Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
Articles 1 - 2 of 2
Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences
Evaluation Of Rhodamine B As A Biomarker For Raccoons, Tricia L. Fry, Todd Atwood, Mike R. Dunbar
Evaluation Of Rhodamine B As A Biomarker For Raccoons, Tricia L. Fry, Todd Atwood, Mike R. Dunbar
Human–Wildlife Interactions
The USDA/APHIS/Wildlife Services (WS) oral rabies vaccination program uses tetracycline, a broad-spectrum antibiotic and relatively reliable biomarker, to quantify vaccinebait uptake by raccoons (Procyon lotor). However, obtaining samples (e.g., bone or teeth) to assess tetracycline uptake is highly invasive, and sample preparation can be expensive. By contrast, rhodamine B, a commercially available dye, is absorbed systemically in growing tissues, including hair and whiskers, and can be observed under ultraviolet (UV) light as fluorescent orange bands. Our goal was to evaluate whether rhodamine B can be used as a biomarker to monitor bait uptake by raccoons. We began by …
Refinement Of Biomarker Pentosidine Methodology For Use On Aging Birds, Crissa K. Cooey, Jesse A. Fallon, Michael L. Avery, James T. Anderson, Elizabeth A. Falkenstein, Hillar Klandorf
Refinement Of Biomarker Pentosidine Methodology For Use On Aging Birds, Crissa K. Cooey, Jesse A. Fallon, Michael L. Avery, James T. Anderson, Elizabeth A. Falkenstein, Hillar Klandorf
Human–Wildlife Interactions
There is no reliable method for determining age for most species of long-lived birds. Recent success using the skin chemical pentosidine as a biomarker has shown promise as an aging tool for birds. Pentosidine levels have been determined only from the breast tissue of carcasses, and we sought to refine the procedure with respect to biopsy size and location for safe and effective use on living birds. We compared pentosidine concentrations in 4 skin-size samples (4, 6, 8, and 20-mm diameter biopsies) from the breast of black vulture (Coragyps atratus) carcasses. We also compared pentosidine levels from breast …