by Konstantinos Magganas  , Sophia Delicou  , Aikaterini Xydaki  and Zoi Pallantza

Received: 19 May 2019;  Published: 17 September 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.genet.1903095

Thalassemia syndromes are a group of hemoglobinopathies characterized by gene defects that disrupt normal hemoglobin production. Thalassemia intermedia (TI) is referred to as a group of disorders with a less severe form of the disease compared to thalassemia major. We present a case of a 60-year-old woman who was referred to a hematologist for chronic anemia and splenomegaly.

by Laura Suarez  , Reem M.A. Shafi  and Maria I. Lapid

Received: 14 May 2019;  Published: 16 September 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.1903074

Background: Dementia is a progressive and debilitating condition that affects millions of patients in the United States with an enormous impact on healthcare costs, caregivers, and society. Patients with dementia often experience dementia-related neuropsychiatric disturbances, commonly known as Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia (BPSD) and more recently Neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) in dementia. These symptoms include verbal and physical agitation, aggression, disinhibition, affect lability, apathy [...]

by Joseph S. D'Arrigo

Received: 22 August 2019;  Published: 16 September 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.neurobiol.1903040

Microvascular endothelial dysfunction precedes, often by decades, the cognitive decline associated with Alzheimer's disease. Hence, preservation of a healthy cerebrovascular endothelium can be an important therapeutic target. By incorporating appropriate drug(s) into biomimetic (lipid cubic phase) nanocarriers, one obtains a multitasking combination therapeutic which targets certain cell-surface scavenger receptors, mainly class B type I (i.e., SR-BI), and crosses the blood-brain barrier. Documented similarities in [...]

by Johanne Traeger-Synodinos  and François Rousseau

Received: 06 September 2019;  Published: 11 September 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.genet.1903094

We present here the content and articles of this special issue on genetic screening, putting them in perspective with the field and between themselves.

by Siavash Jafari  , Mariko Vaughan  , Souzan Baharlou  , Pooria Ghadiri  , Nazila Hassanabadi  and Ashkan Nasr

Received: 11 August 2019;  Published: 09 September 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.neurobiol.1903039

Objectives: The purpose of this systematic literature review is to investigate the impact of case management on the link between HIV/AIDS patients (HIV-infected persons) and HIV treatment, and to investigate the impact of case management on their morbidity and mortality. Methods: We searched PubMed, Current Contents, Scopus, EMBASE, MEDLINE, the Effect Review Summary Database and the ACP Journal Club until May 2018. A randomized clinical trial examined the impact of case management on the association of PLHA with c [...]

by Caymen M. Novak  , Eric N. Horst  , Shreya Raghavan  and Geeta Mehta

Received: 17 June 2019;  Published: 06 September 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.genet.1903092

Background: Invasive breast cancer affects 1 in 8 women in the United States and causes one of the highest cancer mortality rates for women. Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), a central enzyme in prostaglandin biosynthesis, is implicated in breast cancer initiation, progression, invasion, and metastasis, and has been linked to the mechanotransduction of breast cancers. However, it is not currently known if shear stress mediated mechanotransduction is affected by COX-2. Therefore, in this report, we hypothesized that COX-2 m [...]

by Damien Bouvier  and Yves Giguère

Received: 01 July 2019;  Published: 06 September 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.genet.1903093

Newborn screening (NBS) for inborn errors of metabolism (IEM) was introduced more than 50 years ago with the testing of phenylketonuria (PKU) using blood spots deposited on a filter paper after heel prick. NBS aims to identify early after birth inherited disorders for which clinical management and pre-symptomatic treatment will significantly decrease morbidity and mortality. While NBS for a few other disorders was implemented in some specific jurisdictions over the following decades, it is with the introduction of [...]

by Randolph James  , Amy Lawson Moore  , Dick M Carpenter II  , Terissa Michele Miller  and Christina Ledbetter

Received: 29 April 2019;  Published: 06 September 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1903054

Background: The current study examined a multifaceted anti-neuroinflammatory intervention that included physical exercise, mental exercise, grain-free/sugar-free diet, anti-inflammatory nutritional supplements, sleep optimization, and stress management within the context of a functional medicine practice for five patients with varying levels of cognitive impairment. Methods: In a prospective chart review, we examined impact measures including assessment of (1) cognitive skills, (2) brain connectivity, and (3) daily [...]

by Anita Modi  and Sherif Beniameen Mossad

Received: 07 July 2019;  Published: 06 September 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.1903085

Chronic inflammatory states lead to T cell exhaustion, characterized by reduced T cell proliferation and activity. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICPI) reactivate T cells to restore the immune system’s natural defenses against foreign antigens. The widespread use of these agents in the treatment of malignancy has led to markedly reduced tumor burden and improved patient survival, sparking curiosity about their potential role in the treatment of other chronic inflammatory states, including infectious diseases. While [...]

by Ugo Chiocchini  and Giovanni Savarese

Received: 14 May 2019;  Published: 05 September 2019;  doi: 10.21926/jept.1903003

Background: The Regione Lazio-Direzione Regionale dello Sviluppo Economico e delle Attività Produttive (RL–DRSEAP), carrying out its public functions to govern the use of mineral resources (including thermal water), planned the exploitation of the Viterbo hydrothermal system on the basis of a conceptual hydrogeological model (CHM). The CHMs of the Viterbo area and that of the neighboring Tuscany region, characterized by the same geological and hydrogeological setting, are discussed, suggesting the unreliability of [...]

by Y. Ben-Aryeh

Received: 29 July 2019;  Published: 04 September 2019;  doi: 10.21926/rpm.1903003

In this article, microsphere super-resolution, which are beyond the Abbe classical limit, are described. The conversion of evanescent waves into propagating waves is analyzed by using the geometry of the microsphere. In microsphere experiments, a nanojet is produced near the focal plane, where its width is smaller than the Abbe limit and remains unchanged in the axial direction for certain wavelengths. The interference between the evanescent waves being converted into propagating waves and the nanojet leads to an i [...]

by Salim Hamdani  and Daniel Azoulay

Received: 18 April 2019;  Published: 04 September 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.1903084

The privileged liver, due to its immunological status, is referred to as a tolerogenic organ. However, this alone does not explain the introduction of tolerance after single or combined liver transplantation (kidney, heart, pancreas, and intestine); other factors, such as recipient’s age, donor’s hepatic volume, iron metabolism, biomarkers, or imprint of cytomegalovirus infection, appear to be involved in the identification of patients who are likely to be tolerant to their graft. All the afore-stated factors appea [...]

by Siti Hana Nasir  , Olga Troynikov  , Dawn Wong Lit Wan  and Zhen Zheng

Received: 25 February 2019;  Published: 02 September 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1903053

Background: Pressure and thermal therapy gloves are the two types of therapeutic gloves that are commonly used to relieve symptoms and improve hand function in patients with hand arthritis. However, no published clinical study exists indicating ideal pressure and thermal stimuli for the gloves. Understanding user thresholds for the pressure and thermal stimuli is crucial to improve therapeutic outcomes, wearer's comfort, and adherence to the therapy. There were two main aims of this pilot study, firstly to examine [...]

by Alessandro Luigi Rossi  , Vincenzo Capilupi  , David Palombo  , Luigi Tagliatesta  , Tecla Terenzio  , Marco Vitali  and Matteo Chiapasco

Received: 29 April 2019;  Published: 30 August 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.hg.1903035

OBJECTIVES To review current literature analysing possible secondary complications in response to the administration of paracetamol and codeine as analgesics in the dental field. To discuss a case of secondary acute pancreatitis triggered by the administration of both active ingredients. MATERIALS AND METHODS A 28-year-old patient, without any pancreatic or hepatobiliary condition was diagnosed with acute pancreatitis 3 hours after taking paracetamol 500mg and codeine 30mg prescribed as pain-relief therapy after ex [...]

by Mauro Turrin

Received: 15 March 2019;  Published: 29 August 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.hg.1903034

Background: Among the rarest causes of acute pancreatitis, in addition to the drugs (DIAP), there are eosinophilic pancreatitis (EP) and autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP). Methods: we have researched on PUBMED the descriptions of clinical cases of eosinophilic pancreatitis appeared from 1990 to February 2019 and those related to new drugs responsible for acute pancreatitis. Results: we found about thirty reports of eosinophilic pancreatitis associated or not with hypereosinophilia and gastro-intestinal manifestations. [...]

by Katherine Satrom  , Tate Gisslen  and Raghavendra Rao

Received: 29 May 2019;  Published: 29 August 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.neurobiol.1903038

Hyperglycemia soon after birth is common in extremely preterm infants. Hyperglycemia is associated with severe intraventricular hemorrhage and impaired neurodevelopmental outcome in these infants. Recent data in human infants and animal models demonstrate that hyperglycemia leads to decreased white matter content, abnormal synaptogenesis, microgliosis, and functional deficits in the absence of intraventricular hemorrhage. Data suggest that oxidative stress, inflammation, and abnormal substrate metabolism are respon [...]

by Qing Ye  , Yijen L. Wu  , Lesley M. Moley  , Parker H. Mills  , Fang-Cheng Yeh  , Haosen Zhang  , Danielle F. Eytan  , Li Liu  , T. Kevin Hitchens  and Chien Ho

Received: 07 January 2019;  Published: 29 August 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.1903083

Background: Cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV) remains a major obstacle to long-term heart allograft survival. A number of studies show that immune mechanisms are involved in CAV. Using non-invasive cellular MRI (CMRI) to explore indicators of CAV lesions and characterize its development could provide new insights into the target immune cells that are responsible for the progression of CAV and reveal early markers of the disease before irreversible changes occur. Methods and Results: Rat heart transplant allograf [...]

by Max Oberste  , Sophia Sharma  and Philipp Zimmer

Received: 24 April 2019;  Published: 28 August 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1903052

This systematic review and meta-analysis investigated whether acute aerobic exercise improves subsequent set shifting performance in healthy young individuals. Potential moderation of studies’ methodological quality and exercise intensity, as well as the presence of small-study effect was also examined. Studies were identified using electronic databases Medline, PsycINFO, and SPORTDiscus, as well as references of recent meta-analyses and references of included studies. In total, 12 studies were included into [...]

by Sigal Shaklai  , Meital Grafi-Cohen  , Orli Sharon  , Gabi Shefer  , Dalia Somjen  and Naftali Stern

Received: 17 April 2019;  Published: 27 August 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.1903082

Background: Estradiol 17-beta (E2) enhances the function and survival of pancreatic beta-cells, but its clinical use has been questioned due to concerns regarding oncogenic potential and feminizing effects in males. The G-protein coupled estrogen receptor (GPER), expressed in pancreatic islets, exhibits estrogenic beta-cell protective effects without the feminizing effects of the nuclear ERs. Here, we examine the outcome of selective activation of the three estrogen receptors ERα, ERβ, and GPER on rep [...]

by James S. Powers  , Destiny O. Birdsong  , Kemberlee R. Bonnet  , Neena R. Kapoor  , Jamaria J. Southward  , Ifeoma Nwankwo  and David G. Schlundt

Received: 25 April 2019;  Published: 26 August 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.1903072

Background: Narratives encompass written reflection experiences and hold the potential to display valuable insights into trainees’ thinking. We analyzed narratives from graduate students trained in aging themes, who then interviewed older hospitalized adults (senior partners) about their life experiences. Methods: Three Discovery & Learning Fellows trained on open-ended interviewing, empathy, and aging themes performed semi-structured interviews. Senior partners were hospitalized older veterans. After the [...]

by Jeffrey M. Witkin  , Lalit K. Golani  , Rok Cerne  , Md. Toufiqur Rahman  , Guanguan Li  , Michael M. Poe  , James M. Cook  and Jodi L. Smith

Received: 05 May 2019;  Published: 26 August 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.1903073

Major depressive disorder is a highly-prevalent and debilitating disorder in the aged population. Accumulating clinical evidence suggests a key role for social support in helping to mitigate depression. Preclinical data are reviewed that indicate that selective negative allosteric modulation of α5-containing GABAA receptors, as with RY-080, might rapidly impact depression in patients. Further, preclinical data in transgenic mice modeling neurodegenerative diseases has suggested that this mechanism might also [...]

by Lennaert Zwart  , Tjeerd Germans  , Suat Simsek  , Jaap Ruiter  and René Jansen

Received: 22 May 2019;  Published: 26 August 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.1903071

Background: Geriatric patients are at risk of atrial fibrillation (AF) and stroke, and the risk of oral anticoagulation (OAC) related bleeding is also presumed to be higher. Detailed knowledge about the prevalence of AF and bleeding pattern in this population is scarce. This study sought to assess the prevalence of AF, use of OAC, and the rate of major bleeding in geriatric patients who are prone to frequent falls. We expect to find a higher prevalence of AF among geriatric patients compared to elderly people of co [...]

by Shruthi Kodad  , Waleed Sabry  , Assem Elsayed  , Hadi Goubran  and Mohamed Elemary

Received: 25 June 2019;  Published: 26 August 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.1903081

Hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) recipients are at an increased risk of bacterial, viral, fungal and parasitic infections. Past exposures to infections, the degree of immunosuppression, prolonged neutropenia and presence of graft versus host disease (GVHD) are some of the factors which make HSCT recipients more susceptible to infections. Viral infections have emerged as a major challenge causing high morbidity and mortality in stem cell transplant recipients. Myeloablative conditioning regimens and GVHD pr [...]

by Hisayuki Komaki  and Tomohiko Tamura

Received: 19 April 2019;  Published: 23 August 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.genet.1903091

Background: Streptomyces avermitilis is an actinomycete that produces avermectins. The complete genome sequence of S. avermitilis K139 was determined in 2003. In our previous study, we revealed that S. avermitilis NBRC 14893T harbors two extra secondary metabolite-biosynthetic gene clusters (smBGCs), com and ptx, which are not present in strain K139. Methods: Whole-genome sequencing for S. avermitilis NBRC 14893T and ATCC 31267T was carried out by the SMRT DNA sequencing technology to determine the genomic loci enc [...]

by Scott S. Graves  , DavidW. Mathes  and Rainer Storb

Received: 23 November 2018;  Published: 23 August 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.1903080

Background: The application of hematopoietic cell transplantation for induction of immune tolerance has been limited by toxicities associated with conditioning regimens and to graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). Decades of animal studies have culminated into sufficient control of these two problems, making immune tolerance a viable alternative to life-long application of immunosuppressive drugs to prevent allograft rejection. Methods: Studies in mice have paved the way for the application of HCT with limited toxicity [...]