Chlorine-containing polyacetoxybriarane diterpenoids from the octocoral Junceella fragilis.

The chemical screening of an octocoral identifed as Junceella fragilis has led to the isolation of five chlorinated briarane-type diterpenoids, including three known metabolites, gemmacolide X (1), frajunolide I (2), and fragilide F (3), along with two new analogs, 12α-acetoxyfragilide F (4) and 12α-acetoxyjunceellin (5). Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis was carried out to determine the absolute configurations of 1 and 2, while the structures of new compounds 4 and 5 were ascertained with 2D NMR experiments. Briaranes 1 and 3-5 were active in enhancing alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity.

Nor-24-homoscalaranes, Neutrophilic Inflammatory Mediators from the Marine Sponge Lendenfeldia sp.

The marine sponge Lendenfeldia sp., collected from the Southern waters of Taiwan, was subjected to chemical composition screening, resulting in the isolation of four new 24-homoscalarane compounds, namely lendenfeldaranes R-U (1-4). The structures and relative stereochemistry of the new metabolites 1-4 were assigned based on NMR studies. The absolute configurations of compounds 1-4 were determined by comparing the calculated and experimental values of specific optical rotation. The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of the isolated compounds were assayed using superoxide anion generation and elastase release assays. These assays are used to determine neutrophilic inflammatory responses of respiratory burst and degranulation. Compounds 2 and 4 inhibited superoxide anion generation by human neutrophils in response to formyl-L-methionyl-L-leucyl-L-phenylalanine/cytochalasin B (fMLP/CB) with IC50: 3.98-4.46 µM. Compounds 2 and 4 inhibited fMLP/CB-induced elastase release, with IC50 values ranging from 4.73 to 5.24 µM. These findings suggested that these new 24-homoscalarane compounds possess unique structures and potential anti-inflammatory activity.

Briastecholide M, a New Polyoxygenated Briarane from Briareum stechei.

A formerly unpublicized briarane diterpenoid, briastecholide M (1), and its established analogue, brianodin B (2), were purified from Briareum stechei, an octocoral collected from Okinawan waters. Using spectroscopic methods, the structure of 1 was established. Functional study showed that 1 can reducing the release of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) but enhancing cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) protein expression.

Briarane-Related Diterpenoids from Octocoral Briareum stechei.

A known polyoxygenated briarane, briaexcavatolide P (1), was isolated from a Formosan octocoral Briareum stechei. Moreover, the same species B. stechei, collected from Okinawan waters, yielded three chlorine-containing briaranes, including two new compounds, briastecholides B (2) and C (3) as well as a known analogue, briarenol R (4). The structures of 1-4 were established using spectroscopic methods. In addition, briarane 1 demonstrated anti-inflammatory activity in lipo-polysaccharide-induced RAW 264.7 mouse macrophage cells by suppressing the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) protein.

Scalarane-Type Sesterterpenoids from the Marine Sponge Lendenfeldia sp. Alleviate Inflammation in Human Neutrophils.

Sponge-derived scalaranes are remarkable sesterterpenoids previously found to exhibit profound inhibitory effects against neutrophilic inflammation. In our current work, we constructed the metabolomic profile of marine sponge Lendenfeldia sp. for the first time using a tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) molecular networking approach. The results highlighted the rich chemical diversity of these scalaranes, motivating us to conduct further research to discover novel scalaranes targeting neutrophilic inflammation. MS- and NMR-assisted isolation and elucidation led to the discovery of seven new homoscalaranes, lendenfeldaranes K-Q (1-7), characterized by methylation at C-24, together with five known derivatives, lendenfeldarane B (8), 25-nor-24-methyl-12,24-dioxoscalar-16-en-22-oic acid (9), 24-methyl-12,24,25-trioxoscalar-16-en-22-oic acid (10), felixin B (11), and 23-hydroxy-20-methyldeoxoscalarin (12). Scalaranes 1-4 and 6-12 were assayed against superoxide anion generation and elastase release, which represented the neutrophilic inflammatory responses of respiratory burst and degranulation, respectively. The results indicated that 1-3 and 6-12 exhibited potential anti-inflammatory activities (IC50 for superoxide anion scavenging: 0.87~6.57 µM; IC50 for elastase release: 1.12~6.97 µM).

Natural Products from Octocorals of the Genus Dendronephthya (Family Nephtheidae).

In this review, 170 natural substances, including steroid, diterpenoid, sesquiterpenoid, peptide, prostaglandin, base, chlorolipid, bicyclolactone, amide, piperazine, polyketide, glycerol, benzoic acid, glycyrrhetyl amino acid, hexitol, pentanoic acid, aminoethyl ester, octadecanone, alkaloid, and a 53-kD allergenic component from octocorals belonging to genus Dendronephthya, were listed. Some of these compounds displayed potential bioactivities.

Briarenols I-K, New Anti-inflammatory 8,17-Epoxybriaranes from the Octocoral Briareum excavatum (Briareidae).

Five 8,17-epoxybriaranes, including three new compounds-briarenols I-K (1-3), along with two known analogues, briaexcavatolide P (4) and briaexcavatin P (5), were isolated from the octocoral Briareum excavatum. The structures of briaranes 1-3 were elucidated by spectroscopic methods, including 1D and 2D NMR studies and (+)-HRESIMS. Briarane 4 exerted inhibition effects on inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) release from RAW 264.7.

Dissipation behavior of chlorpyrifos residues and risk assessment in sugarcane fields.

As chlorpyrifos is used globally to control pests in sugarcane fields, analysis of its residues on food crops is essential to assess product safety for humans. In this study, chlorpyrifos content in sugarcane plants, soil and juice was determined using a gas chromatography with an electron capture detector. The limit of quantification was 0.01 mg/kg for plant and soil, and 0.01 mg/L for juice. The degradation and residual risk in sugarcane fields after applying chlorpyrifos to two sample sites (Changsha and Danzhou, China) were assessed. Chlorpyrifos concentrations in plants and soil decreased rapidly over time, reaching a degradation rate ranging from 98.82 to 99.25% on day 35. The half-life of chlorpyrifos in both plants and soil was only 5.97-6.12 days. Regardless of application dosage (standard or high) at a pre-harvest interval of 60 days, chlorpyrifos was undetectable in the harvested sugarcane. Risk assessment indicated that chlorpyrifos residue in sugarcane did not pose a health risk to humans.

Fragilides K and L, New Briaranes from the Gorgonian Coral Junceella fragilis.

Two new briarane metabolites­fragilides K (1) and L (2)­along with five known analogues­gemmacolide X, praelolide, juncins P and ZI, and gemmacolide V (3⁻7)­were extracted and purified from Junceella fragilis, a gorgonian coral. Based on data obtained via spectroscopic techniques, the structures of new briaranes 1 and 2 were determined and the cyclohexane rings in 1 and 2 were found to exist in chair and twist boat conformation, respectively. Additionally, anti-inflammatory analysis showed that briaranes 2, 3, and 6 inhibited pro-inflammatory inducible nitric oxide synthase protein expression and briaranes 3 and 7 suppressed the cyclooxygenase-2 level, in LPS-stimulated murine macrophage-like RAW264.7 cells.

Allelopathic Effects of Myriophyllum aquaticum on Two Cyanobacteria of Anabaena flos-aquae and Microcystis aeruginosa.

Allelopathy has been proposed as a sustainable means to control undesired algal growth and to reduce blooms threatening freshwater systems worldwide. In this study, the allelopathic effects of Myriophyllum aquaticum and its exudate on two typical bloom-forming cyanobacteria, Microcystis aeruginosa and Anabaena flos-aquae, were investigated under laboratory conditions. The growth of the cyanobacteria was strongly inhibited by live M. aquaticum while the primary addition of M. Aquaticum exudates had a significant inhibitory effect on the growth of M. aeruginosa but not A. flos-aquae. The results suggested that the persistent release of allelochemicals from live M. aquaticum was needed to effectively constrain the growth of A. flos-aquae. Analysis of cyanobacterial physiological indexes indicated that M. aquaticum produced an inhibitory effect on SOD enzyme activity of A. flos-aquae, while it affected membrane lipid peroxidation in M. aeruginosa. The results show the potential of M. aquaticum to mitigate cyanobacterial blooms in coexistence systems.

[Influence of combined ecological floating bed on nitrogen and phosphorus between overlying water and sediment].

A new type of combined ecological floating bed was developed on Swan Lake. It was combined with aquatic and hydrophilous plants and ancillary equipments that included floating controllers, water-cycling aerator systems and wave-making systems. Combined ecological floating bed changed the physical and chemical environment of Swan Lake and had an effect on the transportation and transformation of TN, NH4(+) -N and TP between overlying water and sediment during the experiment. The concentration change of TN, NH4(+) -N and TP and the effect of DO, Eh and pH on the nutrient in the overlying water and sediment were investigated. The results indicated that: in overlying water, the removal efficiencies of TN, NH4(+) -N and TP were 61.92%, 63.09% and 80.0%, respectively; the removal efficiencies of TN and NH4(+) -N were 23.79% and 37.04%, respectively; the concentration of TP increased by 43.71% in sediment during the experiment. The combined ecological floating bed influenced environmental factors such as DO, Eh and pH in overlying water in some degree. DO concentration rose from 8.7-8.9 mg x L(-1) to 9.3-10.4 mg x L(-1), and Eh concentration was from 163-178 mV to 191-198 mV. Both of them were higher than those in the contrast area. Phosphorus release was inhibited, and phosphorus adsorption was promoted through improving DO and Eh of the overlying water. The pH volatility was less and maintained between 7.51 and 8.32, and did not promote phosphorus release in sediment. TN, TP and NH4(+) -N in overlying water and TN and NH4(+) -N in sediment were significantly positively correlated with each other and with TP in sediment. The pH had no significant correlation with TN, TP and NH4(+) -N in overlying water and sediment. DO was significantly positively corrected with Eh in overlying water and was significantly negatively corrected with TP in sediment.

[A case-control study on the risk factors of benign prostatic hyperplasia in the suburb of Shenyang].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relation between various risk factors and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). METHODS: A population based case-control study was conducted, including 100 BPH patients over 60 years old living in suburb of Shenyang as study group, and 100 elderly men with non-BPH (excluding prostatic cancer and prostatitis) as control group. Chi(2) test and non-conditional logistic regression were used for monovariate analysis and multivariate analysis, respectively. RESULTS: Data from monovariate analysis showed that BPH incidence was significantly related to body weight index, cigarette smoking, alcohol drinking, meal intake at the beginning of 1980's, hypertention and prostatitis, respectively. While multivariate non-conditional logistic analysis showed that BPH was related to five factors: prostatitis (OR = 5.577, 95% CI: 2.147 - 14.482), monthly intake of meats at the beginning of 1980's (OR = 4.930, 95% CI: 2.404 - 10.111), diastolic blood pressure (OR = 1.050, 95% CI: 1.017 - 1.083), cigarette smoking (OR = 0.660, 95% CI: 0.500 - 0.872) and alcohol consumption (OR = 0.650, 95% CI: 0.480 - 0.881). CONCLUSION: Prostatitis, monthly excessive intake of meats at the beginning of 1980's and high diastolic blood pressure were possible risk factors for BPH, while heavy cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption were possible protective factors for BPH.

[Immunogenicity and safety of recombinant yeast-derived hepatitis B vaccine in adults].

OBJECTIVE: To study the immunogenicity and safety of recombinant yeast-derived hepatitis B vaccine (YDV) in adults. METHODS: One hundred and twenty-four healthy teachers aged 22 approximately 58 years with serum negative HBsAg, anti-HBs, anti-HBc and with normal temperature were randomly selected from Beipiao city, Liaoning province. All the subjects were immunized with 5 microg/0.5 ml of YDV made by Beijing Institute of Biologic Products, for three doses at an interval of one and six months, respectively. RESULTS: The positivity of serum anti-HBs was 35.0%, 83.3%, 65.5% and 32.7% with a geometric mean titre (GMT) of 12.6 mIU/ml, 402.0 mIU/ml, 70.3 mIU/ml and 20.3 mIU/ml, respectively, three, seven, 12 and 24 months after immunization. The positivity and GMT of serum anti-HBs appeared the highest seven months after immunization, then began to decrease sharply. The positivity and GMT of serum anti-HBs in women was higher than that in men either three, or seven, or 12, or 24 months after immunization. The positivity of serum anti-HBs in those of 35 years or over was lower than that less than 35 years, seven months after immunization, but no age difference could be found 12 months after immunization. No local or systematic adverse reactions were found in all the subjects within three days after immunization. CONCLUSION: The recombinant yeast-derived hepatitis B vaccine (YDV) is immunogenic and safe for adults, but the persistency of serum anti-HBs in after immunization should be followed-up further.