by Ryan Sweeney  , Alvaro J La Rosa  , Nina Sheade  , Rachael C. Olson-Marszewski  , Ryan Bergren  and Edwin Meresh

Received: 12 January 2020;  Published: 01 April 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.neurobiol.2002054

Case studies have associated catatonia with withdrawal from benzodiazepines and clozapine, both of which have been shown to increase GABA activity. Long-term use of GABAergic medications could result in GABAA downregulation and sudden discontinuation of the GABAergic drug could lead to a GABA hypoactive state which could predispose the patient to catatonia. The anticonvulsant topiramate, is known to increase brain GABA activity. Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is a genetic imprinting disorder characterized by lack of e [...]

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 Arnaud Philippot  , Yannick Bleyenheuft  and Anne De Volder

Received: 21 June 2020;  Published: 07 January 2021;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2101002

In a previous study conducted to assess the impact of physical exercise on the symptoms of depression and anxiety in preadolescents in the school environment, which included a subgroup of participants comprising eleven randomly selected teens (aged 9–11) and all enrolled in primary education, it was immediately observed that one participant referred to as Andy was being bullied and teased, and the teachers were completely unaware of this scenario. All the participants of the study were volunteers, and were subjecte [...]

by Jacqueline Lamond  and Charles L. Shapiro

Received: 07 December 2020;  Published: 05 July 2021;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.2103173

Breast cancer and osteoporosis are both diseases of aging. The "one in eight" lifetime risks of breast cancer occur primarily in the sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth decades of life. One-third of postmenopausal women will experience an osteoporotic fracture. It is the coalescence of osteoporosis, breast cancer, and breast cancer treatments that, in some cases, increases the risks of osteoporotic fracture. That makes it imperative to assess risk factors, screen, and prevent or treat osteoporosis in postmenopausal w [...]

by Marco Barale  , Ruth Rossetto Giaccherino  , Ezio Ghigo  and Massimo Procopio

Received: 31 October 2018;  Published: 14 February 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.1901033

Background: It is well known that hypovitaminosis D has been associated with various cardio-metabolic disorders, though the pathogenetic link, if any, still remains unclear. Our aim was to evaluate in elderly uncontrolled non-insulin-treated type 2 diabetic patients with hypovitaminosis D, whether six-months vitamin D supplementation was able to improve glycemic control, lipid profile and blood pressure levels. Methods: In an open-label pilot study, thirty type 2 diabetic patients (age 71.5 ± 3.2 years, BMI [...]

by Simon Calles  , Paul Heitjans  and Alexander Börger

Received: 09 November 2021;  Published: 18 April 2022;  doi: 10.21926/jept.2202015

Prismatic PHEV2 form-factor lithium-ion cells with a nominal capacity of 25 Ah (as used for automotive applications) have been studied with electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The data was evaluated using electrical equivalent circuits. Mathematical modeling, system identification, and the determination of model parameters of the lithium-ion cell were also carried out. While a study of the influence of temperature and state-of-charge (SOC) performed using pristine lithium-ion cells showed a nonlinear rela [...]

by Verena Hofmann  , Céline Pagnotta  , Noémie Lacombe  and Myriam Squillaci

Received: 30 March 2023;  Published: 10 August 2023;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2303033

Burnout is a syndrome commonly characterized by the three dimensions of Maslach and Leiter's model, namely emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and lack of professional accomplishment. While burnout affects individuals in all professions, teachers are recognized as being at particular risk, a fact explained in the literature by the high level of relational demands inherent to the profession. During the pandemic and subsequently, these demands have even increased. Several studies have focused on the influence of [...]

by Jeffrey M. Witkin  , Lalit K. Golani  , Rok Cerne  , Md. Toufiqur Rahman  , Guanguan Li  , Michael M. Poe  , James M. Cook  and Jodi L. Smith

Received: 05 May 2019;  Published: 26 August 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.1903073

Major depressive disorder is a highly-prevalent and debilitating disorder in the aged population. Accumulating clinical evidence suggests a key role for social support in helping to mitigate depression. Preclinical data are reviewed that indicate that selective negative allosteric modulation of α5-containing GABAA receptors, as with RY-080, might rapidly impact depression in patients. Further, preclinical data in transgenic mice modeling neurodegenerative diseases has suggested that this mechanism might also [...]

by Joep Geraedts

Received: 08 April 2019;  Published: 14 August 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.genet.1903089

Mitochondrial diseases are among the most prevalent inborn errors of metabolism. The overwhelming majority of mitochondrial diseases (about 85%) result from mutations in nuclear genes involved in oxidative phosphorylation, while some (15%) are caused by mutations in mitochondrial DNA (MtDNA). The familial mtDNA mutations are exclusively inherited from the mother. There are four main methods available to prevent the transmission of mtDNA mutations: preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) or prenatal diagnosis (PND) [...]

by Tara T. Lineweaver  , Suneeta Kercood  , Elyse B. Morgan  , Shelby L. Rampone  , Colleen C. Frank  , Scott A. McLuckie  and Mack F. Reed

Received: 27 October 2019;  Published: 07 January 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2001002

Past research suggests that exercise is associated with improved working memory (WM) abilities, and that athletes have better executive functioning and WM skills than non-athletes. However, no studies to date have separated the effects of exercise from the effects of athletic participation when examining WM. This study had three primary goals: (1) to determine whether amateur college athletes have better auditory and visual WM than their non-athlete peers who exercise frequently and whether non-athlete frequent exe [...]