Flour Treatments Affect Gluten Protein Extractability, Secondary Structure, and Antibody Reactivity.

Commercial Brazilian wheat flour was subjected to extrusion, oven, and microwave treatments. The solubility, monomeric and polymeric proteins, and the glutenin and gliadin profiles of the gluten were analyzed. In addition, in vitro digestibility and response against potential celiac disease immune-stimulatory epitopes were investigated.

A novel D-ring unsaturated A-nor sterol from the Indonesian sponge, Axinella carteri Dendy.

Investigation of the freeze-dried dichloromethane: isopropanol extract of the sponge Axinella carteri Dendy, 1889 (Demospongiae: Halichondrida: Axinellidae), collected from Derawan Island, Indonesia, has led to the isolation of a new A-nor sterol with rare D-ring unsaturation, 3beta-(hydroxymethyl)-A-nor-5alpha-cholest-14-en-16-one (1). While the efficacy of the new compound is unknown, moderate cytotoxicity was observed in the fraction from which it was purified. A more polar portion of the extract afforded the known alkaloid dibromoisophakellin (2), previously isolated from an Axinella sp.

Alkaloids from the sponge Monanchora unguifera.

The bioassay-guided fractionation of the cytotoxic crude gum obtained from the Caribbean sponge Monanchora unguifera led to the isolation and characterization of the new compounds batzelladine J (1) and crambescidic acid (2) in addition to known guanidine alkaloids ptilomycalin A (3a), ptilocaulin (4), and isoptilocaulin (5). The structures of the compounds were elucidated by interpretation of the 1D and 2D NMR experiments. The chemotaxonomic implications of these findings are discussed.

Lehualides A-D, metabolites from a Hawaiian sponge of the genus Plakortis.

A collection of an undescribed marine sponge of the genus Plakortis yielded four new "polyketide-derived" metabolites, lehualides A-D (1-4). The structures of compounds 1-4 were elucidated by interpretation of spectral data. Compound 2 demonstrated cytotoxicity against an ovarian cancer cell line, while compound 4 was active against both ovarian cancer and leukemia cell lines.

Poipuol, a new metabolite from a Hawaiian sponge of the genus Hyrtios.

A new metabolite, poipuol (1), was isolated from an undescribed marine sponge Hyrtios sp. collected in Kauai Island, Hawaii. The structure was determined from spectroscopic data.

Kulokekahilide-2, a cytotoxic depsipeptide from a cephalaspidean mollusk Philinopsis speciosa.

A cytotoxic depsipeptide, kulokekahilide-2 (1), was isolated from a cephalaspidean mollusk, Philinopsis speciosa. The structure elucidation of kulokekahilide-2 was carried out by spectroscopic analysis and chemical degradation. Kulokekahilide-2 showed potent cytotoxicity against several cell lines (P388, SK-OV-3, MDA-MB-435, and A-10 with IC50 values ranging from 4.

Natural history of hepatitis B in perinatally infected carriers.

Objectives: To establish natural seroconversion rates and incidence of hepatic pathology in perinatally infected hepatitis B carriers.

Methods: Seventy three perinatally infected hepatitis B carriers identified through maternal screening were evaluated. Fifty three were born to parents from the Indian subcontinent, nine were Oriental, six were Afro-Caribbean, and five were white.

Nomenclature of the finer branches of the biliary tree: canals, ductules, and ductular reactions in human livers.

The work of liver stem cell biologists, largely carried out in rodent models, has now started to manifest in human investigations and applications. We can now recognize complex regenerative processes in tissue specimens that had only been suspected for decades, but we also struggle to describe what we see in human tissues in a way that takes into account the findings from the animal investigations, using a language derived from species not, in fact, so much like our own. This international group of liver pathologists and hepatologists, most of whom are actively engaged in both clinical work and scientific research, seeks to arrive at a consensus on nomenclature for normal human livers and human reactive lesions that can facilitate more rapid advancement of our field.

Progress in the clinical development of new marine-derived anticancer compounds.

Naturally derived anticancer agents continue to be instrumental in the systemic therapeutic intervention against solid tumors and hematological malignancies. Such compounds now have a relevant role in contemporary models of combination with targeted agents, thus providing a rationale to consider nature as a valid tool to discover new innovative anticancer agents. The marine ecosystem has increasingly been the focus of interest for new discoveries in the field that are expected to be of significant therapeutic impact in cancer patients.

More kapakahines from the marine sponge Cribrochalina olemda.

Three new kapakahines E-G (1-3) have been isolated from the marine sponge Cribrochalina olemda. Limited quantities of these compounds required not only NMR analysis but also FAB-MS/MS analysis for the structure elucidation. Kapakahine E showed cytotoxicity against P388 murine leukemia cells.

Scoring of chronic hepatitis.

Grading of the severity of chronic hepatitis and staging of its structural consequences are widely used in clinical trials of therapy and in research. Simple and complex methods are available. Intra- and interobserver variation can be reduced but not eliminated, because grading and staging are essentially subjective.

Structure and absolute stereochemistry of hectochlorin, a potent stimulator of actin assembly.

Hectochlorin (1) was isolated from marine isolates of Lyngbya majuscula collected from Hector Bay, Jamaica, and Boca del Drago Beach, Bocas del Toro, Panama. The planar structure was deduced by one- and two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy. X-ray crystallography was used to determine the absolute stereochemistry of hectochlorin as 2S,3S,14S,22S.

Malevamide D: isolation and structure determination of an isodolastatin H analogue from the marine cyanobacterium Symploca hydnoides.

Malevamide D (1), a highly cytotoxic peptide ester, and the known compound curacin D (5) were isolated from a Hawaiian sample of Symploca hydnoides. The structure of 1 was elucidated by spectroscopic analysis including NMR and high-resolution MS/MS. Partial stereochemical assignments of 1 were made by chiral HPLC analysis of acid and base hydrolysates.

Kulokekahilide-1, a cytotoxic depsipeptide from the cephalaspidean mollusk Philinopsis speciosa.

The cytotoxic depsipeptide kulokekahilide-1, which contains two unusual amino acids, 4-phenylvaline and 3-amino-2-methylhexanoic acid, was isolated from the cephalaspidean mollusk Philinopsis speciosa. Structure elucidation of kulokekahilide-1 was carried out by spectroscopic analysis and chemical degradation. The absolute stereochemistry was determined by Marfey analysis for amino acids and chiral HPLC analysis for hydroxy acids.

Chemical defenses of the sacoglossan mollusk Elysia rufescens and its host Alga bryopsis sp.

Sacoglossans are a group of opisthobranch mollusks that have been the source of numerous secondary metabolites; however, there are few examples where a defensive ecological role for these compounds has been demonstrated experimentally. We investigated the deterrent properties of the sacoglossan Elysia rufescens and its food alga Bryopsis sp. against natural fish predators.

Salmahyrtisol A, a novel cytotoxic sesterterpene from the Red Sea sponge Hyrtios erecta.

The lipophilic partition of a methanol extract of the Red Sea sponge Hyrtios erecta yielded a novel pentacyclic sesterterpene ester salmahyrtisol A (1), three new scalarane-type sesterterpenes, 3-acetyl sesterstatin 1 (3), 19-acetyl sesterstatin 3 (4), and salmahyrtisol B (5), together with the previously reported sesterterpenes hyrtiosal (2), scalarolide (6), and salmahyrtisol C (7). The structure determination was based on extensive NMR studies and high-resolution mass spectral measurements. In addition, salmahyrtisol A has a previously unknown pentacyclic carbon skeleton.

Cytotoxic cyclic norterpene peroxides from a Red Sea sponge Diacarnus erythraenus.

Investigation of the lipophilic extract of the Red Sea sponge Diacarnus erythraenus revealed one new norsesterterpene cyclic peroxide, aikupikoxide A (1), three new norditerpene cyclic peroxides, aikupikoxide B-D (2-4), and the known norterpene peroxides muqubilin and nuapapuin A methyl ester. In addition, a new sesquiterpene, O-methyl guaianediol, was isolated. Their structures were determined by means of spectroscopic methods.

New lipopeptides from the Caribbean cyanobacterium Lyngbya majuscula.

Four new metabolites have been isolated from a marine red cyanobacterium, Lyngbya majuscula, collected at Boca del Drago Beach, Bocas del Toro, Panama. The planar structures were elucidated by 1D and 2D NMR techniques. These compounds were assigned the trivial names pseudodysidenin (2), dysidenamide (3), nordysidenin (4), and dragonamide (7).

Gelliusterols A--D, new acetylenic sterols from a sponge, Gellius species.

New acetylenic sterols, gelliusterol A (1, 26,27-bisnorcholest-5-en-23-yn-3 beta,7 alpha-diol), its corresponding 7-ketone, gelliusterol B (2, 26,27-bisnorcholest-5-en-23-yn-3 beta-ol-7-one), and gelliusterols C (4, cholest-5-en-23-yn-3 beta,7-one) and D (5, cholest-5-en-23-yn-3 beta,25-diol-7-one), were isolated from an unidentified species of sponge, Gellius sp. The structures of the steroids were established from spectroscopic data.

Multicentre randomized placebo-controlled trial of ursodeoxycholic acid with or without colchicine in symptomatic primary biliary cirrhosis.

Aim: To establish the efficacy of combination therapy with ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) and colchicine in patients with symptomatic primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), defined by the presence of liver cirrhosis, pruritus or bilirubin exceeding 2 mg/mL.

Methods: A total of 90 patients were randomly assigned to ursodeoxycholic acid 500 mg/daily plus placebo (UDCA group, n=44), or ursodeoxycholic acid at the same dosage plus colchicine, 1 mg/daily (UDCA/C group, n=46). The two groups were comparable for age, sex, stage of disease, severity of pruritus, bilirubin, and Mayo score.

'Upenamide: An unprecedented macrocyclic alkaloid from the Indonesian sponge Echinochalina sp.

'Upenamide (1) represents a new class of macrocyclic marine alkaloid possessing both spirooxaquinolizidinone and hemiaminal ring systems. It was isolated from the Indonesian sponge Echinochalina sp. The gross structure of 1 was elucidated by spectroscopic methods and accurate mass measurements.

Malyngamides O and P from the sea hare Stylocheilus longicauda.

Two new malyngamides, O (1) and P (2), were isolated from the sea hare Stylocheilus longicauda. The structures were elucidated by analysis of their 1D and 2D NMR spectra.