Coriander essential oil and linalool - interactions with antibiotics against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the antibacterial activity of coriander essential oil and its major constituent, linalool, in combination with antibiotics against Gram-positive (methicillin-susceptible and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, S. epidermidis) and Gram-negative bacteria (Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli). The chemical composition of coriander essential oil was analyzed by gas chromatography with flame ionization and mass spectrometry detection. The antibacterial activity of coriander essential oil, linalool and their combinations with antibiotics were assessed by the broth microdilution and checkerboard assays respectively. Thirty-four compounds were identified in coriander essential oil, linalool (70·11%) being predominant. Coriander essential oil and linalool showed synergistic interactions with antibiotics (oxacillin, amoxicillin, gentamicin, ciprofloxacin, tetracycline) against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. In these synergistic combinations, minimum inhibitory concentrations of antibiotics were markedly reduced; even antibiotic resistance reversal activity was recorded. These findings are very promising for the development of new therapeutic options for bacterial infections. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Gram-negative bacteria are still major threats to human health and, therefore, identification of new antibacterial agents or combinations with high potency is needed. Our study found synergistic interactions between coriander essential oil/linalool and antibiotics against MRSA and other Gram-positive bacteria (methicillin-susceptible S. aureus, S. epidermidis), but also Gram-negative bacteria (Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli). Increase in antibiotic susceptibility and reversal of antibiotic resistance were also demonstrated. Combinations of coriander essential oil/linalool and antibiotics are thus very promising for the development of novel antibacterials.

Significance of arterial stiffness and relationship with other noninvasive methods for the assessment of subclinical atherosclerosis inpatients with metabolic syndrome.

UNLABELLED: Measurement of arterial stiffness is an accurate method of assessment of endothelial dysfunction, together with other noninvasive methods, in the diagnosis of atherosclerotic burden in patients with MetS. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 63 patients: MetS group (18 men, 20 women, mean age 58.86 +/- 8.86 years) and the control group (14 men, 11 women, mean age 59.68 +/- 10.0 years). They underwent the following examinations: assessment of arterial stiffness--pulse wave velocity (PWVao), augmentation index of brachial artery (Aixbr) and aorta (Aixao), central systolic blood pressure (SBPao); carotid ultrasound for detection of plaques and measurement of intima-media thickness (IMT); echocardiography--left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH); ankle-brachial index (ABI); biochemical parameters: C-reactive protein (CRP), fibrinogen (Fb), cholesterol (Col), HDLcol, LDLcol and triglycerides. RESULTS: MetS patients had higher PWVao (10.06 +/- 2.12 m/s vs 8.29 +/- 1.33 m/s, p = 0.0001) and SBPao (135.06 +/- 19.80 mmHg vs. 121.76 +/- 18.62 mmHg, p = 0.009). Carotid IMT was higher in MetS group (0.92 +/- 0.11 vs. 0.83 +/- 0.10 mm, p = 0.003). Almost all MetS patients were hypertensive (94.7% vs. 52%, p = 0.01); LVH was present in 57.9% of MetS patients and 20% of the controls (p = 0.05). The MetS group presented higher Col (208.76 +/- 38.41 vs. 176.20 +/- 30.08 mg/dl, p = 0.0003) and CRP levels (0.872 +/- 0.852 mg/dl vs. 0.476 +/- 0.392 mg/dl, p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: In MetS patients the most reliable marker of arterial stiffness was PWVao, followed by SBPao. Higher values of carotid IMT are also parameters of high atherosclerotic risk. CRP and Col can be considered biomarkers of high risk in MetS.

[The importance of the sample size in getting statistical significance]. / Importanta volumului esantionului de studiu in obtinerea semnificatiei statistice.

Information is an undeniable force resulting implicitly from research. Inconsistent studies do not deserve to be even started. Statistical analysis plays a substantial role in gathering information, using descriptive methods or analytical ones. Confidence level for different measures (the mean is the most handle) and also statistical test are used to compare populations, exploiting samples. In this paper some aspects concerning sample size, statistical significance and the difference observed are described. Mathematical formulas are presented to account for the relations between sample size and statistical significance.

Correlation between linezolid zone diameter and minimum inhibitory concentration values determined by regression analysis.

Linezolid is a new synthetic antibiotic belonging to the oxazolidinone class, available for the therapy of gram-positive infections, caused by methicillin-resistant staphylococci, vancomycin-resistant enterococci and penicillin-resistant pneumococci. The aim of the study was to determine the in vitro activity of linezolid against staphylococci strains and also to determine the relationship between the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and inhibition zone diameter by calculating the regression analysis. We tested one hundred S. aureus isolates, obtained from healthy persons (naso-pharyngeal swabs) during 2005 year. The antibiotic susceptibility of strains was determined by disk diffusion standardized method and by agar dilution method using a multipoint inoculator. The relationship between the diameter of the inhibition zone produced by a linezolid disc impregnated with a fixed amount (30 eg) was determined by regression performed with the least squares method, considering the log2 of the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) as the independent variable and the zone diameter as the dependent variable. The MIC values expressed in logarithmic form are plotted against inhibition zone diameter (arithmetic scale) of the same strain. The activity of linezolid against staphylococci was very good, with MIC 90 of 1 mg/l. All strains were fully sensitive. The regression line for linezolid passes through a continuous series of points that all are approximately located on the a straight line. For each of the MIC values the differences result no greater than 23 mm in diameter sizes were registered. Regression equation was y= -0.188x + 8.048. In conclusion, the regression line analysis calculated for linezolid, demonstrates a significant correlation between MIC values and the inhibition zone diameters obtained by a 30 mg disc.

[The effect of antihypertensive drugs on the anaesthetic effect of lidocaine in hypertensive patients who need dental treatment]. / Influenta unor medicamente antihipertensive asupra efectului anestezic al lidocainei la pacientii hipertensivi care necesita terapie stomatologica.

The study evaluated the influence of atenolol/nifedipine on the local anaesthesia with lidocaine in 64 patients with essential arterial hypertension following dietetic regimen and divided in: control group (21 patients), atenolol-treated group (21 patients with atenolol therapy) and nifedipine-treated group (22 patients with nifedipine therapy). Atenolol/nifedipine was administrated three hours before anaesthesia (1.5 mg lidocaine/kg body weight) applied on Spix Spina. The atenolol/nifedipine influence on the anaesthetic intensity was evaluated both by the patient and dentist using scales for the appreciation of pain intensity (Visual Analogue Scale, Numerical Rating Scale) at 0 minutes (before anaesthesia), 5, 10, 20, 30, 60 minutes (moments for the determination of lidocaine plasmatic concentrations). There were no statistically significant differences between the values appreciated by the patient and dentist. Our data demonstrated a significant decrease of pain intensity in patients treated with atenolol/nifedipine. Very good inverse correlation was found between lidocaine concentrations and pain intensity.

Multi-valued logic in breast cancer detection.

The aim of this paper is to determine the type of the breast cancer disease. The two classes of separation are malignant respectively benign. A multi-valued logic system (fuzzy system) was develop and applied in this classification. The system uses nine attributes as inputs that were scaled with an integer value in the range between 1 and 10. The attributes represent: 1. Clump Thickness, 2. Uniformity of Cell Size, 3. Uniformity of Cell Shape, 4. Marginal Adhesion, 5. Single Epithelial Cell Size, 6. Bare Nuclei, 7. Bland Chromatin, 8. Normal Nucleoli, 9. Mitoses. After training the system managed to get a good detection with an error less than 5%.