by Ahmed H Abdelhafiz

Received: 05 March 2020;  Published: 01 April 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.2002113

The prevalence of diabetes in older people is increasing. Diabetes in old age is associated with increased risk of mental dysfunction. Cognitive dysfunction and mood disorders such as depression, anxiety and diabetes-related distress tend to coexist in older people with diabetes and appear to have bidirectional relationship acting as a risk factor and, at the same time, as a consequence of diabetes. To break the vicious circle of this complex reciprocal relationship between diabetes and mental dysfunction, early id [...]

by Berta Monleón López  , Valentina Della Torre  , Federico Bilotta  and Rafael Badenes

Received: 11 June 2019;  Published: 22 August 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.neurobiol.1903037

Purpose of review: The purpose of this review is to describe recent evidence regarding the use of Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) as rescue therapy for refractory cardiac or respiratory failure in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) when conventional treatments have failed. The characteristics of these patients, including the risk of bleeding and developing malignant intracranial hypertension, are generally considered as relative contraindications to ECMO treatment; however, recent evidence sugges [...]

by Zhen Liu  , Li Yang  , Abhishek Lahiri  , James F Rohan  and Frank Endres

Received: 26 December 2021;  Published: 27 March 2022;  doi: 10.21926/jept.2201010

Herein, we report the coating of nanostructured germanium using a polypyrrole (PPy) polymer coat as a composite anode material for the fabrication of lithium-ion batteries. The Ge/PPy composites were synthesized following the direct electrochemical deposition method in an ionic liquid (IL). The results revealed that the coating of PPy on Ge helped realize stable battery cycling and reversible capacities, which were not observed in uncoated Ge. The PPy layers could effectively inhibit side reactions between the elec [...]

by Simon Calles  , Paul Heitjans  and Alexander Börger

Received: 09 November 2021;  Published: 18 April 2022;  doi: 10.21926/jept.2202015

Prismatic PHEV2 form-factor lithium-ion cells with a nominal capacity of 25 Ah (as used for automotive applications) have been studied with electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The data was evaluated using electrical equivalent circuits. Mathematical modeling, system identification, and the determination of model parameters of the lithium-ion cell were also carried out. While a study of the influence of temperature and state-of-charge (SOC) performed using pristine lithium-ion cells showed a nonlinear rela [...]

by Sunil Daga  , Adarsh Babu  , Natasha Khovanova  and Robert Higgins

Received: 11 May 2021;  Published: 17 August 2021;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.2103151

Antibodies against donor HLA determine access to solid organ transplantation and in many cases the outcome of transplantation, but graft failure is not an inevitable consequence of their presence. Much research has been performed with two main aims – which antibodies represent the highest risk factor prior to transplantation, and second to understand how donor specific HLA antibodies behave after transplantation, with a long-term aim of being able to manipulate their production. HLA antibody incompatible kidney tra [...]

by Ji-Jie Pang  and Samuel M. Wu

Received: 24 November 2020;  Published: 21 May 2021;  doi: 10.21926/obm.neurobiol.2102098

We studied how GC death in glaucoma related to the intraocular pressure (IOP), eyeball volume (VS) and elasticity (volumetric KS and tensile ES), and eyeball volume-pressure relation. Glaucomatous GC loss was studied in DBA/2J (D2) mice with wild-type mice as controls. GCs were retrogradely identified and observed with a confocal microscope. The elasticity calculation was also done on published data from patients treated by a gas bubble injection in the vitreous cavity. The GC population in D2 mice (1.5- to 14-mont [...]

by Francesco Sciancalepore  , Giulia Remoli  , Leonardo Tariciotti  , Giulia Sarti  , Federica Trentin  , Gabriele Riccardi  , Eleonora Lacorte  , Massimo Corbo  , Marco Canevelli  , Nicola Vanacore  and Paola Piscopo

Received: 05 February 2021;  Published: 19 May 2021;  doi: 10.21926/obm.neurobiol.2102097

Deep-Brain Stimulation (DBS) is an important treatment option for the management of Parkinson’s disease (PD) and is a common symptomatic treatment. However, an increasing number of studies have examined the biological processes to assess if DBS can also modify the natural history of PD by acting on its pathophysiological mechanisms. Relevant literature published up to November 2020 was systematically searched on databases such as PubMed, ISI Web of Knowledge, Academic Search Index, and Science Citation Index. The f [...]

by Laura Alonso Canal  , María José Quiles Blanco  , David Jiménez Leiva  and María José González Iglesias

Received: 26 June 2019;  Published: 30 September 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.hg.1903037

Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease of unknown origin. It has been proposed that it is a multifactorial disease with genetic, immunological, infectious, circulatory, and psychogenic factors being involved in its etiopathogenesis. Its association with other autoimmune diseases is frequent. The infection of Helicobacter pylori has been linked to multiple immuno-mediated extradigestive conditions including alopecia areata. There is scientific evidence of the usefulness of naltrexone in low doses (an opioid antago [...]

by Mohammad Jafari  and Zahra Malekjamshidi

Received: 13 June 2020;  Published: 05 August 2020;  doi: 10.21926/jept.2003014

In this paper, a topology of a residential hybrid renewable energy system based on a high-frequency multi-winding transformer is introduced and analyzed. The system includes a PV and a wind-turbine as renewable energy sources, a battery as energy storage and their energies are integrated through a high-frequency transformer. In fact, the transformer integrates the energies in a magnetic form and also isolates the system inputs and outputs. The integrated output from renewables and battery is a DC high-voltage and i [...]

by Christine Demanche  , Jacques Guillot  and Magali Chabé

Received: 22 February 2019;  Published: 15 May 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.genet.1902078

Pneumocystis spp. are a group of fungi that are known for causing opportunistic infections in immunocompromised individuals. It was only at the end of the 20th century that the scientific community challenged the notion of a unique species in the genus Pneumocystis (i.e., Pneumocystis carinii) that drastically changed the understanding of the natural history of pneumocystosis. It is now accepted that the Pneumocystis genus comprises a group of heterogenous fungi having multiple stenoxenic biological entities. These [...]

by Nuria Arias-Ramos  , Jesús Pacheco-Torres  and Pilar López-Larrubia

Received: 11 November 2018;  Published: 30 January 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.neurobiol.1901020

Background: Despite important advances in multimodal therapeutic options, glioblastoma (GBM), the most frequent and aggressive form of all astrocytomas, remains with a median overall survival period of 15 months. A direct correlation between GBM hypoxia and higher aggressiveness, poor prognosis and greater resistance to different treatments has been established. However, because of intratumoral and interindividual heterogeneity, it has not been possible to assess accurately the hypoxia degree from physiopathologica [...]

by Mônica Batista Leite  and Paulo Roberto Lopes Lima

Received: 07 March 2021;  Published: 28 July 2021;  doi: 10.21926/rpm.2103032

The production of concrete using recycled aggregates, obtained from the processing of construction and demolition waste, is extensively practiced worldwide. However, the effect of simultaneous adding fine recycled aggregate and the recycled coarse aggregate on the mechanical properties of concrete is still unfamiliar. This work aims to evaluate the influence of the water/cement ratio (WC Ratio), the fine recycled aggregate content (%FRA), the coarse recycled aggregate content (%CRA), as well as the interaction betw [...]

by Lotte Hvas

Received: 28 August 2023;  Published: 30 October 2023;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.2304256

Narratives and how women interpret their symptoms have always been a part of how menopause is experienced. Today, as women feel more accessible to talk about menopause, new narratives are being formed and negotiated - both to menopause and concerning women becoming older. These different narratives mirror the fact that the transitional phase differs from woman to woman and that some women experience many symptoms while others do not seem bothered at all. Some narratives underscore menopause as a transformative peri [...]

by Jacqueline Lamond  and Charles L. Shapiro

Received: 07 December 2020;  Published: 05 July 2021;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.2103173

Breast cancer and osteoporosis are both diseases of aging. The "one in eight" lifetime risks of breast cancer occur primarily in the sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth decades of life. One-third of postmenopausal women will experience an osteoporotic fracture. It is the coalescence of osteoporosis, breast cancer, and breast cancer treatments that, in some cases, increases the risks of osteoporotic fracture. That makes it imperative to assess risk factors, screen, and prevent or treat osteoporosis in postmenopausal w [...]

by Maxwell Blazon  , Brianna LaCarubba  , Alexandra Bunda  , Natalie Czepiel  , Shayna Mallat  , Laura Londrigan  and Arturo Andrade

Received: 13 September 2020;  Published: 12 January 2021;  doi: 10.21926/obm.neurobiol.2101083

N-type (Cav2.2) calcium channels are key for action potential-evoked transmitter release in the peripheral and central nervous system. Previous studies have highlighted the functional relevance of N-type calcium channels at both the peripheral and central level. In the periphery, N-type calcium channels regulate nociceptive and sympathetic responses. At the central level, N-type calcium channels have been linked to aggression, hyperlocomotion, and anxiety. Among the areas of the brain that are involved in anxiety a [...]

by Arnaud Philippot  , Yannick Bleyenheuft  and Anne De Volder

Received: 21 June 2020;  Published: 07 January 2021;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2101002

In a previous study conducted to assess the impact of physical exercise on the symptoms of depression and anxiety in preadolescents in the school environment, which included a subgroup of participants comprising eleven randomly selected teens (aged 9–11) and all enrolled in primary education, it was immediately observed that one participant referred to as Andy was being bullied and teased, and the teachers were completely unaware of this scenario. All the participants of the study were volunteers, and were subjecte [...]

by Sarah Long  , Roanna Lobo  , Peter O'Leary  and Jan E. Dickinson

Received: 07 September 2021;  Published: 03 November 2021;  doi: 10.21926/obm.genet.2104142

Non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) for a panel of 25 single gene disorders became available in Western Australia in 2020 and potentially may be able to test for panels of hundreds of disorders as is the case with reproductive carrier screening. How this information would be used by parents in a population screening model is unknown. We used a phenomenological approach to explore retrospectively whether mothers of children with single gene or chromosomal disorders would have wanted to know about their child’ [...]

by Nicholas Lim  , Gregory Beilman  and Timothy Pruett

Received: 21 March 2018;  Published: 12 June 2018;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.1802011

Portal hypertension often occurs transiently with injection of islet cells into the portal system during total pancreatectomy-islet autotransplantation (TPIAT). We describe a TPIAT patient with non-cirrhotic portal hypertension (NCPH) two years after surgery initially identified with esophageal varices on upper endoscopy. The underlying mechanism for the development of NCPH after TPIAT is unclear but infectious and immune-related pathways have been proposed. Management of NCPH is primarily treatment of complication [...]

by Rebecca H. Affoo  and Ashwini Namasivayam-MacDonald

Received: 06 August 2024;  Published: 09 December 2024;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.2404291

A conceptual model was developed to create a basis for understanding the risk factors and outcomes associated with dysphagia and to hypothesize the nature of the relationship between certain factors. The conceptual model was developed by two academic speech-language pathologists with ≥10 years research and clinical experience in swallowing and dysphagia in older adults. A comprehensive review of English-language literature was conducted, and relevant, evidence-informed factors associated with dysphagia in older adu [...]

by John R. Holmberg

Received: 31 May 2022;  Published: 14 September 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2203041

The perinatal period represents a unique developmental window for families and an opportunity to reach and engage fathers in research and preventive interventions. The distinctiveness of this period stems from the changes and stressors that parents experience which affect their openness to enroll in interventions (e.g., adaptive parenting, physical and mental health, relationship skills, and economic self-sufficiency) and participate in research. While long understudied, paternal research in the perinatal period ha [...]

by Robert J. Hoss  , Lynne M. Hoss  and Dawson Church

Received: 25 January 2022;  Published: 05 July 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2203024

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate that the integration of dreamwork and Energy Psychology (EP) can enhance outcomes in the treatment of a range of psychological disorders. The therapeutic process often begins with a peeling away of emotional layers until underlying issues surface. When utilizing dreamwork, however, it is possible to begin at a deeper level. Because dreams address salient unresolved emotional conflicts, dreamwork can quickly bring into consciousness previously unconscious emotional issues [...]

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 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 Tara T. Lineweaver  , Suneeta Kercood  , Elyse B. Morgan  , Shelby L. Rampone  , Colleen C. Frank  , Scott A. McLuckie  and Mack F. Reed

Received: 27 October 2019;  Published: 07 January 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2001002

Past research suggests that exercise is associated with improved working memory (WM) abilities, and that athletes have better executive functioning and WM skills than non-athletes. However, no studies to date have separated the effects of exercise from the effects of athletic participation when examining WM. This study had three primary goals: (1) to determine whether amateur college athletes have better auditory and visual WM than their non-athlete peers who exercise frequently and whether non-athlete frequent exe [...]

by Poppy L.A. Schoenberg  and Katlyn M. Gonzalez

Received: 13 October 2022;  Published: 12 January 2023;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2301005

Chronic inflammatory diseases are the most significant cause of death in the world and entail severe impairment to quality of life. The World Health Organization (WHO) ranks chronic inflammatory diseases as the greatest threat to human health and wellbeing. Inflammation is epicentral to many clinical conditions and symptoms, and it is anticipated that the health, economic, and mortality burdens associated with chronic inflammation will steadily increase in the United States over the next 30 years. An inflammatory m [...]