This meta-analysis explored genes in common between breast cancer (BC) and colorectal cancer (CRC) in women. Breast cancer and CRC are causes of significant morbidity and mortality in women worldwide. Research has shown that women are underrepresented in clinical trials, especially in oncology; studying sex differences in cancer addresses this lack.

We aimed to describe the head circumference (HC) growth trends for non-microcephalic infants exposed to the Zika virus (ZIKV) in utero.

The epidemiology of meningiomas for patients with Hispanic ethnicity is mainly unknown beyond a few studies. Evidence supporting the ethnic influence over meningioma World Health Organization (WHO) grade is limited. This study aimed to investigate a Hispanic population in Puerto Rico with intracranial meningiomas regarding the WHO grade.

Currently, in Puerto Rico (PR) there is no study for HPV vaccination rates after implementing mandatory HPV vaccination school entry policy in 2018. This study aims to (a) explore HPV vaccination status in adults (≥18 years) residing in PR., particularly those who fall within the age range approved for vaccination; (b) describe participants' gender and sexual identities and behavior risk factors; and (c) determine how the willingness to vaccinate against HPV is influenced by sociodemographic factors such as age, gender, education level, and health insurance.

In this study, the localization of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin (IL) -6 in the umbilical cord tissue of pregnant women with preeclampsia who smoke and in those who do not smoke was investigated using immunohistochemical methods.

The objective of this study was to determine the incidence and evolution of patients with acute fatty liver of pregnancy (AFLP) over a period of 18 years in the city of Toluca, Mexico.

The abuse of psychoactive substances poses a critical public health challenge in Puerto Rico, with far-reaching implications for both individuals and society as a whole. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the patterns and trends associated with drug abuse in Puerto Rico, focusing on alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, benzodiazepines, opioids, and methadone. Recent statistics reveal a concerning increase in substance abuse, particularly among young adults. Long-standing problems with alcohol and tobacco continue to drive chronic health conditions, while the legalization of medical cannabis has influenced its usage patterns. The abuse of prescription medications, especially benzodiazepines and opioids, has intensified, contributing to an expanding opioid crisis on the island. This review critically examines the current scientific literature, highlighting the urgent need for comprehensive, evidence-based strategies for prevention, intervention, and regulation. It also underlines the importance of continued research efforts and the development of tailored approaches to effectively address drug abuse in Puerto Rico. By shedding light on these complex challenges, the article provides valuable insights that can inform future initiatives aimed at curbing substance abuse and promoting the well-being of Puerto Rico's population.

Röntgen's discovery made international news in January 1896, but the appearance of x-rays in Puerto Rico has been dated to 1911. This investigation was undertaken to identify the time, place, participants, and equipment of the first public demonstration of x-rays in Puerto Rico, document other users before 1911, and frame the events and persons in their social, professional, and international contexts.

This is the case of a 22-year-old female who arrived at our institution after experiencing refractory insomnia, disorganized behavior, inappropriate laughter, and anorexia. Upon admission, a physical examination revealed mutism, irritability, and visual hallucinations. Infectious, metabolic, and other, alternative, causes for the presenting symptoms were excluded. Brain magnetic resonance imaging and chest and abdominopelvic computed tomography scan results showed no evidence of pathology. Due to there being a high clinical suspicion of paraneoplastic encephalitis, treatment was initiated with intravenous (IV) high-dose steroids and IV immunoglobulins. An endovaginal ultrasound was performed, which revealed a small atypical intraovarian dermoid cyst. The patient's laboratory tests were positive for anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate antibodies within her cerebrospinal fluid. A laparoscopic right partial salpingectomy and an oophorectomy were performed on day 25, after the symptoms developed further. Histopathology confirmed the presence of a mature teratoma within the right ovary. After surgery, she returned to her baseline mental status, with no further complications.

Evaluate the relationship between diabetes and hypertension and COVID-19 booster uptake.

Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is a respiratory disorder that impairs mucociliary clearance, leading to decreased lung function. Conventional chest physiotherapy (CCP) is the traditional airway clearance technique (ACT) and is considered a standard treatment for PCD patients. This systematic review investigated whether device supported ACTs are better alternatives for improving lung function and/or quality of life in PCD, compared with CCP.

The abrupt decline in the Total Fertility Rate (TFR) of Puerto Rico to 0.9 children per woman, well below the replacement level of 2.1 children per woman, makes the prospect of a sustained population decline a real possibility. Population projections produced by the United States Census Bureau and the United Nations Population Division show that the island population may decline from 3.8 millions in 2000 to slightly above 2 million by 2050, a dramatic population decline of 47% in 50 years. Both population projections assume that all countries with a TFR below replacement level could eventually increase toward or oscillate to 2.1 children per woman and have Puerto Rico's TFR approaching 1.5 by 2050. This assumption has been widely criticized as unrealistic and not supported by evidence. The main objective of our research is to provide an alternative fertility projection for Puerto Rico by 2050 that has more realistic assumptions.

The current study aimed to explore changes in health-related behaviors and social practices in Hispanic cancer patients during a government-mandated lockdown and their relationship to sociodemographic and clinical characteristics.

Childbirth is considered to be both beautiful and traumatic. Following a vaginal delivery, some women express discontent with the appearance of their genitalia on social media and/or websites. This study explored how some women perceived their genitalia, post childbirth. Three groups were compared: women with a vaginal delivery, those with a cesarean-section, and those who had never given birth.

Direct-acting antiviral (DAA) drugs have resulted in high rates of virological cure in chronic hepatitis C (CHC)-infected patients. We used noninvasive tests to assess fibrosis in subjects who had been cured with DAA.

The recent COVID-19 global emergency may have ripple effects on mental health of many people worldwide. This is especially true for populations like birthing and postpartum women where many changes to daily routines, access to medical care, work-related routines and socialization were experienced. This brief report presents data from an ongoing cohort study aiming to describe maternal mental health during the pandemic T12 (March 2020 to April 2021) with post-pandemic T2 (May 2022 to May 2023) of mothers followed in Puerto Rico. 47 out of 100 mothers have been recalled and assessed with psychosocial interviews (COPE-IUS) and assessments of anxiety (GAD-7) and depression (PHQ-9). Paired t-test revealed mean scores of depressions (PHQ-9) were significantly higher for T2 with a mean of 6.35 and a range of 4.4+/- than for T1 where mean was 5.15 (+/- 2.9), t=-1.954, df=45, p < .05. Similarly, anxiety scores (GAD-7) were significantly higher in T2 6.67 (4.2) than for T1 5.35 (3.7), t=-1.8, df=45, p < .05. Also, COPE-IUS Post-pandemic psychosocial interview results evidence that 80% of mothers do not feel the COVID-19 pandemic is a significant stressor at T2 and are able to maintain routine activities with no social distancing measures. However, reports of loneliness, sadness, worry, and fear continue to be present. Our findings point to the need to further identify other contributing factors to the deterioration of maternal mental health during the perinatal/peripartum period (pregnancy, birth, and postpartum) in Puerto Rico. Possibly the effects of repeated adversity that has been present in the island (multiple environmental stressors, history of traumatic experiences, and constant hardships) may all have cumulative impact over maternal mental health during the perinatal/peripartum period.

Mevalonate kinase deficiency is a rare autosomal recessive disease caused by mutations in the mevalonate kinase gene (MVK). Depending on the mutations, a patient with this deficiency can exhibit any one of a spectrum of rare autoinflammatory diseases, such as hypergammaglobulinemia D (hyper-IgD) with periodic fever syndrome and mevalonic aciduria. To date, approximately 300 cases with mutations in the MVK gene have been reported worldwide. Herein, we present a 3-year-old female from Puerto Rico with a history of fever, arthralgia, and skin lesions since her first month of age and who, upon genetic workup, was confirmed to have compound heterozygous mutations in the MVK gene. Given her medical history and the results of her genetic testing, she was diagnosed with hyper-IgD with periodic fever syndrome. She will be treated with canakinumab, an interleukin-1ß antagonist, after receiving the varicella and measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccines.

Monkeypox is a viral zoonotic disease endemic to West and Central Africa; it has been reported in more countries during the last decade than in the previous 40 years. In 2022 a multinational outbreak occurred. This change in the epidemiology of the virus may represent an evolutionary adaptation. The purpose of this study is to analyze the molecular aspects of Monkeypox virus (MPXV) disease that may explain the latter's change in epidemiology during the 2022 outbreak.

A 6-year-old Hispanic patient presented with a 1-month history of pruritic patches on her scalp, characterized by hair loss, black dots, and dandruff-like scales. The patient was seen by her primary care physician, who prescribed ketoconazole 2% shampoo. This provided little relief for her symptoms, which prompted her admission to nearby hospital, where fluconazole was administered intravenously and mometasone lotion applied. The patient was discharged and instructed to use the ketoconazole shampoo and mometasone lotion. The previously prescribed medications failed to improve her now enlarged, inflamed, scaly, pustule-speckled lesions. Given her condition, she was admitted to the University Pediatric Hospital in San Juan, where the Dermatology Department was consulted. Cultures were taken from the lesions, revealing the presence of Trichophyton tonsurans, which led to the diagnosis of tinea capitis (ringworm of the scalp) with kerion formation. In addition, multiple nits and adult lice characteristic of Pediculus humanus capitis were observed. A 6-week course of griseofulvin, a 1-week course of permethrin solution, and a 5-day course of oral prednisolone were started, effectively cleared the patient's inflammation and fungal infection. This case highlights how there exist areas of improvement in terms of interprofessional communication between physicians, as well a need to increase awareness of the proper treatment for this common pediatric skin condition. We postulate that in doing so, similar cases could be spared the unfortunate results of untreated tinea capitis, that is, kerion formation and the possible scarring this lesion can produce.

The Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale III (FACES III) is a self-report instrument that enables the assessment of the dimensions of adaptability and cohesion within a family, establishing whether or not that family is functional and classifying it according to categories within those dimensions. The objective of this research was to determine the psychometric properties of this instrument using a sample of dental students from 5 Latin American countries.

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 0.5-2%. Currently, there is no published information available on the prevalence of vitiligo in Puerto Rico. Our study's aim was to estimate the prevalence of vitiligo among patients attending the specialized clinic of dermatology at UPR School of Medicine in Puerto Rico and describe the distribution of cases by age and sex.