by Mario Muselli  , Loreta Tobia  , Eleonora Cimino  , Carlo Confalone  , Martina Mancinelli  , Leila Fabiani  , Stefano Necozione  and Vincenza Cofini

Received: 30 March 2024;  Published: 06 August 2024;  doi: 10.21926/obm.neurobiol.2403237

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to unprecedented challenges globally, impacting various aspects of daily life, including education. This study examines the effects of the pandemic on stress levels and substance use among Italian medical students. Two independent surveys were conducted: 388 medical students were interviewed before the epidemic, and 222 medical students a year after the COVID-19 epidemic began. Results revealed significant changes in stress levels, with a reduction in mild stress and an increase in sev [...]

by Rachel Rutherford  and Patrick B Allen

Received: 25 February 2019;  Published: 12 August 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.hg.1903031

Crohn's Disease (CD) is a chronic inflammatory, relapsing and remitting condition that leads to structural damage of the bowel wall. It can be located in any part of the gastrointestinal tract with associated extra-intestinal manifestations. It varies in severity having many complications resulting in significant morbidity. In the past decade medical management of CD has evolved rapidly and with ongoing research it continues to show promising novel therapies. In this article we aim to give an overview of current li [...]

by A. Guillermo Bracamonte

Received: 26 May 2023;  Published: 04 August 2023;  doi: 10.21926/rpm.2303030

This brief letter presents this Special Issue nominated as “Hybrid Graphene-based Materials: Synthesis, Characterization, Properties, and Applications”. This intends to show and discuss the main properties of Graphene and its derivatives; and how it could be synthesized, modified and tuned for Optics, Electro-Optics, Electronics, and Quantum characteristics. In this context, the synthesis and chemical modifications were highlighted for the design of Hybrid composites, platforms. In this context, it was afforded to [...]

by Giulio E. Lancioni  , Nirbhay N. Singh  , Mark F. O'Reilly  , Jeff Sigafoos  , Gloria Alberti  and Marta Olivetti Belardinelli

Received: 09 September 2023;  Published: 15 December 2023;  doi: 10.21926/obm.neurobiol.2304202

The paper presents an overview of recent studies assessing technology-aided strategies aimed at helping people with intellectual and multiple disabilities reach relevant rehabilitation goals. The 16 studies included in the paper addressed four specific rehabilitation goals, that is, (a) performance of functional activities, (b) access to leisure and communication and performance of functional activities, (c) increase of adaptive responses and decrease of problem behavior or inadequate posture, and (d) increase of a [...]

by Mohsen Nafar  , Shiva Samavat  , Nooshin Dalili  , Shiva Kalantari  , Leonard Foster  , Kyung-Mee Moon  and Somaye-Sadat Heidari

Received: 25 May 2023;  Published: 07 July 2023;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.2303191

Acute rejection (AR) is one of the main predictors of long-term survival of allograft. The development of noninvasive diagnostic biomarkers of AR is an unmet need for the timely detection. This study aimed to identify novel detective biomarkers of AR by analyzing the urine proteome profile of transplant patients. Forty-two transplant patients including 30 biopsy-proven AR patients (including antibody and T-cell mediated rejection) and 12 transplant patients with stable renal function (control group) were enrolled. [...]

by Maria Pereira  , Ana Valado  , Patrícia Antunes  and Leonel Pereira

Received: 30 August 2023;  Published: 15 April 2024;  doi: 10.21926/rpn.2402006

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are responsible for two-thirds of premature deaths in Europe. This added to the European socio-economic scenario already weakened by the vital aging of the population, contributes to the loss of active individuals, weakening competitiveness and social and economic sustainability, thus making the prevention of NCDs a European objective. Preventing NCDs with the enrichment of the food environment using algae or their compounds, which are rich in nutrients and bioactivities, is an exce [...]

by Kajsa Landgren  , Hólmfríður Margrét Bjarnadóttir  , Helga Sif Friðjónsdóttir  and Jóhanna Bernharðsdóttir

Received: 19 December 2024;  Published: 15 April 2025;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2502018

Depression, insomnia, cravings, and anxiety are significant and often long-lasting health problems. As medication has limited effect and often side effects, complementary methods such as ear acupuncture are used in mental health care. To describe mental health care users' experiences of ear acupuncture, including ratings of sleep, anxiety, depression, stress, pain, and cravings. This mixed methods study included in- and outpatients at a mental health rehabilitation service in Iceland. Standardized ear acupuncture ( [...]

by Tatsuya Kin  , Doug O'Gorman  , Wendy Zhai  , Jennifer Moriarty  , Kyle Park  , Advaita Ganguly  , Shawn Rosichuk  and AM James Shapiro

Received: 23 February 2024;  Published: 23 April 2024;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.2402212

There has been a steady expansion in islet isolation and transplantation activity worldwide. In addition to preparing human islets for transplantation, we have been providing human islets to basic researchers. The aim of this study was to review the activity of distribution of human islets to basic researchers in North America, Europe, and Asia, and to investigate if there are any differences in utilization rate of islets among three continents. We reviewed our islet isolation batch files, donor records, and docume [...]

by Donny Japly Pugesehan  , Vernando Yanry Lameky  and Agustinus Mathinus Luther Batlajery

Received: 12 June 2024;  Published: 21 August 2024;  doi: 10.21926/obm.genet.2403258

"Case Studies in the Ethics of Assisted Reproduction" explores the moral and ethical implications of assisted reproductive technologies (ART), such as in vitro fertilization (IVF), surrogacy, and genetic screening. These findings outline ethical dilemmas, including the importance of informed consent, and highlight a multidisciplinary approach involving law, bioethics, reproductive endocrinology, and reproductive biology. Using case studies, the findings address ethical challenges in ART practice, such as the transf [...]

by Ludek Fiala  , Jiri Lenz  and Sarka Papadaki

Received: 28 December 2024;  Published: 06 June 2025;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2502023

This research focused on the evaluation of the relationship between the levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine device and Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder in women. Sexual desire disorder is part of a group of sexual dysfunctions. A group of 60 women with a diagnosis of hypoactive sexual desire were tested in the period from July 2023 to July 2024 at the Institute of Sexology of the 1st Faculty of Medicine in Prague. These patients were examined for levels of prolactin, sex hormone binding globulin, total testoster [...]