Abstract C23: High Kaiso expression correlates with increased TGF{beta} signaling and aggressive TNBC in women of African Ancestry (WAA)
Despite increased awareness, early detection and improved therapies in the past 20 years, breast cancer (BC) remains the most frequent female cancer and a leading cause of female deaths worldwide. One of the most clinically challenging BC is the Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) subtype that is estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) & human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2) negative. TNBC tumors are aggressive and metastatic, and have a poor prognosis since they cannot be treated with standard therapies (Tamoxifen or Herceptin). Intriguingly TNBC is most prevalent in young women of African Ancest...
Source: Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention - February 4, 2017 Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Bassey-Archibong, B. I., Rayner, L. G., Hercules, S., Pathmanapan, S., Daniel, J. M. Tags: Treatment Factors and Outcomes: Poster Presentations - Proffered Abstracts Source Type: research

Kinetic and thermodynamic properties of alginate lyase and cellulase co-produced by Exiguobacterium species Alg-S5.
Abstract In an effort to screen out the alginolytic and cellulolytic bacteria from the putrefying invasive seaweed Sargassum species accumulated off Barbados' coast, a potent bacterial strain was isolated. This bacterium, which simultaneously produced alginate lyase and cellulase, was identified as Exiguobacterium sp. Alg-S5 via the phylogenetic approach targeting the 16S rRNA gene. The co-produced alginate lyase and cellulase exhibited maximal enzymatic activity at pH 7.5 and at 40°C and 45°C, respectively. The Km and Vmax values recorded as 0.91mg/mL and 21.8U/mg-protein, respectively, for alginate lya...
Source: International Journal of Biological Macromolecules - January 21, 2017 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Mohapatra BR Tags: Int J Biol Macromol Source Type: research

The things they carried: The pathogenic effects of old and new parasites following the intercontinental invasion of the Australian cane toad (Rhinella marina)
Publication date: Available online 29 December 2016 Source:International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife Author(s): D. Selechnik, L.A. Rollins, G.P. Brown, C. Kelehear, R. Shine Brought to Australia in 1935 to control agricultural pests (from French Guiana, via Martinique, Barbados, Jamaica, Puerto Rico and Hawai'i), repeated stepwise translocations of small numbers of founders enabled the cane toad (Rhinella marina) to escape many parasites and pathogens from its native range. However, the infective organisms that survived the journey continue to affect the dynamics of the toad in its new environme...
Source: International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife - December 28, 2016 Category: Parasitology Source Type: research

In vivo antimutagenic effects of the Barbados cherry fruit (Malpighia glabra Linnaeus) in a chromosomal aberration assay.
Abstract Barbados cherry (BC) (Malpighia glabra Linnaeus) is a functional fruit that is consumed to prevent disease. It is used as an adjuvant in the treatment of several diseases, and acts as an antianemic, an appetite stimulant, a wound healer, an anti-inflammatory, a mineralizer, an antifungal, and an antioxidant agent. Several chemotherapeutic agents, such as cyclophosphamide, may result in undesirable side effects, and generate mutations in normal cells. Thus, the present study evaluated the antimutagenic potential of the fresh (BCN) and frozen (BCF) juices of BC pulp, with and without concomitant adm...
Source: Genetics and Molecular Research - December 18, 2016 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Authors: Düsman E, Almeida IV, Tonin LT, Vicentini VE Tags: Genet Mol Res Source Type: research

Leading Causes of Cancer Mortality - Caribbean Region, 2003-2013.
Abstract Cancer is one of the leading causes of deaths worldwide (1); in 2012, an estimated 65% of all cancer deaths occurred in the less developed regions of the world (2). In the Caribbean region, cancer is the second leading cause of mortality, with an estimated 87,430 cancer-related deaths reported in 2012 (3). The Pan American Health Organization defines the Caribbean region as a group of 27 countries that vary in size, geography, resources, and surveillance systems.* CDC calculated site- and sex-specific proportions of cancer deaths and age-standardized mortality rates (ASMR) for 21 English- and Dutc...
Source: MMWR Morb Mortal Wkl... - December 15, 2016 Category: Epidemiology Authors: Razzaghi H, Quesnel-Crooks S, Sherman R, Joseph R, Kohler B, Andall-Brereton G, Ivey MA, Edwards BK, Mery L, Gawryszewski V, Saraiya M Tags: MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep Source Type: research

Providers' perspectives on inbound medical tourism in Central America and the Caribbean: factors driving and inhibiting sector development and their health equity implications.
CONCLUSION: There are shared factors shaping the development of medical tourism in Central America and the Caribbean that help explain why it is being pursued by many hospitals and governments in the region. Development of the sector is primarily being driven by public investment promotion agencies and the private health sector seeking economic benefits with limited consideration and planning for the health equity concerns medical tourism raises. PMID: 27876457 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Global Health Action)
Source: Global Health Action - November 24, 2016 Category: Global & Universal Tags: Glob Health Action Source Type: research

The Effect of Psychosocial and Neuropsychiatric Factors on Medication Adherence in a Cohort of Women With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
This study explored the effects of psychosocial and neuropsychiatric functioning on adherence using ordinal logistic regression. Results: Sixty percent reported high MAQ scores. The probability of high MAQ scores was lower among younger patients (P = 0.001) and those with shorter disease duration (P = 0.05). The probability of high MAQ scores fell with lower perceived self-efficacy (odds ratio [OR], 0.80; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.73–0.89; P (Source: JCR: Journal of Clinical Rheumatology)
Source: JCR: Journal of Clinical Rheumatology - November 22, 2016 Category: Rheumatology Tags: Original Articles Source Type: research

Economic assessment of integrated cancer and cardiovascular registries: The Barbados experience
Conclusion These findings indicate that there are substantial fixed costs related to management and administration of NCD registries. All registries need management and administration support. When registries are combined, management and administration costs can be shared. We project that registries that can share fixed-cost infrastructure are likely to incur a lower total cost per case. (Source: Cancer Epidemiology)
Source: Cancer Epidemiology - November 16, 2016 Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: research

Barbados Insulin Matters (BIM) study: Perceptions on insulin initiation by primary care doctors in the Caribbean island of Barbados.
CONCLUSIONS: Interventions focusing on PCD attitudes and beliefs and restructuring services inclusive of the use of diabetes specialist nurses are required. PMID: 27825583 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Primary Care)
Source: Primary Care - November 3, 2016 Category: Primary Care Authors: Taylor CG, Taylor G, Atherley A, Hambleton I, Unwin N, Adams OP Tags: Prim Care Diabetes Source Type: research

Barbados Insulin Matters (BIM) study: Perceptions on insulin initiation by primary care doctors in the Caribbean island of Barbados
There is an epidemic of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) and it is estimated that the prevalence will increase at a greater rate in developing compared to developed countries [1]. In Barbados the prevalence in people over 25 years of age is estimated to be 19% [2]. Primary care doctors (PCDs) have a major role in managing type 2 diabetes, and the increasing prevalence places a significant burden on this healthcare sector [3,4]. (Source: Primary Care Diabetes)
Source: Primary Care Diabetes - November 3, 2016 Category: Primary Care Authors: Charles Grafton Taylor, Gordon Taylor, Anique Atherley, Ian Hambleton, Nigel Unwin, Oswald Peter Adams Tags: Original research Source Type: research

Establishing national noncommunicable disease surveillance in a developing country: a model for small island nations.
Conclusions Given the limited absolute health resources available to SIDS, combined surveillance should be considered for building a national NCD evidence base. With prevalence expected to increase further worldwide, Barbados' experiences are offered as a "road map" for other limited-resource countries considering national NCD surveillance. PMID: 27754515 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Pan American Journal of Public Health)
Source: Pan American Journal of Public Health - October 19, 2016 Category: Global & Universal Tags: Rev Panam Salud Publica Source Type: research

Developing and testing a cost data collection instrument for noncommunicable disease registry planning
Conclusion Internal and external registry factors reveal that a single estimate for the cost of registry operations is not feasible; costs will vary on the basis of factors that may be beyond the control of the registries. Some factors, such as data collection approach, can be modified to improve the efficiency of registry operations. These findings will inform both future economic data collection using a web-based tool and cost and cost-effectiveness analyses of registry operations in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and other locations with similar characteristics. (Source: Cancer Epidemiology)
Source: Cancer Epidemiology - October 9, 2016 Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: research

“That’s enough patients for everyone!”: Local stakeholders’ views on attracting patients into Barbados and Guatemala’s emerging medical tourism sectors
Medical tourism has attracted considerable interest within the Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) region. Governments in the region tout the economic potential of treating foreign patients while several new pr... (Source: Globalization and Health)
Source: Globalization and Health - October 7, 2016 Category: Global & Universal Authors: Jeremy Snyder, Valorie A. Crooks, Rory Johnston, Alejandro Cer ón and Ronald Labonte Source Type: research

Pereskia aculeata Miller leaves accelerate excisional wound healing in mice
Conclusions As the wound healing process was considerably accelerated, especially by HF gel formulation, the results of this study not only contributed to better understand the ethnopharmacological application of P. acuelata leaves, but also encouraged further investigations on how to explore the potential uses of this plant in skin therapies. Graphical abstract (Source: Journal of Ethnopharmacology)
Source: Journal of Ethnopharmacology - September 15, 2016 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: research

Fetal Magnetic Resonance Imaging Evaluation of a 21-Week Fetus With Zika Virus Infection
A 50-year-old woman underwent in  vitro fertilization (IVF) in Barbados in December 2015 with oocytes from a healthy 27-year-old. She remained in Barbados for IVF treatments, only returning stateside at 12 weeks' gestation. At seven postmenstrual weeks, she experienced a one day “heat rash” and “red eyes,” attributed to sun exposure. (Source: Pediatric Neurology)
Source: Pediatric Neurology - September 14, 2016 Category: Neurology Authors: Gregory A. Vorona, Susan M. Lanni Tags: Visual Diagnosis Source Type: research