by Masahiro Sato  , Emi Inada  , Shingo Nakamura  and Issei Saitoh

Received: 28 March 2018;  Published: 02 August 2018;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.1803016

Background: Transplantation of isolated islets is one of the most powerful approaches to cure insulin-dependent (type I) diabetes mellitus (IDDM). Currently, the most widely used transplantation strategy is percutaneous perfusion into the liver via the portal vein. However, this approach has several drawbacks and is often limited by the large number of islets required and hypoxic damage to the grafts. Methods: In this article, we posit intrapancreatic parenchymal cell transplantation (IPPCT) as a promisin [...]

by Ivan Y. Iourov  , Svetlana G. Vorsanova  and Yuri B. Yurov

Received: 29 May 2018;  Published: 15 August 2018;  doi: 10.21926/obm.genet.1803028

Runs of homozygosity (ROH) are uninterrupted contiguous regions within the genome exhibiting allelic homozygosity (alleles are inherited from the same parent). Genome-wide analyses consistently demonstrate that megabase-scale ROH are ubiquitous in humans, reflecting individual demographic history. The number and length of ROH correlate increasingly with the degree of consanguinity and can be associated with genetic diseases in both inbred and outbred individuals. Genomic imprinting and uniparental disomy (UPD) are [...]

by Sandra D.K. Kingma  , An I. Jonckheere  , Laurence Roosens  and François Eyskens

Received: 31 March 2023;  Published: 24 July 2023;  doi: 10.21926/obm.genet.2303188

Mucopolysaccharidosis type I (MPS I) is a lysosomal storage disorder caused by a deficiency of the lysosomal hydrolase α-L-iduronidase. MPS I is characterized by a broad range of disease manifestations. This includes devastating neurocognitive and bone manifestations and a short life expectancy in severely affected MPS I patients. Neurocognitive manifestations are typically limited in more attenuated MPS I, but patients may still suffer from severe somatic and bone manifestations. Severe MPS I patients are primaril [...]

by Adam G. Evans  , Brady L. Burns  , Maryo M. Ibrahim  , Tigran Kesayan  , Krista N. Brooks-Horrar  , Patrick E. Assi  , Christopher L. Kalmar  , Jeremy T. Joseph  , Hamid M. Shah  and Salam Al Kassis

Received: 14 November 2022;  Published: 23 May 2023;  doi: 10.21926/obm.neurobiol.2302170

Migraines affect approximately one billion individuals worldwide. Implanted nerve stimulator devices can provide relief to some individuals who have chronic migraines refractory to other treatments. This study defines the change in headache pain severity and headache frequency following implanted nerve stimulator treatment in chronic migraineurs. A PRISMA-compliant systematic review of six databases was performed to identify all clinical trials treating at least 10 chronic migraineurs with an implanted nerve stimul [...]

by Joseph S. D'Arrigo

Received: 27 December 2018;  Published: 17 June 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.1902057

Much evidence has been published which indicates that microvascular endothelial dysfunction, due to cerebrovascular risk factors (e.g., atherosclerosis, hypertension, obesity, diabetes, smoking, aging), precedes cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease and contributes to its pathogenesis. By incorporating appropriate drug(s) into biomimetic (lipid cubic phase) nanocarriers, one obtains a multitasking combination therapeutic which targets certain cell-surface scavenger receptors, and crosses the blood-brain barrier [...]

by Oliver Reed  , Patrick B Allen  , Grant Caddy  , John Eccles  and Tony CK Tham

Received: 28 January 2019;  Published: 26 March 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.hg.1901015

Crohn’s disease is a chronic inflammatory condition of the gastrointestinal tract which can result in luminal stenosis and up to 90% of patients requiring surgery during their lifetime. Medical management aims to reduce the inflammatory burden to prevent the development of inflammatory strictures, progression to fibro-stenosis and subsequent obstructive symptoms. Endoscopic balloon dilatation (EBD) is a well-established, safe technique in the management of short strictures to prevent patients having multiple surgic [...]

by Fawzy Georges

Received: 21 April 2020;  Published: 13 August 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.genet.2003115

The challenges which face the world today can be summed up in a few words: An increasingly congested world with dwindling areas of viable cultivated land and accelerating climate instability. The combined effect of these realities, together with the trend of striving to extend the average human life, puts the world on the path toward future catastrophe. This situation makes it imperative to seek realistic and practical solutions, which must be able to address food shortages and climate problems in a timely manner. [...]

by Melissa Stock  and Catriona Craig

Received: 20 April 2024;  Published: 14 September 2024;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2403051

‘Personality disorders’ (referred to as complex emotional needs in this report) are common in older adults. Yet they are often under-recognised which impacts access to appropriate care pathways. Once in services, older adults lack the same access to specialist mental health care as adults, and the evidence base in older adults with complex emotional needs is sparse. Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) is an approach that has shown promise for those with complex emotional needs. This case report presents a 12-session C [...]

by Jun Gu  , Wei Wang  , Guilin Tang  , Gokce A. Toruner  , Ming Zhao  , Steven Sfamenos  , Zhenya Tang  , Joseph D. Khoury  and L. Jeffrey Medeiros

Received: 13 October 2020;  Published: 07 December 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.2004128

Donor cell-derived leukaemia (DCL) is an uncommon complication of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). DCL might represent up to 5% of the post-HSCT disease relapses, but case numbers reported in the literature might underestimate the frequency. The leukemogenesis of DCL is not well understood due to the limited numbers of cases reported and lack of detailed molecular genetic information from recipients and donors. Although many theories have been proposed for leukemogenesis of DCL, the underl [...]

by Michael Czapka  , Carlos A.Q. Santos  and Laurie A. Proia

Received: 08 October 2018;  Published: 31 January 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.1901045

Mucormycosis is a rare fungal infection associated with high morbidity and mortality that typically afflicts immunocompromised hosts. We present a case of isolated hepatic mucormycosis with Rhizopus spp. that developed in the early post-transplant period. Initial presentation was concerning for allograft rejection, but definitive diagnosis was made with histopathology and fungal culture. The patient had a favourable outcome with surgical resection, a course of liposomal amphotericin B combined with micafungin, and [...]

by Zaid Albayati  , Sally Heyworth  , Jane Moberly  , Derek Middleton  , Brian Flanagan  , Abdul Hammad  and Stephen E Christmas

Received: 10 October 2018;  Published: 14 December 2018;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.1804032

Background:HLA-G is an immunosuppressive molecule with a potential role in allograft acceptance. Methods:Expression of HLA-G on leucocyte subpopulations was studied in a group of 21 renal transplant patients immediately prior to and 2 months post-transplantation. Results:Significant increases in proportions of total HLA-G+CD4+ T cells were seen (0.5+/-0.1% to 7.9+/-3.2%; p<0.01) and also for CD45RA+, CD45RO+ and CD69+ subsets. Increases in proportions of HLA-G+ cells were also seen in CD8+ T cells and their [...]

by Emily Beitzell  , Purnaja Podduturi  , Megan Hook  , Amelia Jones  , Haley McKeen  and Miriam Liss

Received: 03 October 2021;  Published: 01 December 2021;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2104053

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has produced a global mental health crisis and many individuals have obsessive thoughts and worry about COVID-19 which may, both directly and indirectly, relate to more general anxiety. This study explored anxiety sensitivity and mindful awareness as mediators in the relationship between COVID-19 obsession and general anxiety. College student participants (N = 172) completed the Obsession with COVID-19 scale, the Anxiety Sensitivity Index, the awareness subscale of the Five Facto [...]

by Erivaldo Genuíno Lima  , Fabiana Medeiros Nascimento Silva  , Tellys Lins Almeida Barbosa  and Meiry Gláucia Freire Rodrigues

Received: 20 December 2022;  Published: 07 April 2023;  doi: 10.21926/cr.2302015

This work prepared mordenite using seeds and without organic structure-directing agents (OSDAs). The Mo/Mordenite was prepared through wet impregnation and the catalysts’ performance was checked for transesterification of soybean oil with methanol. The mordenite zeolite was prepared through hydrothermal crystallization under static conditions with a molar composition of 6Na2O:Al2O3:30SiO2:780H2O. The catalyst samples were characterized crystallinity through X-ray diffraction, elemental composition by X-ray fluoresc [...]

by Mikhail Granovskiy

Received: 17 October 2023;  Published: 14 November 2023;  doi: 10.21926/jept.2304034

According to the United States Department of Energy, waste heat recovery would allow up to a 20% reduction in greenhouse gases (GHG) emission. Most of the waste energy is discharged as a low-grade heat at temperatures less than 250°C. Therefore, the development of new technologies and the enhancement of existing ones to convert low-grade heat into electrical or mechanical energy are of great importance. The working principle of adsorption-desorption heat pumps with cyclic switching between adsorption and desorp [...]

by Jiankang Jin  , Shumei Song  and Jaffer A. Ajani

Received: 30 June 2020;  Published: 16 September 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.genet.2003116

Gastric adenocarcinoma (GAC) is among the three most common cancers in the world. The majority of GAC patients are diagnosed in an advanced stage and have a median survival of ~9 months. There are limited effective therapeutic strategies available in the clinic and currently U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved immune therapy is programmed death-1 (PD-1) antibodies (e.g. pembrolizumab) but only a few patients seem to benefit. Transformation to cancer occurs when multiple genes and cellular pathways are [...]

by Katerina G. Oikonomou  and Sarah Taimur

Received: 14 February 2019;  Published: 17 June 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.1902066

In non-endemic regions of the world, human T-cell lymphotropic virus type-1 (HTLV-1) is an uncommon pathogen in the transplant host, but can be associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Careful assessment for risk factors, targeted screening and heightened awareness of the clinical presentation of HTLV-1 associated disease is necessary for timely recognition and management in the transplant host. The use of antiretroviral agents in the management of symptomatic disease due to HTLV-1 remains controversial [...]

by Steven R. Brenner

Received: 29 August 2018;  Published: 26 February 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.1901035

Alzheimer Disease may result from excessive stimulation of the innate immune system from development of underlying opportunistic infections and impaired age related self-recognition as non-self, due to immunodeficiency and immunosenescence, resulting in excessive inflammation and runaway Beta-amyloid production (a component of the innate immune system) causing cytosolic calcium overload. Excessive cytosolic calcium may cause over activation of calcineurin and inactivation of cis-trans prolyl isomerase (Pin1), with [...]

by Paul M. Valliant  , Charlotte Aelick  , Amber Sinclair  and Joseph M. Caswell

Received: 07 August 2018;  Published: 18 October 2018;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.1804015

Background: Previous research has indicated the attitudes that others have toward older adults play an important role in their well-being. The current study contributes to the literature because it evaluates attitudes toward older adults. Methods: The participants included Caucasian and Indigenous people residing in Northern Ontario. All participants were asked to complete a demographics questionnaire and the Kogan’s Attitudes Toward Old People Scale (KAOP). Results: Results indicated that Indigenous participants h [...]

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 Khawla F. Ali  , Vicente T. San Martin  , Tyler Stevens  , R. Matthew Walsh  , Rita Bottino  , Massimo Trucco  and Betul Hatipoglu

Received: 29 March 2018;  Published: 02 July 2018;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.1803014

Total pancreatectomy (TP) is increasingly being utilized for definitive treatment in patients with debilitating chronic pancreatitis (CP). In an effort to prevent surgical diabetes, the procedure can be performed in conjunction with transplantation of islets of Langerhans recovered from the patients’ own resected pancreas (autologous islet transplantation, AIT). Given that patients undergoing TP and AIT are traditionally assumed not to be at risk for the development of beta-cell autoimmunity, it is possible that th [...]

by Renata Lemonica  , Isabela Almeida Cunha  , Jéssica Layane Costa Melo  , Sandra Regina Caram  , José Eduardo Fuser Bittar  and Karina Pavao Patricio

Received: 23 March 2024;  Published: 31 July 2024;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2403044

Homeopathy has shown promise in fighting epidemics, leading to potential applications in the COVID-19 clinical cases. To assess the impact of add-on individualized homeopathic medicinal products (IHMP) on improving clinical outcomes and time to medical discharge in COVID-19 patients, a prospective, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel-group exploratory clinical trial was conducted in a São Paulo state municipality, Brazil, between February and July 2021. 82 (unvaccinated) patients with conf [...]

by Ioannis Syros  and Xenia Anastassiou-Hadjicharalambous

Received: 19 October 2023;  Published: 15 July 2024;  doi: 10.21926/obm.neurobiol.2403231

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a prevalent child and adolescent psychiatric condition characterized by substantial functional impairments. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) has emerged as the primary therapeutic approach for managing mild to moderate cases of OCD in children and adolescents. Significant advancements have been made in applying CBT specifically to this age group in the past decade. Exposure and response prevention (ERP) is a core therapeutic technique grounded in the principle that anxiety t [...]

by Laladhas Krishna Panicker  , Marcus J. Fila  , Achuthsankar S Nair  and Oommen V. Oommen

Received: 31 January 2023;  Published: 07 August 2023;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2303042

Sasthamkotta Lake eco-region is a freshwater Ramsar site in Kerala, India. Eco-regions are ecologically and geographically defined larger land or water mass areas with a characteristic assemblage of the ecosystem and significant biodiversity. A decentralized and locally self-sustaining mechanism has been achieved in managing this eco-region by a participatory model through a joint Biodiversity Management Committee (jBMC) constitution. BMCs are custodians of the environment, and biodiversity, confined to a village/P [...]

by Jessica Turnbull  , Sally Hobson  , Jenna Vyas-Lee  and Bidisha Lahoti

Received: 31 January 2021;  Published: 15 June 2021;  doi: 10.21926/obm.neurobiol.2102101

We describe our experience of setting up and evaluating a community-based multi-disciplinary sleep service for children with neurodevelopmental disorders and psychosocial vulnerabilities.Referrals are accepted for children (1-18 years of age) with persistent sleep problems, and neurodevelopmental difficulties or significant psychosocial adversity, living in two inner-city boroughs.Holistic sleep assessment involves 1-hour Paediatrician-led consultation, often followed by Psychologist-led parent workshop, with follo [...]

by Kenji Morita  and Bun Tsuchiya

Received: 26 March 2021;  Published: 24 June 2021;  doi: 10.21926/jept.2102029

In this review, various studies on the Li depth profiles of metal/electrolyte/metal capacitors and batteries of Au/LCO/LATP/Pt, LCO/LiPON/Si, and LMO/LiPON/NbO with different metal electrodes at both sides (by bias; LCO =LiCoO2, LATP =Li3.1Al0.86Ti1.14Ge1.27P1.73O12, LMO =LiMn2O4, NbO = Nb2O5) using the in-situ reflection ERD (ERD) technique with 9MeV O+4 ion beam and transmission ERD (TERD) technique with 5MeV He+2 ion beam, respectively, are described. For capacitors, the transport fraction of Li-ion in the elect [...]