Evaluation and clinical impact of MALDI Biotyper Mycobacteria Library v6.0 for identification of nontuberculous mycobacteria by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry

Major challenges in the identification of non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) by MALDI-TOF MS include protein extraction protocol and updating of the NTM database. The aim of this study was to evaluate MALDI Biotyper Mycobacteria Library v6.0 (Bruker Daltonics GmbH, Bremen, Germany) for identification of clinical NTM isolates and its impact on clinical management. NTM isolates cultivated from clinical samples in 101 patients were identified simultaneously by PCR-reverse hybridization (Hain Lifescience GmbH, Nehren, Germany) as a routinely used reference molecular method and using MALDI Biotyper Microflex LT/SH after protein extraction. Each isolate was applied to eight spots, and mean scores were used in analysis. MALDI-TOF MS obtained correct identification to the species level for 95 (94.06%) NTM isolates. The majority of correctly identified isolates (92/95; 96.84%) were identified with high-confidence score of ≥1.80 and only 3.16% (3/95) with a score of <1.80. Mean value ± SD of RGM NTM isolates (2.127 ± 0.172) was statistically significant higher in comparison to SGM NTM isolates (2.027 ± 0.142) with a p value of 0.007. In comparison to PCR-reverse hybridization, discordant identification results by MALDI-TOF MS were found in six (6/101; 5.94%) NTM isolates for which clinical data were analyzed. We demonstrated a high confidence NTM identifications using Mycobacterium Library v 6.0 on routine clinical isolates. This is the first study that analyzed MALDI-TOF MS identification results of NTM isolates in the context of clinical data, and it showed that MALDI-TOF MS with its updated databases could help clarify the epidemiology, clinical characteristics, and course of infections caused by less frequent NTM species.     

Conformational transition in polyaniline films - Spectroscopic and conductivity studies of ageing

Polyaniline films were produced in situ at room temperature from aniline hydrochloride oxidized with ammonium peroxydisulfate on glass surfaces immersed in an aqueous reaction mixture. A notable change in the character of the time dependence of resistivity at fixed temperature was observed when the temperature of ageing exceeded 85 °C. The ageing was much faster above this limit. This observation is reflected in the FTIR spectroscopic measurements on the aged protonated, as well as deprotonated, samples. The FTIR spectral variation may be explained by a conformational transition of the polymer chain at about 85 °C. The fact that a similar transition has been found with deprotonated samples indicates that this feature is an inherent property of polyaniline, and is not caused by the acid component of the PANI salt.     

On the origin of diastereoselectivity in [2 + 2 + 2] cycloisomerization of chiral triynes: controlling helicity of helicene-like compounds by thermodynamic factors

Diastereoselective CoI-mediated [2 + 2 + 2] cycloisomerization of CH(3)O-substituted optically pure aromatic triynes to obtain nonracemic functionalized helicene-like compounds (comprising a penta-, hexa-, and heptacyclic helical scaffold) was studied. The stereochemical outcome of the reaction at 140 degrees C using CpCo(CO)(2) was controlled by thermodynamic factors yielding diastereomeric ratios up to 91:9. Using CpCo(ethylene)(2) at room temperature, a kinetic control took place leading to the loss of stereoselectivity. Barriers to epimerization for selected helicene-like compounds were measured indicating their lower configurational stability in comparison to the parent carbohelicenes. Free energy differences between corresponding pairs of diastereomers (calculated at the DFT B3LYP/TZV+P level) were in excellent agreement with the experimental data and allowed for the prediction of the stereochemical outcome of the reaction. An optically pure hexacyclic helicene-like alcohol was prepared on a multigram scale. Its X-ray structure confirmed the previous helicity assignments being based on (1)H-(1)H correlations in ROESY (1)H NMR spectra.     

Supramolecular assemblies in the crystals of carboxylate salts prepared from a ferrocene β-aminoalcohol

(Ferrocenylmethyl)(2-hydroxyethyl)amine (1) reacts with mono- (CH₃CO₂H and PhCO₂H) and dicarboxylic acids (HO₂C(CH₂)_nCO₂H (n = 0-2), (E)- and (Z)-HO₂CCHCHCO₂H) to give the respective carboxylates, viz [1H](RCO₂) (2, R = CH₃; 3, R = Ph), [1H]₂(O₂C(CH₂)_nCO₂) (4, n = 0; 5, n = 1; 6, n = 2), [1H]₂((E)-O₂CCHCHCO₂) (7) and [1H]₂((Z)-HO₂CCHCHCO₂) (8), as defined crystalline solids. Crystal structures of 2-8 have been determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis, revealing extensive hydrogen bonding interactions based predominantly on charge-supported N⁺-H···O⁻ and O-H···O⁻ hydrogen bonds, and on C-H···O contacts. Whereas the crystal assemblies of the monocarboxylate salts propagate preferentially in one dimension (2: cross-linked chains, 3: columnar stacks), those of the salts prepared from the dicarboxylic acids (including hydrogenmaleate 8) are best described as layered composite arrays resulting via alternation of polar, hydrogen-bonded layers and of non-polar sheets constituted by the ferrocenyl substituents.     

Evaluation of a carbon paste electrode modified with organofunctionalised SBA-15 nanostructured silica in the simultaneous determination of divalent lead, copper and mercury ions

The performance of a carbon paste electrode (CPE) modified with SBA-15 nanostructured silica organofunctionalised with 2-benzothiazolethiol in the simultaneous determination of Pb(II), Cu(II) and Hg(II) ions in natural water and sugar cane spirit (cacha?a) is described. Pb(II), Cu(II) and Hg(II) were pre-concentrated on the surface of the modified electrode by complexing with 2-benzothiazolethiol and reduced at a negative potential (-0.80 V). Then the reduced products were oxidised by DPASV procedure. The fact that three stripping peaks appeared on the voltammograms at the potentials of -0.48 V (Pb2+), -0.03 V (Cu2+) and +0.36 V (Hg2+) in relation to the SCE, demonstrates the possibility of simultaneous determination of Pb2+, Cu2+ and Hg2+. The best results were obtained under the following optimised conditions: 100 mV pulse amplitude, 3 min accumulation time, 25 mV s(-1) scan rate in phosphate solution pH 3.0. Using such parameters, calibration graphs were linear in the concentration ranges of 3.00-70.0 x 10(-7) mol L(-1) (Pb2+), 8.00-100.0 x 10(-7) mol L(-1) (Cu2+) and 2.00-10.0 x 10(-6) mol L(-1) (Hg2+). Detection limits of 4.0 x 10(-8) mol L(-1) (Pb2+), 2.0 x 10(-7) mol L(-1) (Cu2+) and 4.0 x 10(-7) mol L(-1) (Hg2+) were obtained at the signal noise ratio (SNR) of 3. The results indicate that this electrode is sensitive and effective for simultaneous determination of Pb2+, Cu2+ and Hg2+ in the analysed samples.     

Supramolecular self-assembly of cyclodextrin and higher water soluble guest: thermodynamics and topological studies

The supramolecular interactions between Imipramine hydrochloride (IMI), a tricyclic antidepressant, and beta-cyclodextrin (betaCD) have been investigated by experimental techniques and theoretical calculations. The association between these molecules might be lead to a host/guest compound, in which the physical chemistry properties of the guest molecule, such as high solubility, can be decreased. These new properties acquired by the inclusion phenomena are important to develop a strategy for pharmaceutical formulation. Nuclear magnetic resonance and horizontal attenuated total reflectance provided relevant information on the complex stoichiometries and the sites of interactions between the host and guest molecules. Stoichiometries of 1:2, 1:1, and 2:1 betaCD/IMI have been detected in solution. Self-diffusion coefficient and dynamic light scattering analysis provided information on the self-aggregation of the complex. Also, isothermal titration calorimetry studies indicated the existence of equilibrium between different complexes in solution. In order to determine the preferred arrangement for the inclusion complex formed by the IMI molecule and betaCD, theoretical calculations were performed. Of all proposed supramolecular structures, the 2:1 betaCD/IMI complex was calculated to be the most energetically favorable, in both gas and aqueous phases. The calculations indicated that the intermolecular hydrogen bonds involving the hydroxyl groups of betaCD play a major role in stabilizing the supramolecular 2:1 structure, corroborating experimental findings.     

Neodymium Ziegler-Natta catalysts: Evaluation of catalyst ageing effect on 1,3-butadiene polymerization

Catalysts constituted by neodymium versatate, diisobutylaluminium hydride and t-butyl chloride were used in this work. After their synthesis, they were aged at 40 °C for 48 h. Afterwards, they were maintained at 10 °C for more 5, 15, 40, 80, 160 and 250 days and finally the aged catalysts were evaluated in butadiene polymerization. The polybutadienes were characterized by size exclusion chromatography (SEC) to determine the molecular weight characteristics and by infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) to determine the microstructure. The aim of this work is to evaluate the effect of ageing time on 1,4 polymerization of butadiene. The results showed that the stereoselectivity of the active sites was not affected by the ageing conditions. However, the catalyst activity increased for long times of ageing.     

Optical sensing of sulfate by polymethinium salt receptors: colorimetric sensor for heparin

Polymethinium salts based on substituted malondialdehyde have been prepared; the salt with PEG substitution showed high selectivity for sulfate anions and heparin in aqueous medium at physiological condition; intracellular imaging of heparin-rich subcellular compartments was achieved with our polymethinium novel receptor for cancer cell lines.     

Acido-base behavior of hydroxamic acids: experimental and ab initio studies on hydroxyureas

The values of Ka, DeltaSa, and DeltaHa for deprotonation of hydroxyurea (HU) and N-methylhydroxyurea (NMHU), as targeted compounds, and for betainohydroxamic acid, were potentiometrically determined. Although NMHU has two and HU even three deprotonation sites, the measurements confirm that they behave as weak acids with a single pK a approximately 10. Comparison with analogous thermodynamic parameters previously determined for series of monohydroxamic acids reveals deviations from a DeltaSa, vs DeltaHa plot for HU and NMHU, raising the question of the dissociation site of hydroxureas in water. In addition to the deprotonation of the hydroxyl oxygen, ab initio calculations performed at the MP2/6-311++G(d,p) level of theory for these two compounds indicate a notable participation of the nitrogen deprotonation site in HU. The calculations for the isolated, monohydrate, trihydrate, and decahydrate molecular and anionic forms of hydroxyureas support the importance of hydrogen bonding in the gas and aqueous phases. The hydroxylamino nitrogen in HU is the most acidic site in water, contributing approximately 94% to the overall deprotonation process at 25 degrees C. On the contrary, the hydroxylamino oxygen is by far the most favored deprotonation site in NMHU, contributing almost 100% in aqueous medium. The predicted participations of two deprotonation sites in HU, calculated at the MP2/6-311++G(d,p) level of theory, combined with the calculated relative reaction enthalpy and entropy for the deprotonation, satisfactorily explain the observed deviation from linearity of DeltaHa vs DeltaSa, plot. There is no such a simple explanation for acid-base behavior of NMHU.