Plasmodium (Bennettinia) juxtanucleare infection in a captive white eared-pheasant (Crossoptilon crossoptilon) at a Japanese zoo

An adult male white eared-pheasant (Crossoptilon crossoptilon) at a Japanese zoo exhibited lethargy and emaciation. Microscopic examination of a blood smear revealed a haemosporidian parasitic infection. Based on the morphological characteristics and molecular analysis of the parasite, it was identified as Plasmodium (Bennettinia) juxtanucleare. This is the first report of P. juxtanucleare infection in bird species belonging to the genus Crossoptilon. Caution against avian malaria infection is required for the conservation of endangered bird species in zoos.     

Phenolic extractives in the trunk of Toxicodendron vernicifluum: chemical characteristics,contents and radial distribution

Phenolic extractives in the trunk of Toxicodendron vernicifluum (syn. Rhus verniciflua) were investigated. Seventeen compounds, gallic acid, protocatechuic acid, (?)-fisetinidol-4β-ol, (?)-fisetinidol-4α-ol, 2-benzyl-2,6,3′,4′-tetrahydroxycoumaran-3-one, (?)-fustin, 1,2,3,6-Tetra-O-galloyl-β-d-glucose, (?)-epifustin, (+)-taxifolin, 1,2,3,4,6-penta-O-galloyl-β-d-glucose, (?)-garbanzol, (?)-fustin-3-O-gallate, (?)-epifustin-3-O-gallate, fisetin, sulfuretin, quercetin and butein, were identified from the heartwood extractives. It was found that only (+)-taxifolin which had 5,7-dihydroxy A-ring possessed a 3R configuration although other flavonoids which had 7-hydroxy A-ring possessed a 3S configuration. Quantitative analysis revealed that the total phenolic contents were much higher in the heartwood (5–7 wt%) than in the sapwood and bark (1–2 wt%), and (?)-fustin was the most abundant extractive in the heartwood (1.4–2.4 wt%). For the radial distribution of phenolic extractives, it was generally found that their content was lowest in the sapwood, increased to the highest in the outer heartwood, and then decreased in the inner heartwood.     

论编辑和作者的交流与合作

编辑与作者交流中存在的问题 ,是由作者提供的稿件质量不高 ,人情稿、关系稿充斥和一些编辑不负责任的态度和做法引起的。二者交流应持无私的态度 ,相互尊重 ,彼此体谅 ,加强沟通。双方交流的方式与方法概括起来有当面交流、书信交流等     

Evaluation of biological activities of extracts from 22 African tropical wood species

Heartwoods of 22 African tropical wood species were extracted with methanol and the contents of total phenolic compounds in these extracts were measured. Three bioassays were conducted to evaluate the antioxidant activity, tyrosinase inhibitory activity, and antifungal activity of the methanol extracts. The results indicated that the extracts from 13 species exhibited high antioxidant potential, and their inhibitory concentrations that caused 50% scavenging of the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical (IC₅₀) were less than 10 μg/ml. The crude extract from Cylicodiscus gabunensis showed the highest antioxidant activity, and was even higher than that of (+)-catechin, which is known as a potent antioxidant. There was a good correlation between the antioxidant activity and the content of total phenolic compounds, indicating that phenolic compounds played a predominant role in the antioxidant property of the wood extracts. Among all 22 species, only 1 species, Milicia excelsa, contained extractives that showed very high tyrosinase inhibitory activity. The extracts from 9 species showed high antifungal activity. No consistent relationship was observed between the tyrosinase inhibitory activity or antifungal activity and the content of total phenolics in the extracts. Part of this article was presented at the 56th Annual Meeting of the Japan Wood Research Society, Akita, August 2006