by Jozélio Freire de Carvalho

Received: 10 September 2025;  Published: 10 October 2025;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2504043

Transcutaneous auricular vagal nerve stimulation (taVNS) is a non-invasive method that regulates the autonomic nervous system via electrical stimulation of the auricular branch of the vagus nerve. Recent literature demonstrates that taVNS can decrease systemic inflammation, attenuate emotional disorders, modulate autonomic functions, and facilitate neural plasticity. This review examines the neurophysiological mechanisms of taVNS, including stimulation paradigms (short- and intensive, prolonged), and clinical findi [...]

by Diane B. Paul

Received: 29 March 2021;  Published: 14 May 2021;  doi: 10.21926/obm.genet.2102130

This article explores difficulties encountered by those with no personal experience of a chronic disease or disability in accurately evaluating the quality of life with a condition present from birth. In most countries, cost-effectiveness analysis relies on ratings of health states by members of the general population, who must try to imagine what life for those affected is like based on (usually brief) descriptions of the conditions. That task is challenging for reasons that have been well-discussed in the literat [...]

by Joep Geraedts

Received: 05 June 2018;  Published: 23 July 2018;  doi: 10.21926/obm.genet.1803024

Both preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) and prenatal diagnosis (PND) are powerful tools to tackle the transmission of inherited disorders carried by families from generation to generation. Here, we present an overview of the current landscape of both methods and identify the pros and cons of each of these reproductive options. In prenatal testing, non-invasive diagnostic methods have become available as an alternative for invasive diagnosis. Different genome sequencing strategies have now been introduced that en [...]

by Siera Sylvester  , Jalaycia Hughes  and Clayton Clark II

Received: 23 March 2022;  Published: 07 June 2022;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2202023

Building performance is often expressed according to primary energy use; however studies should also include environmental load. To mitigate the effects of increased CO2 emissions, green building designs are now increasingly popular options for stakeholders. In contrast, impacts of green design parameters, building performance assessment, and design optimization objectives are not addressed sufficiently for American infrastructure. Designing low-energy architecture to minimize carbon emissions requires thoughtful a [...]

by Maya Kudo  , Misa Hayashi  , Peng Tian  , Danyang Liu  , Lili Wu  , Wei Li  , Zhaoyang Hong  , Yitang Zhao  , Toshiaki Nishigaki  , Masaaki Nishihara  , Kazuo Koike  , Tonghua Liu  and Ming Gao

Received: 13 April 2020;  Published: 09 July 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2003033

Increased body fat mass can lead to lifestyle diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia. Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of conditions that increases the onset of multiple diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases, stroke, and type 2 diabetes, which are closely related to lipid metabolism; therefore, new prevention approaches and treatments are needed. Our study investigated the effects and mechanism of YNCRG on anti-obesity in metabolic syndrome model SHR.Cg-Leprcp/NDmcr (SHRCP) rats. Eight-week- [...]

by Hisayuki Komaki  and Tomohiko Tamura

Received: 19 April 2019;  Published: 23 August 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.genet.1903091

Background: Streptomyces avermitilis is an actinomycete that produces avermectins. The complete genome sequence of S. avermitilis K139 was determined in 2003. In our previous study, we revealed that S. avermitilis NBRC 14893T harbors two extra secondary metabolite-biosynthetic gene clusters (smBGCs), com and ptx, which are not present in strain K139. Methods: Whole-genome sequencing for S. avermitilis NBRC 14893T and ATCC 31267T was carried out by the SMRT DNA sequencing technology to determine the genomic loci enc [...]

by Mitsuro Chiba  , Masafumi Komatsu  , Satomi Watanabe  and Yoko Daimon

Received: 13 January 2021;  Published: 20 February 2021;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2101006

The high prevalence of obesity is a global concern. However, obesity and inflammatory bowel disease have similarities in epidemiology, diet, and gut microbial dysbiosis. An omnivorous (westernized) diet replacement with a plant-based diet in inflammatory bowel disease achieved better outcomes in both the induction and quiescent phases. Educational hospitalization providing a plant-based diet was found effective in suppressing flare-up in ulcerative colitis. This case report was designed to assess whether a plant-ba [...]

by Shili Lin  and Hengrui Luo

Received: 23 May 2018;  Published: 10 December 2018;  doi: 10.21926/obm.genet.1804053

DNA methylation is an epigenetic change that is not only important in normal cell development, but also plays a significant role in human health and disease. Therefore, studies of DNA methylation have been actively pursued to clarify the precise role of this modification in disease etiology and its potential as a biomarker of disease. One key issue in analyzing DNA methylation data is the detection of significant differences in methylation levels between diseased individuals and healthy controls. In recent years, m [...]

by Maria Alonso-González  , José Fernando Rubio-Valle  , Victor Perez-Puyana  , Mercedes Jiménez-Rosado  and Alberto Romero

Received: 01 November 2019;  Published: 26 February 2020;  doi: 10.21926/rpm.2001004

The present study deals with the development of scaffolds based on gelatin (G) and/or chitosan (CH) through modifications in the central processing method. This process consists of the fabrication of a hydrogel which is, then submitted to a freeze-drying stage. To compare the effects of the different modifications, the mechanical properties of the various systems were characterized, employing both dynamic compressive strain and frequency sweep tests. In addition, their porosity as well as the structure and fiber di [...]

by Holly Hazlett-Stevens

Received: 12 April 2022;  Published: 07 June 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2202022

Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) teaches mindfulness meditation to reduce stress, anxiety, depression, and related forms of distress among a variety of patients. Much research has documented statistically significant reductions across a variety of self-report measures following MBSR, but researchers rarely assessed and reported the clinical significance of MBSR symptom reduction in accordance with specific criteria famously established by Jacobson and Truax [1]. Patients reporting symptoms of anxiety, depr [...]