"When there is no money, that is when I vomit blood": the domino effect and the unfettered lethal exploitation of Black labor on Dominican sugar plantations.

BACKGROUND: In this article, I utilize the concept of the Plantationocene as an analytical framework to generate a holistic and historical understanding of the present-day struggles of a mostly Haitian migrant workforce on sugar plantations in the Dominican Republic. METHODS: Inspired by Paul Farmer's methodology, I combine political economy, history, and ethnography approaches to interpret the experiences of sugarcane cutters across historical and contemporary iterations of colonial, post-colonial, and neo-colonial practices over the course of five centuries. RESULTS: My findings elucidate the enduring power of capitalism, implicating corporate and state elites, as the structural scaffolding for acts of racialized violence that condition the life-and-death circumstances of Black laborers on Caribbean plantations to this day. Although today's sugarcane cutters may suffer differently than their enslaved or wage labor ancestors on the plantation, I argue that an unfettered racialized pattern of lethal exploitation is sustained through the structural violence of neoliberalism that links present conditions with the colonial past. CONCLUSIONS: Ultimately, this paper contributes understandings of the plantationocene's enduring effects in the global south by demonstrating how imperialist arrangements of capitalism are not a distant memory from the colonial past but instead are present yet hidden and obscured while relocated and reanimated overseas to countries like the Dominican Republic, where American capitalists still exploit Black bodies for profit and power.

Preliminary Effects of an Urban Gardens and Peer Nutritional Counseling Intervention on HIV Treatment Adherence and Detectable Viral Load Among People with HIV and Food Insecurity: Evidence from a Pilot Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial in the Dominican Republic.

A pilot cluster randomized controlled trial involving two HIV clinics in the Dominican Republic assessed preliminary efficacy of an urban garden and peer nutritional counseling intervention. A total of 115 participants (52 intervention, 63 control) with moderate or severe food insecurity and sub-optimal antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence and/or detectable viral load were assessed at baseline, 6- and 12-months. Longitudinal multivariate regression analysis controlling for socio-demographics and accounting for serial cluster correlation found that the intervention: reduced the prevalence of detectable viral load by 20 percentage points at 12 months; reduced any missed clinic appointments by 34 and 16 percentage points at 6 and 12 months; increased the probability of "perfect" ART adherence by 24 and 20 percentage points at 6 and 12 months; and decreased food insecurity at 6 and 12 months. Results are promising and warrant a larger controlled trial to establish intervention efficacy for improving HIV clinical outcomes.Trial registry Clinical Trials Identifier: NCT03568682.

RESUMEN: Un estudio piloto de un ensayo controlado aleatorio por conglomerados que involucró a dos clínicas del VIH en la República Dominicana evaluó de forma preliminar la eficacia de una intervención de huertos urbanos y consejería nutricional entre pares. Un total de 115 participantes (52 de intervención, 63 de control) con inseguridad alimentaria moderada o grave y con adherencia subóptima a la terapia antirretroviral (TARV) y/o carga viral detectable fueron evaluados al inicio del estudio, y a los 6 y 12 meses. El análisis de regresión longitudinal multivariada controlando por variables sociodemográficas y tomando en cuenta la correlación serial de clúster encontró que la intervención: redujo la prevalencia de carga viral detectable en 20 puntos porcentuales a los 12 meses; redujo las citas clínicas perdidas en 34 y 16 puntos porcentuales a los 6 y 12 meses; aumentó la probabilidad de adherencia "perfecta" al TARV en 24 y 20 puntos porcentuales a los 6 y 12 meses; y disminuyó la inseguridad alimentaria a los 6 y 12 meses. Los resultados son prometedores y justifican un ensayo controlado más grande para establecer la eficacia de la intervención en mejorar los resultados clínicos del VIH.

Efectos de la suplementación oral y ejercicios de resistencia durante la sesión de hemodiálisis en pacientes del Hospital Infantil Dr. Robert Reid Cabral, período abril-junio 2019 / Effects of oral supplementation and resistance exercises during the hemodialysis session in patients of the Children's Hospital Dr. Robert Reid Cabral, April-June 2019

Se realizó un estudio tipo descriptivo, prospectivo, de corte transversal, con el objetivo de establecer los efectos de la suplementación oral y ejercicios de resistencia en pacientes de hemodiálisis Hospital Infantil Dr. Robert Reid Cabral abril-junio 2019. La población estuvo conformada por 60 pacientes con Enfermedad Renal Crónica perteneciente al servicio de diálisis, mientras que la muestra estuvo constituida por 17 pacientes. Finalizamos el proyecto con 11 pacientes, en vista de que en el periodo descrito se trasladaron 3 a diálisis peritoneal, 1 fue referido a adulto, 1 fallecido, 1 abandonó el estudio. La técnica utilizada para el levantamiento de la información fue un cuestionario de recolección de datos, procesados con el programa estadístico SPSS, utilizándose la prueba de Wilcoxon, donde el contraste de hipótesis es comparado con el valor p = 0.05, un nivel de confianza del 95 %. Los hallazgos más relevantes mostraron que la edad más frecuente fue 17 años, El sexo más frecuente el masculino; un promedio del 63.6 % tomaron del 90-100 % del suplemento indicado. El promedio de ejercicios realizado fue de 20-30 minutos. Los signos y síntomas frecuentes como efecto secundario a la realización de ejercicios se presentaron en 3 pacientes: dolor muscular; y vómito y dolor abdominal para la ingesta del suplemento. El peso tuvo un rango promedio de 3-5 % ganado. Para el índice de masa corporal el porcentaje ganado fue 1-6 %. La evolución de la masa muscular tuvo un promedio ganado de 11-15 %. En la evolución de la masa grasa 36 % perdieron entre 6-14 % de grasa. Tanto la hemoglobina como el hematocrito aumentaron en el 100 % de los pacientes. Los niveles de urea, proteínas y albúmina no evidenciaron diferencias significativas. En conclusión, demostramos en este estudio que administrando suplementación oral intradialítica, aunada a ejercicios físicos, se mejora la composición corporal de los pacientes en hemodiálisis

A descriptive, prospective, cross-sectional study was carried out to establish the effects of oral supplementation and resistance exercises in hemodialysis patients Hospital Infantil Dr. Robert Reid Cabral April-June 2019. The population consisted of 60 patients with Chronic Kidney Disease belonging to the dialysis service, while the sample consisted of 17 patients. We finished the project with 11 patients, given that in the period described, 3 were transferred to peritoneal dialysis, 1 was referred to an adult dialysis program, 1 died, and 1 dropped out of the study. The technique used to collect the information was a data collection questionnaire, processed with the statistical program SPSS, using the Wilcoxon test, where the contrast of hypotheses is compared with the value p = 0.05, a confidence level of 95 %. The most relevant findings showed that the most frequent age was 17 years, the most frequent sex was male; an average of 63.6% took 90-100% of the indicated supplement. The average number of exercises performed was 20-30 minutes. Frequent signs and symptoms as a side effect of exercising were presented muscle pain in 3 patients. In relation to oral supplements were vomiting and abdominal pain. The weight had an average range of 3-5% gained and for the body mass index, the percentage gained was 1-6%. The evolution of muscle mass had an average gain of 11-15%. In the evolution of fat mass, 36% lost between 6-14% of fat. Both hemoglobin and hematocrit increased in 100% of patients. Urea, protein, and albumin levels did not show significant differences. In conclusion, we demonstrate in this study that administering intradialytic oral supplementation, together with physical exercises, improves the body composition of hemodialysis patients

Mindfulness, Mental Health and HIV Outcomes Among Female Sex Workers in the Dominican Republic and Tanzania.

We examined the relationship between mindfulness, mental health and HIV outcomes among female sex workers (FSW) from the Dominican Republic (DR) (n = 201) and Tanzania (n = 208) using cross-sectional survey and biologic data. We employed stratified multivariate linear and logistic regression. Depression was associated with lower odds of ART adherence in the DR (AOR 0.25, 95% CI: 0.08-0.78) and of viral suppression in Tanzania (AOR 0.49, 95% CI: 0.24-0.97). In both countries, mindfulness was associated with lower odds of moderate to severe depression (AOR 0.82, 95% CI: 0.76-0.88 for the DR; AOR 0.85, 95% CI: 0.77-0.95 for Tanzania). In the DR, mindfulness was associated with lower odds of anxiety (AOR 0.83, 95% CI: 0.77-0.89), lower HIV stigma (ß = - 0.28 per unit change, 95% CI: - 0.37 to - 0.19) and greater odds of viral suppression (AOR 1.09, 95% CI: 1.02-1.15). Findings demonstrate the potential of tailored mindfulness interventions to improve mental health and HIV outcomes among FSW.

RESUMEN: Examinamos la relación entre la atención plena, la salud mental y los resultados del VIH entre las trabajadoras sexuales (TRSX) de la República Dominicana (RD) (n = 201) y Tanzania (n = 208) utilizando una encuesta transversal y datos biológicos. Empleamos regresión lineal multivariada estratificada y regresión logística. La depresión se asoció con menores probabilidades de adherencia al terapia antiretroviral (TAR) en la República Dominicana (AOR 0.25, IC del 95%: 0.08­0.78) y de supresión viral en Tanzania (AOR 0.49, IC del 95%: 0.24­0.97). En ambos países, la atención plena se asoció con menores probabilidades de depresión moderada a grave (AOR 0.82, IC del 95%: 0.76­0.88 para la República Dominicana; AOR 0.85, IC del 95%: 0.77­0.95 para Tanzania). En la República Dominicana, la atención plena se asoció con menores probabilidades de ansiedad (AOR 0.83, IC del 95%: 0.77­0.89), menor estigma del VIH (ß = − 0.28 por unidad de cambio, IC del 95%: − 0.37 to − 0.19) y mayores probabilidades de supresión viral (AOR 1.09, 95% CI: 1.02­1.15). Los hallazgos demuestran el potencial de las intervenciones de atención plena para mejorar la salud mental y los resultados del VIH entre las TRSX.

Assessing the role of the private sector in surveillance for malaria elimination in Haiti and the Dominican Republic: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Haiti and the Dominican Republic (DR) are targeting malaria elimination by 2022. The private health sector has been relatively unengaged in these efforts, even though most primary health care in Haiti is provided by non-state actors, and many people use traditional medicine. Data on private health sector participation in malaria elimination efforts are lacking, as are data on care-seeking behaviour of patients in the private health sector. This study sought to describe the role of private health sector providers, care-seeking behaviour of individuals at high risk of malaria, and possible means of engaging the private health sector in Hispaniola's malaria elimination efforts. METHODS: In-depth interviews with 26 key informants (e.g. government officials), 62 private providers, and 63 patients of private providers, as well as 12 focus group discussions (FGDs) with community members, were conducted within seven study sites in Haiti and the DR. FGDs focused on local definitions of the private health sector and identified private providers for interview recruitment, while interviews focused on private health sector participation in malaria elimination activities and treatment-seeking behaviour of febrile individuals. RESULTS: Interviews revealed that self-medication is the most common first step in the trajectory of care for fevers in both Haiti and the DR. Traditional medicine is more commonly used in Haiti than in the DR, with many patients seeking care from traditional healers before, during, and/or after care in the formal health sector. Private providers were interested in participating in malaria elimination efforts but emphasized the need for ongoing support and training. Key informants agreed that the private health sector needs to be engaged, especially traditional healers in Haiti. The Haitian migrant population was reported to be one of the most at-risk groups by participants from both countries. CONCLUSION: Malaria elimination efforts across Hispaniola could be enhanced by engaging traditional healers in Haiti and other private providers with ongoing support and trainings; directing educational messaging to encourage proper treatment-seeking behaviour; and refining cross-border strategies for surveillance of the high-risk migrant population. Increasing distribution of rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) and bi-therapy to select private health sector facilities, accompanied by adopting regulatory policies, could help increase numbers of reported and correctly treated malaria cases.

Health-Related Beliefs, Practices, and Experiences of Migrant Dominicans in the Northeastern United States.

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to describe cultural health beliefs, practices, and experiences with professional health care in the United States by migrants from the Dominican Republic because their practices are largely unknown to professional providers. Method: A qualitative descriptive design was used, guided by Leininger's culture care theory and four-phase analysis method with a convenience sample of 15 self-identified migrant Dominican adults in three interpreter-assisted focus groups, in a familiar apartment. Results: The following four themes emerged: Stress affects health and well-being, family support and faith in God are essential, use of folk care and professional care to treat illness and maintain health, and access to care, cost, communication and expressions of caring practices affect perceptions about the quality of professional care. Discussion: Results informed development of specific strategies to provide culturally responsive care and risk-reduction interventions that promote health and improve quality of care in the Dominican community.

Subjective Symptoms of Male Workers Linked to Occupational Pesticide Exposure on Coffee Plantations in the Jarabacoa Region, Dominican Republic.

Acute and sub-acute effects of pesticide use in coffee farmers have rarely been investigated. In the present field study, self-reported health symptoms from 38 male pesticide users were compared to those of 33 organic farmers. Results of cytological findings have been reported in an accompanying paper in this issue. The present second part of the study comprises a questionnaire based survey for various, potentially pesticide related symptoms among the coffee farmers. Symptom rates were generally higher in exposed workers, reaching significance in nine out of 19 assessed symptoms. Significantly increased symptom frequencies were related to neurotoxicity, parasympathic effects and acetylcholine esterase inhibition, with the highest differences found for excessive salivation, dizziness and stomach ache. We revealed a lack of precautionary measures in the majority of farmers. Better education, regulations, and safety equipment are urgently needed.

Cytotoxic and Genotoxic Effects of Pesticide Exposure in Male Coffee Farmworkers of the Jarabacoa Region, Dominican Republic.

Intensive agrochemical use in coffee production in the Global South has been documented. The aim of this study was to investigate cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of pesticide exposure in male farmworkers in the Dominican Republic comparing conventional farming using pesticides to organic farming. Furthermore, feasibility of the buccal micronucleus cytome assay (BMCA) for field studies under difficult local conditions was tested. In a cross-sectional field study, pesticide exposed (sprayers) and non-exposed male workers on coffee plantations were interviewed about exposure history, and pesticide application practices. Buccal cells were sampled, and BMCA was applied to assess potential effects on cell integrity. In total, 38 pesticide-exposed and 33 non-exposed workers participated. Eighty-four and 87%, respectively, of the pesticide-exposed respondents did not use masks or gloves at all. All biomarkers from the BMCA were significantly more frequent among exposed workers-odds ratio for micronucleated cells: 3.1 (95% confidence interval: 1.3⁻7.4) or karyolysis: 1.3 (1.1⁻1.5). Buccal cells as sensitive markers of toxic oral or respiratory exposures proved feasible for challenging field studies. Our findings indicate that the impact of pesticide use is not restricted to acute effects on health and wellbeing, but also points to long-term health risks. Therefore, occupational safety measures including training and protective clothing are needed, as well as encouragement towards minimal application of pesticides and more widespread use of organic farming.

Intervención con la estrategia de municipio y comunidades saludables: educación y comunicación en salud / Guía de intervención para la promoción de la salud y la prevención de las enfermedades a nivel local

La guía de intervenciones para la promoción de la salud y prevención de la enfermedad cons tuye una segunda versión revisada y mejorada, fundamentada en la inicia va de Municipios y Comunidades Saludables y la Educación para la Salud, que recoge las principales acciones a llevar a cabo en cada municipio o comunidad, y que integra los diferentes componentes de las intervenciones priorizadas y las acciones o ac vidades que conlleva su desarrollo. Esta guía es concebida por el Ministerio de Salud como un documento dinámico que ene disposición de ir renovándose conforme a los avances en la implementación local; no obstante, en él se establecen desde un inicio estructuras y mecanismos que consideramos clave para reforzar la coordinación entre sectores y para proporcionar en la ciudadanía entornos y servicios que faciliten es los de vida más saludables, a través de un marco común de trabajo, la facilitación de la implementación local, herramientas concretas y estandarizadas en todos los municipios y comunidades, desde un marco de determinantes sociales de la salud , tomando en cuenta que el ámbito local es el más cercano a la población, y en él, las personas viven, trabajan, estudian, y acceden a servicios. Es evidente que los ayuntamientos o gobiernos locales enen una influencia directa en la salud de la población, mediante sus polí cas de salud, educación, bienestar social, entre otras y que algunas de ellas no son en su totalidad de competencia local; sin embargo,sus servicios se desarrollan en ese ámbito, por lo que la coordinación en el territorio produce sinergias muy efec vas para ganar salud, aspectos que hacen de esta guía de intervenciones en el ámbito local una herramienta idónea para contribuir a mejorar la salud de la población, mediante el trabajo conjunto entre sectores y contando con la par cipación de la ciudadanía . En virtud de que la estrategia de municipios y comunidades saludables u liza la planeación local como instrumento básico, e incluye la par cipación social en el manejo, evaluación y proceso de toma de decisiones para contribuir al logro de los obje vos de desarrollo sostenibles en las demarcaciones locales; esta guía cuenta con orientaciones metodológicas para los planes de desarrollo, con enfoque de trabajo sobre los determinantes sociales de la salud, para avanzar en el logro de los obje vos sostenibles , y mejorar la calidad de vida de la población.

Evaluation of Iron Deficiency Anemia in a Pediatric Clinic in the Dominican Republic.

BACKGROUND: Iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia affect billions of people worldwide. Infants and young children are the most vulnerable. The Niños Primeros en Salud pediatric clinic aims to follow the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommendation to screen all children at 12 months of age, a vital period for development and the time of greatest risk. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the clinic's performance screening for, diagnosing, and treating iron deficiency anemia; and to describe the prevalence and severity of anemia in infants and children attending a perirural clinic in the Dominican Republic. METHODS: A total of 293 charts were reviewed for hemoglobin tests performed between 9 and 15 months of age. If a hemoglobin screening was performed, then sociodemographic characteristics, medical history, and laboratory data were collected. If blood tests revealed anemia, then the presence or absence of documented anemia diagnosis as well as the presence or absence of documented provision of iron therapy were recorded. FINDINGS: Less than one-third (87, 29.7%) of patients had a documented hemoglobin test performed in this age range. Of these, 89.6% indicated anemia and nearly half (48.6%) revealed moderate anemia. One-third (34%) of hemoglobin results revealing anemia were not accompanied by a documented diagnosis. The vast majority (86.5%) of results indicated microcytosis, yet just more than half (50.8%) of anemic patients received iron therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Many children at the clinic were not screened for iron deficiency anemia during the period of highest risk. In the participants screened, iron deficiency anemia was underdiagnosed and often untreated. Anemia is a significant burden in this community-one demanding reliable screening and universal supplementation.

Using Maslow's hierarchy to highlight power imbalances between visiting health professional student volunteers and the host community: An applied qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Health professional students from high-income countries increasingly participate in short-term experiences in global health (STEGH) conducted abroad. One common criticism of STEGH is the inherent power differential that exists between visiting learners and the local community. To highlight this power differential, this paper explores perceived benefits as described by volunteer and community respondents and applies Maslow's hierarchy of needs to commonly identified themes in each respondent group. METHODS: A semistructured survey was used to collect qualitative responses from both volunteers and community members located in a Dominican Republic community, that is, a hotspot for traditionally conducted STEGH. Thematic analysis identified themes of perceived benefits from both respondent groups; each group's common themes were then classified and compared within Maslow's hierarchy of needs. RESULTS: Each respondent group identified resource provision as a perceived benefit of STEGH, but volunteer respondents primarily focused on the provision of highly-skilled, complex resources while community respondents focused on basic necessities (food, water, etc.) Volunteer respondents were also the only group to also mention spiritual/religious/life experiences, personal skills development, and relationships as perceived benefits. Applying Maslow's hierarchy thus demonstrates a difference in needs: community respondents focused on benefits that address deficiency needs at the bottom of the hierarchy while volunteers focused on benefits addressing self-transcendence/actualization needs at the top of the hierarchy. CONCLUSIONS: The perceived difference in needs met by STEGH between volunteers and the host community within Maslow's hierarchy may drive an inherent power differential. Refocusing STEGH on the relationship level of the hierarchy (i.e., focusing on partnerships) might help mitigate this imbalance and empower host communities.

Thirty-sixth-month follow-up of first-in-human use of cyanoacrylate adhesive for treatment of saphenous vein incompetence.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate the long-term safety and effectiveness of endovenous cyanoacrylate (CA)-based closure of incompetent great saphenous veins. METHODS: This was a prospective, single-arm, single-center feasibility study conducted at the Canela Clinic (La Romana, Dominican Republic) to assess the effectiveness and safety of a CA-based adhesive for great saphenous vein closure at 36 months after treatment. Thirty-eight subjects were treated by injection of small boluses of CA under ultrasound guidance and without the use of perivenous tumescent anesthesia or postprocedure graduated compression stockings. Periodic scheduled follow-up was performed during 36 months. RESULTS: At month 36, there were 29 subjects who were available for follow-up. Complete occlusion of the treated veins was confirmed by duplex ultrasound in all subjects with the exception of two subjects showing recanalization at month 1 and month 3. Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed an occlusion rate at month 36 of 94.7% (95% confidence interval, 87.9%-100%). The mean Venous Clinical Severity Score (VCSS) improved from 6.1 ± 2.7 at baseline to 2.2 ± 0.4 at month 36 (P < .0001). Pain, edema, and varicosities (VCSS subdomains) improved in 75.9%, 62.1%, and 41.4% of subjects, respectively, at month 36. Overall adverse events were mild or moderate and self-limited. CONCLUSIONS: CA adhesive appears to be an effective and safe treatment for saphenous vein closure, with long-term occlusion rates comparable to those of other thermal and nonthermal methods and with no reported serious adverse events.

Clarithromycin-Based Triple Therapy is Still Useful as an Initial Treatment for Helicobacter pylori Infection in the Dominican Republic.

AbstractHelicobacter pylori antibiotic susceptibility in the Dominican Republic has not been monitored. We assessed H. pylori antibiotic susceptibility in the Dominican Republic, and analyzed H. pylori mutations associated with antibiotic resistance. We recruited 158 dyspeptic patients in Santo Domingo and used agar dilution to test susceptibility to five antibiotics. Polymerase chain reaction-based sequencing was used to assess gyrA, gyrB, rdxA, frxA, and 23S rRNA mutations; next-generation sequencing was used to identify other metronidazole resistance-associated genes. Among 64 H. pylori strains isolated, we identified two (3.1%), one (1.6%), and no strains with clarithromycin, amoxicillin, and tetracycline resistance, respectively. Moreover, high frequency of metronidazole resistance (53/64, 82.8%) was observed, whereas levofloxacin resistance is emerging (23/64, 35.9%). We identified many rdxA and frxA mutations in metronidazole-resistant strains, but no synergistic effect was apparent. We revealed novel mutations in dppA, dppB, fdxA, and fdxB, irrespective of rdxA and frxA mutations. Novel mutations at Ser-14 of trx1 and Arg-221 of dapF were associated with different levels of metronidazole resistance. Most levofloxacin-resistant strains had a substitution at Asn-87 of gyrA, including the strain with the highest levofloxacin resistance, whereas only three substitutions were found at Ser-479 of gyrB with no synergistic effect. Besides the 23S rRNA A2142G mutation, we observed another mutation at T1958G in both clarithromycin-resistant strains. We confirmed high metronidazole and levofloxacin resistance associated with genetic mutations in the Dominican Republic. However, prevalence of clarithromycin resistance was low, suggesting that standard clarithromycin-based triple therapy remains useful as initial treatment of H. pylori infection.

'HIV and work don't go together': Employment as a social determinant of HIV outcomes among men who have sex with men and transgender women in the Dominican Republic.

Men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women are disproportionately affected by HIV in the Dominican Republic. Little is known about their experiences living with HIV as a chronic condition. We explored employment as a social determinant of well-being with HIV. We conducted 42 qualitative in-depth interviews with MSM (n = 16) and transgender women (n = 5) living with HIV; each participant completed 2 interviews to facilitate depth and iterative analysis. We used narrative analysis and systematic coding to identify salient themes related to employment and the HIV experience and developed a conceptual model of the pathways between HIV stigma, unemployment, and HIV outcomes. Early life experiences, including rejection from families and school, resulted in limited work opportunities, especially among transgender women. Following HIV diagnosis, participants across all socio-economic levels lost jobs and/or were unable to get jobs due to illegal HIV testing and HIV stigma and discrimination. Not being able to work impacted mental health, engagement in HIV care, and overall well-being. We conclude that lack of employment is a salient concern among MSM and transgender women living with HIV. Holistic, multi-level programmes that address illegal HIV testing and discriminatory hiring practices are urgently needed to facilitate engagement in care and long-term well-being.

Faith, Family, Filiality, and Fate.

OBJECTIVE: What is the characterization of family involvement in health decisions, filial piety, religiosity/spirituality, and fatalism as they relate to attitudes/intentions toward end-of-life (EOL) planning/decision making among elderly Dominicans and Puerto Ricans in East Harlem, New York City? METHOD: An exploratory study using grounded theory and domain analysis was conducted with 51 elderly Dominicans and Puerto Ricans. Purposive and emerging themes were identified by three coders. RESULTS: Purposive themes were family involvement in health decisions/filial piety and religiosity/spirituality/fatalism and for clinical EOL-related terms; emerging themes were accessing/using EOL care, autonomy, influence of death/dying on own future care decisions, and death/dying is a private matter. IMPLICATIONS: The recommendations for community members are to empower awareness of EOL issues, engage providers regarding cultural needs, and clarification of advance care planning (ACP) function; the recommendations for providers are to engage patients to enhance culturally responsive care, clarify ACP function, and ask patients about preference for roles of family and God in decisions; the recommendations for policy makers are to enhance palliative education/access and immigration status research protections.

Yeast Ca(2+)-signal transduction inhibitors isolated from Dominican amber prevent the degranulation of RBL-2H3 cells through the inhibition of Ca(2+)-influx.

A new norlabdane compound, named kujigamberol has previously been isolated from Kuji amber (but not from Baltic amber) by activity guided fractionation. However, there has been no study of biological compounds in Dominican amber. Biological activities were examined using the hypersensitive mutant yeast (zds1Δ erg3Δ pdr1Δ pdr3Δ) with respect to Ca(2+)-signal transduction, enzymes and rat basophilic leukemia (RBL)-2H3 cells. The structures were elucidated on the basis of spectral analysis including high resolution (HR)-EI-MS, 1D NMR and 2D NMR. Three diterpenoid compounds, 5(10)-halimen-15-oic acid (1), 3-cleroden-15-oic acid (2) and 8-labden-15-oic acid (3), which are different from the bioactive compounds in Kuji and Baltic ambers, were isolated from Dominican amber. They inhibited both calcineurin (CN) (IC50=40.0, 21.2 and 34.2µM) and glycogen synthase kinase-3ß (GSK-3ß) (IC50=48.9, 43.8 and 41.1µM) which are involved in the growth restored activity against the mutant yeast. The most abundant compound 2 showed inhibitory activity against both degranulation and Ca(2+)-influx in RBL-2H3 cells. The compounds having the growth restoring activity against the mutant yeast have potential as anti-allergic compounds.

Anemia Screening and Treatment Outcomes of Children in a Low-resource Community in the Dominican Republic.

Iron is often initiated for children with low hemoglobin values in the absence of other indicators of iron deficiency in low-resource settings. Unfortunately, there are few reports describing outcomes from such an approach outside of clinical trials. This study examined outcomes of an anemia screening and treatment service in a low-resource community in the Dominican Republic. Complete blood counts (CBC) and receipt of iron supplementation were extracted from health records of young children participating in a well-baby clinic in the targeted community. Of the 265 children screened, 68.7% had hemoglobin values <11.0 g/dl; 61.5% of these anemic children had follow-up CBCs. While 72.3% of those with follow-up CBCs picked-up some iron supplements, only 21.4% had a follow-up hemoglobin ≥11.0 g/dl. Amount of iron given was not related to change in hemoglobin at follow-up. More follow-up monitoring of quality and impact of community care is required with associated evidence-informed benchmark targets.

Una matrona en el exilio republicano: Cinta Font Margalef / A midwife in the Republican exile: Cinta Font Margalef

Miles de personas tuvieron que exiliarse tras la Guerra Civil española (1936-1939) para no sufrir las consecuencias de haber luchado en el bando perdedor. Aunque se han escrito centenares de obras sobre el exilio científico (médicos, químicos, arquitectos, etc.), en muy pocas de ellas las mujeres son las protagonistas. Tampoco se conoce demasiado de la vida cotidiana de la población exiliada. Esta investigación está centrada en la biografía de Cinta Rafaela Font Margalef, una matrona catalana y su familia. Su marido, Artur Bladé i Desumvila fue un famoso escritor en lengua catalana que recogió en sus diarios toda su vida. La familia tuvo que exiliarse primero a Francia y luego a México. En 1961 decidieron volver a España. Estas páginas muestran las dificultades que tuvieron que sufrir durante la guerra, por la persecución de una casi desconocida organización, la «delegación para la información de Residentes en Territorio Liberado» que la calificaron como una mujer muy peligrosa. También, en las estrategias que encontraron para empezar una nueva vida, primero en Francia y luego en México (AU)

Thousands of people had to go into exile after the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) to avoid the consequences of having fought for the losing side. Although thousands of articles have been written on the scientific exile (doctors, chemists, architects etc.), women are the protagonists in very few. This research is centred on the biography of Cinta Rafaela Font Magaluf, a Catalan midwife, and her family. Her husband, Artur Bladé i Desumvila, was a famous author in Catalan who captured his whole life in his diaries. The family had to go into exile first in France and then in Mexico. In 1961 they decided to return to Spain. These pages show the difficulties they went through during the war, persecuted by an almost unknown organisation, the delegation for information on Residents in Liberated Territories, which qualified her as a very dangerous woman and additionally, the strategies they used to start a new life, first in France and later, in Mexico (AU)