Examining Global Crises: Extracting Insights From the COVID-19 Pandemic and Natural Disasters to Develop a Robust Emergency Diabetic Retinopathy Strategy for Puerto Rico.

In this critical analysis, we investigate the profound impact of natural disasters and pandemics on the care and adherence to treating diabetic retinopathy, a severe complication of diabetes requiring continuous monitoring and treatment to prevent vision loss. Our study also sheds light on the social and economic context of Puerto Rico, emphasizing recent emergency events that have exacerbated existing public health challenges. Through a comprehensive review of relevant literature from PubMed, Google Scholar, and the George Washington University Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library database, we identified 31 pertinent articles out of 45 evaluated, focusing on the effects of these crises on healthcare delivery, diabetic retinopathy screening, and treatment. The evidence strongly indicates that during such emergencies, barriers to healthcare escalate, leading to significant treatment delays and a reduction in diabetic retinopathy screening and diagnosis, ultimately resulting in deteriorated visual outcomes. Thus, our review underscores the urgent need for the development of effective emergency plans tailored specifically to diabetic retinopathy, particularly in Puerto Rico, where diabetes prevalence and its complications are notably higher. Such plans should not only incorporate established emergency measures but also harness emerging technological advances in the field of ophthalmology to ensure optimal preparedness for future pandemics and natural disasters.

Compound Heterozygous Mutations in the BBS-1 Gene and its Clinical Presentation: A Case Report.

Compound heterozygous mutations, where two distinct mutated alleles are present within a particular gene, can give rise to the Bardet-Biedl syndrome (BBS). There is limited evidence suggesting that some compound heterozygotes can present with milder phenotypic characteristics than homozygotes. We report on the clinical characteristics of a 22-year-old Puerto Rican male who was compound heterozygous for the Bardet-Biedl syndrome type 1. Our patient had deteriorating visual acuity since early childhood. Clinical and ophthalmic examination revealed retinal dystrophy, polydactyly, and very mild learning disabilities. No additional systemic complications commonly observed in patients with the BBS were present. Allele-specific testing and DNA sequencing revealed compound heterozygous mutations (M390R and E549X) in the BBS1 gene. Our findings could suggest that patients who are compound heterozygotes for these specific BBS mutations can exhibit milder clinical signs than homozygous patients.

Seismic and experimental insights into eruption precursors at Volcán de Colima.

We combine geophysical and experimental observations to interpret preeruptive unrest at Volcán de Colima in 1998. 17,893 volcanic earthquakes were detected between 1 October and 31 December 1998, including 504 clusters. Using seismic ambient noise interferometry, we observe a drop in velocity prior to the eruption linked to damage accumulation during magma ascent. This is supported by experimental observations where static stress causes a velocity decrease prior to failure. Furthermore, we observe acoustic emission clusters during the experiments, with lower porosity samples producing higher numbers of repeaters. This behavior introduces tensile failure as an additional viable mechanism for clusters during magma ascent. The findings suggest that preeruptive magma ascent may be monitored to variable degrees of accuracy via descriptions of damage accumulation and associated seismic velocity changes.

Toxocara vitulorum in beef calves in North Central Florida.

In this study, we evaluated the prevalence of Toxocara vitulorum in beef calves in North Central Florida. Fecal samples from 433 calves under 9 months of age were analyzed for the presence of eggs in their feces. The prevalence in calves less than 3 months of age was 17.6%, 3-4 months of age was 0.4% and those 5-6 months old had a 0.9% prevalence. As expected, no eggs were detected in any calves older than 6 months. Calves were treated with fenbendazole (10% FBZ) at 5mg/kg after fecal samples were collected. Twenty calves that had T. vitulorum eggs in the feces were resampled 2 weeks after treatment to evaluate effectiveness of FBZ. No T. vitulorum eggs were seen in the feces of 17/20 (85%) of the calves that were sampled after FBZ treatment. FBZ was effective in 85% of calves treated for T. vitulorum infection in calves. We would like to make beef ranchers and veterinarians in the southern states aware that the prevalence of this parasite has greatly increased recently in northern Florida beef units.