Fine-Needle Thyroid Aspiration Biopsy: Clinical Experience at the Endocrinology Clinics of the University Hospital of Puerto Rico.

Objective: This study aimed to establish a profile of the ultrasound-guided thyroid fine-needle aspiration biopsies (FNABs) performed at the endocrinology clinics of the University Hospital of Puerto Rico.

Methods: A retrospective study was conducted to assess all the thyroid FNABs performed from July 1, 2011, to December 31, 2013. Data on socio-demographic, FNAB cytology, surgery, and histopathology were collected from medical records.

NSAIDs Prescription Prevalence after a Cardiovascular Event Related Hospitalization in Medicaid Beneficiaries from Puerto Rico.

Objective: Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are commonly prescribed for pain and inflammation. NSAIDs are associated with serious adverse effects and cardiovascular (CV) risks that include myocardial infarction, stroke and heart failure. In the period of time immediately after a CV event, modification to the drug therapy regimen and lifestyle habits should be instituted to decrease morbidity and mortality.

Association Studies and Direct DNA Sequencing Implicate Genetic Susceptibility Loci in the Etiology of Nonsyndromic Orofacial Clefts in Sub-Saharan African Populations.

Orofacial clefts (OFCs) are congenital dysmorphologies of the human face and oral cavity, with a global incidence of 1 per 700 live births. These anomalies exhibit a multifactorial pattern of inheritance, with genetic and environmental factors both playing crucial roles. Many loci have been implicated in the etiology of nonsyndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate (NSCL/P) in populations of Asian and European ancestries, through genome-wide association studies and candidate gene studies.

A Social-Ecological View of Barriers and Facilitators for HIV Treatment Adherence: Interviews with Puerto Rican HIV Patients.

Purpose: To identify perceived barriers and facilitators for HAART adherence among people living with HIV/AIDS in Southern Puerto Rico using a Social Ecological framework.

Patients And Methods: Individual in-depths interviews were conducted with 12 HIV patients with a history of HAART non-adherence. Interviews were audio-taped and transcribed.

Valerenic acid and Valeriana officinalis extracts delay onset of Pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-Induced seizures in adult Danio rerio (Zebrafish).

Background: Anticonvulsant properties have been attributed to extracts of the herbal medicine Valeriana officinalis. Our aims were to examine the anticonvulsant properties of valerenic acid and valerian extracts and to determine whether valerian preparations interact with the activity of other anti-epileptic drugs (phenytoin or clonazepam). To achieve these goals, we validated the adult zebrafish, Danio rerio, as an animal model for studying anticonvulsant drugs.

Differences in type I interferon signaling antagonism by dengue viruses in human and non-human primate cell lines.

Background/objectives: In vitro studies have shown that dengue virus (DENV) can thwart the actions of interferon (IFN)-α/β and prevent the development of an antiviral state in infected cells. Clinical studies looking at gene expression in patients with severe dengue show a reduced expression of interferon stimulated genes compared to patients with dengue fever. Interestingly, there are conflicting reports as to the ability of DENV or other flaviviruses to inhibit IFN-α/β signaling.

Incidence, in-hospital case-fatality rates, and management practices in Puerto Ricans hospitalized with acute myocardial infarction.

Objective: There are extremely limited data on minority populations, especially Hispanics, describing the clinical epidemiology of acute coronary disease. The aim of this study is to examine the incidence rate of acute myocardial infarction (AMI), in-hospital case-fatality rate (CFR), and management practices among residents of greater San Juan (Puerto Rico) who were hospitalized with an initial AMI.

Methods: Our trained study staff reviewed and independently validated the medical records of patients who had been hospitalized with possible AMI at any of the twelve hospitals located in greater San Juan during calendar year 2007.

Cardiac amyloidosis secondary to multiple myeloma.

Amyloidosis is a multisystemic disease caused by extracellular deposition of pathologic beta fibrillar proteins in multiple organs. Deposited fibrils can be either innunoglobulin light chanis or amyloid-A protein. The incidence of anyloidosis derived from anyloid-A protein, usually associated to an underlying disease, has been dimisishing over the decades in the United States producing clinical evidence of cardiac involvement in less than 5% of all cases.

Predisposing factors for acute kidney injury in Hispanic patients treated with diuretics for decompensated heart failure.

Objective: In patients with congestive heart failure (CHF), use of loop diuretic therapy may result in acute kidney insufficiency (AKI). We assessed the factors that contributed to the development of AKI in patients with CHF treated with loop diuretics in a sample of patients who attended the Cardiovascular Center of Puerto Rico and the Caribbean (CCPRC).

Methods: Medical records of 236 patients admitted between: January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2008 with the diagnosis of CHF were reviewed.

Giant aneurysm of the non-coronary sinus of Valsalva: a case report.

A 68 year old female patient with history of chronic lymphocytic leukemia, arterial hypertension and dyslipidemia came for evaluation since she is constantly aware of the beating of her heart. The echocardiogram showed an aneurysm of the non coronary Sinus of Valsalva. Chest computer tomography showed an aneurysm of the Sinus of Valsalva measuring 5.

A tutorial in genetic epidemiology and some considerations in statistical modeling.

A new door has been opened to health professionals since the completion of the map of the human genome was announced in 2003, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the discovery of the DNA helical structure by Watson and Crick in 1953. The continuous updating of the technology has enabled scientists to simultaneously analyze thousands of variables for genome analysis. These advances have created new opportunities to locate genes, to assess the gene-gene relationship, to measure the gene-environment interaction, to describe gene products, and to evaluate the gene-disease relationship.

Inhibition of EphA7 up-regulation after spinal cord injury reduces apoptosis and promotes locomotor recovery.

Functional impairment after spinal cord injury (SCI) is partially attributed to neuronal cell death, with further degeneration caused by the accompanying apoptosis of myelin-forming oligodendrocytes. The Eph receptor protein tyrosine kinase family and its cognate ligands, the ephrins, have been identified to be involved in axonal outgrowth, synapse formation, and target recognition, mainly mediated by repulsive activity. Recent reports suggest that ephrin/Eph signaling might also play a role as a physiological trigger for apoptosis during embryonic development.

Upregulation of EphA3 receptor after spinal cord injury.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) releases a cascade of events that leads to the onset of an inhibitory milieu for axonal regeneration. Some of these changes result from the presence of repulsive factors that may restrict axonal outgrowth after trauma. The Eph receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) family has emerged as a key repellent cue known to be involved in neurite outgrowth, synapse formation, and axonal pathfinding during development.

Dose-Related Hemodynamic Effects of Enalaprilat in Patients with Ischemic Heart Disease.

To investigate the dose-related hemodynamic effects of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition (ACEI) in patients with angina pectoris (AP), five patients underwent right and left heart catheterization, and left ventriculogram before and 10 min after administration of 1.25 mg enalaprilat intravenously (Group 1). The results were compared with those of five patients with similar characteristics who received 2.