by Nicole A. Bailey  and Laura Mackay

Received: 12 May 2024;  Published: 16 August 2024;  doi: 10.21926/obm.genet.2403256

Phenylketonuria (PKU) is an autosomal recessive inborn error of metabolism with an incidence that varies throughout the world. PKU is caused by loss of function variants in the phenylalanine hydroxylase gene. This loss of function leads to the accumulation of an amino acid, phenylalanine (Phe), that can reach toxic levels in the blood. PKU is managed with a medical diet and sometimes with medication. If diagnosed early and with strict dietary control, neurocognitive deficits can be prevented. There is an important [...]

by Abanti Nag

Received: 27 July 2023;  Published: 11 October 2023;  doi: 10.21926/cr.2304024

In the era of renewable and sustainable energy, perovskite materials remain pioneers as energy harvesting materials, be it thermoelectric waste heat harvesting or photovoltaic solar cell application. Oxide perovskite material is an emerging thermoelectric material in solving energy shortage issues through waste heat recovery. The chemical and structural stabilities, oxidation resistance, and cost-effective and straightforward manufacturing process are a few advantages of the oxide-based thermoelectric materials. Th [...]

by Najmul Hoque  , Wahidul Biswas  , Ilyas Mazhar  and Ian Howard

Received: 29 June 2020;  Published: 31 July 2020;  doi: 10.21926/jept.2003013

Hydrogen is regarded as a potential solution to address future energy demands and environmental protection challenges. This study assesses the triple bottom line (TBL) sustainability performance of hydrogen as an automotive fuel for Western Australia (WA) using a life cycle approach. Hydrogen is considered to be produced through water electrolysis. Two scenarios, current grid electricity and future renewable-based hydrogen, were compared with gasoline as a base case. The results show that locally produced grid elec [...]

by Francesco Sivelli  , Elio Rossi  , Sonia Baccetti  , Mariella Di Stefano  , Eugenia Gallo  and Fabio Firenzuoli

Received: 27 September 2018;  Published: 18 October 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1904060

Phytotherapy, which is defined as the use of titrated herbal extracts in clinical practice, has been receiving increasing interest in the scientific community recently. In the present report, information regarding the most important mechanisms underlying the drug-drug interactions (DDI) and herb-drug interactions (HDI) has been discussed briefly. Furthermore, the best known and relevant interactions of Ginkgo biloba, Citrus paradisi (Grapefruit Juice), Silybum marianum (Milk Thistle), Hypericum perforatum (St. John [...]

by F.A Hamad  , E. Emenike  , Abbas Mohammed  , S. Gooneratne  and P. Russell

Received: 01 December 2020;  Published: 31 January 2021;  doi: 10.21926/jept.2101009

In this paper, the primary aim is to look at the fundamental melting/solidification processes of polyethylene glycol 1500 (PEG 1500) for energy storage - insulation to prolong the cooling time of pipelines in unexpected shut-down conditions, prevent/minimize the wax deposition, and hydrate formation. Polyethylene glycol 1500 was selected because its melting temperature is >317 K making it a suitable candidate as lagging material to prevent wax deposition and hydrate formation in subsea oil pipelines. Experim [...]

by Kjeld C. Engvild

Received: 17 July 2019;  Published: 03 December 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.genet.1904100

Hansemann-Boveri’s aneuploidy theory, the Warburg effect, and the Knudson hypothesis can be viewed as different aspects of a single theory of cancer. In this, the extremely common chromosome missegregation may be the underlying cause. Chromosome missegregation is mitigated via several mechanisms. Cancer can occur only when all of these mechanisms have been inactivated in a single cell line, typically by mutation. There are at least five different repair mechanisms, implying a hit-factor of at least five. These miti [...]

by Meir Djaldetti

Received: 10 January 2022;  Published: 14 March 2022;  doi: 10.21926/rpn.2201008

Broccoli has long been reported to exert a positive impact on human health. It contains high levels of isocyanates, the most important of which is sulforaphane (SFN). Numerous studies have demonstrated that SFN can be used as an effective supplement for treating a variety of diseases. In addition, it is known to possess anti-cancer properties such as chemopreventive properties against gastrointestinal, breast, lung, bladder, prostate, and other cancers. The reported data indicates that broccoli could be a potent in [...]

by Renly Dutton  , Frank Abdi  , Levon Minnetyan  and James L. Sherley

Received: 22 April 2020;  Published: 28 August 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.2003117

Although tissue stem cells are essential for the maintenance, renewal, and repair of vertebrate organs and tissues, previously, the simple act of counting them has not been possible. For more than a half-century, progress in tissue stem cell research and medicine has been undermined by the lack of a means to determine tissue stem cell number. In particular, a major unmet need for stem cell transplantation medicine has been a way to quantify the specific dosage of tissue stem cell treatments. The counting problem pe [...]

by Sonica Sondhi  , Navleen Kaur Chopra  , Aditya Kumar  and Naveen Gupta

Received: 21 February 2023;  Published: 05 May 2023;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2302030

A multicopper oxidase, laccases catalyze the four-electron reduction of the substrate with the use of molecular oxygen. Laccases are abundant in nature and can be found in virtually every form of life on the planet. Generally speaking, laccases are classified into three types: blue, white, and yellow. Plant, bacterial and fungal laccases all have the same trinuclear copper site for substrate reduction. Non-phenolic as well as phenolic molecules are both capable of being catalyzed by this enzyme. Laccases are used i [...]

by Myrto Poulou  and Maria Tzetis

Received: 31 July 2017;  Published: 01 November 2017;  doi: 10.21926/obm.genet.1704010

Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is one of the commonest autosomal recessive genetic diseases that show a high carrier frequency amongst Caucasian populations. Although there has been tremendous progress in the available therapies, compared to the past, the disease is still associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Because of the severe clinical manifestations and the shortened life expectancy of patients, population based carrier screening, to identify heterozygous carrier couples at risk of having affected childre [...]

by Thibault Deschamps

Received: 24 July 2019;  Published: 24 September 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1903055

Let’s consider the issues of exercise and cognitive function from a different angle, by moving from sitting to standing for instance. Not only does seeing anything from different perspectives reflect our cognitive flexibility [1], it also has a direct impact on the executive performance. Interestingly, recent studies reported a smaller Stroop effect when standing than when sitting [2-3] or after stepping backward [4], evidencing that the body posture enhances selective attention and cognitive control. Hence a call [...]

by Michael Toryila Tiza  , Samson Imoni  , Ebenezer Ogırıma Akande  , Onyebuchi Mogbo  , Victoria Hassana Jiya  and Collins Onuzulike

Received: 04 July 2023;  Published: 26 September 2024;  doi: 10.21926/rpm.2403023

This study addresses the evolving challenges in infrastructure development by exploring recent advancements in civil engineering materials. The problem lies in the limitations of traditional materials such as concrete and steel, which, while foundational, may not fully meet the demands of modern construction in terms of sustainability, durability, and resilience. The objective of this review is to assess the role and impact of both traditional and emerging materials, including supplementary cementitious materials, [...]

by Cristina Lull  , Antonio Lidón  and María Desamparados Soriano

Received: 25 March 2022;  Published: 10 June 2022;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2202024

Soil pollution is a major challenge for ensuring a healthy environment and for human health. One of the critical points in soil pollution policy is the education and public awareness of the problem caused by soil pollution. Education influences decision-making on soil and water care. It is crucial to spread knowledge to undergraduate and graduate students about the determinantal effects of soil pollution on ecosystems and humans, considering today’s students are tomorrow’s guardians of soil and human health. A cour [...]

by Ankit Patel  , Kevin Houston  , Michael Saadeh  , Ana Vilela  , Byung-Soo Yoo  , Steve M. D’Souza  and David A. Johnson

Received: 24 April 2022;  Published: 01 August 2022;  doi: 10.21926/rpn.2203018

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is currently the third most common cancer within the United States among both males and females, with increasing rates occurring in younger individuals compared to the past. Multiple environmental and social aspects including diet may be contributing to this increase in CRC rates. The aim of this review is to examine foods containing high fructose corn syrup, processed meats, and red meats which have shown to be linked to an increase in incidence of CRC. These foods can be a cause for disrup [...]

by Megan Sweeney  and Harold Kraft

Received: 29 September 2021;  Published: 17 December 2021;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2104055

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) is a highly debilitating chronic pain condition characterized by continuous regional pain disproportionate to duration and intensity of the initial damaging stimulus. In CRPS, abnormal perception, transmission, and modulation of pain by nerve cells and the autonomic nervous system induces extreme increases in perceived pain that may be accompanied by swelling, temperature sensitivity, color fluctuations, and/or skin changes. CRPS most commonly affects the extremities but may sp [...]

by Upasana Ramphal  , Derek Tshiabuila  , Yajna Ramphal  , Jennifer Giandhari  , Carel van Heerden  , Cheryl Baxter  , Stephanie van Wyk  , Sureshnee Pillay  , Oluwakemi Laguda-Akingba  , Eduan Wilkinson  , Richard Lessells  and Tulio de Oliveira

Received: 01 March 2024;  Published: 30 May 2024;  doi: 10.21926/obm.genet.2402239

During the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies like the Ion Torrent S5 and Illumina MiSeq, alongside advanced software, improved genomic surveillance in South Africa. This study analysed anonymized samples from the Eastern Cape using Genome Detective and NextClade, showing Ion Torrent S5 and Illumina MiSeq success rates of 96% and 94%, respectively. The study focused on genomic coverage (above 80%) and mutation detection (below 100), with the Ion Torrent S5 achieving 99% coverage comp [...]

by Lordwin Girish Kumar Jeyakumar  , David B. McKenzie  , Yuanmei Zhang  , Lakshman Galagedara  , Shabtai Bittman  and Derek Hunt

Received: 30 December 2020;  Published: 28 June 2021;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2102016

Subsurface tile drainage installation helps to maintain water table levels and to meet adequate crop moisture requirements. Artificial subsurface drainage continues to be a common practice in Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) and elsewhere around the world. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of DRAINMOD in simulating water table depth (WTD) and water outflow from tile drained agricultural fields. This site on the Avalon Peninsula of Eastern Newfoundland has a rolling landscape with predom [...]

by Richard B. Kreider

Received: 01 April 2021;  Published: 03 November 2021;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2104041

Obesity has historically been thought to simply be related to an imbalance between energy intake and expenditure. Weight loss recommendations have traditionally focused on reducing energy intake, maintaining either a high-carbohydrate low-fat diet or vice versa, and increasing physical activity typically through low to moderate intensity exercise. More recently, genetic, physiological, and behavioral factors have also been found to play a significant role in the etiology of obesity. For this reason, the prevention [...]

by Han Zhang  and Joseph D. Smith

Received: 09 November 2020;  Published: 30 January 2021;  doi: 10.21926/jept.2101008

Solar thermochemical reactor provides an attractive approach that utilizes the most common solar radiation as the thermal driving force to motivate the reaction between CO2 and metal oxides, which is also called metal oxide redox pair-based thermochemical cycles. The CeO2/CeO2-δ is widely used in the two-step redox process due to its advantages including fast-redox kinetics, high crystallographic stability of a wide range of reacting oxygen non-stoichiometry, and relatively high oxygen solid-state conductivit [...]

by Ramesh Alluri  , Hardik Ghelani  , Shayal Devi  , Vamsi Krishna Inampudi  and Srinivas Nammi

Received: 03 May 2020;  Published: 07 August 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2003036

To investigate the blood glucose lowering effect of the seed powder of T. foenum-graecum Linn (Papilionaceae) in normal and alloxan-induced diabetic rabbits. The blood glucose lowering effect of the seed powder was determined in normal and alloxan-induced (100 mg/kg, i.v.) diabetic rabbits, after oral administration of doses of 50, 100 and 150 mg/kg body weight. Blood samples were collected from the marginal ear vein before and also at 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 16, 18, 20 and 24 h after drug administration and blood glucose [...]

by Jeffrey T. Apter  and Kaylee M. White

Received: 01 December 2019;  Published: 29 April 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.2002116

The Amyloid and Tau Hypothesis of Alzheimer’s disease once thought to be the key have shown marginal results but are bolstered by the recent revival of the Aducanumab study and some positive data on some anti-Tau drugs. It still behoves us to look at other mechanisms which include whole blood transfusions, an Epigenetic approach, a-derivative of a Parkinson's drug a low dose of an anti-epileptic drug, an antibiotic against P Gingivitis and many new approaches not directly involving Amyloid and Tau. Other newer appr [...]

by Khawla F. Ali  and Betul Hatipoglu

Received: 07 June 2020;  Published: 07 July 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.2003115

Pancreatic islet transplantation is a rapidly evolving field. It has been increasingly regarded as a promising approach for the correction of dysglycemia associated with type 1 diabetes mellitus (allogenic islet transplantation), or the prevention of surgical diabetes in chronic pancreatitis subjects undergoing total pancreatectomy (autologous islet transplantation). In this review, we discuss the latest literature pertaining to metabolic outcomes of autologous and allogenic islet transplantation, shedding close li [...]

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 Donald Moss

Received: 20 January 2020;  Published: 19 February 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2001007

The face of illness has changed with progress in public health, immunizations, and antibiotic medication. Today, medical clinics are more likely to see patients with chronic illnesses, stress-related conditions, and complex bio-psycho-social conditions. This is a global trend, affecting patients worldwide, as Western lifestyle and diet have produced increases in chronic lifestyle-based disorders. Integrative medicine, which attends more fully to psychosocial dimensions of illness, appears to offer promise for today [...]

by Maryanna D. Klatt  , Emaline Wise  , Olivia Gabram  , Megan Huber  , Lai Wei  and Mira Katz

Received: 02 April 2019;  Published: 11 December 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.neurobiol.1904047

Background: The global principles of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) have led to the creation of Mindfulness-Based Interventions (MBIs), which are interventions that retrain the mind to modify its usual stress response to increase coping and resilience. Mindfulness in Motion (MIM) is an MBI that has shown significant biologic and positive psychosocial outcomes with adult working populations, but had not previously been tested in oncology populations and their caregivers. Utilizing MIM to improve sleep qua [...]

by Xiaoli Xie  , Xiangyang Mu  , Nan Tao  and Shi Yin

Received: 06 September 2022;  Published: 28 January 2023;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2301013

Value co-creation in the digital innovation ecosystem is of great practical significance for promoting enterprise advantages and high-quality economic development. Digitalization reshapes the logic of value co-creation. Innovation activities are no longer focused only on the internal enterprise but also occur in the ecosystem of interaction and sharing with other heterogeneous and diverse subjects. How can value co-creation be achieved between the digital innovation ecosystems and how can they be coupled between th [...]

by Pietro Gareri  , Antonino Maria Cotroneo  , Giuseppe Orsitto  , Nicola Veronese  and Salvatore Putignano

Received: 12 September 2021;  Published: 08 March 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.2201193

Certain previous studies have demonstrated the benefits of the addition of citicoline, a cholinergic precursor, to acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (AchEIs) or memantine in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). The present study showed the effectiveness of oral citicoline plus AchEIs plus memantine in outpatients with AD. This was a retrospective case-control study involving 169 patients aged 65 years old or older having AD (mean age: 78.7 ±4.9 years). In addition, 84 patients were treated with AchEIs plus [...]

by Chaonan Zhang  , Robert Fuller  and Iyad Hijazi

Received: 10 November 2020;  Published: 25 January 2021;  doi: 10.21926/jept.2101006

The Pd-H system has attracted extensive attention. Pd can absorb considerable amount of H at room temperature, this ability is reversible, so it is suitable for multiple energy applications. Pd-Ag alloys possess higher H permeability, solubility and narrower miscibility gap with better mechanical properties than pure Pd, but sulfur poisoning remains an issue. Pd-Cu alloys have excellent resistance to sulfur and carbon monoxide poisoning and hydrogen embrittlement, good mechanical properties, and broader temperature [...]

by Audrey Vanhaudenhuyse  , Anne-Sophie Nyssen  and Marie-Elisabeth Faymonville

Received: 14 February 2020;  Published: 09 May 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2002028

Hypnosis is a modified state of consciousness widely used to decrease pain perception in research protocols and clinical practice. In recent decades, hypnosis has been increasingly proposed to patients to re-engage their resources and capacities to modulate pain and emotional distress and to improve their treatment and recovery of well-being. Neuroimaging research helps clinicians to understand better how hypnosis works in terms of brain modulation. Hypnotic suggestions dramatically influence the self and environme [...]

by Lia Ofek  , Daniella Goder  and Meital Zilberman

Received: 31 July 2019;  Published: 11 October 2019;  doi: 10.21926/rpm.1904004

Background:Wound management is an important field in medical care, as annually, millions of wounds require treatment worldwide. Soy protein is highly biocompatible, easily processed, and a relatively cheap natural polymer, which can be used for wound dressing applications. Methods:In this study, solvent cast soy protein films, plasticized by glycerol and cross-linked by glyoxal, were thermally treated and their mechanical properties were evaluated as a function of various processing parameters. Samples were then lo [...]

by Brooks M. Hybertson  , Bifeng Gao  and Joe M. McCord

Received: 21 September 2021;  Published: 10 January 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2201002

There has been a long history of human usage of the biologically-active phytochemicals in Salvia rosmarinus, Zingiber officinale, and Sophora japonica for health purposes, and we recently reported on a combination of those plant materials as the PB123 dietary supplement. In the present work we extended those studies to evaluate activation of the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) transcription factor and differential gene expression in cultured HepG2 (hepatocellular carcinoma) cells treated with PB1 [...]

by Boel De Paepe

Received: 28 February 2019;  Published: 16 May 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.genet.1902079

In order to successfully recover from damage, skeletal muscle tissue requires proper activation of a tightly orchestrated repair program. Non-coding RNAs actively participate in this complex process of demolition and rebuilding. In this review, the contribution of dysregulated non-coding RNA expression to disease-associated pathological changes is explored in hereditary muscular dystrophies and idiopathic inflammatory myopathies. Disturbances in spatiotemporal expression of non-coding RNAs appear to be key factors [...]

by Soo Liang Ooi  and Sokcheon Pak

Received: 29 May 2019;  Published: 31 May 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1902033

The Landscape of Current Meditation Research: An Overview to the Special Issue on “Health Benefits of Meditation”

by Peter Leary  , Peter Malin  , Graeme Saunders  and Charles Sicking

Received: 03 December 2019;  Published: 29 July 2020;  doi: 10.21926/jept.2003012

A core feature of convective geothermal resource production is wellbore energy flow Q ~ ρC x T x V. E.g., for wellbore fluid of volume heat capacity ρC ~ 4.3MJ/m3.oC, temperature T ~ 230oC, and volumetric flow V ~ 50L/s, wellbore heat energy production is Q~ 50MWth ~ 5MWe. Wellbore fluid flow V =2πr0ϕv0ℓ for open wellbore length ℓ is given in turn by the spatially variable product crustal porosity times crustal fluid velocity v ≡ ϕv0 at the wellbore rad [...]

by Bruce Walmsley  and Lynne McCormack

Received: 23 June 2018;  Published: 08 October 2018;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.1804013

Background: Minimal research investigates negative and positive perspectives of wellbeing in families, when a member with dementia is limited in their speech, or speech is absent. Methods: Seeking to explore this phenomenon further, semi-structured interviews sought negative and positive subjective interpretations from 27 family carers (mild to profound dementia). Interviews explored the participants' experience of changing relational and social engagement when a family member lives with dementia. Data were analyse [...]

by Salem Dehom  , Synnove Knutsen  , David Shavlik  , Khaled Bahjri  , Hatem Ali  , Lance Pompe  and Rhonda Spencer-Hwang

Received: 11 August 2019;  Published: 17 December 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.1904095

Background: Substantial evidence has established links between air pollution and increased risks of overall morbidity and mortality, especially for respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. However, little research has explored these relationships among highly sensitive populations, such as renal transplant recipients. Despite the improvement in quality of life after renal transplantation, cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are major causes of graft loss and mortality. The present study was designed to assess the associa [...]

by Elio Rossi  , Marco Picchi  , Marialessandra Panozzo  and Linda Nurra

Received: 01 November 2018;  Published: 20 June 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1902038

Aim: To study the effect of homeopathic treatment on adult patients with atopic diseases visited at the Homeopathic Clinic of Lucca (Italy) and long-term evolution of the disease over approximately an 8-year period. Materials and Methods: Data derive from an observational longitudinal study carried out on 563 atopic adult patients who were consecutively visited from 1998 to 2017; 202 (35.9%) suffered from atopic dermatitis, 204 (36.2%) from allergic rhinitis, and 157 (27.9%) from asthma. Moreover, a long-term study [...]

by Kara B. Dassel  , Eli Iacob  , Rebecca L. Utz  , Katherine P. Supiano  and Hollie Furhmann

Received: 01 September 2022;  Published: 06 January 2023;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2301004

Due to the insidious progression of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD), surrogate decision-makers typically make medical and long-term-care decisions for a care recipient, most often a family care partner. Unfortunately, many care recipient/care partner dyads have failed to engage in advance care planning or have lost the opportunity to do so due to the cognitive decline of the care recipient. To address this need, our team created a validated dementia-focused advance care planning tool known as t [...]

by Theresa Mayo  , Barbara Schuster  , Anna Ellmann  , Manfred Schmidt  , Rainer Fietkau  and Luitpold V. Distel

Received: 27 July 2018;  Published: 26 June 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.genet.1902082

Background: It is well known that radiosensitivity varies substantially from individual to individual. This may influence the tumor response and also cause side effects in normal tissues following the radiotherapy treatment for cancers. Therefore, we aimed to analyze the sensitivity of a lung cancer cohort to see whether patients display similar radiosensitivity distribution as compared to healthy individuals. Methods: Blood samples of healthy individuals (n = 244) and a small group of lung cancer patients (n= 38) [...]

by Ashwini M. Namasivayam-MacDonald  , Luis F. Riquelme  and Sonja M. Molfenter

Received: 02 June 2020;  Published: 29 July 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.2003129

The Cobb angle is traditionally used for quantifying the degree of spinal curvature through evaluation of the full spinal cord. When conducting measurements on videofluoroscopy swallowing studies (VFSS), the Cobb angle can measure degree of cervical vertebrae curvature, which may have implications for swallowing. Given that this measure may have utility in dysphagia research, the reliability of this measure taken from C2-C4 and establishing the presence of changes with age were the focus of the current, proof-of-pr [...]

by James David Adams

Received: 14 January 2018;  Published: 19 December 2018;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1804035

Background: This study presents several case reports of chronic pain patients treated with two different plant medicines from the Chumash Indian tradition. Methods: Patients suffering from self-reported fibromyalgia, chronic back pain, chronic bursitis, chronic tendinitis and other conditions were treated. California sagebrush (Artemisia californica) was grown by the author and made into a liniment. The liniment was applied to painful sites on the skin. Black sage (Salvia mellifera) was made into a sun tea. Chronic [...]

by Babkir Ali

Received: 23 May 2019;  Published: 23 July 2019;  doi: 10.21926/jept.1903001

This paper is intended to evaluate the economic viability of producing solar photovoltaic modules in Sudan. The simple payback period and the net present value were used as economic indicators to study comparatively different annual production capacities. Initial and operating costs were developed and analyzed for the product lifecycle. The number of working shifts in the base case is doubled to achieve a production rate of 20 MW/year and double shift with double quantity of machines is executed to reach a producti [...]

by Kosmas A. Kavadias  and Stefanos Tzelepis

Received: 03 June 2020;  Published: 24 July 2020;  doi: 10.21926/jept.2003011

The fluctuations in the cost of energy coupled with the gradual decrease in natural resources (i.e., oil, natural gas, coal) and the environmental issues caused by the extensive use of fossil fuels, demand the urgent need for the development of advanced and clean energy systems. The European Union has requested new measures to target climate and energy deterioration by developing renewable energy sources by 2030. The stochastic character of the energy sources and the fluctuation in demand for the energy systems pos [...]

by Stamatia Spyrou  , Alexandra V. Chatzikonstantinou  , Archontoula Giannakopoulou  , Renia Fotiadou  , Silvia Priska  , Yannis V. Simos  , Aliki Tsakni  , Dimitrios Peschos  , Dimitra Houhoula  , Epaminondas Voutsas  and Haralambos Stamatis

Received: 01 December 2022;  Published: 19 January 2023;  doi: 10.21926/cr.2301004

Biomass derived from green marine macroalgae Ulva sp. is considered a rich source of bioactive compounds. In the present study, we demonstrate the increased bioactivity of a phenolic-rich extract derived from green marine macroalgae Ulva intestinalis after its treatment with fungal laccases from Trametes versicolor and Agaricus bisporus. The phenolic composition of the extract, before and after its enzymatic treatment, was determined through several analytical methods. Furthermore, the antioxidant, enzyme-inhibitor [...]

by Macyn Leung  , Alexander Pipchuk  and Xiaolong Yang

Received: 11 January 2021;  Published: 24 March 2021;  doi: 10.21926/obm.genet.2101127

PD-L1 is an immune checkpoint protein that is frequently overexpressed by the cells in the tumor microenvironment. PD-L1 binds to PD-1 present on the activated antitumor T-cells, which allows for tumor immune escape. The ability of the PD-1/PD-L1 axis to suppress antitumor immunity enables its application as a potential target for small-molecule-based immunotherapies. Targeting the PD-L1-mediated tumor immune evasion represents a promising approach for immune checkpoint blockade therapies. However, the existing mon [...]

by Natasha Hui Jin Ng  , Wei Xuan Tan  , Ye Xin Koh  and Adrian Kee Keong Teo

Received: 11 March 2019;  Published: 21 June 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.1902068

The ability to routinely and reproducibly obtain purified human islets has facilitated substantial progress in providing a safe and reliable treatment option for adult patients of type 1 diabetes. The availability of human islets for basic research has also significantly improved the understanding of the biology of human islets, and consequently the pathophysiology of diabetes. Presently, about 70 human islet isolation centers are known to exist around the world, in addition to multiple coordinated human islet dist [...]

by Ashley Schumaker  , Richard Gomez  , Sofia Rojasova  , Cassidy Muir  , Katie Bukiri  , Clinton Korneffel  , Aparna Sharma  , Murali Rao  and Edwin Meresh

Received: 25 February 2021;  Published: 25 May 2021;  doi: 10.21926/obm.neurobiol.2102099

The complete spectrum of neuropsychiatric effects of SARS-CoV-2 acute respiratory distress syndrome has yet to be fully appreciated, particularly in intubated patients. Manifestations including delirium and catatonia need to be considered in intubated COVID-19 patients. Medications known to exhibit neuroprotective effects, like valproate, can assist in agitation related to sedative withdrawal during extubation. This case series reports on the management of agitation, delirium, and catatonia in COVID-19 patients dur [...]

by Naoaki Sakata  , Gumpei Yoshimatsu  and Shohta Kodama

Received: 02 October 2020;  Published: 27 November 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.2004127

Islet transplantation is a cellular replacement therapy for severe diabetes mellitus. Although the clinical outcome of islet transplant has been improving, the transplant efficacy of this treatment is not superior to that of pancreatic organ transplantation, a similar transplant therapy. Various factors have been characterized as ‘islet transplantation specific’, which includes lack of revascularization and ischemia, innate inflammation, or autoimmunity, affect the therapeutic outcome of this treatment. Among them, [...]

by Salah Vaisi  , Honia Modares Gorji  and Narmin Shafei

Received: 07 January 2024;  Published: 17 May 2024;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2402012

Visual comfort affects the quality of classrooms as well as student learning. A practice-oriented approach discovers how the gap between academic research and its application in building design can be addressed. Nevertheless, the physical characteristics design of daylighting systems, including window sizes, shapes, dimensions, and materials, are considered fundamental challenges for their practicability. In this study, the physical characteristics design of daylighting systems, including window sizes, shapes, dime [...]

by Ryan S. Wexler  , Natasha Parman  , Devon J. Fox  , Danielle ZuZero  , Anand Parikshak  , Sophia Kwin  , Austin R. Thompson  , Hans L. Carlson  , Thomas Kern  , Scott D. Mist  , Ryan Bradley  , Heather Zwickey  and Courtney K. Pickworth

Received: 06 January 2025;  Published: 07 August 2025;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2503035

Lumbosacral radicular pain (LRP) is a common sequelae of low back pain, the world’s leading cause of years lived with disability. LRP typically causes numbness, weakness, and tingling into the lower extremity and is associated with high rates of pain and impaired function. Despite its prevalence, there is significant heterogeneity among clinical practice guidelines for the treatment of LRP, which may contribute to poor patient outcomes. The aim of the present study was to identify treatments that participants [...]