Cerebral vasculitis presenting as acute posterior multifocal placoid pigment epitheliopathy in a 16-year-old male.

Purpose: To report on a case of the successful treatment of Acute Posterior Multifocal Placoid Pigment Epitheliopathy (APMPPE) in a pediatric patient with a prior diagnosis of cerebral vasculitis.

Observations: A 16-year-old male with a prior diagnosis of cerebral vasculitis presented without ocular complaints. Visual acuity was 20/20, and color vision remained normal.

Association of Phenols, Parabens, and Their Mixture with Maternal Blood Pressure Measurements in the PROTECT Cohort.

Background: Phenols and parabens are two classes of high production volume chemicals that are used widely in consumer and personal care products and have been associated with reproductive harm and pregnancy complications, such as preeclampsia and gestational diabetes. However, studies examining their influence on maternal blood pressure and gestational hypertension are limited.

Objectives: We investigated associations between individual phenols, parabens, and their mixture on maternal blood pressure measurements, including systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP) and hypertension during pregnancy (defined as stage 1 or 2 hypertension), among Puerto Rico PROTECT study participants.

PharmVar GeneFocus: CYP4F2.

The Pharmacogene Variation Consortium (PharmVar) serves as a global repository providing star (*) allele nomenclature for the polymorphic human CYP4F2 gene. CYP4F2 genetic variation impacts the metabolism of vitamin K, which is associated with warfarin dose requirements, and the metabolism of drugs, such as imatinib or fingolimod, and certain endogenous compounds including vitamin E and eicosanoids. This GeneFocus provides a comprehensive overview and summary of CYP4F2 genetic variation including the characterization of 14 novel star alleles, CYP4F2*4 through *17.

Trends in hospital capacity and utilization in Puerto Rico by health regions, 2010-2020.

Like many under resourced, island communities, most of the municipalities in Puerto Rico are medically underserved. However, there is limited information about changes in hospital capacity and any regional disparities in availability of hospital services in Puerto Rico, especially given the multiple public health emergencies the island has faced in recent years (e.g.

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.

Structures, Organization, and Delivery of Kidney Care to Children Living in Low-Resource Settings.

Introduction: There is a disparity in the availability of health care for children in resource-constrained countries. The International Pediatric Nephrology Association (IPNA) commissioned an initiative exploring the challenges in the care of children with kidney disease in low- or middle-income countries (LMICs) with a focus on human, diagnostic, and therapeutic resources.

Methods: A survey was sent by e-mail to all members of IPNA and its affiliated regional or national societies residing in LMICs.

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.

Increasing culturally relevant science media coverage: exploring the outcomes of a collaboration in Puerto Rico.

CienciaPR, a nonprofit that brings together the largest network of Puerto Rican scientists and one of the largest networks of Hispanic/Latine scientists in the world, has collaborated with El Nuevo Día (END), Puerto Rico's newspaper of record, to increase culturally relevant stories in their science section. This Practice Insight quantifies and compares the presence of culturally relevant elements (e.g.

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.

Saliva, Plasma, and Multifluid Metabolomic Signatures of Periodontal Disease, Type 2 Diabetes Progression, and Markers of Glycemia and Dyslipidemia Among Puerto Rican Adults With Overweight and Obesity.

Background: Evidence from cohort studies indicates a bidirectional relationship between periodontal disease and type 2 diabetes (T2D), but the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. In this study, we aimed to (1) identify saliva, plasma, and multifluid metabolomic signatures associated with periodontal disease and (2) determine if these signatures predict T2D progression and cardiometabolic biomarkers at year 3.

Methods And Results: We included participants from the SOALS (San Juan Overweight Adult Longitudinal Study) (n=911).

Empowering Potential of the My Assistive Technology Guide: Exploring Experiences and User Perspectives.

The use of assistive technology (AT) devices enhances older adults' function in daily activities. However, the lack of awareness of AT among potential AT users has been identified as a major barrier to its adoption. This study aimed to assess the quality of the Mi Guía de Asistencia Tecnológica (MGAT) web app, which provides information on AT, from the perspective of older Latinos with physical disabilities, and to explore their experience using the MGAT.

High Levels of Triggering Receptor Expressed in Myeloid Cells-Like Transcript-1 Positive, but Not Glycoprotein 1b+, Microparticles Are Associated With Poor Outcomes in Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome.

Objectives: To identify triggering receptor expressed in myeloid cells-like transcript-1 positive (TLT-1+) microparticles (MPs) and evaluate if their presence is associated with clinical outcomes and/or disease severity in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting: ARDS Network clinical trials.

Unraveling the Impact of Six Pentacyclic Triterpenes Regulating Metabolic Pathways on Lung Carcinoma Cells.

Recently, there has been great interest in plant-derived compounds known as phytochemicals. The pentacyclic oleanane-, ursane-, and lupane-type triterpenes are phytochemicals that exert significant activity against diseases like cancer. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide.

Association of congenital heart defects (CHD) with factors related to maternal health and pregnancy in newborns in Puerto Rico.

Background: Given the pervasive issues of obesity and diabetes both in Puerto Rico and the broader United States, there is a compelling need to investigate the intricate interplay among BMI, pregestational, and gestational maternal diabetes, and their potential impact on the occurrence of congenital heart defects (CHD) during neonatal development.

Methods: Using the comprehensive System of Vigilance and Surveillance of Congenital Defects in Puerto Rico, we conducted a focused analysis on neonates diagnosed with CHD between 2016 and 2020. Our assessment encompassed a range of variables, including maternal age, gestational age, BMI, pregestational diabetes, gestational diabetes, hypertension, history of abortion, and presence of preeclampsia.

Immune and Microbial Signatures Associated with PD-1 Blockade Sensitivity in a Preclinical Model for HPV+ Oropharyngeal Cancer.

The United States is suffering from an epidemic associated with high-risk strains of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) predominantly responsible for the development of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors targeting programmed death 1 (PD-1) or its ligand PD-L1 has shown poor efficacy in HNSCC patients, observing only a 20-30% response. Therefore, biological marker identification associated with PD-1 blockade response is important to improve prognosis and define novel therapeutics for HNSCC patients.

Epidemiology of Vitiligo in Puerto Rico: Descriptive Study from 2017-2022.

Objective: Vitiligo is a dermatological autoimmune condition characterized by areas of progressive skin depigmentation. Vitiligo lesions are cosmetically disfiguring and associated with significant psychological conditions such as depression and anxiety and comorbidities such as thyroid disease and diabetes. All races, ethnicities, ages, and regions of the world are impacted by vitiligo, with a global prevalence of about 0.

Oral Health Knowledge and Oral Hygiene Habits in a Sample of 12-Year-Old Hispanics: A Cross-sectional Study.

Objective: To explore the association between hygiene knowledge and habits and gingivitis in Puerto Rican school children.

Methods: Questionnaires on oral health knowledge and hygiene habits were provided to almost half of the 12-year-olds who participated in an island-wide cross-sectional oral health study. The evaluations included gingival examinations in 2 quadrants.

Metabolomic Analysis and Antiviral Screening of a Marine Algae Library Yield Jobosic Acid (2,5-Dimethyltetradecanoic Acid) as a Selective Inhibitor of SARS-CoV-2.

Current small-molecule-based SARS-CoV-2 treatments have limited global accessibility and pose the risk of inducing viral resistance. Therefore, a marine algae and cyanobacteria extract library was screened for natural products that could inhibit two well-defined and validated COVID-19 drug targets, disruption of the spike protein/ACE-2 interaction and the main protease (M) of SARS-CoV-2. Following initial screening of 86 extracts, we performed an untargeted metabolomic analysis of 16 cyanobacterial extracts.

Discovery and validation of plasma, saliva and multi-fluid plasma-saliva metabolomic scores predicting insulin resistance and diabetes progression or regression among Puerto Rican adults.

Aims/hypothesis: Many studies have examined the relationship between plasma metabolites and type 2 diabetes progression, but few have explored saliva and multi-fluid metabolites.

Methods: We used LC/MS to measure plasma (n=1051) and saliva (n=635) metabolites among Puerto Rican adults from the San Juan Overweight Adults Longitudinal Study. We used elastic net regression to identify plasma, saliva and multi-fluid plasma-saliva metabolomic scores predicting baseline HOMA-IR in a training set (n=509) and validated these scores in a testing set (n=340).

Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio Dynamics From Pre-diagnosis to End-Stage Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS): A Case Study on Association With Progression and Clinical Events.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative condition characterized by the progressive degeneration of motor neurons, resulting in muscle weakness and paralysis. The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) has emerged as a potential marker for monitoring disease severity and progression in ALS, yet longitudinal analyses of NLR are limited. Our study conducts an in-depth examination of NLR dynamics from before diagnosis through the disease's progression to its end stage.

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.