University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus

About: University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus is a education organization based out in San Juan, Puerto Rico, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Medicine. The organization has 1711 authors who have published 1496 publications receiving 27756 citations.

Significant improvement of shrimp growth performance by growth hormone-releasing peptide-6 immersion treatments

Abstract: Growth hormone-releasing peptide-6 (GHRP-6) is one of the earliest developed synthetic peptidyl growth hormone secretagogue receptor agonists. These compounds mimic the effect of the endogenous ligand ghrelin. In vertebrates, ghrelin is a potent circulating orexigenic hormone with functional roles in controlling food intake, energy expenditure, adiposity, growth hormone secretion and immunity. Ghrelin has been studied mainly in vertebrates; thus, little is known about its role in invertebrates, including crustaceans. We first evaluated the effect of GHRP-6 injection over feed intake in shrimp and its effects on shrimp growth when the peptide was administrated by successive immersion baths. GHRP-6 increased feed intake, body weight and size, the number of rostral spines and gill branches, protein concentration and haemocyte number in treated shrimps. We also evaluated the peptide uptake and clearance in a pharmacokinetics, using [H3]GHRP-6 administered to postlarvae. Given a limited exposure and efficient clearance of the peptide-associated radioactivity from larvae, our findings suggested that GHRP-6-treated Litopenaeus vannamei can be consumed safely by humans after aquaculture applications. These results propose that GHRP-6 could be an additional tool to study growth physiology in crustaceans and also a promising candidate for development into a new biotechnology product for improving shrimp growth and quality.

Racial/Ethnic Differences in Those Accompanying Medicare Patients to the Doctor: Insights from the 2013 Medicare Current Beneficiary’s Survey

Abstract: Surprisingly little current, population-level detail exists regarding companion accompaniment for health care among Medicare beneficiaries, particularly by race/ethnicity. For respondents in the 2013 Medicare Current Beneficiary's Survey Access to Care public use data (N = 12,253), multivariable models predicted accompaniment to the doctor by race/ethnicity, adjusting for confounders. Chi square analyses compared, by race/ethnicity, who was accompanying and why. Overall, 37.5% of beneficiaries had accompaniment. In multivariable analyses, non-Hispanic blacks (OR 1.18; 95% CI 1.03-1.36) and Hispanics (OR 1.47; 95% CI 1.25-1.74) were significantly more likely than non-Hispanic whites to have accompaniment. Over 35% of all three groups had someone to "take notes," "ask questions," and/or "explain things," which did not vary by race/ethnicity; significant differences were seen for "explain instructions," "translate," and "moral support." Hispanics had the highest percentages for all three. Many Medicare beneficiaries have accompaniment to doctors' appointments, particularly in minority racial/ethnic groups, which should be considered in policy and practice.

Reactive thrombocytosis: an early manifestation of Takayasu arteritis.

Abstract: A woman with Takayasu arteritis is reported who presented with constitutional symptoms and persistent thrombocytosis documented since 3 years before the diagnosis. Disease-specific symptoms such as arm claudication, transient loss of vision, and self-remitting eye ptosis present at the time were apparently missed, because she is a non-English-speaking Hispanic woman whose history was obtained through an interpreter. Extensive workup done at the time failed to reach a definite etiology. A computed tomography scan of the chest done because of midthoracic back pain and an elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate showed circumferential wall thickening and mild surrounding edema throughout the thoracic and abdominal aorta and both carotid arteries consistent with Takayasu arteritis. Prednisone at a dosage of 1 mg/kg twice a day decreased the platelet count within 45 days of its initiation. Takayasu arteritis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of unexplained thrombocytosis, particularly in young women.

Then We Looked at His Results: Men Who Have Sex With Men from New York City and Puerto Rico Report Their Sexual Partner's Reactions to Receiving Reactive HIV Self-Test Results.

Abstract: Secondary distribution of HIV self-tests to sexual partners is acceptable but concerns remain about reactions if a partner tests HIV-positive. We report on 14 participants whose sexual partners tested HIV-positive during the “I’ll Show You Mine” Study, a randomized controlled trial (N = 272) of HIV self- and partner-testing among men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TGW). All 14 were MSM and racial/ethnic minorities, mean age was 36.6 years; 86% were gay-identified. Twenty-four partners tested positive; about half were new partners. Six participants had multiple partners test positive. During in-depth interviews with 10 of these participants, they reported their partners’ reactions ranged from tearful and worried among those whose result was unexpected, to resignation among those who suspected a positive result, to nonchalance among partners who participants concluded knew of their HIV infection. After testing, some HIV-positive partners disclosed prior knowledge of their status. No partner reacted violently. Participants typically comforted their partners and encouraged confirmatory testing. Four participants had anal intercourse with partners who tested positive. Participants and partners were able to effectively handle situations in which the partner tested HIV-positive.

Neuromodulation Surgery For Psychiatric Disorders

Abstract: Despite the advances in pharmacotherapy in the treatment of some psychiatric disorders like schizophrenia, anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and depression, a significant number of patients become refractory and will not respond to pharmacologic treatments[1]. Clinicians are beginning to reconsider neuromodulation surgery as a last resort for the treatment of these patients. Neurosurgical interventions aimed at treating psychiatric disorders are grouped into two categories: destructive (ablative psychosurgery) or selective stimulation (neuromodulation psychosurgery)[1]. Neuromodulation surgery involves implanting a device in the brain that modulates the neural networks within the brain. The use of surgery for the treating of psychiatric diseases is not a new concept. Historically, the concept of psychosurgery always raised general skepticism and stigma because of the way that it was erroneously used in the past despite the high rate of complications and mortalities with little improvement in patients' lives[2][1][3]. A brief history about psychosurgery is essential to understand the reason behind the skepticism toward it. In the 1930s, a Portuguese neurologist by the name Egas Moniz first introduced a surgical procedure called prefrontal leucotomy[3]. Moniz believed that some psychiatric problems were caused by abnormal connections to the frontal lobe and that surgically removing the white fibers connecting the frontal lobe with the rest of the brain will help mental health conditions. Moniz technique was later widely utilized in Europe and the United States. In the United States, prefrontal leucotomy was modified by an American neurosurgeon named Walter Freeman who developed a procedure called Transorbital Leucotomy[1][2][1]. Unlike the original lobotomy that involved an open surgery, transorbital leucotomy was a closed surgery, lasted about 10 to 20 minutes and was aimed at separating the frontal lobe from the thalamus by accessing the brain through the back of the orbits. Clinicians often used this treatment even though, at the time, there was not much data to evaluate the effectiveness of this method, and because of the lack of alternative treatment for patients who had debilitating mental health problems. Later, retrospective studies showed that while Dr. Freeman's method helped calmed some severely agitated patients, others ended up with numerous complications[1]. In the 1950s pharmacotherapy was introduced, which change the approach in treating psychiatric conditions[1]. While pharmacotherapy led to the demise of psychosurgery, physicians were laying the groundwork for the development of stereotactical microsurgery techniques. Furthermore, there was the rapid development of numerous modalities that helped in the understanding of the structure and function of the brain. These new advances, coupled with the frustrations of the significant percentage of patients not responding to pharmacotherapy and positive results in the use of neuromodulation surgery like deep brain stimulation in the treatment movement disorders like parkinsonian diseases, has lead clinicians to revisit the use of neuromodulation surgery for the treatment of psychiatric disorders. In addition to the old concerns, there is a new wave concern as to what the limits of what some of these neuromodulatory surgical procedures will be. Professionals debate whether these techniques will be used only as a last resort for the treatment of refractory psychiatric symptoms, or if they will be used for other purposes like to modify the cognition of healthy individuals[1][4].