Production of the Bengamide Class of Marine Natural Products in Myxobacteria: Biosynthesis and Structure–Activity Relationships

The bengamides, sponge‐derived natural products that have been characterized as inhibitors of methionine aminopeptidases (MetAPs), have been intensively investigated as anticancer compounds. We embarked on a multidisciplinary project to supply bengamides by fermentation of the terrestrial myxobacterium M. virescens, decipher their biosynthesis, and optimize their properties as drug leads. The characterization of the biosynthetic pathway revealed that bacterial resistance to bengamides is conferred by Leu 154 of the myxobacterial MetAP protein, and enabled transfer of the entire gene cluster into the more suitable production host M. xanthus DK1622. A combination of semisynthesis of microbially derived bengamides and total synthesis resulted in an optimized derivative that combined high cellular potency in the nanomolar range with high metabolic stability, which translated to an improved half‐life in mice and antitumor efficacy in a melanoma mouse model.     

Design and Enantioselective Synthesis of Cashmeran Odorants by Using “Enol Catalysis”

Novel Cashmeran odorants were designed by molecular modeling. Their short syntheses involve a novel asymmetric Brønsted acid catalyzed Michael addition of unactivated α‐substituted ketones. This key transformation was realized by utilizing a new type of enol activation catalysis and affords different cyclic ketones bearing α‐quaternary stereocenters in good to excellent yields and with high enantioselectivity. Subsequent McMurry coupling and Saegusa–Ito oxidation furnished the enantiopure target odorants, one enantiomer of which indeed possesses the typical olfactory aspects of Cashmeran.     

Direct Catalytic Enantio‐ and Diastereoselective Ketone Aldol Reactions of Isocyanoacetates

A catalytic asymmetric aldol addition/cyclization reaction of unactivated ketones with isocyanoacetate pronucleophiles has been developed. A quinine‐derived aminophosphine precatalyst and silver oxide were found to be an effective binary catalyst system and promoted the reaction to afford chiral oxazolines possessing a fully substituted stereocenter with good diastereoselectivities and excellent enantioselectivities.     

Supercritical fluid extraction of lipids from linseed with on-line evaporative light scattering detection

Supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) is a green alternative method of extraction for neutral lipids in seeds compared to conventional methods utilizing organic solvents. In this work, a novel method where SFE is hyphenated with an evaporative light scattering detector is presented. The method was subsequently applied to determine lipid content in crushed linseed. The new method enables rapid quantification of extracted lipids as well as be ability to continuously monitor the extraction rate in real-time, thus being able to determine the time point of completed extraction.     

Antiviral Activity of Synthetic Aminopyrrolic Carbohydrate Binding Agents: Targeting the Glycans of Viral gp120 to Inhibit HIV Entry

The binding abilities of a set of structurally related aminopyrrolic synthetic receptors for mannosides, endowed with antimycotic activity against yeast and yeast‐like pathogens bearing mannoproteins on their cell surface, have been investigated towards the highly mannosylated gp120 and gp41 glycoproteins of the HIV envelope. A pronounced binding interaction with both glycoproteins was observed by SPR for most of the investigated compounds. Comparison of their binding properties towards the glycoproteins with their binding affinities toward mannosides revealed a direct correlation, supporting their role as carbohydrate binding agents (CBAs). Cytostatic activity studies revealed antiproliferative activity dependent on the nature and the structure of compounds. Antiviral activity studies against a broad panel of DNA and RNA viruses showed inhibitory effect against HIV infection of the T‐lymphocyte CEM cell line for two compounds, suggesting antiviral activity similar to other CBAs, such as the nonpeptidic pradimicin antibiotics.     

Paper conservation methods: a literature review

The main paper conservation methods are presented, classified in the following categories: preparation of the intervention, disinfestation and disinfection/sterilization, surface/dry cleaning, wet cleaning, chemical stabilization, paper repairs, consolidation and strengthening. Treatment documentation is also discussed. The targets, the historical aspects, the general principles, the materials and equipment, the acceptance and criticism pertaining to each method are briefly reviewed, and the most important research for their evaluation is presented. Several paper stabilization strategies, such as deacidification and iron gall ink stabilization, applicable to paper are elucidated. Specific consolidation and strengthening methods for paper, such as lamination and paper splitting are also discussed. The review mainly focuses on the established methods, but experimental, abandoned or insufficiently documented methods are also included. Shortcomings and limitations of several methods were found in the literature, concerning health issues, limited effectiveness, adverse side-effects on the treated artefacts and restricted applicability.     

Pre-Column Derivatization HPLC Procedure for the Quantitation of Aluminium Chlorohydrate in Antiperspirant Creams Using Quercetin as Chromogenic Reagent

This article describes the development and validation of a selective high-performance liquid chromatography method that allows, after liquid–liquid extraction and pre-column derivatization reaction with quercetin, the quantification of aluminium chlorohydrate in antiperspirant creams. Chromatographic separation was achieved on an XTerra MS C18 analytical column (150 × 3.0 mm i.d., particle size 5 μm) using a mobile phase of acetonitrile:water (15:85, v/v) containing 0.08 % trifluoroacetic acid at a flow rate of 0.30 mL min^?1. Ultraviolet spectrophotometric detection at 415 nm was used. The assay was linear over a concentration range of 3.7–30.6 μg mL^?1 for aluminium with a limit of quantitation of 3.74 μg mL^?1. Quality control samples (4.4, 17.1 and 30.6 μg mL^?1) in five replicates from five different runs of analysis demonstrated intra-assay precision (% coefficient of variation <3.8 %), inter-assay precision (% coefficient of variation <5.4 %) and an overall accuracy (% recovery) between 96 and 101 %. The method was used to quantify aluminium in antiperspirant creams containing 11.0, 13.0 and 16.0 % (w/w) aluminium chlorohydrate, respectively.