by Alberto Feletti  , Elena Bianchini  , Anna De Gaetano  , Lara Gibellini  , Sara De Biasi  , Giacomo Pavesi  , Anna Vittoria Mattioli  , Milena Nasi  , Andrea Cossarizza  and Marcello Pinti

Received: 26 November 2018;  Published: 04 March 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.neurobiol.1901021

Hemangioblastomas (HBs) are benign, highly vascularized tumors of the central nervous system. Approximately 75% of HBs are sporadic, while 25% are associated with von Hippel–Lindau (VHL) disease. HBs consist of two main components: a rich capillary network composed of vascular endothelia and pericytes, within large vacuolated stromal cells, which harbor the genetic defect. The mechanism by which the VHL gene product (pVHL) causes HB is not completely clear. Wild-type pVHL is involved in the response to hypoxia, tar [...]

by Khalid Saidov  , Anna Tiunova  , Oksana Subach  , Fedor Subach  and Konstantin Anokhin

Received: 12 October 2018;  Published: 04 March 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.genet.1901065

Background: The method of cellular compartment analysis of temporal activity by fluorescent in situ hybridization (catFISH) is widely used in cellular and behavioral neurobiology. This technique exploits stimulus-induced expression of immediate early genes (IEGs) and allows identification of two neuronal populations activated in the brain of the same animal in response to neural or behavioral events separated by 25–30 min. The differential labeling is based on the visualization of nuclear RNA and cytoplasmic [...]

by Dagan Coppock  , Caytlin Deering  , Shara Epstein  and Dong Heun Lee

Received: 23 December 2018;  Published: 01 March 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.1901054

Infections are a common cause of morbidity and mortality in solid organ transplantation (SOT) recipients. Procalcitonin (PCT) has garnered attention as an inflammatory marker that has been shown to be a valuable marker for early identification of systemic bacterial infection. However, interpretation of PCTs value in the different types of infections, transplanted organs, and post-operative courses can be challenging. We review the role of PCT in the management of infections in SOT recipients. First, the PCT level c [...]

by Kristopher M. Struckmeyer  , Alex J. Bishop  , Brenda J. Smith  and Brandt C. Gardner

Received: 27 August 2018;  Published: 27 February 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.1901037

Background: The purpose of this study was to examine discrepancies in self-proxy agreement of biopsychosocial factors and the influence of objective well-being and psychosocial resources self and proxy appraisals of subjective well-being in older adults. Methods: Seventy-two older adult-proxy dyads rated the biopsychosocial health of non-cognitively impaired older adults. Results: Proxies underestimated functional ability, psychosocial factors, and overrated negative health outcomes compared to older adults. Older [...]

by Vincenza Frisardi  , Sara Faroni  , Angela Bellani  , Felice Biagi  , Emanuela Galante  , Alida Balzanelli  , Erika Talassi  , Lorella Frittoli  , Giancarla Capiluppi  , Claudia D'angelis  , Antonella Taragnani  , Donatella Terzi  , Elena Podavini  , Graziana Gazzoni  , Graziana Simoncelli  , Carmine Matarazzo  , Mirko Avesani  , Antonio Ventura  , Consuelo Basili  , Maurizio Galavotti  , Carlo Maria Stucchi  , Maria Cristina Cilia  and Alfonso ciccone

Received: 31 October 2018;  Published: 27 February 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.1901036

The WHO global action plan on the public health response to dementia 2017-2025 stressed the need to have a comprehensive approach with deep interconnections and cross-cutting elements through several action areas. As the elderly population grows worldwide, the number of patients with dementia increases rapidly because age is an important risk factor for developing late-onset dementia. Currently, dementia syndrome represents a true emergency. Once a diagnosis of dementia was made, informal caregivers, patients and t [...]

by James David Adams

Received: 25 February 2019;  Published: 27 February 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1901014

The nervous system is everywhere in the body, especially in the skin. Ancient Chinese acupuncture charts show us that the nerves are all connected and can work together to promote health. This connection occurs through the brain and brain stem. It is clear that acupuncture is analgesic by inhibition of transient receptor potential cation channels in the skin [1]. The role of chemokines in pain is becoming understood. Chemokines promote pain in the skin and activate ascending neural pathways that regulate chemo [...]

by Raquel López-Vilella  , Alba Cecilia Ruiz Gaitán  , José Ricardo Gimeno Costa  , Elena Marqués-Sulé  , Rosario Vicente Guillén  , Javier Pemán García  , Ignacio Sánchez-Lázaro  and Luis Almenar Bonet

Received: 15 October 2018;  Published: 27 February 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.1901053

In recent years, several agencies have issued warnings about the spread of Candida auris infections, a multidrug-resistant yeast that is associated with serious infections and with a mortality rate that can reach 70%. This problem is especially serious in transplant recipients receiving intense immunosupressive therapy. There are no established criteria on the relevance of this colonization or on when the transplant should be contraindicated in these cases. Five cases of colonization and two of candidemia have been [...]

by Steven R. Brenner

Received: 29 August 2018;  Published: 26 February 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.1901035

Alzheimer Disease may result from excessive stimulation of the innate immune system from development of underlying opportunistic infections and impaired age related self-recognition as non-self, due to immunodeficiency and immunosenescence, resulting in excessive inflammation and runaway Beta-amyloid production (a component of the innate immune system) causing cytosolic calcium overload. Excessive cytosolic calcium may cause over activation of calcineurin and inactivation of cis-trans prolyl isomerase (Pin1), with [...]

by Istvan Széchenyi

Received: 16 October 2018;  Published: 26 February 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1901013

Background: In the international auriculotherapy practice there are relatively big differences in the exact localization of the same ear acupuncture point. On one hand, there are specialists who devote their efforts to find the active points. In that case it becomes intriguing that there may be another point (at 1-2 mm distance) near the point to be treated, indicating a relatively strong, even stronger activity than the one they were initially aiming to find. That point may be active because of another health prob [...]

by David W. Scharp  , Jayagowri Arulmoli  , Kelly Morgan  , Hannah Sunshine  and Ergeng Hao

Received: 15 October 2018;  Published: 26 February 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.1901052

Background: This presentation of a six-year study processing human islets for research and transplantation includes a review of multi-center transplant studies identifying key variables critical for successful islet processing and defines standardized processing procedures required to provide highly purified, functional Human Islets. Methods: Human islet processing methods are defined in detail with pancreas retrieval, shipping, trimming for processing, collagenase distension, controlled digestion by digestion/filt [...]