The scar-reducing effect of a novel chitosan gel: an in vivo study.

OBJECTIVE: Scar tissue formation, as a normal part of wound healing, initiates in the proliferation phase, continues after the remodelling phase, and may cause an unpleasant appearance or disruption in normal functioning. This study investigated the effects of a topical gel on acute wound healing and reducing scars in a rat model. METHOD: ChitoScar (ChitoTech Company, Iran), a commercial scar-reducing gel based on chitosan, was analysed for antibacterial and antiviral activity through a quantitative suspension test. Its cytotoxic effect was investigated, and then irritation and delayed-type hypersensitivity tests were carried out on rabbits through direct application of the gel. Furthermore, the effect of the chitosan-based gel on wound healing and scar tissue formation was studied in rats with an acute wound in two groups: the treatment group (topical application of the chitosan-based gel); and the control group (without treatment). Histopathological examination was carried out based on the inflammatory cells, collagen fibre, keratinocytes and fibroblasts. RESULTS: Analysis revealed that the chitosan-based gel had no cytotoxicity and caused no erythema, oedema, local or other systemic adverse response. Wound healing occurred earlier in the treatment group, which was a result of a significant increase in re-epithelialisation, angiogenesis, fibroblast population and collagen fibre thickness (p<0.05). In the treatment group, wounds healed completely after 21 days and scars totally disappeared after 28 days, while in the control group, wound healing remained incomplete with distinct scar tissue. CONCLUSION: The results demonstrated the positive effect of the chitosan-based gel on the duration and quality of the wound healing process, as well as minimising the scar tissue formation in this in vivo study.

Skeletal Transformation of Unactivated Arenes Enabled by a Low-Temperature Dearomative (3 + 2) Cycloaddition.

Simple aromatic compounds like benzene are abundant feedstocks, for which the preparation of derivatives chiefly begins with electrophilic substitution reactions or, less frequently, reductions. Their high stability makes them particularly reluctant to participate in cycloadditions under ordinary reaction conditions. Here, we demonstrate the exceptional ability of 1,3-diaza-2-azoniaallene cations to undergo formal (3 + 2) cycloadditions with unactivated benzene derivatives below room temperature, providing thermally stable dearomatized adducts on a multi-gram scale. The cycloaddition, which tolerates polar functional groups, activates the ring toward further elaboration. On treatment with dienophiles, the cycloadducts undergo a (4 + 2) cycloaddition-cycloreversion cascade to yield substituted or fused arenes, including naphthalene derivatives. The overall sequence results in the transmutation of arenes through an exchange of the ring carbons: a two-carbon fragment from the original aromatic ring is replaced with another from the incoming dienophile, introducing an unconventional disconnection for the synthesis of ubiquitous aromatic building blocks. Applications of this two-step sequence to the preparation of substituted acenes, isotopically labeled molecules, and medicinally relevant compounds are demonstrated.

Wound Infection Detection Using a Rapid Biomarker.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the performance of a rapid, point-of-care diagnostic biomarker that is sensitive to overexpression of gelatinases, the major expressed biomolecules during wound infection. Wound exudate composition and pH are key determinants of infection, and rapid infection detection has an important role in wound healing. METHODS: The biomarker was first investigated for cytotoxic effects, and irritation and sensitization tests were carried out. The biomarker was then tested on 198 patients suffering from different types of wounds. Data including age, sex, wound type, depth, site, etiology, and exudate pH were collected. Wound pH was measured to determine if it could be a possible early indicator of infection, and bacterial wound cultures were performed as a control. RESULTS: Analysis revealed that the biomarker had no cytotoxicity and caused no erythema, edema, or other adverse response. The rapid diagnostic biomarker demonstrated overall clinical sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value: 96.84%, 97.5%, 96.96%, 99.35%, and 88.63%, respectively. Moreover, infected wounds had higher pH values according to culture results and nearly 80% of chronic, nonhealing wounds were infected. CONCLUSIONS: This biomarker enables caregivers to detect wound infection in a timely manner and treat it efficiently. Wound pH monitoring may potentially be a useful method for indicating the presence or absence of infection.

Additive effect of glutathione S-transferase T1 active genotype and infection with Toxoplasma gondii for increasing the risk of schizophrenia.

PURPOSE: To determine if Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) infection may play a role in the development of schizophrenia in genetically susceptible persons with regard to genes encoding glutathione S-transferase T1 (GSTT1) and M1 (GSTM1). METHODS: A total of 78 cases with psychiatric diagnosis of schizophrenia were compared with 91 healthy controls. For detection of IgG antibodies, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used. Genotyping of GSTM1 and GSTT1 was performed by multiplex PCR. Chi-square and logistic regression were used for statistical analyses. RESULTS: A higher frequency of the GSTT1 active gene in schizophrenic patients was observed. When risk categories based on the combination of T. gondii status and GSTs polymorphisms were compared, risk of schizophrenia increased in T. gondii positive/GSTT1 absent subjects (OR = 4.75, p = 0.05) compared with T. gondii negative/GSTT1 absent group. When T. gondii positive subjects had the GSTT1 active genotype, the risk increased linearly (OR = 10.20, p < 0.001). Odds ratio in T. gondii positive groups were almost the same in combination with the GSTM1 active genotype (OR = 4.45, p = 0.003) or null genotype (OR = 4.37, p = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS: Our results showed an additive effect for T. gondii and GSTT1 active genotype as risk factors for schizophrenia in Iranian population. This is a small pilot study and replicating the study with larger groups of patients in multinational investigation to clarify these findings is recommended.

UNaProd: A Universal Natural Product Database for Materia Medica of Iranian Traditional Medicine.

BACKGROUND: Iranian traditional medicine (ITM) is a holistic medical system that uses a wide range of medicinal substances to treat disease. Reorganization and standardization of the data on ITM concepts is a necessity for optimal use of this rich source. In an initial step towards this goal, we created a database of ITM materia medica. Main Body. Primarily based on Makhzan al-Advieh, which is the most recent encyclopedia of materia medica in ITM with the largest number of monographs, a database of natural medicinal substances was created using both text mining methods and manual editing. UNaProd, a Universal Natural Product database for materia medica of ITM, is currently host to 2696 monographs, from herbal to animal to mineral compounds in 16 diverse attributes such as origin and scientific name. Currently, systems biology, and more precisely systems medicine and pharmacology, can be an aid in providing rationalizations for many traditional medicines and elucidating a great deal of knowledge they can offer to guide future research in medicine. CONCLUSIONS: A database of materia medica is a stepping stone in creating a systems pharmacology platform of ITM that encompasses the relationships between the drugs, their targets, and diseases. UNaProd is hyperlinked to IrGO and CMAUP databases for Mizaj and molecular features, respectively, and it is freely available at http://jafarilab.com/unaprod/.

Quantitative determination of trace phenazopyridine in human urine samples by hyphenation of dispersive solid-phase extraction and liquid-phase microextraction followed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry analysis.

Magnetic dispersive solid-phase extraction followed by dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction coupled with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry was applied for the quantitative analysis of phenazopyridine in urinary samples. Magnetic dispersive solid-phase extraction was carried out using magnetic graphene oxide nanoparticles modified by poly(thiophene-pyrrole) copolymer. The eluting solvent of this step was used as the disperser solvent for the dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction procedure. To reach the maximum efficiency of the method, effective parameters including sorbent amount, adsorption time, type and volume of disperser and extraction solvents, pH of the sample solution, and ionic strength as well as desorption time, and approach were optimized, separately. Characterization of the synthesized sorbent was studied by utilizing infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray analysis. Calibration curve was linear in the range of 0.5-250 ng/mL (R2  = 0.9988) with limits of detection and quantification of 0.1 and 0.5 ng/mL, respectively. Intra- and interday precisions (RSD%, n = 3) of the method were in the range of 4.6-5.4% and 4.0-5.5%, respectively, at three different concentration levels. Under the optimal condition, this method was successfully applied for the determination of phenazopyridine in human urine samples. The relative recoveries were obtained in the range of 85.0-89.0%.

The effects of aerobic training, resistance training, combined training, and healthy eating recommendations on lipid profile and body mass index in overweight and obese children and adolescents: A randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of 8 weeks of aerobic training, resistance training (RT), combined training, and nutritional recommendations on lipid profile and body mass index (BMI) in obese and overweight children and adolescents. METHODS: This randomized, clinical trial was conducted on 120 children and adolescents (10-19 years of age) with overweight and obesity. Participants were divided into 4 groups, the 3 intervention groups of high-intensity interval training (HIIT), RT, and combined training, and 1 non-exercising control group with healthy eating recommendations. We considered 24 sessions of training during 8 weeks for the intervention groups. The participants' anthropometric indices and lipid profile were assessed before and after the intervention. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the groups in terms of anthropometric indices and lipid profiles before the intervention. After the intervention, there was a significant difference between the groups in terms of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) level; the control group (37.70 ± 9.45) and the HIIT group (43.65 ± 9.09) displayed the lowest and highest mean, respectively (P = 0.040). Comparison of physical variables and blood lipid profiles before and after the intervention showed a significant difference in waist circumference (P = 0.030), hip circumference (P ≤ 0.001), and HDL level (P = 0.040) in RT, HIIT, combined, and control groups. CONCLUSION: These results demonstrate that the combined training program and HIIT program with nutritional recommendations in overweight and obese children and adolescents were more effective in reducing BMI and hip circumference, respectively.

Association of Toxoplasma gondii infection with schizophrenia and its relationship with suicide attempts in these patients.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the association between schizophrenia and Toxoplasma gondii, and to assess the association of infection with suicide attempts and age of onset of schizophrenia in these patients. METHODS: Case-control study Fars Province, southern Iran. Cases were individuals with psychiatric diagnosis of schizophrenia as per Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) criteria. Controls were healthy blood donors, frequency-matched with patients according to age and sex. For the detection of IgG antibodies, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used. Data about demographic information in all subjects and duration of illness and history of suicide attempts in patients with schizophrenia were collected using a brief questionnaire and hospital records. Chi-square test and multivariable logistic regression were used for statistical analyses. RESULTS: Among 99 cases, 42 individuals (42%) were positive for T. gondii antibody, vs. 41 (27%) among 152 controls (OR = 2, 95% CI: 1.2-3.4, P = 0.012). We compared the suicide attempts in patients with schizophrenia based on their T. gondii serologic status. There was a lower rate of suicide attempts in seropositive male patients than seronegative ones (OR = 0.3, 95% CI: 0.1-0.97, P = 0.04). Age of onset of schizophrenia did not differ between T. gondii-infected and non-infected patients. CONCLUSIONS: These findings may have implications for schizophrenia and suicide prevention programmes. However, clearly further studies are required to confirm them.