Marine sponges - in common with many other sessile marine invertebrates seemingly devoid of obvious physical forms of defence against predators, e.g. spines or shells - are the sources of a diverse array of organic chemical compounds known as marine natural products or secondary metabolites. Recent research has indicated that the production of natural products via cellular secondary metabolic pathways in some sponge species may not occur within the sponge cells themselves, but rather in microbial endosymbionts which inhabit the surface and interstitial spaces within the sponge tissue. Regardless of their biosynthetic origin, the bioactivity, e.g. toxicity, of many of these marine natural products may be utilised by sponges as chemical feeding deterrents to discourage predation or to provide a chemical anti-fouling competitive edge in the intense competition for living space amongst filter-feeders on space-limited benthic reefs. Paradoxically, a small number of sponge natural products have serendipitously shown potential as new pharmaceuticals, e.g. novel anti-cancer drugs. Marine biodiscovery (or bioprospecting) is the search for new pharmaceuticals from marine organisms. Exploration of the taxonomy, natural products chemistry and biomedicinal potential of the rich diversity of South African latrunculid sponges (family Latrunculiidae), at Rhodes University, the South African Department of Environmental Affairs and the University of the Western Cape has continued unabated for over a quarter of a century as part of a collaborative marine biodiscovery programme. A short review of this multidisciplinary latrunculid sponge research is presented here. SIGNIFICANCE: • Research into the taxonomy, chemistry and microbiology of latrunculid sponges is the most comprehensive, multidisciplinary investigation of any group of African marine sponges. • The potent cytotoxicity of the pyrroloiminoquinone alkaloid pigments isolated from latrunculid sponges may have biomedical applications. • This review underlines the importance of conserving and protecting South Africa's unique marine invertebrate resources.

Extracts of 13 species of marine ascidian collected in Algoa Bay were analyzed by LC-ICP-MS/ESI-MS. This technique allows parallel analysis of the molecular species and the presence of certain elements. The LC-ICP-MS/ESI-MS technique was used to target iodinated metabolites in this study. Three ascidian species afforded the known 3,5-diiodo-4-methoxyphenethylamine (12), which was confirmedby the isolation of this metabolite from Aplidium monile. MS also suggested the presence of the known 3,5-dibromo-4-methoxyphenethylamine (10) and the new 3-bromo-5-iodo-4-methoxyphenethylamine (11)inthe A. monile extract. The presence of the known 3,5-dibromotetramethyltyrosine (21) and the new 3-iodotetramethyltyrosine (23) in extracts of an unidentified Didemnum species was similarly proposed from MS evidence. This is the first report of the occurrence of iodinated metabolites in South African marine invertebrates.

The mfecane is thought to be a massive upheaval and devastation of Nguni tribal chiefdoms in the second decade of the 19th century in what is now KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape of South Africa. Other historians have challenged this extreme interpretation suggesting that the use of the term mfecane be discontinued. We show that pervasive cycles of drought and cold periods in southern Africa are significantly amplified and extended by volcanic eruptions and that, in particular, the eruption of Tambora in 1815 triggered a prolonged and extreme climatic event which bears all of the characteristics ascribed to the mfecane. These findings are supported by a coupled ocean-atmosphere numerical model and by tree-ring rainfall and sea surface temperature analyses, suggesting that the term mfecane is an appropriate description of a singular climatic event.

The known 3,6-dibromoindole (1), 6-bromo-3-chloroindole (2) and 6-bromo-2-oxindole (3) were isolated from the marine ascidian (sea squirt) Distapia skoogi collected from Algoa Bay, South Africa. Standard spectroscopic techniques were used to elucidate the structures of 1-3. All three compounds were found to be moderately cytotoxic to metastatic MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells.

Given the emphasis in Higher Education on community engagement in South Africa and the importance of international collaboration, we discuss a joint approach to chemistry outreach in two countries on two continents with widely differing target school audiences. We describe the history of the partnership between the chemistry departments at Rhodes University and the University of Bristol and provide an outline of the chemistry content of their outreach initiatives, the modes of delivery, the advantages to both departments and their students for involvement in various levels of outreach, the challenges they still face and additional opportunities that such work facilitated. The lecture demonstration 'A Pollutant's Tale' was presented to thousands of learners all over the world, including learners at resource-deprived schools in South Africa. Challenges to extend outreach activities in South Africa include long travelling distances, as well as a lack of facilities (such as school halls and electricity) at schools. Outreach activities not only impacted on the target audience of young learners, they also impacted upon the postgraduate and other chemistry students taking part in these initiatives. This collaboration strengthened both institutions and their outreach work and may also lead to chemistry research collaborations between the academics involved.

South African organic chemistry is deeply rooted in a rich history of natural product chemistry research with the secondary metabolites emanating from South Africa's unique floral kingdoms dominating this research for nearly a century. However, South Africa's terrestrial biodiversity is exceeded by an even greater diversity of marine flora and fauna occurring off its coast, which remain a relatively untapped source of novel biomolecules with unrealized pharmaceutical and agrochemical potential. Examples of the seemingly endless opportunities arising from exploration of the diverse bioactivities of South African plant and marine natural products, together with their semi-synthetic analogues, are presented here.

Two known phorbol esters, 12-deoxyphorbol-13-isobutyrate-20-acetate (1) and 12-deoxyphorbol-13-(2-methylbutyrate)-20-acetate (2), and two new phorbol esters, 12-deoxyphorbol-13-isobutyrate-16-angelate-20-acetate (3) and 12-deoxyphorbol-13-(2-methylbutyrate)-16-angelate-20-acetate (4), were isolated from the endemic South African plant Euphorbia bothae. Standard spectroscopic techniques were used to elucidate the structures of all four compounds. The interaction of 1-4 with opioid receptors was explored in an attempt to explain the unexplained stupor occasionally observed in herbivores browsing on E. bothae.

OBJECTIVE: Novel, inexpensive solutions are needed for improved management of vector-borne and other diseases in resource-poor environments. Emerging free software providing access to satellite imagery and simple editing tools (e.g. Google EarthTM) complement existing geographic information system (GIS) software and provide new opportunities for: (i) strengthening overall public health capacity through development of information for city infrastructures; and (ii) display of public health data directly on an image of the physical environment. METHODS: We used freely accessible satellite imagery and a set of feature-making tools included in the software (allowing for production of polygons, lines and points) to generate information for city infrastructure and to display disease data in a dengue decision support system (DDSS) framework. FINDINGS: Two cities in Mexico (Chetumal and Merida) were used to demonstrate that a basic representation of city infrastructure useful as a spatial backbone in a DDSS can be rapidly developed at minimal cost. Data layers generated included labelled polygons representing city blocks, lines representing streets, and points showing the locations of schools and health clinics. City blocks were colour-coded to show presence of dengue cases. The data layers were successfully imported in a format known as shapefile into a GIS software. CONCLUSION: The combination of Google EarthTM and free GIS software (e.g. HealthMapper, developed by WHO, and SIGEpi, developed by PAHO) has tremendous potential to strengthen overall public health capacity and facilitate decision support system approaches to prevention and control of vector-borne diseases in resource-poor environments.

OBJETIVO: Se necesitan soluciones novedosas y de bajo costo para mejorar la gestión de las enfermedades de transmisión vectorial y de otro tipo en los entornos con recursos escasos. Las nuevas opciones de software gratuito que dan acceso a imágenes por satélite y a instrumentos de edición sencillos (por ejemplo Google EarthTM) complementan el software del sistema de información geográfica (SIG) existente y brindan nuevas oportunidades para: (i) reforzar la capacidad global de salud pública mediante la elaboración de información para infraestructuras urbanas; y (ii) mostrar los datos de salud pública directamente en una imagen del entorno físico. MÉTODOS: Se utilizaron imágenes por satélite de libre acceso y una serie de prestaciones de generación de detalles incluidas en el software (que permiten crear polígonos, líneas y puntos) para añadir información sobre las infraestructuras urbanas y representar datos sobre las enfermedades en el marco de un sistema de apoyo decisional para el dengue (DDSS). RESULTADOS: Se utilizaron dos ciudades de México (Chetumal y Mérida) para demostrar que es posible desarrollar rápidamente y con un costo mínimo una representación básica de la infraestructura urbana que revista utilidad como urdimbre espacial en un DDSS. Las capas de información generadas comprendían polígonos etiquetados que representaban cuadras, líneas que reproducían las calles, y puntos que indicaban la localización de las escuelas y los dispensarios. Las cuadras se codificaron mediante colores en función de los casos de dengue. Las capas de información se pudieron importar satisfactoriamente a un software SIG en el formato conocido como shapefiles. CONCLUSIÓN: La combinación de Google EarthTM y software SIG gratuito (por ejemplo, HealthMapper, desarrollado por la OMS, y SIGEpi, desarrollado por la OPS) brinda enormes posibilidades para reforzar la capacidad general de salud pública y facilitar la aplicación de sistemas de apoyo decisional a la prevención y el control de enfermedades de transmisión vectorial en los entornos con recursos escasos.

OBJECTIF: Des solutions innovantes et peu onéreuses sont nécessaires pour améliorer la prise en charge des maladies à transmission vectorielle et autres dans les environnements pauvres en ressources. Les logiciels émergents gratuits qui fournissent un accès à l'imagerie satellitaire et à des outils d'édition simples (Google EarthTM) complètent les logiciels de système d'information géographique (GIS) et offrent de nouvelles possibilités : (i) de renforcer les capacités globales de la santé publique par la génération d'informations concernant les infrastructures urbaines ; et (ii) d'afficher directement des données de santé publique sur une image de l'environnement physique. MÉTHODES: Nous avons utilisé l'imagerie satellitaire en accès libre et une série d'outils de traçage appartenant au logiciel (permettant de produire des polygones, des lignes et des points) pour générer des informations sur l'infrastructure urbaine et pour afficher des données de morbidité dans le cadre d'un système d'aide à la décision concernant la dengue (DDSS). RÉSULTATS: Nous nous sommes servis de deux villes du Mexique (Chetumal et Merida) pour démontrer qu'il était possible de développer rapidement et à un coût minimal une représentation rudimentaire des infrastructures urbaines, utilisable comme épine dorsale spatiale d'un DDSS. Les couches de données générées comprenaient des polygones étiquetés représentant des pâtés de maisons, des lignes figurant des rues et des points indiquant l'emplacement d'écoles et de centres de santé. Les pâtés de maisons ont été colorés selon un code de manière à signaler la présence de cas de dengue. Ces couches de données ont été importées avec succès sous un format appelé fichier de formes dans un logiciel GIS. CONCLUSION: La combinaison associant Google EarthTM et un logiciel GIS libre et gratuit (par exemple HealthMapper, développé par l'OMS, ou SIGEpi, développé par l'OPS) offre un énorme potentiel pour renforcer les capacités générales de la santé publique et faciliter l'utilisation de systèmes d'aide à la décision pour prévenir et combattre les maladies à transmission vectorielle dans les environnements pauvres en ressources.

Objective: To compare the quantity of manuscripts published in journals by departments of pharmacy practice at schools and colleges of pharmacy in the United States for the years 2001-2003. Methods: We utilized the Web of Science bibliographic database to identify publication citations for the years 2001 to 2003 which were then evaluated in a number of different ways. Faculty were identified via American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy rosters for 2000-2001, 2001-2002, and 2002-2003 academic years. Results: Rankings were done based on the number of publications per institution and average number of publications per faculty member at an institution. Upon linear regression analysis, a relationship exists between an institution's faculty size and the total number of publications but not for tenure/nontenure-track faculty ratio. Rating highest in overall publication number did not guarantee high rankings in the average number of publications per faculty member at an institution assessment. Midwestern schools were responsible for more publications per institution than other regions. Many schools only generated minimal scholarship over this evaluative period. Conclusion: While many schools have pharmacy practice faculty that strongly contributed to the biomedical literature, other schools have not. Pharmacy practice faculty in the Midwest publish more journal manuscripts than faculty in other regions of the country. More pharmacy schools need to engage their faculty in scholarly endeavors by providing support and incentives.

Objetivo: Comparar la cantidad de manuscritos publicados en revistas por departamentos de práctica farmacéutica (farmacia práctica) en las escuelas y facultades de farmacia en los Estados Unidos entre los años 2001-2003. Métodos: Utilizamos la base de datos bibliográfica de Web of Science para identificar las citas de publicaciones de los años 2001 a 2003 que fueron evaluadas de varias diferentes formas. Los académicos fueron identificados mediante los registros de la Asociación Americana de Facultades de Farmacia para los años académicos 2000-2001, 2001-2002, y 2002-2003. Resultados: Se realizaron ranking con el número de publicaciones por institución y la media de publicaciones por miembro académico de la institución. Mediante un análisis de regresión lineal, existe una relación entre el tamaño de una institución y el número total de publicaciones, pero no para el ratio de académicos titulares/no titulares. Puntuar en lo más alto del ranking de publicaciones totales no garantizó las puntuaciones en la evaluación del número de publicaciones por miembro académico en la institución. Las facultades del Medio-Oeste fueron responsables de más publicaciones por institución que las otras regiones. Muchas facultades solo generaron una mínima producción durante este periodo de evaluación. Conclusión: Mientras muchas facultades tienen académicos de farmacia práctica que contribuyen fuertemente a la literatura biomédica, otras facultades no. Los académicos de farmacia práctica del Medio-Oeste publicaron más manuscritos en revistas que los académicos de otras regiones del país. Más facultades de farmacia necesitan involucrar a sus académicos en acciones científicas proporcionando apoyo e incentivos.