Several biocompatible materials have been applied for managing soft tissue lesions; cerium oxide nanoparticles (CNPs, or nanoceria) are among the most promising candidates due to their outstanding properties, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and angiogenic activities. Much attention should be paid to the physical properties of nanoceria, since most of its biological characteristics are directly determined by some of these relevant parameters, including the particle size and shape. Nanoceria, either in bare or functionalized forms, showed the excellent capability of accelerating the healing process of both acute and chronic wounds. The skin, heart, nervous system, and ophthalmic tissues are the main targets of nanoceria-based therapies, and the other soft tissues may also be evaluated in upcoming experimental studies. For the repair and regeneration of soft tissue damage and defects, nanoceria-incorporated film, hydrogel, and nanofibrous scaffolds have been proven to be highly suitable replacements with satisfactory outcomes. Still, some concerns have remained regarding the long-term effects of nanoceria administration for human tissues and organs, such as its clearance from the vital organs. Moreover, looking at the future, it seems necessary to design and develop three-dimensional (3D) printed scaffolds containing nanoceria for possible use in the concepts of personalized medicine.

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In this study, we successfully utilized nitrate precursors for the synthesis of silver (Ag)-doped borate-based mesoporous bioactive glass (MBGs) based on the 1393B3 glass formulation in the presence of a polymeric substrate (polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)) as a stabilizer of boric acid. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirmed the glassy state of all the MBGs. The incorporation of 7.5 mol% Ag into the glass composition led to a decrease in the glass transition temperature (Tg). Improvements in the particle size, zeta potential, surface roughness, and surface area values were observed in the Ag-doped MBGs. The MBGs (1 mg/mL) had no adverse effect on the viability of fibroblasts. In addition, Ag-doped MBGs exhibited potent antibacterial activity against gram-positive and gram-negative species. In summary, a modified sol–gel method was confirmed for producing the Ag-doped 1393B3 glasses, and the primary in vitro outcomes hold promise for conducting in vivo studies for managing burns.

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Background Burn is one of the most brutal harms to the human body and mind and its wide-ranging complications have many adverse effects on the patients’ quality of life. The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of rehabilitation education through social media on burn patients’ quality of life. Methods The present randomized, controlled, clinical trial was conducted on 60 patients admitted to Imam Reza Hospital Burn Center in the city of Mashhad, Iran, who were randomly assigned to either the intervention or control groups (n = 30 per group). The researcher then created a WhatsApp channel to provide educational content and a WhatsApp group for burns patients to join and get their questions answered. The intervention group patients pursued their post-discharge education through the social media for a month. The control group patients received their discharge education according to the ward’s routine procedures through pamphlets and face-to-face training by the personnel. As the study’s main variable, the Burn Specific Health Scale-Brief was completed by both groups before and 1 and 2 months after the intervention. Data were analyzed using the ANCOVA and repeated-measures ANOVA. Results There was no significant differences between the intervention and control groups in terms of the QOL score and any of the domains at baseline. The results indicated the significant effect of the intervention both 1 and 2 months post-intervention on the QOL score and all the domains (P < 0.05), except for body image (Pmodel1 = .550 and  Pmodel2 = .463) and skin sensitivity (Pmodel1 = .333 and Pmodel2 = .104). Conclusion The post-discharge rehabilitation education of burns patients through social media improves their quality of life and can be used as an appropriate educational and follow-up method in different stages of the rehabilitation of burn patients. Trial registration no. IRCT20190622043971N1, 05-10-2019.

Background: Globally, Acinetobacter spp., most commonly, Acinetobacter baumannii, are one of the most common Gram-negative nosocomial infections, especially in Intensive Care Units (ICUs) and burn wards. Because of the pathogens' ability to survive for a long time, the eradication of the pathogen from these wards remains a great concern. Simultaneously, the remarkable increase in antibacterial resistance among A. baumannii strains in recent years has raised a great deal of concern. Objectives: The study assessed the prevalence and antibacterial resistance pattern of A. baumannii in the only academic-affiliated burn center in northeastern Iran in 2012-2014. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 5,080 samples from patients admitted to two burnt wards and one burn ICU were included. The samples were from different sources including wound tissue, blood, bronchial secretion, and urine. The antibacterial resistance pattern was determined using relevant antibiotics based on the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institut (CLSI) instructions. Results: Acinetobacter spp. were found in 39% of the acquired cultures (1,985 out of 5,080) and 51.9% of bacterial positive cultures (1985 out of 3823). The resistance rate of Acinetobacter spp. against antibiotics varied from 0.9% for colistin to 100% for piperacillin-tazobactam. All Acinetobacter spp. were multidrug-resistant (MDR) due to considerable resistance to fluoroquinolones (95%), cephalosporins (93%-98%), penicillins (97%), carbapenems (94%-95%), and beta-lactamase inhibitors (87%-100%). Conclusions: Given that infections are a major cause of mortality in burn wards, the high prevalence of MDR isolates of Acinetobacter spp. in this burn center suggests that local antibiotic prescription policies should be revised and infection control strategies should be improved. Also, antibiotic cycling and restrict infection control strategies should be implemented in high-risk wards such as burn units.

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Background: Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, protective measures including alcohol-based hand rub, received unexampled popularity in Iran. Alcohol hand rub is effective, inexpensive and simple to use, but it is a flammable liquid, which might cause burn injuries. In this study, we investigated burn injuries due to alcohol hand sanitizers during the COVID-19 disease outbreak in Iran. Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on burn patients referred to Motahari Burns and Reconstruction Center from February 20th, 2020 (official announcement of the epidemic of COVID-19 in Iran) up to April 19th, 2020. All outpatients and hospitalized burn injuries caused by alcohol during the abovementioned period were included. Results: There were 76 burn injuries due to the use of alcohol hand sanitizer. Sixty patients were treated outpatient, and 16 were hospitalized. The mean ± SD age of patients was 33.2±17.9 years and most were males (57 individuals, 75%). Also, the mean ± SD of TBSA was 6.1±6.5%. In hospitalized ones, the mean ± SD hospital stay was 11.7±8.6 days. The most burnt area was the head (39.5%) followed by the right upper limb (35.5%) and the left upper limb (23.7%). Patients were actively engaged in burn injury in 61.8% of cases, while they were passively burnt in 34.2% of cases and in 3.9% the mechanism was unknown. Burn injuries mostly happened in the yard (22.4%) followed by the rooftop (21.1%) and outdoors (18.4%). Conclusion: Appropriate general education, especially through mass media, can reduce burns caused by alcohol-based sanitation during the COVID-19 outbreak. Most of these burn injuries involved face and hands, which are cosmetically and functionally important.