by James S. Powers  , Michelle Moseley  , Lovely Abraham  , Jennifer Buckner  , Nkechi Azubike  and Catherine Xie

Received: 21 May 2018;  Published: 13 August 2018;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.1803008

Background: A Veterans Health Administration (VHA) patient centered medical home, the Geriatric Patient- Aligned Care Team (GeriPACT). Methods: Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles regarding strategy, resource development, patient and caregiver experience of care, and clinical care process improvement. Stakeholder engagement for half-time operation with initial grant support for personnel who also had collateral duties. Tracking of operations data. Results: The clinic population grew from 200 to 627 over a 7-year period [...]

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 Jordi Faig Martí

Received: 04 October 2020;  Published: 30 December 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.neurobiol.2004076

Neurological tissue along with the cartilage remains one of the tissues that escapes human efforts of regeneration after injury. The human body, after an injury, can repair its tissues only to a certain extent that can help in recovering the function of organs. However, this is not the case in some organs, such as the brain and spinal cord. For a long time, basic medical science has been investigating the regeneration process that helps the human body, which is mainly through the pharmacological agents, proteins/ot [...]

by Tamuyen P. Do  , Eileen B. O'Keefe  and Nicole L. Spartano

Received: 04 June 2020;  Published: 23 September 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.2003133

Individuals with dementia frequently report poor quality of life (QOL), which declines as their disease progresses. Some evidence suggests that physical activity may help maintain cognitive function in older age, but it is unclear whether physical activity affects quality of life in older adults with dementia. The purpose of this review paper is to explore whether and how physical activity impacts QOL in patients with diagnosed dementia in different residential settings. To conduct this systematic review, the follo [...]

by Stephanie Bryan  , Maryellen Hamilton  and Elizabeth Finn

Received: 21 February 2018;  Published: 15 May 2018;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1802006

Purpose: High levels of mindfulness correspond with some positive health behaviors such as exercise participation, fruit and vegetable intake, and effective stress management. This study provided mindfulness meditation during an academic semester to a group of predominantly minority college students derived from a population in which 77.9% of the students are considered economically disadvantaged, to assess the effects of mindful meditation on various health behaviors and mindfulness to combat avoidable health ineq [...]

by R. Paul Robertson

Received: 13 February 2023;  Published: 17 May 2023;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.2302184

Pancreatic islet transplantation (ITx) has moved from the experimental phase of development to a position of an accepted and appropriate procedure to apply in clinical medicine. The primary indication for use of ITx is for management of dangerous and recurrent hypoglycemia secondary to use of exogenous insulin for management of hyperglycemia in people with type 1 diabetes. ITx involves procurement of a pancreas donated by a person who has died. The organ is taken to a specialized laboratory for isolation of islets [...]

by Caroline Soares  and Paula Ministro

Received: 04 January 2024;  Published: 19 March 2024;  doi: 10.21926/rpn.2401003

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) affect primarily the bowel, but they are multisystemic diseases with a wide range of extraintestinal manifestations and complications. Nutritional imbalance occurs frequently in patients with IBD. The spectrum of malnutrition goes from undernutrition (low protein-caloric intake, disease-related malnutrition, micronutrient deficiencies) to overnutrition and obesity. The nutritional status of patients with IBD is increasingly recognized as a key aspect of the treatment and must be ad [...]

by Debora Di Jorio

Received: 14 April 2020;  Published: 22 June 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.neurobiol.2002063

The story of each individual is essentially the story of their learning processes and relationships from the moment they were born. Indeed, the story of learning processes is merely a constant stratification of experiences based on biological and neurofunctional features that are influenced by genetic and cultural factors and subject to environmental stimuli constantly reshaping their behaviour.Neuroscientific studies conducted over the past decades have highlighted a unique feature of the human nervous system, cal [...]

by Fengxia Liang  , Qi Huang  , Rui Chen  , Song Wu  , Gary Lu  , Jianmin Liu  , Jia Li  , Lu Wang  , Hua Wang  and Gerhard Litscher

Received: 19 February 2017;  Published: 08 May 2017;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1702002

Qigong is a form of traditional Chinese exercise combining breathing, movement, and meditation to improve fitness for the purpose of preventing disease and prolonging life. We review the clinical efficacy and underlying mechanism of the application of Qigong in the healthcare setting. In addition, we discuss topics such as the impacts on respiratory, cardiovascular function, and immune function, as well as studies of the influences on brain function and mental health. In summary, there is strong evidence of the cli [...]

by Lei Zhang  , Xian-Zhang Hu  , Xiaoxia Li  , Jacob Dohl  , Tianzheng Yu  and Robert J. Ursano

Received: 28 December 2018;  Published: 21 March 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.1901041

Depression, PTSD, and hostility are common mental conditions that are associated with aging. A growing body of research has highlighted the possible effects of depression, PTSD, and hostility on aging and telomere length (TL), a cellular aging marker. Individuals who exhibit excessive responses to stressors show notable circulating inflammatory responses with high cortisol reactivity, which increases cell turnover and oxidative stress and may subsequently contribute to shortened TL. This review focuses on the most [...]

by Jenny Berrío  , Weiwen Wang  and Bart A. Ellenbroek

Received: 22 February 2019;  Published: 14 March 2017;  doi: 10.21926/obm.neurobiol.1701001

Antipsychotics have been a pillar in the treatment of schizophrenia since their introduction more than 60 years ago. Their variety in structures and receptor binding properties confers on them a complex clinical profile of effectiveness and risk of adverse side-effects. Although antipsychotics are best known for their therapeutic effects in schizophrenia, these are limited to the positive symptoms, with much less influence on negative symptoms or cognitive deficits. Moreover, although the newer (so-called second-ge [...]

by Kristin Drexler  and Ed Boles

Received: 02 March 2024;  Published: 25 July 2024;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2403017

Watershed health and integrity are essential to human and ecosystem health and well-being. New River watershed communities in northern Belize, Central America are vulnerable to annual ‘cultural eutrophication’ - natural eutrophication exacerbated by human activity. Human-caused pollution from agriculture, septic effluent, and industrial drainage, in combination with extended drought and the slow flow of New River, has caused more frequent and prolonged periods of eutrophication. In this qualitative study, 42 New Ri [...]

by Udaya Kahangamage  , Yi Chen  , Chun Wah Leung  and Tung Yan Ngai

Received: 02 January 2022;  Published: 18 April 2022;  doi: 10.21926/jept.2202016

The lean-burning limits of hydrogen-enriched Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) have been studied using a Bunsen burner. The lean-burning limits under different conditions are important design considerations in developing gas-fired domestic appliances. In this study, the lean-burning limits of hydrogen-enriched LPG have been obtained across a wide range of Reynolds numbers (600 to 1800) and H2 volumetric fractions (0% to 25%). The results show that the lean-burning limit is increased, on average, by 4.0% to 7.2% for eve [...]

by Antonella Sansone  , Peta Stapleton  , Alan Patching  and Zoe Lawrence

Received: 06 July 2023;  Published: 02 January 2024;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2401001

This feasibility study sought to investigate the impact of an online 9-session Prenatal Mindfulness Relationship-Based (PMRB) group treatment program upon maternal mental health (depression, anxiety, and stress), interoception, and mother-infant relationship during pregnancy and post-partum. The study was designed in two parts 1) a quantitative examination of pre, post-treatment and 10-12 weeks post-partum measures targeting 13 pregnant women from a non-clinical population and 2) a qualitative exploration of the sa [...]

by Yan Yang  , Gerhard Litscher  , Zemin Sheng  and Lu Wang

Received: 12 February 2020;  Published: 20 March 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2001015

Pain could be directly related to autonomous imbalance. To date, only one scientific work examining heart rate variability (HRV) and heart rate (HR) as the important parameters of autonomous nervous system (ANS) in the context of clinical routine acupuncture treatments for lumbosacral pain conditions is available in the listed databases. The present study aimed to investigate the short-term effects of HRV and HR, during and after the acupuncture needle stimulation in patients with lower back pain. Eighteen patients [...]

by Neil E Clapton  and Syd Hiskey

Received: 31 July 2022;  Published: 04 January 2023;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2301001

Traditional Martial Arts practice(s) can be construed as forms of fully embodied Compassionate Mind Training (CMT). Integration of these body-mind systems can be a powerful means to cultivate and entrain important therapist competencies in compassionate engagement and action. Through such training and personal practice, compassion-focused therapists can develop and enhance their abilities to stimulate and access compassionate motivation at a deeply embodied level. Martial arts-informed CMT thus has the potential to [...]

by Jiani Yin  , David Oleson  and Christian P. Schaaf

Received: 31 August 2017;  Published: 24 February 2018;  doi: 10.21926/obm.genet.1801014

Autism spectrum disorder is a clinically heterogeneous condition, characterized by social deficits, language impairment, repetitive behaviors, and restricted interest. Autism displays significant genetic heterogeneity. In the past one and a half decades, next generation sequencing has enabled identification of many variants that predispose to autism. These discoveries have improved understanding of the disease etiology of autism spectrum disorder. In this review article, we will address how development of next gene [...]

by Eli Cwinn  , Tobyn Bell  and James Kirby

Received: 20 August 2023;  Published: 29 November 2023;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2304056

This paper reviews key theories underlying the interpersonal process in Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) and links these to purported mechanisms of action in CFT. The paper goes on to provide a concrete practice example of an exampled dialogue between a clinician and client and narrates the interpersonal processes and mechanisms of action in an attempt to elucidate how interpersonal processes can be leveraged to facilitate therapeutic change. In so doing, this paper seeks to advance scholarship on precise mechanism [...]

by Melissa A. Maloney  , Katherine E. Lewinter  , Sally L. Davidson Ward  and Iris A. Perez

Received: 13 November 2018;  Published: 16 December 2018;  doi: 10.21926/obm.neurobiol.1804017

Sleep complaints are common in pediatric patients with central nervous system (CNS) tumors. These problems may result from disruption of normal homeostatic, circadian, neuroendocrine, and cardiorespiratory pathways and vary by tumor location and treatment received. Children with tumors within the hypothalamus and surrounding regions are prone to excessive daytime sleepiness. Sleep-related breathing disorders, especially those involving abnormal control of breathing, may occur in patients with tumors of the brainste [...]

by Garuth Eliot Chalfont  , Jane Simpson  , Fiona J R Eccles  and Christine Milligan

Received: 06 September 2019;  Published: 21 January 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.2001102

The urgent need for innovative approaches to dementia treatment that are acceptable, effective and affordable underlies this research. Growing evidence supports ‘integrative medicine’ as a potential treatment approach aligned with and including conventional medicine. However, success will depend on addressing barriers, recognising needs of diverse communities and involving people in co-creating desired interventions. The three aims of this study were to, 1) describe conventional allopathic medicine and integrative [...]

by Brian R. Stanmore

Received: 01 March 2021;  Published: 07 June 2021;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2102013

A set of empirical models which accounts for the formation of gas phase polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and furans (PCDD and PCDF), and solid phase PCDD/F by the de novo mechanism is described.In each case, competing formation and destruction reactions are considered to operate.The effect of the time-temperature history on their formation is then examined.At high temperatures, steady-state is reached in fractions of a second, resulting in the observed low product concentrations.Rapid cooling as found in furnaces [...]

by Antusia dos Santos Barbosa  and Meiry Gláucia Freire Rodrigues

Received: 24 October 2023;  Published: 28 January 2024;  doi: 10.21926/cr.2401002

The research describes a sustainable approach for the synthesis of zeolite NaA using kaolin as an alternative source of silica. The main objective of this research was to prepare NaA zeolite using metakaolin derived from kaolin from the state of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, as an alternative source of silica, reducing the production cost and evaluating its thermal stability. In addition, a study of the thermal stability of the zeolite and cost estimates for zeolite production were carried out. Traditional methods o [...]

by Terence Seedsman

Received: 01 August 2021;  Published: 15 March 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.2201195

While increases in life expectancy along with extended longevity can be seen as a success story, there remains the central issue surrounding the health and quality of life for increasing numbers of older people. As populations live longer the idea that older people should be empowered to remain active and productive citizens will be paramount. Questions concerning the meaningfulness, purpose and desirability of living longer present an existential challenge for all and sundry. It is clear, that the speed of populat [...]

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 Ferah Armutcu

Received: 01 June 2024;  Published: 24 September 2024;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2403055

Intermittent fasting practices, recommended as a potential nutritional approach against obesity and metabolic diseases, have become increasingly widespread in recent years. Although convincing data on the anti-obesity and cardio-metabolic benefits of intermittent fasting are obtained mostly from experimental studies, religious and traditional fasting practices have been among the treatment methods applied for human health for centuries. Both intermittent fasting and religious fasting may be a promising strategy for [...]