METHODS: Retrospective review of all cases with NEC Bell's stage 2 and 3 that were treated in a single center between 2009 and 2015. Data on patient demographics, clinical parameters, laboratory findings and surgical status were recorded. Receiver operating characteristics analysis was used to evaluate optimal cutoffs and predictive values.

METHODS: The feed solution was prepared using a PEO dissolved in water or a water-ethanol mixture. The PEO solution is blended with Bovine Serum Albumin protein (BSA) as a model drug to study the effect of the electrospinning process on the stability of the loaded protein. The polymer solution properties such as viscosity, surface tension, and conductivity were controlled by adjusting the solvent and salt content. The morphology and fiber size distribution of the nanofiber was analyzed using scanning electron microscopy.

RESULTS: The results show that the issue of a beaded nanofiber can be eliminated either by increasing the solution viscosity or by the addition of salt and ethanol to the PEO-water system. The addition of salt and solvent produced a high frequency of smaller fiber diameter ranging from 100 to 150 nm. The encapsulation of BSA in PEO nanofiber was characterized by three different spectroscopy techniques (i.e. circular dichroism, Fourier transform infrared, and fluorescence) and the results showed the BSA is well encapsulated in the PEO matrix with no changes in the protein structure.