and joint pain and often resulting in chronic arthritis. Infection by alphaviruses including CHIKV and the closely related Semliki Forest virus (SFV) can induce the formation of filopodia-like intercellular long extensions (ILEs). ILEs emanate from an infected cell, stably attach to a neighboring cell, and mediate cell-to-cell viral transmission that is resistant to neutralizing antibodies.

Gut microbiota profiling in injection drug users with and without HIV-1 infection in Puerto Rico.

Introduction: The full extent of interactions between human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, injection drug use, and the human microbiome is unclear. In this study, we examined the microbiomes of HIV-positive and HIV-negative individuals, both drug-injecting and non-injecting, to identify bacterial community changes in response to HIV and drug use. We utilized a well-established cohort of people who inject drugs in Puerto Rico, a region with historically high levels of injection drug use and an HIV incidence rate disproportionately associated with drug use.

Structural variant allelic heterogeneity in MECP2 duplication syndrome provides insight into clinical severity and variability of disease expression.

Background: MECP2 Duplication Syndrome, also known as X-linked intellectual developmental disorder Lubs type (MRXSL; MIM: 300260), is a neurodevelopmental disorder caused by copy number gains spanning MECP2. Despite varying genomic rearrangement structures, including duplications and triplications, and a wide range of duplication sizes, no clear correlation exists between DNA rearrangement and clinical features. We had previously demonstrated that up to 38% of MRXSL families are characterized by complex genomic rearrangements (CGRs) of intermediate complexity (2 ≤ copy number variant breakpoints < 5), yet the impact of these genomic structures on regulation of gene expression and phenotypic manifestations have not been investigated.

Global Distribution of Colorectal Cancer Staging at Diagnosis: An Evidence Synthesis.

Background & Aims: Stage at diagnosis is a key prognostic factor for colorectal cancer (CRC) survival. We aimed to assess the global distribution of CRC staging at diagnosis using population-based or hospital-based registry data.

Methods: We systematically searched in MEDLINE and Embase from their inception until December 6, 2023.

2024 Update of the RECOVER-Adult Long COVID Research Index.

Importance: Classification of persons with long COVID (LC) or post-COVID-19 condition must encompass the complexity and heterogeneity of the condition. Iterative refinement of the classification index for research is needed to incorporate newly available data as the field rapidly evolves.

Objective: To update the 2023 research index for adults with LC using additional participant data from the Researching COVID to Enhance Recovery (RECOVER-Adult) study and an expanded symptom list based on input from patient communities.

Quantitative Liver Fat Assessment by Handheld Point-of-Care Ultrasound: A Technical Implementation and Pilot Study in Adults.

Objectives: To implement, examine the feasibility of, and evaluate the performance of quantitative ultrasound (QUS) with a handheld point-of-care US (POCUS) device for assessing liver fat in adults.

Materials And Methods: This prospective IRB-approved, HIPAA-compliant pilot study enrolled adults with overweight or obesity. Participants underwent chemical-shift-encoded magnetic resonance imaging to estimate proton density fat fraction (PDFF) and, within 1 mo, QUS with a POCUS device by expert sonographers and novice operators (no prior US scanning experience).

A review of precision medicine in developing pharmaceutical products: Perspectives and opportunities.

Over the next decade, Precision Medicine (PM) is poised to become the standard of care in pharmaceutical therapy, necessitating a fundamental transformation in the design and development of innovative custom-made drug products. To date, a comprehensive review linking PM with practical personalized drug formulations is missing. This review attempts to provide an overview of state-of-the-art formulation approaches capable of translating PM evaluation and resulting recommendations (clinical research) into tailored drug products (non-clinical research) for real-world patients.

Women faculty members' challenges when pursuing leadership positions in academic dentistry: A survey.

Purpose/objectives: This study addresses persistent gender disparities in leadership roles in academic dentistry. The objectives were to identify the challenges and barriers to leadership that women face in general and during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as to describe resources they need to reach their leadership potential.

Methods: The American Dental Education Association Section on Women in Leadership (WIL), gathered survey data concerning leadership challenges and faculty development needs.

Establishing methods to monitor H5N1 influenza virus in dairy cattle milk.

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza strain H5N1 has caused a multi-state outbreak among US dairy cattle, spreading across 15 states and infecting hundreds of herds since its onset. We rapidly developed and optimized PCR-based detection assays and sequencing protocols to support H5N1 molecular surveillance. Using 214 retail milk from 20 states for methods development, we found that H5N1 concentrations by digital PCR strongly correlated with qPCR cycle threshold (Ct) values, with dPCR exhibiting greater sensitivity.

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Pregnancy, Birth Experiences, and Mental Health: Voices from Women in Puerto Rico.

Objectives: The specific aims of the project are: (1) Examine the impact of COVID-19 on pregnancy experiences and outcomes; (2) Examine the mental health impact of COVID-19 in pregnant women and mothers of children 12 months or younger; (3) Identify risk and protective factors among this population in Puerto Rico.

Methods: Participants were recruited from the Puerto Rico Team for Exploring Contamination Threats (PROTECT) Superfund Program, which is composed of pregnant women and mothers from the northern karst region of Puerto Rico. The research had a mixed methods approach with a quantitative survey (n = 184) and qualitative interviews (n = 10); data collection was done in virtual mode.

Colorectal cancer incidence trends in younger versus older adults: an analysis of population-based cancer registry data.

Background: Previous studies have shown that colorectal cancer incidence is increasing among younger adults (aged <50 years) in multiple high-income western countries in contrast with stabilising or decreasing trends in incidence in older adults (aged ≥50 years). This study aimed to investigate contemporary colorectal cancer incidence trends in younger adults versus older adults.

Methods: Colorectal cancer incidence data, including year of diagnosis, sex, and 5-year age group for 50 countries and territories, were extracted from the WHO-International Agency for Research on Cancer Cancer Incidence in Five Continents Plus database.

Impact of Childhood Adversity on Late-Life Cognition in Older Puerto Rican Adults.

Objectives: This study examined the association between childhood adversity and late-life cognitive outcomes among older Puerto Rican adults.

Methods: Data were from the PREHCO study, a population-based cohort of 3,713 older Puerto Rican adults (mean age 72.5 years; 60% female).

Small Ovarian Teratoma Causes Anti-N-methyl- D-aspartate Encephalitis.

This is the case of a 22-year-old female who arrived at our institution after experiencing refractory insomnia, disorganized behavior, inappropriate laughter, and anorexia. Upon admission, a physical examination revealed mutism, irritability, and visual hallucinations. Infectious, metabolic, and other, alternative, causes for the presenting symptoms were excluded.