About

Jorge Luis Castillo is a Professor in the Latin American & Iberian Studies Program at the University of California, Santa Barbara. He holds a Ph.D. in Romance Languages and Literatures from Harvard University. His academic focus is on 19th and 20th Century Spanish American Literature. He is involved in teaching and research within the Department of Spanish and Portuguese, contributing to the study and understanding of Latin American and Iberian cultural and literary developments.

Research topics

• Environmental health
• Medicine
• Demography
• Geography
• Sociology
• Psychology
• Socioeconomics
• Economic growth
• Family medicine
• Economics
• Nursing
• Clinical psychology

Selected publications

• World Federation of Orthodontists social media guidelines: Ensuring accuracy, reliability, and objectivity in online orthodontic information

  Journal of the World Federation of Orthodontists · 2025-07-15 · 4 citations

  articleOpen access

  BACKGROUND: The World Federation of Orthodontists (WFO) recognizes the growing impact of online media in shaping public understanding of orthodontics. In response to the proliferation of misinformation and disinformation, particularly on digital platforms, the WFO has developed comprehensive guidelines aimed at ensuring accuracy, objectivity, and ethical standards in online orthodontic content. These guidelines serve to inform WFO fellows and affiliates involved in creating or managing web-based orthodontic resources. METHODS: A detailed policy framework was established by the WFO to address key elements of digital communication. These include content definition, site ownership and access, payment structures, privacy protocols, sponsorship disclosures, funding transparency, and ethical advertising practices. Special emphasis was placed on promoting source verification, critical appraisal of content, and user engagement strategies to combat misinformation. The policy was developed through expert consensus and informed by best practices in health communication and evidence-based dentistry. RESULTS: The guidelines provide a structured approach to enhancing the credibility and reliability of online orthodontic information. By delineating clear standards for ethical content creation and dissemination, the WFO aims to safeguard public trust and support informed decision-making. The policy addresses modern challenges posed by social media and other user-driven platforms, offering practical strategies for orthodontists to promote evidence-based information and patient education. A commitment to regular review ensures the framework remains adaptive to the evolving digital environment. CONCLUSIONS: The WFO online content guidelines establish a robust foundation for ethical, accurate, and transparent communication in orthodontics. By adhering to these principles, WFO members and affiliates can actively contribute to reducing misinformation, enhancing patient understanding, and upholding the integrity of the profession. Ongoing updates will ensure alignment with technological advancements and emerging communication trends.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Using sequential applications of a novel silver diamine fluoride gel and sodium fluoride varnish to arrest severe early childhood caries lesions

  The Journal of the American Dental Association · 2024-04-25 · 3 citations

  articleOpen access

  BACKGROUND: Silver diamine fluoride (SDF) gel was developed to overcome the clinical limitations of liquids with children. The authors conducted a clinical trial to determine caries lesion arrest in primary teeth at 1-year follow-up when 38% SDF gel and 2.5% sodium fluoride varnish were applied sequentially at the same appointment. Parent satisfaction was assessed. METHODS: The study design was an open-label prospective, clinical trial with single group assignment. Participants were 237 children aged 3 through 4 years at enrollment and from 5 centros educativos iniciales (preschools). Eligible children had 1 or more d3 (cavitation into dentin) active caries lesions. Teeth with active caries lesions (cavitation confined to enamel [d2] or d3) were treated by applying 1 or 2 drops of viscous 38% SDF gel (Advantage Silver Dental Arrest Gel, Elevate Oral Care, LLC) dabbing the excess with cotton. Treated teeth were covered with 2.5% sodium fluoride varnish (Fluorimax, Elevate Oral Care, LLC) to mask the taste. Treatment was repeated at 5 months postexamination. The primary outcome was caries lesion (d2-d3) arrest at 1 year. RESULTS: Two hundred nineteen children were available at the 1-year follow-up. There was a median of 21 (interquartile range [IQR], 13-34) active carious surfaces (d2-d3) at baseline. Median arrested carious surfaces was 92.6% (IQR, 81.1%-100.0%; 95% CI, 86.8% to 95.2%). When parents were asked whether they were bothered by the color change of teeth, the median response on a 10-point scale in which 1 equaled not bothered at all and 10 equaled very bothered was 1.0 (IQR, 1.0-2.0). CONCLUSIONS: Two applications of 38% SDF gel and 2.5% sodium fluoride varnish arrested greater than 90% of carious surfaces at 1 year and with high levels of parental satisfaction. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: Combined treatment was highly efficacious in a population with many caries lesions. This clinical trial was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov. The registration number is NCT05395065.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Genotypes and Mutations Associated with Macrolide Resistance of Chlamydia trachomatis in Urine Samples in School-Going, Urban Adolescents 14–19 Years from Panama: A Cross-Sectional Descriptive Study

  Microbiology Research · 2024-10-02

  articleOpen access

  Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) is a bacterium that causes one of the most common sexually transmitted infections (STIs) worldwide. In Panama, the prevalence of genital Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) among adolescents is 15.8%. However, no data describing circulating CT genotypes or evaluating molecular resistance are available. This study aims to determine the genotypes of genital CT infections and explore the macrolide resistance-associated mutations in this population to contribute to baseline information about CT circulating strains and antimicrobial resistance. Genomic analysis was performed on CT-positive, first-void urine specimens from school-going adolescents (14–19 years) in urban regions in Panama. The ompA gene was used for genotype and phylogenetic analysis, and the rplD, rplV, and 23S rRNA genes were used for molecular resistance analysis. Five genotypes were found: D, 15 (47%); F, 9 (28%); E, 4 (13%); Ia, 2 (6%); and Ja, 2 (6%) genotype Ja. A triple mutation (G52S, R65C, and V77A) was found in the rplV gene, though no mutations of interest were found for the rplD and 23S rRNA genes. The present study indicated CT genotype D had increased circulation within the population; mutations indicative of macrolide resistance were not found. Follow-up studies and implementation of active surveillance are necessary to understand the circulation of CT in Panama.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• 2678. Prevalence of gonorrhea, chlamydia and syphilis among males living with HIV attending the Antiretroviral Clinic, Hospital Santo Tomás, Panamá, November 2021-March 2022

  Open Forum Infectious Diseases · 2023-11-27

  articleOpen access

  Abstract Background Prevalence of gonorrhea, chlamydia and syphilis is unknown among people living with HIV (PLHIV) in Panama. Owing to the asymptomatic course and syndromic management of these infections, etiological diagnosis and epidemiological surveillance are often missed. The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG), Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) and syphilis in HIV positive men, that receive care in the Infectious Diseases Clinic at Hospital Santo Tomás. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among male PLHIV who attended the antiretroviral therapy clinic for a routine clinical care during March and April 2022. Written consent was obtained from all participants. Blood samples were taken for syphilis screening using a rapid lateral flow test and consecutive RPR on all positive samples. First flow urine, as well as provider-collected oropharyngeal and participant-collected anal swabs were taken from the patients for PCR CT/NG testing. Statistical analysis was carried out using SPSS version 22.0 software. Chi-square test and odds ratio were done at 95% CI using significance level of p < 0.05. Results A total of 221 male PLHIV were included. The prevalence of CT/NG at any anatomical site was 20.3%, 13.5% for CT and 9.0% for NG. The anatomical site with the highest prevalence was the rectal site, with a prevalence of 12.2% for CT/NG. Neisseria gonorrhoeae had a prevalence of 5.4% in oropharyngeal samples. An antibody syphilis test was positive in 51.1% of the patients. Logistic regression analysis revealed that men that reported to have had sex with another male in the past year was a risk factor for CT/NG positivity at any site(AOR = 4.95, 95% CI 1.46-16.76, p 0.004). Overall, 91.4 % of the patients had good acceptance for auto collection of the rectal sample among the study group. Conclusion There is a high prevalence of CT/NG, especially at the rectum site, and high prevalence of syphilis among HIV male atients in the antiretroviral clinic at the Santo Tomás Hospital in Panama. Most individuals with an STI w tested for, reported to be asymptomatic for these infections. Public health strategies need to be implemented to increase the screening and appropiate treatment with this population. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• HIV-1 Low-Frequency Variants Identified in Antiretroviral-Naïve Subjects with Virologic Failure after 12 Months of Follow-Up in Panama

  Infectious Disease Reports · 2023-08-01 · 2 citations

  articleOpen access

  Low-frequency mutations associated with drug resistance have been related to virologic failure in subjects with no history of pre-treatment and recent HIV diagnosis. In total, 78 antiretroviral treatment (ART)-naïve subjects with a recent HIV diagnosis were selected and followed by CD4+ T lymphocytes and viral load tests to detect virologic failure. We sequenced the basal samples retrospectively using next-generation sequencing (NGS), looking for low-frequency mutations that had not been detected before using the Sanger sequencing method (SSM) and describing the response to ART. Twenty-two subjects developed virologic failure (VF), and thirteen of them had at least one drug-resistance mutation associated with Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors (RTI) and Protease Inhibitors (PIs) at frequency levels ≤ 1%, not detected previously in their basal genotyping test. No resistance mutations were observed to Integrase Strand Transfer Inhibitors (INSTIs). We identified a possible cause of VF in ART-naïve subjects with low-frequency mutations detected. To our knowledge, this is the first evaluation of pre-existing drug resistance for HIV-1 minority variants carried out on ART-naïve people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) by analyzing the HIV-1 pol gene using NGS in the country.

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• La calidad de la formulación del caso forense en salud mental

  Vertex Revista Argentina de Psiquiatría · 2022-07-10 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access

  OBJECTIVES: The "Guide to understand and assess the quality of the case formulation in forensic mental health - TECF" is tested in order to contribute to the development of the forensic reports. METHOD: Twelve mental health professionals of different Latin American traditions assessed with the TECF the quality of ten international forensic reports, both psychological and psychiatric. The guide includes the manual that describes the dimensions, criteria and guidelines to assess the quality of the forensic case formulation. RESULTS: Internal consistency indicators were in a rank of 0.34- 0.81 for the dimensions and 0.85 for the total TECF. The absolute agreement intraclass correlation coefficient among evaluators with similar tradition reached values of 0.72; 0.52; 0.76 and 0.77 for the dimensions and 0.84 for the total. The agreement among evaluators with different traditions was less. CONCLUSIONS: The TECF is a promising instrument to guide the assessment of quality and to stimulate improvement of the forensic reports. Caution is recommended in light of the traditional rating scale method due to the effect that can be produced by the different practices.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Perceived Preparedness of Dental Academic Institutions to Cope with the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Multi-Country Survey

  International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · 2021-02-04 · 14 citations

  articleOpen access

  Dental academic institutions are affected by COVID-19. We assessed the perceived COVID-19 preparedness of these institutions and the characteristics of institutions with greater perceived preparedness. An international cross-sectional survey of dental academics was conducted from March to August 2020 to assess academics’ and institutional attributes, perceived preparedness, and availability of infection prevention and control (IPC) equipment. Principal component analysis (PCA) identified perceived preparedness components. Multilevel linear regression analysis assessed the association between perceived preparedness and fixed effect factors (academics’ and institutions’ attributes) with countries as random effect variable. Of the 1820 dental academics from 28 countries, 78.4% worked in public institutions and 75.2% reported temporary closure. PCA showed five components: clinic apparel, measures before and after patient care, institutional policies, and availability of IPC equipment. Significantly less perceived preparedness was reported in lower-middle income (LMICs) (B = −1.31, p = 0.006) and upper-middle income (UMICs) (B = −0.98, p = 0.02) countries than in high-income countries (HICs), in teaching only (B = −0.55, p < 0.0001) and in research only (B = −1.22, p = 0.003) than teaching and research institutions and in institutions receiving ≤100 patients daily than those receiving >100 patients (B = −0.38, p < 0.0001). More perceived preparedness was reported by academics with administrative roles (B = 0.59, p < 0.0001). Academics from low-income countries (LICs) and LMICs reported less availability of clinic apparel, IPC equipment, measures before patient care, and institutional policies but more measures during patient care. There was greater perceived preparedness in HICs and institutions with greater involvement in teaching, research, and patient care.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Editorial

  Revista de Odontopediatría Latinoamericana · 2021-02-04

  editorialOpen access

  La Revista de Odontopediatría Latinoamericana, como órgano oficial de difusión de la Asociación Latinoamericana de Odontopediatría (ALOP), mantiene el compromiso de poner a disposición de todo el público lector información gratuita que permita mejorar la salud bucal de los niños Latinoamericanos.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Editorial

  Revista de Odontopediatría Latinoamericana · 2021-02-09

  editorialOpen access

  La Revista de Odontopediatría Latinoamericana es el resultado del trabajo en conjunto de todas las sociedades científicas y académicas que componen la Asociación Latinoamericana de Odontopediatría ALOP. Hacemos entrega de esta edición especial en la cual se han realizado cambios y actualizaciones necesarios para continuar la evolución de esta publicación, permitiendo mantener y mejorar la calidad científica y editorial, buscando lograr los objetivos de excelencia que desde el primer día de la revista nos han caracterizado.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Editorial

  Revista de Odontopediatría Latinoamericana · 2021-02-08

  editorialOpen access

  La generación y difusión de información científica ha experimentado un viraje importante en las últimas décadas, gracias a la disponibilidad de espacios y herramientas de comunicación en la red. El acceso abierto a las revistas científicas en internet ha constituido una poderosa herramienta que permite la difusión masiva y gratuita del conocimiento, con la posibilidad de que todos los usuarios de la comunidad científica, indistintamente de su ubicación geográfica, afiliación académica y condición socioeconómica, puedan beneficiarse de leer, descargar e imprimir los contenidos publicados.

  PublisherDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Morẹ́nikẹ́ Oluwátóyìn Foláyan

  Obafemi Awolowo University

  22 shared

• Arthur Kemoli

  17 shared

• Maha El Tantawi

  16 shared

• Ana Vuković

  15 shared

• Arheiam Arheiam

  University of Benghazi

  15 shared

• Peter Milgrom

  13 shared

• Ola B. Al‐Batayneh

  University of Manitoba

  13 shared

• Juan Miguel Pascale

  Universidad de Panamá

  12 shared

Labs

• Latin American & Iberian Studies ProgramPI