by Félix Neto  and Maria da Conceição Pinto

Received: 23 January 2022;  Published: 08 June 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.neurobiol.2202125

This study analyzed the degree of loneliness, as well as acculturation and adaptation factors related to it among African migrants. The study sample consisted of 759 migrants (48.5% females) from four ethnocultural groups (Angolans, Cape Verdeans, Guineans, and Mozambicans) living in Portugal. Participants’ mean age was 37 years, and the mean length of sojourn in this country was 21 years. Participants completed self-reported questionnaires to evaluate social contacts, language proficiency, ethnic identity, perceiv [...]

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 [...]

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 Gemechu Fanta Garuma

Received: 29 March 2022;  Published: 06 June 2022;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2202022

An increase in global temperature will likely result in more intense and frequent heatwaves that would last longer. Simultaneously, the growth of urban population requires more areas of land incorporated into urbanization, because most people are expected to live in cities, which will increase the intensity and duration of urban heat islands. However, the extent of the link between global warming induced heatwaves and urbanization caused heat islands is barely understood. Understanding the link would give a new inf [...]

by Hiromi Matsuhashi

Received: 28 April 2022;  Published: 06 June 2022;  doi: 10.21926/cr.2202015

Solid base catalysts consisting of MgO modified with 10 mol% ZnO (ZnO/MgO) were prepared by depositing zinc(II) acetylacetonate (Zn(acac)2) in polar and nonpolar organic solvents on the surface of MgO and Mg(OH)2. The process was followed by thermal decomposition in air at 773 K over a period of 3 h. The activity of MgO modified with Zn(acac)2 for base-catalyzed retroaldol reaction (the decomposition of diacetone alcohol (4-hydroxy-4-methyl-2-pentanone) to acetone) at 299 K was higher than the activity of unmodifie [...]

by Qiqi Yu  , Kran Suknuntha  , Weixiong Zhong  , Daniel R. Matson  , Aaron S. Hess  and William N. Rose

Received: 13 February 2022;  Published: 02 June 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.2202160

We report a case of thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) diagnosed in the kidney allograft of a 59-year-old woman who had developed plasmacytoma type monomorphic posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) 30 years after a simultaneous pancreas and kidney transplant. This report demonstrates a rare etiology of TMA in a kidney allograft occurring in association with PTLD-associated monoclonal gammopathy. The main teaching points are: 1) PTLD may be considered in the work-up of a new TMA in the immunosuppressed po [...]

by Rail M. Shamionov  , Marina V. Grigoryeva  , Elena S. Grinina  and Aleksey V. Sozonnik

Received: 25 March 2022;  Published: 01 June 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.neurobiol.2202124

In an age when publicity is the norm, human loneliness is a significant socio-psychological problem. Objective loneliness (e.g., as experienced during the pandemic) does not always result in subjective loneliness. Subjective loneliness directly influences various aspects of the human psyche and activities. Analysis of satisfaction with social life, as a marker of social well-being and academic adaptation of students with different loneliness types, allows determining the magnitude of subjective loneliness and how i [...]

by Dimitrios Dionysopoulos  , Olga Gerasimidou  and Constantinos Papadopoulos

Received: 01 May 2022;  Published: 01 June 2022;  doi: 10.21926/rpm.2202011

Glass ionomer cements (GICs) are dental materials that were invented by Wilson & Kent in 1972. They can chemically bond to enamel and dentin and can exhibit anti-cariogenic activity that allows the release and uptake of fluoride ions. They also possess the ability to render color. The setting reaction of GICs is a neutralization reaction that results in the formation of polycarboxylate salts. The most important GIC modification process involves the addition of resin components, resulting in the development of resin [...]

by Claudia Harper  , Radhika Seimon  , Brendon Yee  , Amanda Salis  and Elizabeth Cayanan

Received: 21 February 2022;  Published: 27 May 2022;  doi: 10.21926/rpn.2202015

We report the case of a 30-year-old male with significant obesity (body mass index 47 kg/m2) with co-existing moderate obstructive sleep apnoea, hypertension, hypercholesteremia and hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, who was treated with a very-low-energy diet (VLED) and lifestyle modification programme for 12 months. The patient lost weight throughout the entire treatment period (average weight loss was 2.1 kg/week, for a total of 42.7 kg), and showed marked improvement in co-morbidities and no adverse effects. This c [...]

by Anikka M. Swaby  and Luis B. Agellon

Received: 20 December 2021;  Published: 26 May 2022;  doi: 10.21926/rpn.2202014

Microbes have been part of the diet throughout human history. In the evolution of food preservation practices, some techniques inadvertently leveraged microbial activity not only to extend the storage life but also to enhance the properties and nutritive value of foods. In the last century, a variety of bacterial species (referred to as probiotics) were found to confer health benefits to the host. The advent of high-throughput sequencing methods facilitated improved surveillance of conventional probiotics within gu [...]

by Mariana P. Koss  and Luiz E. M. Lima

Received: 14 February 2022;  Published: 24 May 2022;  doi: 10.21926/jept.2202019

In gas-liquid flows, droplets that detach from the liquid film lining the internal walls of a pipe and merge with the gas flowing through the pipe follow an annular flow pattern. This work analyzes correlations for estimating the entrainment fraction of such droplets contained in the literature by comparing their predictions with experimental data also from the literature. The results of this comparative study demonstrate that the analyzed correlations do not accurately reproduce experimental conditions. This is du [...]

by Arpitha Shankar Bandi  and Prashant Kaushik

Received: 22 March 2022;  Published: 23 May 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.genet.2202154

India is home to several medicinal herbs including turmeric. Turmeric is one of the major produces of India, primarily due to its unique and valuable medicinal and therapeutic properties. However, the growth and yield of turmeric are greatly affected by salt stress in certain parts of the country, especially those near water bodies where significant yield losses have been reported. To mitigate these losses caused by salt stress, certain plant breeding methods, transgenic approaches, and candidate genes along with i [...]

by Jamie A. Chin  and Wilson C. Chin

Received: 12 February 2022;  Published: 23 May 2022;  doi: 10.21926/jept.2202018

Flows in multi-branch piping systems are modeled for linear Newtonian and nonlinear Power Law, Bingham Plastic and Herschel-Bulkley fluids. The nonlinear models are often used to describe multiphase fluids consisting of liquid and solid phases, including cement slurries and drilling muds in petroleum engineering. Rheological and heterogeneous multiphase effects are important to blood flows in single and bifurcated arteries, capillaries and veins – biological applications are also emphasized to highlight their incre [...]

by Mark Jaradeh  , Mark deBettencourt  , Edgar Yap  , Yesha Patel  , April Alcantara  , Conrad Stasieluk  and Edwin S. Meresh

Received: 02 March 2022;  Published: 23 May 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.neurobiol.2202123

Catatonia, particularly malignant catatonia (MC), continues to manifest in severe sequalae such as hyperthermia, rhabdomyolysis, cardiovascular collapse and failure, and even death as, although identification of the syndrome has significantly improved once its developed, several precarious factors continue to inhibit prompt and efficacious treatment. In this context, we evaluated the cases of six patients who were treated at our center for eventual MC manifestation with the aim of elucidating a pre-MC sensitive pre [...]

by Pierfrancesco Morganti  , Gianluca Morganti  , Maria Beatrice Coltelli  , Wladimir E Yudin  , Hong-Duo Chen  and Alessandro Gagliardini

Received: 16 March 2022;  Published: 23 May 2022;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2202021

Approximately 75% of textile waste is generated annually worldwide, as there is a dearth of viable recycling strategies. It has been estimated that textile industries can be responsible for approximately 20% of global water pollution. As a consequence, if not properly managed, the cost of waste management of textile waste will be trillions of dollars annually. Moreover, the generated wastes are detrimental to the environment and public health. On the other hand, there is a possibility that the majority of the waste [...]

by Sabine Neusatz Guilhen  , Tamires Watanabe  , Thalita Tieko Silva  , Suzimara Rovani  , Júlio Takehiro Marumo  , Jorge Alberto Soares Tenório  , Ondřej Mašek  and Leandro Goulart de Araujo

Received: 19 April 2022;  Published: 19 May 2022;  doi: 10.21926/rpm.2202010

The point of zero charge (PZC) is an inherent electrokinetic property of biochars (BC). It influences the adsorption process under certain pH conditions. Herein, we report the method of determination of the PZC values of ten standard BCs. We used the salt addition method to select the BCs with suitable properties for methylene blue (MB) removal from aqueous solutions. The standard BCs were obtained by pyrolyzing five different biomasses at two distinct temperatures (550°C and 700°C). The BCs derived from rice husk [...]

by Pietro Gareri

Received: 28 February 2022;  Published: 19 May 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.2202198

The omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-3 LC-PUFAs) family includes eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and docosapentaenoic acid (DPA). Although seafood is the richest source of omega-3 LC-PUFAs, because diet alone is often insufficient in older people, they may require food supplements and enriched food as sources of omega-3 LC-PUFAs. It has been reported that long-term intake of 3-5 g/d EPA + DHA as supplements is safe for adults; omega-3 LC-PUFAs exert cardio-metabolic pro [...]

by OBM Transplantation Editorial Office

Received: 16 May 2022;  Published: 18 May 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.2202159

InterviewAn Interview with Prof. Peter SchemmerOBM Transplantation Editorial OfficeLIDSEN Publishing Inc., 2000 Auburn Drive, One Chagrin Highlands, Suite 200, Beachwood, OH, USA; E-Mail: transplantation@lidsen.com OBM Transplantation2022, volume 6, issue 2doi:10.21926/obm.transplant.2202159Received: May 16, 2022Accepted: May 17, 2022Published: May 18, 2022

by Igor Val Danilov  and Sandra Mihailova

Received: 24 January 2022;  Published: 18 May 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.neurobiol.2202122

Studies in the field of neuroscience have shown that the neural network responsible for numeracy overlaps with the visual and spatial processing regions. Other studies in psychology also highlighted an association of visual-spatial processing with mathematical competence at the early stages of development. These findings suggest that research on the size of the focal area of attention (consciousness) can contribute to understanding the development of numeracy. In this case study, we verified the hypothesis of devel [...]

by Diana Veneri  and Mary Gannotti

Received: 07 October 2021;  Published: 16 May 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.2202197

Chair yoga is a specific form of yoga practiced while seated on a chair, or standing using a chair for support; this adaptation allows those with impaired standing ability to practice safely. The purpose of this scoping review was to analyze the published literature regarding the use of chair/adapted yoga with older adults. Two researchers performed the review. Data sources: PubMed Central, CINAHL, Medline Full Text, Nursing and Allied Health, SPORT discus and TRIP were accessed. Study selection: Inclusion criteria [...]

by Pan Xie  , Dongdong Du  , Cheng Xue  and Sanshan Shi

Received: 01 April 2022;  Published: 10 May 2022;  doi: 10.21926/cr.2202014

The process of light-induced C-H oxygenation is of high interest as it can be used for the construction of oxygenated compounds. Herein, we report a mild and general method for the efficient synthesis of aromatic ketones following the process of metal-free C-H oxygenation. With air as the oxidant, high functional tolerance was demonstrated, and the desired ketones were obtained in moderate to excellent yields at room temperature (25 oC). Mechanistic studies suggested that the oxidative transformation potentially oc [...]

by Myllena R. Rodrigues dos Santos  , Daniela B. Battaglia Hirata  and Joelise A.F. de Alencar Figueira Angelotti

Received: 16 February 2022;  Published: 07 May 2022;  doi: 10.21926/cr.2202013

Enzymes are extensively used in biotechnological processes in several areas of industry. They are sustainable and safe, and their specificity is another characteristic that improves the performance in the process. Among enzymes, lipase is relevant due to the ability to play different roles in the industry and the possibility of collecting them from microbial sources that are found in industrial residues. This can reduce the costs of enzyme production. In relation to that, lipase immobilization is an interesting pro [...]

by Emma Larsen  , Simon Ghanat  and Scott Curtis

Received: 11 February 2022;  Published: 07 May 2022;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2202020

The urban heat island (UHI) effect is not well understood, especially within the cityscape. This editorial is from the perspective of an undergraduate student Cadet Emma Larsen, as she comes to understand the UHI through mentorship from professors Simon Ghanat and Scott Curtis, personal experiences as a cadet at a military academy in Charleston, SC, USA, and active learning through participation in a national heat observation campaign, the NOAA HeatWatch, and related independent research. HeatWatch seeks to underst [...]

by Hayden Cartmill  , Paul Dargusch  and Genia Hill

Received: 10 January 2022;  Published: 06 May 2022;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2202019

One of the biggest challenges currently presented to organisations worldwide is their ability to identify and sustainably manage greenhouse gas emissions. ‘Carbon management’, as it is referred to, is the process of understanding how and where an organisation’s activities generate emissions, and extends beyond meeting regulation requirements to being strategically utilised within businesses for social licensing, financial planning and corporate decision-making. The aim of this research is to analy [...]

by Zahi Arnon

Received: 28 January 2022;  Published: 06 May 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2202021

After the emergence of Mindfulness in the Western world, many studies proved its mental and physical benefits. However, implementing Mindfulness in psychotherapy has several challenges: therapists are not formal Mindfulness instructors; the Mindfulness course is a continuous eight-week course, which many patients do not attend during therapy, while others attend and drop out. Thus, Hypnosis was applied to shorten and strengthen the desired changes. The article describes the logic behind this integration, demonstrat [...]