Biomedical Publications FROM PR

Cave ecosystems harbor unique and diverse microbial ecology, with fungal communities playing important roles. This study utilizes internal transcribed spacer across seven caves in the northern limestone karst belt area of Puerto Rico to investigate fungal composition. This enhances scientific understanding of subterranean microbial dynamics and supports conservation efforts.

Latinos are among the populations who are the least likely to use assistive technology (AT) despite being a population with a high prevalence of functional disabilities (FDs). We aimed to create and test the usability of an AT web app for independent-living older adults with FDs. In Phase I, we created the web app's content guided by the Optimized Honeycomb Model and considered the AT needs and FDs of older Puerto Ricans found in our previous studies. In Phase II, we design the web application...

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Species loss in fragile insular communities can alter the composition and stability of local assemblages. Climate change or anthropogenic pressures are sometimes attributed to the loss of Caribbean bats, but other factors are elusive to document. We studied time-scaled changes in bat assemblage composition from a palaeontological excavation in Cueva Matos, Puerto Rico. Over 800 individual fossils were identified to species, and charcoal was used to develop an AMS ^(14)C chronology. Although...

CONCLUSIONS: Oncologists caring for Hispanic older adults with CRC and MCC encounter complex challenges influenced by unmet social needs and the presence of comorbidities. Tailored approaches, culturally sensitive care, and improved coordination among physicians are vital to enhance the quality of care for this patient population.

CONCLUSIONS: Overall, preliminary literature review results and survey and focus group findings supported and informed plans to conduct an ADEA-led joint dental school and allied dental program climate study in the United States and Canada.

Mutations in the CACNA1F gene are associated with various X-linked retinal disorders, including congenital stationary night blindness type 2A (CSNB2A), cone-rod dystrophy (CORDX3), and Åland Island eye disease (AIED), due to their role in calcium channel function in retinal photoreceptor synapses. In this report, we present the case of a 33-year-old Hispanic male patient with childhood-onset nyctalopia and progressive visual loss. Fundus examination revealed optic disc pallor and cupping,...

IntroductionCancer-related financial hardship is pervasive, impacting both patients and caregivers, making it crucial to address financial hardship at the household level. The CREDIT (S1912CD) study was designed to enroll and randomize cancer patients and spousal caregivers as dyads to proactive financial navigation compared to usual care. The study faced several challenges to recruitment. This paper discusses the changes made to successfully complete the study.MethodsThe study took place among...

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) with a two-dimensional (2D) topology have recently emerged as promising catalyst systems for the electrosynthesis of hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) from oxygen (O(2)). However, designing 2D catalysts to achieve higher H(2)O(2) selectivity presents a significant challenge because of the extensive layer stacking and the aggregated active sites located in the basal planes. It results in lower atom utilization, which requires attention. In this study, we present two...

CONCLUSION: The TIS scale showed great internal consistency, reliability, and construct and criterion validity among TGD individuals living in Argentina, with applicability in both research and clinical settings.

CONCLUSION: Caregivers reported a high prevalence of challenging behaviours among individuals with CFCS, especially in late childhood and adolescence. Therapeutic approaches to address challenging behaviours are needed to optimally support individuals with CFCS and their caregivers.

CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that digital cytopathology, particularly through the Techcyte SureView™ system, can improve laboratory workflow and performance. Successful validation led CorePlus to integrate the AI algorithm into their workflow as a 100% QC review tool, resulting in improved accuracy, benefiting both laboratory professionals and patients.

Nitrogen vacancy diamond nanoparticles (NVNPs) are increasingly integrated with methods for optical detection of magnetic resonance (ODMR), providing new opportunities spanning the visualization of magnetic fields in microelectronic circuits, environmental sensing, and biology. However, only a small number of studies utilize aggregates of NVNPs for surface-wide magnetometry, with the fact that spin orientations in aggregate NVNPs are inherently misaligned, precluding proper magnetic field...

CONCLUSIONS: The maternal nasal microbiome is an important source of bacteria in the early nasal microbiome. A large portion of transmitted bacteria from the maternal nasal microbiome belonged to the generally beneficial bacterial genus Corynebacterium. The results from this study will aid in the development of early-life intervention strategies aimed at reducing the incidence of childhood respiratory diseases and asthma.

CONCLUSION: This scoping review highlights the potential of intraoperative FGS to enhance treatment accuracy in solid HNC, though variability in diagnostic efficacy and a lack of standardized methodologies persist. Advancements in fluorophore technology and uniform procedural protocols are essential to optimize surgical outcomes and move towards personalized HNC interventions.

Modulation of electron density localization on periodic crystal solids through electron transfer from interstitial cations can directly influence the bonding configurations of small-molecule intermediates at the catalyst binding site. This study presents the microwave-assisted solid-state synthesis of four heterointercalant Chevrel-phase (CP) sulfides with varying metal cation intercalants with compositional and electronic structure investigations of the electron density redistribution as a...

It is unclear how plants respond to increasing temperatures. Leaf heat tolerance (LHT) is often at its upper limit in tropical forests, suggesting that climate change might negatively impact these forests. We hypothesized that intraspecific variation in LHT might be associated with changes in the soil microbiome, which might also respond to climate. We hypothesized that warming would increase LHT through changes in the soil microbiome: we combined an in situ tropical warming experiment with a...

Most women with ovarian cancer (OC) develop resistance to platinum chemotherapy, posing a significant challenge to treatment. Matrix metalloproteinase 3 (MMP3) is overexpressed in High-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer (HGSOC) and is associated with poor survival outcomes; however, its role in platinum resistance remains underexplored. We evaluated the baseline and cisplatin-induced MMP3 transcript and protein levels in cisplatin-resistant OC cells, revealing significantly higher MMP3 levels in...

The Miradero Water Treatment Plant (MWTP) in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, uses sodium hypochlorite (SH) as a disinfectant. However, SH reacts with humic substances present in surface water, forming disinfection by-products (DBPs) regulated by the U.S. EPA. This study evaluated whether chitosan, a biopolymer with known bactericidal properties, could reduce chlorine demand and improve disinfection. Chitosan, with a 75% degree of deacetylation and a molecular weight of 460 kDa, was solubilized in four...

Spermatozoa were isolated from the seminal fluid using washing (wash), post-capacitation (POS), and swim-up (SU) techniques, followed by analysis through Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS). Density gradient and swim-up methods were applied to 35 semen samples to validate sperm quality. The resulting spectra showed notable variations at 408 cm^(-1) (S-S stretch attributed to lysozyme) and 728 cm^(-1) (associated with DNA alterations and methylation). These spectral markers were...