by Fengxia Liang  , Qi Huang  , Rui Chen  , Song Wu  , Gary Lu  , Jianmin Liu  , Jia Li  , Lu Wang  , Hua Wang  and Gerhard Litscher

Received: 19 February 2017;  Published: 08 May 2017;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1702002

Qigong is a form of traditional Chinese exercise combining breathing, movement, and meditation to improve fitness for the purpose of preventing disease and prolonging life. We review the clinical efficacy and underlying mechanism of the application of Qigong in the healthcare setting. In addition, we discuss topics such as the impacts on respiratory, cardiovascular function, and immune function, as well as studies of the influences on brain function and mental health. In summary, there is strong evidence of the cli [...]

by Mason L. Yeh  and Eric S. Levine

Received: 11 April 2017;  Published: 27 April 2017;  doi: 10.21926/obm.neurobiol.1702005

Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are diagnosed on the basis of three behavioral features, namely, (1) deficits in social communication, (2) absence or delay in language and (3) stereotypy. The consensus regarding the neurological pathogenesis of ASDs is aberrant synaptogenesis and synapse function. Further, it is now widely accepted that ASD is neurodevelopmental in nature, placing emphasis on derangements occurring at the level of intra- and intercellular signaling during corticogenesis. At present, there is an ev [...]

by Joep Geraedts

Received: 13 April 2017;  Published: 26 April 2017;  doi: 10.21926/obm.genet.1702003

Mark Stoneking, who is a member of the Editorial Board of OBM Genetics has written a textbook on molecular anthropology

by Jessie Poquérusse  and Bryan W. Luikart

Received: 10 April 2017;  Published: 24 April 2017;  doi: 10.21926/obm.neurobiol.1702004

Large-scale genetic sequencing studies have identified a wealth of genes in which mutations are associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Understanding the biological function of these genes sheds light onto the neurodevelopmental basis of ASD. To this end, we defined functional categories representing brain development – (1) Cell Division and Survival, (2) Cell Migration and Differentiation, (3) Neuronal Morphological Elaboration, (4) Development and Regulation of Cellular Excitability, and (5) Synapse Forma [...]

by Giacinto Libertini

Received: 19 February 2017;  Published: 13 April 2017;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.1702002

Currently, geriatric medicine consists mainly of palliative treatment of the disorders that characterize senile decay. This is perfectly compatible with the prevailing view that aging is the inevitable result of multiple degenerative processes that cannot be treated effectively as they are, in themselves, inevitable and irreversible. This interpretation of aging clashes with a mass of data and arguments that, conversely, indicate that aging is a specific physiological function, favoured by supra-individual natural [...]

by Linda J. Larson-Prior  , Gohar Azhar  , David G. Davila  , Se-Ran Jun  , Aaron S. Kemp  , Intawat Nookaew  , Jeanne Y. Wei  and Trudy M. Wassenaar

Received: 22 February 2019;  Published: 12 April 2017;  doi: 10.21926/obm.neurobiol.1702003

(1) Background: The daily rhythms of life on earth are governed by a central clock located in the hypothalamus and entrained primarily by light. By virtue of its connections to a myriad of other clocks located both in the brain and in peripheral organs and cells, this clock provides a timing signal based on the light/dark cycle by which organismal physiology and behaviour are governed. Disturbances of these natural rhythms have multiple downstream effects, frequently resulting in dysregulations of sleep and wake cy [...]

by Pål Dag Line

Received: 07 April 2017;  Published: 11 April 2017;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.1701001

by Gerald P. Morris

Received: 22 February 2019;  Published: 11 April 2017;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.1701002

(1) Background: Lung transplantation is an increasingly utilized treatment for end-stage lung disease. Scarcity of organ donors limiting transplantation underscores the importance of optimal histocompatibility testing approaches to facilitate organ allocation and avoid immunologic rejection. Significant data has emerged over the past decade to define the role of alloantibodies against HLA in the pathogenesis of post-lung transplant complications. (2) Methods: Medical literature from 1996–2016 related to search term [...]

by Tomomi Kogiso  , Mutsuki Kobayashi  , Kuniko Yamamoto  , Yuichi Ikarashi  , Kazuhisa Kodama  , Makiko Taniai  , Nobuyuki Torii  , Kazunari Tanabe  , Hideki Ishida  , Shohei Fuchinoue  , Hiroto Egawa  , Masakazu Yamamoto  , Etsuko Hashimoto  and Katsutoshi Tokushige

Received: 08 February 2017;  Published: 06 April 2017;  doi: 10.21926/obm.hg.1702003

Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection frequently occurs in recipients of liver or kidney transplants (LT/KT). Interferon (IFN)-based therapies are used to treat HCV, but their efficacy is low. Methods: We report 24 patients who received HCV therapy after LT/KT. Design, Setting, and Participants-Twelve LT and 12 KT recipients (median age, 59 years; 15 males; 21 serological type 1) were enrolled, of whom eight (six with LT) were treated with IFN-based therapy. Twelve received direct-acting antiviral drugs [ [...]

by Laurie C. Delatour  and Hermes H. Yeh

Received: 14 March 2017;  Published: 23 March 2017;  doi: 10.21926/obm.neurobiol.1701002

Maternal consumption of alcohol (ethanol) during pregnancy can lead to life-long neurobehavioral and cognitive abnormalities in the offspring, collectively referred to as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD). Prenatal exposure to ethanol is one of the leading causes of non-genetic intellectual disability and FASD is an umbrella category that includes Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, Partial Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, Alcohol Related Birth Defects, and Alcohol Related Neurodevelopmental Disorder. Children with a history of&n [...]