Variations in antimicrobial resistance genes present in the rectal faeces of seals in Scottish and Liverpool Bay coastal waters.

Antibiotic resistance genes originating from human activity are considered important environmental pollutants. Wildlife species can act as sentinels for coastal environmental contamination and in this study we used qPCR array technology to investigate the variety and abundance of antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs), mobile genetic elements (MGEs) and integrons circulating within seal populations both near to and far from large human populations located around the Scottish and northwest English coast. Rectal swabs were taken from 50 live grey seals and nine live harbour seals. Nucleic acids were stabilised upon collection, enabling extraction of sufficient quality and quantity DNA for downstream analysis. 78 ARG targets, including genes of clinical significance, four MGE targets and three integron targets were used to monitor genes within 22 sample pools. 30 ARGs were detected, as well as the integrons intl1 and intl2 and tnpA transposase. Four ß-lactam, nine tetracycline, two phenicol, one trimethoprim, three aminoglycoside and ten multidrug resistance genes were detected as well as mcr-1 which confers resistance to colistin, an important drug of last resort. No sulphonamide, vancomycin, macrolide, lincosamide or streptogramin B (MLSB) resistance genes were detected. Resistance genes were detected in all sites but the highest number of ARGs (n = 29) was detected in samples derived from grey seals on the Isle of May, Scotland during the breeding season, and these genes also had the highest average abundance in relation to the 16S rRNA gene. This pilot study demonstrates the effectiveness of a culture-independent workflow for global analysis of ARGs within the microbiota of live, free-ranging, wild animals from habitats close to and remote from human habitation, and highlights seals as a valuable indicator species for monitoring the presence, abundance and land-sea transference of resistance genes within and between ecosystems.

Community resilience across Australia towards natural hazards: an application of the Conjoint Community Resiliency Assessment Measurement.

Natural hazards can turn into disasters when not managed well. An important part of disaster risk reduction is to understand how well communities are prepared for natural hazards and how well they can cope with and recover from shocks in the long term. This research assesses self-reported community resilience and asks what makes a community resilient, using Australia as a case study. It reports on an Australian-wide online survey which included questions related to the Conjoint Community Resiliency Assessment Measurement, a subjective indicator, as well as questions about risk perception, well-being, and self-efficacy. Community resilience was found to be moderately high but scores for community leadership and preparedness were low. Perceived community resilience was positively correlated with age and those with high scores for self-efficacy and well-being. There was, as expected, an inverse relationship between reliance on external support during natural hazards and self-efficacy. The results complement previous studies which used different measures of community resilience.

Design Development of the SMARTCLIC®/CLICWISE® Injection Device for Self-Administered Subcutaneous Therapies: Findings from Usability and Human Factor Studies.

INTRODUCTION: An easy-to-use, multiuse, single-patient, electromechanical autoinjector, the SMARTCLIC®/CLICWISE® injection device, was recently developed to improve the self-administration options available to patients with chronic inflammatory disease treated with biologic agents. An extensive series of studies were conducted to guide the design and development of this device and to ensure its safety and effectiveness. METHODS: Participants in two user preference studies and three formative human factor (HF) studies evaluated evolving iterations of the autoinjector device, dose dispenser cartridge, graphical user interface, and informational materials; participants in a summative HF test subsequently assessed the final proposed commercially representative product. In the user preference studies, rheumatologists and patients with chronic inflammatory disease, interviewed online and in-person, provided feedback on the design and functionality of four prototypes. In the HF studies, the safety, effectiveness, and usability of adapted prototypes were assessed under simulated-use conditions by patients with chronic inflammatory disease, caregivers, and healthcare professionals (HCPs). The safety and effectiveness of the final refined device and system were confirmed in a summative HF test by patients and HCPs in simulated-use scenarios. RESULTS: Rheumatologists (n = 204) and patients (n = 39) interviewed in the two user preference studies provided feedback on the device size, feature ergonomics, and usability that guided prototype development in the subsequent formative HF studies. Observations from patients, caregivers, and HCPs (n = 55) participating in the latter studies yielded additional critical design revisions that culminated in development of the final device and system. Of 106 injection simulations conducted in the summative HF test, all resulted in successful medication delivery, and no potential harms were associated with injection-related use events. CONCLUSION: Findings from this research facilitated development of the SmartClic/ClicWise autoinjector device and demonstrated that it could be used safely and effectively by participants representative of the intended-use population of patients, lay caregivers, and HCPs.

Fitness correlates of blubber oxidative stress and cellular defences in grey seals (Halichoerus grypus): support for the life-history-oxidative stress theory from an animal model of simultaneous lactation and fasting.

Life-history-oxidative stress theory predicts that elevated energy costs during reproduction reduce allocation to defences and increase cellular stress, with fitness consequences, particularly when resources are limited. As capital breeders, grey seals are a natural system in which to test this theory. We investigated oxidative damage (malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration) and cellular defences (relative mRNA abundance of heat shock proteins (Hsps) and redox enzymes (REs)) in blubber of wild female grey seals during the lactation fast (n = 17) and summer foraging (n = 13). Transcript abundance of Hsc70 increased, and Nox4, a pro-oxidant enzyme, decreased throughout lactation. Foraging females had higher mRNA abundance of some Hsps and lower RE transcript abundance and MDA concentrations, suggesting they experienced lower oxidative stress than lactating mothers, which diverted resources into pup rearing at the expense of blubber tissue damage. Lactation duration and maternal mass loss rate were both positively related to pup weaning mass. Pups whose mothers had higher blubber glutathione-S-transferase (GST) expression at early lactation gained mass more slowly. Higher glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and lower catalase (CAT) were associated with longer lactation but reduced maternal transfer efficiency and lower pup weaning mass. Cellular stress, and the ability to mount effective cellular defences, could proscribe lactation strategy in grey seal mothers and thus affect pup survival probability. These data support the life-history-oxidative stress hypothesis in a capital breeding mammal and suggest lactation is a period of heightened vulnerability to environmental factors that exacerbate cellular stress. Fitness consequences of stress may thus be accentuated during periods of rapid environmental change.

Does a Kegel Exercise Program Prior to Resistance Training Reduce the Risk of Stress Urinary Incontinence?

This comparative pre-post intervention study investigated the feasibility and benefits of Kegel exercises amongst incontinent women, prior to commencing resistance training (RT), to reduce the risk of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) compared to a group of women without prior Kegel exercises (KE). Incontinence severity index (ISI) score, pelvic floor muscle strength (PFMS), and body composition (such as body mass index (BMI), fat, and muscle mass), were obtained pre and post intervention. Results demonstrated that RT reduced SUI to a significantly greater extent only if preceded by KE as was observed in the Kegel exercise plus RT group (KE + RT) over time. The improvements in total ISI in both the KE + RT and RT groups were large (d = 1.50 and d = 1.17 respectively). A two-way ANOVA indicated a statistically significant improvement in average PFMS within the KE + RT group over time and between the two groups. A positive correlation was found between the average strength of pelvic floor muscles and SUI. Participants in KE + RT group demonstrated a significant increase in muscle mass (p ≤ 0.001) and concomitant reduction in fat mass (p = 0.018). This study determined a dedicated program of KE preceding a RT program improved average pelvic floor muscle strength and was effective in reducing SUI among incontinent women.

High Usability and Applicability Ratings for the New SmartClic®/ClicWise® Injection Device: Evidence from a Health Care Professional Opinion Study.

INTRODUCTION: The SmartClic®/ClicWise® autoinjector is a new reusable, multi-use, single-patient device for the administration of subcutaneously administered biologics in the treatment of chronic conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis. The device will be used in conjunction with a mobile application (app). The aim of this study was to collect feedback on the usability, functionality, and applicability of the device and the companion app from health care professionals (HCPs) who perform injections as part of their role and care for patients with rheumatic conditions. METHODS: The study was conducted from September to October 2020 in Germany. HCPs participated in a training session for the device and gained experience by performing simulated injections with water. Following the simulations, HCPs answered questions on the ease of use, feature design, effectiveness, and injection speed of the SmartClic/ClicWise device and estimate the patient training time required. They also answered questions on the functionality of the proposed app after attending a storyboard presentation. Responses were recorded as multiple-choice answers, Likert scale ratings (seven-point scale), or open-ended comments. The mean, median, and mode scores were recorded. RESULTS: Twenty-five HCPs (mean age, 38.2 years; females, n = 22 [88%]; registered nurses, n = 19 [76%]) participated in the study. HCP feedback on questions related to the SmartClic/ClicWise device was positive overall, with mean scores > 4.50 across questions; mean scores < 5.00 were reported on 2/40 questions. Twenty-four of 25 participants (96%) estimated that a training time of ≤ 20 min would suffice for patients learning to use the device. Positive feedback was also reported on questions related to the companion app, with mean scores > 5.70. CONCLUSIONS: Initial feedback from HCPs on the SmartClic/ClicWise device and proposed app was generally favorable, suggesting they will provide an acceptable alternative for self-administration of biologics for patients with rheumatoid arthritis and other chronic conditions.

Exploring financially sustainable initiatives to address out-of-area placements in psychiatric ICUs: a computer simulation study.

BACKGROUND: Transferring individuals for treatment outside their geographic area occurs when healthcare demand exceeds local supply. This can result in significant financial cost while impacting patient outcomes and experience. AIMS: The aim of this study was to assess initiatives to reduce psychiatric intensive care unit (PICU) out-of-area bed placements within a major healthcare system in South West England. METHODS: Discrete event computer simulation was used to model patient flow across the healthcare system's three PICUs. A scenario analysis was performed to estimate the impact of management plans to decrease admissions and length of stay. The amount of capacity required to minimise total cost was also considered. RESULTS: Without increasing in-area capacity, mean out-of-area bed requirement can be reduced by 25.6% and 19.1% respectively through plausible initiatives to decrease admissions and length of stay. Reductions of 34.7% are possible if both initiatives are employed. Adjusting the in-area bed capacity can also lead to aggregate cost savings. CONCLUSIONS: This study supports the likely effectiveness of particular initiatives in reducing out-of-area placements for high-acuity bedded psychiatric care. This study also demonstrates the value of computer simulation in an area that has seen little such attention to date.

Consequences of in vitro benzyl butyl phthalate exposure for blubber gene expression and insulin-induced Akt activation in juvenile grey seals.

Plastic and plasticiser pollution of marine environments is a growing concern. Although phthalates, one group of plasticisers, are rapidly metabolised by mammals, they are found ubiquitously in humans and have been linked with metabolic disorders and altered adipose function. Phthalates may also present a threat to marine mammals, which need to rapidly accumulate and mobilise their large fat depots. High molecular weight (HMW) phthalates may be most problematic because they can accumulate in adipose. We used blubber explants from juvenile grey seals to examine the effects of overnight exposure to the HMW, adipogenic phthalate, benzyl butyl phthalate (BBzP) on expression of key adipose-specific genes and on phosphorylation of Akt in response to insulin. We found substantial differences in transcript abundance of Pparγ, Insig2, Fasn, Scd, Adipoq and Lep between moult stages, when animals were also experiencing differing mass changes, and between tissue depths, which likely reflect differences in blubber function. Akt abundance was higher in inner compared to outer blubber, consistent with greater metabolic activity in adipose closer to muscle than skin, and its phosphorylation was stimulated by insulin. Transcript abundance of Pparγ and Fasn (and Adipoq in some animals) were increased by short term (30 min) insulin exposure. In addition, overnight in vitro BBzP exposure altered insulin-induced changes in Pparγ (and Adipoq in some animals) transcript abundance, in a tissue depth and moult stage-specific manner. Basal or insulin-induced Akt phosphorylation was not changed. BBzP thus acted rapidly on the transcript abundance of key adipose genes in an Akt-independent manner. Our data suggest phthalate exposure could alter seal blubber development or function, although the whole animal consequences of these changes are not yet understood. Knowledge of typical phthalate exposures and toxicokinetics would help to contextualise these findings in terms of phthalate-induced metabolic disruption risk and consequences for marine mammal health.

Optimising acute stroke pathways through flexible use of bed capacity: a computer modelling study.

BACKGROUND: Optimising capacity along clinical pathways is essential to avoid severe hospital pressure and help ensure best patient outcomes and financial sustainability. Yet, typical approaches, using only average arrival rate and average lengths of stay, are known to underestimate the number of beds required. This study investigates the extent to which averages-based estimates can be complemented by a robust assessment of additional 'flex capacity' requirements, to be used at times of peak demand. METHODS: The setting was a major one million resident healthcare system in England, moving towards a centralised stroke pathway. A computer simulation was developed for modelling patient flow along the proposed stroke pathway, accounting for variability in patient arrivals, lengths of stay, and the time taken for transfer processes. The primary outcome measure was flex capacity utilisation over the simulation period. RESULTS: For the hyper-acute, acute, and rehabilitation units respectively, flex capacities of 45%, 45%, and 36% above the averages-based calculation would be required to ensure that only 1% of stroke presentations find the hyper-acute unit full and have to wait. For each unit some amount of flex capacity would be required approximately 30%, 20%, and 18% of the time respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates the importance of appropriately capturing variability within capacity plans, and provides a practical and economical approach which can complement commonly-used averages-based methods. Results of this study have directly informed the healthcare system's new configuration of stroke services.

Why Are Enrichment Practices in Zoos Difficult to Implement Effectively?

The good intentions of zoos to introduce enrichment practices that stimulate animals mentally and physically are not always achievable. Changes to the policies and procedures in organisations are difficult to fulfil for a range of reasons frequently investigated in change management literature. The implementation of these changes can be the source of ineffective attempts to generate positive interventions in organisations. In this study, we investigate whether interventions to improve animal management in zoos through enrichment are subject to implementation impediments. Qualitative data gathered from interviews with 23 keepers working with big cats across 12 zoos globally provided valuable insights into the barriers and enablers to the implementation of enrichment. Keepers participated voluntarily and worked in accredited zoos across Australia, New Zealand, Europe, south-east Asia, South Africa, and the United States of America. Thematic analysis of the data revealed five key themes that described some of the challenges zoos and keepers experience when implementing enrichment for big cats, in their words: "let's just be cautious", "purely surviving", "struggle to understand the goal", "can't always provide what you should", and "judge the effectiveness". These themes provide additional insights into potential areas for improvement, including greater attention to the benefits of enrichment for animal mental health and increased transparency around enrichment objectives in zoos.

The Validated Features of Psychological Interventions for Weight Loss: An Integration.

Many psychological inclinations, such as maladaptive beliefs, can diminish the capacity of individuals to manage their weight effectively and sustainably. Yet, interventions that purportedly address these psychological inclinations and improve weight management are not always beneficial. To be effective, these interventions should offer participants several choices, should be devoid of features that have not been validated in isolation, and should arrange the various activities in an efficient and effective sequence. Few if any programs fulfill these criteria. The aim of this paper was to construct an intervention that assimilates all the validated features of interventions that overcome the psychological impediments to weight loss. To achieve this goal, we blended a technique called intervention component analysis with thematic analysis. Specifically, we extracted refereed journal articles about weight loss from PsycInfo, distilled the practical recommendations from these articles, excluded recommendations that had not been validated in isolation of other features, integrated overlapping recommendations, and applied several principles to arrange these recommendations into the most effective sequence. This procedure generated an intervention that could comprise up to 43 features and activities, including self-affirmation to foster openness to change, anecdotes about dramatic improvements, ambitious rather than modest targets, an emphasis on strategies rather than targets, rewards for attempts, implementation intentions with partners, self-hypnosis, cognitive reframing, and distancing. If these features are unsuccessful, practices that demand more resources-such as group disclosure, virtual environments, motivational interviewing, and customized programs-were also recommended.

The Relationship between Weight Stigma, Physical Appearance Concerns, and Enjoyment and Tendency to Avoid Physical Activity and Sport.

Participation in physical activity and sport is on the decline and there is a poor understanding of the psychosocial factors that contribute to people's reluctance to participate. We examined whether there were relationships between factors such as weight stigma, weight bias internalization, appearance evaluation, and fears of negative appearance evaluations, and enjoyment and avoidance of physical activity and sport. Undergraduate students (N = 579) completed a survey assessing demographics, and the variables described above. In hierarchal multivariate regression models, weight stigma (ß = -0.16, p < 0.001), appearance evaluation (ß = 0.19, p = 0.001), and weight bias internalization (ß = -0.19, p = 0.003) were associated with lower enjoyment of physical activity and sport. Weight stigma (ß = 0.46, p = 0.001), weight bias internalization (ß = 0.42, p = 0.001), and fear of negative appearance evaluations (ß = 0.16, p = 0.000) were also significantly associated with the tendency to avoid physical activity and sport. Serial mediation analysis showed the relationship between weight stigma and enjoyment of physical activity and sport was through appearance evaluation and weight bias internalization (indirect effect = -0.007, SE = 0.002, 95% CI = -0.01, -0.02). Similarly, the relationship between weight stigma and avoidance of physical activity and sport was through weight bias internalization and fear of negative appearance evaluations (indirect effect = 0.11, SE = 0.03, 95% CI = 0.05, 0.16). These results suggest that weight stigma and concerns about one's physical appearance influence people's enjoyment and reasoning for avoiding physical activity and sport. Research is needed to identify ways to reduce body-related stigma and increase enjoyment and participation in physical activity and sport.

Partial pressure of oxygen in adipose tissue and its relationship with fatness in a natural animal model of extreme fat deposition, the grey seal.

Excessive adiposity is associated with altered oxygen tension and comorbidities in humans. In contrast, marine mammals have high adiposity with no apparent detrimental effects. However, partial pressure of oxygen (Po2 ) in their subcutaneous adipose tissue (blubber) and its relationship with fatness have not been reported. We measured Po2 and temperature at different blubber depths in 12 healthy juvenile grey seals. Fatness was estimated from blubber thickness and morphometric parameters. Simultaneously, we monitored breathing pattern; heart rate and arterial blood saturation with a pulse oximeter; and relative changes in total hemoglobin, deoxyhemoglobin, and oxyhemoglobin in blubber capillaries using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) as proxies for local oxygenation changes. Blubber Po2 ranged from 14.5 to 71.4 mmHg (39.2 ± 14.1 mmHg), which is similar to values reported in other species. Blubber Po2 was strongly and negatively associated with fatness (LME: p < 0.0001, R2marginal = 0.53, R2conditional = 0.64, n = 10), but not with blubber depth. No other parameters explained variability in Po2 , suggesting arterial blood and local oxygen delivery did not vary within and between measurements. The fall in blubber Po2 with increased fatness in seals is consistent with other animal models of rapid fat deposition. However, the Po2  levels at which blubber becomes hypoxic and consequences of low blubber Po2 for its health and function, particularly in very fat individuals, remain unknown. How seals avoid detrimental effects of low oxygen tension in adipose tissue, despite their high and fluctuating adiposity, is a fruitful avenue to explore.

Exploring Pharmacists' Roles during the 2019-2020 Australian Black Summer Bushfires.

BACKGROUND: Australians are no strangers to sudden natural disasters, such as bushfires. The effects of a natural disaster can devastate local communities and health care services. Currently, limited research has explored the role of the pharmacist during a natural disaster. This study explores the role of the Australian pharmacist during the 2019/2020 Black Summer Bushfires. METHODS: Semi-structured phone interviews were conducted with ten community pharmacists who worked through the Black Summer Bushfires whose daily tasks and work environment were directly affected by the bushfires. Thematic analysis using NVivo®, a qualitative data analysis software was conducted. RESULTS: Analysis of the transcripts generated six main themes: collaboration; trauma and mental health; power and communication; acute presentations; triaging and emergency prescribing. Pharmacists worked in close collaboration with doctors and members of the local community. They provided triaging services, timely health advice about chronic health problems, and managed acute issues, including wound and burn management and mental health support in traumatic conditions, sometimes without power and communication amenities. The challenges presented to pharmacists during the bushfires warranted creative and flexible approaches at times. CONCLUSION: This study highlights the need for mental health support and training for pharmacists, provisional prescribing privileges, and a clearer set of contingency regulations and legislation related to emergencies and natural disasters. Further research is warranted to gain greater insight into the roles undertaken by Australian pharmacists during natural disasters and their autonomy in decision making processes during such times.

An external telemetry system for recording resting heart rate variability and heart rate in free-ranging large wild mammals.

Measures of heart rate variability (and heart rate more generally) are providing powerful insights into the physiological drivers of behaviour. Resting heart rate variability (HRV) can be used as an indicator of individual differences in temperament and reactivity to physical and psychological stress. There is increasing interest in deriving such measures from free ranging wild animals, where individuals are exposed to the natural and anthropogenic stressors of life. We describe a robust, externally mounted heart rate monitor for use in wild mammals, deployed here on wild breeding adult female grey seals (Halichoerus grypus), that delivers millisecond precise measures of inter beat intervals (IBIs), allowing computation of resting HRV parameters. Based on Firstbeat™ heart rate belts, our system allows for remote, continuous recording of IBI data from over 30 individuals simultaneously at ranges of up to 200m. We assessed the accuracy of the IBI data provided by the Firstbeat™ system using concurrent IBI data derived from in-field electrocardiogram (ECG) recordings. Bland-Altmann analyses demonstrated high correspondence between the two sets of IBI data, with a mean difference of 0.87±0.16ms. We used generalized additive mixed-effects models to examine the impact of the default Firstbeat™ software artefact correction procedure upon the generation of anomalous data (flats and stairs). Artefact correction and individual activity were major causes of flats and stairs. We used simulations and models to assess the impact of these errors on estimates of resting HRV and to inform criteria for subsampling relatively error free IBI traces. These analyses allowed us to establish stringent filtering procedures to remove traces with excessive numbers of artefacts, including flats and stairs. Even with strict criteria for removing potentially erroneous data, the abundance of data yielded by the Firstbeat™ system provides the potential to extract robust estimates of resting HRV. We discuss the advantages and limitations of our system for applications beyond the study system described here.

Shining new light on sensory brain activation and physiological measurement in seals using wearable optical technology.

Sensory ecology and physiology of free-ranging animals is challenging to study but underpins our understanding of decision-making in the wild. Existing non-invasive human biomedical technology offers tools that could be harnessed to address these challenges. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), a wearable, non-invasive biomedical imaging technique measures oxy- and deoxyhaemoglobin concentration changes that can be used to detect localized neural activation in the brain. We tested the efficacy of fNIRS to detect cortical activation in grey seals (Halichoerus grypus) and identify regions of the cortex associated with different senses (vision, hearing and touch). The activation of specific cerebral areas in seals was detected by fNIRS in responses to light (vision), sound (hearing) and whisker stimulation (touch). Physiological parameters, including heart and breathing rate, were also extracted from the fNIRS signal, which allowed neural and physiological responses to be monitored simultaneously. This is, to our knowledge, the first time fNIRS has been used to detect cortical activation in a non-domesticated or laboratory animal. Because fNIRS is non-invasive and wearable, this study demonstrates its potential as a tool to quantitatively investigate sensory perception and brain function while simultaneously recording heart rate, tissue and arterial oxygen saturation of haemoglobin, perfusion changes and breathing rate in free-ranging animals. This article is part of the theme issue 'Measuring physiology in free-living animals (Part I)'.

Bibliometric Profile and Density Visualizing Analysis of Yoga Intervention in Type 2 Diabetes: A 44 - Year Study on Global Scientific Research Output from 1975 to 2019.

The aim of the paper is to provide an in-depth evaluation of the research output of yoga intervention on type 2 diabetes mellitus from 1975 to 2019 using large-scale data analysis, bibliometric indicators, and density equalizing mapping. Data related to yoga-diabetic research, as search descriptors were retrieved using the Scopus database. The most common bibliometric indicators were annual research output, total citations, productive countries and leading authors, journals and institutions, and frequently cited articles. The number of global research articles retrieved for yoga-diabetic research over the study period 1975-2019 was 411. The growth rate of global publications in 2015-2019 is four times as high as in 1975-2003. The total number of citations for the retrieved articles was 7189, and the average number of citations per article was 23.82. Of these journals, the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine has published the highest number of papers, which accounts for 2.9% of total publications. This study showed a wide variety of journals in which yoga-diabetic articles are published; these bibliometric indicators provide useful information on performance assessment of productivity and quality of research output. Therefore, this study provides a helpful reference for endocrinologists, yoga therapists, policy decision-makers, and diabetes researchers.

Predicting consequences of POP-induced disruption of blubber glucose uptake, mass gain rate and thyroid hormone levels for weaning mass in grey seal pups.

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are endocrine disruptors that alter adipose tissue development, regulation and function. Top marine predators are particularly vulnerable because they possess large fat stores that accumulate POPs. However, links between endocrine or adipose tissue function disruption and whole animal energetics have rarely been investigated. We predicted the impact of alterations to blubber metabolic characteristics and circulating thyroid hormone (TH) levels associated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) on suckling mass gain and weaning mass in wild grey seal pups. Glucose uptake by inner blubber was a strong predictor of whole animal mass gain rate, which in turn, resulted in heavier weaning mass. Weaning mass was predicted to increase by 3.7 ± 1.59 (sem) %, through increased mass gain rate, in the absence of the previously reported suppressive effect of dioxin-like PCB (DL-PCBs) on blubber glucose uptake. PBDEs were, conversely, associated with faster mass gain. Alleviation of this effect was predicted to reduce weaning mass by 6.02 ± 1.86% (sem). To better predict POPs effects on energy balance, it is crucial to determine if and how PBDEs promote mass gain in grey seal pups. Weaning mass was negatively related to total T3 (TT3) levels. A 20% (range = 9.3-31.7%) reduction in TT3 by DL-PCBs partially overcame the effect of DL-PCB -mediated reduction in blubber glucose uptake. Overall, DL-PCBs were thus predicted to reduce weaning mass by 1.86 ± 1.60%. Organohalogen impacts on whole-animal energy balance in grey seal pups appear to partially offset each other through opposing effects on different mechanisms. POP effects were generally minor, but the largest POP-induced reductions in weaning mass were predicted to occur in pups that were already small. Since weaning mass is positively related to first-year survival, POPs may disproportionately affect smaller individuals, and could continue to have population-level impacts even when levels are relatively low compared to historical values. Our findings show how in vitro experiments combined with measurements in vivo can help elucidate mechanisms that underpin energy balance regulation and help to quantify the magnitude of disruptive effects by contaminants and other stressors in wildlife.

Increased Metabolic Rate of Hauled-Out Harbor Seals (Phoca vitulina) during the Molt.

AbstractHarbor seals (Phoca vitulina) live in cold temperate or polar seas and molt annually, renewing their fur over a period of approximately 4 wk. Epidermal processes at this time require a warm skin; therefore, to avoid an excessive energy cost at sea during the molt, harbor seals and many other pinnipeds increase the proportion of time they are hauled out on land. We predicted that metabolic rate during haul-out would be greater during the molt to sustain an elevated skin temperature in order to optimize skin and hair growth. To examine this, we measured post-haul-out oxygen consumption (V˙O2) in captive harbor seals during molt and postmolt periods. We recorded greater V˙O2 of seals while they were molting than when the molt was complete. Post-haul-out V˙O2 increased faster and reached a greater maximum during the first 40 min. Thereafter, V˙O2 decreased but still remained greater, suggesting that while metabolic rate was relatively high throughout haul-outs, it was most pronounced in the first 40 min. Air temperature, estimated heat increment of feeding, and mass also explained 15.5% of V˙O2 variation over 180 min after haul-out, suggesting that the environment, feeding state, and body size influenced the metabolic rate of individual animals. These results show that molting seals have greater metabolic rates when hauled out, especially during the early stages of the haul-out period. As a consequence, human disturbance that changes the haul-out behavior of molting seals will increase their energy costs and potentially extend the duration of the molt.