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Abstract The 1

Adherence with American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines when managing neonatal jaundice in Jordan

Mohammad Khassawneh,1 Ziad Rubaie,2 Issa Khashashneh,3 Fakhri Makhlouf,4 Ahmed Alkafajei2 1Department of Pediatrics, 2Department of Public Health, Jordan University of Science and Technology; 3Department of Pediatrics, Prince Rashid Hospital; 4Department of Pediatrics, Princess Rahma Children's Hospital, Irbid, Jordan Background: Bilirubin encephalopathy is a significant health problem in developing countries. Understanding regional practices in comparison with international standards is needed to assess the safety and efficacy of our local management practice. Methods: This retrospective study included all neonates (≥35 weeks gestation) with hyperbilirubinemia who were admitted to the three main neonatal units in northern Jordan between January 2007 and January 2009. Demographic variables and risk factors were collected. Management of hyperbilirubinemia in the absence of national guidelines was compared with that recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Results: Four hundred and sixteen infants were admitted with hyperbilirubinemia and received phototherapy. The phototherapy threshold was met in only 210 (50%) of infants. Seventy infants (17%) received exchange transfusion, and the threshold was met in 60 (86%) infants. Only 50% of infants who needed exchange transfusion received the procedure. Conclusion: Despite the high rate of unnecessary phototherapy, exchange transfusion was performed in one of every two infants who met the international criteria for the procedure. Studies are needed in our country to evaluate the impact of this practice on infants with hyperbilirubinemia. Keywords: neonatal jaundice, hyperbilirubinemia, exchange transfusion, guideline

Synthesis, characterization and antibacterial studies of some new tellurated azo compounds

<p>A series of tellurated azo compounds [<i>i.e</i>. (4-HOC₆H₄N=N-Ar)TeBr₃ and (4-HOC₆H₄N=N-Ar)₂TeBr₂, where Ar=5-BrC₆H₃, 5-CH₃C₆H₃ and 5-NO₂C₆H₃] were prepared by the reaction of the corresponding 2-(4-hydroxyphenylazo)aryl mercury chloride with tellurium tetrabromide in 1:1 and 2:1 mole ratio, respectively in dry dioxane as a solvent. The reduction of (4-HOC₆H₄N=N-Ar)TeBr₃ by hydrazine hydrate gave the corresponding ditelluride (<i>i.e</i>., (4-HOC₆H₄N=N-Ar)₂Te₂). Treatment of (4-HOC₆H₄N=N-Ar)₂TeBr₂ with hydrazine hydrate afforded the corresponding tellurides, (4-HOC₆H₄N=N-Ar)₂Te), in good yields. The structures of all newly synthesized compounds were assigned on the basis of their elemental and spectroscopic data. The antibacterial activity of tellurated azo compounds along with mercurated azo compounds was tested with agar diffusion method against the bacteria strains <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> and <i>Escherichia coli</i>. The antibacterial activities of tellurated azo compounds were in some cases equal or better than those of the reference drug. The mercurated azo compounds were found to be the more antibacterial activity of than those of tellurated azo compounds.</p