by Bridget W. Brox  , Darren J. Day  and Bart A. Ellenbroek

Received: 01 February 2018;  Published: 07 June 2018;  doi: 10.21926/obm.neurobiol.1802010

(1) Background: Drug addiction places a heavy burden on those affected by it but only a small percentage of individuals (~20%), regardless of their drug of abuse, go on to develop the compulsive behaviours that define drug addiction. Clinical studies have shown that genetic variations that reduce serotonin transporter (SERT) activity increase the vulnerability to developing a variety of psychiatric disorders such as depression, anxiety and drug addiction. (2) Methods: To investigate the influence of reduced SERT fu [...]

by Thales Almeida Barbosa  , Marcelo Costa Flores  and Katia Cecília de Souza Figueiredo

Received: 09 May 2022;  Published: 16 August 2022;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2203030

Mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) consist of a polymeric phase and a dispersed solid filler such as zeolites or carbon nanotubes. We prepared symmetric and asymmetric polysulfone-based MMMs containing functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNT-O) for CO2/N2 separation. Maxwell’s model was used to predict the permeabilities of MMMs. The permeability achieved using the model exhibited a good fit of the model in symmetric MMMs, especially for CO2. This can be potentially attributed to the high affinity of th [...]

by Gerhard Litscher

Received: 18 May 2021;  Published: 20 May 2021;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2102018

Photobiomodulation (PBM) is an accurate term for an effective and important application of light in medicine (such as in photomedicine). Three review articles of authors from the International Society of Medical Laser Applications (ISLA-Transcontinental) on the topic of PBM with a total of 116 printed pages, published in one renowned journal of molecular sciences with an impact factor of 13.668, are presented in the current review. The main topics are PBM, probiotics, curcumin, and arthritis. PBM can modulate cellu [...]

by M. Lourdes Mourelle  and Leonel Pereira

Received: 26 January 2025;  Published: 17 April 2025;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.2502308

The increasing consumer demand for cosmetic products has led to the widespread use of synthetic substances, which are inexpensive and readily available but can sometimes harm the skin and body. Examples include hydroxybenzoic acid esters (parabens) and phthalates, which are considered endocrine disruptors, and synthetic fragrances that may cause irritation or allergies. Consequently, there has been a shift in consumer preferences towards natural cosmetic products. In response to this demand and the expanding market [...]

by Jill Gualdoni  , Jeff Ritzenthaler  , Ibrahim Elkhawas  , Gerene Bauldoff  , David Nunley  and Jesse Roman

Received: 29 November 2018;  Published: 20 February 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.1901051

Background: Gastroesophageal reflux disease has been associated with the development of chronic lung allograft dysfunction following lung transplantation. While the mechanisms are unclear, it is postulated that microaspiration of gastrointestinal material (GIM) leads to inflammation and airway remodeling that culminates in obliterative bronchiolitis. As the expression of the matrix glycoprotein fibronectin has been shown to be an early marker of this fibroproliferative process, its induction could suggest a causal [...]

by Annette Siakamba  , Mehdi Seraj  and Huseyin Ozdeser

Received: 20 June 2024;  Published: 01 January 2025;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2501001

Over the years, energy poverty has been seen as a major struggle in Zimbabwe and globally. This paper tries to find the relationship between energy poverty and environmental change. Ecological footprint represents a degradation in this paper. The findings showed an insignificant relationship between renewable energy and ecological footprint in Zimbabwe. This study employs the ARDL technique. This study employs time series data from 1990-2021. This study uses the ARDL framework to get robust results. The ARDL bound [...]

by OBM Geriatrics Editorial Office

Received: 01 July 2022;  Published: 03 July 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.2203201

by Lotte Gerholt  , Casper N. Bang  , Eva Gerdts  , Anne Cecilie Larstorp  , Sverre E. Kjeldsen  , Stevo Julius  , Kristian Wachtell  , Peter M. Okin  and Richard B. Devereux

Received: 20 December 2021;  Published: 09 March 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.2201194

It remains unknown whether left atrial systolic force (LASF), a measure of left atrial function, can be used as a predictor of new-onset atrial fibrillation (NOAF). Furthermore, the effect of the treatment with atenolol and losartan on LASF is unclear. A total of 758 patients without atrial fibrillation at baseline were enrolled from the Losartan Intervention For Endpoint (LIFE) reduction in hypertension echocardiography sub-study. Participants of the LIFE study were randomized to either atenolol-or losartan-based [...]

by Xiaohui Wang  , Shaozhuang Ma  and Wenyu Liao

Received: 09 January 2023;  Published: 27 March 2023;  doi: 10.21926/obm.neurobiol.2301164

China adopted a “Zero-COVID” policy for nearly three years, making Chinese healthcare workers constantly involved in COVID-19-related work. However, little is known about how involvement in COVID-19-related work shaped Chinese nurses’ burnout. This study explores how nurses’ job demands and job resources are associated with their burnout by considering high and low frequent involvements in COVID-19-related work in China. This study employed a cross-sessional design. Guided by Job Demands-Resources (JDR) model, we d [...]

by Meir Djaldetti

Received: 26 July 2021;  Published: 15 September 2021;  doi: 10.21926/obm.hg.2103061

Spices have been used for many decades, and although new and improved culinary spices have been developed, black pepper (Piper nigrum) continues to retain its distinguished title as the “King of spices” due to its particular pungent taste. An alkaloid called piperine is the main component in black pepper that, besides generating the well-known taste, imparts well-documented immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antioxidant, and even anti-cancer properties; these properties have led to rigorous researc [...]