by OBM Integrative and Complementary Med Editorial Office

Received: 07 January 2021;  Published: 07 January 2021;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2101001

The editors of OBM Integrative and Complementary Medicine would like to express their sincere gratitude to the following reviewers for assessing manuscripts in 2020. We greatly appreciate the contribution of expert reviewers, which is crucial to the journal's editorial process. We aim to recognize reviewer contributions through several mechanisms, of which the annual publication of reviewer names is one. Reviewers receive a voucher entitling them to a discount on their next LIDSEN publication and can download a [...]

by Takahiro Fujimoto  , Hidetake Kobayashi  , Takeshi Hataoka  , Kazuo Taniguchi  and Keisuke Miura

Received: 17 May 2020;  Published: 09 December 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2004045

Obesity causes serious long-term health problems in people worldwide. Since the effect of dietary advice is possibly limited, weight loss can be a major challenge; therefore, additional weight control techniques may be beneficial. We conducted four experiments to evaluate if auricular acupuncture point stimulation with simple metal beads (AA) rather than the popular use of intradermal needle (DA) to stimulate auricle would support weight loss. In this retrospective study, weight change in Japanese women (aged 18 to [...]

by Wangkuk Son  , Jason Lin  and Melissa Puppa

Received: 28 September 2020;  Published: 07 December 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2004044

Cancer cachexia contributes to 30% of cancer-related deaths. There is currently no treatment or standard of care for cancer cachexia. Many nutritional interventions show promise for the treatment and or prevention of cachexia. Supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids, protein and vitamins either alone or in combination has shown some beneficial effects in the prevention and treatment of cancer cachexia. The mechanisms through which many nutritional interventions work to attenuate cachexia are just beginning to be u [...]

by Gerhard Litscher

Received: 11 November 2020;  Published: 13 November 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2004043

The Nogier reflex or reflex auriculo-cardiac (RAC) or the dynamic pulse reaction is a physiological phenomenon that is not generally accepted in conventional medicine. Therefore, evidence-based research in this sub-area is important for auricular medicine as it provides appropriate scientific evidence for better acceptance. In this editorial, a RAC measurement based on a modified smartphone registration and analysis is presented. The contribution is intended to stimulate researchers to continue working in this inte [...]

by Vasilios M. Polymeropoulos

Received: 01 August 2020;  Published: 26 October 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2004042

There is a dramatic need for extensive research into the predictors of severe infection with SARS-CoV2 and therapeutic options for infected people. People who suffer from severe illness and higher mortality display a pattern of having specific co-morbidities (diabetes, obesity, hypertension) and are of higher age. Recent research has described methods of viral entry via receptors (ACE2, TMPRSS2) and the hyper-inflammatory state often associated with severe illness (increase in interleukins, increase in TNF-alpha). [...]

by Emily Reeves  , Brigitte Liebig  and Eveline Degen

Received: 14 July 2020;  Published: 20 October 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2004041

High-quality care is an important aim of palliative care services. However, the quality of care is a complex phenomenon and is subjectively perceived by those who are closest to the services and are often evaluated poorly. Prior research has highlighted the difficulties in evaluating the quality of care because of different perspectives, and still, only a little is understood about the perception of the quality of care in palliative care services. Investigating the perspectives of key individuals involved in pallia [...]

by Deborah R. Simkin  and L. Eugene Arnold

Received: 06 April 2020;  Published: 19 October 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2004040

Teen depression and suicide rates have risen despite conventional treatments. This article reviews adjunctive interventions that may improve outcomes. A search of the National Library of Medicine database used tailored searches with combinations of specific terms. Modern lifestyle is associated with increased inflammation and pro-inflammatory cytokines leading to, for instance, hyperactivation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, which promotes depression. Inflammation also increases oxidative stress, leadin [...]

by Giuseppe De Benedittis

Received: 25 August 2020;  Published: 31 August 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2003039

by Mario F. Tecce  , Walter Milano  and Anna Capasso

Received: 26 June 2020;  Published: 31 August 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2003038

Adipocytes play a central role in maintaining lipid homeostasis and energy balance by storing triacylglycerols (TAGs) or releasing free fatty acids in response to changes in energy requirements. Obesity is a major risk factor for many diseases, including diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease. Besides, morbidity and mortality associated with being overweight and obese are on the rise. The development of obesity is characterized by an increase in lipid cells due to mitogenesis and differentiation, which [...]

by Melissa Gaule  , Erin Allen  and Kathleen Benton

Received: 29 March 2020;  Published: 26 August 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2003037