by Susana Ruiz-Ruiz  , Carolina A Ponce  , Nicole Pesantes  , Rebeca Bustamante  , Gianna Gatti  , Viviana San Martin  , Mireya Gutierrez  , Mariana Izquierdo  , Sergio L Vargas  , Fabien Magne  and Vicente Pérez-Brocal

Received: 30 January 2019;  Published: 18 March 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.genet.1901066

Background: Pneumocystis jirovecii colonization in patients is associated with a low organism burden, which supports the need to use highly sensitive molecular techniques, such as nested-PCR to determine the presence of the organism. However, few studies have considered the effect of nucleic acid extraction methods on the detection of P. jirovecii. Here, we evaluate how pre-treatment affects microbial detection. Methods: Lung tissue samples from fifteen autopsied infants were processed using two different DNA extra [...]

by Natalia Sylvia Ramos Díaz

Received: 23 August 2018;  Published: 14 March 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1901017

One of the objectives of psychological intervention is to help patients manage their emotions effectively by providing them with the necessary skills to accompany their own emotional states. To this regard, there seems to be a current lack of therapeutic resources aimed at helping patients assimilate and regulate emotions. This article proposes the application of a new technique which incorporates mindfulness, building on the premises of the model of psychological flexibility which defines "mindfulness" as a practi [...]

by Ramareddy V Guntaka

Received: 20 December 2018;  Published: 13 March 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.hg.1901014

Liver fibrosis leading to cirrhosis and cancer affects millions of people and causes thousands of deaths all over the world. Many signaling pathways could be targeted to block fibrosis but these are not successful. Reviewing recent literature and from our own studies we identified novel target, such as YB-1, which is implicated in inflammation, angiogenesis and accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM). In addition we observed and showed that the end product of fibrosis, collagen gene, itself is a direct target fo [...]

by Tina Zhou  , Sara Khan  , Ron Firestein  , Peter Downie  and Jason E Cain

Received: 29 November 2018;  Published: 12 March 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.neurobiol.1901022

Pediatric brain tumors account for approximately 25% of all cancers in children and are currently the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the pediatric population with an estimated incidence of 5.14 cases per 100,000 person years [1]. Up to 10-15% of all pediatric brain tumors arise in the brainstem, with the majority of these classified as the diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) subtype [2]. The outcome of children with DIPG remains dismal with a median survival of <1 year. Owing to the unique locatio [...]

by Sofia Oliveira Correia  , Catarina Eusébio  , Ana Sofia Cipriano  , Virginia Lopes  , José Ramón Vizcaíno  , António Cabrita  , Manuela Almeida  , Sofia Pedroso  , Leonidio Dias  , La Salete Martins  and António Castro Henriques

Received: 18 October 2018;  Published: 07 March 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.1901057

Mucormycosis is an angioinvasive and potentially fatal fungal infection caused by ubiquitous filamentous fungi. Cutaneous mucormycosis is an emerging infection and potentially lethal. Our aim was to review the literature on cutaneous mucormycosis. We present a case of a renal transplant patient with a surgical wound infection 20 days after kidney transplant. This case is an example on how early diagnosis is crucial and, since culture is less sensitive, microscopic evaluation of the characteristic broad hyphae is th [...]

by Katharina Tigges-Limmer  , Stephan Ensminger  , Yvonne Brocks  , Scott Stock Gissendanner  and Jan Gummert

Received: 28 October 2018;  Published: 05 March 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.1901056

Background: The participation of mental health professionals in multidisciplinary care teams for heart transplantation has become an international standard practice. The contribution of these professionals in this setting, which involves assessment and interventions, has not been the subject of systematic study. Methods: This paper explores how psychotherapists contribute to multidisciplinary decision making and care in transplant teams before, during, and after transplantation. To illustrate, it uses the case of a [...]

by Christine A. Beamish  and Omaima M. sabek

Received: 08 November 2018;  Published: 05 March 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.1901055

Pancreatic islet transplantation holds promise for patients with insulin-dependent diabetes, but is severely limited by a shortage of cadaveric donor islets, and more so because of stringent inclusion criteria for organ donation including donor metabolic function, age, and comorbidities. The impact of these diverse factors on islet health has led to a broad investigation of global influences on islet biology, not least of all, characterization of mature, functional cellular identity and maintenance of appropriate e [...]

by Ali Al-Ragawi  , Sergey Zyryanov  , Elena Ushkalova  , Olga Butranova  and Anton Pereverzev

Received: 10 October 2018;  Published: 05 March 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.1901038

Background: Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) are common in the elderly and often have serious clinical and economic consequences. Prediction of ADRs is a valuable tool to improve pharmacotherapy and outcomes in this category of patients. Objective: Prediction of ADRs in patients ≥ 65 years old, based on GerontoNet risk score with emphasis on polypharmacy. Methods: Pharmacoepidemiological retrospective study of medical records of patients admitted to the Russian Gerontology Clinical Research Center (RGCRC) between 1 [...]

by Jeffery Jonathan Joshua (ישוע) Davis  , Florian Schübeler  and Robert Kozma

Received: 26 November 2018;  Published: 04 March 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1901015

Background: Psychophysiological coherence has been widely studied as a bodily state associated with general well-being and cognitive clarity. Heart Rate Variability (HRV) has been shown to be a good biomarker to assess psychophysiological coherence. This paper presents the first general set of results concerning a study that is part of a team effort between a body of researchers in 5 countries led by the HeartMath Institute under the name, International Heart Rate Variability Synchronization (IHRVS) Study. This stu [...]

by Cynthia M.A. Geppert  and Ronald W. Pies

Received: 01 March 2019;  Published: 04 March 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1901016

Compassion in Clinical Care