Biomedical Publications ABOUT PR

The absence of terrestrial apex predators on oceanic islands led to the evolution of endemic secondary apex predators like birds, snakes and crocodiles, and loss of defence mechanisms among species. These patterns are well documented in modern and Quaternary terrestrial communities of the West Indies, suggesting that biodiversity there assembled similarly through overwater dispersal. Here, we describe fossils of a terrestrial apex predator, a sebecid crocodyliform with South American origins...

CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates intra-ethnic differences in ED expenditures among Hispanic populations. Disaggregating data related to Hispanics is essential for identifying at-risk communities in which social outreach and preventative medicine initiatives can be targeted to prevent these differences.

Puerto Rico has faced significant damage from natural disasters and the COVID-19 pandemic, disrupting clinical services and scientific research logistics. In response, the RCMI-CCRHD Program at the UPR-MSC organized a retreat with the objective of understanding the challenges faced by its research network during the pandemic and strategies to overcome them. The retreat featured presentations on COVID-19 supplemental projects and included a discussion group. Twenty attendees identified the...

CONCLUSIONS: These disparities underscore the need for targeted policy reforms and enhanced federal support to ensure equitable food security during disasters.

This article details the development and preliminary validation of the Social Distance toward Bisexual Persons Scale (SDBPS). This secondary data research employed an instrumental design, based on a quantitative, non-experimental, cross-sectional study conducted with Hispanics in Puerto Rico. The scale's development involved multiple stages. The team developed a pool of 22 items with two dimensions measuring social distance towards bisexual individuals that were generated from research...

CONCLUSION: There was no loss in access to TJA for medically complex patients receiving kidney replacement therapy. The increase in TJA incidence for patients after kidney transplant and decrease for patients receiving dialysis suggest that surgeons continued to provide care for higher risk patients whose risk of morbidity or mortality with total joint replacement has been maximally improved after transplantation.

Although lead poisoning can cause detrimental health effects, it is largely preventable. Common exposure sources include contaminated soil, water, and lead-based paint in homes built before the 1978 ban on residential lead-containing paint. In North Carolina, testing for lead is encouraged for all children at ages 1 and 2 years, and is required for children covered by Medicaid. In October 2023, routine pediatric blood lead testing and follow-up investigations conducted by the North Carolina...

CONCLUSIONS: PRC-origin youth had higher e-cigarette use than Mexican-origin youth, regardless of home language. These patterns in e-cigarette youth among Hispanic youth are similar to cigarette use among Hispanic adults. Further research should explore factors driving higher use among PRC-origin youth.

Transgender (trans) people comprise about 2 million members of the U.S. population. While these communities are blueprints for culture and liberation, they face an acute threat of interpersonal violence, including domestic violence (DV) by intimate partners and family. Trans people are especially susceptible to polyvictimization: experiencing multiple types of violence, often across multiple settings. Furthermore, the negative impacts of violence are often compounded by institutional...

CONCLUSIONS: A significantly higher increase in EOCRC incidence was observed among Hispanic populations. Future studies should disaggregate Hispanic subpopulations by considering the country of ancestral origin, which will help identify specific risk factors and exposures and aid in developing tailored prevention and risk stratification strategies to reduce EOCRC incidence.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: In this cross-sectional study of females who died by firearm suicide, meaningfully distinct groups of female firearm suicide decedents were identified. Given the high proportion of females without mental health and physical health problems, it is plausible that many female firearm suicide decedents did not frequently intersect with the health care system before their death. Results suggest opportunities for preventing firearm suicide among females through nonmedical...

CONCLUSIONS: While many medical students reported having explicit didactic training inclusive of TGD patients, clinical exposure is overall lacking. Most medical students endorsed the importance of training in the care of TGD patients. Medical school curricula should incorporate more dedicated didactic and clinical training in the care of TGD patients to better serve the TGD population.

No abstract

No abstract

CONCLUSION: This study highlights a geographic misalignment between pediatric dermatologists and primary care residency programs. Scalable strategies, including virtual learning modules and collaboration with nearby specialists, are needed to support integration of pediatric dermatology into training curricula and to help address geographic gaps in subspecialty educational exposure.

Spirometra is a genus of zoonotic cestodes with an ambiguous species-level taxonomic history. Previously, Spirometra mansonoides was considered the only species present in North America. However, recent molecular data revealed the presence of at least three distinct species in the USA: Spirometra sp. 2 and 3, and Spirometra mansoni. This study aimed to elucidate the diversity and potential host associations of Spirometra species among companion animals in the USA. Samples (N = 302) were examined...

African swine fever (ASF) is a devastating hemorrhagic disease of swine with high mortality rates and severe socioeconomic impacts on affected pig industries. In 2021, ASF was reported in the Americas for the first time in 40 years, prompting risk assessments for its introduction and spread. This study evaluates ASF incursion risk across 40 territories in the Caribbean, Central America, North America, and northern South America. A structured, multi-step assessment synthesized peer-reviewed...

CONCLUSIONS: Government officials need to develop and communicate clear information regarding evacuation orders for municipalities that may be more impacted than others based on the trajectory of the storm, social determinants of health, and other factors like living in a flood zone.

PROBLEM/CONDITION: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

CONCLUSIONS: Hurricanes Irma and Maria and the COVID-19 pandemic caused a decrease in CRC incidence in Puerto Rico. This analysis suggests that limited access to CRC screening services during these events likely hindered CRC diagnoses. To fully understand the long-term effects, monitoring of CRC trends will be necessary in the coming years.