Rapid bactericidal effect of cinnamon bark essential oil against Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

AIMS: This study aimed to identify the most effective antimicrobial agent from a selection of essential oils (EO) and investigate its bactericidal properties against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. METHODS AND RESULTS: The disc diffusion assay and minimal inhibitory/bactericidal concentration tests were used to identify antimicrobial potential. Several oils exhibited antimicrobial effects at concentrations as low as 0·03% (v/v). Significantly, cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum) bark EO exhibited a broad-spectrum activity against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria and showed bacteriostatic and bactericidal effects against P. aeruginosa PAO1 at 0·125% (v/v) and all other tested organisms, including known multidrug resistant species. Time-kill assays and metabolic activity tests showed cinnamon oil to exhibit rapid killing, with bactericidal activity observed in ≤6 min at ≥0·5% (v/v). Furthermore, scanning electron microscopy and a membrane permeability assay indicated damage to membrane integrity, loss of turgor and cell collapse. CONCLUSION: Cinnamon bark EO is a broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent capable of rapid killing at low concentrations. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: This study provides a sound basis for further investigation of the potential of cinnamon bark EO as an alternative to conventional antimicrobial products due to its fast-acting bactericidal properties at low concentrations.

Identifying bacteria in human urine: current practice and the potential for rapid, near-patient diagnosis by sensing volatile organic compounds.

Urinary tract infection (UTI) represents a significant burden for the National Health Service. Extensive research has been directed towards rapid detection of UTI in the last thirty years. A wide range of microbiological and chemical techniques are now available to identify and quantify bacteria in urine. However, there is a clear and present need for near, rapid, sensitive, reliable analytical methods, preferably with low-running costs, that could allow early detection of UTI and other diseases in urine. Here we review the "state of the art" of current practice for the detection of bacteria in urine and describe the advantages of the recent "e-nose" technology as a potential tool for rapid, near-patient diagnosis of UTI, by sensing volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

Impact of a clinical pathway for elective infrarenal aortic reconstructions.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the impact of a clinical pathway for elective infrarenal aortic reconstruction on outcome, resource utilization, and cost in a university medical center. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Clinical pathways have been reported to control costs, reduce resource utilization, and maintain or improve the quality of patient care, although their use during elective aortic reconstructions remains unresolved. METHODS: A clinical pathway was developed for elective infrarenal aortic reconstructions by a multidisciplinary group comprised of representatives from each involved service. The prepathway practice and costs were analyzed and an efficient, cost-effective practice with specific outcome measures was defined. The impact of the pathway was determined by retrospective comparison of outcome, resource utilization, and cost (total and direct variable) between the pathway patients (PATH, n = 45) and a prepathway control group (PRE, n = 20). RESULTS: There were no significant differences in the patient demographics, comorbid conditions, operative indications, or type of reconstruction between the groups. There were no operative deaths and the overall complication rate (PRE, 35% vs. PATH, 34%) was similar. The pathway resulted in significant decreases in the total length of stay and preoperative length of stay and a trend toward a significant decrease (p = 0.08) in the intensive care length of stay for the admission during which the operation was performed. The pathway also resulted in significant decreases in both direct variable and total hospital costs for this admission, as well as a significant decrease in the overall direct variable and total hospital costs for the operative admission and the preoperative evaluation (< or =30 days before operative admission). Despite these reductions, the discharge disposition, 30-day readmissions, and number of postoperative clinic visits within 90 days of discharge were not different. CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of a clinical pathway for elective infrarenal aortic reconstructions dramatically decreased resource utilization and hospital costs without affecting the quality of patient care and did not appear to shift the costs to another setting.

Lectin from Codium fragile ssp. tomentosoides conjugated to colloidal gold: a new histochemical reagent.

A new histochemical reagent has been developed utilising a lectin from a marine alga for the first time. Colloidal gold was coupled to the N-acetyl-alpha-D-galactosamine specific lectin from the green alga Codium fragile ssp. tomentosoides. The lectin--gold conjugate bound to the membranes of blood-group A1 human erythrocytes which were used as a model system. The bound complex could be detected, readily, by transmission electron microscopy. This novel reagent incorporating a lectin of low molecular weight (15 kDa) has potential value for studies of cell-surface topography of a variety of tissues.