Electrospun nerve guide scaffold of poly(ε-caprolactone)/collagen/nanobioglass: an in vitro study in peripheral nerve tissue engineering.

Among various methods, nerve tissue engineering (NTE) is one of the applicable methods to reconstruct damaged nerve tissues. Electrospinning technique and biomaterials are often considered to fabricate fibrous tissue engineered conduits which have great similarity to the extracellular matrix on fiber structure. Polymer blending is one of the most effective methods for the production of new materials with outstanding features. In this study, conduit structures as main part of the peripheral nerve regeneration based on polymer blend nanocomposites poly(ε-caprolactone)/collagen/nanobioglass (PCL/collagen/NBG) were manufactured by electrospinning technique. Various properties of electrospun mats were investigated by using contact angle, tensile, degradation time, porosity, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR), and wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS). The SEM analysis was shown that size range and average pore size of polymer blend nanocomposite nanofibers were about 250-400 nm and 0.7 µm, respectively, with an optimum porosity of 62.5%. The XRD result was shown that synthesized nanoparticles of NBG had amorphous structures. Also, FTIR analysis indicated that good interaction between polymer-polymer macromolecules and polymer particles. The contact angle and tensile tests were indicated that electrospun webs showed good hydrophilicity and toughness properties. According to SEM, MTT assay and DAPI staining technique, the ability to support cell attachment and viability of samples were characterized. In vitro study indicated electrospun collagen/PCL/NBG nanofibrous conduit promoted Human Endometrial Stem cells (hEnSCs) adhesion and proliferation. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 105A: 1960-1972, 2017.

Comparative evaluation of renal findings in Beta-thalassemia major and intermedia.

Thalassemia is a systematic disease in which the renal involvement has not yet been scrupulously studied. In a cross-sectional study, the renal findings of 50 cases of thalassemia intermedia (group 1) were compared to 58 patients with thalassemia major (group 2). Blood urea nitrogen, serum creatinine, uric acid, calcium, phosphorus, urinalysis, and ultrasonographical findings were evaluated. Mean age was 18 +/- 3.0 in group 1 and 17 +/- 3.5 years in group 2. The mean of serum ferritin levels was 871 +/- 81.8 ng/ml in group 1 vs. 3503 +/- 201 ng/ml in thalassemia major (p > 5) was observed among 19 children (17.6%); 17 of them were in group 1. In contrast, children with thalassemia major had significantly higher serum creatinine (0.89 +/- 0.18 vs. 0.59 +/- 0.37 mg/dl, p < 0.05) and blood urea nitrogen values (12.14 +/- 5.58 vs. 13.85 +/- 3.54 mg/dl, p < 0.05). We conclude that significant renal involvement is not a frequent complication in children and young adults suffering from thalassemia. Hyperuricemia and microscopic hematuria are more common in thalassemia intermedia than thalassemia major. Microscopic hematuria in thalassemia intermedia might be related to either hypercalciuria or hyperuricosuria.

Idiopathic nephrotic syndrome in Iranian children.

Of 231 children with nephrotic syndrome, 87% were steroid sensitive and 13% steroid resistant. Of patients with steroid sensitive nephrotic syndrome, 38.8% were non-relapsers, 34.8% frequent relapsers and 26.4% infrequent relapsers. Among those with steroid resistant nephrotic syndrome, 37.5% had focal segmental glomerulosclerosis with a high mortality rate of 44%