by Hassan-Ali Hakemi  and Ghazal Hakemi

Received: 05 December 2019;  Published: 03 January 2020;  doi: 10.21926/rpm.2001001

In this study, we explored the phase equilibria in blends of a nematic liquid crystal monomer and a nematic liquid crystal flexible polymer within the whole composition of the phase diagram. The crystal-nematic and nematic-isotropic transition temperatures, as well as the transition enthalpies and entropies, indicated the total miscibility in this mesogenic blend system. We also extracted an empirical axial ratio of 4.52 for the polymer from the nematic-isotropic transitions of the blends. Further, from the biphasi [...]

by Malith Kadirappulli-Hewage  and Rasika Jayasekara

Received: 30 August 2019;  Published: 02 January 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.2001096

Social isolation and social disconnectedness have resulted in some older adults ending their lives by suicide; therefore, improving social connectedness has become an integral part of suicide prevention programmes. The purpose of this literature review was to assess the impact of social connectedness interventions for preventing suicide in older adults. It is evident that interventions aimed at promoting social connectedness are intended to alleviate stress and depressive symptoms due to social separation and traum [...]

by Thierry Provencher  , Jonathan Charest  and Celyne H. Bastien

Received: 09 October 2019;  Published: 02 January 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2001001

Neuroimaging evidences point to the role of hyperarousal in the pathophysiology of insomnia. While actual treatments fail to directly target brain hyperarousal, emergent complementary therapies known as neuromodulation techniques aim to improve sleep in people with insomnia by targeting irregularities in their brain activity. In this paper, we narratively review the most relevant studies reporting the application of neuromodulation techniques to improve sleep in individuals with insomnia. Using a non-systematic app [...]

by Andrew Weems  , Wenyan Li  , Duncan Maitland  and Luz Marina Calle

Received: 12 September 2019;  Published: 31 December 2019;  doi: 10.21926/rpm.1904008

Biomedical applications of shape memory polymers (SMPs) are limited by their biostability, degradability, and possible toxicity risks after implantation. Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) were used to increase the oxidative biostability (increase time until degradation occurs) using antioxidants and to induce oxidative degradation through incorporation of hydrogen peroxide-containing MSNs with modified surfaces. The presented results confirm increased oxidative stability using antioxidants, and alternatively, [...]

by Misirkhan A. Talybov  , Lala A. Azizova  and Ilmutdin M. Abdulagatov

Received: 24 September 2019;  Published: 24 December 2019;  doi: 10.21926/jept.1904006

Background: In the present study, vapor-pressures of three geothermal fluids from Baden-Baden geothermal field (Kirchenstollen, Friedrichstollen, and Murquelle, southeastern region of Germany) were measured over the temperature range of 274-413 K. The combined expanded uncertainty of the temperature and vapor-pressure measurements at 95% confidence level with a coverage factor of k = 2 were estimated to be 0.01 K and 1-3 Pa at low and 10-30 Pa at high temperatures, respectively. The measured values of vapor-pressur [...]

by Anna Karmazina  and Brent S. Steel

Received: 18 November 2019;  Published: 24 December 2019;  doi: 10.21926/jept.1904005

The 2013 Pacific Coast Action Plan on Climate and Energy signed by the Governors of Oregon, California, and Washington and the Premier of British Columbia, launched a broadly announced public commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through multiple strategies. Those strategies include the development and increased use of renewable energy sources. The initiative recognized that citizens are both a central component to abating greenhouse gas emissions with regard to their energy use behaviors, and are important [...]

by Pier Alberto Testoni  and Sabrina Testoni

Received: 17 October 2019;  Published: 23 December 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.hg.1904042

Recurrent acute pancreatitis (RAP) is a clinical entity characterized by episodes of acute pancreatitis which occurs on more than one occasion. Recurrence of pancreatitis generally occurs in a setting of a normal anatomical and functional gland, however, a chronic disease at early stage may be found either on the occasion of the first episode of pancreatitis or during the follow-up. The etiology of RAP can be identified in up to 70% of cases; for the remaining cases the term “idiopathic” is used. Most common caus [...]

by Simona Ruggirello  , Enrica L. Santarcangelo  and Laura Sebastiani

Received: 10 September 2019;  Published: 18 December 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1904066

Background: Hypnotizability is a psychophysiological trait associated with several differences including the level of functional equivalence (FE) between imagery and perception, i.e., the similarity of the cortical activations and network configurations associated with each of them. FE is stronger in high hypnotizability individuals (highs) than low hypnotizable participants (lows). In this framework, this study investigates the correlation between electroencephalogram (EEG) of imagined arm/hand movements (MI) and [...]

by Naiwei Chi  , Shuyao Zheng  , Elwin Clutter  and Rong Wang

Received: 30 October 2019;  Published: 18 December 2019;  doi: 10.21926/rpm.1904007

Background:Diabetic patients suffer from chronic wounds partly due to altered function of fibroblasts. Fibroblasts of diabetic patients synthesize collagen I (COLI) at a much higher level than collagen III (COLIII), resulting in delayed tissue granulation and, consequently, a delay in the overall wound healing process. Methods:We aimed to revive the matrix protein productivity of diabetic fibroblasts by employing aligned, electrically conductive and biocompatible spider silk-CNT fibers as a cell culture matrix to m [...]

by Ken Sato  , Atsushi Naganuma  , Shuichi Saito  , Yuichi Yamazaki  , Takeshi Kobayashi  , Hiroki Tojima  , Norio Horiguchi  , Satoru Kakizaki  , Toshio Uraoka  , Hiroshi Ohnishi  and Hiroaki Okamoto

Received: 29 September 2019;  Published: 17 December 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.hg.1904041

Background: Daclatasvir/asunaprevir/beclabuvir (DCV/ASV/BCV) combination therapy had been available for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C patients with genotype 1 (CHG1) in Japan. Our aim was to report the efficacy and safety of DCV/ASV/BCV in patients experiencing treatment failure with interferon (IFN)-free direct-acting antiviral agent (DAA)-based therapies, which have not been fully evaluated. Methods: We evaluated the efficacy and safety of 12-week DCV/ASV/BCV combination therapy for CHG1 patients experien [...]

by Peta Stapleton  , Trude Roos  , Glenn Mackintosh  , Emma Sparenburg  , Debbie Sabot  and Brett Carter

Received: 14 October 2019;  Published: 17 December 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1904065

Background: The combination of dietary restraint and physical exercise as a recommended treatment for weight loss has had limited long-term success. One factor proposed as limiting weight management techniques efficacy is the failure to target psychological processes linked with overeating. Consistent with prior research that has identified the efficacy of emotional freedom techniques (EFT) in reducing food cravings and aiding weight loss, this pilot randomised controlled trial (RCT) examined the impact of online d [...]

by Salem Dehom  , Synnove Knutsen  , David Shavlik  , Khaled Bahjri  , Hatem Ali  , Lance Pompe  and Rhonda Spencer-Hwang

Received: 11 August 2019;  Published: 17 December 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.1904095

Background: Substantial evidence has established links between air pollution and increased risks of overall morbidity and mortality, especially for respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. However, little research has explored these relationships among highly sensitive populations, such as renal transplant recipients. Despite the improvement in quality of life after renal transplantation, cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are major causes of graft loss and mortality. The present study was designed to assess the associa [...]

by Jeanneane Wood-Nartker  , Emily Beuschel  and Denise Guerin

Received: 28 August 2019;  Published: 16 December 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.1904095

As people age, environments supporting changing needs can potentially impact their quality of life. Aging often leads to a decrease in the ability of people to interpret sensory cues within their environment. Using Pastalan's Empathic Model as a framework, a list of guidelines for the physical environment was established to address the extrinsic risk factors affecting falls. Attention to these items may not prevent all falls but will mitigate some of the external risks that cause falls for older adults. It is the g [...]

by Victor Dong  , Aldo J. Montano-Loza  and Andrew L. Mason

Received: 19 November 2019;  Published: 13 December 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.1904094

Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) are idiopathic and progressive autoimmune hepatobiliary disorders that lead to liver failure and a need for liver transplantation in a proportion of individuals with poorly controlled disease. It is currently thought that an environmental agent triggers disease in a genetically susceptible host and to date, xenobiotics, bacteria and a human betaretrovirus have all been linked with PBC. However, there is no consensus on which agents predomina [...]

by Ciro Comparetto  , Florence Dupré  and Franco Borruto

Received: 15 July 2019;  Published: 12 December 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.genet.1904101

Background: Clinical or medical genetics deals with the study and diagnosis of genetic diseases. It is oriented to the formulation of the clinical diagnosis of genetic diseases and genetic counseling to evaluate the possible reproductive risk for the patient and his/her family. The geneticists here play a role in the diagnosis and prevention of some of the diseases occurring most frequently, such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Methods: State-of-the-art through literature review. Results: Genetic counseling [...]

by María Izal  , Roberto Nuevo  and Ignacio Montorio

Received: 19 June 2019;  Published: 12 December 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.1904094

Background: In the last two decades, successful aging (SA) and positive psychology (PP), the two paradigms of health have received great attention. They originate from different approaches, theoretical background, and objectives. Although they share many characteristics, their association remains understudied. This article aims to empirically analyze their possible interrelation. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 169 healthy, old adults completed several questionnaires to assess the central framework for succ [...]

by Alyson Holland  and Amanda Lorbergs

Received: 29 October 2019;  Published: 12 December 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.1904093

Beliefs about the daily experience of a disease are used to identify risk and motivate participation in prevention. For osteoporosis, a disease that is affected by health behaviours throughout the lifecourse, individual perceptions of the disease can affect health decisions and future disease prevalence. Understanding how the experience of osteoporosis is perceived by women at different stages of life can illuminate factors that influence engagement in prevention. Women representing three life stages - young adults [...]

by Renate Verkaik  , Iris van der Heide  , Eugenie van Eerden  , Peter Spreeuwenberg  , Erik Scherder  and Anneke L. Francke

Received: 02 April 2019;  Published: 11 December 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.1904092

Background: Studies conducted on the effectiveness of psychosocial interventions have indicated that sensory stimulation represents a promising approach to reduce the psychological and behavioral disturbances in people with dementia. Multi-sensory stimulation involves the simultaneous stimulation of multiple senses, through the use of various methods, for example, by using a variety of lights, gentle stimulating music, aromas, and tactile objects, among others. A relatively novel approach is the enriched thematic m [...]

by Maryanna D. Klatt  , Emaline Wise  , Olivia Gabram  , Megan Huber  , Lai Wei  and Mira Katz

Received: 02 April 2019;  Published: 11 December 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.neurobiol.1904047

Background: The global principles of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) have led to the creation of Mindfulness-Based Interventions (MBIs), which are interventions that retrain the mind to modify its usual stress response to increase coping and resilience. Mindfulness in Motion (MIM) is an MBI that has shown significant biologic and positive psychosocial outcomes with adult working populations, but had not previously been tested in oncology populations and their caregivers. Utilizing MIM to improve sleep qua [...]

by Horst J. Koch

Received: 06 August 2019;  Published: 04 December 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.1904091

The prevalence of Late-life Depression (LLD) has been estimated between 10% and 15%. Therefore, it is a considerable worldwide problem. The psychopathology is not substantially different from that of depressive episodes in young adults but somatic complaints in combination with end-of-life perspective leave an imprint on emotional experience. The frequent suicidal tendency, especially in old unmated men, remains a particular challenge. It is important to combine psychiatric and somatic diagnostics using modern meth [...]

by Katrine Hygum  , Jakob Starup-Linde  , Torben Harsløf  and Bente Langdahl

Received: 29 August 2019;  Published: 04 December 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.1904090

Background: The increased risk of fractures in individuals with diabetes has been underestimated by conventional fracture predictors such as the bone mineral density T-score or the Fracture Risk Assessment Tool. The present study conducted a systematic review and a meta-analysis to investigate the association between the levels of bone turnover markers (BTMs) and fractures in patients with diabetes. Methods: We conducted a systematic literature search. Eligibility criteria were studies investigating BTMs in patient [...]

by Kjeld C. Engvild

Received: 17 July 2019;  Published: 03 December 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.genet.1904100

Hansemann-Boveri’s aneuploidy theory, the Warburg effect, and the Knudson hypothesis can be viewed as different aspects of a single theory of cancer. In this, the extremely common chromosome missegregation may be the underlying cause. Chromosome missegregation is mitigated via several mechanisms. Cancer can occur only when all of these mechanisms have been inactivated in a single cell line, typically by mutation. There are at least five different repair mechanisms, implying a hit-factor of at least five. These miti [...]

by Siu Fai Ho  , Avril Thomson  , Tricia Moylan  , Julie McGuckin  and Andrew Kerr

Received: 23 September 2019;  Published: 02 December 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.1904089

Background: The sit-to-stand (StS) movement is a frequently performed task critical to independent living that is both difficult to perform and associated with falls in older populations. Consequently, the recovery of this movement through supervised practice is a priority during the rehabilitation of older people. Technology may enable self-practice, potentially improving rehabilitation outcomes. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical feasibility and effectiveness of an automated movement feedback [...]

by Maurizio Salvadori  and Aris Tsalouchos

Received: 13 October 2019;  Published: 02 December 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.1904093

Antibody-mediated rejection represents a significant barrier to favorable long-term outcomes after kidney transplantation and remains the most common cause of allograft failure. Therapeutic apheresis techniques are commonly used, in combination with other treatments such as immunosuppressive drugs, in the pre-transplant and post-transplant protocols for the prevention and treatment of antibody-mediated injury. The rationale is to remove the donor-specific antibodies and the other inflammatory mediators, which inclu [...]

by Arnold De Loof  and Liliane Schoofs

Received: 03 October 2019;  Published: 29 November 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.neurobiol.1904046

There is a growing awareness that the proteins—amyloid-beta (Aβ) and tau—do not cause Alzheimer’s disease (AD) but are produced as a result of it. Similarly, doubt reigns over the degree of causality of high plasma cholesterol and prenylation in AD. This review proposes a fresh and important perspective, in addition to the current line of thinking. It emerges from comparative analysis, in evolutionary retrospect, of the characteristics of the mevalonate biosynthetic pathways in insects versus [...]