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Mercado-Molina, Alex E., Alfredo Montañez-Acuña, Ruber Rodríguez-Barreras, Roberto Colón-Miranda, Geraldine Díaz-Ortega, Neidibel Martínez-González, Sandra Schleier-Hernández, and Alberto M. Sabat. "Revisiting the population status of the sea urchinDiadema antillarumin northern Puerto Rico." Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 95, no. 5 (December 17, 2014): 1017–24. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s002531541400188x.
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The mass mortality suffered by the sea urchinDiadema antillarumbetween 1983–1984 is considered one of the major causes of coral reef degradation in the Caribbean. Its near disappearance resulted in a disproportionate growth of macroalgae that has led to a ‘phase shift’ from coral-to-algal dominated reefs. The close relationship between this echinoid and the functioning of coral reef ecosystems makes it imperative to better understand the potential for recovery of its populations. From 2009 to 2011, we assessed the density and size structure ofD. antillarumin various reefs where previous population data were available. Results indicate a modest increase in density in all localities with respect to the last time they were surveyed in 2003/2004. Nevertheless, density values are still lower than values reported for the island prior to the die-off. Overall density did not surpass 1.49 ind. per m−2, and did not change considerably during the studied period. Lack of population growth coincided with a lack of juveniles; suggesting that population growth at the studied sites may be limited by the number of individuals recruiting into the juvenile stage.
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Haddock, L. "Bone mineral density study in a normal female population of Puerto Rico." Bone 29, no. 3 (September 2001): 298. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/s8756-3282(01)00523-3.
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ARENDT, WAYNE J., SONG S. QIAN, and KELLI A. MINEARD. "Population decline of the Elfin-woods WarblerSetophaga angelaein eastern Puerto Rico." Bird Conservation International 23, no. 2 (April 16, 2012): 136–46. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0959270913000166.
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SummaryWe estimated the population density of the globally threatened Elfin-woods WarblerSetophaga angelaewithin two forest types at different elevations in the Luquillo Experimental Forest in north-eastern Puerto Rico. Population densities ranged from 0.01 to 0.02 individuals/ha in elfin woodland and 0.06–0.26 individuals/ha inpalo coloradoforest in 2006, with average rates of decline since 1989 of 0.002–0.01 and 0.003–0.06 individuals/ha respectively. These estimates show a significant general declining trend from c.0.2 individuals/ha in 1989 in elfin woodland to c.0.02/ha in 2006, and from 1 to 0.2 inpalo coloradoforest. Although variation in estimated population density depended on the statistical method used, we document and discuss possible causes of an overall population decline from 1989 to 2006, lending support to previous initiatives to reclassify the species from the IUCN Red List category of “Vulnerable” to “Endangered”.
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Rodríguez-Barreras, Ruber, Alfredo Montañez-Acuña, Abimarie Otaño-Cruz, and Scott D. Ling. "Apparent stability of a low-density Diadema antillarum regime for Puerto Rican coral reefs." ICES Journal of Marine Science 75, no. 6 (July 17, 2018): 2193–201. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/icesjms/fsy093.
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Abstract Caribbean reefs have suffered decline in coral cover in recent decades due to recurrent anthropogenic and natural stressors. The regional collapse of the sea urchin Diadema antillarum, combined with overfishing, has contributed to a phase-shift of coral reef communities towards fleshy macroalgal dominance. Here, we examine the population dynamics of D. antillarum at five sites in Puerto Rico from 2011 to 2016 and determine trends between the sea urchin and local benthic habitats. The sea urchin population exhibited low but stable densities (with slight, but non-significant trend of increase), yet showed variability between sites. Large urchins (>60 mm test diam.) were the most abundant across sites and through time, followed by medium urchins (41–60 mm test diam.), whereas small individuals (<40 mm) were rare, indicating recruitment-limitation. Spatial and temporal differences in benthic habitats were not related to local D. antillarum abundances. Macroalgae cover declined at all sites over the 6 years, ranging 5–86%, whereas live coral cover also decreased across all sites (ranging 4–38%). Diadema antillarum populations in Puerto Rico appear stable with limited evidence for recovery trends back to pre-mass mortality densities. Full population recovery may take longer than expected; however, evidence indicates that the contemporary low-density D. antillarum population represents a novel stable regime.
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Rodríguez-Barreras, Ruber, María E. Pérez, Alex E. Mercado-Molina, Stacey M. Williams, and Alberto M. Sabat. "Higher population densities of the sea urchin Diadema antillarum linked to wave sheltered areas in north Puerto Rico Archipelago." Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 94, no. 8 (June 20, 2014): 1661–69. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0025315414000666.
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The long-spined sea urchin Diadema antillarum has been the focus of multiple studies since the mass mortality event in the 1980s. The recovery of this key herbivore in the wider Caribbean is essential for the well-being of coral reefs. This study examined the population density and structure of D. antillarum at seven northern fringing reefs of Puerto Rico between 2011 and 2013. The total mean density of the sea urchins in northern Puerto Rico was 0.9 ±0.3 ind m−2. Densities of D. antillarum significantly differed among sites, but not temporally. Differences in mean sizes were significant among sites and seasons. Areas with higher densities of D. antillarum showed lower cover of non-calcareous algae. Wave exposure was correlated with the abundance of the sea urchin. This study indicates that the observed abundance of D. antillarum has not yet returned to pre-mortality levels. However, densities showed some degree of recovery when compared with previous studies, enabling at least some degree of control on fleshy macroalgae communities. No significant changes in density occurred between 2011 and 2013, and sites with higher densities were generally located in leeward areas. The low relative abundance of small size individuals points towards recruitment limitation as an explanation for the limited recovery of D. antillarum.
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Rivera-Milán, Frank F., Carlos A. Ruiz, José A. Cruz, and José A. Sustache. "Reproduction of Plain Pigeons (Columba Inornata Wetmorei) in East-Central Puerto Rico." Auk 120, no. 2 (April 1, 2003): 466–80. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/auk/120.2.466.
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AbstractThe Puerto Rican Plain Pigeon (Columba inornata wetmorei) was listed as endangered in 1970. Transect-survey and nest-monitoring data were collected to estimate reproductive parameters and to assess effects of weather, food, predation, and habitat. We monitored 377 of 423 nests found in east-central Puerto Rico during February-September 1986-2000. The largest sampling effort was conducted in May-June 1998, and 131 nests were found along 8,460 m, resulting in a nest density (D̂) of 5.26 per hectare or 356 nesting pairs (N̂) in the surveyed area (a = 67.7 ha). Nest spatial distribution was highly clumped (b̂ = 3.2) and transect surveys were highly variable (CV = 40%). Thus, 34,000 m needed to be surveyed for a desired coefficient of variation (CV[D̂]) of 20%. Nest density varied widely during May-June 1986–2000. With a CV about the trend line of 121%, from 18 to 28 years of data would be needed to detect an increase or a decrease (r) of 5–10% in log-transformed nest density estimates through linear regression analysis (alpha = 0.15 and power = 0.80). Whereas food abundance had positive and significant relationships with nest density and number of fledglings produced, predator density had negative and significant relationships with nesting success and the number of fledglings produced. Predation accounted for 79% of nest losses (n = 183). Mayfield's estimates of nesting success averaged 40% and an average of 0.5 fledglings were produced per nesting pair. Because Plain Pigeons are able to produce fledglings from three or more broods per year and have extended nesting seasons (with a nest density peak usually occurring in May-June), we hypothesized that hatch-year and after-hatch-year survival rates of 50–65% and a yearly productivity of 1.4–2.0 fledglings per nesting pair were enough to offset mortality. Our optimism is tempered by the fact that Plain Pigeons have not been reported nesting outside east-central Puerto Rico, where rapid destruction and fragmentation of second-growth forests, catastrophic weather, food availability, nest predation, illegal hunting and poaching of nestlings may interact and cause an irreversible population decline. Managers should focus on conserving and restoring second-growth forest fragments to provide food and cover throughout the year. Additional recommendations are given based on the results of our study, which was part of a larger study of factors affecting the reproduction of columbids on Puerto Rico and its territories.
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Rivera-Milán, Frank F., and Fred C. Schaffner. "Demography of Zenaida Doves on Cayo Del Agua, Culebra, Puerto Rico." Condor 104, no. 3 (August 1, 2002): 587–97. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/condor/104.3.587.
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AbstractThe demography of Zenaida Doves (Zenaida aurita) was studied on Cayo del Agua, Culebra, Puerto Rico. We collected capture-recapture and reproductive success data and monitored annual changes in the density of ground nests in 1987–1993 and 2000. Models with time-specific apparent survival and constant capture rates (ϕ̂t, p̂c) and constant apparent survival and time-specific capture rates (ϕ̂c, p̂t) were equally parsimonious, with the former having 1.5 times more support from the data. Rainfall of the first six months of the year was positively related to nest density, and crab density was negatively related to nesting success and the number of doves fledged per nest. Crabs are the main predators of dove nests on Cayo del Agua. Models, parameterized with field data, were used to simulate full and reduced stochastic variation in environmental and demographic conditions, and predict annual changes in population size. High recruitment (births or births + immigrants) offset high losses (deaths + emigrants) in all instances. Our field data suggest that Zenaida Doves suffered an ecological crunch between 1989 and 1990, when weather (a hurricane followed by a drought), food availability, and nest predation interacted, lowering the number of locally fledged doves that survived the hatching year (1989–1990) and reproductive success (1990). Under severe conditions, population size and recovery mainly depended on immigration. Apparent survival returned to pre-hurricane levels between 1990 and 1991, and reproductive success was about average in 1991.Demografía de Zenaida aurita en Cayo del Agua, Culebra, Puerto RicoResumen. Estudiamos la demografía de Zenaida aurita en Cayo del Agua, Culebra, Puerto Rico. Durante 1987–1993 y 2000 colectamos datos de captura-recaptura y éxito reproductivo y seguimos los cambios anuales en la densidad de nidos localizados en el suelo. Los modelos con tasa de supervivencia aparente específica para cada período de tiempo, y tasa de captura constante (ϕ̂t, p̂c), y con tasas de supervivencia aparente constante y captura específica para cada período de tiempo (ϕ̂c, p̂t) tuvieron igual parsimonia, aunque el primer modelo fue apoyado por los datos 1.5 veces más que el segundo modelo. La lluvia de los primeros seis meses del año se relacionó positivamente con la densidad de los nidos, y la densidad de los cangrejos se relacionó negativamente con el éxito de nidificación y el número de individuos producidos por nido. Los cangrejos son los principales depredadores de los nidos de Z. aurita en Cayo del Agua. Usamos modelos, con estimados de parámetros basados en los datos de campo, para simular diferentes niveles de variación estocástica en las condiciones ambientales y demográficas, y para predecir cambios anuales en el tamaño poblacional. El reclutamiento (nacimientos o nacimientos + inmigrantes) superó a la pérdida (muertes + emigrantes) de individuos en todo momento. Nuestros datos de campo sugieren que Z. aurita sufrió un gran impacto ecológico entre 1989 y 1990, cuando las condiciones climáticas (un huracán seguido de una sequía), la disponibilidad de alimento, y la depredación de nidos interactuaron, disminuyendo el número de individuos que sobrevivieron el primer año de vida (1989–1990) y el éxito reproductivo (1990). Bajo condiciones severas, el tamaño de la población y su recuperación dependió mayormente de la inmigración. La supervivencia aparente regresó al mismo nivel que antes del huracán entre 1990 y 1991, y el éxito reproductivo se acercó a un nivel promedio en 1991.
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Bloch, Christopher P., and Michael R. Willig. "Context-dependence of long-term responses of terrestrial gastropod populations to large-scale disturbance." Journal of Tropical Ecology 22, no. 2 (February 1, 2006): 111–22. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0266467405002853.
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Large-scale natural disturbances, such as hurricanes, can have profound effects on animal populations. Nonetheless, generalizations about the effects of disturbance are elusive, and few studies consider long-term responses of a single population or community to multiple large-scale disturbance events. In the last 20 y, two major hurricanes (Hugo and Georges) have struck the island of Puerto Rico. Long-term population trends of 17 species of terrestrial gastropod were evaluated to determine whether gastropods respond to hurricane disturbances in a consistent fashion. Some species increased, some decreased, and some exhibited no simple trend in density or spatial variability following disturbance. In addition, some species responded differently to the two hurricanes with respect to population density, absolute spatial variability, or relative spatial variability. Population responses probably hinge on trade-offs between sensitivity to microclimatic changes and resource availability resulting from the relocation of biomass from the canopy to the forest floor. The historical context within which a hurricane occurs may be as important, or more so, than the intensity of the storm, per se.
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Fuentes, Mario, Alberto Pantoja, Antonio Sotomayor, and James Beaver. "Selección recurrente recíproca en maíz: tolerancia al ataque del gusano de la mazorca y el cogollero (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)." Agronomía Mesoamericana 9, no. 1 (May 31, 2016): 42. http://dx.doi.org/10.15517/am.v9i1.24624.
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The progressive selection of yield, agronomic characteristics and quantification of damages caused by Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) and Helicoverpa zea (Boddie), were evaluated after four selection cycles on maize populations (Zea mays L., varieties Ohio S9, Ohio S10, Mayorbela and Diente de caballo, under chemical control and natural infestation conditions. The experiments were carried out at an experimental site in a tropical agriculture research station (TARS), a USDA station located in Isabela, Puerto Rico. The experimental design consisted of random entire blocks with five repetitions, and treatments were asigned according to a factorial arrangement with parcels divided at a density of 44.444 plants/ha. Significant differences were found among populations and selection cycles for yield, plant and cob height, and percentage of insect-related losses*. The highest yield was obtained from the Ohio S 10 population with 4.824 kg/ha, and 169 kg/ha - a profit of 1.2% per selection cycle. The latest selection cycles showed a greater yield and better agronomic characteristics than the initial selection cycle of each population under improvement. Losses in yield caused by S. frugiperda and H. zea oscillated between 3-21 % and 17-28%, respectively. Ohio S9 showed the greatest los s in yield caused by these insects.
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Gómez-Andújar, Nicolás X., and Edwin A. Hernandez-Delgado. "Spatial benthic community analysis of shallow coral reefs to support coastal management in Culebra Island, Puerto Rico." PeerJ 8 (October 14, 2020): e10080. http://dx.doi.org/10.7717/peerj.10080.
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Caribbean coral reefs provide essential ecosystem services to society, including fisheries, tourism and shoreline protection from coastal erosion. However, these reefs are also exhibiting major declining trends, leading to the evolution of novel ecosystems dominated by non-reef building taxa, with potentially altered ecological functions. In the search for effective management strategies, this study characterized coral reefs in front of a touristic beach which provides economic benefits to the surrounding coastal communities yet faces increasing anthropogenic pressures and conservation challenges. Haphazard photo-transects were used to address spatial variation patterns in the reef’s benthic community structure in eight locations. Statistically significant differences were found with increasing distance from the shoreline, reef rugosity, Diadema antillarum density, among reef locations, and as a function of recreational use. Nearshore reefs reflected higher percent macroalgal cover, likely due to increased exposure from both recreational activities and nearby unsustainable land-use practices. However, nearshore reefs still support a high abundance of the endangered reef-building coral Orbicella annularis, highlighting the need to conserve these natural shoreline protectors. There is an opportunity for local stakeholders and regulatory institutions to collaboratively implement sea-urchin propagation, restoration of endangered Acroporid coral populations, and zoning of recreational densities across reefs. Our results illustrate vulnerable reef hotspots where these management interventions are needed and recommend guidelines to address them.
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Angulo-sandoval, Pilar, and T. Mitchell Aide. "Effect of plant density and light availability on leaf damage in Manilkara bidentata (Sapotaceae)." Journal of Tropical Ecology 16, no. 3 (May 2000): 447–64. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0266467400001504.
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Variation in herbivory is often associated with plant density and light environment. The effect of these variables was studied on leaf production and herbivory of Manilkara bidentata in Puerto Rico. The major herbivore of M. bidentata is the leaf miner Acrocercops sp. To determine the effect of plant density, twenty-four 20-m × 20-m plots were established and the densities of saplings, juveniles and adults were determined. Leaf production, herbivory and growth were measured on saplings. Plant density was determined in eight 20-m × 20-m plots surrounding the focal plots. The effect of light was determined by comparing leaf phenology, leaf quality and herbivory in vertical and horizontal profiles. Sapling density in 60-m × 60-m plots was associated with herbivory. In the vertical profile, leaf production was continuous only for the canopy: herbivory increased from the canopy (1.3%) towards the understorey (35.6%). In the horizontal profile leaf production was related to light. Saplings in low light environments had narrow peaks in leaf production compared with saplings in high light environments. Differences in leaf phenology did not result in differences in herbivory possibly because of variation in herbivory among leaves. Although many saplings lost more than 80% of new leaf area, there was no detectable effect on growth. High levels of intra-specific variation in herbivory suggest that to better understand plant/herbivore interactions it is necessary to consider all size classes in a population. It is also important to document these pattern across different spatial scales.
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Richardson, Barbara A., M. J. Richardson, F. N. Scatena, and W. H. Mcdowell. "Effects of nutrient availability and other elevational changes on bromeliad populations and their invertebrate communities in a humid tropical forest in Puerto Rico." Journal of Tropical Ecology 16, no. 2 (March 2000): 167–88. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0266467400001346.
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Nutrient inputs into tank bromeliads were studied in relation to growth and productivity, and the abundance, diversity and biomass of their animal inhabitants, in three forest types along an elevational gradient. Concentrations of phosphorus, potassium and calcium in canopy-derived debris, and nitrogen and phosphorus in phytotelm water, declined with increasing elevation. Dwarf forest bromeliads contained the smallest amounts of debris/plant and lowest concentrations of nutrients in plant tissue. Their leaf turnover rate and productivity were highest and, because of high plant density, they comprised 12.8% of forest net primary productivity (0.47 t ha−1 y−1), and contained 3.3 t ha−1 of water. Annual nutrient budgets indicated that these microcosms were nutrient-abundant and accumulated < 5% of most nutrients passing through them. Exceptions were K and P in the dwarf forest, where accumulation was c. 25% of inputs. Animal and bromeliad biomass/plant peaked in the intermediate elevation forest, and were positively correlated with the debris content/bromeliad across all forest types. Animal species richness showed a significant mid-elevational peak, whereas abundance was independent of species richness and debris quantities, and declined with elevation as forest net primary productivity declined. The unimodal pattern of species richness was not correlated with nutrient concentrations, and relationships among faunal abundance, species richness, nutrient inputs and environment are too complex to warrant simple generalizations about nutrient resources and diversity, even in apparently simple microhabitats.
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Rivera-MilÁn, Frank F., and Myrna VÁzquez. "Demography of Zenaida Doves in Puerto Rico." Condor 102, no. 2 (May 1, 2000): 385–91. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/condor/102.2.385.
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Abstract We conducted a capture-recapture study of Zenaida Doves (Zenaida aurita) in three neighboring dairy farms in eastcentral Puerto Rico during 1984–1997. During 46 sampling periods, mean survival rate per sampling period was 0.77 (range = 0.1–1.0), mean recruitment was 911 individuals (range = 182–5,124), and mean population size was 1,569 individuals (range = 233–7,354). Survival increased during 1984–1991 and decreased during 1992–1997. Recruitment did not show a trend, but population size increased during 1984–1997. Rate of increase was a curvilinear decreasing function of population size. A demographic model with a fixed mortality rate stabilized at 1,350 individuals. When mortality rate was defined as a normal random variable, mean population size was 1,421 individuals, and there was a 0.95 probability of observing population sizes from 467 to 2,375 individuals. The size of the Zenaida Dove population varied widely over time, but periods of high recruitment rapidly offset periods of low survival in the dairy farms.
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RIVERA-MILÁN, FRANK F., CARLOS R. RUIZ, JOSÉ A. CRUZ, MYRNA VÁZQUEZ, and ALEXIS J. MARTÍNEZ. "POPULATION MONITORING OF PLAIN PIGEONS IN PUERTO RICO." Wilson Bulletin 115, no. 1 (March 2003): 45–51. http://dx.doi.org/10.1676/02-068.
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Safa, Helen I. "Changing Forms of U.S. Hegemony in Puerto Rico: The Impact on the Family and Sexuality." Itinerario 25, no. 3-4 (November 2001): 90–111. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s016511530001500x.
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It has been over a hundred years since the U.S. took control of Puerto Rico. In that time, the way in which the U.S. perceived Puerto Rico has changed from a colony requiring Americanisation to, in the 1950s, its showcase of democracy in the Caribbean, to today, an island that still retains geopolitical importance for the U.S., but represents an increasing economic burden. The failure of Operation Bootstrap, as the Puerto Rican industrialization program was known, resulted in permanent large-scale unemployment, with a population dependent on federal transfers for a living, and a constant source of migration to the mainland, where over half of Puerto Ricans now live. I shall trace the outline of these three stages in U.S. hegemony over Puerto Rico, and argue that throughout the U.S. Congress was reluctant to fully incorporate Puerto Rico, because its population was deemed racially and socially inferior to that of the mainland. Though the removal of Spain from Puerto Rico, Cuba and the Philippines was considered part of the its ‘manifest destiny’, the United States never intended to incorporate these people so different from the U.S. as part of the American nation, as was done with its earlier acquisitions in Texas, Alaska or even Hawaii.
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Zambrana-Echevarría, Cristina, Lorriane De Jesús-Kim, Rocio Márquez-Karry, Dimuth Siritunga, and David Jenkins. "Diversity of Papaya ringspot virus Isolates in Puerto Rico." HortScience 51, no. 4 (April 2016): 362–69. http://dx.doi.org/10.21273/hortsci.51.4.362.
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Papaya ringspot virus (PRSV) devastates papaya production worldwide. In Puerto Rico, papaya fields can be completely infected with PRSV within a year of planting. Information about the diversity of the Puerto Rican PRSV (PR-PRSV) population is relevant to establish a control strategy in the island. The coat protein gene (cp) of PRSV was sequenced from 62 isolates from different regions in Puerto Rico. The viral population of PRSV in Puerto Rico has 4% nucleotide and 5% amino acid diversity. Analysis of the coat protein (CP) amino acid sequence showed a variable amino terminal (N-terminal) region with a conserved aphid transmission motif and a variable EK repeat region. The core and carboxyl terminal (C-terminal) region were conserved. In the phylogenetic analysis, Puerto Rican isolates grouped independently of their geographical origin, with the exception of southern isolates that formed two separate subgroups and were the most divergent. Sequences of the cp from the Puerto Rican isolates, when compared with sequences from other countries, showed least genetic distance with isolates from the United States and Australia, followed by other American and Caribbean isolates. The U.S. and Australian isolates are sister taxa to the Puerto Rican isolates in the phylogenetic tree. This suggests that PRSV from Puerto Rico and the isolates from the United States and Australia have a common origin thought to be from a Mexican population.
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Caraballo-Cueto, José. "A review of current population databases on Puerto Rico." Population and Environment 42, no. 1 (July 16, 2020): 112–27. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11111-020-00352-8.
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Perez, Rafael, Alberto Villanueva, Jose Fournier, and Doris H. Toro. "PREVALENCE OF HEMOCHROMATOSIS IN THE PUERTO RICO VETERAN POPULATION." American Journal of Gastroenterology 99 (October 2004): S93. http://dx.doi.org/10.14309/00000434-200410001-00285.
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Rivera-Milan, Frank F. "Population Dynamics of Zenaida Doves in Cidra, Puerto Rico." Journal of Wildlife Management 63, no. 1 (January 1999): 232. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/3802505.
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Alameda, Yadiel A., Carlos Gonzalez-Aquino, Melissa Ortiz, and Javier Gonzalez. "S259 – Pediatric Tracheotomy: Changing Trends in Puerto Rico." Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery 139, no. 2_suppl (August 2008): P161—P162. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.otohns.2008.05.435.
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Objectives We chose to review the outcomes of tracheotomies performed at San Jorge Children's Hospital, San Juan, Puerto Rico, over the last 15 years. Our objectives were: 1) Understand changing trends in the indications for tracheotomy and a perceived reduction in decanulation rates. 2) Be able to propose recommendations for the coordinated care of children with tracheotomy. Methods A retrospective chart review was performed of 189 patients undergoing tracheotomy from January 1991 to December 2006. The data were tabulated for age, diagnosis, complications, and outcome. Patients were divided in groups based on the indication for tracheotomy. Results 5 groups were identified based on the indication for tracheotomy: 1) True vocal cord paralysis: 11% of the study population with a 25% decanulation rate. 2) Airway obstruction: 21% of the study population with a 90% decanulation rate. 3) Craniofacial malformation: 8% of the study population with a 0% decanulation rate. 4) Neurological impairment: 46% of the study population with a 0% decanulation rate. 5) Prolonged intubation: 14% of the study population with a 25% decanulation rate. We report no intraoperative complications, an 18% overall complication rate, and a 10% mortality. Conclusions Over the last decades, the indications for tracheotomy have shifted toward children with underlying neurological impairment and need for prolonged mechanical ventilation. Decanulation rates for these children are significantly lower (approximately 10%) than for children with obstructive airway pathology (90%). Therefore, the care of these children and their tracheotomies will require coordinated multidisciplinary settings. We present several recommendations to achieve this goal.
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Hernández, Julio César, Myrna Comas-Pagán, Alwin Jiménez, and Sandra Blas. "Caloric contribution of imported and locally produced food in Puerto Rico." Journal of Agriculture of the University of Puerto Rico 101, no. 1 (April 5, 2021): 121–41. http://dx.doi.org/10.46429/jaupr.v101i1.14298.
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The aim of this article is to evaluate the caloric contribution of the top imported and locally produced foods in Puerto Rico. Data from the USDA and Puerto Rico Planning Board were used to estimate caloric needs in different demographic groups and projected until 2025. In analyzing Puerto Rican produce, the caloric contribution of local production was estimated to be around 18 percent. By contrast, when the caloric contribution of 50 foods imported and produced in Puerto Rico was evaluated, these foods account for 115 percent of the calories needed daily for the population to maintain a normal weight. Sugar, rice, vegetable oil, milk and corn make the greatest contribution to the Puerto Rican diet, representing an estimated 58 percent of average number of calories that Puerto Ricans should consume. The distribution of calories identified in these 50 articles consumed in Puerto Rico (e.g., fruits, vegetables, dairy products, proteins, carbohydrates, etc.) shows serious discrepancies from the distribution suggested by the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines developed by experts of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. For example, 34 percent of the calories consumed in Puerto Rico correspond to foods high in sugar and fat.
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Nieves-Colón, Maria A., William J. Pestle, Austin W. Reynolds, Bastien Llamas, Constanza de la Fuente, Kathleen Fowler, Katherine M. Skerry, Edwin Crespo-Torres, Carlos D. Bustamante, and Anne C. Stone. "Ancient DNA Reconstructs the Genetic Legacies of Precontact Puerto Rico Communities." Molecular Biology and Evolution 37, no. 3 (November 9, 2019): 611–26. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msz267.
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Abstract Indigenous peoples have occupied the island of Puerto Rico since at least 3000 BC. Due to the demographic shifts that occurred after European contact, the origin(s) of these ancient populations, and their genetic relationship to present-day islanders, are unclear. We use ancient DNA to characterize the population history and genetic legacies of precontact Indigenous communities from Puerto Rico. Bone, tooth, and dental calculus samples were collected from 124 individuals from three precontact archaeological sites: Tibes, Punta Candelero, and Paso del Indio. Despite poor DNA preservation, we used target enrichment and high-throughput sequencing to obtain complete mitochondrial genomes (mtDNA) from 45 individuals and autosomal genotypes from two individuals. We found a high proportion of Native American mtDNA haplogroups A2 and C1 in the precontact Puerto Rico sample (40% and 44%, respectively). This distribution, as well as the haplotypes represented, supports a primarily Amazonian South American origin for these populations and mirrors the Native American mtDNA diversity patterns found in present-day islanders. Three mtDNA haplotypes from precontact Puerto Rico persist among Puerto Ricans and other Caribbean islanders, indicating that present-day populations are reservoirs of precontact mtDNA diversity. Lastly, we find similarity in autosomal ancestry patterns between precontact individuals from Puerto Rico and the Bahamas, suggesting a shared component of Indigenous Caribbean ancestry with close affinity to South American populations. Our findings contribute to a more complete reconstruction of precontact Caribbean population history and explore the role of Indigenous peoples in shaping the biocultural diversity of present-day Puerto Ricans and other Caribbean islanders.
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Lugo, Ariel E., and Julio Figueroa. "Performance of Anthocephaluschinensis in Puerto Rico." Canadian Journal of Forest Research 15, no. 3 (June 1, 1985): 577–85. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/x85-094.
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The growth of kadam (Anthocephaluschinensis (Lam.) A. Rich. ex Walp.), a fast-growing Asiatic species, was studied under different soil and climatic conditions in Puerto Rico. Plantings included a 10-year-old line planting, a 12.5-year-old plantation, 12 localities with 20-year-old single tree plots, and 1 locality with four 52-year-old trees. Over 600 trees were measured in all. Growth rates were comparable to those of fast-growing species elsewhere in the tropics; e.g., the 12.5-year-old plantation had a volume growth of 27.8 m3•ha−1•year−1 (77% was merchantable wood), a basal area growth of 1.82 m2•ha−1•year−1, and a total aboveground biomass production of 11.5 t•ha−1•year−1. Trees grew well both in plantations and in lines under natural forest. The 20-year-old single tree plots averaged up to 1 m•year−1 in height growth and 53 cm2•year−1 in basal area growth. Highest rates were observed in localities with high annual rainfall (>2500 mm) and with phosphorus- and silt-rich soils of high bulk density and low pH. After 10 years, basal area growth of trees was fastest in volcanic deep clay locations, followed, in order, by trees on volcanic shallow loams, calcareous soils, and plutonic sandy loams. However, basal area growth during the first 5 years was fastest in the plutonic sandy loams and slowest in the calcareous soils. After 20 years, volcanic deep clay soils still supported the fastest basal area growth rate (about 100 cm2•year−1), while the other locations converged at about 30 cm2•year−1. Trees reached maximum height after 20 years (average, 19 m; maximum, 26.5 m). Kadam growth was limited by close spacings (below 2.5 × 2.5 m). Trees exhibited excellent form (ratio of diameter at 1.3 m to diameter at 4.9 m > 0.8). We found no evidence of pest or disease attacks on trees, but noted severe tapering and stem twist in localities having poor growth rates. Results underline the need for caution when making species adaptability assessments in the tropics with short-term (<10 years) data.
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Fericelli, Paul-Jesús. "Family Assistance for Older Adults in Puerto Rico." Advances in Social Work 14, no. 1 (September 4, 2013): 276–88. http://dx.doi.org/10.18060/3809.
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Global aging is a growing issue in most countries, including Puerto Rico. The well being of the older adult population depends mainly on a collaborative government initiative that uses both public assistance and the engagement of family members. Puerto Rican policymakers are searching for alternatives to care for the expanding elderly population as well as to protect the country’s economy, avoid the financial cliff, and reduce the high cost of public assistance. The purpose of this article is to analyze The Act for the Improvement of the Family Assistance and for the Support of the Elderly, Act No. 193 of 2002, under the criteria-based model (Gallagher & Haskins, 1984) with a value-critical appraisal (Chambers & Wedel, 2009). I suggest Act No. 193 of 2002 as a model for policymakers who are seeking ways to improve assistance for older adults, by promoting the following values: fairness, familism, fraternity, and accountability.
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Cunze, Sarah, Judith Kochmann, Lisa K. Koch, Elisa Genthner, and Sven Klimpel. "Vector distribution and transmission risk of the Zika virus in South and Central America." PeerJ 7 (November 7, 2019): e7920. http://dx.doi.org/10.7717/peerj.7920.
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Background Zika is of great medical relevance due to its rapid geographical spread in 2015 and 2016 in South America and its serious implications, for example, certain birth defects. Recent epidemics urgently require a better understanding of geographic patterns of the Zika virus transmission risk. This study aims to map the Zika virus transmission risk in South and Central America. We applied the maximum entropy approach, which is common for species distribution modelling, but is now also widely in use for estimating the geographical distribution of infectious diseases. Methods As predictor variables we used a set of variables considered to be potential drivers of both direct and indirect effects on the emergence of Zika. Specifically, we considered (a) the modelled habitat suitability for the two main vector species Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus as a proxy of vector species distributions; (b) temperature, as it has a great influence on virus transmission; (c) commonly called evidence consensus maps (ECM) of human Zika virus infections on a regional scale as a proxy for virus distribution; (d) ECM of human dengue virus infections and, (e) as possibly relevant socio-economic factors, population density and the gross domestic product. Results The highest values for the Zika transmission risk were modelled for the eastern coast of Brazil as well as in Central America, moderate values for the Amazon basin and low values for southern parts of South America. The following countries were modelled to be particularly affected: Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Venezuela. While modelled vector habitat suitability as predictor variable showed the highest contribution to the transmission risk model, temperature of the warmest quarter contributed only comparatively little. Areas with optimal temperature conditions for virus transmission overlapped only little with areas of suitable habitat conditions for the two main vector species. Instead, areas with the highest transmission risk were characterised as areas with temperatures below the optimum of the virus, but high habitat suitability modelled for the two main vector species. Conclusion Modelling approaches can help estimating the spatial and temporal dynamics of a disease. We focused on the key drivers relevant in the Zika transmission cycle (vector, pathogen, and hosts) and integrated each single component into the model. Despite the uncertainties generally associated with modelling, the approach applied in this study can be used as a tool and assist decision making and managing the spread of Zika.
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Gutierrez-Moreno, Rebeca, David Mota-Sanchez, Carlos A. Blanco, Desmi Chandrasena, Christina Difonzo, Jeffrey Conner, Graham Head, Kristina Berman, and John Wise. "Susceptibility of Fall Armyworms (Spodoptera frugiperda J.E.) from Mexico and Puerto Rico to Bt Proteins." Insects 11, no. 12 (November 26, 2020): 831. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/insects11120831.
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Fall armyworm is one of the main pests of conventional and Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) corn in many countries in the Americas, Africa, Asia and in Australia. We conducted diet-overlay bioassays to determine the status of susceptibility to four Bt proteins (Cry1A.105, Cry2Ab2, Cry1F and Cry1Ac) in three different populations of fall armyworm from Mexico, and one population from Puerto Rico. Bioassays showed that fall armyworms from Puerto Rico were resistant to Cry1F with a resistance ratio 50 (RR50) higher than 10,000 ng/cm2 and to Cry1Ac with a RR50 = 12.2 ng/cm2, displaying the highest median lethal concentration (LC50) values to all Bt proteins tested. The effective concentration 50 (EC50) values further confirmed the loss of susceptibility to Cry1F and Cry1Ac in this population. However, LC50 and EC50 results with Cry1A.105 and Cry2Ab2 revealed that fall armyworm from Puerto Rico remained largely susceptible to these two proteins. The Mexican populations were highly susceptible to all the Bt proteins tested and displayed the lowest LC50 and EC50 values to all Bt proteins. Our results suggest that Cry1F and Cry1Ac resistance is stable in fall armyworm from Puerto Rico. However, this population remains susceptible to Cry1A.105 and Cry2Ab2. Results with Mexican fall armyworms suggest that possible deployment of Bt corn in Mexico will not be immediately challenged by Bt-resistant genes in those regions.
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Duany, Jorge. "A Transnational Colonial Migration: Puerto Rico’s Farm Labor Program." New West Indian Guide / Nieuwe West-Indische Gids 84, no. 3-4 (January 1, 2010): 225–51. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/13822373-90002441.
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In this article, the author defines Puerto Rico as a nation, an imagined community with its own territory, history, language, and culture. Nevertheless, the Island lacks a sovereign state, an independent government that represents the population of that territory. This unsovereign state has long sponsored population displacements from Puerto Rico to the United States. Since the beginning of the twentieth century, colonial officials embraced migration as a safety valve for the Island’s overpopulation. During the 1950s and 1960s, the Commonwealth government spurred the "Great Migration" to the U.S. mainland. The Farm Labor Program, overseen by the Migration Division of Puerto Rico’s Department of Labor, illustrates the complicated negotiations required by a transnational colonial state.
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Funkhouser, Edward, and Fernando A. Ramos. "The Choice of Migration Destination: Dominican and Cuban Immigrants to the Mainland United States and Puerto Rico." International Migration Review 27, no. 3 (September 1993): 537–56. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/019791839302700303.
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Puerto Rico provides an alternative destination for immigrants from the Spanish-speaking Caribbean because the culture is similar to that in the source country. In this study, we use the 1980 Census of Population to examine the importance of relative earnings and culture in the choice of destination. The main finding is the similar pattern of choice of location for immigrants from the Dominican Republic and Cuba. The more educated and more professional immigrants are found in either Puerto Rico or outside the enclave on the mainland. Within this group, those with less time remaining in the labor market and lower English ability are found in Puerto Rico. We find that not all differences in location decision are attributable to differences in reward structure by location.
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Jirau-Colón, Héctor, Ashley Cosme, Víctor Marcial-Vega, and Braulio Jiménez-Vélez. "Toxic Metals Depuration Profiles from a Population Adjacent to a Military Target Range (Vieques) and Main Island Puerto Rico." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 17, no. 1 (December 30, 2019): 264. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17010264.
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Background: The island of Vieques (a municipality of Puerto Rico) was used as a military practice range by the US Navy for more than 60 years. Many studies have reported the presence of toxic metals in soil samples taken from Vieques. The bombing range is only 18 km upwind from the Vieques residential area and inhalable resuspended particles resulting from bombing are known to reach the populated area. The current study reports for the first time, the presence of toxic metals’ depuration profiles obtained from Vieques and Main Island Puerto Rico human subjects. Objectives: This study was designed to evaluate the distribution of toxic metals in a random population exposed to contaminants originating from military activities and comparing it to a non-exposed random population from Main Island Puerto Rico. Methods: A total of 83 subjects studied; 32 were from Vieques and 51 were from Main Island Puerto Rico. A physician administrated chelation therapy to all subjects and collected urine samples during a 24-h period. A total of 20 trace elements associated with military activities were measured in urine by induced coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The results were compared between both population samples. Results: Significant differences in the levels of eight trace elements associated with military practices were found between Vieques and Main Island Puerto Rico. Lead (Pb), aluminum (Al), uranium (U) (p < 0.001), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd) (p = 0.02), and gadolinium (Gd) (p = 0.03) were significantly higher in Vieques while niobium (Nb) and platinum (Pt) levels (p < 0.006) were lower in the Vieques samples. Discussion: Higher concentrations of Pb, Al, As, Cd, Gd, and U were found in Vieques residents’ urine samples compared to Main Island. Nonetheless, Pt and Ga were present in Main Island at higher concentrations than in Vieques. Although limited by its sample size, this report should set a basis for the importance of health assessment in these subjects exposed to military activities remnants throughout the years and further evaluation of their effects on the overall health of the population.
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Duany, Jorge. "Mobile Livelihoods: The Sociocultural Practices of Circular Migrants between Puerto Rico and the United States." International Migration Review 36, no. 2 (June 2002): 355–88. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1747-7379.2002.tb00085.x.
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This article focuses on the bilateral flow of people between Puerto Rico and the United States - what has come to be known as circular, commuter, or revolving-door migration. It documents the migrants' livelihood practices based on a recent field study of population flows between Puerto Rico and the mainland. Specifically, the basic characteristics of multiple movers, one-time movers and nonmovers residing in Puerto Rico are compared. More broadly, the article assesses the implications of circular migration for Puerto Rican communities on and off the island. The author's basic argument is that the constant displacement of people - both to and from the island – blurs the territorial, linguistic, and juridical boundaries of the Puerto Rican nation. As people expand their means of subsistence across space, they develop multiple attachments to various localities. In the Puerto Rican situation, such mobile livelihoods are easier to establish than in other places because of the free movement of labor and capital between the island and the mainland. The author hypothesizes that circulation does not entail major losses in human capital for most Puerto Ricans, but rather often constitutes an occupational, educational, and linguistic asset.
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Ortiz, Vilma. "Migration and Marriage among Puerto Rican Women." International Migration Review 30, no. 2 (June 1996): 460–84. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/019791839603000204.
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Research on immigrant women in the last ten years has focused on developing a gendered understanding of the relationships among family, work, and migration. From this emerges a view of women as active agents in the migration process – using migration as an economic option that deals with gender ideology and practice. Migration among Puerto Rican women is an interesting case study with which to examine these relationships given the prominent role of women in this migration history and that the role of family characteristics have not been sufficiently studied with this population. This paper examines the effect of family indicators on migration from, and return migration to, Puerto Rico among women in the 1980s. It appears that women use migration to gain independence as single women and mothers since unmarried women were more likely to migrate from Puerto Rico than married women. On the other hand, we see evidence of a traditional route in which women follow men in the migration stream since women recently married were more likely to migrate from, and return to, Puerto Rico. Women married for longer periods of time are the least likely to migrate. Finally, it appears that women use migration to counter limited marriage opportunities in Puerto Rico since unmarried women were less likely to return there and since there were more changes in marital status after women migrated to New York than after returning to Puerto Rico.
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Santos, Alexis. "Trends in Mortality in Puerto Rico Between 1979 and 2018: An Analysis of the Puerto Rico Healthcare Reform." Innovation in Aging 4, Supplement_1 (December 1, 2020): 105. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/geroni/igaa057.347.
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Abstract Between 1993 and 2000, the Government of Puerto Rico decided to transform the role of the government from a provider of healthcare to an insurer. Despite claims about the success of the reform, no study has assessed whether it improved the health of the population or reduced mortality. The aim of this study is to assess whether the implementation of the Puerto Rico Healthcare Reform of 1993 reduced mortality and infant mortality in Puerto Rico in a significant way. I calculated crude death rates (CDR), age-standardized death rates, infant mortality rates, total deaths and life expectancy between 1980 and 2018. I used a quasi-experimental design to study the effect of the implementation of the Puerto Rico Healthcare Reform on these indicators. The primary objective was to estimate changes in trends after 2000. The Age-Specific Mortality Rates have reduced since 1980. The least pronounced change for 2018, in comparison to 1980, was for young adults (20-24 years, 25-29 years, and 30-34 years). The CDR was affected based on the implementation of the reform, but the Infant Mortality Rates was not. The Standardized Death Rate and deaths indicate that there was a small reduction in these indicators. I also found that the gains in life expectancy were concentrated in older adults (aged 65 and older). Analysis of all-cause mortality indicators allows for the evaluation of this healthcare reform. The reduction in mortality in the post-2000 period was not entirely due to the trend that existed before the healthcare reform was implemented.
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Rodriguez, Neisha M., and Stephanie Aguilar. "Prevalence of Diabetic Retinopathy in a Clinic Population from Puerto Rico." Optometry and Vision Science 93, no. 7 (July 2016): 750–53. http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/opx.0000000000000854.
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Ortiz, Ana Patricia, Marievelisse Soto-Salgado, Erick Suárez, María del Carmen Santos-Ortiz, Guillermo Tortolero‐Luna, and Cynthia M. Pérez. "Sexual Behaviors among Adults in Puerto Rico: A Population‐Based Study." Journal of Sexual Medicine 8, no. 9 (September 2011): 2439–49. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1743-6109.2011.02329.x.
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Toledo-Hernández, Carlos. "Population ecology and genetics of the invasive lionfish in Puerto Rico." Aquatic Invasions 9, no. 2 (June 2014): 227–37. http://dx.doi.org/10.3391/ai.2014.9.2.12.
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Azar, Derek, and David Rain. "Identifying population vulnerable to hydrological hazards in San Juan, Puerto Rico." GeoJournal 69, no. 1-2 (September 20, 2007): 23–43. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10708-007-9106-8.
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Acosta, Rolando J., Nishant Kishore, Rafael A. Irizarry, and Caroline O. Buckee. "Quantifying the dynamics of migration after Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 117, no. 51 (December 8, 2020): 32772–78. http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2001671117.
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Population displacement may occur after natural disasters, permanently altering the demographic composition of the affected regions. Measuring this displacement is vital for both optimal postdisaster resource allocation and calculation of measures of public health interest such as mortality estimates. Here, we analyzed data generated by mobile phones and social media to estimate the weekly island-wide population at risk and within-island geographic heterogeneity of migration in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria. We compared these two data sources with population estimates derived from air travel records and census data. We observed a loss of population across all data sources throughout the study period; however, the magnitude and dynamics differ by the data source. Census data predict a population loss of just over 129,000 from July 2017 to July 2018, a 4% decrease; air travel data predict a population loss of 168,295 for the same period, a 5% decrease; mobile phone-based estimates predict a loss of 235,375 from July 2017 to May 2018, an 8% decrease; and social media-based estimates predict a loss of 476,779 from August 2017 to August 2018, a 17% decrease. On average, municipalities with a smaller population size lost a bigger proportion of their population. Moreover, we infer that these municipalities experienced greater infrastructure damage as measured by the proportion of unknown locations stemming from these regions. Finally, our analysis measures a general shift of population from rural to urban centers within the island. Passively collected data provide a promising supplement to current at-risk population estimation procedures; however, each data source has its own biases and limitations.
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Rivera-Milán, Frank F. "Transect Surveys of Columbid Nests on Puerto Rico, Vieques, and Culebra Islands." Condor 103, no. 2 (May 1, 2001): 332–42. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/condor/103.2.332.
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Abstract I conducted transect surveys of pigeon and dove (Columbidae) nests on Puerto Rico, Vieques, and Culebra islands. Nest detection probability and density differed between study areas in January–August 1991 and 1992. Nest detection probability and density did not differ between years or among species, so I used transect data from a larger study (1986–1999) to assess the relationships between nest density and rainfall, food abundance, food diversity, and predator abundance along transects. Food abundance was the most important predictor of annual changes in nest density on the surveyed transects in mesic and xeric habitats during May–June 1986–1999. Positive correlations of annual nest density estimates suggested parallel responses among columbid species to similar or covarying resources in mesic and xeric habitats.
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Ortiz-Ortiz, Karen J., Guillermo Tortolero-Luna, Carlos R. Torres-Cintrón, Diego E. Zavala-Zegarra, Axel Gierbolini-Bermúdez, and María R. Ramos-Fernández. "High-Intensity End-of-Life Care Among Patients With GI Cancer in Puerto Rico: A Population-Based Study." JCO Oncology Practice 17, no. 2 (February 2021): e168-e177. http://dx.doi.org/10.1200/op.20.00541.
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PURPOSE: High-intensity care with undue suffering among patients with cancer at the end of life (EoL) is associated with poor quality of life. We examined the pattern and predictors of high-intensity care among patients with GI cancer in Puerto Rico. METHODS: This population-based study of data from the Puerto Rico Central Cancer Registry-Health Insurance Linkage Database examined patients with GI cancer who died between 2009 and 2017. EoL care intensity indicators include the following services in the last month before death: emergency room (ER) visits, hospitalizations, intensive care unit (ICU) admissions, life-extending procedures, death in an acute care setting, and the use of chemotherapy in the last 14 days. We used logistic regression models to examine factors associated with EoL care. RESULTS: Four thousand six hundred twenty-nine patients with GI cancer were included in the analysis. We found that 11.0% of patients received chemotherapy, 17.3% had > 1 hospitalization, 9.3% were in the ICU, 18.0% had > 1 ER visit, 39.3% died in an acute care setting, and 8.6% received life-extending procedures. A compound indicator of the aggressiveness of care showed that 54.5% of patients had at least one of the selected aggressive indicators. The multivariable model showed that female patients, patients ≥ 60 years of age, patients enrolled in Medicaid, patients dually eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid, and patients who survived > 1 year were less likely to receive aggressive EoL care. CONCLUSION: Our findings support the urgent need to improve EoL care in Puerto Rico. Further studies are warranted to fully understand EoL care in patients with cancer in Puerto Rico.
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Luciano-Rosario, Dianiris, Luis A. Cruz-Saavedra, and Dimuth Siritunga. "Genetic Diversity of Puerto Rican Farmer-held Papaya (Carica papaya) Using SSR Markers." HortScience 53, no. 8 (August 2018): 1109–14. http://dx.doi.org/10.21273/hortsci12943-18.
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Native to Central America, papaya (Carica papaya) is one of the most cultivated fruit crops in the tropical areas of the world. Genetic diversity analyses are an important aspect of conservation of plant genetic resources. In the island of Puerto Rico, where papaya has been consumed for centuries, knowledge on the genetic diversity of papaya is lacking. Therefore, 162 papaya accessions were evaluated using 23 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. Of these accessions, 139 were farmer-held samples from Puerto Rico, 13 were U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) repository samples, and 10 were commercial varieties. A total of 214 alleles were identified with a mean observed heterozygosity (Ho) of 0.219. Inbreeding coefficient (F) was 0.565, and when evaluating the population structure of these accessions, 2 groups (k = 2) were identified. Unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean (UPGMA) dendrogram showed no geographical organization within the unknown Puerto Rican samples. This assessment provides an extensive record of the genetic diversity of papaya in Puerto Rico which can contribute to breeding strategies and to the conservation of papaya genetic resources in the Caribbean.
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Matysiak, Angela, and Amira Roess. "Interrelationship between Climatic, Ecologic, Social, and Cultural Determinants Affecting Dengue Emergence and Transmission in Puerto Rico and Their Implications for Zika Response." Journal of Tropical Medicine 2017 (2017): 1–14. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2017/8947067.
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Objective. The global resurgence of dengue has been attributed to rapid population growth, urban expansion, increased air travel, globalization, and climate change. Dengue is now endemic in Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico is at risk for Zika, another emerging arbovirus. The interrelationship between climatic, ecological, social, and cultural factors that affect dengue and other arboviruses’ transmission is understudied.Design. The objective of this systematic review is to examine the interrelationship between climatic, ecological, social, and cultural factors on dengue transmission in Puerto Rico and to draw lessons for Zika response.Results. A comprehensive search of peer-reviewed journal articles was performed, producing 562 articles; 26 were selected for this review. Findings indicate that human activities and behaviors (urbanization, migration, and consumption) as well as climate have a significant impact on the abundance and the transmission potential ofAe. aegypti, the vector for dengue, Zika, and other viruses.Conclusion. Despite the public health burden of dengue limited investments have been made in research and surveillance. Future research is needed to develop models that integrate the multivariate effects of climatic, ecological, social, and cultural factors, which for Puerto Rico have mostly been examined independently. Such models have the potential to inform response to dengue, Zika, and other arboviruses.
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España, Guido, Andrew J. Leidner, Stephen H. Waterman, and T. Alex Perkins. "Cost-effectiveness of dengue vaccination in Puerto Rico." PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases 15, no. 7 (July 26, 2021): e0009606. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0009606.
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An effective and widely used vaccine could reduce the burden of dengue virus (DENV) around the world. DENV is endemic in Puerto Rico, where the dengue vaccine CYD-TDV is currently under consideration as a control measure. CYD-TDV has demonstrated efficacy in clinical trials in vaccinees who had prior dengue virus infection. However, in vaccinees who had no prior dengue virus infection, the vaccine had a modestly elevated risk of hospitalization and severe disease. The WHO therefore recommended a strategy of pre-vaccination screening and vaccination of seropositive persons. To estimate the cost-effectiveness and benefits of this intervention (i.e., screening and vaccination of seropositive persons) in Puerto Rico, we simulated 10 years of the intervention in 9-year-olds using an agent-based model. Across the entire population, we found that 5.5% (4.6%-6.3%) of dengue hospitalizations could be averted. However, we also found that 0.057 (0.045–0.073) additional hospitalizations could occur for every 1,000 people in Puerto Rico due to DENV-naïve children who were vaccinated following a false-positive test results for prior exposure. The ratio of the averted hospitalizations among all vaccinees to additional hospitalizations among DENV-naïve vaccinees was estimated to be 19 (13–24). At a base case cost of vaccination of 382 USD, we found an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of 122,000 USD per QALY gained. Our estimates can provide information for considerations to introduce the CYD-TDV vaccine in Puerto Rico.
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Pérez, Catherine, and Jennifer A. Ailshire. "Aging in Puerto Rico: A Comparison of Health Status Among Island Puerto Rican and Mainland U.S. Older Adults." Journal of Aging and Health 29, no. 6 (June 9, 2017): 1056–78. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0898264317714144.
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Objective: To characterize the health status of older island Puerto Ricans, a segment of the U.S. population that has been largely overlooked in aging research. Method: Data from the 2002 Puerto Rican Elderly Health Conditions Project and the 2002 Health and Retirement Study are used to examine differences in disease, disability, and self-rated health among island Puerto Ricans and the mainland U.S.-born older adult population. Differences are further examined by gender. Results: Island Puerto Ricans were less likely to have heart disease, stroke, lung disease, cancer, activities of daily living (ADL) limitations, and poor self-rated health, but more likely to have hypertension and diabetes. Island Puerto Rican women had worse health relative to island Puerto Rican men. Discussion: Recent challenges in the funding and provision of health care in Puerto Rico are worrisome given the large number of aging island adults, many of whom have hypertension and diabetes, two conditions that require long-term medical care.
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Santos-Ortiz, María del Carmen, Hernando Mattei, Kenja Correa-Nivar, and Elizabeth Pintado-Díaz. "HIV/AIDS Among Middle and Older Adults in Puerto Rico." Californian Journal of Health Promotion 2, no. 3 (September 1, 2004): 30–39. http://dx.doi.org/10.32398/cjhp.v2i3.878.
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Of all the AIDS cases reported through March 2004 in Puerto Rico, 34.8% were among the 40-59 age group, and 3.9% in persons 60 years and over. This represents 38.7% of all cases of AIDS in Puerto Rico. The percentage was higher among new AIDS cases diagnosed. Currently half of all new cases were 40 years and older. The most prevalent mode of exposure reported was related to sexual contact (heterosexual contact, male-male/bisexual sexual contact, male-male sexual contact and injection drug use). Injection drug use is identified as an important mode of exposure, particularly among males 40-59 years old. In the older generation, ignorance or the refusal to acknowledge their sexual interest and activity has resulted in a failure to adequately consider such health issues as sexually transmitted infections, including HIV in this population. Due to the increase of new AIDS cases and to the rapidly growing segment of the older adult population, middle and older adults are becoming an important group in need of HIV/AIDS prevention. With the intention of obtaining information on HIV risk factors among older adults a descriptive research was conducted. A non-probability sample of 157 men and 57 women 60 years and older from the San Juan Metropolitan Area was interviewed. The questionnaire included questions on HIV/AIDS knowledge, risk-perception, sexual practices, condom use and accessibility, HIV testing, alcohol and health and sociodemographic characteristics. The age range of the participants was 60-93 years old. The majority of respondents listed Social Security and food stamps as their primary source of income. Thirty-three percent of the male and 38.2% of the women perceived themselves as being at risk of HIV infection. Sexual relations during the last month were reported by 56.6% of the male and 13.2% of the women. They mention spouse, girl/boy friend as their usual partners; male also indicated casual partners and sex workers. The majority did not use condoms in their last sexual relation. Only 21% of males that reported sexual relations with sex worker always used condoms. Pharmacy was mentioned by the majority as the place where they obtain condoms. Forty five percent of female and 34% of the male had been tested for HIV. Gonorrhea was the most frequent sexually transmitted infection reported by males and trichomonas vaginalis by females. We are confronting a condition that affects the present population as well as future generations of older adults. Recommendations of health promotion and health education interventions that contribute to decrease the HIV/AIDS incidence and to eliminate stereotyping, discrimination and disparities in health care services for this population are identify.
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Diaz-Zabala, Hector, Ana Ortiz, Lisa Garland, Kristine Jones, Cynthia Perez, Edna Mora, Nelly Arroyo, et al. "A Recurrent BRCA2 Mutation Explains the Majority of Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Syndrome Cases in Puerto Rico." Cancers 10, no. 11 (November 2, 2018): 419. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/cancers10110419.
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Breast cancer is the most common cause of cancer diagnosis in women and is responsible for considerable mortality among the women of Puerto Rico. However, there are few studies in Puerto Rico on the genetic factors influencing risk. To determine the contribution of pathogenic mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2, we sequenced these genes in 302 cases from two separate medical centers, who were not selected for age of onset or family history. We identified nine cases that are carriers of pathogenic germline mutation. This represents 2.9% of unselected cases and 5.6% of women meeting National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) criteria for BRCA testing. All of the identified pathogenic mutations were in the BRCA2 gene and the most common mutation is the p.Glu1308Ter (E1308X) mutation in BRCA2 found in eight out of nine cases, representing 89% of the pathogenic carriers. The E1308X mutation has been identified in breast and ovarian cancer families in Spain, and analysis of flanking DNA polymorphisms shows that all E1308X carriers occur on the same haplotype. This is consistent with BRCA2 E1308X being a founder mutation for the Puerto Rican population. These results will contribute to better inform genetic screening and counseling of breast and ovarian cancer cases in Puerto Rico and Puerto Rican populations in mainland United States.
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Wunderle,, Joseph M., Rafael A. Cortes, and William Carromero. "Song Characteristics and Variation in a Population of Bananaquits on Puerto Rico." Condor 94, no. 3 (August 1992): 680–91. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/1369252.
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Fogarty, Jarrod H., and Francisco J. Vilella. "Population Dynamics of Eleutherodactylus coqui in Cordillera Forest Reserves of Puerto Rico." Journal of Herpetology 36, no. 2 (June 2002): 193–201. http://dx.doi.org/10.1670/0022-1511(2002)036[0193:pdoeci]2.0.co;2.
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Chinea, Angel, Carlos F. Ríos-Bedoya, Cristina Rubi, Ivonne Vicente, Eduardo R. Estades, and Yatzka G. Hernandez-Silvestrini. "Incidence of Multiple Sclerosis in Puerto Rico, 2014: A Population-Based Study." Neuroepidemiology 48, no. 1-2 (2017): 55–60. http://dx.doi.org/10.1159/000468989.
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Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) affects millions of people worldwide. The estimates for MS incidence are difficult to obtain but are important for understanding MS etiology, developing prevention strategies, and service planning. This study is aimed at estimating the 2014 incidence of MS in Puerto Rico (PR). Methods: The PR MS Foundation's registry was used as the data source. Neurologists, specialty pharmacies, MRI centers, health insurance companies, and the PR Department of Health identified MS cases missed by the registry. MS patients were 18 years and older and met the 2010 revised McDonald criteria. Age-standardized MS incidence rates and their corresponding 95% CIs were computed. Results: A total of 144 new MS cases were diagnosed in 2014. The age-standardized MS incidence rate was 5.1/100,000 (95% CI 4.3-5.9). The incidence rate was 7.1/100,000 (95% CI 5.7-8.5) for females and 2.9/100,000 (95% CI 2.0-3.8) for males. MS cases were mostly females (72.9%) with a mean age of 41.0 years (±1.0). Conclusion: According to the country estimates, PR has a higher MS incidence than other Caribbean and Latin American countries, but a lower incidence compared to countries at higher latitudes. Our findings provide insights into the MS etiology in the Hispanic population that require additional research.
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González-Pons, María, Marievelisse Soto-Salgado, Javier Sevilla, Juan M. Márquez-Lespier, Douglas Morgan, Cynthia M. Pérez, and Marcia Cruz-Correa. "Seroprevalence ofHelicobacter pyloriin Hispanics living in Puerto Rico: A population-based study." Helicobacter 23, no. 1 (December 6, 2017): e12453. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/hel.12453.
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Hammerman, Nicholas M., Ramon E. Rivera-Vicens, Matthew P. Galaska, Ernesto Weil, Richard S. Appledoorn, Monica Alfaro, and Nikolaos V. Schizas. "Population connectivity of the plating coral Agaricia lamarcki from southwest Puerto Rico." Coral Reefs 37, no. 1 (November 21, 2017): 183–91. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00338-017-1646-x.
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