Reproducibility and workability of the European test standard EN 12791 regarding the effectiveness of surgical hand antiseptics: a randomized, multicenter trial.

Objectives: To evaluate the reproducibility and workability of the in vivo test model of the European test standard EN 12791 regarding the effectiveness of surgical hand antiseptics and, as a secondary objective, to evaluate the power of the model to discriminate between the effectiveness of various formulations of surgical hand antiseptics.

Design: Prospective, randomized, multicenter study with a Latin square design.

Setting: Five laboratories at 2 universities, 2 disinfectant manufacturers, and 1 private testing institution.

Comparison of different biological methods for the assessment of ecotoxicological risks.

To test the effects of heavy metals in river water, we compared the sensitivity of seven different biological test methods, using bacteria (Vibrio fischeri), human FL cells, protozoans (Paramecium spp.), nematodes (Rhabditis oxycerca), aquatic plants (Lemna minor), and fishes (Leuciscus idus melanotus). As test substance we used a representative mixture of 3.

Irradiance and temperature affect the competitive interference of blackberry on the physiology of European beech seedlings.

The potential negative influence of competition from early successional species like blackberry (Rubus fruticosus) may be decisive for the natural regeneration success of drought-sensitive beech (Fagus sylvatica), especially in the light of climate change. With a split plot glasshouse experiment, we investigated the influence of two air temperature and irradiance levels on the competitive interference of blackberry on the water, nitrogen (N) and carbon (C) balance of beech seedlings under moderate drought. When increased temperature was accompanied by low irradiance the biomass, root-to-shoot ratio, N uptake and assimilation rates of blackberry were lower compared with beech, either grown alone or with blackberry.

Evaluation of protective and therapeutic effects of dexpanthenol on nasal decongestants and preservatives: results of cytotoxic studies in vitro.

Background: More than 600 million units of nasal decongestants are sold worldwide annually. The cytotoxic and ciliary toxic potential of decongestants, as well as the preservatives of these products, in particular benzalkonium chloride (BKC), is well established. Recently, a beneficial effect of dexpanthenol on the tolerability of the alpha-sympathomimetic xylometazoline and BKC has been described; however, it was unclear if this effect, resulting in significantly higher cell counts in a cytotoxicity study and an increase in ciliary beat frequency in a ciliary toxicity study was of protective or therapeutic nature.

Antimicrobial safety of a preservative-free nasal multiple-dose drug administration system.

Recent technical developments in metered-dose pumps allow preservative-free nasal drug application with multiple-dose systems, avoiding the cytotoxic and allergic problems of preservatives. The use of the 3K System as a representative of those systems is demonstrated as microbiologically safe and without risk for the user and for the product during shelf life, under challenge up to 24 weeks, as well as under worst-case conditions with heavy bacterial contamination on the outlet surface. Therefore, the authors assess preservative-free pump systems as the new gold standard for mucosal drug application.

Limited efficacy of alcohol-based hand gels.

Alcohol-based gels have been introduced recently in many hospitals worldwide for hand antisepsis. We investigated the antimicrobial efficacy of ten gels and four rinses according to European standards (EN 1500). No gel met the EN 1500 requirements within 30 s of application, whereas all hand rinses did.