by Marco Barale  , Ruth Rossetto Giaccherino  , Ezio Ghigo  and Massimo Procopio

Received: 31 October 2018;  Published: 14 February 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.1901033

Background: It is well known that hypovitaminosis D has been associated with various cardio-metabolic disorders, though the pathogenetic link, if any, still remains unclear. Our aim was to evaluate in elderly uncontrolled non-insulin-treated type 2 diabetic patients with hypovitaminosis D, whether six-months vitamin D supplementation was able to improve glycemic control, lipid profile and blood pressure levels. Methods: In an open-label pilot study, thirty type 2 diabetic patients (age 71.5 ± 3.2 years, BMI [...]

by Marion Hemmersbach-Miller  , Cameron R. Wolfe  and Kenneth E. Schmader

Received: 30 November 2018;  Published: 01 February 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.1901046

In the U.S., older adults aged 65 or above comprise nearly one quarter of the solid organ transplant (SOT) waitlists, and the number of transplants performed in this age group continues to increase. There are no specific guidelines for the assessment and follow up of the older SOT candidate or recipient. Older adults are at increased risk of infectious complications after SOT. Despite these complications and even with the use of suboptimal donors, overall outcomes are favorable. We provide an overview to specific c [...]

by Félix Neto  and Maria da Conceição Pinto

Received: 23 January 2022;  Published: 08 June 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.neurobiol.2202125

This study analyzed the degree of loneliness, as well as acculturation and adaptation factors related to it among African migrants. The study sample consisted of 759 migrants (48.5% females) from four ethnocultural groups (Angolans, Cape Verdeans, Guineans, and Mozambicans) living in Portugal. Participants’ mean age was 37 years, and the mean length of sojourn in this country was 21 years. Participants completed self-reported questionnaires to evaluate social contacts, language proficiency, ethnic identity, perceiv [...]

by Michael Lincoln  , Stephen Aichele  , Emma L.M. Clark  , Maggie Dungan  , Ashley Harvey  , Lillian Hoyer  , Yuqin Jiao  , Steffany Josslin  , Frances Russell  and Zeynep Biringen

Received: 12 May 2023;  Published: 27 July 2023;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2303032

Fathers are a historically underrepresented population in developmental research and must be considered for their modern presentation in parenting processes. Emotional Availability (EA) is a construct that captures the parent-child relationship quality and predicts positive outcomes for children. A recently developed intervention, the EA Brief, is a program conceptualized for easy administration that may be utilized to improve father-child dyadic functioning across a range of child ages. The final sample of interes [...]

by Pithchai Pandian Sivakumar  , Elke Gruyaert  , Nele De Belie  and Stijn Matthys

Received: 09 March 2021;  Published: 02 June 2021;  doi: 10.21926/rpm.2102022

Depending on the availability of aggregate sources pertaining to their geographic locations, the concrete industry utilizes conventional aggregates such as marine sand, dredged gravel, or crushed rocks. This method requires high energy and high processing costs for washing and grinding. The objective of this work is to use Modified Ferro silicate slag (MFS), a by-product obtained from the copper industry, as an alternative to the conventional fine aggregates found in mortar. No additional processing such as washing [...]

by Michael Y. Shino  , Ariss Derhovanessian  , David M. Sayah  , Rajan Saggar  , Ying Ying Xue  , Abbas Ardehali  , Barry R. Stripp  , David J. Ross  , Joseph P. Lynch  , Robert M. Elashoff  , S. Samuel Weigt  and John A. Belperio

Received: 11 September 2018;  Published: 30 November 2018;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.1804029

Background: The long term clinical significance of respiratory infections after lung transplantation remains uncertain. Methods: In this retrospective single-center cohort study of 441 lung transplant recipients, we formally evaluate the association between respiratory infection and chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD). We furthermore hypothesized that bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) CXCL9 concentrations are augmented during respiratory infections, and that episodes of infection with elevated BALF CXCL9 ar [...]

by Edoardo Sperone  and Tom Deweerdt

Received: 26 July 2023;  Published: 30 January 2024;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2401006

As climate change is becoming an increasingly crucial issue, it has become critical for firms to report on their Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) aspects. In particular, this research analyzes how environmental indicators are dealt with and reported on. In the case study examined, namely the company American Water Works, GHG emissions and water management were the most important issues to the stakeholders according to the materiality assessment. It was found that the firm has significantly reduced its GH [...]

by Francisca S. Rodriguez

Received: 19 June 2018;  Published: 31 October 2018;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.1804017

Background: Cognitive reserve describes the capacity for cognitively normal functioning despite brain damage. Previous research on cognitive reserve outlined how characteristics of the brain promote good cognitive functioning, although it is not yet clear what cognitive processes help individuals to maintain good cognitive functioning in the face of brain damage. Methods: Narrative review of relevant articles identified in literature searches for cognitive and/or psychometric characteristics of cognitive reserve. R [...]

by Ana Teresa Rodrigues de Sousa  , Gustavo Coxev Wolski  , Max Filipe Silva Gonçalves  and Marcos Paulo Gomes Mol

Received: 16 May 2024;  Published: 21 October 2024;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2404021

Using thermal treatment in the waste management process has advantages such as reducing volume and the possibility of energy recovery. There are several incineration technologies with different characteristics and potential. Incineration, however, requires efficient environmental control to reduce associated risks, such as the emission of harmful compounds. The paper aims to compare solid waste treatment processes in grate and fluidized bed incinerators based on technical and environmental characteristics. For this [...]

by Mamta Saxena  , Anne F. Farrell  and Kari Adamsons

Received: 25 February 2019;  Published: 20 May 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.1902054

Background: Most individuals with disabilities in the US live in family settings; in some families, siblings are default long-term support providers. Although researchers have explored the roles of parent caregivers, the roles of sibling caregivers need attention. Methods: In this study, we examined caregiving processes and outcomes among 322 adult sibling support providers (SSPs) with a range of support roles. Adapting a model of caregiving outcomes, we used structural equation modeling to assess relationships amo [...]

by Selvaraju Sivamani  , Rajoo Baskar  and Balasubramanian Lakshmi

Received: 29 April 2021;  Published: 14 September 2021;  doi: 10.21926/rpm.2103037

One of the crucial steps in the enzymatic hydrolysis of biomass is pretreatment. We investigated the applicability of a hybrid pretreatment method, This involved acid treatment followed by alkali before the production of fermentable sugars from cassava stem. The substrate was initially treated with acid (1% oxalic acid at 100 °C for 2 h), followed by treatment with a 10% NaOH–urea mixture (by mixing 5 g each of NaOH and urea in 100 mL of water) at 100 °C for 1 h. A cellulose recovery of 98.55% was obtained with the [...]

by O.A. Kornienko  , S.V. Yushkevych  , A.V. Sameljuk  and O.R. Andrievskaya

Received: 24 May 2021;  Published: 02 September 2021;  doi: 10.21926/rpm.2103036

The phase equilibria and structural transformations in the ternary ZrO2-CeO2-Eu2O3 system at 1500 °C were studied by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy in the overall concentration range. The system was found to constitute fields of solid solutions based on the tetragonal (T) modification of ZrO2, cubic (C) and monoclinic (B) modifications of Eu2O3, cubic with a fluorite-type structure (F) modifications of CeO2 (ZrO2), and ordered intermediate phase with a pyrochlore-type structure of Eu2Zr2O [...]

by Jia Yu  , Haiyan Jing  , Zongdeng Wu  , Boyuan Liu  , Wu Lei  and Qingli Hao

Received: 29 April 2022;  Published: 21 June 2022;  doi: 10.21926/cr.2202016

The rational design of efficient electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is the key to developing fuel cells and metal-air batteries. Carbon-supported iron-based materials, as the most promising electrocatalysts for ORR, have drawn much attention as they are cost-effective and exhibit high activity. In this work, a three-dimensional (3D) Fe3O4-decorated N-doped graphene aerogel (Fe3O4/NGA) catalyst was synthesized following a simple hydrothermal method which was followed by an annealing process. The co [...]

by Alicia Aguirre  , Sandra El Khori  and Rafael Borneo

Received: 12 December 2022;  Published: 12 April 2023;  doi: 10.21926/rpn.2302006

Celiac disease (CD) is one of the most common intestinal diseases in humans today. The only "cure" for this disease is a strictly gluten-free diet. Bread is a highly accepted food product. But, bread is a product that owns its technological properties to the presence of gluten. Bread without gluten has different texture, palatability, and sensorial properties. Therefore, new products are needed to solve this problem. Chickpeas are an inexpensive source of protein for making gluten-free baked goods. In this study, w [...]

by Alvin Ho Kwan Cheung  , Nancy Bo-Yin Tsui  , William Chi Shing Cho  , Xiao-Meng Pei  , Yin-Kwan Evelyn Wong  , Hin-Fung Andy Tsang  , Gilberto Ka-Kit Leung  and Sze-Chuen Cesar Wong

Received: 02 May 2020;  Published: 28 June 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.genet.2002112

Background: Vestibular schwannoma is an intracranial tumor which can lead to devastating neurological deficit and is prone to recurrence after surgery. Patients with inherited neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2) syndrome are particularly susceptible to bilateral and aggressive schwannomas. However, the genome of vestibular schwannomas is not well known. There is an imminent need of developing effective chemotherapeutic agents either as a primary treatment modality or as adjuvant therapy for these patients. Methods: Here [...]

by Jade M Kozuch  , Kamyar Afshar  and Ashley Feist

Received: 15 November 2024;  Published: 20 February 2025;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.2501235

Lung transplant recipients represent a high-risk group for cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection and disease, even among solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients, due to multiple factors. Additionally, CMV has significant consequences in this group including pneumonitis, acute rejection, and chronic lung allograft dysfunction. For the past two plus decades, treatment of CMV in SOT recipients has been limited to off-label use of 4 antiviral medications associated with significant toxicities including myelosuppression and n [...]

by Arlene A. Schmid  , Marieke Van Puymbroeck  , Christine A. Fruhauf  , Laura A. Swink  and Jennifer D. Portz

Received: 29 September 2019;  Published: 25 November 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.1904087

Background: Falls are relatively common in older adults and are associated with chronic pain. Chronic pain may even be a predictor of falls in older adults. However, this relationship has not been studied in adults

by Shira Peleg  and Howard Litwin

Received: 23 March 2019;  Published: 12 August 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.1903067

Background: Differential effects of the characteristics of social network on limitations with activities (LWA) and the quality of life (QOL) among older adults, and the moderating role of depression were studied. Methods: The data obtained from two consecutive waves of the Survey of Health, Aging, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) was examined. Results: Emotional closeness, satisfaction with the social network, and contact frequency were able to predict the QOL and not LWA. Moreover, depression was observed to moder [...]

by Rahul Abhyankar  , Divya Mella  and Edward Pan

Received: 12 November 2018;  Published: 04 January 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.neurobiol.1901018

Objective: To report a unique case of cerebellopontine angle glioblastoma with concurrent spinal cord involvement. Background: Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common primary malignancy of the central nervous system (CNS), comprising 46.6% of all CNS malignancies. By anatomic location, cerebellopontine angle (CPA) GBMs are exceedingly rare. To our knowledge, the following case represents the tenth reported case of CPA GBM and the first with a corresponding spinal cord tumor on presentation. Methods: Retrospective cha [...]

by Morisaki Naoko

Received: 23 October 2020;  Published: 28 July 2021;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.2103177

Objective: The present study aimed to elucidate the relationship between oral exercise and oral function among older adults requiring care in the nursing facilities of Japan. Methodology: The subjects were adults aged 65 years or above, requiring care and admitted to the nursing facilities for older adults in Japan. The subjects performed the assigned oral exercises, which included the exercises focused on the neck, shoulder, upper limbs, tongue, lips, cheek movement, vocalization, and deep breathing, in groups und [...]

by Aly Mousaad Aly  and Milad Rezae

Received: 26 December 2020;  Published: 04 March 2021;  doi: 10.21926/jept.2101011

During their lifecycle, wind turbines can be subjected to multiple hazard loads, such as high-intensity wind, earthquake, wave, and mechanical unbalance. Excessive vibrations, due to these loads, can have detrimental effects on energy production, structural lifecycle, and the initial cost of wind turbines. Vibration control by various means, such as passive, active, and semi-active control systems provide crucial solutions to these issues. We developed a novel control theory that enables semi-active controller tuni [...]

by Lidiane A. Morais  , Francisco L. Castro  , Glauber J.T. Fernandes  , Marcio D.S. Araujo  , Mirna F. Farias  , Ana P.M.A. Guedes  , Valter J. Fernandes Jr  and Antonio S. Araujo

Received: 17 August 2022;  Published: 30 May 2023;  doi: 10.21926/cr.2302017

The TiO2/MCM-41 nanomaterials were synthesized by impregnation with an excess solvent with different percentages of titanium dioxide. They were used for catalytic degradation of Benzene Toluene Ethylbenzene and Xylenes (BTEX) in the presence of hydrogen peroxide in aqueous media. The obtained materials were characterized by X-ray Diffraction, nitrogen adsorption-desorption using the BET method and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy. The nanostructured phase of the hexagonal ordered materials was obtained even [...]

by Giacomo Farì  , Roberto Tedeschi  , Andrea Bernetti  and Danilo Donati

Received: 30 August 2024;  Published: 20 November 2024;  doi: 10.21926/obm.neurobiol.2404255

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) caused by direct or indirect forces is a prevalent issue in contact sports, leading to symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, nausea, and neck pain. These symptoms can have long-term consequences, including neurodegenerative diseases and mood disorders. This review fills an essential gap in the literature, as current studies on physiotherapy for traumatic brain injury (TBI) in sports are limited in scope, particularly in evaluating multimodal and personalized interventions. The review a [...]

by Svetlana G. Vorsanova  , Yuri B. Yurov  , Ilia V Soloviev  , Alexei D Kolotii  , Irina A Demidova  , Viktor S Kravets  , Oxana S Kurinnaia  , Maria A Zelenova  and Ivan Y. Iourov

Received: 08 February 2019;  Published: 20 March 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.genet.1901068

Recently, numerous studies have reported convincing data suggesting that chromosome instability may be not only a trigger of cancers but a possible mechanism for a wide spectrum of brain diseases. According to our original experience, chromosome instability is commonly observed during karyotyping of children with neuropsychiatric diseases and congenital malformations. To understand mechanisms of non-cancerous diseases potentially mediated by chromosome instability, which may represent an important target for molecu [...]

by Susana Ruiz-Ruiz  , Carolina A Ponce  , Nicole Pesantes  , Rebeca Bustamante  , Gianna Gatti  , Viviana San Martin  , Mireya Gutierrez  , Mariana Izquierdo  , Sergio L Vargas  , Fabien Magne  and Vicente Pérez-Brocal

Received: 30 January 2019;  Published: 18 March 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.genet.1901066

Background: Pneumocystis jirovecii colonization in patients is associated with a low organism burden, which supports the need to use highly sensitive molecular techniques, such as nested-PCR to determine the presence of the organism. However, few studies have considered the effect of nucleic acid extraction methods on the detection of P. jirovecii. Here, we evaluate how pre-treatment affects microbial detection. Methods: Lung tissue samples from fifteen autopsied infants were processed using two different DNA extra [...]