North Carolina State University Researchers Describe Advances in Zoological and Botanical Gardens [Analysis of Circulating Fatty Acid Profiles in Free-Ranging and Managed Care Marine Toads (* * Rhinella marina* * ) with a Comparison of …]: Life Sciences – Zoological and Botanical Gardens

2022 OCT 07 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- Investigators publish new report on zoological and botanical gardens. According to news reporting out of Raleigh, North Carolina, by NewsRx editors, research stated, “This study provides novel data on circulating concentrations of whole-blood fatty acids (FAs) in marine toads (* * Rhinella marina)* * via dried blood spot (DBS) card technology as a potential amphibian model species. Free-ranging (n = 10) animals were compared to managed populations fed two diet strategies for 60 days (n = 6 per diet).”

Our news reporters obtained a quote from the research from North Carolina State University: “Thirty-six individual FAs were analyzed, with 28 found in significant reportable quantities. Eight FA groupings were represented. Traditional whole-blood vial (WBV) FA percentages were also collected and compared to DBS after managed care for 60 days. Results showed eleven individual FAs and four FA groups were higher in free-ranging toads (n = 10; * * p* * 0.05), while three FAs and three groups were higher in managed care (n = 12; * * p* * 0.05). FA concentrations compared between DBS cards and WBV at day 60 generally agreed, although two individual FAs and one grouping were higher in DBS (* * p* * 0.05). When free-ranging FAs were analyzed by sex, four individual FAs and two groupings were higher in females, while four individual FAs and one grouping were higher in males.”

According to the news editors, the research concluded: “Understanding normal FA circulating levels and how husbandry changes them may impact amphibian health. Additionally, DBS cards may provide a convenient sampling tool for fieldwork.”

For more information on this research see: Analysis of Circulating Fatty Acid Profiles in Free-Ranging and Managed Care Marine Toads (* * Rhinella marina* * ) with a Comparison of Whole-Blood Vial and Whole-Blood Dried Blood Spot Card Analyses. Journal of Zoological and Botanical Gardens, 2022,3(24):300-315. The publisher for Journal of Zoological and Botanical Gardens is MDPI AG.

A free version of this journal article is available at https://doi.org/10.3390/jzbg3030024.

Our news journalists report that more information may be obtained by contacting Melissa L. Witt, Department of Animal Science, North Carolina State University, 120 W. Broughton Dr., Raleigh, NC 27695, United States. Additional authors for this research include Larry J. Minter, Troy N. Tollefson, Frank Ridgley, Kimberly Treiber, Dustin Smith, Doug Bibus, Heather Scott, Kimberly Ange-van Heugten.

(Our reports deliver fact-based news of research and discoveries from around the world.)