Bilateral avascular necrosis leading to hip fracture in pregnancy: A case report.

Avascular necrosis (AVN) of the hip, a rare cause of pelvic pain in the third trimester of pregnancy, often presents with nonspecific symptoms that resemble common musculoskeletal conditions. This ambiguity, coupled with concerns about the safety of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) during pregnancy, can hinder timely diagnosis. We report a unique case of a 32-year-old primigravida diagnosed with a hip fracture and bilateral AVN of the femoral head in the immediate postpartum period, a complication seemingly not previously documented in pregnant patients.

Genome-resolved analysis of Serratia marcescens SMTT infers niche specialization as a hydrocarbon-degrader.

Bacteria that are chronically exposed to high levels of pollutants demonstrate genomic and corresponding metabolic diversity that complement their strategies for adaptation to hydrocarbon-rich environments. Whole genome sequencing was carried out to infer functional traits of Serratia marcescens SMTT recovered from soil contaminated with crude oil. The genome size (Mb) was 5,013,981 with a total gene count of 4,842.

Electrocardiographic marker of ventricular action potential triangulation (the simulation study).

Background: The aim of this simulation was to examine the utility of a novel ECG-based index of cardiac action potential (AP) triangulation, the Tstart-to-Tpeak (TsTp) interval-to-JTstart (JTs) interval ratio, for assessment of changes in AP profile imposed through variations in the duration of the plateau phase and the phase 3 repolarization.

Methods: ECGs were simulated using a realistic rabbit model based on experimental data. The AP plateau was measured at APD30, and the phase 3 was assessed as APD90-to-APD30 difference (AP durations at 90 % and 30 % repolarization, respectively).

Religion and flourishing among Afro-Trinidadians: the influence of proneness to guilt/shame and forgiveness by God on the relationship between religious commitment and health.

Background: Religiousness has been consistently linked to positive health outcomes and flourishing, yet the underlying mechanisms are complex and not well-understood. The forgiveness and relational spirituality model offers a framework to explore the moderated mediation among religious commitment, health, and forgiveness by God. Understanding these relationships among university students and community residents in Trinidad and Tobago can provide valuable insights into the role of religiousness in promoting wellbeing.

Laptop and tablet use and their influence on total motile sperm count parameters: are laptops linked to infertility in Jamaican men?

Background: This study aims to determine the impact of laptop and tablet use on total motile sperm count (TMSC) in men being investigated for assisted reproduction.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 156 men attending a fertility clinic in Jamaica. Routine semen analyses were performed and parameters specific to TMSC assessed.

Outcome and Cost Evaluation of Hip Fractures in Elderly Patients at a Tertiary Care Hospital in the Caribbean.

Introduction Hip fractures in the elderly are considered one of the most common types of orthopedic injuries, associated with increased morbidity and mortality. The incidence has been increasing over the years, and its management has also caused a significant economic burden for most countries worldwide. This study aimed to determine the outcomes and economic costs associated with hip fractures in elderly patients at a tertiary care institution in Trinidad and Tobago.

Transcriptomic Profiling Reveals Altered Expression of Genes Involved in Metabolic and Immune Processes in NDV-Infected Chicken Embryos.

Objective: The poultry industry is significantly impacted by viral infections, particularly Newcastle Disease Virus (NDV), which leads to substantial economic losses. It is essential to comprehend how the sequence of development affects biological pathways and how early exposure to infections might affect immune responses.

Methods: This study employed transcriptome analysis to investigate host-pathogen interactions by analyzing gene expression changes in NDV-infected chicken embryos' lungs.

Correction: Sebro et al. Implementation of Antigen-Based Diagnostic Assays for Detection of Histoplasmosis and Cryptococcosis among Patients with Advanced HIV in Trinidad and Tobago: A Cross-Sectional Study. 2024, , 695.

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The pharmaceutical suitcase trade and the need for multisectoral regulation-unproven COVID-19 (Ivermectin and HCQ remedies unmask an insidious health danger in a Caribbean Island).

This article seeks to highlight an aspect of the illegal pharmaceutical trade in the Caribbean. With the advent of COVID-19 there has been a shortage of a number of drugs in the formal sector. This is largely due to restrictions on foreign exchange, importation delays and sensationalized reporting of unrecommended drugs having a curative effect on COVID-19 patients.

Regression of Clinically Diagnosed Ocular Kaposi Sarcoma Post-Initiation of Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy.

Kaposi sarcoma is a low-grade vascular neoplasm linked to the human herpesvirus 8, with the AIDS-associated epidemic variant being the most common and aggressive. Although Kaposi sarcoma more commonly affects the cutaneous tissues, lymph nodes, and visceral organs, it can also be present in ocular and ocular adnexal tissues. We report a case of a 58-year-old Indo-Caribbean woman living with AIDS who presented with a large upper eyelid mass that was clinically diagnosed as Kaposi sarcoma.

vacA genes associated with gastric diseases in Trinidad and Tobago.

Objectives: To delineate and understand the genetic variations among strains from Trinidad and Tobago associated with gastric diseases.

Methods: One hundred (n = 100) patients who routinely presented with clinical features suggestive of peptic disease were enrolled in the study and underwent gastroscopy procedures. Biopsy specimens were analyzed using serological and molecular methods.

Implementing and evaluating a project to enable and encourage Caribbean data-sharing.

The CaribData project, funded by the Inter-American Development Bank and implemented by The University of the West Indies, aims to enhance data-handling, -sharing and reuse capabilities in the Caribbean. The project focuses on four main objectives: developing an online data-handling platform, creating a sustainable training and mentoring program, launching a data communication initiative and conducting data availability audits. To evaluate its progress, CaribData integrates two implementation science frameworks, RE-AIM (for Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, Maintenance) and the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research.

Preschool Vision Screening and Policy: Availability, Awareness and Perceptions of Stakeholders in Selected Locations in Harare and Mashonaland East Provinces.

Background: This study aimed to determine the availability, awareness and perceptions of preschool vision screening (PSVS) and policies among stakeholders in Zimbabwe.

Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional survey was carried out, and a multi-stage sampling was used to select the schools from private and public schools. The study involved stakeholders (parents/guardians, teachers, principals, proprietors/owners and administrators) and data was collected using a validated questionnaire.

Dynamics of Myopia Progression in Ghana-Evidence From Clinical Practice: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Background And Aim: To investigate the pattern of progression of myopia among a Ghanaian clinical cohort.

Methods: A retrospective cohort analysis of a clinical data set of all healthy myopic participants attending a tertiary eye care center was performed. Participants' biennial refraction examinations were tracked for refractive changes 4 years after the date of the first visit.

Stable isotope tempestology of tropical cyclones across the North Atlantic and Eastern Pacific Ocean basins.

Tropical cyclones (TCs) are one of the major natural hazards to island and coastal communities and ecosystems. However, isotopic compositions of TC-derived precipitation (P) in surface water (SW) and groundwater (GW) reservoirs are still lacking. We tested the three main assumptions of the isotope storm "spike" hypothesis (sudden spikes in isotopic ratios).

Enhancing Knowledge and Beliefs: The Impact of a Gender-transformative Training Program on Tuberculosis Care in Southern Nigeria.

Background: Gender-related barriers significantly impede care-seeking for tuberculosis (TB), leading to poor treatment outcomes. This study aimed to assess changes in knowledge and beliefs following a training program on gender-transformative TB programming among stakeholders in Southern Nigeria.

Methods: A cross-sectional pretest/posttest design was employed to evaluate the training's effectiveness among participants from September 2023 to March 2024.

Prevalence of Dirofilaria immitis in dogs in Jamaica.

Dirofilaria immitis is a zoonotic vector-borne parasite that causes heartworm disease most commonly in canines. Although present in the Caribbean, no published work exists from Jamaica. Therefore, the aim of our study was to evaluate the prevalence of D.

A landscape analysis and one health approach to an invasive species pathway: Pet and aquaria trade in the eastern Caribbean.

Background: The pet and aquaria trade is a pathway for the introduction of invasive alien species (IAS) into sensitive Caribbean ecosystems. This study aims to assess the impact of this trade on IAS management in the Caribbean.

Methods: A multipronged approach was used, involving stakeholder engagement, trade flow analysis, questionnaires, a regional IAS workshop, and a One Health Invasive Alien Species Prioritization (OHIASP) method, to examine the pet and aquaria trade in Barbados and the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS).

Using data from routine health information systems as a public good in Trinidad and Tobago.

Objective: This study aimed to explore the use of data from routine health information systems (RHIS) as a public good in Trinidad and Tobago, the challenges faced in doing this and opportunities for strengthening the health information system.

Methods: For this descriptive qualitative study, purposive sampling was utilized to recruit 19 people who used or produced RHIS data. Online interviews were conducted via Zoom, and all interviews were recorded and transcribed.

The silent barrier: exploring data availability in Small Island Developing States.

Objective: To quantify three aspects of data-related developmental progress across 57 Small Island Developing States (SIDS) recognized by the United Nations: statistical capacity measured using the Statistical Performance Indicators (SPI), data availability using the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) indicators, and gender-stratified indicators.

Methods: SIDS as a single country group were compared with other World Bank regions, using SPI, availability of SDG metrics, and availability of gender-stratified metrics. Using population size as a proxy for "smallness," its association with data capacity and availability was modeled.

SHARE: An ethical framework for equitable data sharing in Caribbean health research.

Data sharing increasingly underpins collaborative research to address complex regional and global public health problems. Advances in analytic tools, including machine learning, have expanded the potential benefits derived from large global repositories of open data. Participating in open data collaboratives offers opportunities for Caribbean researchers to advance the health of the region's population through shared data-driven science and policy.

Islands of data: cultivating an open data landscape for sustainable development in the Caribbean.

The widespread digitization of information, advances in data processing and the emergence of internet-connected devices have led to a proliferation of data, often loosely referred to as big data. With this digital transformation, offering open data - that is, data freely available for modification and reuse - has emerged as a key strategy for encouraging transparency and innovation. Data reuse holds particular importance in the small island developing states of the Caribbean, which have a limited resource pool from which to tackle the landscape of social priorities.

Caribbean data-sharing initiatives: activities of the Eastern Caribbean Health Outcomes Research Network.

The dissemination of biomedical research data beyond academia remains limited. In response, funding agencies now regularly require that the projects they fund make research data openly available for reuse. This emerging open data movement aims to democratize data access, often guided by the FAIR data technical standards, requiring that data should be findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable.