Food color, flavor, and conditioned avoidance among red-winged blackbirds.

The relationship between food flavors and postingestive feedback enables mammalian herbivores to procure nutrients and avoid toxins within ever-changing environments. We conducted four experiments with red-winged blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus) in captivity to determine the relative roles of color and flavor cues paired with negative postingestive feedback. We first conducted baseline tests to assess preferences for colors and flavors.

Comparison of isoflurane and sevoflurane for anesthesia in beaver.

We compared the hemodynamic and respiratory effects, recovery time, and cost of two gas inhalants (isoflurane and sevoflurane) for anesthetic induction and maintenance of beaver (Castor canadensis) during surgery to implant radio transmitters in the peritoneal cavity. Heart rate, respiratory rate, relative hemoglobin saturation with oxygen (SpO2), and body temperature were measured every 5 min for the first 45 min, and arterial blood gas was measured once, 25 min into the anesthetic procedure. Induction for either agent was smooth and rapid.

Determination of 4,4'-dinitrocarbanilide (DNC), a component of Nicarbazin, in Canada goose (Branta canadensis) eggshells using high-performance liquid chromatography.

A method was developed using high-performance liquid chromatography to assay 4,4'-dinitrocarbanilide (DNC), the active ingredient in Nicarbazin, in eggshells collected from Canada geese fed a formulated feed fortified with Nicarbazin at doses of 0, 125, 250, and 500 microg/g. The method was developed using chicken eggshells fortified with DNC. The method was used to quantify DNC in both the shell-associated membranes and the calcified shell extracellular matrix.

Determination of DiazaCon in quail feed and quail serum by ion pair reversed-phase chromatography.

Liquid chromatographic (LC) methods were developed for quantitating the potential avian contraceptive DiazaCon in quail feed and serum. DiazaCon was extracted from ground quail feed with basic n-butyl chloride. The n-butyl chloride extract was evaporated to dryness.

Solid phase extraction gas chromatography/electron capture detector method for the determination of organochlorine pesticides in wildlife whole blood.

A gas chromatographic method for the analysis of 10 organochlorine pesticides in 0.5 mL of whole blood is described. Sample preparation involved an ethyl ether and hexane extraction, followed by a silica solid phase extraction cleanup.

Reversed-Phase Ion-Pair High-Performance Liquid Chromatographic Quantitation of Difethialone Residues in Whole-Body Rodents with Solid-Phase Extraction Cleanup.

A reversed-phase ion-pair high-performance liquid chromatographic method was developed for the determination of difethialone residues in laboratory rats (Rattus norvegicus). Difethialone was extracted from rat tissue with chloroform/acetone/formic acid. The extracts were cleaned up by a solid-phase extraction (SPE) procedure using both silica and aminopropyl SPE sorbents, concentrated, and analyzed by reversed-phase ion-pair high-performance liquid chromatography.

Quantitation of pyrethrum residues in brown tree snakes.

A reversed-phase solid-phase extraction-gas chromatography (SPE-GC)-electron capture detection method is developed to quantitate individual rethrin residues in pyrethrum-exposed brown tree snakes. Aliquots (6 g) of homogenized snake tissue are extracted with 10 mL acetonitrile. The rethrins are recovered from the acetonitrile extract and concentrated using C8 SPE.