by Michael Frass  and Katharina Gaertner

Received: 16 January 2019;  Published: 16 April 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1902023

This case reports of a 71-year-old patient with polycythemia vera (PCV). Homeopathic treatment began 15 years after his diagnosis at the age of 51. The frequency of phlebotomies was lowered significantly after the start of the homeopathic treatment; the patient survived another 16 years without chemotherapy, which he had rejected despite appropriate education. For someone with PCV who denied chemotherapy, this patient had a long survival time of more than 30 years, essentially enjoying good health and high quality [...]

by Gianluca Donatini  , Sébastien Giraud  , Jean-Louis Kraimps  , Jérôme Danion  and Thierry Hauet

Received: 08 April 2019;  Published: 15 April 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.1902062

Pancreatic islet transplantation represents an effective therapy with lower morbidity for patients carriers of type 1 diabetes compared to whole pancreas transplantation. Although complete insulin independence is usually not achieved it allows control of glycemia balance reducing the risk of severe hypoglycaemia events and impaired awareness of hypoglycaemia. Recent trials had demonstrated islet transplantation to be more effective than current medical treatment and improvements in outcomes also have been reported [...]

by Raffaele Pezzilli

Received: 07 February 2019;  Published: 10 April 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.hg.1902017

Acute pancreatitis still represents a challenge for physicians; it ranges from mild self-limiting forms Walled-off necrosis (WON), previously called by other names, such as organized pancreatic necrosis, necroma, pancreatic sequestration, pseudocyst associated with necrosis and subacute pancreatic necrosis is a new entity of complications of acute pancreatitis. It is defined as a mature, encapsulated collection of pancreatic and/or peripancreatic necrosis which has developed a well-defined inflammatory wall. WON us [...]

by Katia Belvedere  , Elio Rossi  , Mariella Di Stefano  and Sonia Baccetti

Received: 22 February 2019;  Published: 10 April 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1902022

Complementary Medicine (CM) is being increasingly used by European citizens in order to increase their overall state of health and well-being, as well as to treat various illnesses and diseases. The interest for these therapies has progressively risen also in Italy and in Tuscany as well. In response to the increasing demand in the past few years by the Tuscan citizens, the region of Tuscany has started their integration in the healthcare service. Since 1996, the Tuscan Regional Healthcare Plans (RHPs) have been co [...]

by Richard Cheng  and Jon Kobashigawa

Received: 23 January 2019;  Published: 09 April 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.1902061

Cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV) limits long-term survival after heart transplantation. CAV with discrete or tubular lesions can be treated with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with high procedural success. Revascularization with balloon angioplasty, bare-metal stents, and first-generation drug-eluting stents has been associated with high and unacceptable restenosis rates. However, second-generation drug-eluting stents are associated with favorable stent and lesion patency. Stent and lesion patency now [...]

by Rafail Nikolaos Tasakis  , F. Nina Papavasiliou  and Rita Shaknovich

Received: 03 December 2018;  Published: 08 April 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.genet.1902072

Cancer development and progression is strongly associated with somatic mutations. From oncogenic hits that initiate the primary tumor formation to metastasis, the tumor mutational burden (TMB) plays a prominent role in the disease progression for the vast majority of cancer types. Not only are heterogeneous mutational loads or genetic heterogeneity causal to transcriptomic and proteomic discrepancies and to phenotypic diversity between individuals, they are also between tumor cells. But in addition to mutations, a [...]

by Kristy Lui  , Darlene Yee-Melichar  and Emiko Takagi

Received: 31 October 2018;  Published: 08 April 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.1902046

This research review sought to examine the patterns of engagement in advance care planning (ACP) and utilization of end-of-life (EoL) care treatment services including, but not limited to hospice care, in distinct older Asian American ethnic groups. The review of existing research suggested evidence that empirical studies about different older subpopulations of Asian Americans remains scarce. This research analysed 30 small-scale studies on older Asian Americans’ attitudes and engagement in EoL care planning. The r [...]

by James Farag  and Silvana Marasco

Received: 13 February 2019;  Published: 08 April 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.1902060

Left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) improve quality of life in end-stage heart failure patients but a frequent complication is Right heart failure (RHF) causing significant morbidity and mortality. This review article discusses key issues that need to be considered in the assessment and clinical management of RHF in LVAD patients including the use of Right Ventricle (RV) support devices and off-label LVADs as temporary or permanent RV support.

by Steve Liebich

Received: 02 February 2019;  Published: 04 April 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.1902045

Telomere shortening in the somatic cells is one of the most well-documented factors of cellular ageing. Telomeres are composed of tandem hexanucleotide repeats that protect cells from unwanted recombination mechanisms, secure the ends of chromosomes and their stability, and are responsible for limited division capacity. Telomerase is an enzymatic ribonucleoprotein complex, present in embryonic cells, adult stem cells, and germinal progenitors, whose function is to extend the telomeres length by adding the lost tand [...]

by Olga Zichnali  , Despina Moraitou  , Christos Pezirkianidis  and Anastasios Stalikas

Received: 30 October 2018;  Published: 03 April 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.1902044

Background: Interventions that facilitate positive actions and attitudes seem to play an important role in enhancing psychological health. This study examines the effectiveness of two self-guided interventions with the aim to enhance adults’ well-being through the cultivation of forgiveness skills. Methods: A total of 11 men and 31 women aged 34-80 years were involved (M = 56.57, S.D. = 13.44). All participants were Orthodox Christians, as the average Greeks are, without belonging to a closed religious community. T [...]