by Jason W. Tate  , Bruce F. O'Hara  and Sainan Wei

Received: 23 April 2022;  Published: 15 June 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.genet.2202156

The term chimera refers to an organism with cell lines from two or more distinct zygotes. Human chimerism may occur naturally or artificially. Although rare, advancements in genetics and genomics have resulted in the identification of additional natural human chimeras. Three forms of naturally occurring chimerism have been documented in humans: blood group chimerism, microchimerism, and fusion chimerism. Fusion chimerism may occur through several means. Sex-chromosome discordant chimerism refers to individuals with [...]

by Anna Koczwara  , Lingfan Jiang  and Shasha Zheng

Received: 29 November 2023;  Published: 11 May 2024;  doi: 10.21926/rpn.2402009

Gout is an increasing metabolic disease due to the buildup of uric acid. The buildup of uric acid due to inadequate excretion leads to uric acid crystal formation. Treatment for gout aims to eliminate the uric acid crystal formation so that inflammation decreases. Traditional gout medication is usually allopurinol, but increasing studies have proven that herbal remedies may be promising. Over the past few years, studies have demonstrated that Simiao powder, a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), is more effective th [...]

by Renata Mancopes  , Pooja Gandhi  , Sana Smaoui  and Catriona M. Steele

Received: 24 November 2020;  Published: 19 January 2021;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.2101153

Research suggests there are age-related changes in swallowing that do not constitute impairment (“presbyphagia”). The goal of this study was to explore the influence of age on quantitative measures of healthy swallowing by controlling for the effects of sex and sip volume in order to determine the specific characteristics of presbyphagia. Videofluoroscopy recordings of thin liquid swallows from 76 healthy adults (38 male), aged 21-82 were analysed. Blinded duplicate ratings of swallowing safety, efficiency, kinemat [...]

by Michael Takacs  , Michael Frass  , Anja Pohl-Schickinger  , Philippa Fibert  , Peter Lechleitner  , Menachem Oberbaum  , Ilse Leisser  , Peter Panhofer  , Kavita Chandak  and Petra Weiermayer

Received: 04 May 2024;  Published: 06 August 2024;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2403045

In some patients, coronavirus (COVID-19) can cause symptoms that last weeks or even months after the infection has gone. Long COVID-19 was defined as a confirmed initial COVID-19 infection, the presence of signs and symptoms more than four weeks after initial infection, and the persistence or appearance of signs and symptoms that another condition cannot explain and did not exist before infection. This study aimed to describe the effect of adjunctive individualized homeopathic treatment delivered to Long COVID-19 p [...]

by Ann Lee  and Shaokoon Cheng

Received: 26 March 2023;  Published: 18 September 2023;  doi: 10.21926/jept.2303029

In the context of decarbonization efforts, heat pump water heaters (HPWHs) offer an attractive solution over conventional electric resistance type hot water systems due to their 2-3 times higher efficiency. However, the high manufacturing costs and taxes associated with using hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerant make HPWHs expensive. As a means to tackle this issue, this paper explores the use of propane (R290) as a refrigerant in HPWHs. The study involves an experimental comparison of R290 and R134a, with refrigera [...]

by Eunise M. Aquino  , Miles C. Benton  , Larisa M. Haupt  , Heidi G. Sutherland  , Lyn R. Griffiths  and Rodney A. Lea

Received: 12 February 2018;  Published: 11 April 2018;  doi: 10.21926/obm.genet.1802016

DNA methylation involves the covalent transfer of a methyl group to the C-5 position of the cytosine ring on a DNA strand. DNA methylation is both heritable and modifiable and can affect gene expression. In recent years, epigenome-wide association studies using high-throughput technologies have associated variation in DNA methylation levels with normal and pathological aging processes in human populations. DNA methylation patterns have been used to construct epigenetic clocks which can serve as potential biomarkers [...]

by Janika Epe  , Rudolf Stark  and Ulrich Ott

Received: 29 June 2021;  Published: 18 September 2021;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2103031

Yogic breathing techniques are fundamental to the physical and mental practice of yoga. They are closely connected to meditation, which involves the observation of breath. There are many yogic techniques based on the active regulation of the breath. Breathing practices influence many processes in the body, e.g. heart rate variability, and the mind, e.g. relaxation and stress, through their impact on the autonomic nervous system. This study intended to investigate differential effects of four yogic breathing techniq [...]

by Srinivasan Periasamy  , Se-Ping Chien  , Bing-Fang Lee  , Dur-Zong Hsu  and Ming-Yie Liu

Received: 31 March 2019;  Published: 17 July 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.neurobiol.1903033

Background: Sinusoidal obstruction syndrome is caused by an injury to the liver induced either by accidental ingestion of pyrrolizidine alkaloid monocrotaline or by chemotherapeutic drug oxaliplatin used for the treatment of colorectal cancer. Sinusoidal obstruction syndrome is characterized by rounding and swelling of the sinusoidal endothelial cell, which leads to obstruction of blood vessels, leukocyte infiltration, and oxidative stress. Melatonin, a powerful antioxidant, prevents acute liver injury. We investig [...]

by Saikat Banerjee  , Naveen Prasad  and Sivamani Selvaraju

Received: 27 September 2021;  Published: 13 January 2022;  doi: 10.21926/jept.2201004

Biogas is an alternative to gaseous biofuels and is produced by the decomposition of biomass from substances such as animal waste, sewage sludge, and industrial effluents. Biogas is composed of methane, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, hydrogen, hydrogen sulfide, and oxygen. The anaerobic production of biogas can be made cheaper by designing a high throughput reactor and operating procedures. The parameters such as substrate type, particle size, temperature, pH, carbon/nitrogen (C/N) ratio, and inoculum concentration play [...]

by Randye J. Semple  and Christine Burke

Received: 20 August 2018;  Published: 04 January 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1901001

Background: Research support for a variety of health benefits of mindfulness-based interventions for adults is robust. These include management of stress, anxiety, and depression; as a supportive treatment for eating disorders, PTSD, and psychosis; improved sleep; chronic pain management; support for tobacco, alcohol, and substance abstinence; and as adjunctive treatments for serious or chronic medical illnesses such as HIV, cancer, and heart conditions. As is typical with newer interventions, mindfulness intervent [...]