Taxonomic revision of Microcotyle caudata Goto, 1894 parasitic on gills of sebastids (Scorpaeniformes: Sebastidae), with a description of Microcotyle kasago n. sp. (Monogenea: Microcotylidae) from off Japan.

Two species of microcotylid monogeneans, Microcotyle caudata Goto, 1894 and Microcotyle sebastisci Yamaguti, 1958, have been reported from fishes of the Sebastes inermis species complex and Sebastiscus marmoratus (Cuvier) (Scorpaeniformes: Sebastidae). So far, these parasite species have been distinguished by the size of the eggs and the number of testes, but based on morphological evidence including re-examination of the type-specimens and topotypes and molecular analysis, we consider M. sebastisci to be a junior synonym of M. caudata. As a result, M. caudata exhibits a wide host range, seven species from three genera and two families. A new species, Microcotyle kasago n. sp., is described based on material from S. marmoratus and differentiated from other congeners by means of morphological and molecular analysis.

Synthesis of multiply deuterated 3- and 21-monosulfates of allo-tetrahydrocorticosteroids as internal standards for mass spectrometry.

The accurate analysis of trace components in complex biological matrices requires the use of reliable internal standards. For liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry analysis, the stable isotope-labeled analogues of the analyte molecules are the most appropriate internal standards. In this paper the synthesis of the 3- and 21-monosulfates of allo-tetrahydrocorticosteroids labeled with four or five deuterium atoms is described. The principal reactions used were (1) hydrogen-deuterium exchange reaction of active methylene groups adjacent to 3- and 11-oxo group of 17,20;20,21-bismethylenedioxy derivatives of 5α-3-ketosteroids and/or 5α-11-ketosteroids with NaOD in CH(3)OD followed by reduction with NaBD(4), (2) epimerization of the 3ß-hydroxy group into a 3α configuration, (3) sulfation of hydroxy groups at C-3 or C-21 in the resulting substrates with sulfur trioxide-trimethylamine complex, and (4) removal of 17,20;20,21-bismethylenedioxy groups with hydrogen fluoride in ethanol. Isotopic purity was found to be satisfactory by MS, and NMR properties of the new compounds were tabulated. The labeled compounds can be used as internal standards in liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry assays for clinical and biochemical studies.