Rapid identification of microorganisms by mass spectrometry: improved performance by incorporation of in-house spectral data into a commercial database

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) is increasingly used as a microbial diagnostic method for species identification of pathogens. However, MALDI-TOF identification of bacteria at the species level remains unsatisfactory, with the major problem being an incomplete database that still needs refinement and expansion. Augmentation of the original MALDI BioTyper 2.0 (Bruker) database by incorporating mass spectra obtained in-house from clinical isolates may increase the identification rate at the species level. We conducted a prospective study to assess whether the augmented database can improve the performance of MALDI-TOF MS for routine identification of species. Cluster analyses revealed distinct differences in MS spectral profiles of clinical isolates obtained in our hospital and those of ATCC strains in the Bruker database. In the first part of the study, which was performed over 3 weeks, 259 bacterial isolates were subjected to analysis by MALDI-TOF MS, and MS spectra of 229 successfully identified isolates (49 species) were incorporated into the original database to give the augmented Bruker-Chiba database. In a second separate analysis, the concordance of identification of 498 clinical isolates of the 49 species with conventional methods was 87.1% (434/498) with the commercial Bruker database and 98.0% (488/498) using the Bruker-Chiba database. These results indicate that refinement of a commercial database can be achieved relatively easy and effectively by incorporating MS spectra of clinical isolates obtained in a clinical laboratory.     

Bis‐copper(II) Complex of Triply‐linked Corrole Dimer and Its Dication

Copper complexes of corroles have recently been a subject of keen interest due to their ligand non‐innocent character and unique redox properties. Here we investigated bis‐copper complex of a triply‐linked corrole dimer that serves as a pair of divalent metal ligands but can be reduced to a pair of trivalent metal ligands. Reaction of triply‐linked corrole dimer 2 with Cu(acac)₂ (acac=acetylacetonate) gave bis‐copper(II) complex 2Cu as a highly planar molecule with a mean‐plane deviation value of 0.020 Å, where the two copper ions were revealed to be divalent by ESR, SQUID, and XPS methods. Oxidation of 2Cu with two equivalents of AgBF₄ gave complex 3Cu , which was characterized as a bis‐copper(II) complex of a dicationic triply‐linked corrole dimer not as the corresponding bis‐copper(III) complex. In accord with this assignment, the structural parameters around the copper ions were revealed to be quite similar for 2Cu and 3Cu . Importantly, the magnetic spin–spin interaction differs depending on the redox‐state of the ligand, being weak ferromagnetic in 2Cu and antiferromagnetic in 3Cu .     

A new class of flavonoids bearing macrocyclic polyethers by stereoselective photochemical cycloaddition reaction

A new class of flavonoids bearing cyclic polyethers involving a phenyl ring was conveniently provided by the intramolecular photochemical dimerization of 2-chromonecarboxylic esters. Irradiation of 2-chromonecarboxylate with a polyether tethered at both ends promoted intramolecular [2 + 2] cyclobutane formation leading to 14- to 27-membered cyclic polyethers. The efficiency depended on the substituted position of the phenyl ring, with ortho- and meta-substituted derivatives giving cycloadducts in good chemical yields and quantum efficiencies, whereas the para-derivatives were inert toward photolysis. X-ray crystallographic analysis revealed that the stereochemistry of the macrocyclic cycloadducts exhibited C₂-symmetry.     

Asymmetric Synthesis of Chiral 1,4‐Enynes through Organocatalytic Alkenylation of Propargyl Alcohols with Trialkenylboroxines

A highly enantioselective synthesis of 1,4‐enynes is described that proceeds through an organocatalytic reaction between propargyl alcohols and trialkenylboroxines. Our strategy relies on acid‐mediated generation of the carbocationic intermediate from propargyl alcohols followed by enantioselective alkenylation with trialkenylboroxines. A range of chiral 1,4‐enynes were obtained in moderate to good yields with high levels of enantioselectivity. Use of a highly acidic chiral N‐triflyl phosphoramide catalyst, which has two distant Lewis basic oxygen atoms, was found to be crucial for both high reactivity and selectivity in the present reaction.     

Time-dependent non-linear size change of C<Subscript>60</Subscript>-ethylenediamine adduct particles in formation process

Addition reaction between C₆₀ and ethylenediamine occurred at room temperature in an ambient condition. C₆₀-ethylenediamine adduct particles were prepared by mixing toluene solutions of C₆₀ and ethyelenediamine. Average diameter of the C₆₀-ethylenediamine adduct particles was changed non-linearly according to the reaction time, which were observed using transmission electron microscopy. Early stage of the reaction, the diameter of the adduct particles was changed from about 250 to about 430 nm. Then, the size of the adduct particles was converged to about 300 nm. During this addition reaction, the crystalline sizes of adduct particles were constant about 2–3 nm, regardless of the sizes of the adduct particles, which were determined by X-ray diffraction measurement.

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Photorefractive performance of poly(triarylamine)‐Based polymer composites: An approach from the photoconductive properties

Photorefractive (PR) and photoconductive properties of methyl‐substituted poly(triarylamine) (PTAA) based PR composite is presented. PR composite consisted of PTAA, piperidinodicyanostyrene, (2,4,6‐trimethylphenyl)diphenylamine, and [6,6]‐phenyl‐C61‐butyric acid methyl ester. Photocurrent is simultaneously measured when a transient degenerate four wave mixing is recorded. Diffraction efficiency of 16.6%, response time of 5 ms, and sensitivity of 43 cm² J^?1 are measured under an applied field of 45 V μm^?1 and 632.8 nm illumination with the intensity of 1.5 W cm^?2. Response time of 10.2 ms with diffraction efficiency of 47.0% is obtained under a same field and 532 nm illumination with the intensity of 0.427 W cm^?2. Higher diffraction and faster response is due to the large photocurrent in the order of hundreds μA measured. The resultant trap density is in the order of 10¹⁴ cm^?3. Thus, space–charge field less than 1 V μm^?1 is evaluated, which limits the PR response. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2015 , 53, 502–508     

Unexpected Thermally Stable,Cholesteric Liquid‐Crystalline Helical Polyisocyanides with Memory of Macromolecular Helicity

The achiral sodium salt of poly(4‐carboxyphenyl isocyanide) (poly‐ 1 –Na) folds into a one‐handed helix induced by optically active amines in water. The induced helicity remains when the optically active amines are completely removed, and further modification of the side groups to amide residues is possible without loss of memory of macromolecular helicity. Although the helical poly‐ 1 –Na loses its chiral memory at high temperature, helical polyisocyanides modified with achiral primary amines, which no longer have any chiral components, keep their memory perfectly even at 100 °C in N,N‐dimethylformamide in some cases and exhibit cholesteric liquid‐crystalline phases, thus providing a robust scaffold with heat resistance to which a variety of functional groups can be introduced.     

Total Synthesis of (±)‐Englerin A Using An Intermolecular [3+2] Cycloaddition Reaction of Platinum‐Containing Carbonyl Ylide

Total synthesis of (±)‐Englerin A has been achieved starting from γ,δ‐ynone 5 in 14 steps. The key feature of this synthesis is the highly efficient and stereoselective preparation of 8‐oxabicyclo[3.2.1]octane derivative 6 , a core skeleton of Englerin A, based on an inverse electron‐demand [3+2] cycloaddition reaction of the platinum‐containing carbonyl ylide, which was developed in our laboratory.