Silk fibroin preserves beta cell function under inflammatory stress while stimulating islet cell surface GLUT2 expression.

Silk fibroin is a novel biomaterial for enhancing transplanted islet cell function and survival. This study investigated whether silk fibroin may have unique properties that improve islet function in the face of inflammatory-mediated stress during transplantation. Murine islet function was tested in vitro with either silk fibroin or alginate and challenged with inflammatory cytokines. The glucose-stimulated insulin secretion index for all conditions decreased with inflammatory cytokines, but was better preserved for islets exposed to silk compared to those exposed to alginate or medium. GLUT2 transporter expression on the cell surface of islets exposed to silk was increased compared to alginate or medium alone. Upon cytokine stress, a greater percentage of islet cells exposed to silk expressed GLUT2 on their surface. We conclude that preconditioning islets with silk fibroin stimulates islet cell surface GLUT2 expression, an increase, which persists under inflammatory stress, and may improve islet engraftment and function after transplantation.

The acquisition of delegation skills: collaboration between education and service.

Many new patient care delivery models are being developed and evaluated. One of the most important skills needed by registered nurses (RNs) to function within these new models is delegation. For many reasons, RNs find it difficult to develop and implement this skill. The authors outline a program that can be used to assist students in the acquisition of delegation behaviors. As a result, students were able to explore and discover their delegation ability while gaining self-confidence in implementing the RN role.