Tackling acne vulgaris by fabrication of tazarotene-loaded essential oil-based microemulsion: In vitro and in vivo evaluation.

This study aimed to formulate and optimize an anti-acne drug namely tazarotene (TZR) in essential oil-based microemulsion (ME) using either Jasmine oil (Jas) or Jojoba oil (Joj). TZR-MEs were prepared using two experimental designs (Simplex Lattice Design®) and characterized for droplet size, polydispersity index, and viscosity. Further in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo investigations were performed for the selected formulations. Results revealed that TZR-selected MEs exhibited suitable droplet size, homogenous dispersions, and acceptable viscosity, in addition to spherical-shaped particles in morphology. The ex vivo skin deposition study showed a significant TZR accumulation in all skin layers for the Jas-selected ME over the Joj one. Further, TZR didn't show any antimicrobial activity against P. acnes, however, it was boosted when it was incorporated into the selected MEs. The in vivo study results of the infected mice ears induced by P. acnes revealed that our selected MEs successfully reached a high level of ear thickness reduction of 67.1% and 47.4% for Jas and Joj selected MEs, respectively, versus only 4% for the market product. Finally, the findings confirmed the ability to use essential oil-based ME, particularly with Jas, as a promising carrier for topical TZR delivery in the treatment of acne vulgaris.

Alpha lipoic acid with pulsed radiofrequency in treatment of chronic lumbosacral radicular pain: A prospective, randomized study.

BACKGROUND: The effect of adding alpha lipoic acid (ALA) to pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) for treatment of lumbar-sacral pain was evaluated. OBJECTIVE: to evaluate the effect of using ALA as an adjuvant therapy with PRF for treatment of chronic lumbosacral radicular pain caused by herniated disc. METHODS: One hundred twenty patients with lumbo-sacral radicular pain allocated into 2 groups. Group I: treated with PRF at 42°C for 120 seconds. Group II: treated as in group I, plus oral ALA 600 mg (Thiotacid 600 mg, EVA PHARMA, Egypt) three times per day (1800 mg/day) for 3 weeks then 600 mg once daily for 2 weeks. The lumbo-sacral radicular pain evaluated using the numerical rating pain score and Oswestry Disability Index. RESULTS: Success rate was significantly higher in group II at 3 and 6 months after intervention. The median values of the numerical rating pain score and the Oswestry Disability Index were significantly lower in group II with no significant difference in Epworth Sleepiness Scale. No major complications were reported in both groups. CONCLUSION: The current study supports the use of ALA with PRF on the dorsal root ganglion for treating lumbosacral radicular pain.

Phenotype-Genotype Correlations and Distribution of Key Virulence Factors in Enterococcus faecalis Isolated from Patients with Urinary Tract Infections.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Enterococcus faecalis can cause different nosocomial infections, especially urinary tract infection (UTI). Pathogenicity of E. faecalis is driven by various virulence factors; however, no specific genetic pattern is restricted to a particular type of infection. The current study aimed to investigate the correlation between different virulence factors in E. faecalis clinical isolates causing UTIs. METHODS: We phenotypically analyzed 60 urinary isolates, identified as E. faecalis, for biofilm formation, gelatinase, protease and hemolytic activities by Crystal Violet assay, gelatin hydrolysis, casein hydrolysis and blood agar hemolysis assays, respectively. Additionally, we detected different genes associated with species identification, virulence phenotypes, adherence and quorum sensing by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The detected genes included D-alanine-D-alanine ligase (ddl), cytolysin (cyl), gelatinase (gelE), serine protease (sprE), faecal streptococci regulator locus genes (fsrA, fsrB, fsrC), pili (pil), adhesin to collagen of E. faecalis (ace) and aggregation substance (agg). RESULTS: All isolates formed biofilms, mostly with strong to moderate ability. Although gelE was detected in 87% of the isolates, only 22% of the isolates had gelatinase activity. Similar phenotype-genotype incongruities were observed with hemolysis and casein hydrolysis activities, as the isolates that expressed these two phenotypes were fewer than those carrying the genes encoding them. CONCLUSION: A clear variability in virulence gene distribution among the isolates was observed, and no particular pattern was associated with UTI. Whereas all isolates carried at least ace and pil, whose products are involved in adherence, which is a virulence phenotype that is required for urinary colonization, six isolates carried the entire set of investigated genes. Statistical analysis of the results suggests cyl as a biomarker for hemolytic activity, fsrB as a diagnostic biomarker for the gelatinase activity, and gelE-sprE as predictors for biofilm formation strength in E. faecalis.

Milk amyloid A as a biomarker for diagnosis of subclinical mastitis in cattle.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Mastitis is one of the most vital noteworthy monetary risks to dairy ranchers and affects reproductive performance in dairy cattle. However, subclinical mastitis (SCM) negatively affects milk quality and quantity and associated with economic losses as clinical mastitis. It is recognizable only by additional testing. Somatic cell count (SCC) is currently used worldwide for the screening of intramammary infection (IMI) infections. However, somatic cells (SC) are affected by numerous factors and not always correlate with infection of the udder. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the milk amyloid A (MAA) in the milk of normal and SCM cows and compare the sensitivity of both MAA secretion and SCC in response to mammary gland bacterial infection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 272 quarter milk samples collected from 68 Friesian cows after clinical examination for detection of clinical mastitis were employed in this study. All quarter milk samples (272) were subjected to bacteriological examination, while SCs were assessed in samples (220). Following SCC estimation and bacteriological examination, the apparently normal quarter milk samples were categorized into 7 groups and MAA concentration was estimated in normal and subclinical mastitic milk samples. RESULTS: Prevalence of clinical mastitis was 19.12 % (52 quarters), while 80.88 % (220 quarters) were clinically healthy with normal milk secretion. Of those 220 clinically healthy quarter milk samples, 72 (32.73%) showed SCM as detected by SCC (SCC ≥500,000 cells/ml). The most prevalent bacteria detected in this study were streptococci (48.53%), Staphylococcus aureus (29.41%), Escherichia coli (36.76%), and coagulase-negative staphylococci (11.76%). Results of MAA estimation revealed a strong correlation between MAA secretion level and SCC in agreement with the bacteriological examination. Interestingly, there was a prompt increase in MAA concentration in Group III (G III) (group of milk samples had SCC ≤200,000 cells/ml and bacteriologically positive) than Group I (G I) (group of milk samples with SCC ≤500,000 cells/ml and bacteriologically negative), as MAA concentration in G III was about 4 times its concentration in G I. CONCLUSION: Our study provides a strong evidence for the significance of MAA measurement in milk during SCM, and MAA is more sensitive to IMI than SCC. This can be attributed to rapid and sensitive marker of inflammation. The advantage of MAA over other diagnostic markers of SCM is attributed the minute or even undetectable level of MAA in the milk of healthy animals, it is not influenced by factors other than mastitis, and could be estimated in preserved samples. Therefore, we recommend that estimation of MAA concentration in milk is a more useful diagnostic tool than SCC to detect SCM and to monitor the udder health in dairy cattle.

Evaluation of crude larval protein and recombinant somatic protein 26/23 (rHcp26/23) immunization against Haemonchuscontortus in sheep.

AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential possibility of crude larval and recombinant (rHcp26/23) antigens of Haemonchus contortus for immunization to control sheep hemonchosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 21 lambs were divided into five groups. Lambs were immunized with larval and recombinant (rHcp26/23) proteins at day 0 and day 14 and after that challenged with 5000 infective larvae of H. contortus on day 42. An unvaccinated positive control group was challenged with L3 in the meantime. An unvaccinated negative control group was not challenged. RESULTS: Fecal egg count reduction taking after challenge for rHcp26/23 and larval antigens was 92.2% and 38.2%, respectively, compared with the positive control group. Vaccine incited protection in rHcp26/23 and larval immunization was reflected in significant (p<0.05) decreases in worm burden; 59.9% and 40.1%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Recombinant rHcp26/23 vaccine induced a partial immune response and had immune-protective effect against sheep hemonchosis.