by Berta Monleón López  , Valentina Della Torre  , Federico Bilotta  and Rafael Badenes

Received: 11 June 2019;  Published: 22 August 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.neurobiol.1903037

Purpose of review: The purpose of this review is to describe recent evidence regarding the use of Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) as rescue therapy for refractory cardiac or respiratory failure in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) when conventional treatments have failed. The characteristics of these patients, including the risk of bleeding and developing malignant intracranial hypertension, are generally considered as relative contraindications to ECMO treatment; however, recent evidence sugges [...]

by Avneet K. Mangat  and Georg M. Schmölzer

Received: 07 June 2019;  Published: 20 August 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1903051

The incidence of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) is increasing due to more mothers using illicit drugs. This results in an increase in costs and resources for the healthcare system. Newborns with NAS might experience withdrawal symptoms that can cause pain, distress, and may potentially increase the risk of future health complications. It is therefore important to find effective treatments that can alleviate NAS. Various non-pharmacological treatments are used in conjunction with pharmacological treatments to re [...]

by Elizabeth F. Wallin  , Michelle A. Linterman  and Kathryn J. Wood

Received: 02 June 2019;  Published: 19 August 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.1903079

Background: T follicular helper (Tfh) and regulatory (Tfr) cells are key players in the formation of long-lived antibody responses. Their circulating counterparts, cTfh and cTfr, are often used as biomarkers because longitudinal sampling of secondary lymphoid tissues is unfeasible in clinical studies. This is the first study to track cTfh and cTfr cells following therapeutic lymphocyte depletion with alemtuzumab, an anti-CD52 monoclonal antibody, to infer the influence of this treatment on the germinal centre respo [...]

by Gabriele Cipriani  , Sabrina Danti  , Cecilia Carlesi  , Claudio Lucetti  , Angelo Nuti  and Mario Di Fiorino

Received: 27 March 2019;  Published: 16 August 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.1903070

Background: Mania in older adults is associated with a high rate of medical and neurological disease. Objective: The goal of this review is to describe the phenomenon of manic episodes in patients suffering from dementia. Methods: Medline and Google Scholar searches were conducted for relevant articles, chapters, and books published before 2019. Search terms used included dementia, late-onset, mania, and elderly. Publications found through this indexed search were reviewed for further relevant references. Resultsan [...]

by Alina Wong  and Scott D Lee

Received: 09 May 2019;  Published: 16 August 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.hg.1903033

Crohn’s disease is characterized by chronic intestinal inflammation that can result in significant morbidity and loss of intestinal function over time. Many novel treatments for Crohn’s disease are being developed, but a significant portion of patients still requires surgical therapy for structuring or penetrating disease. While the utility of esophagogastroduodenoscopy and ileocolonoscopy in inflammatory bowel disease patients is well established, new endoscopic techniques are being developed to help evaluate prev [...]

by Tahereh Fatemian  and Ezharul Hoque Chowdhury

Received: 29 March 2019;  Published: 15 August 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.genet.1903090

Introduction of biocompatible ingredients into nano-material formulations has been studied as a strategy for the enhancement of the pharmacokinetics as well as pharmacodynamics of the final product. With the aim of enhancing drug loading and the ultimate efficacy, incorporation of Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) into carbonate apatite (CA) nanoparticles structure was employed in the present study. As a result of BSA embedding in the CA formulation, approximately three-times higher loading efficiency was achieved for pac [...]

by Joep Geraedts

Received: 08 April 2019;  Published: 14 August 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.genet.1903089

Mitochondrial diseases are among the most prevalent inborn errors of metabolism. The overwhelming majority of mitochondrial diseases (about 85%) result from mutations in nuclear genes involved in oxidative phosphorylation, while some (15%) are caused by mutations in mitochondrial DNA (MtDNA). The familial mtDNA mutations are exclusively inherited from the mother. There are four main methods available to prevent the transmission of mtDNA mutations: preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) or prenatal diagnosis (PND) [...]

by Abdulmaleek Sado  , Rahul Kalla  and Simon Campbell

Received: 20 May 2019;  Published: 14 August 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.hg.1903032

Crohn's disease is part of a group of diseases termed inflammatory bowel disease. Guidelines have long advocated the use of steroids for acute flare up and Current goals of treatment include enhancing long-lasting remission, preventing relapse, reducing the need for surgery, preventing complications and slowing disease progression. No cure currently exists for the disease. Traditionally, the clinical approach to treatment has been symptom-based where patients have had to ‘earn’ their next treatment escalation. Howe [...]

by Assaf Assis  , Lena Sapozhnikov  , Sandra Camargo  and Eduardo Mitrani

Received: 07 May 2019;  Published: 14 August 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.1903078

Background: Cell encapsulation technology is most likely the ultimate solution for cell therapy based clinical approaches. A key issue when developing a functional encapsulated construct is to consider not only the nature of the capsule but also how the cells should be incorporated into the capsule in order to minimally compromise their function. Methods: We have developed a tissue engineering approach, composed of decellularized micro scaffolds and various types of cells in which fully functional "Engineered Micro [...]

by Sara Schatz  and Melvin Gonzalez Rivera

Received: 15 March 2019;  Published: 13 August 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.1903069

Pragmatic competence includes the capacity to express illocutionary force and successfully achieve perlocutionary effects, in order to guarantee fully functional communication exchanges. Improved pragmatic competence in patients has been found in patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and early to moderate Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) in the domains of jokes, self-expression and empathy after extended, targeted intranasal insulin therapy. In this paper it is argued that extended intra-nasal insulin treatment can [...]