High-Intensity End-of-Life Care Among Young and Middle-Aged Hispanic Adults With Cancer in Puerto Rico.

Background: Timely palliative and hospice care, along with advanced care planning, can reduce avoidable high-intensity care and improve quality of life at the end of life (EoL).

Objective: We examined patterns of care at EoL and evaluated predictors of high-intensity care at EoL among adults aged 18-64 with cancer.

Methods: Using data from the Puerto Rico Central Cancer Registry-Health Insurance Linkage Database, we examined 1359 patients diagnosed with cancer in 2010-2019, who died of cancer between 2017 and 2019 at 64 years and younger, and who were enrolled in Medicaid or private health insurance in last 30 days before death.

Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Expression in Merkel Cell Carcinoma Is Associated With Clinical and Histopathologic Parameters.

Background: Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare, aggressive cutaneous malignancy with neuroendocrine differentiation. Several molecular pathways have been implicated in MCC development and multiple cell-of-origin candidates have been proposed, including neural crest cells, which express acetylcholine receptors (AChRs). The role of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) in MCC has not been explored.

Ethnic enclaves, neighborhood socioeconomic status, and obesity among Hispanic women in Chicago: a latent profile analysis approach.

Purpose: The prevalence of obesity, a crucial risk factor for breast cancer, is markedly higher among Hispanic women. The interaction between ethnic enclaves and neighborhood socioeconomic status (SES) as a determinant of this disparity warrants further research. We aimed to identify neighborhood profiles based on ethnic enclaves and socioeconomic status to evaluate the association with obesity among Hispanic women in the metropolitan Chicago region.

Diagnostic Accuracy of a Blood-Based Biomarker Panel for Colorectal Cancer Detection: A Pilot Study.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a leading cause of death worldwide. Despite its preventability through screening, compliance still needs to improve due to the invasiveness of current tools. There is a growing demand for validated molecular biomarker panels for minimally invasive blood-based CRC screening.

Are Patients who are Diagnosed with Hypertension or Diabetes more likely to Receive the COVID-19 Booster? Data from PR-CEAL's Community Survey Tool.

Objective: Evaluate the relationship between diabetes and hypertension and COVID-19 booster uptake.

Methods: Members of the Community Outreach Group of the Puerto Rico Community Engagement Alliance Against COVID-19 Disparities (PR-CEAL) administered a survey at 229 community events between November 2021 and May 2023. Information on 2,145 participants' sociodemographic information and chronic disease diagnoses was gathered.

Sex differences in parental reasons for lack of intent to initiate HPV vaccination among adolescents ages 13-17 years: National Immunization Survey - Teen 2019-2021.

Background: This study aimed to evaluate parents' main reasons for lack of intent to vaccinate their adolescent against human papillomavirus (HPV) from 2019 to 2021 and to examine changes in these main reasons stratified by sex of the adolescent.

Methods: NIS-Teen data from 2019 to 2021 were used. Parents who had not vaccinated their adolescent aged 13-17 against HPV and had no intent to do so in the next 12 months were asked the main reason behind this decision.

Cancer Treatment Disruption by Residence Region in the Aftermath of Hurricanes Irma and María in Puerto Rico.

Since 2017, Puerto Rico has faced environmental, economic, and political crises, leading to the emigration of healthcare workers and weakening the healthcare system. These challenges have affected cancer treatment continuity, exacerbating healthcare access challenges island-wide. In this study, we estimate the effect of the residence region on cancer treatment disruption following Hurricanes Irma and María (2017).

Examining concordance with the guidelines of the national comprehensive cancer network for the treatment of endometrial cancer in Puerto Rico.

Background: Endometrial cancer poses a significant health concern in Puerto Rico, where it ranks as the primary gynecological malignancy among women. This study evaluates concordance with the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines for endometrial cancer first treatment in Puerto Rican women and its association with 5-year overall survival.

Methods: Data on patients with endometrial cancer diagnosed between 2009 and 2015 was obtained from the Puerto Rico Central Cancer Registry, which is linked to the Puerto Rico Health Insurance Linkage database (n = 2114).

CRISPR Screening of Transcribed Super-Enhancers Identifies Drivers of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Progression.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most therapeutically recalcitrant form of breast cancer, which is due in part to the paucity of targeted therapies. A systematic analysis of regulatory elements that extend beyond protein-coding genes could uncover avenues for therapeutic intervention. To this end, we analyzed the regulatory mechanisms of TNBC-specific transcriptional enhancers together with their noncoding enhancer RNA (eRNA) transcripts.

Novel Inhibition of Central Carbon Metabolism Pathways by Rac and CDC42 inhibitor MBQ167 and Paclitaxel.

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) represents a therapeutic challenge in which standard chemotherapy is limited to paclitaxel. MBQ167, a clinical stage small molecule inhibitor that targets Rac and Cdc42, inhibits tumor growth and metastasis in mouse models of TNBC. Herein, we investigated the efficacy of MBQ167 in combination with paclitaxel in TNBC preclinical models, as a prelude to safety trials of this combination in patients with advanced breast cancer.

Association of body mass index with anal human papillomavirus infection and histologically confirmed high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions in people who receive services at the Anal Neoplasia Clinic in Puerto Rico.

Objective: This study aimed to assess the association of body mass index (BMI) with anal high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) and biopsy-confirmed histologic anal high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL) among a clinic-based sample of Hispanics in Puerto Rico.

Methods: This cross-sectional study evaluated medical records of adults who received services at the Anal Neoplasia Clinic of the University of Puerto Rico Comprehensive Cancer Center between October 2014 and December 2022. The study included 543 records with complete clinical information regarding anal HR-HPV and anal HSIL status.

Stakeholders' Perceptions on the Implementation of the HPV Vaccine School-Entry Requirement in Puerto Rico during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

This study explored the implementation of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine school-entry requirement in Puerto Rico during the COVID-19 pandemic. We conducted 26 semi-structured interviews with stakeholders and community-based organizations from August 2021 to March 2022. The interview guide was developed using the 2009 Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR).

Cervical Pap screening among women living with HIV in Puerto Rico and the United States - Medical Monitoring Project, 2018-2021.

Our objective was to determine the prevalence of cervical Pap screening among women living with HIV (WLWH) in Puerto Rico (P.R.) and other selected United States (U.

Anal cancer risk and HPV infection knowledge and awareness among Hispanic persons living with HIV in Puerto Rico.

Background: Persons living with HIV (PLWH) have a higher risk of persistent infection with human papillomavirus (HPV) and anal cancer. We evaluated knowledge and awareness of HPV infection and risk factors for anal cancer among PLWH in Puerto Rico (PR).

Methods: Data from a cross-sectional study (2020-2021) were analyzed (n=212).

Defining the Regulatory Logic of Breast Cancer Using Single-Cell Epigenetic and Transcriptome Profiling.

Annotation of the -regulatory elements that drive transcriptional dysregulation in cancer cells is critical to improving our understanding of tumor biology. Herein, we present a compendium of matched chromatin accessibility (scATAC-seq) and transcriptome (scRNA-seq) profiles at single-cell resolution from human breast tumors and healthy mammary tissues processed immediately following surgical resection. We identify the most likely cell-of-origin for luminal breast tumors and basal breast tumors and then introduce a novel methodology that implements linear mixed-effects models to systematically quantify associations between regions of chromatin accessibility (i.

Treatment Interruptions and Mortality Among Puerto Rican Women With Gynecologic Cancers in Puerto Rico After Hurricanes Irma and María: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Objective: Cancer patients are among the most vulnerable populations during and after a disaster. We evaluated the impact of treatment interruption on the survival of women with gynecologic cancer in Puerto Rico following Hurricanes Irma and María.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study among a clinic-based sample of women with gynecological cancer diagnosed between January 2016 and September 2017 (n = 112) was done.

Mitochondrial DNA and Electron Transport Chain Protein Levels Are Altered in Peripheral Nerve Tissues from Donors with HIV Sensory Neuropathy: A Pilot Study.

Distal sensory polyneuropathy (DSP) and distal neuropathic pain (DNP) remain significant challenges for older people with HIV (PWH), necessitating enhanced clinical attention. HIV and certain antiretroviral therapies (ARTs) can compromise mitochondrial function and impact mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) replication, which is linked to DSP in ART-treated PWH. This study investigated mtDNA, mitochondrial fission and fusion proteins, and mitochondrial electron transport chain protein changes in the dorsal root ganglions (DRGs) and sural nerves (SuNs) of 11 autopsied PWH.

Protecting Caribbean patients diagnosed with cancer from compounding disasters.

Caribbean small island developing states are becoming increasingly vulnerable to compounding disasters, prominently featuring climate-related hazards and pandemic diseases, which exacerbate existing barriers to cancer control in the region. We describe the complexities of cancer prevention and control efforts throughout the Caribbean small island developing states, including the unique challenges of people diagnosed with cancer in the region. We highlight potential solutions and strategies that concurrently address disaster adaptation and cancer control.

Sociodemographic, clinical characteristics, and treatment patterns of endometrial cancer cases in Puerto Rico during the period 2009 to 2015: A retrospective study.

Background: Over the past decades, the rising incidence rates of endometrial cancer have made it a significant public health concern for women worldwide. Treatment strategies for endometrial cancer vary based on several factors such as stage, histology, the patient's overall health, and preferences. However, limited amount of research on treatment patterns and potential correlations with sociodemographic characteristics among Hispanics is available.

Delays in Care by Race, Ethnicity, and Gender Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic Using Cross-Sectional Data From the National Institutes of Health's All of Us Research Program.

Purpose: Delays in receiving medical care are an urgent problem. This study aims to determine whether the odds of, and reasons for, experiencing care delays differ by gender, race-ethnicity, and survey completion before versus during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of survey data from participants age ≥18 in the National Institutes of Health's All of Us Research Program collected from May 6, 2018, to January 1, 2022.

Synthesis and Characterization of Carbon-Based Quantum Dots and Doped Derivatives for Improved Andrographolide's Hydrophilicity in Drug Delivery Platforms.

Carbon-based quantum dots (CBQDs), sulfur-doped carbon-based quantum dots (S-CBQDs), and nitrogen-doped carbon-based quantum dots (N-CBQDs) have strong potential for drug delivery platforms. They were conjugated with andrographolide, a well-known hydrophobic drug, to study the concomitant changes in hydrophilicity. The interactions between these nanomaterials and the drug were studied by characterizing the optical and structural properties of the nanoparticles before and after coupling with the drug.