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UK female psychiatric patients are increasingly becoming victims of sexual assault and rape in mixed-sex hospital wards, according to pressure groups. A sexual assault had been carried out on 4% of female psychiatric patients, according to a study carried out in 1995, with 75% of patients subjected to some form of abuse. The introduction of female-only wards has reduced the number of attacks in some hospitals although many units feel the presence of women on a mixed-ward can be beneficial to male patients. The Royal College of Nursing is calling for greater provision of single-sex wards.

[IrCl(COE)2]2(1) reacts with pyridine (py) and H2to form crystallographically characterized IrCl(H)2(COE)(py)2(2). 2undergoes py loss to form 16-electron IrCl(H)2(COE)(py) (3), with equivalent hydride ligands. When this reaction is studied with parahydrogen, 1efficiently achieves hyperpolarization of free py (and nicotinamide, nicotine, 5-aminopyrimidine, and 3,5-lutudine) via signal amplification by reversible exchange (SABRE) and hence reflects a simple and readily available precatayst for this process. 2reacts further over 48 h at 298 K to form crystallographically characterized (Cl)(H)(py)(μ-Cl)(μ-H)(κ-μ-NC5H4)Ir(H)(py)2(4). This dimer is active in the hydrogen isotope exchange process that is used in radiopharmaceutical preparations. Furthermore, while [Ir(H)2(COE)(py)3]PF6(6) forms upon the addition of AgPF6to 2, its stability precludes its efficient involvement in SABRE.

Three organozinc complexes have been synthesised and found to catalyse the carbonylation of propylene glycol with carbon dioxide to form propylene carbonate. A similar tethered organozinc complex was supported onto high loading aminopropyl functionalised hexagonal mesoporous silica and was also found to be catalytically active.

Our sun still is shining, but business interests would have you believe that there are nothing but storm clouds everywhere. Go figure. Interestingly, this is nothing new. The Michigan economy [...]

Aim This study sought to assess symptom severity and prevalence in people severely affected by multiple sclerosis (MS).Methods We collected data on symptoms and problems of patients as self-reported to trained interviewers on standardized questionnaires (including the Palliative Outcome Scale MS symptom checklist, POS-MSS).Results 52 patients were included, mean age 53 years; 26 had secondary progressive MS, 23 had primary progressive MS, three had other forms; 32/52 were unable to walk independently. Patients reported a mean of nine (median=8.5, mode=12) symptoms. Six symptoms affected more than 50% of patients: problems using legs, problems using arms, fatigue/lack of energy, spasms, pain, and feeling sleepy. Higher levels of disability were correlated with greater symptom severity for nine symptoms (Spearman rho ranged 0.28–0.56, p<0.05).Conclusion Many symptoms in people severely affected by MS are as highly prevalent and severe as those experienced by patients with advanced cancer. Increased disability is associated with increased severity for some symptoms.

Tripalladium clusters of the type [Pd3(PPh3)4]2+, wherein three linearly connected Pd atoms are stabilized by phosphine and arsine ligands, have been detected and isolated as intermediates during the reduction of well-defined mononuclear [Pd(OTf)2(XPh3)2] (X = P and X = As, respectively) to Pd nanoparticles (PdNPs). The isolated [Pd3(PPh3)4]2+cluster isomerizes on broad-band UV irradiation to form an unexpected photoisomer, produced by a remarkable change in conformation at one of the bridging PPh3ligands. A catalytic role for these [Pd3(XPh3)4]2+species is exemplified in Suzuki–Miyaura cross-coupling (SMCC) reactions, with high activity seen in the arylation of a brominated heterocyclic 2-pyrone. Use of the [Pd3(PPh3)4]2+cluster enables a switch in site selectivity for SMCC reactions involving 2,4-dibromopyridine from the typical C2-bromide site (seen previously for mononuclear Pd catalysts) to the atypical C4-bromide site, thereby mirroring recently reported cyclic Pd3clusters and PdNPs. We have further determined that the thermal isomer and photoisomer of [Pd3(PPh3)4]2+are similarly catalytically active in the Pd-catalyzed hydrogenation of phenylacetylene to give styrene. Our findings link the evolution of mononuclear Pd(II) salts to PdNPs via the intermediacy of linear [Pd3(XPh3)4]2+clusters.