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 Terence Seedsman

Received: 01 August 2021;  Published: 15 March 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.2201195

While increases in life expectancy along with extended longevity can be seen as a success story, there remains the central issue surrounding the health and quality of life for increasing numbers of older people. As populations live longer the idea that older people should be empowered to remain active and productive citizens will be paramount. Questions concerning the meaningfulness, purpose and desirability of living longer present an existential challenge for all and sundry. It is clear, that the speed of populat [...]

by Maria Victoria Tejada-Simon  and Sara Lodhi

Received: 14 November 2021;  Published: 04 March 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2201009

Mindfulness is a form of meditation that can be defined as one’s ability to be present to the surroundings and environment, and not overreact to what is happening around us. With the recent pandemic still affecting the world, more studies have recently become known describing the suitability of mindfulness to prevent and manage mental health. This fact alone offers grounds for mindfulness practices to be added to any stressful environment, including Institutions of higher education and the workforce. Even more, min [...]

by Meira Erel  , Esther-Lee Marcus  and Freda DeKeyser-Ganz

Received: 11 November 2020;  Published: 01 March 2021;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.2101159

Decision-making by medical and health care staff forms the core of professional practice. Thought processes, including non-clinical considerations, significantly impact how clinical decisions are made. Such considerations become more relevant when addressing end-of-life care decisions for patients with advanced dementia (PAD). Though palliative care is recommended for this population, its implementation tends to vary. Given the medical staff’s significant influence in guiding clinical decisions, we examined thought [...]

by Bo Pang  , Qi Zhang  , Guang-Yu Cheng  , Wei-Ping Cheng  , Daniela Litscher  , Lu Wang  , Zemin Sheng  , Ingrid Gaischek  , Zhong-Ren Sun  and Gerhard Litscher

Received: 08 June 2016;  Published: 23 August 2016;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1601003

(1) Background: Within this study, we assessed the effects of acupuncture on heart rate variability (HRV) in Chinese post-stroke patients. (2) Methods: In 30 Chinese post-stroke patients (14 f, 16 m; mean age ± SD 64.3 ± 3.8 years; range 40 - 80 years) electrocardiographic signals before, during and after acupuncture at the left Weizhong acupoint (BL40) were recorded in Harbin and analyzed in Graz using teleacupuncture via internet. HRV data were analyzed in the time and frequency domain and a protoco [...]

by Mariarosaria Angrisano  and Francesco Fabbrocino

Received: 02 August 2022;  Published: 11 January 2023;  doi: 10.21926/rpm.2301005

Nowadays, the challenge of climate change and “ecological transition” is substantially an “energy challenge” for every city, which is supposed to become as “energetically self-sufficient” as possible. The construction sector is one of the main contributors to the effects of climate change, starting from the production of materials to the use phase of buildings to their demolition. Recent innovations in sustainable/circular design are related to using “new materials." According to this perspective, nanomaterials are [...]

by Xuepeng Zhao

Received: 21 August 2020;  Published: 23 November 2020;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2004003

Nearly 40 years of aerosol optical thickness (AOT) climate data record (CDR) from AVHRR satellite observations over the global ocean is used to study the impact of COVID-19 lockdowns and Australian bushfires on aerosol loading over downwind oceanic regions. Recent similar impact studies, by contrast, were mainly focused on the urban and suburban areas near the emission sources. AOT is used as a proxy for aerosol loading in our study. We found that AOT variations due to anthropogenic emission reduction during the lo [...]

by Clara L.e Silva  , Bárbara H.S. Miranda  , Maria L. Vilela  , Jair F. Rodrigues  , Thainá G. Cunha  , Jhonatan A. Dias  , Gabriela A. Soares  , Vinicius Freitas  , Rodrigo de Q. Vilaça  , Luana Wouk  and Diego Bagnis

Received: 07 March 2022;  Published: 04 July 2022;  doi: 10.21926/jept.2203023

The lifetime and stability of organic photovoltaics (OPVs) are the key factors that influence the technology used to scale up and commercialize OPVs. High-performing and reliable devices are used to fabricate the devices of choice. Materials and methods that can be used to prevent the degradation of organic materials, enabling better OPV applications, are being increasingly researched in recent years. Herein, we present the surface modification process of a commercial, flexible barrier film based on polyethylene te [...]

by Minghan Bao  , Nagi Abdussamie  and Faisal AlThobiani

Received: 03 December 2022;  Published: 09 February 2023;  doi: 10.21926/jept.2301008

Analysing the structural response of offshore wind turbines (OWTs) requires a robust method to estimate environmental loadings associated with extreme weather conditions. This study aimed to accurately predict wind loadings on a non-rotating OWT using a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) code, Ansys Fluent package. The inlet velocity boundary condition was defined as a uniform inlet wind speed and then as a Normal Wind Profile (NWP). Three large wind speeds of 25 m/s, 40 m/s and 50 m/s were tested with the aid of t [...]

by Anita Verma  , Katharina Sophia Weigel  , Sim You Kuan Dexter  and Anil Dhawan

Received: 26 March 2018;  Published: 29 May 2018;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.1802009

Invasive fungal infections (IFI) remain an important cause of morbidity and mortality, especially in hospitalized and immunocompromised or critically ill patients. The incidence of IFIs has been declining in liver transplant recipients (LTR). This is likely due to the evolving immunosuppressive drug regimens, improved surgical techniques and targeted antifungal prophylaxis. However, IFI still contribute to high mortality and are associated with high economic burden due to consumption of costly newer antifungal agen [...]

by Sylvia Kirchengast

Received: 23 June 2019;  Published: 08 October 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.1904077

Background: All over the world we are confronted with an absolute and relative increase in the proportion of older people. In order to develop strategies to keep older people healthy and independent as long as possible, analyses of factors influencing health related quality of life (HRQL) during old age are necessary. The aim of this review is to present the results of three projects carried out in Austria by the author focusing on the impact of social contact and physical activity on HRQL. Methods: The standardize [...]

by Julianna Holzer  , John Wu  , Yi He  , Mingyang Ma  , Yuan Xing  , Jose Oberholzer  and Yong Wang

Received: 08 November 2018;  Published: 21 December 2018;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.1804034

In this review, we discuss the application of microfluidic devices in studying the physiology and pathophysiology of human islets and beta-cells, especially its application for human islet transplantation. Human islet transplantation is a promising therapy for Type I diabetes; however, the islet transplant outcomes for achieving complete insulin independence are far from perfect and face many challenges. This review focuses on the microfluidic devices developed in our laboratory, which can address these challenges [...]

by Adolfo Toledano-Díaz  , Ma Isabel Álvarez  and Adolfo Toledano

Received: 18 December 2019;  Published: 09 May 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.2002117

Neurons, from the time of their birth until their death, are always accompanied by neuroglial cells, maintaining very close morphological and functional relationships among themselves. Classically three main neuroglial families have been considered within the central nervous system (CNS): astroglia, oligodendroglia, and microglia. However, using morphological and immuno-cytochemical criteria, several different types/subtypes of neuroglial cells have been identified, each exerting specific physiological and patholog [...]

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 Daniel Navon  and Gareth Thomas

Received: 15 July 2021;  Published: 09 October 2021;  doi: 10.21926/obm.genet.2104140

In this article, we discuss the radical uncertainties unleashed by expanded prenatal genetics. We show how we are now routinely screening fetuses in the absence of two essential sorts of information. At the population level, we do not have sound, unbiased data about the prevalence, penetrance, and clinical variability of most mutations. At the level of the proband, it is often too soon to discern relevant information about the fetus’ phenotype. First, we outline the longstanding ethical objections to newborn screen [...]

by Parisa Zeynali  , Hossein Teimouri  , Seyed Mohammad Ali Hashemi  , Arefeh Ebrahimian  , Seyed Nooreddin Faraji  , Shahriar Sakhaei  and Emad Behboudi

Received: 21 June 2024;  Published: 20 November 2024;  doi: 10.21926/obm.genet.2404272

Microbial and viral pathogens have emerged as key contributors to cancer development. Research conducted in the last twenty years has significantly enhanced our comprehension of the cancer-causing capabilities of infectious agents. An illustrative instance is gastric cancer (GC), which is closely associated with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infections, with approximately 90% of non-cardia GC cases attributed to H. pylori infection and around 10% linked to EBV. Despite significant res [...]

by Rebecca L. Utz  , Michael Caserta  , Eli Iacob  , Catharine Sparks  , Louisa Stark  , Alexandra Terrill  , Amber Thompson  and Bob Wong

Received: 15 June 2023;  Published: 08 October 2023;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2304040

Dementia caregivers are susceptible to adverse physical and mental health outcomes, given the often prolonged and challenging care and support they provide to family members with Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD). This report describes a community-engaged implementation of a novel behavioral intervention - an “app” (interactive website) called TLC (Time for Living and Caring) that coaches caregivers on how to maximize the benefits associated with respite time. The rationale and features of the TLC in [...]

by Srinivasan Periasamy  , Se-Ping Chien  , Bing-Fang Lee  , Dur-Zong Hsu  and Ming-Yie Liu

Received: 31 March 2019;  Published: 17 July 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.neurobiol.1903033

Background: Sinusoidal obstruction syndrome is caused by an injury to the liver induced either by accidental ingestion of pyrrolizidine alkaloid monocrotaline or by chemotherapeutic drug oxaliplatin used for the treatment of colorectal cancer. Sinusoidal obstruction syndrome is characterized by rounding and swelling of the sinusoidal endothelial cell, which leads to obstruction of blood vessels, leukocyte infiltration, and oxidative stress. Melatonin, a powerful antioxidant, prevents acute liver injury. We investig [...]

by Maïté Van Hentenryck  , Zhanzhuo Li  , Philip M. Murphy  and Agnieszka Czechowicz

Received: 24 November 2021;  Published: 08 July 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.2203162

The ability to successfully transplant cells and organs from a donor into an immunologically disparate recipient is one of the greatest treatment advances in the history of medicine. Nevertheless, acute and chronic rejection, graft versus host disease, and the inability to identify suitable donors continue to be challenges and limit broader application of cell and organ transplantation to the many patients that could benefit. Immunosuppression before and after allogeneic transplant has been found to dramatically im [...]

by Plamen Mihaylov  , Burcin Ekser  , Daiki Soma  , Andrew Lutz  , Jonathan Fridell  and Chandrashekhar A. Kubal

Received: 04 January 2021;  Published: 11 March 2021;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.2101138

One of the most feared complications in liver transplantation is hepatic arterial thrombosis (HAT). The incidence of HAT in liver transplantation varies from 1.2% and 8%. One of the risk factors for this complication is anatomical complexity of hepatic arterial system. The focus of this short communication is to show our approach in dealing with aberrant left hepatic artery in settings of liver transplantation. This is a single center experience. Between January 2016 and June 2019, we procured and transplanted 357 [...]

by Lynne Uhl  , Taye H. Hamza  , Terry Gernsheimer  and Sherrill J. Slichter

Received: 30 December 2021;  Published: 26 April 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.2202158

In the multi-institutional platelet dose trial (PLADO Trial), there were 1,077 hematology/oncology patients ≥18 years of age who received at least one platelet transfusion. These patients were analyzed for types and severity of organ system bleeding based on baseline patient characteristics, laboratory assays, primary diagnosis, and type of treatment. Patients were randomly assigned to receive one of three different prophylactic platelet doses for morning platelet counts of ≤10 × 109 /L. Daily assessmen [...]

by Bita Soleimani  , Ali Haghighi Asl  , Behnam Khoshandam  and Khadijeh Hooshyari

Received: 22 June 2024;  Published: 04 November 2024;  doi: 10.21926/rpm.2404025

The escalating global temperatures and their adverse effects underscore the growing imperative for the widespread adoption of clean fuels, notably hydrogen. Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFC) emerge as a pivotal green energy technology, facilitating electricity and water generation. The optimization of PEMFC efficiency hinges on the judicious selection and fabrication of polymer membranes. Within innovative materials, Zeolitic Imidazolate Frameworks (ZIFs) represent a novel subclass within the expansive fa [...]

by Arksarapuk Jittirat  , Natsuki Eguchi  , Natthavat Tanphaichitr  , Myreen Tomas  , Praveen Gundelly  , Kai Zhao  , Leal Herlitz  , Yasolatha Chalicheemala  , Himabindu Yerneni  , Rachel C. Forbes  , Beatrice P. Concepcion  and Ekamol Tantisattamo

Received: 02 May 2021;  Published: 07 February 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2201007

The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has significantly impacted kidney transplantation worldwide. The rate of kidney transplantation decreased during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, especially living donor kidney transplantation. Kidney transplant recipients are at high risk of developing severe complications from COVID-19 due to underlying comorbidities and immunosuppressed status. Management of immunosuppression, including the induction therapy and maintenance immunosuppressive regimen, has b [...]

by Karen Sermon

Received: 11 August 2017;  Published: 26 October 2017;  doi: 10.21926/obm.genet.1704009

The main aim of PGS has always been to improve IVF outcome, especially in patient groups assumed to have higher rates of chromosomally abnormal embryos, such as patients of advanced maternal age. In that sense, PGS is quite different from other types of screening as discussed in other papers in this issue.Today it bears no doubt that blastocysts found to be uniformly aneuploid in a biopsy will fail to implant, or worse, will implant and lead to a pregnancy and birth carrying a major chromosomal abnormality, such as [...]

by Maria Pergola  , Assunta Maria Palese  , Alessandro Persiani  , Pasquale DE Francesco  , Chiara Cirillo  , Gianpaolo Maria Giacca  , Angela Maffia  and Giuseppe Celano

Received: 08 July 2021;  Published: 21 December 2021;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2104036

The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically changed the lives of people, as well as the production and economic systems throughout the world. The flow of raw materials and products, the supply of labor and manpower, and the purchasing power have all been changed to the detriment of individual health and well-being. Such a situation requires placing even more emphasis on the search for virtuous agricultural systems compatible with the goals of economic and environmental development so clearly defined at the world level in [...]

by David J. Epstein  and Aruna K. Subramanian

Received: 18 November 2018;  Published: 12 February 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.1901048

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is a common infection with challenges in diagnosis and treatment. Management of TB in solid organ transplant (SOT) candidates and recipients poses unique challenges not seen in other populations. Questions and Recommendations: Latent TB infection (LTBI) is important to diagnose pre-transplant through history, physical examination, imaging, and laboratory tests. Tuberculin skin tests and interferon-gamma release assays are important tools but not sufficiently sensitive nor specific to d [...]

by Aleeha Muzaffar  , Usman Arif  , Faheem Akram  , Fatima Batool  , Sameera Hassan  and Bushra Rashid

Received: 29 August 2022;  Published: 09 November 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.genet.2204171

Climate change poses a substantial threat to global crop yield. Moreover, crop production is likely to reduce in the near future because of increasing average temperatures, widespread extreme climate events, and the loss of agricultural land. Abiotic stresses are the major factors limiting the growth and development of various crops worldwide. They cause the buildup of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which leads to cellular damage in a variety of subcellular compartments in plants. The metabolic rate of ROS is criti [...]

by Kazushige Kimura  , James F. Reichert  , Omid Ranjbar Pouya  , Ahmad Byagowi  , Xikui Wang  , Debbie M. Kelly  and Zahra Moussavi

Received: 25 May 2018;  Published: 09 August 2018;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.1803007

Background: In this paper, we describe the design of a virtual environment (VE) using Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) to scan and replicate a real environment (RE) in a virtual domain. Compared to using a CAD software, SLAM allows for the replication of an RE quite easily and quickly. Methods: To test the user’s performance in a SLAM-based VE, we developed an immersive virtual reality setup using a specialized wheelchair (VRNChair) and a head mounted display (Oculus Rift DK2), and employed a knowledge [...]

by Alla V. Balueva  , Ilia N. Dashevskiy  and Patricia Todebush

Received: 12 May 2021;  Published: 27 October 2021;  doi: 10.21926/rpm.2104043

One of the ways to improve the fusion of an implant with bone tissue is through the use of biocompatible coatings, in particular, hydroxyapatite (HAp). It is important to assess the strength of the HAp adhesion to the implant. The measure of the strength of the bond of the coating with the substrate is the energy of this bond. Using density functional theory and molecular dynamics, the reaction path, reaction products, oscillation frequency, activation energy and bond energy between different combinations of compon [...]

by Robert C. McCarthy  , Michael L. Green  and Francis E. Dwulet

Received: 24 September 2018;  Published: 07 November 2018;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.1804024

Islet transplantation is becoming an established treatment option for managing a subset of adult patients who have type 1 diabetes mellitus. The success of this procedure is dependent upon the recovery of a sufficient number of functional human islets from donor organs for subsequent transplant. Here, the use of optimized bacterial collagenase-neutral protease enzyme mixtures has been shown to affect the yield and quality (defined by viability and glucose-stimulated insulin secretion) of islets recovered from human [...]

by Elizabeth F. Wallin  , Michelle A. Linterman  and Kathryn J. Wood

Received: 02 June 2019;  Published: 19 August 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.1903079

Background: T follicular helper (Tfh) and regulatory (Tfr) cells are key players in the formation of long-lived antibody responses. Their circulating counterparts, cTfh and cTfr, are often used as biomarkers because longitudinal sampling of secondary lymphoid tissues is unfeasible in clinical studies. This is the first study to track cTfh and cTfr cells following therapeutic lymphocyte depletion with alemtuzumab, an anti-CD52 monoclonal antibody, to infer the influence of this treatment on the germinal centre respo [...]

by Jeanneane Wood-Nartker  , Emily Beuschel  and Denise Guerin

Received: 28 August 2019;  Published: 16 December 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.1904095

As people age, environments supporting changing needs can potentially impact their quality of life. Aging often leads to a decrease in the ability of people to interpret sensory cues within their environment. Using Pastalan's Empathic Model as a framework, a list of guidelines for the physical environment was established to address the extrinsic risk factors affecting falls. Attention to these items may not prevent all falls but will mitigate some of the external risks that cause falls for older adults. It is the g [...]

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 Melissa Lopez-Pentecost  , Francine C. Gachupin  , Robin Hazelwood  , Otellie Honanie  , Jessica Quamahongnewa  and Cynthia Thomson

Received: 27 September 2022;  Published: 12 January 2023;  doi: 10.21926/rpn.2301002

American Indians (AI) suffer the highest rates of diabetes in the United States (US); a chronic disease that is increasingly prevalent among AI children and is associated with increased risk of cancer. A summer camp was developed to improve disease risk-reducing behaviors, including diet, among AI youth in Arizona. The aim of this study was to examine the efficacy of a one-week intensive summer health camp conducted from 2016 to 2019 on change in dietary behaviors and compliance for Dietary Guidelines for Americans [...]

by Dominic Emerson  , Jon Kobashigawa  , Ryan Levine  , Jamie Moriguchi  , Dominick Megna  , Joshua Chung  , Dany Ramzy  , Alfredo Trento  and Fardad Esmailian

Received: 14 April 2020;  Published: 06 July 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.2003114

In advanced heart failure, orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT) remains the standard for definitive treatment. Patients with heart failure and concomitant pulmonary hypertension (PH) represent a challenging subgroup, with poor outcomes following OHT. Recently, Mechanical Circulatory Support (MCS) devices have been utilized as a bridge to OHT for these patients. Patients with MCS devices who underwent OHT were evaluated at a single center. Patients were stratified into three groups, depending on baseline pulmonary [...]

by Kristopher M. Struckmeyer  , Alex J. Bishop  , Brenda J. Smith  and Brandt C. Gardner

Received: 27 August 2018;  Published: 27 February 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.1901037

Background: The purpose of this study was to examine discrepancies in self-proxy agreement of biopsychosocial factors and the influence of objective well-being and psychosocial resources self and proxy appraisals of subjective well-being in older adults. Methods: Seventy-two older adult-proxy dyads rated the biopsychosocial health of non-cognitively impaired older adults. Results: Proxies underestimated functional ability, psychosocial factors, and overrated negative health outcomes compared to older adults. Older [...]

by Ashley Schnackenberg  , Géraldine Bidar  , Valérie Bert  , Patrice Cannavo  , Sébastien Détriché  , Francis Douay  , René Guenon  , Liliane Jean-Soro  , Alice Kohli  , Thierry Lebeau  , Karen Perronnet  , Laure Vidal-Beaudet  , Christophe Waterlot  and Aurélie Pelfrêne

Received: 11 November 2021;  Published: 08 February 2022;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2201004

Moderately contaminated garden soils can benefit from gentle remediation options such as soil amendments, which improve soil functions and agronomic potentialities while decreasing environmental and human risk. This study aimed to analyze the effects of doses of various common soil amendments generally applied by gardeners on the predicted bioavailability (i.e., extractability) of metal(loid)s (i.e., As, Cd, Pb, and Zn) in contaminated kitchen garden soils. Fourteen different amendment mixes (i.e., a green waste co [...]

by Claire Thompson  , Daniela Calafiore  , Julijana Chochovski  , Steven Trawley  and Kathryn von Treuer

Received: 29 October 2018;  Published: 26 April 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.1902050

Background: The increasing numbers and proportion of the ageing population make it essential to develop and evaluate programs to meet the needs of older adults to empower them to age actively, healthily and successfully. Consequently, positive ageing programs have been developed and the need to evaluate their outcomes is essential. This study used mixed methods to evaluate cognitive and behavioural changes and to monitor psychological health and active ageing in participants of a longstanding positive ageing psycho [...]

by Alla V. BALUEVA  , Ilia N. Dashevskiy  and Christian Sims

Received: 18 April 2022;  Published: 30 August 2022;  doi: 10.21926/jept.2203028

Due to the increasing need to further develop the world gas and oil industry and the increased public attention to clean energy sources, studying and preventing Hydrogen Induced Cracking is one of the main safety concerns in nuclear power plants, oil pipelines and platforms. In this article, the growth and incubation times for internal Hydrogen Induced Cracks (HIC) are examined. Specifically, these times are modeled in two separate phases - the first phase (I) is a long time approximation, when the crack growth is [...]

by Melissa Sandler  , Sulaiman Almohaish  and Gretchen M. Brophy

Received: 11 February 2021;  Published: 16 March 2021;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.2101161

Pharmacological management of intracerebral hemorrhage in adult patients over 65 years of age requires special considerations due to differing clinical presentations, underlying organ dysfunction, and more complex medical histories and medication profiles. A literature review of articles focusing on the age-specific pharmacological management of intracerebral hemorrhage was conducted. Treatment approaches and clinical outcomes specific to older adults were evaluated and therapeutic considerations for this populatio [...]

by Khaled Hassan  , Ian Sims  , Murray Reid  , Alex Smith  and Mohammed Al-Kuwari

Received: 18 April 2021;  Published: 26 September 2021;  doi: 10.21926/rpm.2103038

Wadi gravel is a local aggregate in Qatar that could contribute to enhanced sustainability by replacing expensive imported gabbro. The material needs to be processed before use to reduce sulfate content to acceptable levels. The paper presents the performance assessment of three full-scale buildings, variously made with 50% and 100% Wadi gravel and conventional gabbro concretes. Site monitoring up to four years in service demonstrated the strength development with age and resistance to the aggressive exposure condi [...]

by G. Kevin Randall  and Alex J. Bishop

Received: 24 August 2018;  Published: 06 November 2018;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.1804018

Background: This study investigated the influence of positive psychological predictors, religiosity and forgiveness, on subjective and objective successful aging outcomes among incarcerated males. Methods: Male prison inmates (N=261), aged 45 to 82 and incarcerated in eight state-managed correctional facilities, were sampled from the prison census database (Oklahoma Department of Corrections or DOC). Exclusion criteria, per the Oklahoma DOC, were those housed in medical or psychiatric units, currently in solitary c [...]

by Despina Vamvuka  , Katerina Esser  , Dimitrios Marinakis  and George Kalantzakis

Received: 02 November 2022;  Published: 11 January 2023;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2301005

This work aimed at evaluating all products from the low-temperature pyrolysis (350°C) of some industrial wastes, cotton stems and seeds (CSS), grape husks and curls (GRH), undigested sewage sludge (USS) and their blends in a fixed bed system and suggesting their possible applications. Solid and liquid products, biochars, and bio-oils were analyzed using various techniques by physicochemical, mineralogical, and chemical analyses. Gases were qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed using a thermogravimetric-mass [...]

by Elena Crooks  and Kimberly Cleary

Received: 14 September 2019;  Published: 25 October 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.1904082

Background: Falls are the leading cause of hospitalization and death among older adults; therefore, the ability to predict fall risk among older adults is critical. Several performance-based outcome measures exist to assess fall risk. Psychological factors are also associated with fall risk yet can be difficult to assess and are often overlooked. In this study, we investigated whether the Short Form 36 Item Health Survey (SF-36v2®), a measure of health-related quality of life (HRQOL), predicted future falls in [...]

by Nathan S. Jiang  , Byron Newton  and Xuezhi Jiang

Received: 28 June 2021;  Published: 19 October 2021;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.2104181

Osteoporosis is one of the most common disorders around the world. Osteoporotic fracture especially hip fracture are associated with an increased mortality rate in elders. However, elders with osteoporosis or at high risk of fractures remain largely underdiagnosed and undertreated. The screening, diagnosis, and treatment of osteoporosis must be improved to maintain pace with its fast-growing prevalence. This review will cover risk factors of osteoporosis, screening and diagnosis tools, newfound advancements, curren [...]

by Gerald P. Morris

Received: 22 February 2019;  Published: 11 April 2017;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.1701002

(1) Background: Lung transplantation is an increasingly utilized treatment for end-stage lung disease. Scarcity of organ donors limiting transplantation underscores the importance of optimal histocompatibility testing approaches to facilitate organ allocation and avoid immunologic rejection. Significant data has emerged over the past decade to define the role of alloantibodies against HLA in the pathogenesis of post-lung transplant complications. (2) Methods: Medical literature from 1996–2016 related to search term [...]

by Maurizio Salvadori  and Aris Tsalouchos

Received: 13 October 2019;  Published: 02 December 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.transplant.1904093

Antibody-mediated rejection represents a significant barrier to favorable long-term outcomes after kidney transplantation and remains the most common cause of allograft failure. Therapeutic apheresis techniques are commonly used, in combination with other treatments such as immunosuppressive drugs, in the pre-transplant and post-transplant protocols for the prevention and treatment of antibody-mediated injury. The rationale is to remove the donor-specific antibodies and the other inflammatory mediators, which inclu [...]

by Laurie C. Delatour  and Hermes H. Yeh

Received: 14 March 2017;  Published: 23 March 2017;  doi: 10.21926/obm.neurobiol.1701002

Maternal consumption of alcohol (ethanol) during pregnancy can lead to life-long neurobehavioral and cognitive abnormalities in the offspring, collectively referred to as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD). Prenatal exposure to ethanol is one of the leading causes of non-genetic intellectual disability and FASD is an umbrella category that includes Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, Partial Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, Alcohol Related Birth Defects, and Alcohol Related Neurodevelopmental Disorder. Children with a history of&n [...]

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 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 [...]