A scaffold containing zinc oxide for Schwann cell-mediated axon growth.

Schwann cells (SCs) transplanted in damaged nervous tissue promote axon growth, which may support the recovery of function lost after injury. However, SC transplant-mediated axon growth is often limited and lacks direction.We have developed a zinc oxide (ZnO) containing fibrous scaffold consisting of aligned fibers of polycaprolactone (PCL) with embedded ZnO nanoparticles as a biodegradable, bifunctional scaffold for promoting and guiding axon growth.

The Effect of Physical Cues of Biomaterial Scaffolds on Stem Cell Behavior.

Stem cells have been sought as a promising cell source in the tissue engineering field due to their proliferative capacity as well as differentiation potential. Biomaterials have been utilized to facilitate the delivery of stem cells in order to improve their engraftment and long-term viability upon implantation. Biomaterials also have been developed as scaffolds to promote stem cell induced tissue regeneration.

Polymeric ionically conductive composite matrices and electrical stimulation strategies for nerve regeneration: In vitro characterization.

Stem cell strategies and the use of electrical stimulation (ES) represent promising new frontiers for peripheral nerve regeneration. Composite matrices were fabricated by coating electrospun polycaprolactone/cellulose acetate micro-nanofibers with chitosan and ionically conductive (IC) polymers including, sulfonated polyaniline, and lignin sulfonate. These composite matrices were characterized for surface morphology, coating uniformity, ionic conductivity, and mechanical strength to explore as scaffold materials for nerve regeneration in conjunction with ES.

Polymeric 3D Printed Structures for Soft-Tissue Engineering.

3D printing, or rapid prototyping, is a fabrication technique that is used for various engineering applications with advantages such as mass production and fine tuning of spatial-dimensional properties. Recently, this fabrication method has been adopted for tissue engineering applications due to its ability to finely tune porosity and create precise, uniform, and repeatable structures. This review aims to introduce 3D printing applications in soft tissue engineering and regenerative medicine including state-of-the-art scaffolds and key future challenges.

Bioactive polymeric scaffolds for tissue engineering.

A variety of engineered scaffolds have been created for tissue engineering using polymers, ceramics and their composites. Biomimicry has been adopted for majority of the three-dimensional (3D) scaffold design both in terms of physicochemical properties, as well as bioactivity for superior tissue regeneration. Scaffolds fabricated via salt leaching, particle sintering, hydrogels and lithography have been successful in promoting cell growth and tissue regeneration .

Association between prescription co-payment amount and compliance with adjuvant hormonal therapy in women with early-stage breast cancer.

Purpose: Noncompliance with adjuvant hormonal therapy among women with breast cancer is common. Little is known about the impact of financial factors, such as co-payments, on noncompliance.

Patients And Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study by using the pharmacy and medical claims database at Medco Health Solutions.