by H. Hakemi  , M. Khenkin  , R. Tamari  and D. Gal-Fuss

Received: 10 December 2019;  Published: 05 March 2020;  doi: 10.21926/rpm.2001006

In the present study, we report the experimental results related to the transient phenomenon, i.e., the time-dependent changes in the electro-optical properties of as-made polymer-dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) films prepared by the UV-curing phase-separation method. This phenomenon occurs explicitly via polymer-induced phase separation when the matrix curing is not complete, some liquid crystal plasticized in the matrix, and some uncured pre-polymer components remain in the liquid crystal droplets. The outcome is [...]

by Yuri Shavrukov

Received: 03 March 2020;  Published: 04 March 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.genet.2001104

by Lucy Watts  , Joanna Smith  , Wilfred McSherry  , Michael Tatterton  and Alison Rodriguez

Received: 04 November 2019;  Published: 03 March 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2001012

In palliative and end of life care settings supporting people to make sense of their lives is as important as managing disease symptoms. Dignity Therapy is a validated psychotherapeutic intervention designed to bring about a sense of meaning and purpose for individuals at the end of life. Dignity Therapy has primarily been implemented and evaluated in adult palliative care settings. Prior to designing studies that evaluate Dignity Therapy for children and young people with life-limiting and life-threatening conditi [...]

by Jessica Scher Lisa  and Eric Shyman

Received: 24 October 2019;  Published: 02 March 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.neurobiol.2001051

With an increasing prevalence of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in schools, teachers are in need of different effective ways to educate these individuals who have distinctly different needs and modalities of experience. One area that has been explored is neuroeducation, or using findings from neuroscientific research to inform classroom practice. Neuroscientific findings appear to center on two main themes of neurological differences among children with ASD: sensory processing and emotional processing [...]

by Tina Huang  , Tony Hung  , S. Irene Kim  and Ka Kit Hui

Received: 07 October 2019;  Published: 02 March 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2001011

Acupuncture has increasingly been used to address a variety of symptoms in patients with cancer. Here we present a case to illustrate the use of acupuncture in a 35-year-old female with metastatic breast cancer who presented to the UCLA Center for East-West Medicine (CEWM) with physical and psychological symptom clusters of insomnia, anxiety, and joint pain.

by Joseph S. D'Arrigo

Received: 26 December 2019;  Published: 28 February 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.2001110

Aging, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, atherosclerosis, traumatic brain injury, and other factors can all synergistically promote diverse pathological mechanisms. These risk factors trigger widespread inflammation and oxidative stress, both of which can lead to blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption. These pathological cascades lead to neuronal Ca2+ increase, neurodegeneration, gradual cognitive/memory decline, and eventually Alzheimer's disease. In particular, more recent research indicates that chronic inflamm [...]

by Ryan L Dimmock  , Xuyiling Wang  , Yibin Fu  , Alicia J El Haj  and Ying Yang

Received: 09 December 2019;  Published: 28 February 2020;  doi: 10.21926/rpm.2001005

Advancements in surface engineering and material fabrication techniques have enabled the creation and replication of naturally occurring surface topographies or the extrapolation of natural patterns to become achievable targets. Polymers are used extensively in the field of biomedical sciences for containment, handling, and as cell culture substrates. It is well established that several polymers exhibit good biocompatibility for cell culture, with properties that include exhibiting minimal to no cytotoxicity and be [...]

by Amy Spallone  , Udit Dhal  , Laila Woc-Colburn  and Marion Hemmersbach-Miller

Received: 21 October 2019;  Published: 28 February 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.2001103

We report two cases of histoplasmosis in orthotopic liver transplant (OLT) recipients to illustrate the variable presentations, complications encountered during treatment, the spectrum of diagnostic modalities, and case outcomes. Case 1 describes the insidious presentation of presumed gastrointestinal histoplasmosis 12 years after OLT, which was defined by months of intermittent diarrhea and focal colonic disease on colonoscopy. A diagnosis of Histoplasma capsulatum was ultimately made by broad range PCR performed [...]

by Consuelo C. Casula

Received: 18 January 2020;  Published: 27 February 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2001010

This article is based on the assumption that the therapist's focused attention, open awareness and kind intention are the basic ingredients for creating a relationship of trust with the patient from the first session. He also stresses that when the attention of a genuine therapist, without prejudice or judgment, is centered on how the patient expresses him/herself and on the contents s/he proposes, the patient relies more easily on the competent care of the therapist. The author argues that to empower patients it i [...]

by C. Lange-Küttner  and Donna S. Martinez-Claras

Received: 21 August 2019;  Published: 26 February 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.neurobiol.2001050

We investigated whether healthy older adults who live in female-dominated old age care homes can identify the gender of male and female faces of people from different ethnicities in the same way as young adults. We hypothesized that this mainly female environment would lead by exposure to a female-gender bias. A sample of 40 participants aged 20-30 and 70-80 years identified the sex-of-face of 120 images of young and old adults, male and female faces, black and white faces, presented in a randomized sequence in a s [...]

by Maria Alonso-González  , José Fernando Rubio-Valle  , Victor Perez-Puyana  , Mercedes Jiménez-Rosado  and Alberto Romero

Received: 01 November 2019;  Published: 26 February 2020;  doi: 10.21926/rpm.2001004

The present study deals with the development of scaffolds based on gelatin (G) and/or chitosan (CH) through modifications in the central processing method. This process consists of the fabrication of a hydrogel which is, then submitted to a freeze-drying stage. To compare the effects of the different modifications, the mechanical properties of the various systems were characterized, employing both dynamic compressive strain and frequency sweep tests. In addition, their porosity as well as the structure and fiber di [...]

by Fengxia Liang  and Gerhard Litscher

Received: 25 February 2020;  Published: 26 February 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2001009

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has been used to prevent and alleviate epidemic diseases for hundreds of years. The combination of TCM and Western medicine can effectively reduce fever; alleviate cough, fatigue, diarrhoea and other symptoms of patients with mild COVID-19 (Coronavirus disease-19). For the treatment of moderate and severe syndromes, the integrative approach can reduce lung exudation and inhibit the further development of the disease. However the risk of infection is a limit for example in needle a [...]

by Kwang Poo Chang  , Dennis K.P. Ng  , Chia-Kwung Fan  , Ramesh B. Batchu  and Bala K. Kolli

Received: 29 December 2019;  Published: 24 February 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.genet.2001103

The parasitic protozoa in the genus of Leishmania have exceptionally favorable attributes for exploitation as a vehicle for safe and effective delivery of transgenically incorporated vaccines against infectious and malignant diseases. A dual suicidal mechanism was installed in Leishmania via genetic and chemical engineering in vitro for accumulation of photosensitizers, rendering them sensitive to dim light for inactivation. Leishmania so inactivated are non-viable, but immunologically competent to deliver vaccines [...]

by Muayad Alali  , Michael Z. David  , Sandra A. Ham  , Danziger-Isakov LA  , Allison H. Bartlett  , Lindsay Petty  and Jennifer C. Pisano

Received: 27 November 2019;  Published: 21 February 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.2001102

Most studies of children with prolonged fever and neutropenia (PFN) have focused on invasive fungal disease (IFD) as the etiology of fever and not on other causes. Data are lacking regarding risk factors and adverse outcomes in pediatric cancer patients with PFN compared with those whose fevers resolve more rapidly. Retrospective medical record review was performed for all cancer patients with febrile neutropenia (FN) in the pediatric oncology unit at University of Chicago Medicine Comer Children’s Hospital f [...]

by Danielle Gentile  , Danielle Boselli  , Matthew Flores  , Susan Yaguda  , Rebecca Greiner  , Paulomi Campbell  and Chasse Bailey-Dorton

Received: 31 October 2019;  Published: 21 February 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2001008

Literature suggests Oncology Massage (OM) reduces anxiety. However, research is limited in large, diverse, nonexperimentally manipulated outpatient samples of cancer patients. The purpose of this study was to 1) describe OM visit patterns, 2) describe anxiety response to OM, and 3) determine if OM resulted in significantly reduced anxiety at first visit, across all visits, and longitudinally over time controlling for demographic factors. From January 2015-June 2019, a cohesive, consecutive, retrospective sample eva [...]

by Sima Farpour  , David Smithard  and Hamid reza Farpour

Received: 14 November 2019;  Published: 20 February 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.2001109

Dysphagia is a term that is used for the difficulty in moving liquid/food from mouth to the stomach. Dysphagia is very common in elders, which makes them susceptible to malnutrition, infection, institutionalization, and death. Consequently, it is categorized as a geriatric syndrome. Therefore, multidisciplinary teams need to work together to determine the correct etiology and implement an appropriate care plan. Oral care is crucial in managing dysphagia and dental hygienists and dentists serve as the key members. I [...]

by Donald Moss

Received: 20 January 2020;  Published: 19 February 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2001007

The face of illness has changed with progress in public health, immunizations, and antibiotic medication. Today, medical clinics are more likely to see patients with chronic illnesses, stress-related conditions, and complex bio-psycho-social conditions. This is a global trend, affecting patients worldwide, as Western lifestyle and diet have produced increases in chronic lifestyle-based disorders. Integrative medicine, which attends more fully to psychosocial dimensions of illness, appears to offer promise for today [...]

by Akemi Hirano  , Yusuke Suzuki  , Hiroyuki Umegaki  , Toshio Hayashi  , Koichiro Ina  , Joji Onishi  , Jun Hasegawa  and Masafumi Kuzuya

Received: 13 October 2019;  Published: 19 February 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.2001108

The incidence of vascular diseases among caregivers of dementia patients is high, and one potential cause is the exacerbation of blood coagulability due to mental strain from caregiving. This study aimed to examine the effects of aerobic exercise on blood coagulability, from the perspective of improving the health of caregivers. Thirty-one healthy elderly caregivers, residing with patients suffering from Alzheimer’s-type dementia, were randomly divided into two groups. In the intervention group, moderate walk [...]

by Herbert B. Allen

Received: 30 December 2019;  Published: 19 February 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.2001107

A pathway which highlighted spirochetes (Borrelia burgdorferi and dental treponemes) that made biofilms which led to Alzheimer’s disease has recently been promulgated. All the Alzheimer’s disease, on which this pathway was based, had been specifically confirmed both clinically and pathologically. This current work will show putative and plausible individual pathways that were studied. First and foremost, intracellular spirochetes make biofilms and concurrently make beta amyloid; this has been shown in v [...]

by Abdul Al-Toma  and Harry R. Koene

Received: 16 December 2019;  Published: 18 February 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.2001101

Refractory celiac disease (RCD) is a rare condition in which a known celiac patient, usually an adult, suffers from persistence or recurrence of gluten-related symptomatology, laboratory abnormalities, and inflammatory enteropathy despite following an optimal dietary therapy with gluten-free diet (GFD). Arbitrarily, a duration of at least 12 months of GFD has been recommended prior to establishing such a diagnosis. Furthermore, exclusion of the other possible causes of non-celiac villous atrophy, particularly enter [...]

by Sheng-Chieh Lu  , Connie W. Delaney  , Mary Fran Tracy  , Chih-Lin Chi  and Karen A. Monsen

Received: 30 December 2019;  Published: 17 February 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2001006

Integrative health (IH) therapies are increasingly used to manage health conditions, but barriers hindering nurses from offering IH therapies persist. Informatics and artificial intelligence (AI) approaches have potential to promote nurses’ professional use of IH therapies. The purposes of this review are to (1) describe the state of the science of informatics and AI approaches promoting nurses’ use of IH therapies and (2) identify gaps in literature for future investigations. This systematic scoping review followe [...]

by Natalie G. Regier

Received: 04 December 2019;  Published: 17 February 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.2001106

Neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) affect nearly all persons living with dementia (PLWD) at some point during the course of the disease. Given the absence of a cure or effective pharmacotherapy for dementia, it is particularly important to prevent, measure, track, and manage NPS in dementia care. Unfortunately, these efforts are hindered by inconsistent operational definitions and measurement tools for numerous neuropsychiatric symptoms. This review examines agitation, aggression, restlessness, and rejection of care a [...]

by Marcel Ruiz-Mejias  , Patricia Castano-Prat  , Tony Donegan  and Maria V. Sanchez-Vives

Received: 31 December 2019;  Published: 14 February 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.2001105

Aging and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) have been reported to induce changes in the cerebral cortex circuits. The present review aims to study these alterations by reviewing emergent cortical activity with a focus on the rhythmic patterns. The rationale for this approach was two-fold: (i) emergent rhythmic activity integrates cellular and network properties of these underlying circuits; and (ii) alterations in rhythmic patterns reflect the functional impact of changes on the network induced by the pathophysiology of the [...]

by Steven R. Potter

Received: 10 February 2020;  Published: 13 February 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.2001100

by Ryosuke Oochi  , Kengo Aoyama  and Akira Ueda

Received: 27 November 2019;  Published: 12 February 2020;  doi: 10.21926/jept.2001002

In order to achieve advancement in zero-emission geothermal power generation for fixing the CO2 in the geothermal fluids to the carbonate minerals after binary power generation and reinjection of the fluid into the reservoir, batch-type experiments and geochemical simulations of CO2-andesitic pyroclastic rock interaction (tuff from Oku-Aizu geothermal area) were performed at 150 °C with and without CO2 gas for 15 days. Despite the low Ca content (0.9% wt.%) in the rock, the Ca2+ concentrations in the solutions [...]