ABSTRACT
Agarose nerve guidance scaffolds (NGS) seeded with cells expressing brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) have demonstrated robust nerve regeneration in the rat central nervous system. The purpose of this work was to explore whether agarose NGS coated with hydrogen-bonded layer-by-layer (HLbL) could provide an acellular method of delivering prolonged and consistent dosages of active BDNF. Our results show that HLbL-coated agarose NGS could release BDNF over 10days in consistent dosages averaging 80.5±12.5(SD)ng/mL. Moreover, the BDNF released from HLbL was confirmed active by in vitro cell proliferation assays. To our knowledge, this is the first report demonstrating that HLbL assembled onto a hydrogel can provide consistent, prolonged release of active BDNF in clinically relevant dosages.
Subject(s)
Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor/metabolism , Coated Materials, Biocompatible/pharmacology , Guided Tissue Regeneration , Nerve Regeneration/drug effects , Sepharose/chemistry , Tissue Scaffolds/chemistry , Animals , Mice , NIH 3T3 Cells , Rats , Receptor, trkB/metabolismABSTRACT
Our goal was to investigate the growth of vocabulary and morphological awareness over time in the context of an intervention for kindergartners with different ability levels in these skills. Participants in this exploratory study were 108 children from schools serving socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods. Results indicated that children significantly improved their morphological awareness skills and vocabulary over a period of 4 months ( eta(p)(2) = .61 for morphological awareness and eta(p)(2) = .53 for vocabulary), with the greatest gains made by children who were initially low on these measures. Morphological awareness and vocabulary skills were reciprocally related; each made a unique contribution to growth in the other. The results suggest that it may be beneficial to combine instruction in vocabulary and morphological awareness and that kindergarten teachers can successfully do so with guidance.
Subject(s)
Awareness , Language Development , Remedial Teaching/methods , Vocabulary , Awareness/physiology , British Columbia , Child , Child, Preschool , Feasibility Studies , Female , Humans , Language Tests , Male , Poverty , Time Factors , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
The goal of this exploratory community-based participatory action research project was twofold: to determine how urban Aboriginal youth identify their health needs within a culturally centred model of health and wellness, and to create new knowledge and research capacity by and with urban Aboriginal youth and urban Aboriginal health-care providers. A mixed-method approach was employed to examine these experiences using talking circles and a survey. The study contributes to anticolonial research in that it resists narratives of dis(ease) put forth through neocolonial research paradigms.A key focus was the development of strategies that address the aspirations of urban Aboriginal youth, laying foundations upon which their potential in health and wellness can be nurtured, supported, and realized. The study contributes to a new narrative of the health of urban Aboriginal youth within a culturally centred and culturally safe framework that acknowledges their strong connection to their Indigenous lands, languages, and traditions while also recognizing the spaces between which they move.
