53 Peritendinous corticosteroid injection, oral steroidal medicat

53 Peritendinous corticosteroid injection, oral steroidal medication, or iontophoresis may be useful and effective at quickly reducing cell response and pain in a reactive tendon,38 however, the long-term outcomes are worse than those obtained with exercise.48 check details Corticosteroid injection, however, is not indicated in degenerative tendinopathy.38 Analgesic injections may alter an athlete’s perception

of pain and ability to moderate activity, this absence of symptoms has been associated with poorer outcomes and is not advised in season.38 Studies of the efficacy of platelet-rich plasma injections as a treatment for tendinopathy show little effect.54 A literature ABT263 review in 2011 showed positive outcomes for several injection-based studies with small sample sizes;55 further research is needed. Surgical interventions including arthroscopic shaving and sclerosing injections are improving in their ability to reduce pain and amount of time out of sports.56 When considering surgery, it is important to factor in stage of tendinopathy and treat it as part of a well-rounded rehabilitation program involving kinetic chain exercises, education in proper landing technique and management of load and return to sports.38 It is important for the athlete to have realistic expectations

of the rehabilitation process and to understand that management of their symptoms is required throughout their sports

career, whether recreational or professional. Oxalosuccinic acid The athlete must know how to monitor symptoms and adjust participation and loading appropriately throughout the rehabilitation process and in return to sport, and should always maintain strength exercises twice weekly throughout their sporting careers. Tendons generally have a delayed response to load and will cause minimal pain during activity, but flare 24 hours later. Regular pain monitoring will help guide and progress the exercise program and should be maintained after return to sport. The best monitoring is the single-leg decline squat, which an athlete can use to self-assess symptoms in order to determine response to rehabilitation and participation in their sport. A journal of symptoms and pain on decline squat will help the athlete to identify triggers, monitor loading response and learn to manage symptoms independently. Return to sport can be slow and is often dependent on severity of the pain and dysfunction, the quality of rehabilitation, and intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Gemignani et al associated mild pathology in the tendon to 20 days of rehabilitation before return to sports, and more severe pathology with approximately 90 days until return to sport.

KLD developed the research idea, undertook the literature review

KLD developed the research idea, undertook the literature review and prepared the first draft of the manuscript. BK developed the research idea and substantially contributed to the drafting and revision

of the manuscript. KLD is funded by a Wellcome Trust/Imperial Global Health Fellowship and the Royal College of Physicians Thomas Watt Eden Fellowship. BK Ion Channel Ligand Library cost is funded by the MRC and the NIHR. We acknowledge the support of the Imperial College Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) for our work. “
“Annual influenza-associated cases of hospitalization and up to 500,000 deaths during frequent virus outbreaks and sporadic pandemics illustrate the serious health burden of influenza virus infections [1]. The high mutational rate of the virus and frequency of interspecies transmission and/or zoonosis leading to new virus subtypes makes influenza infections highly unpredictable [2] and [3]. Therefore, there is a need of developing novel

and effective influenza vaccines. Traditionally, only systemic administration of inactivated influenza http://www.selleckchem.com/products/XL184.html vaccines, mostly intramuscularly, has been used. In 2003 Flumist®, the first nasal influenza vaccine with live attenuated influenza viruses, has been approved in the US [4], which protects locally at the site of virus entry and infection. An advantage of delivering vaccines via the respiratory route is, besides the inductions of local immune responses at virus settlement, the non-invasive application which is likely to increase public compliance. However, it has been described that intranasal antigen

administration induces poor immune responses when applied without an appropriate mucosal adjuvant [5]. Thus, many new effective mucosal adjuvants are in preclinical development (s. Dipeptidyl peptidase review [6]). In 2007, bis-(3′,5′)-cyclic dimeric guanosine monophosphate (c-di-GMP) was introduced as a mucosal adjuvant with promising activity [7]. Madhun et al. showed that c-di-GMP improved the immunogenicity of an intranasally delivered subunit influenza vaccine, compared to antigen only, by inducing strong mucosal and systemic immune responses [8]. Additionally, the authors showed that intranasal administration of the c-di-GMP adjuvanted antigen induced protective antibody titers and cellular immune responses that far exceeded the responses induced by intramuscular administration of the same vaccine [8]. Moreover, Svindland et al. tested vaccination with c-di-GMP combined with a second adjuvant, Chitosan, and showed that vaccination with the combination of these molecules can further improve the humoral and cellular immune responses against target antigens [9]. Besides its adjuvantive effects, Chitosan is used as an intranasal delivery system. Other drug delivery systems such as silica nanoparticle (NP) have also been previously shown to have adjuvant properties [10] and [11].

These viruses are not subject to any specific testing for adventi

These viruses are not subject to any specific testing for adventitious viruses. The corresponding vaccine must be manufactured, tested

and distributed within only a few months in order to meet vaccination schedules [20], [21] and [22]. Because of this short timeline, conventional broad spectrum testing of the influenza virus seed for adventitious agents cannot be performed in time, Cabozantinib price particularly if one considers that months may be needed to prepare virus from an independent source and specific antibodies against the same to neutralise the influenza virus. For conventional egg-derived viral seeds it is commonly assumed and supported by historical safety records, that many adventitious viruses are removed by egg passages. Because cell-derived influenza virus isolates Wnt inhibitor are now being considered for use as starting material for vaccine manufacture, information

is needed about the behaviour of adventitious viruses during cultivation of influenza viruses in suitable cell substrates. Our studies contribute such information for a cell line that is qualified for influenza vaccine manufacture. The result presented here should be seen in context with specifically designed growth studies with a wide range of potentially contaminating viruses, which, along with the results of a systematic literature search on growth of viruses in MDCK cells, have been published previously, [8] and [9]. In those studies a standard amount of 106 infectious units (TCID50) per 100 ml culture was inoculated not into MDCK 33016 cells and the cells were grown for at least 14 days (21 days for slow-growing viruses) in CDM growth medium. High dilution passaging was avoided but samples of suspended cells and medium were taken at regular intervals to be tested for the virus, and an adequate amount of fresh medium was added after sampling to maintain cell growth. The agents studied included: three human adenovirus (types 1, 5, 6), herpes simplex virus (HSV), Epstein–Barr virus, cytomegalovirus, parainfluenzavirus 3 and SV-5, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) type A and B, human coronavirus 229E,

human enterovirus species (Coxsackie A16, Coxsackie B30, Echovirus 6, poliovirus type 1), two human metapneumo virus strains, three different rhinoviruses, mammalian reovirus-3, BK polyomavirus, simian virus 40 (SV-40), budgerigar fledgling disease polyomavirus, avian C-type retrovirus (Rous sarcoma virus), avian infectious bursal disease birnavirus, two avian reovirus strains, minute virus of mice (MVM) parvovirus and porcine circovirus. Furthermore, the growth of Mycoplasma hyorhinis and Chlamydia trachomatis were assessed. In those studies high virus growth was observed for parainfluenzavirus 3, SV5 and herpes simplex virus, slow growth was seen with mammalian reovirus 3, and questionable results (very low or no growth) were noted for the two avian reovirus. No growth was observed for the other viruses and agents tested.

11 The reductive potential of the ABE and ABCNPs are determined a

11 The reductive potential of the ABE and ABCNPs are determined according to the method of Oyaizu.12 Varying concentration of ethanol extract of ABE were used

and tested against standard antioxidant. Inhibition of free radical by scavenging activity in percent (I %) was calculated in following way: I (%) = [(A blank−A sample)/A blank] × 100; Where A blank is the absorbance of the control reaction and A sample is the absorbance of the test compound. The values of inhibition were calculated for the various concentrations of ethanol extracts. Tests were carried out in triplicates. All animal studies Luminespib mouse were conducted in central animal house after approval from the Institutional Animal Ethics Committee endorsed by the Committee for the Purpose of Control and Supervision of Experiments on Animals (CPCSEA) (No. 930; dated: 29.05.2012), Government of India guidelines. 6-week-old male Sprague Dawley rats were obtained from National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad, India and maintained in the Central Animal House, Rajah Muthiah Medical College and Hospital, Annamalai University. Acute toxicity of a drug can be determined by the calculation of LD50, i.e.,

the dose that will kill 50% of animals of a particular species. Recently, we reported Venetoclax manufacturer the LD50 of A. bisporus, in male rats described by the method Lorke. 13 Rats were divided into separate groups, comprising of ten rats in each groups as follows: Animals were kept without food for 18 h prior to dosing the ABE and ABCNPs was dissolved in DMSO and water to administered orally using gavages. The acute toxicity studies of ABE and ABCNPs were investigated in male Sprague Dawley rats, were oral administered the extracts of ABE at the single dose of 500, 1000, 1500, 2000, 2500, 3000, 3500, 4000 and 4500 mg/kg b.w. and ABCNPs at the dose of 500, 1000, 1500, 2000, 2500, 3000, 3500, 4000, 4500

and 5000 mg/kg b.w. for 72 h respectively. All animals were monitored continuously on the day of treatment and surviving animals were scrutinized daily for 3 days for signs of acute toxicity. Recovery and weight gain were seen as indications of having survived the acute PDK4 toxicity. The rats were observed for signs of intoxication and lethality. The extract concentration that exhibited 50% inhibition (IC50) is calculated is calculated by according to the method of is calculated by according to the method of Aderogba et al.14 All the analyses were performed in triplicate, and these results were reported as means ± standard derivation (SD). The significance of differences among treatment means were determined by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) using SPSS Program with a significant level of 0.05. Qualitative analysis carried out for ethanol extract of AB and ABCNPs showed in Table 1 have the presence of major phytochemicals such as terpenoid, alkaloid, steroid, carbohydrates, tannins, proteins and flavonoids that can also influence the biological effects.

g sheep and mouse serum, tissues from infected sheep and mice, o

g. sheep and mouse serum, tissues from infected sheep and mice, or mammalian-origin cell cultures, most frequently Vero and BHK cells, regardless of the origin of the virus isolate [10], [11], [12], [13], [14], [15], [16], [17] and [18]. To improve the infection model, virus propagated in Aedes albopictus cells (C6/36) was compared to virus propagated in mammalian cell line Vero E6. The outcomes of the experimental infections resulting in a proposed RVFV challenge model for vaccine evaluation are discussed. Vero E6 and C6/36 cells were obtained from American http://www.selleckchem.com/Proteasome.html Tissue Culture Collection. Vero E6 cells were maintained in DMEM/10% fetal bovine serum (Wisent) at 37 °C in 5% CO2

incubator. The C6/36 cells were maintained in 47% ESF-921 (Expression Systems)/47% EMEM/2.5% fetal bovine serum (Wisent)/2.5% HEPES (25 mM final)/1% sodium pyruvate (1 mM final)(Sigma–Aldrich) at 28 °C in sealed selleck chemicals flasks (Corning). RVFV, strain ZH501 [22], was kindly provided by Dr. Heinz Feldmann (National Microbiology Laboratory, Winnipeg). Passage no. 2 was transferred from National Microbiology Laboratory to National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease (NCFAD). The virus was then expanded in Vero E6 cells once, and NCFAD passage two was used in inoculations with RVFV-Vero E6. NCFAD passage two was used to prepare the RVFV-C6/36 stock for animal inoculations. The virus was sequenced at passage two in Vero

E6 cells, and then at passage four (used for animal infections), and also at passage two in C6/36 cells (used in animal infections). All three genomic sequences were considered identical, also with the sequence published in GenBank for RVFV-ZH501. Both virus stocks were characterized on genomic and on protein level [21] and [23]. Single virus stock prepared either in Vero E6 cells or C6/36 cells was used for all respective animal inoculation experiments. The virus stocks, inocula and sera were plaque-titrated as follows: 400 μl/well of ten-fold serially diluted SB-3CT samples in DMEM were incubated on confluent monolayers of Vero E6 cells in 12 well plates in triplicates at

37 °C in 5% CO2 for 1 h. The inoculum was replaced by 1.75% carboxymethyl cellulose (Sigma–Aldrich) in DMEM/0.3% (Wisent) supplemented with 25 mM HEPES (Sigma–Aldrich)/100 μg/ml of Streptomycin/100 IU/ml of Penicillin (Wisent), and incubated for 4 days at 37 °C, 5% CO2. Formalin (10%) fixed plates were stained with crystal violet (0.5% (w/v) in 80% methanol in PBS), and virus titer determined in PFU/ml. Serum samples were simultaneously analyzed by virus isolation using plaque titration as described above to determine viremia, and by real time RT-PCR to determine virus RNA load. RNA isolation from serum using TriPure (Roche Diagnostics) according to manufacturer’s instructions was followed by one-step real time RT-PCR targeting the L gene [9].

The growth inhibition

The growth inhibition this website area on agar plate was measured. The FTIR studies (Fig. 1) and DSC analysis

(Fig. 2) confirmed the absence of any chemical interaction between the drug and the polymer. Macroscopical features revealed that the drug was dissolved in the polymer matrix rather than dispersing. The physical properties such as thickness, uniformity of weight, percentage moisture loss, tensile strength, folding endurance, content uniformity, surface pH were given in Table 2. The fabricated films showed good film forming properties and reproducibility. The films were thin, flexible, elastic and smooth. Scanning electron microscopy pictures showed that the upper surface of plain films was smooth while the upper surface of drug loaded films was rough suggesting that the drug was dispersed rather than

dissolved in the polymer solution prior to film formation. Sodium citrate concentration, pH and cross linking time had little effect on the surface morphology of citrate/chitosan films. The cross section of the citrate/chitosan films was very integral and dense. However, all the films were yellowish cream in colour, with the colour deepening and film texture becoming tenderer with increase in crosslinking concentration and time. The SEM photographic pictures of the film were shown in Fig. 3. Table 2 shows the mean thickness of the films prepared at varying combinations of crosslinking concentration MEK inhibitor and time. The results show that there was no significant difference between the films in terms of film thickness. The thickness of all the films no ranges from 204.3 to 218.43. Weights of all the formulations were in the range of 19.8–23. This indicated that

all the films were uniform in weight. The folding endurance values of all the films were in the range of 295–300. It indicated that all the formulations had ideal properties. The pH of all the formulations was found to have between 7.1 and 7.48. The surface pH of all films was found to be neutral and hence no periodontal pocket irritation is expected. Percentage moisture loss values range from 1.52 to 2.18. These studies observed that formulation F1 showed maximum moisture loss and F 12 showed a minimum moisture loss because on more crosslinking the film becomes more tenderer and there will be less moisture loss. The tensile strength values of the films ranged from 20.16 to 28.7 kg/cm2. This is because the longer the crosslinking time results in more tender films. The reduction in tensile strength values was observed on more crosslinking time and more concentration of crosslinking agent. The content of drug in all the films range 95.34–96.45. This indicated that the drug is uniformly distributed in all the formulations. F5 showed highest content uniformity where as F12 showed less content uniformity. The films were studied for stability studies for 1 month and there were no changes in physical parameters. From Fig.

Cp=K(Cp)AmpMHFAmpMHR Where K (Cp) is the heat capacity constant,

Cp=K(Cp)AmpMHFAmpMHR Where K (Cp) is the heat capacity constant, AmpMHF and AmpMHR are the amplitudes of modulated heat flow and heat rate, respectively. K(Cp)=Cp,theoreticalCp,measured

However, for precise heat capacity measurements several points like the thickness of the sample bed in sample pan, the thermal contact resistance between the sample and Screening Library price the sample pan, and the thermal contact resistance between the sample pan and the base plate of the apparatus have to be considered in order to get reliable results. IGC is a vapor sorption technique in which the powder is packed in a column and known vapors (usually at infinite dilution in a carrier gas) are injected. From the retention times of the probes it is possible to assess the surface nature of the material in the column.23 IGC is a highly sensitive technique and has been used to determine the specific energies

of adsorption of polar probes DGSP A, which can I-BET151 supplier then be used to calculate the basic/acidic parameter ratio KD/KA. This parameter describes the acidic and basic nature of the powder surface and can be correlated with crystallinity.24 Values of KD/KA of greater than 1 mean a basic nature on the surface of a solid and values of less than 1 mean an acidic nature. Water sorption or gravimetric techniques have been extensively used in the study of many amorphous and partially amorphous powders.24 It is a useful method for standardizing the amorphous content either as a single component or in combination.21 Dynamic vapor sorption (DVS) is based on the concept of exploitation of crystallization of amorphous materials with changes in humidity,

with consequent expulsion of water. Extent of water sorption and desorption is related to the amorphous content of the sample. DVS works simply by detecting the crystallization response for the amorphous material, with little or no interfering response from the crystalline component.25 The gravimetric studies are usually conducted in a humidity-controlled microbalance system. The sample is loaded on one side of a Carnitine palmitoyltransferase II single or twin pan balance, and the system is programmed for measurement of sorption and desorption at particular humidity and temperature. However, the moisture sorption isotherms cannot be used as such for the quantification of amorphous content as the moisture absorbed by the amorphous regions as well as that adsorbed onto the surface will contribute to the total water adsorbed by the sample. Dissolution calorimetry measures the energy of dissolution, which is dependent on the crystallinity of the sample. Usually, dissolution of crystalline material is endothermic, whereas dissolution of amorphous material is exothermic. Confocal Raman spectroscopy is used to measure the homogeneity of the solid mixture.

06 × 10−2/site/year (95% HPD 9 53 × 10−3 to 1 05 × 10−2) This is

06 × 10−2/site/year (95% HPD 9.53 × 10−3 to 1.05 × 10−2). This is CHIR 99021 similar to the report (1.12 × 10−2/site/year) for VP1 sequences of A-Iran-05 viruses [13]; but higher than those reported by others [26], [27], [28], [29], [30], [31] and [32]. The high evolutionary rate of serotype A viruses in the ME is resulting in emergence of new variants in the region. An unbiased analysis of capsid sequences of the 51 A-Iran-05 viruses revealed 692 nt substitutions at 637 sites distributed

across the region (Fig. 1B). Out of these, 80.05% of nt substitutions were found to be synonymous (silent) and 19.95% were non-synonymous (non-silent). Forty seven sites were identified to have been substituted twice and four were substituted three times. At one site (VP2-134) the

first two bases of the codon were mutated encoding 5 different aa (P->T/S/L/H). This residue is located very close to residues VP2-132 and 133 that were reported as critical by mar-mutant studies for A10 virus [9]. In addition, the residue at this position has been reported to strongly influence the binding of antigenic site-2 mAbs in serotype O viruses [16]. Out of the four BAY 73-4506 mouse sites with three nt substitutions (encoding 2–4 aa residues), three were present in VP3 and one in VP1 (Table 1A). The analysis of the capsid aa residues of A-Iran-05 viruses revealed 140 substitutions at 101 sites across the capsid (Fig. 2A) with some sites having 2–5 alternate aa (Table 1B). Interestingly, sequences for VP1-204 encoded five different aa and exhibited nt changes at all the three positions within the codon as did VP1-196, with changes at all the three positions of the codon giving rise to four alternative aa. In addition, the non-synonymous nt substitutions were not equally distributed across the capsid coding regions: there were several local areas where the dN/dS ratio was higher than in other parts of the sequence alignment

(Fig. 2B). One region in VP3 (57–65), two in VP2 (75–76 and 130–134) and eight regions in VP1 (52–53, 83–84, 92–105, 131–132, 137–141, 145–152, 168–171 and 192–204) had dN/dS ratio of >1 indicative of sites under strong positive selection. Investigation of aa variability Rolziracetam across the capsid of the A-Iran-05 viruses revealed VP4 to be highly conserved and VP1 least conserved (Fig. 3A); similar to an earlier report [13]. The residues with a score greater than 0.75 (3 in VP2, 6 in VP3 and 12 in VP1) are shown in Fig. 3B-D indicating that over 50% of the residues with very high variability scores were present in VP1 (Fig. 3A). All these residues were found to be surface-exposed, except one residue in the N-terminus of VP1 (position 28) and one in N-terminus of VP3 (position 8) (Fig. 3C and D).

Pathologic observations were found to be statistically more frequ

Pathologic observations were found to be statistically more frequent with abusive head

trauma (cases) than with alternative cause (controls). For each finding in the abusive head trauma group, the percent prevalence, odds ratio between cases and controls, and the corresponding 95% odds ratio confidence interval were as follows: subdural hemorrhage in the optic nerve ZD1839 sheath, 97%, 1305, 114.7–14 851.0; intrascleral hemorrhage, 63%, 79.5, 10.2–616.9; any retinal hemorrhage, 83%, 33.3, 11.2–99.6; hemorrhage extending to the ora, 70%, 107.3, 13.7–839.4; cherry hemorrhage, 40%, 30.7, 4.0–237.6; perimacular ridge, 42%, 15.7, 3.5–70.9; and ILM tear, 85%, 46.5, 14.5–149.4. The odds ratio for cherry hemorrhage, hemorrhage extending to ora, and intrascleral hemorrhage required substituting 1 for 0 in order to avoid indeterminate calculations for control eyes that lacked each of these 3 associated findings, thereby making the corresponding odds ratio estimations conservative. Perimacular ridges were found in only 2 control eyes, both from the same case: a 16-month-old male infant, who was feeding koi fish in a pond with family nearby, drowned and perished despite shaking resuscitative efforts upon rescue from the pond. The Table shows pathologic observations of the abusive head trauma group organized relative to laterality, sex, and age. Pathologic findings were more commonly

buy Veliparib seen bilaterally than unilaterally for every observation. Each one had similar or greater frequency in younger infants. Specifically, subdural hemorrhage (2-tailed, unpaired, independent t tests, P = .030), any retinal hemorrhage (P = .048), hemorrhage extending to the ora serrata (P = .024), ILM tear (P = .002), and formation of the perimacular ridge (P = .044) were all significantly more frequent in infant eyes younger than 16 months. There was no significant difference regarding age in findings of intrascleral hemorrhage (P = .306) or cherry

hemorrhage (P = .334). No significant difference with respect to sex was found (P > .05). The alternative cause group demonstrated zero to few positive findings for each category ( Table). All 60 abusive head trauma eyes had at least Mannose-binding protein-associated serine protease 1 histopathologic finding from the retinal hemorrhages, ocular hemorrhages, or vitreoretinal interface pathology groups, as illustrated in set (Venn) diagrams showing overlapping relationships (Figure 1). Fifty eyes (83%) had retinal hemorrhages, while 10 (17%) did not have a retinal hemorrhage of any kind (Figure 1, Left panel). Of those positive for retinal hemorrhages, 42 (84%) had hemorrhages extending to the ora serrata, and 24 (48%) had a cherry hemorrhage. All 24 eyes (100%) with a cherry hemorrhage had hemorrhages extending to the ora serrata. Among the 42 eyes with hemorrhage extending to the ora, 18 (43%) did not have a cherry hemorrhage. Every abusive head trauma autopsy eye (100%) had at least 1 type of ocular hemorrhage (Figure 1, Middle panel).

Samples were collected in bulk depending on the abundance of indi

Samples were collected in bulk depending on the abundance of individual organisms and washed with freshwater to remove adhering debris and associated biota. Collected samples were stored in a refrigerated box and transferred to the lab. Further, the sponge samples are labeled properly and stored at −70 °C. The taxonomic identification of the organisms was done using spicules separated using nitric acid digestion following

standard identification keys.5 and 6 For the extraction of crude bioactives, 100 g of powdered material was exhaustively extracted click here with 200 ml of ethyl acetate using Soxhlet apparatus and evaporated under reduced pressure to yield viscous dark gum. The extract was stored at 4 °C in air-tight plastic vials for further studies. Cytotoxicity of extract at various concentrations (15–1000 μg/ml) was assessed for Hep2 and MCF7 using the 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) but with minor modification, following 72 h of incubation. Assay plates were read

using a spectrophotometer at 520 nm. Data generated were used to plot a dose–response curve of which the concentration of extract required to kill 50% of cell population (IC50) was determined by Cell viability (%) = Mean OD/control OD × 100. Gas chromatograph analysis was carried out on Cilengitide purchase a Shimadzu (QP2010) equipped with a VF-5 ms column (diameter 0.25 mm, length 30.0 m, film thickness 0.25 μm) mass spectrometer (ion source 200 °C; EI −70 eV), programmed at temperature 40–650 °C with a rate of 4 °C/min. Injector flow rate was 200 °C; carrier gas was He 99.9995% purity, column flow rate 1.51 ml/min, injection mode-split. Approximately 10,000 sponges have been described in the world and most of them live in marine waters. A range of bioactive out metabolites has been found in about 11 sponge

genera. Three of these genera (Haliclona, Petrosia and Discodemia) produce powerful anticancer, anti-inflammatory agents, but their cultivation has not been studied. 7 Marine sponge, Theonella spp. which show in vitro cytotoxity and in vivo antitumor activity in many leukemia and solid tumor model systems. 8 and 9 In the present study, the collected sponge sample was identified as Sigmadocia pumila by spicules separated by nitric acid digestion. In the search for bioactive compounds, the extract Sigmadocia pumila were tested for cytotoxic activities. MCF7 and Hep2 cells were treated with extracts at increasing concentrations for 18 h, and the percentage of cell viability was analyzed. The extracts were dissolved in DMSO, and a parallel experiment demonstrated that the final concentration of DMSO in the medium (0.1%) did not produce any impact on MCF7 and Hep2 cell cytotoxicity (data not shown). As revealed in Table 1 the extracts inhibited MCF7 and Hep2 cell growth in a dose-dependent manner.