Fabrication of chitosan-polyvinyl alcohol and silk electrospun fiber seeded with differentiated keratinocyte for skin tissue regeneration in animal wound model

Hybrid fibrous mat containing cell interactive molecules offers the ability to deliver the cells and drugs in wound bed, which will help to achieve a high therapeutic treatment. In this study, a co-electrospun hybrid of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), chitosan (Ch) and silk fibrous mat was developed and their wound healing potential by localizing bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs)-derived keratinocytes on it was evaluated in vitro and in vivo. It was expected that fabricated hybrid construct could promote wound healing due to its structure, physical, biological specifications. The fabricated fibrous mats were characterized for their structural, mechanical and biochemical properties. The shape uniformity and pore size of fibers showed smooth and homogenous structures of them. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) verified all typical absorption characteristics of Ch-PVA + Silk polymers as well as Ch-PVA or pure PVA substrates. The contact angle and wettability measurement of fibers showed that mats found moderate hydrophilicity by addition of Ch and silk substrates compared with PVA alone. The mechanical features of Ch-PVA + Silk fibrous mat increase significantly through co-electrospun process as well as hybridization of these synthetic and natural polymers. Higher degrees of cellular attachment and proliferation obtained on Ch-PVA + Silk fibers compared with PVA and Ch-PVA fibers. In terms of the capability of Ch-PVA + Silk fibers and MSC-derived keratinocytes, histological analysis and skin regeneration results showed this novel fibrous construct could be suggested as a skin substitute in the repair of injured skin and regenerative medicine applications. © 2020, The Author(s)

A transactional model for online healthcare organization: using actor network theory

Recently in switching the information between patients, staffs and hospitals, the Healthcare Web Portals (HWP) play a crucial role as a media tool to attain the challenging objectives of the quality of patient care and controlling operating costs. Looking wisely at literature shows that most prior researches have only focused on dimensions of e-service quality as the non-human actors. However, due to socio-political reasons, online HOs are positioned in a heterogeneous network, the social and technical or in other words human and nonhuman actors are equally important in the network. The main objective of this research is to propose a model for the online Healthcare Organizations (HO) with the view to make patients more attractive, trust and loyal to the online HO. Therefore, based on the extend review of literature, the initial research model adapted from the online shopping context and will extend to the online HO context. The initial research model is divided into three transaction stages such as pre-HO transaction, HO transaction and post-HO transaction stage. In addition, at each transaction stage human and non-human actors may influence patients’ satisfaction and as a result, make patients more attractive, trust and loyal to the online HO. In terms of human actors, at each transaction stage, friends and family members impact on patients’ satisfaction. In terms of non-human actors, dimensions of e-service quality influence patients’ satisfaction. For example, at pre-HO transaction stage (1) information, (2) usability and (3) efficiency, at HO transaction stage (1) security, (2) system availability, (3) fulfilment, (4) privacy and (5) reliability and at post-HO transaction stage (1) responsiveness, (2) empathy, (3) compensation and (4) contact impact on patients satisfaction and make patients more attract, trust and loyal to the online HO accordingly

An initial framework for interactive health portals; using actor network theory

Today, the interaction between patients and Interactive Health Portals (IHPs) is one of the hot topics of e-health domains. Online health care providers try to improve the quality of their online services to increase patients' attraction, trust and loyalty. Dimensions of e-service quality (eSQ) in Interactive Health Portals (IHPs) are usually deployed in a heterogonous network where both human and non-human actors are equally important. Prior research on patients' attraction, trust and loyalty indicates that dimensions of e-SQ are merely technical. However, due to socio-technical reasons, social aspects of these dimensions are inevitable. Therefore, this research is aimed at evaluating the relevancy of Actor Network Theory in the e-SQ context, and accordingly proposing a new theoretical framework for IHPs

Chitosan hydrogel loaded with Aloe vera gel and tetrasodium ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) as the wound healing material: in vitro and in vivo study

The main aim of the current study was to develop a chitosan hydrogel containing Aloe vera gel and Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) as the wound healing materials. Chitosan with the concentration of (2 w/v) was prepared in AA (0.5, v/v) and Tetrasodium EDTA (0.01 w/w) and AV (0.5 v/v) were added to the prepared polymer solution. As prepared solution was cross-linked by β-GP with the weight ratio of 1/6 w/w (1 chitosan and 6 β-GP). The characterization of the hydrogels showed that the hydrogels have porous structures and interconnected pores with the pores size range from 41.5 ± 14 to 48.3 ± 11 μm. The swelling and weight loss measurements of the hydrogels showed that the hydrogels could swell up to 240 of their initial weight during 8 h and loss 79.7 ± 3.5 of the initial weight during 14 days. The antibacterial studies depicted that the prepared Cs/tEDTA/AV hydrogel inhibited the growth of Staphylococcus aureus (the minimum inhibition concentration, MIC of 73 ± 4.8) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (the MIC of 40 ± 7.9). Moreover, the prepared hydrogels were hemocompatible (Cs/tEDTA/AV: OD of 0.24 ± 0.30) and biocompatible (Cs/tEDTA/AV: OD of 0.38 ± 0.01). At the final stage, the wound healing assessments in the animal model revealed that the application of the prepared hydrogels effectively enhanced the wound healing process. In conclusion, the results confirmed the efficacy of the prepared hydrogels as the wound healing materials. © 2020 Wiley Periodicals LLC