Preliminary indication of a high prevalence of polycystic ovary syndrome in indigenous Australian women.

We aimed to estimate the likely prevalence of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in indigenous Australian women in a cross-sectional survey based on structured interviews. In the Kimberley region of Western Australia and south-western Victoria, between February and June 1999, women over the age of 18 available for interview and willing to participate were included. Menstrual status, anthropometric measures, fasting blood biochemistry and hirsutism were assessed. A total of 38 premenopausal women completed the survey. Of these, 50% had regular menstrual cycles of normal duration and no hirsutism; seven had oligomenorrhea and hirsutism/hyperandrogenemia; and of the nine women with hirsutism and regular menses, three had hyperandrogenemia. Thus, possibly ten women fulfilled the criteria of PCOS. This unique data set suggests a high prevalence of PCOS in indigenous Australian women. Further research to document this formally is warranted, in view of the potential adverse effects of PCOS on reproduction and metabolism.

AT2433-A1, AT2433-A2, AT2433-B1, and AT2433-B2 novel antitumor antibiotic compounds produced by Actinomadura melliaura. Taxonomy, fermentation, isolation and biological properties.

Compounds AT2433-A1 (A1), AT2433-A2 (A2), AT2433-B1 (B1), and AT2433-B2 (B2) were isolated from the cultured broth of Actinomadura melliaura sp. nov. (SCC 1655). Structurally these materials are closely related to rebeccamycin (1), an indolocarbazole antitumor antibiotic. A1, A2, B1, and B2 were active against Staphylococcus aureus A9537, Streptococcus faecalis A20688, Streptococcus faecium (ATCC 9790), Micrococcus lutea (ATCC 9341), Bacillus subtilis (ATCC 6633). A1 and B1 were active against P388 leukemia in mice.

New mitomycin analogs produced by directed biosynthesis.

When the normal fermentation medium for the production of mitomycin C with Streptomyces caespitosus is supplemented with a number of primary amines, two new types of mitomycin analogs described as Type I and Type II are produced. Type I analogs are related to mitomycin C with the amine substitution at position C7 on the mitosane ring. Type II analogs also contain the same substitutions at C7 but the conformation of the mitosane ring is related to mitomycin B having an OH at positions C9a and a methyl substituted aziridine. The products obtained from the supplementation of the medium with methylamine, ethylamine, propylamine, propargylamine and 2-methylallylamine were isolated and characterized. In all cases the Type I analogs are more active in a prophage induction test and against L1210 lymphatic leukemia in mice. A number of other amines have been tested and shown to yield new products that have not yet been isolated. No secondary amines are incorporated.

Production of 3-acetoxyscirpene-4,15-diol from anguidine (4,15-diacetoxyscirpene-3-ol) by Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. vasinfectum.

Growing cells of Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. vasinfectum (ATCC 7808) formed 3-acetoxyscirpene-4,15-diol from anguidine (4,15-diacetoxyscirpene-3-ol) by way of the intermediates triacetoxyscirpene, 3,4-diacetoxyscirpene-15-ol and 3,15-diacetoxyscirpene-4-ol. The new 3-acetoxy analog was found to be less active than anguidine and the other monoacetoxy derivatives when tested against a series of fungal strains and against HeLa cells in vitro.

Antitumor activity of some microbial and chemical transformation products of anguidine (4,15-diacetoxyscirpene-3-ol).

The in vivo antitumor activities, as measured by inhibition of transplanted P-388 and L-1210 leukemia in mice, have been determined for a series of analogs of anguidine including triacetoxyscirpenol, the three diacetoxyscirpenols, the three monoacetoxyscirpenols, and scirpenetriol. An acetoxy function at position 15 appears to be required for good activity.

Microbial and chemical transformations of some 12,13-epoxytrichothec-9,10-enes.

Resting cells of Streptomyces griseus, Mucor mucedo, and a growing culture of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus when mixed with compounds related to 12,13-epoxytrichothec-9-ene-4beta,15-diacetoxy-3alpha-ol(anguidine) produced a series of derivatives that were either partially hydrolyzed or selectively acylated. These derivatives showed marked differences in activities as assayed by antifungal and tissue culture cytotoxicity tests.

Biotransformation of antitumor agents by a strain of Whetzelinia sclerotiorum.

Antitumor antibiotics of the olivomycin and chromomycin class were transformed when incubated with a culture of Whetzelinia sclerotiorum. The products, when purified by counter-current distribution and column chromatography, were shown, by their physical properties, to be the deacylated analogues.

Easily constructed soil percolation apparatus.

The construction of a soil percolator from a disposable Nalgene sterilizing filter is described.

Influence of cobalt on fermentative methylation.

Streptomyces rishiriensis produces at least five closely related antibiotics. Strain selection yielded a culture producing only the most active component, coumermycin A. Hydrolysis of this antibiotic by barium hydroxide yielded both 5-methyl-pyrrole-2-carboxylic acid and pyrrole-2-carboxylic acid, which could be separated by paper chromatography. Coumermycin A was thus shown to be two fractions, designated A(1) and A(2) depending upon the nature of the pyrrole carboxylic acid portion. The addition of cobalt to the fermentation medium at a level as low as 0.01 mug/ml shifted the fermentation exclusively to the production of coumermycin A(1). Other ions were ineffective, except nickel, whose activity could be explained by the presence of contaminating cobalt.