by Antusia dos Santos Barbosa  and Meiry Gláucia Freire Rodrigues

Received: 24 October 2023;  Published: 28 January 2024;  doi: 10.21926/cr.2401002

The research describes a sustainable approach for the synthesis of zeolite NaA using kaolin as an alternative source of silica. The main objective of this research was to prepare NaA zeolite using metakaolin derived from kaolin from the state of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, as an alternative source of silica, reducing the production cost and evaluating its thermal stability. In addition, a study of the thermal stability of the zeolite and cost estimates for zeolite production were carried out. Traditional methods o [...]

by Fung Kei Cheng

Received: 02 March 2018;  Published: 23 April 2018;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1802005

Background: Dementia erodes the quality of life of patients and their caregivers, and the growing dementia population threatens public finance in the health and social services. In addition to formal medical treatments, complementary and alternative medicine is applicable to dementia, in which acupuncture has become an option for prevention, remedy, and rehabilitation. Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese medical method that uses needle penetration at acupoints (specific points throughout the body which will be sti [...]

by Lotta Lounasmeri

Received: 26 November 2021;  Published: 06 April 2022;  doi: 10.21926/jept.2202012

This paper examines the building of a new nuclear plant as a greenfield operation in Pyhäjoki, Finland. A newly-founded energy company, Fennovoima, was granted a license by the Finnish parliament to build a new power plant in 2010. In the years following this Decision in Principle the project faced several obstacles. Through interviews with key actors, this paper identifies the interests and core beliefs associated with building the plant. It posits that, in Finland, the underlying ideas and values surrounding nucl [...]

by Ferah Armutcu

Received: 01 June 2024;  Published: 24 September 2024;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2403055

Intermittent fasting practices, recommended as a potential nutritional approach against obesity and metabolic diseases, have become increasingly widespread in recent years. Although convincing data on the anti-obesity and cardio-metabolic benefits of intermittent fasting are obtained mostly from experimental studies, religious and traditional fasting practices have been among the treatment methods applied for human health for centuries. Both intermittent fasting and religious fasting may be a promising strategy for [...]

by Rachel Snodgrass  , Joanna Carnell  and Tim Chapman

Received: 31 May 2022;  Published: 10 August 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2203035

This study presents a mixed methods evaluation of a transdiagnostic Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) group intervention, for adults with long-term health conditions (LTHCs). It aims to assess whether group completion was associated with improved outcomes in mood, overall well-being and the extent of LTHC interference in confidence for managing daily activities. Additionally, it examines the extent to which changes were related to processes targeted by CFT. The ‘Living Well with Illness’ group consisted of eleven we [...]

by Ana Cruz del Álamo  , María Isabel Pariente  , Alejandra Sánchez-Bayo  , Daniel Puyol  , Rosalía Rodríguez  , Victoria Morales  , Luis Fernando Bautista  , Gemma Vicente  , Juan Antonio Melero  , Raúl Molina  and Fernando Martínez

Received: 31 July 2021;  Published: 28 October 2021;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2104027

Hospitals are one of the key contributors of pharmaceutical contaminants of emerging concern to the sewer systems. Hospitals wastewaters contain concentrations of pharmaceutical compounds between 3 and 150, which are higher than urban wastewater streams. However, dedicated treatments of the hospital effluents before discharge to the sewer system are not compulsory. Besides, conventional wastewater treatment plants have not been designed to remove pharmaceutical compounds effectively, and consequently, these micropo [...]

by Fuad Bin Nasir  and Jin Li

Received: 30 July 2024;  Published: 17 October 2024;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2404020

Increasing urban wastewater and rigorous discharge regulations pose significant challenges for wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) to meet regulatory compliance while minimizing operational costs. This study explores the application of several machine learning (ML) models specifically, Artificial Neural Networks (ANN), Gradient Boosting Machines (GBM), Random Forests (RF), eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), and hybrid RF-GBM models in predicting important WWTP variables such as Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), Tot [...]

by Despina Vamvuka  , Maria Deli  and Antonios Stratakis

Received: 06 September 2021;  Published: 11 November 2021;  doi: 10.21926/jept.2104047

In this work, the conducted chemical, mineralogical, fusibility, and thermogravimetric analyses and calculated the slagging/fouling indicators for predicting deposition tendencies in boilers to study the ash fusibility behavior of selected agricultural residues and their blends with lignite. Two additives, bauxite, and clinochlore, were used at varying amounts to reduce ash melting, followed by examining their anti-fusion mechanisms. Initial deformation and softening temperatures of biomass materials were low for c [...]

by Cristóbal Coronel-Rodríguez  and Alejandro Rodríguez-Martínez

Received: 10 May 2020;  Published: 24 July 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.neurobiol.2003067

This paper presents the case of a child diagnosed with both celiac disease and Asperger’s syndrome. The literature does not report this association to date, and the authors believe it to be a coincidence rather than a casualty.

by Rohman Hikmat  , Iyus Yosep  , Efri Widianti  , Suryani Suryani  , Aat Sriati  and Icih Susanti

Received: 20 July 2024;  Published: 12 October 2024;  doi: 10.21926/obm.neurobiol.2404249

To describe the application of the Stuart Stress Adaptation and Nola Pender Models in mental nursing care for a patient with schizophrenia and risk of violent behavior. This research method used case studies. The sample is one patient with schizophrenia. Data collection is done through direct observation, interviews, and patient medical records. The results showed that the client showed a major nursing problem in the form of risk of violent behavior. Predisposing factors included passive childhood experiences and s [...]

by Luis A. Martínez  , Lizeth Rodríguez  , Carlos M. Flores  , Carlos A. Cisneros  , Mario W. Chávez  , Idis A. Lemus  and René I. Ariza

Received: 28 August 2022;  Published: 03 January 2023;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2301001

Net zero energy building design methodologies include integrative approaches and numerical tools to provide optimal performance and cost-effective results. Team integration, characterized by knowledge transfer between disciplines, has yet to be quantified for the design processes of these buildings. This article proposes a specific methodology for designing net zero energy buildings, tested through a case study design process conducted in an academic setting at Universidad Centroamericana in El Salvador, with the p [...]

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 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 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 Charlotte Grégoire  , Alexandra Paye  and Audrey Vanhaudenhuyse

Received: 16 October 2023;  Published: 09 January 2024;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2401007

Self-compassion consists of an attitude of self-support and self-benevolence. In the general population, increased self-compassion has been associated with well-being and decreased psychopathology. In oncology, higher self-compassion has also been linked with various benefits, such as lower emotional distress, fatigue, body-image disturbances, and sleep difficulties. Self-compassion also seems to foster treatment adherence. Various interventions based on self-compassion have recently been designed and tested in dif [...]

by Stephanie Brown  , Catherine L Wall  , Chris Frampton  , Richard B Gearry  and Andrew S Day

Received: 11 February 2023;  Published: 29 June 2023;  doi: 10.21926/rpn.2302009

The low FODMAP diet (LFD) is a dietary intervention developed for and used particularly for the management of functional GI symptoms (FGIS) in adults with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). It has also been proposed to improve coincident functional gut symptoms in adults with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). This report describes the outcomes of the LFD in a series of children with IBD with concurrent FGIS. This study included children aged between 7-14 years with quiescent IBD and overlapping FGIS. All participants [...]

by Mats Niklasson  , Irene Niklasson  and Peder Rasmussen

Received: 15 August 2021;  Published: 29 January 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2201005

The aim of this commentary is to present characteristics of an “unidentified psychological barrier,” which we previously have speculated to be associated with vestibular underachievement, an overlooked part for the understanding of the resistance to physical activity as well as in the assessments and interventions of developmental coordination disorder (DCD). Furthermore, we will discuss the importance of its identification and how to push knowledge forward. A delayed or partly absent sensorimotor devel [...]

by Zena Aldridge  and Karen Harrison Dening

Received: 15 February 2021;  Published: 21 April 2021;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.2102167

The United Kingdom’s (UK) older population is higher than the global average. Over the next 20 years, England will see an increase in the number of older people who have higher levels of dependency, dementia, and comorbidity many of whom may require 24-hour care. Currently It is estimated that 70% of residents in nursing and residential care homes either have dementia on admission or develop it whilst residing in the care home. The provision of high-quality care for this population is a challenge with a lack of con [...]

by Eric P. Vejerano  , Jeonghyeon Ahn  , Junaid Latif  and Mustafa Mamun

Received: 17 January 2021;  Published: 13 May 2021;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2102010

Environmentally persistent free radicals (EPFRs) are a new class organic pollutant sharing some of the attributes of persistent organic pollutants (POPs). This opinion/short review aims to describe the properties of EPFRs that merit their recognition as an additional and potentially significant source of POPs. EPFRs are ubiquitous in diverse environments because of multiple factors: (1) organic precursors from anthropogenic, biogenic, and other natural emission sources are abundant; multiple mechanisms in PM and so [...]

by Luana Góes Soares  and Annelise Alves

Received: 14 December 2022;  Published: 17 April 2023;  doi: 10.21926/cr.2302016

The synthesis of fibers by electrospinning allows for obtaining nanostructures of one-dimensional materials with good flexibility, optical and catalytic properties, high surface area and porosity. They can be used in applications such as: catalysts, solar cells, fuel cells, membranes, and hydrogen batteries, among others. Here we emphasize that few reports in the literature describe the existing synergism between the optical and photocatalytic properties of TiO2, and the influence of this synergism on the formation [...]

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 Nadia A. Abdelmegeed Abdelwahed  and Muhammad Sufyan Ramish

Received: 25 July 2024;  Published: 18 October 2024;  doi: 10.21926/obm.neurobiol.2404250

Entrepreneurs face massive challenges when attempting to create sustainable businesses in the current era. This juggling act leads to eco-anxiety and climate change anxiety, which mainly affect entrepreneurs by creating concerns and ruining creativity and progress. These issues contribute to individuals' mental health problems (MHP) and severely affect psychological well-being (PWB). With this in mind, the present study investigates the impact of eco-anxiety (EA) and climate change anxiety (CCA) on MHP and PWB [...]

by Francesco E. Negro  and Francesco V. Marino

Received: 26 April 2021;  Published: 07 November 2021;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2104044

The 19th century saw an explosion of serious epidemic diseases, such as smallpox and scarlet fever, which led to the development of a new medical system called homeopathy. Under this system, S. Hahnemann developed a rigorous methodology based on repeated observations on the field, leading to successful results. The aim of this work is to depict the birth and evolution of his thought. The correct understanding and application of this methodology became the reference model for subsequent generations of homeopaths, wh [...]

by Rico Miyagasako  , Hansol Jin  , Satoshi Watanabe  , Kazuchika Miyoshi  , Emi Inada  and Masahiro Sato

Received: 07 July 2022;  Published: 29 September 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.genet.2203166

The efficient production of transgenic (Tg) piglets has remained a challenge in the field of domestic animal studies. Unlike mice, the pronuclei of pig zygotes cannot be easily studied because of the abundance of lipid droplets. Therefore, the zygotes must be briefly centrifuged before pronuclear injection (PNI) to move the lipid droplets to the periphery of the zygote for PNI-mediated production of Tg piglets. However, this procedure is temporal because lipid droplets return to the original space during PNI, hampe [...]

by Tina Zhou  , Sara Khan  , Ron Firestein  , Peter Downie  and Jason E Cain

Received: 29 November 2018;  Published: 12 March 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.neurobiol.1901022

Pediatric brain tumors account for approximately 25% of all cancers in children and are currently the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the pediatric population with an estimated incidence of 5.14 cases per 100,000 person years [1]. Up to 10-15% of all pediatric brain tumors arise in the brainstem, with the majority of these classified as the diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) subtype [2]. The outcome of children with DIPG remains dismal with a median survival of <1 year. Owing to the unique locatio [...]

by Ekta Kumari  , Fernando J. Velloso  and Steven W. Levison

Received: 13 February 2019;  Published: 13 May 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.neurobiol.1902027

A number of studies have highlighted the connection between infections during pregnancy in mothers and increased risk for neuropsychiatric disorders later in life leading to the view that maternal immune activation is a significant contributor to psychiatric illnesses. Meta-analyses have revealed associations between the incidence of premature birth and perinatal inflammation with smaller total brain volumes, cognitive, motor and behavioral deficits in childhood and adolescents. In animal studies where inflammati [...]

by Florence Durand  , Noomane Bouaziz  , Sonia Braha-Zeitoun  , Clémence Isaac  , Palmyre Schenin-King Andrian  and Dominique Januel

Received: 12 March 2018;  Published: 11 June 2018;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.1802005

Background: Mild Cognitive Impairment [MCI] is a transition stage between normal aging and dementia. It seems to be useful to treat MCI before the onset of early dementia, though no pharmacological treatment is recommended [1]. These case studies aimed to assess the efficacy of long-term repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation [rTMS] treatment on cognition, and clinical changes, in elderly MCI patients. Methods: Three patients with MCI were treated by rTMS with different parameters of stimulation, targeting th [...]

by Alina Khan  , Tengfei Wan  , Catherine Hunter  , Pavel Schweizer  , Abbas Ishaq  , Shobha Nagarathanam  , Julia Morris  , Minyu Chan  and Gabriele Saretzki

Received: 13 March 2019;  Published: 01 August 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.neurobiol.1903036

Background: Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease and is a synucleinopathy due to the critical role of α-synuclein (α-Syn) in its pathology. α-Syn is able to translocate from the cytoplasm to the nucleus and cause DNA damage. Methods: SH-SY5Y cells were stably transfected with plasmids containing wild type (WT) α-Syn and A53T mutant α-Syn as fusion proteins with EGFP and an EGFP only control vector. The cells were differentiated using retinoi [...]

by Kristen McHenry  , Megan Koster  , Gen Ludwig  , Yong Gao  and Jennifer Eichmeyer

Received: 25 October 2022;  Published: 14 February 2023;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2301014

This study aimed to examine and compare the extent of burnout among health science faculty at a higher education institution and their self-reported perception of well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. The design of the study was cross-sectional, descriptive survey research. An electronic questionnaire was developed to measure the constructs of burnout and well-being. Validated instruments used in the survey included the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory (OLBI) and the World Health Organization-5 Well-being Index. The [...]

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 Boram Lee  and Yang Eun Kim

Received: 12 July 2023;  Published: 21 November 2023;  doi: 10.21926/obm.neurobiol.2304196

Insomnia is the most common sleep complaint in clinical practice, affecting both the physical and mental health of patients as well as many aspects of their life quality. Young adults, especially university students, are prone to a high prevalence of poor sleep quality or insomnia. Accurate assessment of insomnia severity among university students has become an important issue. One promising screening tool to identify clinically significant insomnia in the campus setting is the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), a seve [...]

by Minako Ito  , Tanakorn Srirat  , Toshihiro Nakamura  , Kyoko Komai  and Akihiko Yoshimura

Received: 13 January 2019;  Published: 27 March 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.neurobiol.1901023

Inflammation and immune responses after stroke, including ischemic cerebral infarction, play pivotal roles in the pathology, resolution of inflammation, and neurological recovery. Regulatory T (Treg) cells are the cells responsible for immune tolerance, usually activated by secondary lymphatic tissues, which subsequently regulate effector T cell activation and dendritic cell activation. Recently, Tregs that are present in tissues, called tissue Tregs, have been shown to exhibit tissue-specific functions in addition [...]

by Ryan A. Williams  , Lorna Hatch  and Simon B. Cooper

Received: 29 April 2019;  Published: 02 August 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1903049

It is well documented that an acute bout of exercise has a positive effect on subsequent cognitive function in children and adolescents. However, the effect of: the exercise characteristics (i.e. intensity, duration and modality), the cognitive domain assessed, and moderating variables (such as the participant’s age, physical fitness and baseline cognitive abilities); all of which affect this relationship are poorly understood. Therefore, the purpose of this review is to examine the impact of these variables on the [...]

by Alexandra Koulouris  , Kathleen Dorado  , Christina McDonnell  , Robert R. Edwards  and Asimina Lazaridou

Received: 27 June 2018;  Published: 05 September 2018;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1803018

Background: This paper presents a review of the evidence regarding the efficacy and impact of Yoga and mindfulness with meditation among patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Patients who suffer from RA express a variety of symptoms that negatively impact their physical functioning and performance in social roles. Yoga and meditation-based therapies have been previously used to manage chronic pain conditions and other persisting disorders in affected populations. The suitability and effectiveness of these practi [...]

by Kate Howells  and Andrew P. Smith

Received: 02 April 2019;  Published: 02 July 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.neurobiol.1903032

Background: Previous research suggests that insufficient daily sleep has negative effects on both well-being and academic attainment. Much of the research in this field has focused on adolescents and children rather than university students in the UK. Methods: The present study used the Student Well-Being Process Questionnaire and independent sleep questions to measure subjective well-being and levels of sleep in a student sample (N=345) who completed the survey online. Academic attainment was measured with exam an [...]

by Racha El-Hajj Ghaoui  , Dorothy Hung  and Bhavna Padhye

Received: 24 December 2018;  Published: 17 April 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.genet.1902073

Hypodiploidy has a low incidence in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). Patients are usually stratified into three subgroups, to allocate the correct treatment according to their ploidy level: high hypodiploidy (40-45 chromosomes), low hypodiploidy (33-39 chromosomes) and near haploidy (23-29 chromosomes). In this paper, a case is presented of near-haploid childhood ALL where fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) provided an insight into the near-haploidy chromosomal aberration initially missed on ro [...]

by Alyssa M. Krueger  , Kelsey Smith  , Arielle Pollock  , Christine Dunkel Schetter  and Nicole E. Mahrer

Received: 24 December 2023;  Published: 30 April 2024;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2402025

Residential and nonresidential fathers are taking an increasingly greater role in their children’s lives, and father involvement predicts positive child outcomes across development. This study utilized data from a large sample of racially and ethnically diverse fathers of low to middle income (n = 1,112) to test if paternal stress is associated with lower father involvement in early infancy and whether perceived social support is protective. Exploratory analyses examined whether the effects of stress on father invo [...]

by Alpha Chukwumela Ajie  , Mohammed Moore Ojapah  and Endurance Ogheneruona Diemuodeke

Received: 07 February 2023;  Published: 20 June 2023;  doi: 10.21926/jept.2302020

With their higher sustainability index, biofuels, environmentally-friendly and renewable nature is a viable alternative energy source in the transportation sector. This study presents the effect of waste cooking oil (WCO) biodiesel on performance, combustion, and emission from a compression ignition engine. The biodiesel was blended with diesel in varying proportions of 5% biodiesel and 95% diesel (designated as B5), 10% biodiesel in diesel (B10), 15% biodiesel in diesel (B15), 20% biodiesel in diesel (B20), 50% bi [...]

by Lai Fern Ow  and Eugenie Chan

Received: 21 October 2021;  Published: 24 January 2022;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2201003

This study investigated energy consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emission across various playing surfaces (e.g., greens, tees, fairways, and roughs) in an urban parkland golf course. The turfs of golf courses require frequent maintenance to ensure high aesthetic and play quality. Maintenance includes aeration, mowing, irrigation, and fertilization. The annual energy-based carbon footprint was found to be the highest for fairways, followed by greens, tees, and roughs. However, CO2 exchange in the grass was found [...]

by Gerhard Litscher

Received: 03 May 2020;  Published: 07 May 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2002026

The present moment lacks any reliable vaccine or treatment for the SARS-CoV-2 virus and the resultant disease COVID-19 (Corona Virus Disease-2019). Laser medicine like photobiomodulation (PBM) or photodynamic therapy (PDT), and laser acupuncture may possess some potential to interact and relieve the symptoms of this disease. PubMed lists only two results for the search term ‘PBM or PDT and COVID-19’, indicating the paucity of validated scientific clinical studies on the subject. On the contrary, it does not mean th [...]

by Jonathan Manh Dang  , Luma Bashmi  , Stephen Meeneghan  , Janet White  , Rebecca Hedrick  , Jelena Djurovic  , Brigitte Vanle  , Dennis Nguyen  , Jonathan Almendarez  , Paula Ravets  , Yasmine Gohar  , Sophia Hanna  , Itai Danovitch  and Waguih William IsHak

Received: 28 March 2018;  Published: 25 June 2018;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1802011

Background: An increasing number of patients and practitioners are using mindfulness meditation programs despite uncertainty about the evidence supporting these programs’ health benefits. Aim: To review the current evidence on the effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions (MBI) on depressive symptoms and quality of life (QOL) among patients with depression comorbid medical conditions and those with major depressive disorder. Methods: A comprehensive search of PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, and PsycINFO was performed [...]

by Tara Rava Zolnikov  , Tanya Clark  , Frances Furio  , Sandul Yasobant  , Ana Carolina Silva Martins  , Vanessa Resende Nogueira Cruvinel  and Marcos Takashi Obara

Received: 11 May 2023;  Published: 30 August 2023;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2303045

Currently, almost half of the human population is at risk of acquiring dengue. Other emerging pathogens affecting human populations transmitted by Aedes (Stegomyia) aegypti are chikungunya and Zika viruses. People who live in poor areas are more susceptible to be infected by these diseases. The lack of selective garbage collection and inadequate water storage are important factors in the dynamics of vector-borne transmission. This study took place in Estrutural City, the poorest city in Brasilia, Brazil, which host [...]

by Ali Aldubaisi  and Jorge Valenzuela

Received: 26 April 2021;  Published: 04 August 2021;  doi: 10.21926/jept.2103036

Aging models are important input into wind farm maintenance and financial viability models. Aging of wind turbines depends on many factors, including both ambient and usage conditions. This paper presents a virtual age based maintenance model for wind turbines considering the effect of wind speed and ambient air temperature on turbine aging. Two maintenance thresholds (i.e., corrective threshold and preventive threshold) and three repair actions (i.e., unscheduled corrective, scheduled corrective and preventive act [...]

by Demelza Emmerton  , Samra Khan  , Joanne Conway  , Daniel Mosby  and Ahmed H. Abdelhafiz

Received: 31 May 2020;  Published: 10 July 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.2003127

With life-expectancy rising globally, the prevalence of ageing, comorbidity and frailty is likely to increase especially in the low and middle income countries. The emergence of the new COVID-19 pandemic has been concentrated in this group of patients and has led to worse outcomes compared to younger and less comorbid populations. This group of patients is at an increased risk of multi-organ consequences of systemic disease. Therefore, systemic assessment of these patients from the outset and optimisation of their [...]

by Malith Kadirappulli-Hewage  and Rasika Jayasekara

Received: 30 August 2019;  Published: 02 January 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.2001096

Social isolation and social disconnectedness have resulted in some older adults ending their lives by suicide; therefore, improving social connectedness has become an integral part of suicide prevention programmes. The purpose of this literature review was to assess the impact of social connectedness interventions for preventing suicide in older adults. It is evident that interventions aimed at promoting social connectedness are intended to alleviate stress and depressive symptoms due to social separation and traum [...]

by Feliciano Villar  , Montserrat Celdrán  , Rodrigo Serrat  and Valentina Cannella

Received: 07 November 2018;  Published: 26 December 2018;  doi: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.1804027

Active aging is a concept used to describe and promote lifestyles that contribute to a healthy aging process. However, these lifestyles vary widely, and the concept of active aging encompasses many activities. This paper considers two axes to classify the range of activities that can contribute to active aging: the resources needed to carry out such activities (low and high-resource needs) and the main orientation of the activities (self-oriented vs. activity with others). To illustrate this classification, three t [...]

by Minato Nakamura  and Yoshinori Murakami

Received: 17 August 2021;  Published: 13 September 2021;  doi: 10.21926/cr.2103002

The photocatalytic reaction involved in TiO2 photocatalysis was investigated using a microreactor coated with TiO2 film on the glass plate attached on one side of the microreactor. It was confirmed that the effect of H2O2 on the photocatalytic degradation efficiency of azo dyes (acid orange 7, acid red 151, and acid yellow 23) was dependent on the polymorphs (anatase and rutile) of TiO2 coated on the glass plate of the UV-irradiated microreactor. Scavengers of holes (KI) and electrons (p-benzoquinone) were added to [...]

by Katrien Steenmans  and Rosalind Malcolm

Received: 20 December 2022;  Published: 10 March 2023;  doi: 10.21926/aeer.2301024

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) places liability, physical, financial, and/or informative responsibility for a product throughout its life cycle on its producer. Implementing such schemes is expected to result in many environmental and social benefits. Yet, academic and practitioner discussions on the mechanisms focus on environmental impacts, whereas social dimensions of EPR are often side-lined. This short communication contributes to addressing this gap by establishing a research agenda for the justice di [...]

by Kokila Jeyamurugan  and Ratna B Basak

Received: 12 May 2020;  Published: 17 July 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2003034

Child life specialists (CLS) are trained providers who form part of a pediatric multidisciplinary and pediatric palliative care team. Their role is invaluable to mitigate the stress and anxiety of children during hospitalization. They may use various strategies in children like play, art and music therapy and pet therapy, to help self-express and cope with painful procedures. We present a brief narrative on CLS with a case of a 10- year- old Hispanic boy who had metastatic osteosarcoma. The case illustration is f [...]

by Pooam Khatri  , Kamalakanta Sahoo  , Richard Bergman  and Maureen Puettmann

Received: 18 June 2021;  Published: 15 December 2021;  doi: 10.21926/rpm.2104048

Raw materials for buildings and construction account for more than 35% of global primary energy use and nearly 40% of energy-related CO2 emissions. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) emphasized the drastic reduction in GHG emissions and thus, wood products with very low or negative carbon footprint materials can play an important role. In this study, a cradle-to-grave life cycle assessment (LCA) approach was followed to quantify the environmental impacts of laminated strand lumber (LSL). The inven [...]