Discovery of ianthelliformisamines D-G from the sponge and the total synthesis of ianthelliformisamine D.

The marine sponge was investigated for new chemistry after the recent discovery that polyamines ianthelliformisamines A-C (-) - originally sourced from this Australian sponge - act as biofilm inhibitors and antibiotic enhancers. Large-scale extraction and isolation studies resulted in the discovery of four new and minor natural products, ianthelliformisamines D-G (-) and the known steroid, aplysterol (). Compounds - were fully characterised following 1D/2D NMR, MS and UV data analyses.

Identification of Axinellamines A and B as Anti-Tubercular Agents.

Tuberculosis remains a significant global health pandemic. There is an urgent need for new anti-tubercular agents to combat the rising incidence of drug resistance and to offer effective and additive therapeutic options. High-throughput screening of a subset of the NatureBank marine fraction library ( = 2000) identified a sample derived from an Australian marine sponge belonging to the order Haplosclerida that displayed promising anti-mycobacterial activity.

Using UHPLC-MS profiling for the discovery of new sponge-derived metabolites and anthelmintic screening of the NatureBank bromotyrosine library.

In order to further expand the NatureBank open access compound library, chemical investigations of the Australian marine sponge, were undertaken since UHPLC-MS analysis of the extract from this sponge indicated the presence of a new alkaloid. Large-scale extraction and mass-directed isolation studies on the CHCl/MeOH extract resulted in the purification of a new bromotyrosine-derived alkaloid, 5-debromopurealidin H (), along with the known marine natural product, ianthesine E (). The chemical structure of the new compound was determined following detailed spectroscopic and spectrometric data analysis.

Identification of Anthelmintic Bishomoscalarane Sesterterpenes from the Australian Marine Sponge and Structure Revision of Phyllolactones A-D.

High-throughput screening of the NatureBank marine extract library (7616 samples) identified an extract derived from the Australian marine sponge with activity against (barber's pole worm), an economically important parasitic nematode. Bioassay-guided fractionation of the CHCl/MeOH extract from led to the purification of four known bishomoscalarane sesterterpenes, phyllolactones A-D (-). The absolute configurations of phyllolactones B () and C () were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis; literature and data analyses revealed the need for these chemical structures to be revised.

Comatulins A-E, Taurine-Conjugated Anthraquinones from the Australian Crinoid .

Chemical investigations of two specimens of the Australian crinoid afforded five new taurine-conjugated anthraquinones, comatulins A-E (-), together with 11 known marine natural products (-). The chemical structures of all the compounds were elucidated by detailed spectroscopic and spectrometric data analysis. The first X-ray crystal structure of a crinoid-derived acyl anthraquinone, rhodocomatulin 5,7-dimethyl ether (), is reported here.

Identification of Fromiamycalin and Halaminol A from Australian Marine Sponge Extracts with Anthelmintic Activity against .

There is an urgent need to discover and develop new anthelmintics for the treatment of parasitic nematodes of veterinary importance to circumvent challenges linked to drug resistant parasites. Being one of the most diverse natural ecosystems, the marine environment represents a rich resource of novel chemical entities. This study investigated 2000 extracts from marine invertebrates, collected from Australian waters, for anthelmintic activity.

Selected α-pyrones from the plants Cryptocarya novoguineensis (Lauraceae) and Piper methysticum (Piperaceae) with activity against Haemonchus contortus in vitro.

Due to the widespread occurrence and spread of anthelmintic resistance, there is a need to develop new drugs against resistant parasitic nematodes of livestock animals. The Nobel Prize-winning discovery and development of the anti-parasitic drugs avermectin and artemisinin has renewed the interest in exploring natural products as anthelmintics. In the present study, we screened 7500 plant extracts for in vitro-activity against the barber's pole worm, Haemonchus contortus, a highly significant pathogen of ruminants.

The frequency of item writing flaws in multiple-choice questions used in high stakes nursing assessments.

Multiple-choice questions are a common assessment method in nursing examinations. Few nurse educators, however, have formal preparation in constructing multiple-choice questions. Consequently, questions used in baccalaureate nursing assessments often contain item-writing flaws, or violations to accepted item-writing guidelines.

The frequency of item writing flaws in multiple-choice questions used in high stakes nursing assessments.

Multiple-choice questions are a common assessment method in nursing examinations. Few nurse educators, however, have formal preparation in constructing multiple-choice questions. Consequently, questions used in baccalaureate nursing assessments often contain item-writing flaws, or violations to accepted item-writing guidelines.