by Mahdi Yousefi  , Scott Donne  , Shabnam Bahremand Abrasi  and Mohammad Yousefi

Received: 10 April 2023;  Published: 13 September 2023;  doi: 10.21926/jept.2303028

The thermal cracking of methane (TMC) is a significant reaction occurring above 850°C, which proceeds in two stages: non-isothermally and isothermally. However, most existing studies have focused on obtaining reaction rates under isothermal conditions [1], limiting their applicability to practical industrial reactor conditions. This novel research aims to determine the overall thermal decomposition rate of methane to hydrogen and carbon in adiabatic conditions, covering the range of unstable industrial reactor temp [...]

by Ciro Comparetto  and Franco Borruto

Received: 31 August 2023;  Published: 13 September 2023;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.2303248

In the United States (US), menopause occurs at an average age of 52. Menopausal symptoms tend to be maximal during the few years before and the year after menopause (during perimenopause), except for symptomatic vulvovaginal atrophy, which may worsen over time. Up to 20% of bone density loss occurs during the first 5 years after menopause, followed by an age-related bone loss rate similar to that in men. Menopause should be considered confirmed if an age-appropriate woman who is not pregnant has not had a menstrual [...]

by Zakkoyya H. Lewis  , Ryan N. Harrison  , Brian D. Clocksin  , Alexandra T. Auslander  and Lara Killick

Received: 05 July 2023;  Published: 12 September 2023;  doi: 10.21926/rpn.2303016

Within the US, people are experiencing longer life expectancy, yet these extended lifespans have not necessarily translated into years living in good health. Musculoskeletal degenerative diseases are particularly prevalent amongst older adults. Research shows that regular resistance exercise carries preventive health benefits to combat these conditions. This study evaluated the impact of an innovative hand-held device (OYO) on the physical function of older adults compared to a traditional chair fitness program (CF [...]

by Carsten Unglaub  and Andreas Jess

Received: 27 June 2023;  Published: 12 September 2023;  doi: 10.21926/cr.2303022

Accumulation of wax inside the catalyst pores during transient cobalt-catalyzed Fischer-Tropsch synthesis (FTS) leads to unfavorable product distribution and low activity by imposing internal mass transfer limitations. The condensation of paraffin severely changes the apparent product stream that actually leaves the reactor before the catalyst pores are filled completely and the steady state is reached. Thus, the product distribution of the transient FTS is less complex than expected in comparison to the steady-sta [...]

by Nour Ben Abdeljelil  , Rimmel Yosra Kanoun  , Roua Hsasna  , Rabeb Jaied  , Sabrine Mekni  , Siwar Frigui  , Lamia Torjemane  , Dorra Belloumi  , Ines Turki  , Rihab Ouerghi  , Insaf Ben yaiche  , Wafa Achour  , Saloua Ladeb  and Tarek Ben Othman

Received: 12 April 2023;  Published: 12 September 2023;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.2303195

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is a common and severe complication following allogeneic stem cell transplantation (ASCT) and requires effective preemptive antiviral therapy. Both oral and intravenous (IV) antiviral agents effectively reduce CMV viral load and achieve viral clearance. Studies comparing oral and IV anti-CMV preemptive treatment in ASCT patients with CMV reactivation showed a potential difference in treatment response and safety profiles between the two administration routes. We retrospectively compa [...]

by Zachary Brozzesi  , Darson Dezheng Li  and Ann Lee

Received: 16 June 2023;  Published: 08 September 2023;  doi: 10.21926/jept.2303027

Buildings, with their significant energy consumption, pose a pressing concern for the future. Inadequate heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems further exacerbate thermal management difficulties and energy requirements. To address these challenges, Phase Change Materials (PCMs) offer valuable potential for sustainable energy reduction within the building sector, leveraging passive cooling and heating techniques. Numerical study has been conducted to explore the impact of embedding PCM within the [...]

by Marlena R. Fraune  , Danielle Langlois  , Harrison Preusse  , Jennifer M. Rheman  , Katrina Ling  and Katherine M. Tsui

Received: 14 April 2023;  Published: 07 September 2023;  doi: 10.21926/obm.neurobiol.2303182

During the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, governments around the world mandated shutdowns and social distancing, limiting how much people could see other people outside of their household. Because of this, people had negative mental health outcomes, and many people turned to technology to maintain connections and create new ones. In this paper, we examine the relationship between technology, mental health, and group cohesion with existing groups (N = 202) and new groups (N = 74). We surveyed U.S. participants in June 2020 [...]

by Jennifer A. King  , Megan R. Holmes  , Kylie Evans  , Anna E. Bender  and Dakota King-White

Received: 28 February 2023;  Published: 07 September 2023;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2303036

The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the long-standing issues of stress and burnout in the education sector, with teachers and education staff facing unprecedented challenges including significant adjustments to teaching methods and balancing the mental health and academic needs of their students. The resulting challenges have contributed to heightened levels of stress and burnout among teachers and education staff. The impact of the pandemic on teachers and education staff has highlighted the need for greater support [...]

by Alberto Dubbini

Received: 02 April 2023;  Published: 07 September 2023;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2303035

This article aims to analyze how Western researchers can be influenced by their epistemic and ethical foundations, which are also expressed through a culturally shared idea of therapy, and how this influence can significantly hinder the understanding of a different cultural reality and its resources in terms of knowledge and practices. While examining a collection of research cases in the field of psychedelic therapy, the present paper focuses on the obstacles created by ethical and epistemic conflicts in the mind [...]

by Paayal Naidu  , William Sandawana Majoni  , Toby Coates  and Manohar Mogulla

Received: 11 May 2023;  Published: 04 September 2023;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.2303194

Thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) in kidney transplant recipients is uncommon and difficult to manage, often with poor graft outcomes [1]. This is a complex and interesting case of an older, highly sensitised kidney transplant recipient who presented with de novo post-transplant TMA in the setting of antibody mediated rejection (ABMR), with other drivers being tacrolimus toxicity, cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection and anti-SARS-CoV-2 BNT162b2 mRNA vaccination. This led to rapid, irrecoverable graft loss. 76-year-old f [...]