by Kosmas A. Kavadias  and Stefanos Tzelepis

Received: 03 June 2020;  Published: 24 July 2020;  doi: 10.21926/jept.2003011

The fluctuations in the cost of energy coupled with the gradual decrease in natural resources (i.e., oil, natural gas, coal) and the environmental issues caused by the extensive use of fossil fuels, demand the urgent need for the development of advanced and clean energy systems. The European Union has requested new measures to target climate and energy deterioration by developing renewable energy sources by 2030. The stochastic character of the energy sources and the fluctuation in demand for the energy systems pos [...]

by Akira Nishimura  , Satoshi Ohata  , Kaito Okukura  and Eric Hu

Received: 25 March 2020;  Published: 14 May 2020;  doi: 10.21926/jept.2002008

Biogas is a promising resource for the production of H2 since it liberates energy by recycling waste, along with the reduction of CO2. In this paper, the biogas dry reforming membrane reactor is proposed to produce H2 for use in fuel cells. Pd/Cu alloy membrane is used to enhance the performance of the biogas dry reforming reactor. This study aims at understanding the effect of operating parameters such as feed ratio of sweep gas, pressure in the reactor, and reaction temperature on the performance of the biogas dr [...]

by Em V Adams  , Marieke Van Puymbroeck  , Brandi M Crowe  , Cynthia LS Pury  , Claire K Allison  and Arlene A Schmid

Received: 19 August 2020;  Published: 04 January 2021;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.2101148

The purpose of this convergent mixed methods study was to explore the feasibility of implementing a chair yoga intervention in assisted living facilities (ALFs), evaluating reach, demand, acceptability, practicality, treatment fidelity, and safety. A yoga intervention was implemented twice a week for eight weeks at four different ALFs. Feasibility data were collected in the form of observational data, reflective field notes, and focus groups. Quantitative and qualitative data strands were compared to determine if r [...]

by Francesco V. Marino

Received: 27 April 2021;  Published: 28 September 2021;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2103032

Homeopathy, a system of Traditional and Complementary Medicine (T&CM, according to WHO definition), is under frequent attack by skeptics because of its supposed “lack of evidence.” To overcome the distrust of skeptics and the public, many databases have been created, which focused on collecting all the published and indexed studies; however, none of these seem to be “comprehensive” and systematic enough. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the most reliable and available homeopathic studies in order to systemat [...]

by Diego Alves de Moro Martins  , João Rodrigo Andrade  , Carlos Antonio Ribeiro Duarte  , Ricardo de Vasconcelos Salvo  and Francisco José de Souza

Received: 31 January 2022;  Published: 06 May 2022;  doi: 10.21926/jept.2202017

Cyclone separators are widely used in fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) units due to their lack of moving parts and relatively low-pressure drop. However, cyclone separators are prone to erosion-related issues, which is a major drawback. In this paper, a large eddy simulation (LES) of the particle-gas flow in a cyclone separator is investigated using a four-way Euler-Lagrange approach to model inter-particle collisions and the exchange of momentum between particles and fluid. The effects of inter-particle and particle [...]

by Michelle A. Camarata  , Uyen To  and Michael L. Schilsky

Received: 18 July 2018;  Published: 22 August 2018;  doi: 10.21926/obm.genet.1803030

Wilson Disease is a monogenetic disorder of copper metabolism affecting the ATP7B gene. Treatment is lifelong and focuses on removal of copper to arrest disease progression and improve the clinical manifestations of copper toxicity. Currently the only cure is liver transplantation, however, lifelong monitoring and immunosuppressive medications are still needed afterwards. The possibility of introducing functional ATP7B gene through gene therapy provides an exciting potential option for achieving a more permanent cu [...]

by Evelyne El Masri  and Tat-Hean Gan

Received: 28 May 2020;  Published: 27 August 2020;  doi: 10.21926/rpm.2003020

Carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) systems as sheets or plates are commonly used to strengthen and retrofit damaged reinforced concrete beams. In general, the bond between the FRP element and concrete defines the effectiveness of the externally bonded FRP materials. In most cases, the interface bonding behaviour is usually tested via static loading conditions. In this paper, the bonding is verified under dynamic conditions. Wave propagation is modelled in delaminated CFRP strengthened reinforced concrete beam. [...]

by Aleeha Muzaffar  , Usman Arif  , Faheem Akram  , Fatima Batool  , Sameera Hassan  and Bushra Rashid

Received: 29 August 2022;  Published: 09 November 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.genet.2204171

Climate change poses a substantial threat to global crop yield. Moreover, crop production is likely to reduce in the near future because of increasing average temperatures, widespread extreme climate events, and the loss of agricultural land. Abiotic stresses are the major factors limiting the growth and development of various crops worldwide. They cause the buildup of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which leads to cellular damage in a variety of subcellular compartments in plants. The metabolic rate of ROS is criti [...]

by Krisztian Kasos  , Luca Csirmaz  , Fanni Vikor  , Szabolcs Zimonyi  , Katalin Varga  and Anna Szekely

Received: 07 February 2020;  Published: 01 April 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2002017

Hypnosis has proven to be an effective treatment in disorders that affect the autonomic nervous system (ANS). However, the studies investigating the nature of its effect on the ANS have reported contradictory results. Measurement of electrodermal activity (EDA) is an objective way to assess the activity of the sympathetic branch of the ANS. We aim to elucidate the effects of hypnosis on EDA. Here, we report the results of two studies, both investigating the psychophysiological effects of hypnosis.In the first exper [...]

by Mohammad Shanawar Khan  and Shohel Amin

Received: 15 May 2022;  Published: 04 August 2022;  doi: 10.21926/rpm.2203013

This study examines the chemical compositions of eggshell powder (ESP) and lime as the soil stabilisers and compared with the compositions of cement and fly-ash to understand the optimal distribution of chemical stabilisers maximising the bearing capacity and structural integrity of subgrade soil. The different proportions of eggshell powder (ESP) (2%, 4%, 6% and 8% of total soil mass) were mixed with a fixed proportion of lime (6% of total soil mass) to analyse the optimum proportion of eggshell maximising the soi [...]