A promising component of biomaterial constructs for neural tissue engineering are electrospun fibers, which differentiate stem cells and neurons as well as direct neurite growth. However, means of protecting neurons, glia, and stem cells seeded on electrospun fibers between lab and surgical suite have yet to be developed. Here we report an effort to accomplish this using cell-encapsulating hydrogel fibers made by interfacial polyelectrolyte complexation (IPC).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFOne obstacle in neural repair is facilitating axon growth long enough to reach denervated targets. Recent studies show that axonal growth is accelerated by applying tension to bundles of neurites, and additional studies show that mechanical tension is critical to all neurite growth. However, no studies yet describe how individual neurons respond to tensile forces applied to cell bodies and neurites simultaneously; neither do any test motor neurons, a phenotype critical to neural repair.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: To conduct a systematic review to examine interventions for reducing HIV risk behaviors among people living with HIV (PLWH) in the United States.
Methods: Systematic searches included electronic databases from 1988 to 2012, hand searches of journals, reference lists of articles, and HIV/AIDS Internet listservs. Each eligible study was evaluated against the established criteria on study design, implementation, analysis, and strength of findings to assess the risk of bias and intervention effects.