Huntington's disease (HD) is a progressive disorder with no known cure. We report two-year postoperative positron emission tomography (PET) data from 7 HD patients who underwent intrastriatal fetal transplantation. Patients showed widespread reductions in glucose uptake with no significant change over 2 years. Dopamine receptor binding was significantly reduced in HD striatum. D1 binding did not change significantly following transplantation, but there was a significant loss of D2 binding. These findings may reflect loss of graft viability and/or disease progression. There was no significant relationship between changes in PET and clinical function. In summary, there was no benefit from transplantation.

This article presents an overview of our research team’s disaster response to the massive destruction of Hurricanes, Irma and Maria, in September 2017, in light of the 120-year colonial legacy and long-term, widespread environmental contamination in Puerto Rico. Both local and federal governmental responses have been extremely inadequate, especially in light of the long-standing issues of environmental contamination throughout the island. Community organizations in Puerto Rico have been fighting for environmental justice for decades, often succeeding, and always confronting government unwillingness to address environmental protection. Hurricanes Irma and Maria afforded attention to Puerto Rico through international news coverage and awareness of its colonial status, rundown infrastructures (especially the electric grid), indebtedness, and environmental hazards. Since the hurricanes, the research teams of the Puerto Rico Test Site to Explore Contamination Threats (PROTECT), the Center for Research on Early Childhood Exposure and Development (CRECE), and Zika in Infants and Pregnancy (ZIP) have worked tirelessly to address the needs of our research participants, partnering clinics, as well as the local team to ensure safety and wellness. We have been able to continue our environmental public health work with pregnant women and children. In response to the historical problems and current crisis, we offer a “visionary rebuilding” approach for remediation of the hurricanes’ effects, and for a deeper solution to the environmental and other social injustices Puerto Rico has long faced.

Radiation treatment likely triggered an exacerbation of multiple sclerosis.

Puerto Rico was hit by two major hurricanes in September 2017 causing great devastation, losing over 90% of the power grid, wireless communication and access to potable water, and destroying many homes. Our research programs: Puerto Rico Testsite for Exploring Contamination Threats (PROTECT), Center for Research on Early Childhood Exposure and Development in Puerto Rico (CRECE), Zika in Infants and Pregnancy (ZIP), and Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) are ongoing observational cohort studies that have been investigating environmental risk factors for perinatal health outcomes among Puerto Rican mothers and infants. Our projects paused operations for about two weeks, to begin recovery process and become a source of assistance, retaining 95% of study participants across all research programs. We joined with various groups to ensure the safety and welfare of team members, study participants, community health center partners, and members of the surrounding communities. We learned important lessons about the impact of these hurricanes and the difficulties of the recovery. Major challenges post-hurricanes were access to care and nutrition, maternal stress, and environmental damage. We understood the need to integrate disaster preparedness into our programs' operating procedures and future applications, recognizing that these events will recur. We will grow resilience among our staff, maternal and child health partners, and participants by building on the experience of these two storms.