Silver Nanowire/Chitosan Nanocomposite Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering with Enhanced Durability,

We report on a successful scaffold based tissue engineering approach that aims to facilitate maximal cell seeding efficiency and subsequent cell proliferation using durable scaffolds with interconnected porosity with high surface area per volume and enhanced mechanical strength, durability. Among the biopolymers chitosan, which is a biodegradable, biocompatible cationic polysaccharide exerting bioactive properties (eg.antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, hemostatic immunostimulatory etc) provides several advantageous as tissue engineering scaffold. Previously we have shown antimicrobial activity of nanocomposite films of chitosan and silver nanowires (Doganay, 2017). In this study, silver nanowire/chitosan nanocomposite scaffolds were prepared via freeze-drying method and their durability were enhanced with αβ-glycerophosphate. Morphology and chemical nature of the nanocomposites were characterized by X-ray Diffraction Spectroscopy (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). Mechanical strength, compression modulus, bioadhesion, porosity and water holding capacity of nanocomposite scaffolds were investigated. The scaffolds were observed to retain 35 to 65-fold water while maintaining their form and integrity. The nanocomposite scaffolds showed equilibrium swelling index compared to chitosan scaffold. Further mechanical analysis demonstrated that the incorporation of αβ-glycerophosphate enhanced the elastic modulus and tensile strength values of prepared scaffolds. These and other results obtained in this work revealed that the nanocomposite scaffolds can be mechanically and biofunctionally improved through tailoring the chitosan/glycerophosphate ratio and the amount of incorporated silver nanowires

A Turkish Validity and Reliability Study of the Swiss Narcolepsy Scale

Background: The clinical evaluation of a patient complaining of excessive daytime sleepiness is of crucial importance for the diagnosis of narcolepsy. The Swiss Narcolepsy Scale (SNS) was developed in 2004 as a screening tool for patients with narcolepsy and shown in three different studies to have a high sensitivity and specificity for narcolepsy type 1 (NT1). The aim of this study was to assess the validity and reliability of the Turkish version of SNS (SNS-TR). Patients and Methods: Twenty-one healthy controls, 26 patients with idiopathic hypersomnia, and 27 patients with narcolepsy were recruited from five accredited sleep centers in Turkey. Pearson’s correlation coefficient and degree of freedom were used to determine the validity of each question. Cronbach’s alpha was calculated to assess the internal consistency or reliability of Likert-type questions. The inter-rater reliability was tested using Cohen’s kappa analysis, and the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) was used to evaluate the validity and reliability between two evaluations with a one-month interval. Results: Sensitivity and specificity of SNS-TR were 90.5% and 100%, respectively, for diagnosing NT1. Cronbach’s alpha was 0.976, showing a highly reliable level of internal consistency. The inter-rater reliability of the questions and the validity and reliability between two evaluations were moderate or above. Conclusion: This study provides evidence for the validity and reliability of SNS-TR in diagnosing and discriminating NT1 from other disorders of hypersomnolence with a very high sensitivity and specificity

The REM-sleep-related characteristics of narcolepsy: a nation-wide multicenter study in Turkey, the REMCON study

Introduction: Narcolepsy type 1 (NT1) is caused by hypocretin deficiency, the pathophysiology of narcolepsy type 2 (NT2) has not been delineated. Except for the hypocretin deficiency and cataplexy, all clinical and laboratory features used in the diagnosis of NT2 are identical to those used for NT1. The aim of this study was to assess the rapid eye movement (REM) sleep-related characteristics in the patients with narcolepsy; the characteristics of REM sleep in polysomnography (PSG) and multiple sleep latency test (MSLT) recordings, the quantification of REM sleep without atonia (RSWA) and atonia index, and the analysis of rapid eye movements (REMs) during REM sleep

Two Percent Chitosan Mouthwash: A Microbiological And Clinical Comparative Study

Background/purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the microbiological and clinical effects of a chitosan (CH) mouth rinse on plaque inhibition. Materials and methods: Thirty-six healthy participants were recruited. The following clinical data were recorded: a plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI), Quickley-Hein plaque index (QPI), and probing depth (PD). Volunteers were given oral hygiene (OH) instruction and trained on scaling and professional tooth cleaning (PTC). After the final PTC, volunteers were randomly allocated into three groups. Group A rinsed with 2% CH, group B rinsed with 0.2% chlorhexidine digluconate (CHX), and group C rinsed with 2% CH 0.2% CHX. Plaque samples were collected and assayed for Streptococcus mutans, Candida albicans, and enterococci. Results: After a non-brushing period, the full-mouth PI and QPI values between the CH and CHX + CH groups differed significantly. A higher PI score at sampling sites was seen in the CH group, but no significant differences were observed between groups. The S. mutans and C. albicans levels were statistically significant in each group on Days 0 and 4. Differences of C. albicans levels between groups were found to be significant; however, no statistical differences were obtained for S. mutans or enterococci levels among the groups at the various time intervals. Conclusion: We conclude that further investigations are needed to evaluate the potential value of CH as an effective antiplaque mouth rinse. Copyright (C) 2012, Association for Dental Sciences of the Republic of China. Published by Elsevier Taiwan LLC. All rights reserved.WoSScopu