Using vitality indicators to predict survival of aquatic animals released from fisheries.

Estimating the survival probability of animals released from fisheries can improve the overall understanding of animal biology with implications for fisheries management, conservation and animal welfare. Vitality indicators are simple visual measures of animal condition that change in response to stressors (like fisheries capture) and can be assessed to predict post-release survival. These indicators typically include immediate reflex responses which are typically combined into a score. Vitality indicators are straight-forward and non-invasive metrics that allow users to quantify how close (or far) an animal is from a normal, 'healthy' or baseline state, which in turn can be correlated with outcomes such as survival probability, given appropriate calibration. The literature on using vitality indicators to predict post-release survival of animals has grown rapidly over the past decade. We identified 136 papers that used vitality indicators in a fisheries context. These studies were primarily focused on marine and freshwater fishes, with a few examples using herptiles and crustaceans. The types of vitality indicators are diverse and sometimes taxa-specific (e.g. pinching leg of turtles, spraying water at nictitating membrane of sharks) with the most commonly used indicators being those that assess escape response or righting response given the vulnerability of animals when those reflexes are impaired. By presenting Pacific salmon fisheries as a case study, we propose a framework for using vitality indicators to predict survival across taxa and fisheries.

Condition dependent intra-individual repeatability of stress-induced cortisol in a freshwater fish.

The glucocorticoid (GC) stress response is thought to be an individual trait associated with behaviour and life history strategies. Studies exploring such relationships typically assume measured hormone values to be repeatable within an individual. However, repeatability of GCs has proven variable in wild animals and underlying reasons remain unknown. We assessed individual repeatability of circulating stress-induced cortisol, the primary GC in teleost fish, and glucose concentrations in a wild teleost fish held under consistent laboratory conditions. We also tested the hypothesis that the magnitude of intra-individual variability in stress-induced cortisol concentrations ("cortisol variability") is influenced by body condition. Wild-caught bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus) were subjected to repeated standardized stressors and blood sampled (3 times over 6 days) once cortisol concentrations peaked. Various indicators of fish condition, both whole body and physiological, were also measured. Overall, stress-induced circulating cortisol concentrations were repeatable but stress-induced glucose was not. Cortisol variability was related to Fulton's condition factor and size (eviscerated mass) where smaller fish in poor condition exhibited increased cortisol variability. The findings have implications for the interpretation of studies that examine correlates of GC concentrations as they suggest consistency in stress responsiveness is influenced by factors such as size and condition.

The glucocorticoid stress response is repeatable between years in a wild teleost fish.

Patterns of glucocorticoid (GC) hormone regulation exhibit considerable inter-individual variation that is often examined relative to individual traits and fitness measures. Although stress-induced GC concentrations are repeatable within an individual in captive populations, this assumption remains untested in wild animals in their natural environment across longer time periods. We assessed the repeatability of baseline and post-stress GC concentrations in a wild teleost fish. Largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) were captured and subjected to a standard stress protocol and then stocked into a small research lake. Upon recapture by angling up to 1 year later (n = 26), fish were re-sampled following identical methods. After controlling for a strong effect of water temperature, we confirmed repeatability of post-stress cortisol concentrations despite stress presumed to accompany relocation. We documented no consistency in baseline GC concentrations. This study serves as an important validation for the use of post-stress cortisol concentrations as an individual trait. However, the effect size of repeatability was lower than that found in other taxa. Results also bring forth the reality that environmental variables such as temperature must be considered in studies where these factors can vary, such as when sampling wild animals at liberty.

Fitness and behavioral correlates of pre-stress and stress-induced plasma cortisol titers in pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) upon arrival at spawning grounds.

Semelparous Pacific salmon (Onchorynchus spp.) serve as an excellent model for examining the relationships between life history, behavior and individual variation in glucocorticoid (GC) stress hormone levels because reproductive behaviors are highly variable between individuals and failure to reproduce results in zero fitness. Pink salmon (O. gorbuscha) were intercepted upon arrival at the spawning grounds across three time periods. Pre-stress and stress-induced plasma cortisol concentrations were assessed in relation to behavior, longevity and reproductive success. Results revealed differences between sexes and with arrival time. The study period marked a year of high reproductive success and only nine females (12% of sample) failed to spawn. Female pre-spawn mortalities were characterized by significantly elevated stress-induced cortisol concentrations and decreased longevity as well as pre-stress cortisol above the normal range in pink salmon from the study area. Interestingly, reproductive behaviors were only associated with pre-stress cortisol levels. For females, aggression and mate interaction time were reduced in individuals with elevated pre-stress cortisol concentrations. In males, a similar negative relationship between pre-stress cortisol concentration and mate interaction time was detected. The observed behavioral correlations are likely a factor of social status where dominant individuals, known to have higher reproductive success, are characterized by lower cortisol levels relative to subordinate conspecifics. Findings show both elevated pre-stress and stress-induced cortisol concentrations at arrival to the spawning grounds to be associated with reduced survival.

"You have to have somebody watching your back, and if thats God, then thats mighty big": the church's role in the resilience of inner-city youth.

This study was designed to explore Freeman's (1986) finding that the institution that made the greatest contribution to male African-American youths' socioeconomic success was the church. Thirty-two African-American, Haitian-American, and Latino male and female teenagers--16 drawn from inner-city Protestant churches and 16 comparison teenagers from the same communities-were interviewed. The interviews revealed that churched teenagers were less stressed and less likely to have psychological problems than were teenagers in the comparison group. They also appeared more likely to be living with both biological parents, less likely to have a family member on welfare, and more likely to have a job when compared with the other teenagers. They described the church as being central to their lives and as having multiple functions, many of which have been identified in the resilience literature as contributing to positive developmental outcomes. Results are interpreted in light of the transactional model, and recommendations are made, such as expanding the role of the church within these ethnic communities.

Eating concerns on two Christian and two nonsectarian college campuses: a measure of sex and campus differences in attitudes toward eating.

Eating concerns among college men and women on two campuses with an explicitly Christian world view and two nonsectarian campuses, each campus in a different section of the country, were examined in three experiments using the Wellesley Eating Attitudes Survey. Chi-square tests indicated that eating concerns were significantly more frequent among women than men, but men showed a surprisingly high degree of concern. Campuses differed in their level of concern. The relative incidence of overweight in the four sections of the country (Northeast, West, Midwest, and South), as measured by the Centers for Disease Control (1989), appeared more closely related to the level of concern at each of the campuses than the presence or absence of an evangelical Christian world view. Recommendations are made for appropriate support services for students with eating concerns at each campus.

The psychosocial adjustment of pediatric craniofacial patients after surgery.

The postsurgical psychological status of 25 craniofacial patients, 6 through 16 years of age, was studied using self, teacher, and parent report measures. In contrast to earlier reports of more positive adjustment following corrective surgery, the present study identified several concerns for craniofacial patients, including low self-esteem, impaired peer relationships, and greater dependency on significant adults. Problems were more clearly identified using projective techniques rather than self-report measures. The findings suggest that many children having craniofacial surgery should have supportive psychotherapeutic services. Variables were explored relative to psychosocial functioning. Although few significant correlations were demonstrated, positive psychological adjustment was found to be related to greater physical attractiveness, lower parental stress, and younger age.

Social skills training of Prader-Willi staff.

Over the past 30 years, research interest in PWS has focused on questions related to the identification of syndrome features, determination of etiology and incidence, and effectiveness of both medical and nutritional management strategies. Residential and day treatment facilities have emphasized control of food and of inappropriate behaviors. The present training program developed techniques and materials to encourage positive behaviors and minimize inappropriate behaviors, supplementing earlier techniques. Activities from social skills training curricula were adapted to the needs of PWS persons. Training sessions were held with staff in residential settings to field test the techniques. This paper summarizes the training program and describes effective techniques and materials.