Impact of a rapid molecular test for positive blood cultures from neonatal intensive care patients on clinical management: a retrospective audit.

BACKGROUND: Both Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase negative Staphylococci are common causes of late-onset neonatal sepsis in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), usually relating to intravascular access device infections. AIMS: This project aimed to review the impact on antimicrobial treatment and clinical outcome in the NICU setting, of the introduction of the Xpert MRSA/SA BC test (Cepheid, USA) for the identification of staphylococci in blood cultures. METHODS: A retrospective audit was carried out of the pre- and post-intervention periods; the intervention was the introduction of the Xpert MRSA/SA BC test. RESULTS: In total, 88 neonates had positive blood cultures with Staphylococcus spp., comprising 42 neonates in the pre-intervention and 46 in the post-intervention groups. The pre-intervention group had a higher birth weight (1.541 kg vs. 1.219 kg, p = 0.05) and higher platelet count (288 vs. 224 × 109/L, p = 0.05). There was a trend towards a shorter duration of antimicrobial therapy in term infants and in the length of admission; however, this was not statistically significant (p = 0.2). All of the nine infants post-intervention with significant bacteraemia (S. aureus =3, CoNS =6) were changed to the optimal antimicrobial at the time the result was available. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that the introduction of the Xpert MRSA/SA BC test can lead to a reduction in the length of admission and duration of antimicrobials in term infants; however, the difference was not statistically significant. All nine infants with clinically significant bacteraemia were treated with the appropriate antimicrobial when the Xpert MRSA/SA BC test result was available.

Isolation of cationic digold-frame with free carboxylic acid pendants.

Use of different diphosphines enables the isolation and crystallographic characterization of gold pyridylcarboxylate complexes with different structural motifs. Dppm [bis(diphenylphosphino)methane] supports side-by-side-like complexes [Au(2)(dppm)(IsonicH)(2)](2+) (isonicH = 4-NC(5)H(4)CO(2)H) with aurophilic and pipi interactions of the pyridyl rings. Use of dppen [1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethylene] removes the latter interaction but keeps the orthogonal closed-shell interaction of Au(I) in [Au(2)(dppen)(IsonicH)(2)](2+). The ligand dppe [1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane] helps to push the gold centers apart in [Au(2)(dppe)(isonicH)(2)](2+) and remove both interactions. These digold complexes are potential metalloligands that carry functional acids which can be conveniently activated by deprotonation.

Na+ and Ca2+ ion selective pyridylcarboxylate rings of Pd(II) and Pt(II).

A series of dinuclear Pd(II) and Pt(II) with central rectangular cavities have been self-assembled using pyridyl carboxylates as spacers and phosphines [1,1'-bis(diphenylphosphino)ferrocene (dppf) and triphenylphosphines] as supporting ligands. Some of these function as metallacrowns by capturing adventitious alkali or alkali earth metals ions. Two of the Pt(II) rings bind selectively to Na(+) whereas the Pd(II) rings prefer Ca(2+). Such endocyclic association with the metal ion is facilitated by the converging carbonyl pendants and supported by coordinated triflates. Affinity and selectivity are achieved through stereo-conformational control of the pendant carbonyls and the ring which are isomerically dependent on the spacer. These intermetallic complexes are characterized by X-ray single-crystal crystallography and solution spectroscopy (NMR and ESI-MS). A varied range of local geometries of Na(+) and Ca(2+) are revealed.

Spacer-directed coordination polymers-of-oligomers (POLO) of silver.

A novel series of Ag(I) polymers-of-oligomers with pyridylcarboxylate spacers supported by a diphosphine [1,1'-bis(diphenylphosphino)methane (dppm) or 1,1'-bis(diphenylphosphino)ferrocene (dppf)] has been constructed and crystallographically established. The repeating oligomeric Ag5 block is invariably made up of five Ag(I) centers comprising Ag2 and Ag units with different metal geometries. Other related Ag5 and Ag4 assemblies have also been isolated. The preparation of the [Ag2(isonic)(dppm)2]n(n+) polymer (isonic = 4-pyridyl formate, NC5H4CO2(-)) using a ligand transfer pathway from NiCl2(dppm) to AgOTf (OTf = CF3SO3(-)) has been identified. The structural outcomes suggested that pyridylcarboxylates of different stereogeometrical and conformational properties can stabilize different oligomeric and topological forms through adaptation to the contrasting demands of the diphosphine and metal.

Oligo- and polymeric Pd(II) and Pt(II) using pyridyl carboxylate spacers for topology control.

An array of Pd(II) and Pt(II) supramolecular assemblies have been constructed using pyridyl carboxylates as spacers and phosphines [(C5H4PPh2)2Fe (dppf) and PPh3)] as supporting ligands. Different molecular topologies such as squares, triangles, rectangles, and polymers can be controlled by the spatial and directional character of the spacer. A change of the denticity of the phosphine does not affect the topological outcome. Significant differences, however, are observed for the congeneric analogues, with Pd(II) showing a more pronounced tendency toward coordination polymer formation and its attached carboxyl a higher affinity toward Ag(+). The ability of these assemblies to capture cations, such as Na(+) in [Pt3Na(3-NC5H4CO2)3(OTf)3(PPh3)6](+) through hydrogen bonding or Ag(+) in [PdAg(2-NC5H4CO2)(OTf)2(dppf)] through dative bonding, is described and compared. All of the complexes are structurally characterized by single-crystal X-ray crystallography.

Assembly of gold rings and chains with pyridyl carboxylate as directional spacer.

The combinative use of Au(I), a skeletally flexible diphosphine and a bifunctional spacer of pyridyl carboxylate with tunable directional and donor properties has resulted in a series of structurally distinctive ensembles and Au(2) metalloligands with O-donicity.

Constructing homo- and hetero-metallic molecular topologies using pyridylcarboxylates as spacers: preparation of a half-ring complex with active coordination sites.

Addition of isonicotinic acid NC(5)H(4)CO(2)H (or isonicH) to [Pt(dppf)(MeCN)(2)](2+)2OTf(-)(dppf = 1,1'-bis(diphenylphosphino)ferrocene, OTf = triflate) affords a mixture of the homometallic molecular square [Pt(4)(dppf)(4)(mu-O(2)CC(5)H(4)N)(4)](4+)4OTf(-), 1 and its precursor intermediate [Pt(dppf)(eta(1)-NC(5)H(4)CO(2)H)(2)](2+)2OTf(-), 2. The latter captures [Pd(dppf)(MeCN)(2)](2+)2OTf(-) to give a heterometallic square, [Pt(2)Pd(2)(dppf)(4)(mu-O(2)CC(5)H(4)N)(4)](4+)4OTf(-), 3. Slight skeletal modification of the ligand leads to different assemblies. This is illustrated by the addition of NC(5)H(4)CH(2)CO(2)H.HCl to [Pt(dppf)(MeCN)(2)](2+)2OTf(-) to give [PtCl(dppf)(NC(5)H(4)CH(2)CO(2)H)](+)OTf(-), 4, which reacts with another equivalent of AgOTf to yield the dibridged complex [Pt(2)(dppf)(2)(mu-NC(5)H(4)CH(2)CO(2))(2)](2+)2OTf(-), 5. All complexes, with the exception of , have been structurally characterized by single-crystal X-ray crystallography. Complexes 2 and 4 are potential precursors to further molecular topologies.

Unusual coordination assemblies from platinum(II) thienyl and bithienyl complexes.

Dinuclear Pt(2)Br(2)(dppf)(2)(mu-C(8)H(4)S(2)) exchanges with isonicotinic acid to release free bithiophene and gives a molecular square [Pt(4)(dppf)(4)(mu(2)-O(2)CC(5)H(4)N)(4)](4+)4OTf(-) which is an "all-ring" system with four Pt rings disposed at the corners of a larger macrocyclic ring. The related mononuclear complex PtBr(eta(1)(C2)-C(4)H(3)S)(dppf) reacts with AgOTf (OTf = triflate) to give [Pt(2)(dppf)(2)(mu(2),eta(1)(C),eta(1)(S)-C(4)H(3)S)(2)](2+)2OTf(-) with an unusual six-membered ring formed by the fusion of two Pt-thienyl entities at the sulfur sites. All the complexes are structurally characterized by single-crystal X-ray crystallography.

Complexes of salicylaldehyde acylhydrazones: cytotoxicity, QSAR and crystal structure of the sterically hindered t-butyl dimer.

A series of acylhydrazones of salicylaldehyde and their transition metal complexes, predominantly copper(II), have been prepared and characterized. The crystal structure of the Cu(II) complex of the sterically hindered t-butyl derivative contains a phenolato bridged dimer with the ligand coordinated as a tridentate moiety. QSAR analyses of the cytotoxicity of the chelators and their Cu(II) complexes reveals that solubility is the dominant factor for activity. Compounds display a maximum with respect to lipophilicity, allowing optimization of the bioactivity for both the ligands and their complexes. Copper complexes are significantly more cytotoxic than the metal-free ligands and complexes of other metals: Cu > Ni > Zn = Mn > Fe = Cr > Cr > Co.

High performance liquid chromatographic determination of aluminium in natural waters in the form of its lumogallion chelate.

A high performance liquid chromatographic method for the determination of ultra trace amount of aluminium in natural waters has been developed using lumogallion as a precolumn reagent for fluorimetric detection. The highly fluorescent Al-lumogallion chelate (lambda(ex) 500 nm, lambda(em) 574 nm) was separated on a LiChrosorb RP 18 column with an eluent containing 3:7 acetonitrile/0.02M potassium hydrogen phthalate buffer (pH 4.7) containing 10(-5)M lumogallion. The proposed system provides a simple, quick, selective and sensitive method for the determination of ultra-trace amount of aluminium in water samples. The detection limit defined as three times the standard deviation of the blank signal, was 0.05 mug/l. in water samples for 100 mul injection. The tolerance limits were 5 mg/l. for Fe(III) and F(-) and over 10 mg/l. for other foreign ions. The sensitivity of the method was independent of salinity. This method had been used for the direct determination of aluminium in both tap and coastal sea-waters without any preconcentration steps.

Factors affecting the leaching of lead from UPVC pipes.

This paper summarizes the results of a series of studies on the various factors that affect the leaching of lead from unplasticized poly(vinyl chloride) (UPVC) pipes. Factors that were studied include temperature, pH and extractants. Results showed that, for a given UPVC pipe, the rate of leaching of lead depended primarily on temperature and the nature of extractants. While the rate of leaching of lead was quite low with distilled water, it was very much enhanced by the presence of low concentration of anions such as Cl(-), HPO inf4 (sup2-) HCO inf3 (sup-) , NO inf3 (sup-) , SO inf4 (sup2-) and EDTA. EDTA, being a strong complexing agent, was most effective. Rates of leaching were found to be higher at elevated temperature except in the cases of HPO inf4 (sup2-) and EDTA. Effect of pH was not pronounced. The temperature at which the UPVC pipes were extruded was found to affect the rate of leaching of lead. Pipes extruded at 190°C were found to have lower rate of leaching than those extruded at 180°C and 170°C. Analysis of the pipes by Scanning Electron Microscopy showed that the distribution of lead in the pipes extruded at 190°C was more uniform than those extruded at 170°C.

Poly(sodium acrylamidoalkanoates) in water treatment.

Poly(sodium 6-acrylamidocaproate), poly(sodium 11-acrylamidoundecanoate), poly(sodium 11-N-methylacrylamidoundecanoate) and poly(sodium 11-N-ethylacrylamidoundecanoate) have been synthesized. The performance of these anionic polyelectrolytes as coagulant aids in water treatment was assessed by the jar test. The effects of polymer dosage and pH on their performances were investigated in order to establish the optimum flocculation conditions. The effectiveness of these polyelectrolytes as well as a commercially available cationic polyamine organic coagulant aid was compared in terms of floc size, settling rate and the quality of treated water. Poly(sodium 6-acrylamidocaproate) and poly(sodium 11-acrylamidoundecanoate) were superior to poly(sodium 11-N-methylacrylamidoundecanoate) and poly(sodium 11-N-ethylacrylamidoundecanoate), and they are as effective as the commercial cationic coagulant aid.

Ecology of marine fouling organisms at Eastern Johore Strait.

Marine biofouling causes problems to marine structure and obstructs condenser tubes in cooling systems which use sea water as the coolant. The main purpose of this study is to investigate the seasonal ecology of biofouling organisms such as the green mussel, Perna viridis, the dominant fouling species in the Eastern Johore Straits at the Senoko Power Station. The spawning time and its relationship with environmental conditions were studied. The physical, chemical and biological conditions of the sea at Senoko were monitored for a year. Settling slides were used to study the fouling succession in different monsoon seasons. The study showed that there were two main spawning peaks for the green mussel and that these peaks occurred during the intermonsoon months of November and April. These peaks were also correlated with the bimodal patterns for salinity, dissolved oxyen, bivalve veliger larval density and total plankton biomass of the Eastern Johore Strait water. Succession patterns were similar during the two monsoon seasons, however, the rate of fouling was probably greater during the southwest monsoon months. It is therefore advisable that the control or reduction of biofouling in Eastern Johore Strait should take into account the seasonal fluctuations and spawning of the fouling organisms.

Mercury, lead, and other heavy metals in Chinese medicines.

Ninety-nine samples of common Chinese medicines were purchased from Chinese medical shops in Singapore and Malaysia and analyzed for mercury, lead, copper, cadmium, cobalt, iron, and nickel. The majority of these medicines were manufactured in China, Hong Kong, and Malaysia. A few of them were of Singapore and Taiwan origin. Atomic absorption method (both flame and flameless) was used for the analyses. Mercury was found to be present in high concentrations in several of the medicines that were for oral consumption.