Lipid-Lowering Agents in Older Individuals: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials.

Background: The efficacy of lipid-lowering agents on patient-important outcomes in older individuals is unclear.

Methods: We included randomized trials that enrolled individuals aged 65 years or older and that included at least 1 year of follow-up.Pairs of reviewers selected and appraised the trials.

Factors Associated With Disease Damage in Puerto Ricans With Primary Sjögren Syndrome.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the association of demographic parameters, clinical manifestations, disease activity, and pharmacologic therapy with disease damage in a group of Puerto Ricans with primary Sjögren syndrome (pSS).

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 100 Hispanics of Puerto Rico with pSS. Patients were 21 years or older and fulfilled the 2012 American College of Rheumatology classification criteria for pSS.

Is Human Papilloma Virus Infection Linked to Periodontitis? A Narrative Review.

Purpose Of Review: Research suggests that periodontal tissue might serve as a reservoir for oral human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, while another hypothesis is that chronic inflammation of the tissue might perpetuate an infection with oral HPV infection. In this narrative review, we summarize the evidence related to a potential association between oral HPV infection and periodontitis.

Recent Findings: Twelve articles were identified, and their key findings summarized.

Developing a Training Program to Diversify the Biomedical Research Workforce.

The National Institutes of Health has made considerable investments to diversify the biomedical research workforce. Towards this goal, the authors partnered with representatives from several minority-serving institutions (MSIs) to develop training for the next generation of researchers. To ensure the most effective training program, the authors conducted a needs assessment with junior and senior investigators from the partnering MSIs.

A comparative pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic study of two novel Cuban PEGylated rHuEPO MIRCERA and iorEPOCIM.

Context: The recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) stimulates the erythropoiesis process. Because this glycoprotein has a short half-life, it needs to be administrated two to three times a week. One of the technics to solve this issue is the PEGgilation.

A Preliminary Assessment of Selected Social Determinants of Health in a Sample of Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Individuals in Puerto Rico.

Transgender and gender nonconforming (GNC) people continue to experience suboptimal health care, social exclusion, and lower quality of life. Globally, lack of access to services, institutional violence, and public harassment have been reported. However, there is limited data on transgender health in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean.

The Presence of Gut Microbial Genes Encoding Bacterial Genotoxins or Pro-Inflammatory Factors in Stool Samples from Individuals with Colorectal Neoplasia.

Gut bacterial toxins are thought to contribute to the development of colorectal cancer (CRC). This study examines the presence of specific gut bacterial toxin genes in stool samples from individuals with colorectal neoplasia (adenomas and/or CRC). The presence of bacterial genes encoding genotoxic or pro-inflammatory factors (, , , , , and ) was established by PCR of stool samples from individuals from mainland US ( = 30; controls = 10, adenoma = 10, CRC = 10) and from Puerto Rico (PR) ( = 33; controls = 13; adenomas = 8; CRC = 12).

Utility of point-of-care vs reference laboratory testing for the evaluation of glucose levels.

Aims: To assess the level of agreement between point-of-care and laboratory reference glucose values in defining glycaemic status.

Methods: We analysed 1292 overweight/obese, non-institutionalized participants, aged 40-65 years, in the San Juan Overweight Adults Longitudinal Study. Fasting venous blood glucose was determined using a point-of-care Bayer Contour Blood Glucose Meter and by Vitros System 250 instrument (laboratory).

Shared heritability and functional enrichment across six solid cancers.

Quantifying the genetic correlation between cancers can provide important insights into the mechanisms driving cancer etiology. Using genome-wide association study summary statistics across six cancer types based on a total of 296,215 cases and 301,319 controls of European ancestry, here we estimate the pair-wise genetic correlations between breast, colorectal, head/neck, lung, ovary and prostate cancer, and between cancers and 38 other diseases. We observed statistically significant genetic correlations between lung and head/neck cancer (r = 0.

Remission and low disease activity state (LDAS) are protective of intermediate and long-term outcomes in SLE patients. Results from LUMINA (LXXVIII), a multiethnic, multicenter US cohort.

Objective: The objective of this report is to determine the impact of remission and low disease activity state (LDAS) on damage accrual and mortality in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients.

Patients And Methods: Visits from the Lupus in Minority populations: Nature vs. Nurture (LUMINA) cohort were categorized into remission (Systemic Lupus Activity Measure (SLAM) score = 0 and prednisone ≤ 5 mg/day and no immunosuppressants), LDAS ((not on remission), SLAM score ≤ 3, prednisone ≤ 7.

Modelling and molecular docking studies of the cytoplasmic domain of Wsc-family, full-length Ras2p, and therapeutic antifungal compounds.

Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the budding yeast, must remodel initial cell shape and cell wall integrity during vegetative growth and pheromone-induced morphogenesis. The cell wall remodeling is monitored and regulated by the cell wall integrity (CWI) signaling pathway. Wsc1p, together with Wsc2p and Wsc3p, belongs to a family of highly O-glycosylated cell surface proteins that function as stress sensors of the cell wall in S.

A Rare Localized Pituitary Stalk Germinoma Presenting in the Third Decade.

We report the case of a 34-year-old male Hispanic patient who presented with an 8-month history of polyuria and decreased libido. An evaluation revealed hypopituitarism, central diabetes insipidus, and a pituitary stalk lesion. No evidence of a neoplasm or an inflammatory/infiltrative disease was found.

In the Context of Polymorphism: Accurate Measurement, and Validation of Solubility Data.

Solubility measurements for polymorphic compounds are often accompanied by solvent-mediated phase transformations. In this study, solubility measurements from undersaturated solutions are employed to investigate the solubility of the two most stable polymorphs of flufenamic acid (FFA forms I and III), tolfenamic acid (TA forms I and II), and the only known form of niflumic acid (NA). The solubility was measured from 278.

The Zika Virus: An Association to Guillain-Barré Syndrome in the United States - A Case Report.

Case of a 37 year-old Puerto Rican male with no past medical history who was admitted to the hospital after developing paresthesia in the upper and lower extremities with associated skin rash, weakness, and dysautonomia. After rigorous analysis of the clinical patterns, neurologic manifestations, laboratory workups, CSF analysis, and nerve conduction studies we conclude the existence of a strong relationship between the Zika virus and the Guillain-Barré syndrome. The patient recovered promptly and his response to treatment was excellent.

Implementation and Evaluation of Guillain-Barré Syndrome Surveillance in Puerto Rico during the 2016 Zika Virus Epidemic.

Objective: Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is an uncommon autoimmune disorder that follows infection or vaccination, and increased incidence has been reported during Zika virus (ZIKV) transmission. During the 2016 ZIKV epidemic, the Puerto Rico Department of Health (PRDH) implemented the Enhanced GBS Surveillance System (EGBSSS). Here, we describe EGBSSS implementation and evaluate completeness, validity, and timeliness.

First Autopsy of a Newborn with Congenital Zika Syndrome in Puerto Rico.

We report on the first autopsy performed on a neonate with congenital Zika syndrome in Puerto Rico. A term male was born to a mother with confirmed Zika virus infection; he had a prenatal diagnosis of microcephaly and multiple cerebral calcifications, among other anomalies, and a normal male karyotype (determined by amniocentesis). He required neonatal resuscitation at birth and died at 2 days ofage.

Association of Zika Virus Exposure in Utero with Ocular Phenotypes in a Group of Newborns in Puerto Rico Exposure with ocular phenotypes in newborns in Puerto Rico.

Objective: After the outbreak in January 2016, researchers in Brazil reported the first cases of ophthalmic abnormalities in infants with microcephaly and presumed Zika virus (ZIKV) intrauterine infection. Screening for ocular lesions in all newborns exposed to ZIKV prenatally has been emphasized because of a chorioretinal macular scar found in a number normocephalic patient exposed to ZIKV.

Methods: A retrospective review of the medical records of infants born to mothers found to be ZIKV-positive during their pregnancies (January 2016-July 2017) was performed.

Congenital Zika Syndrome in Puerto Rico, Beyond Microcephaly, A Multiorgan Approach.

Objective: Zika virus (ZIKV) infection was identified in Puerto Rico on December 2015, and the outbreak encouraged us to characterize clinical manifestations and laboratory findings of intrauterine exposed infants.

Methods: Retrospective medical record review of infants born to mothers with confirmed ZIKV infection during pregnancy was performed from January 2016-June 2017. We included patients admitted to UPH Neonatal Intensive Care Unit or referred for follow-up at UPH High Risk Clinics.

The Zika Virus Infection in Pregnancy: Review and Implications for Research and Care of Women and Infants in Affected Areas.

The world has encountered a new and serious epidemic which has disproportionately affected fetuses and infants. What makes the Zika virus (ZIKV) epidemic such a threat in our times, is that a whole generation can be affected by birth defects caused by a seemingly innocuous maternal infection, which in most cases go unnoticed and undiagnosed. Spreading to over 80 countries and affecting millions, it is associated with severe birth defects known as congenital Zika syndrome (CZS), which include fetal brain development abnormalities (microcephaly and brain calcifications), retinal abnormalities, and contractures and hypertonia of the extremities.

A Cross-Sectional Survey of the Zika Virus and its Prevention: The Knowledge, Thoughts, and Beliefs of a Community of Residents in Caguas, Puerto Rico.

Objective: The objective of this study was to explore the knowledge, thoughts, and beliefs regarding the Zika virus and its prevention in a community of residents in the municipality of Caguas, Puerto Rico, and elicit their concerns and perceptions of risk.

Methods: A quantitative, non experimental, descriptive, cross-sectional correlational study was conducted in a community in Caguas, Puerto Rico. A structured questionnaire was administered to a sample of 158 residents, aged 21 and older, who participated voluntarily.

Zika-prevention Knowledge among Hispanic Women Living in Puerto Rico: A Cross-sectional Study.

Objective: To describe the level of knowledge about Zika virus exposure, symptoms, complications, and transmission prevention in Hispanic women living in Puerto Rico.

Methods: A sample of 168 women aged 21 to 64 at the general community, consented to complete a self-administered questionnaire of 112 questions from October 2016 to July 2017.

Results: A univariate analysis showed that the participating women recognized that the Zika virus was transmitted through mosquito bites (95.

Pregnancy and Zika: The Quest for Quality Care and Reproductive Justice.

On February 1, 2016, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the ZIKV virus outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). Pregnant women and their infants, are vulnerable to the impact of this vector-borne illness (mosquito) and sexually transmitted viral infection. The uncertainty surrounding the possibility of congenital anomalies due to ZIKV infection during pregnancy bring a renewed debate about the rights of women to control their reproductive decisions.

Ethical Issues during Zika Epidemic in Puerto Rico and the Americas.

The Zika virus epidemic and the possible devastating teratogenic effects of the virus represent a challenge. Health authorities have the responsibility to create programs that provide adequate preventive, medical and psychological services to the affected population. The estimated risk of microcephaly in infants of mothers infected with Zika virus is 1 to 13% when the infection occurs in the first trimester of pregnancy.

The Role of Research in Policy and Practice: The Zika Phenomena in Puerto Rico.

On April 19, 2017, the 37th Medical Sciences Campus Annual Research and Education Forum opened with the discussion panel The role of research in policy and practice: The Zika phenomena in Puerto Rico, with Dr. Cruz M. Nazario Delgado, Dr.