Maternal caesarean section infection (MACSI) in Sierra Leone: a case-control study.

Sierra Leone is the country with highest maternal mortality and infections are the underlying cause in 11% of maternal deaths, but the real burden remains unknown. This study aims to determine the incidence and risk factors of surgical site infection (SSI) post-caesarean section (CS) in women admitted to Princess Christian Maternity Hospital (PCMH) in Freetown, Sierra Leone. A prospective case-control (1:3 ratio) study was implemented from 1 May 2018 to 30 April 2019 and 11 women presenting with suspected or confirmed infection post-CS were screened for inclusion as a case. For each case, three patients undergoing CS on the same day and admitted to the same ward, but not presenting with SSI, were selected as controls. The post-CS infection rate was 10.9%. Two hundred and fifty-four clinically confirmed cases were enrolled and matched with 762 control patients. By multivariable analysis, the risk factors for SSI were: being single (odds ratio (OR) 1.48, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.36-1.66), low education level (OR 1.68, 95% CI 1.55-1.84), previous CS (OR 1.27, 95% CI 1.10-1.52), presenting with premature membranes rupture (OR 1.49, 95% CI 1.18-1.88), a long decision-incision time (OR 2.08, 95% CI 1.74-2.24) and a high missing post-CS antibiotic doses rate (OR 2.52, 95% CI 2.10-2.85).

Decaaquabis(µ3-4-hydroxypyridine-2,6-dicarboxylato)bis(4-hydroxypyridine-2,6-dicarboxylato)tetramanganese(II) 3.34-hydrate: a new three-dimensional open metal-organic framework based on a tetranuclear Mn(II) complex of chelidamic acid and undecameric stitching water clusters.

4-Hydroxypyridine-2,6-dicarboxylic acid (chelidamic acid, cdaH(3)) reacts with MnCl(2)·2H(2)O in the presence of 2-amino-4-methylpyrimidine in water to afford the tetranuclear title complex, [Mn(4)(C(8)H(3)NO(5))(4)(H(2)O)(10)]·3.34H(2)O, built through carboxylate bridging. The tetranuclear complex sits on a centre of inversion at (½, ½, ½). In the crystal, discrete undecameric (H(2)O)(10.34) water clusters (involving both coordinated and uncoordinated water molecules, with one site of an uncoordinated water molecule not fully occupied) assemble these tetranuclear Mn(II) complex units via an intricate array of hydrogen bonding into an overall three-dimensional network. The degree of structuring of the (H(2)O)(10.34) supramolecular association of water molecules observed in the present compound, imposed by its environment and vice versa, will be discussed in comparison to that observed for the (H(2)O)(14) supramolecular clusters in the case of the dinuclear complex [Mn(2)(cdaH)(2)(H(2)O)(4)]·4H(2)O [Ghosh et al. (2005). Inorg. Chem. 44, 3856-3862].

Rapid and non-invasive analysis of deoxynivalenol in durum and common wheat by Fourier-Transform Near Infrared (FT-NIR) spectroscopy.

Fourier transform near-infrared spectroscopy (FT-NIR) was used for rapid and non-invasive analysis of deoxynivalenol (DON) in durum and common wheat. The relevance of using ground wheat samples with a homogeneous particle size distribution to minimize measurement variations and avoid DON segregation among particles of different sizes was established. Calibration models for durum wheat, common wheat and durum + common wheat samples, with particle size <500 microm, were obtained by using partial least squares (PLS) regression with an external validation technique. Values of root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP, 306-379 microg kg(-1)) were comparable and not too far from values of root mean square error of cross-validation (RMSECV, 470-555 microg kg(-1)). Coefficients of determination (r(2)) indicated an "approximate to good" level of prediction of the DON content by FT-NIR spectroscopy in the PLS calibration models (r(2) = 0.71-0.83), and a "good" discrimination between low and high DON contents in the PLS validation models (r(2) = 0.58-0.63). A "limited to good" practical utility of the models was ascertained by range error ratio (RER) values higher than 6. A qualitative model, based on 197 calibration samples, was developed to discriminate between blank and naturally contaminated wheat samples by setting a cut-off at 300 microg kg(-1) DON to separate the two classes. The model correctly classified 69% of the 65 validation samples with most misclassified samples (16 of 20) showing DON contamination levels quite close to the cut-off level. These findings suggest that FT-NIR analysis is suitable for the determination of DON in unprocessed wheat at levels far below the maximum permitted limits set by the European Commission.

Use of cyclodextrins as modifiers of fluorescence in the detection of mycotoxins.

Cyclodextrins, cyclic oligosaccharides composed of amylose subunits, are known to interact with mycotoxins. The interactions may be useful to analytical chemists by altering the properties of the mycotoxin of interest, namely the chromatographic properties, electrophoretic properties, fluorescence, or absorption of these fungal metabolites. Practical applications of these effects have been the incorporation of cyclodextrins into high-performance liquid chromatography and capillary electrophoresis methods for mycotoxin detection. Specific mycotoxins include those with a native fluorescence such as the aflatoxins, ochratoxin A (OTA) and zearalenone (ZEN) as well as those that can be rendered fluorescent through derivatization, such as T-2 toxin. The literature describing the applications of cyclodextrins in mycotoxin analysis is reviewed and an attempt to extend the use of cyclodextrins to the detection of labelled T-2 toxin is presented. Twenty cyclodextrins were evaluated for their ability to enhance the fluorescence emission of T-2 toxin derivatized with pyrene-1-carbonyl cyanide (T2-Pyr). This evaluation revealed that heptakis (2,6-di-O-methyl)-beta-cyclodextrin (DIMEB), in particular, enhanced T2-Pyr fluorescence. DIMEB was used as a buffer modifier in a capillary electrophoresis-laser-induced fluorescence (CE-LIF) method for detecting T-2 in maize. Because of the effects that certain cyclodextrins have, especially under aqueous conditions, they may make useful additives for a variety of mycotoxin analytical methods.

Mechanistic aspects of the reaction between Br2 and chalcogenone donors (LE; E=S, Se): competitive formation of 10-E-3, T-shaped 1:1 molecular adducts, charge-transfer adducts, and [ (LE)2]2+ dications.

The synthesis and spectroscopic characterisation of the products obtained by treatment of N,N'-dimethylimidazolidine-2-thione (1), N,N'-dimethylimidazolidine-2-selone (2), N,N'-dimethylbenzoimidazole-2-thione (3) and N,N'-dimethylbenzoimidazole-2-selone (4) with Br2 in MeCN are reported, together with the crystal structures of the 10-E-3, T-shaped adducts 2 . Br2 (12), 3 . Br2 (13) and 4 . Br2 (14). A conductometric and spectrophotometric investigation into the reaction between 1-4 and Br2, carried out in MeCN, allows the equilibria involved in the formation of the isolated 10-E-3 (E = S, Se) hypervalent compounds to be hypothesised. In order to understand the reasons why S and Se donors can give different product types on treatment with Br2 and I2, DFT calculations have been carried out on 1-8, 19 and 20, and on their corresponding hypothetical [LEX]+ cations (L = organic framework; E = S, Se; X = Br, I), which are considered to be key intermediates in the formation of the different products. The results obtained in terms of NBO charge distribution on [LEX]+ species explain the different behaviour of 1-8, 19 and 20 in their reactions with Br2 and I2 fairly well. X-ray diffraction studies show 12-14 to have a T-shaped (10-E-3; E = S, Se) hypervalent chalcogen nature. They contain an almost linear Br-E-Br (E = S, Se) system roughly perpendicular to the average plane of the organic molecules. In 12, the Se atom of each adduct molecule has a short interaction with the Br(1) atom of an adjacent unit, such that the Se atom displays a roughly square planar coordination. The Se-Br distances are asymmetric [2.529(1) vs. 2.608(1) A], the shorter distance being that with the Br(1) atom involved in the short intermolecular contact. In contrast, in the molecular adducts 13 and 14, which lie on a two-fold crystallographic axis, the Br-E-Br system is symmetric and no short intermolecular interactions involving chalcogen and bromine atoms are observed. The adducts are arranged in parallel planes; this gives rise to a graphite-like stacking. The new crystalline modification of 10, obtained from acetonitrile solution, confirms the importance of short intermolecular contacts in determining the asymmetry of Br-E-Br (E = S, Se) and I-Se-I groups in hypervalent 10-E-3 compounds. The analogies in the conductometric and spectrophotometric titrations of 1 and 2-4 with Br2, together with the similarity of the vibrational spectra of 11-14, also imply a T-shaped nature for 11. The vibrational properties of the Br-E-Br (E = S, Se) systems resemble those of the Br3- and IBr2- anions: the Raman spectrum of a symmetric Br-E-Br group shows only one peak near 160 cm(-1), as found for symmetric Br3- and IBr2- anions, while asymmetric Br-E-Br groups also show an antisymmetric Br-E-Br mode at around 190 cm(-1), as observed for asymmetric Br3- and IBr2- ions. Therefore, simple IR and Raman measurements provide a useful tool for distinguishing between symmetric and asymmetric Br-E-Br groups, and hence allow predictions about the crystal packing of these hypervalent chalcogen compounds to be made when crystals of good quality are not available.

Copper(II)-selective membrane electrodes based on some recently synthesized mixed aza-thioether crowns containing a 1,10-phenanthroline sub-unit.

Three different mixed aza-thioether crowns containing a 1,10-phenanthroline sub-unit were investigated to characterize their abilities as copper(II) ion carriers in PVC-membrane electrodes. The electrode based on L1 exhibited a Nernstian response for Cu(2+) ions over a wide concentration range (2x10(-1) to 1x10(-5) M) with a limit of detection of 8.0x10(-6) M (0.5 p.p.m.). The response time of sensor is 15 s, and the membrane can be used for more than 3 months without observing any deviation. The electrode revealed comparatively good selectivities with respect to many alkali, alkaline earth, transition and heavy metal ions, and could be used in a pH range of 2.5-5.5. It was applied to the direct determination and potentiometric titration of the copper(II) ion.

Antifungal, antibacterial, antiviral and cytotoxic activity of novel thio- and seleno-azoles.

A series of pentaatomic heterocyclic compounds containing sulphur or selenium in position 2, were tested for cytotoxicity, antiviral and antimicrobial activities. Generally, selenium-containing compounds were more toxic than the corresponding sulphur-containing ones (30-75 times more toxic) and, furthermore, the biological activity against some microorganisms was also enhanced. In particular, some selenium-containing derivatives exerted an inhibitory activity on plant pathogenic fungi at doses markedly lower than the toxic ones, showing an interesting selectivity of action. In this case the tested compounds appeared more active than ketoconazole, the control used, with an almost comparable degree of cytotoxicity.