by Razieh Sadraei

Received: 25 April 2020;  Published: 01 July 2020;  doi: 10.21926/rpm.2003017

A literature survey shows that the valorization of urban and/or agricultural biowastes into chemicals has caught the attention of experts and is gradually becoming quite an important issue. This review presents the application of the Bio-Based Substances (BBS) isolated from the compost of bio-wastes from urban gardening and park trimming residues. The non-cost BBS has been well studied in the literature. BBS are biological macromolecules with a complex lignin-derived structure containing several functional groups, [...]

by Ting-fen Lin  , Deanna Linville  , Rhonda N T Nese  , John Seeley  and Samantha Shune

Received: 21 June 2023;  Published: 19 December 2023;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2304059

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) impacts the physiological and psycho-emotional aspects of life. COPD-related secondary sequelae also synergistically interact with each other. For example, dyspnea affects the severity of breath, body functions, and the mind (e.g., anxiety, panic, fear). Such negative psycho-emotional states can further negatively impact the breath and the body (e.g., increased dyspnea). Given the breadth of the impact of COPD on multiple facets of health and well-being, it is essential [...]

by Silvia Martini  , Ezio David  , Francesco Tandoi  , Dominic Dell Olio  , Antonio Amoroso  , Mauro Salizzoni  , Giorgio Maria Saracco  and Renato Romagnoli

Received: 27 September 2018;  Published: 04 December 2018;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.1804030

Background: We performed a liver transplant (LT) with a graft from a 52-year-old donor of blood group O who was HCV viremic. The recipient was a 52-year-old male with blood group A, HCV-related cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Methods: A liver biopsy performed on post-LT day 9 revealed acute T-cell-mediated rejection and the patient received three 1.0-g boluses of methylprednisolone. On day 9, the hemoglobin level dropped and the direct antiglobulin test became positive. Passenger lymphocyte syndrome (PLS) w [...]

by Francisco J Alvarez  , Antonia A. Alvarez  , Hector Lafuente  , Daniel Alonso-Alconada  , Jose L. Blanco-Bruned  , Francisco Santaolalla  and Enrique Hilario

Received: 24 June 2019;  Published: 15 November 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.neurobiol.1904045

Background: The newborn affected by severe hypoxic-ischemic brain injury usually end up dying, and those who survive suffer neurodevelopmental handicaps. Biomarkers are required to identify the hypoxic-ischemic insult in order to determine the early rescue treatment method to be followed. The aim of the present study was to correlate relevant biomarkers to the pathophysiological process of hypoxic-ischemic brain injury at 6 h and 72 h in newborn piglets. Methods:Hypoxia-ischemia was induced in the piglets by clampi [...]

by Sofia Silva  , Alexandra Cravo  , João Rodrigues  , Cátia Correia  and Cristina M.M. Almeida

Received: 09 April 2021;  Published: 19 June 2021;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2102015

The use of biomarkers in bivalves has gained significance as a reliable method for the assessment of the presence and effect of contaminants in aquatic ecosystems. However, it is important to note that the biomarkers respond not only to contaminant loadings and bioavailability but also to environmental stress. Therefore, the association between biomarkers and contamination/pollution should be conducted cautiously as the environmental factors also affect their response. These factors should be integrated into the as [...]

by Inês Lopes Cardoso

Received: 17 April 2018;  Published: 27 July 2018;  doi: 10.21926/obm.genet.1803025

Some repeats of three or more nucleotides in tandem, which are present in a gene or in its vicinity, tend to increase in number and for this reason are called dynamic mutations. These triplet repeats are unstable and can expand from one generation to the next. According to the expansion size, an unaffected individual can carry a pre-mutation that will expand through generations leading to the development of triplet repeat expansion diseases. The increase in the number of repeats over time leads to earlier developme [...]

by Gilbert Ahamer

Received: 07 December 2023;  Published: 13 May 2024;  doi: 10.21926/jept.2402011

The present need for an energy transition in the wake of a global climate catastrophe led to the “EU green deal” which requires a transition of the energy system in all countries. This study aimis survey aims to identify strategies within such an energy transition based on global trend analyses and reports on available technologies for implementation. Based on a literature analysis of over 300 pieces (of feasibility studies and technology implementation reports with a focus on Central Europe) and a statistical anal [...]

by Gregory R. Goodwin  , Narges Sadat Shamabadi  , Pratima Pandey  , Ewen McLean  and Omar Bagasra

Received: 26 September 2020;  Published: 07 June 2021;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2102011

Regressive Autism [RA] is a subtype of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) that manifests as the loss of previously acquired developmental milestones and skills. Early life dysregulation of neurodevelopment due to exposure to toxic metals has been associated with ASD, but the underlying biological mechanisms by which metals influence neurodevelopment remain unclear. We explored the potential role of thimerosal or ethylmercury on neurite formation and oxytocin receptor (OXTR) modulation in four human-developing neuronal [...]

by Ampere A. Tseng

Received: 21 January 2024;  Published: 13 March 2024;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2401019

The aim of this article is to provide a quantitative assessment of the correlation between heightened mindfulness and stress reduction among cancer patients and survivors who engaged in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) interventions. Utilizing data from eight studies, we conducted quantitative analyses to provide the effectiveness scores of MBSR interventions on mindfulness, assessed using the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), and stress symptoms, evaluated through standardized self-reported questi [...]

by Oyovwi Mega Obukohwo  , Peggy Ejiro Ohwin  , Rotu Arientare Rume  , Olowe Gideon Temitope  , Oyelere Abosede Oreoluwa  and Adelowo Joy Motunrayo

Received: 19 February 2024;  Published: 05 July 2024;  doi: 10.21926/obm.genet.2403249

Chromosome abnormalities are a leading cause of pregnancy loss, developmental delays, and birth defects. These abnormalities arise from errors in chromosome structure (breakage) or number (missegregation) during cell division. Understanding the causes of these errors is crucial for developing effective preventive strategies to improve reproductive health. This paper aims to review the known causes of chromosome breakage and mis-segregation, emphasizing their impact on pregnancy and newborn health. It further explor [...]

by Suiven John Paul Tume

Received: 19 October 2021;  Published: 12 January 2022;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2201002

Mean monthly rainfall decline with continentality is a commonplace phenomenon that has been used in this study to compare its trend in Bamenda in the Western Highlands and Limbe on the Atlantic lowland coast. This study attempts to bridge some of the methodological gaps in the previous studies on rainfall variability in Cameroon that had emphasized only the inter-annual variability and coefficient of variation without focusing on the specific indices and contrasts between different ecological zones. In this study, [...]

by Gerhard Litscher

Received: 27 May 2016;  Published: 15 August 2016;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1601001

Integrative and Complementary Medicine (ICM-OBM) is an international peer-reviewed, open-access journal which covers all evidence-based scientific studies on integrative and complementary approaches to improving health and quality of life. Integrative and complementary medicine comprises science-oriented “university” or academic medicine, but also experience-based medicine with all its complementary methods. It is not a special field in itself, but a signal for an all-encompassing medicine, open-minded about the p [...]

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 Mario D. Garrett

Received: 12 June 2019;  Published: 16 July 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.1903063

Simplifying the cause of Alzheimer’s disease has lulled the public into believing that the search for a cure is within reach. The disease has captured the attention of researchers worldwide, catapulting the disease as the third most funded research interest (after cancer and HIV). But after a century of pharmacological failures in stopping or slowing the disease, there is a need to examine how the simplified cause evolved and to explore alternate approaches to understanding Alzheimer’s disease. Going beyond the nar [...]

by Rohan R. Ravindranath  , Brian De La Franier  , Issaka Yougbare  , Jason E. Fish  and Michael Thompson

Received: 25 January 2020;  Published: 27 March 2020;  doi: 10.21926/rpm.2001008

Coronary artery disease is one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Coronary stents, tube-shaped medical implants that are placed in narrowed coronary arteries, have been used successfully in the management of this condition. However, re-narrowing (i.e. restenosis) of the artery can occur which is instigated by an immune response towards the implanted ‘foreign’ material. A new approach to prevent restenosis and reduce the stent-induced immune response has been proposed previously, which involve [...]

by Tyler Campbell  and Sergey Stolbov

Received: 16 February 2020;  Published: 20 April 2020;  doi: 10.21926/jept.2002003

In the search for new efficient photo-catalysts for hydrogen production through water splitting, the main attention has been paid to tuning the band gap width and its position with respect to vacuum level. However, actual electro-catalytic activity for the water oxidation reaction on a catalyst surface is no less important than those quantities. In this work we evaluate from first principles the thermodynamics of the reaction on relatively new candidates for water splitting: two-dimensional C2N and that doped with [...]

by Laura A. Huppert  , Marie Sinclair  and Jennifer C. Lai

Received: 08 November 2018;  Published: 28 November 2018;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.1804028

Background: Patients with cirrhosis suffer not only from commonly-diagnosed portal hypertensive complications such as ascites and hepatic encephalopathy but also from more insidious effects of chronic liver failure including muscle wasting, under-nutrition, and functional decline. These manifestations of physical frailty have been demonstrated to predict mortality in patients with cirrhosis independently of liver disease severity, but objective biomarkers associated with physical frailty in cirrhosis are needed. Th [...]

by Pratima Pandey  , Narges Sadat Shamabadi  , Ewen McLean  and Omar Bagasra

Received: 28 August 2020;  Published: 07 May 2021;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2102009

Normally we encounter a myriad of chemicals in our daily lives. Endocrine disrupting chemicals [EDCs] are ubiquitous in our environment and upon bodily entry many be stored in adipose tissue and, in pregnant woman, can reach the developing fetal brain, disrupting normal fetal brain development. EDC-induced aberrant levels of sex hormones can alter sexual dimorphism [i.e. degree of feminization or masculinization; sex differences in brain and behavior] and may contribute to the differential susceptibility of males a [...]

by Stamatia Stai

Received: 27 May 2018;  Published: 06 September 2018;  doi: 10.21926/obm.genet.1803032

Immunoglobin A Nephropathy (IgAN) is the most common primary glomerulonephritis worldwide. Its development is characterized by the deposition of immune complexes that consist of abnormally galactosylated IgA1 molecules and IgG or IgA autoantibodies in the mesangium and the subsequent induction of renal injury. Recent research has shed light to many aspects of the pathogenesis of the disease, including the contribution of epigenetic modifications in its onset and progression. This review aims to present some of the [...]

by Sheila Krishnan  , Chadi Hage  , Raymond Coakley  , David van Duin  and Leonard Jason Lobo

Received: 18 February 2019;  Published: 10 June 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.1902065

Lung transplant recipients are at greater risk of respiratory viral infections as compared to other solid organ transplant recipients due to constant exposure of the allograft to the external environment. There are no standardized methods for surveillance, prevention, or treatment of these infections despite their association with increased morbidity and mortality. Various studies have linked respiratory viral infections with acute cellular rejection and chronic allograft dysfunction, and emerging data indicates a [...]

by Ahmed Alawais  and Roger P West

Received: 15 April 2024;  Published: 09 August 2024;  doi: 10.21926/rpm.2403019

This paper describes a method to use solely recycled and by-product materials as constituents to form concrete that can be used in buildings structural applications. As concrete is one of the most important materials in human civilization, where it is used widely in construction, cement and aggregate the main components of concrete cause an emission of large amounts of carbon dioxide, which is the main cause of global warming. The production of one tonne of cement, for example, causes the emission of about 800 kg o [...]

by Thomas Liehr  , Monika Ziegler  , Nadezda Kosyakova  and Ahmed B.H. Al-Rikabi

Received: 16 March 2018;  Published: 17 May 2018;  doi: 10.21926/obm.genet.1802021

Background:Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) can be performed on metaphase- and/or interphase cells. Metaphase cells can exclusively be obtained and studied after time-consuming cell culture. Therefore, this technique is suitable only for cells derived from peripheral blood, bone marrow or fibroblasts, the latter including skin, tumour or "prenatal tissues", such as the amnion or chorion. On the other hand, interphase cells can be gained from many different cells and even without cell culture. Methods:Here, [...]

by Areen Omary  and Tameka Chambers

Received: 17 August 2021;  Published: 22 December 2021;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.2104185

The current study aimed to examine if sex can significantly predict risk for lifetime major depressive episodes among adults aged 65 and older with and without adjustment for covariate variables of race, education, marital status, health, and poverty. Secondary data was obtained from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health public-use data file to achieve study goals. The study participants were males and females aged 65 years or older. The unweighted sample included 3,969 adults aged 65 years or older, represent [...]

by Rail M. Shamionov  , Marina V. Grigoryeva  , Elena S. Grinina  and Aleksey V. Sozonnik

Received: 25 March 2022;  Published: 01 June 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.neurobiol.2202124

In an age when publicity is the norm, human loneliness is a significant socio-psychological problem. Objective loneliness (e.g., as experienced during the pandemic) does not always result in subjective loneliness. Subjective loneliness directly influences various aspects of the human psyche and activities. Analysis of satisfaction with social life, as a marker of social well-being and academic adaptation of students with different loneliness types, allows determining the magnitude of subjective loneliness and how i [...]

by Mohsen Pourfallah  and Ethan Languri

Received: 19 October 2024;  Published: 15 January 2025;  doi: 10.21926/jept.2501003

Parabolic trough collectors (PTCs) are essential for solar thermal energy systems, and their thermal efficiency can be significantly enhanced using turbulators and nanofluids. This numerical study introduces three novel fin-spiral turbulator configurations (4, 7, and 10 blades) to enhance heat transfer within the absorber tube. Additionally, three nanofluid types including water-based single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT), cupric oxide (CuO), and a hybrid SWCNT-CuO, at concentrations of 1%, 3%, and 5% were evaluat [...]