These results clearly demonstrated the greater efficacy of aloe cream over SSD cream for treating second-degree burns.

Abstract. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of pollen of saffron extract cream in the treatment of thermal induced burn wounds and to compare its results with silver sulfadiazine (SSD) in rats. Animals were divided into four groups and administrated a topical cream including control, base, saffron (20%) or SSD (1%) at 24 hour after a burn injury that was induced by hot water. In special days, according to a pre-planned schedule, animal's weight, wound size, as well as skin histo-pathology were determined in different groups under topical treatments. On day 25, average size of wound was 5.5, 4, 0.9 and 4.1 cm 2 in control, base, saffron and silver groups. The wound size of saffron group was significantly smaller than other groups. Histological comparison has shown that saffron significantly increased re-epithelialization in burn wounds, as compared to other cream-treated wounds. Although the exact mechanism of saffron is unclear, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects of saffron may have contributed to the wound healing. The results of this study raise the possibility of potential efficacy of saffron in accelerating wound healing in burn injuries. (Keio J Med 57 (4) : 190 -195, December 2008)

Background: The aim of this clinical trial was to evaluate the effects of febuxostat (FBX) in comparison with hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) on clinical symptoms, laboratory tests and chest CT findings in outpatients with moderate symptoms of COVID-19 infection. Methods: We conducted a clinical trial involving adult outpatients with the moderate respiratory illness following COVID-19 infection. Patients were randomly assigned to receive either FBX or HCQ for 5 days. The measured variables were needs to hospitalisation, clinical and laboratory data including fever, cough, breathing rate, C-Reactive Protein level, lymphocytes count at onset of admission and was well as at 5 days of treatments. In addition, CT findings were evaluated on admission and 14 days after initiation of treatment. Results: Sixty subjects were enrolled in the study with a 1 to 1 ratio in FBX and HCQ groups. On admission, fever (66.7%), cough (87%), tachypnoea (44.4%), dyspnoea (35%), elevated CRP value (94.4%) and lung involvement according to chest CT (100%) were documented in enrolled patients with insignificant difference between FBX and HCQ groups. Fever, cough and tachypnoea were significantly mitigated in both groups after five days of treatments without any significant differences between groups. The mean percentages of lung involvement were significantly reduced to 7.3% and 8% after 14 days of treatment with FBX and HCQ, respectively. In adult outpatients with moderate COVID-19 infection, the effectiveness of FBX and HCQ was not different in terms of resolution of clinical manifestations, laboratory tests and lung CT findings. Conclusion: This trial suggests that FBX is as an alternative treatment to HCQ for COVID-19 infection and may be considered in patients with a contraindication or precaution to HCQ.

Prevention programs are considered to be a top priority in Iran because beta-thalassemia (beta-thal) major (TM) is the most common autosomal disorder in Iran, and in the Mazandaran Province in particular. The main strategies comprise providing appropriate information for the public and professionals, screening and counseling of families at-risk and screening of general population prior to marriage. Providing laboratories for prenatal diagnosis was the most recent step in the program. We report the results of our prevention campaign for the period 1993-2006 in order to assess the effectiveness of all actions in controlling thalassemia major. In 1993, 500 TM patients were registered at the clinic of the Boo Ali Sina Hospital, Sari, Mazandaran, Iran. From 1993 to 1996, on average of 50 new cases were added to the cohort annually, whereas from 1995 to 2005 the number of new cases declined to 35 per year. Furthermore, the patients' average age increased. Overall, 51% of couples at-risk, who received genetic counseling, decided not to marry. All at-risk couples who are married were counseled for prevention of unplanned pregnancies. Currently, 64% are using safe contraceptive methods of family planning, and 14% are no longer at-risk for further pregnancies, the rest remained at-risk for unplanned pregnancies. In conclusion, at the relatively low cost of premarital screening and genetic counseling, we have offered at-risk couples the possibility of preventing the birth of at least 600 undesired TM patients. Thus, a great deal of suffering and an unbearable financial burden has been prevented to patients and their families.

Amniotic membrane extract or deferoxamine could be used interchangeably in angiogenesis within wound healing due to their high safety and availability.

These findings provide new hints about the relationship between epigenetic changes within the ESR1 gene CpG island and postmenopausal obesity and aging in cancer-free women. In terms of lifestyle intervention opportunities, this study also highlights the significance and feasibility of such interventions for BMI as a modifiable risk factor.

Background: The antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activity of honey and its ability to accelerate wound healing make it an attractive option in surgical wound care. We performed a randomized clinical trial to compare the efficacy of honey dressing with conventional dressing regarding the aesthetic outcome. Patients and Methods: Bilateral symmetric incisions in randomly selected plastic surgical patients were randomly covered postoperatively with conventional dressing and honey dressing for five days. The aesthetic outcome of the two sides was rated on a Visual Analog Scale by the surgeon and the patient and compared at month three and six after surgery. Results: Seventy two symmetrical incisions in 52 patients were evaluated during the study. The mean width of the scar after the third and the sixth month was 3.64 +/- 0.83 mm and 3.49 +/- 0.87 mm on the side that received honey dressing and 5.43 +/- 0.05 mm and 5.30+/- 1.35 mm in the control group. Wilcoxon signed-rank test showed significant difference between honey and conventional dressing outcomes at third and sixth month (p < 0.001). Conclusion: The healing process of the surgical wound and its final aesthetic result could be improved by using honey dressing.

It is more than a decade that amniotic membrane has been used as a wound dressing because of its anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, anti-fibrotic, anti-scarring properties, as well as its pain relieving and epithelialization promoting features. However, amniotic membrane had limited applications because it needs to suture in surgery, is highly fragile, firmly adhere to the wound and may cause bleeding and pain when changing the bandage. This study investigated the possibility of development of a novel amniotic-based chitosan gel dressing as a potential wound repair substrate with marked efficacy. In this experiment, amniotic gel prepared based on chitosan/PVP gel containing human amniotic membrane extract (AME-Gel) was investigated in terms of wound-healing efficacy and scar preventive effects in a rat burn model. The levels of re-epithelialization and dermal regeneration were examined by histological assessment using H&E and Masson's trichrome staining. Also, we clarified the mechanism of healing and cytokine-releasing activities of AME as well as its effect on epithelization, angiogenesis, and fibroblast growth and migration. Our results revealed that AME-Gel induces epidermal and dermal regeneration at a shorter time through formation of granulation tissue, enhancement of fibroblast proliferation, and improvement of blood capillary formation concomitant with developing collagen bundles. Therefore, AME-Gel could be considered a simple and easy to be used as a biological dressing for any type of superficial burn wounds, without any adverse effects.