Multidirectional characterisation of chemical composition and health-promoting potential of Rosa rugosa hips.

Rugosa rose provides one of the largest hips frequently used in the preparation of pharmaceutical and food products. The aim of work was to conduct multidirectional study of biological activity and chemical composition of Rosa rugosa hips. Antiradical, cytotoxic (against cervical and breast cancer cell lines), antibacterial (against eight bacterial strains) and antifungal potential of the species in question was evaluated.

Haemophilus parainfluenzae as a marker of the upper respiratory tract microbiota changes under the influence of preoperative prophylaxis with or without postoperative treatment in patients with lung cancer.

Background: Haemophili are representative microbiota of the upper respiratory tract. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of perioperative antimicrobial prophylaxis and/or postoperative treatment on Haemophilus parainfluenzae prevalence, and antimicrobial sensitivity in short-term hospitalized patients with lung cancer who underwent surgery.

Results: Samples were collected from 30 short-term hospitalized patients with lung cancer and from 65 healthy people.

Antibacterial, Antiradical Potential and Phenolic Compounds of Thirty-One Polish Mushrooms.

Background: Among many sources of natural bioactive substances, mushrooms constitute a huge and almost unexplored group. Fungal compounds have been repeatedly reported to exert biological effects which have prompted their use in pharmaceutical and cosmetic industry. Therefore, the aim of this study was analysis of chemical composition and biological activity of 31 wild growing mushroom species (including saprophytic and parasitic) from Poland.

Cytotoxic, antioxidant, antimicrobial properties and chemical composition of rose petals.

Background: Rosa rugosa petals are used for production of teas, jams, wines and juices. Despite the wide availability of rose cultivars, comprehensive information on petal chemical composition and healthful properties is still lacking. Therefore, the aim of this study was analysis of cytotoxic, antioxidant and antimicrobial activity and chemical composition of rugosa rose petals.

Quantitative analysis of biofilm formed on vascular prostheses by Staphylococcus epidermidis with different ica and aap genetic status.

Objectives: This study aims to examine biofilm formed on vascular prostheses by Staphylococcus epidermidis with different ica and aap genetic status, and to evaluate the effect of antibiotic-modified prostheses on bacterial colonization.

Methods: Biofilm formation was determined using fluorescence microscopy imaging. Quantitative analysis was conducted using the biofilm coverage ratio (BCR) calculations.

Phenolic acids content, antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of Ligusticum mutellina L.

A simple HPLC method has been used for separation and quantitative analysis of the phenolic acids in the methanolic extracts of Ligusticum mutellina aerial parts. Chlorogenic acid was the predominant phenolic acid. Additionally, gallic, p-OH-benzoic, caffeic, p-coumaric and ferulic acids were identified.

Synthesis and antibacterial activity of novel fused 1,3-thiazoles and 1,3-thiazines incorporating a 2,4-dihydroxyphenyl residue.

In an attempt to find a new class of antimicrobial agents, a series of benzothiazoles, 1,3-thiazolo[5,4-b]pyridines, 4H-3,1-benzothiazines, naphtho[2,3-d][1,3]thiazole-4,9-diones and other related compounds containing a 2,4-dihydroxyphenyl moiety were prepared. They were obtained via the reaction of aryl-modified sulfinyl[bis(2,4-dihydroxyphenylmethanethione)]s with appropriate commercial chemical reagents in the endocyclization processes. The MIC values of the compounds towards eight reference bacterial strains were assessed by the two-fold serial micro-dilution broth method.

Anaerobic bacteria colonizing the lower airways in lung cancer patients.

Anaerobes comprise most of the endogenous oropharyngeal microflora, and can cause infections of airways in lung cancer patients who are at high risk for respiratory tract infections. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency and species diversity of anaerobes in specimens from the lower airways of lung cancer patients. Sensitivity of the isolates to conventional antimicrobial agents used in anaerobe therapy was assessed.

Antimicrobial activity of fatty acids from fruits of Peucedanum cervaria and P. alsaticum.

Plants of the genus Peucedanum have been used in traditional medicine for a long time to treat different diseases including infectious diseases. The hexane fruits extracts of Peucedanum cervaria and P. alsaticum were examined for antimicrobial activity and analyzed for their fatty acid content.

Comparison of hydrodistillation and headspace solid-phase microextraction techniques for antibacterial volatile compounds from the fruits of Seseli libanotis.

The volatile compounds from the fruits of Seseli libanotis, wild-growing in Poland, were obtained by hydrodistillation (HD) and headspace solid-phase microextraction techniques (HS-SPME) and analyzed using GC-MS. A total of 58 components were identified. The most abundant compounds were sabinen and beta-phellandrene.

A comparative analysis of phenotypic and genotypic methods for the determination of the biofilm-forming abilities of Staphylococcus epidermidis.

The collection of 146 Staphylococcus epidermidis strains isolated from the nasopharynx of lung cancer patients has been studied for the ability of slime secretion and biofilm formation using the Congo red agar (CRA) test and the microtiter plate (MtP) method, respectively. The prevalence of the icaAD and the aap genes was also analyzed. Some isolates (35.

Bacterial colonization of pleural drains in patients with lung cancer: an analysis of risk factors.

Background: Microbial colonization of pleural drains during the postoperative period may be regarded as an important factor in infection development. The aim of this paper was to determine the frequency and risk factors associated with microbial colonization of pleural drains in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who underwent surgical resection.

Material/methods: A total of 72 pleural drain fluids obtained from 36 patients with NSCLC were microbiologically examined.

Volatile compounds in fruits of Peucedanum cervaria (Lap.) L.

The volatile compounds from Peucedanum cervaria (Lap.) L. were obtained by hydrodistillation (HD) and headspace solid-phase microextraction techniques (HS-SPME), and then analyzed by GC/MS methods.

Dynamics of nasopharyngeal colonization by gram-negative rods in patients with resectable lung cancer during short-term hospitalization.

We determined the frequency of colonization of nasopharynx by Gram-negative rods in 63 patients with lung cancer undergoing thoracic surgery who routinely receive antimicrobial prophylaxis. Throat and nasal specimens were taken from each patient twice: on the day of hospital admission (examination I) followed by thoracic surgery and on the fourth day after thoracic surgery (examination II). The isolated strains were identified using API 20E or API 20NE microtests.

Comparison of microdilution method and E-test procedure in susceptibility testing of caspofungin against Candida non-albicans species.

It is widely known that systemic and mucosal candidiasis caused by Candida non-albicans strains endangers the lives of hospitalised patients since these pathogens are extremely difficult to defeat by commonly used antifungal agents. The present study determined the in vitro activities of a novel antimicotic drug - caspofungin - against 76 Candida non-albicans isolates by means of the CLSI reference method for broth dilution antifungal susceptibility testing of yeasts and the E-test procedure for comparison. Caspofungin was efficacious against the majority of strains tested, with the average MICs90 evaluated by the microdilution method and E-tests amounting to 1 mg/l and 0.

Slime production and cell surface hydrophobicity of nasopharyngeal and skin staphylococci isolated from healthy people.

The collection of 314 staphylococcal strains including Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) was isolated from skin or nasopharynx of healthy people. It was found that the majority of staphylococci possessed the ability to produce slime intensively or moderately, irrespective of ecological niche-nose, throat or skin. Most of them showed the hydrophilic cell surface.

[Hydrophobic properties of gram-negative rods colonizing upper respiratory tract of healthy people].

The cell surface hydrophobicity is one of the non specific factors of adhesion influencing the ability of microorganisms to colonize nasopharynx. The aim of this paper was to evaluate via salt aggregation test (SAT) the cell surface hydrophobicity of 150 strains of gram-negative rods isolated from the throat or/and nasal specimens of healthy people. It has been found that among the nonfermenting rods hydrophobic strains were predominant.

[Phenotypic characteristics of coagulase-negative Staphylococci colonizing pleural drains in patients with lung cancer after thoracic surgery].

Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) represent an important group of etiologic agents of infections associated with plastic biomaterials, e.g. drains.