Publications

disentangling the cause of a catastrophic population decline in a large marine mammal.	considerable uncertainties often surround the causes of long-term changes in population abundance. one striking example is the precipitous decline of southern sea lions (ssl; otariaflavescens) at the falkland islands, from 80 555 pups in the mid 1930s to just 5506 pups in 1965. despite an increase in ssl abundance over the past two decades, the population has not recovered, with the number of pups born in 2014 (minimum 4443 pups) less than 6% of the 1930s estimate. the order-of-magnitude decline ...	2015	26649403
applying a random encounter model to estimate lion density from camera traps in serengeti national park, tanzania.	the random encounter model (rem) is a novel method for estimating animal density from camera trap data without the need for individual recognition. it has never been used to estimate the density of large carnivore species, despite these being the focus of most camera trap studies worldwide. in this context, we applied the rem to estimate the density of female lions (panthera leo) from camera traps implemented in serengeti national park, tanzania, comparing estimates to reference values derived f ...	2015	26640297
non-invasive pregnancy diagnosis in big cats using the pgfm (13,14-dihydro-15-keto-pgf2α) assay.	non-invasive monitoring of hormones using feces has become a vital tool for reproductive management and reliable pregnancy diagnosis in big cats. previous studies described the pgf2α metabolite (pgfm) as an indicator of pregnancy in various feline species. the present study aimed to standardize pregnancy detection in big cats like the tiger (panthera tigris), jaguar (panthera onca) and lion (panthera leo) using fecal samples. high-performance liquid chromatography (hplc) and liquid chromatograph ...	2015	26633886
haemangiosarcoma in a captive asiatic lion (panthera leo persica).	a 2.7-year-old male captive asiatic lion (panthera leo persica) died unexpectedly without preceding symptoms. gross necropsy revealed liver and lung tumours, which proved to be haemangiosarcomas by histopathology. some of the liver tumours were ruptured, leading to massive intra-abdominal haemorrhage and death. haemangiosarcomas are rare in domestic and exotic felids, occurring in skin, thoracic-abdominal cavity and bones. although these tumours mainly appear to be occurring in older cats, they ...	2015	26623366
successful management of ivermectin-induced blindness in an african lion (panthera leo) by intravenous administration of a lipid emulsion.	ivermectin is widely used in veterinary practice for the treatment of ecto- and endo-parasites. in wildlife, an extra-label use this parasiticide is sometimes associated with toxicity. different treatment regimens have been used in ivermectin toxicosis. the present report describes a successful reversal of ivermectin toxicity by intravenous administration of a commercially available lipid emulsion in a captive african lion (panthera leo).	2015	26612612
'skullduggery': lions align and their mandibles rock!	south africa has legally exported substantial quantities of lion bones to southeast asia and china since 2008, apparently as part of the multinational trade substituting bones and body parts of other large cats for those of the tiger in wine and other health tonics. the legal sale of lion bones may mask an illegal trade, the size of which is only partially known. an observed component of the illegal trade is that quantities of skeletons are sometimes declared falsely/fraudulently on cites export ...	2015	26536601
california sea lion (zalophus californianus) and harbor seal (phoca vitulina richardii) bites and contact abrasions in open-water swimmers: a series of 11 cases.	to review cases of bites and contact abrasions in open-water swimmers from california sea lions (zalophus californianus) and harbor seals (phoca vitulina richardii).	2015	26507612
lion (panthera leo) populations are declining rapidly across africa, except in intensively managed areas.	we compiled all credible repeated lion surveys and present time series data for 47 lion (panthera leo) populations. we used a bayesian state space model to estimate growth rate-λ for each population and summed these into three regional sets to provide conservation-relevant estimates of trends since 1990. we found a striking geographical pattern: african lion populations are declining everywhere, except in four southern countries (botswana, namibia, south africa, and zimbabwe). population models ...	2015	26504235
characterizing novel endogenous retroviruses from genetic variation inferred from short sequence reads.	from illumina sequencing of dna from brain and liver tissue from the lion, panthera leo, and tumor samples from the pike-perch, sander lucioperca, we obtained two assembled sequence contigs with similarity to known retroviruses. phylogenetic analyses suggest that the pike-perch retrovirus belongs to the epsilonretroviruses, and the lion retrovirus to the gammaretroviruses. to determine if these novel retroviral sequences originate from an endogenous retrovirus or from a recently integrated exoge ...	2015	26493184
effect of intestinal tapeworm clestobothrium crassiceps on concentrations of toxic elements and selenium in european hake merluccius merluccius from the gulf of lion (northwestern mediterranean sea).	the capacity for heavy metal bioaccumulation by some fish parasites has been demonstrated, and their contribution to decreasing metal concentrations in tissues of parasitized fish has been hypothesized. the present study evaluated the effect of the cestode clestobothrium crassiceps on the accumulation of trace elements in 30 european hake, merluccius merluccius, in spain (half of them infested by c. crassiceps). tissue samples from all m. merluccius and specimens of c. crassiceps from the infect ...	2015	26434500
gene therapy with recombinant adeno-associated vectors for neovascular age-related macular degeneration: 1 year follow-up of a phase 1 randomised clinical trial.	neovascular, or wet, age-related macular degeneration causes central vision loss and represents a major health problem in elderly people, and is currently treated with frequent intraocular injections of anti-vegf protein. gene therapy might enable long-term anti-vegf therapy from a single treatment. we tested the safety of raav.sflt-1 in treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration with a single subretinal injection.	2015	26431823
the use of surrogate data in demographic population viability analysis: a case study of california sea lions.	reliable data necessary to parameterize population models are seldom available for imperiled species. as an alternative, data from populations of the same species or from ecologically similar species have been used to construct models. in this study, we evaluated the use of demographic data collected at one california sea lion colony (los islotes) to predict the population dynamics of the same species from two other colonies (san jorge and granito) in the gulf of california, mexico, for which de ...	2015	26413746
pride of lions takes pride of place with camden dentists.		2015	26404977
diabetes mellitus in addis ababa, ethiopia: admissions, complications and outcomes in a large referral hospital.	the black lion referral hospital, addis ababa, ethiopia.	2015	26400605
proteomic analysis of cerebrospinal fluid in california sea lions (zalophus californianus) with domoic acid toxicosis identifies proteins associated with neurodegeneration.	proteomic studies including marine mammals are rare, largely due to the lack of fully sequenced genomes. this has hampered the application of these techniques toward biomarker discovery efforts for monitoring of health and disease in these animals. we conducted a pilot label-free lc-ms/ms study to profile and compare the cerebrospinal fluid from california sea lions with domoic acid toxicosis (dat) and without dat. across 11 samples, a total of 206 proteins were identified (fdr<0.1) using a comp ...	2015	26364553
pharmacokinetics of single-dose orally administered ciprofloxacin in california sea lions (zalophus californianus).	ciprofloxacin is commonly selected for clinical use due to its broad-spectrum efficacy and is a frequently administered antibiotic at the marine mammal center, a marine mammal rehabilitation facility. ciprofloxacin is used for treatment of california sea lions ( zalophus californianus ) suffering from a variety of bacterial infections at doses extrapolated from other mammalian species. however, as oral absorption is variable both within and across species, a more accurate determination of approp ...	2015	26056878
common cancer in a wild animal: the california sea lion (zalophus californianus) as an emerging model for carcinogenesis.	naturally occurring cancers in non-laboratory species have great potential in helping to decipher the often complex causes of neoplasia. wild animal models could add substantially to our understanding of carcinogenesis, particularly of genetic and environmental interactions, but they are currently underutilized. studying neoplasia in wild animals is difficult and especially challenging in marine mammals owing to their inaccessibility, lack of exposure history, and ethical, logistical and legal l ...	2015	26056370
sentinel california sea lions provide insight into legacy organochlorine exposure trends and their association with cancer and infectious disease.	organochlorine contaminants (ocs), like polychlorinated biphenyls (pcbs) and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes (ddts), are widespread marine pollutants resulting from massive historical use and environmental persistence. exposure to and health effects of these ocs in the marine environment may be examined by studying california sea lions (zalophus californianus), which are long lived, apex predators capable of accumulating ocs.	2015	28616463
kitona 2013: a medical readiness training exercise in the democratic republic of the congo leading to lion rouge.	health initiatives support regional stability and are a priority for us and african partners. we present data and experience from the democratic republic of congo (drc), a strategically and epidemiologically ideal location for collaborative medical engagement (cme). our objectives included relationship building, exposure of us military medical personnel to uncommon tropical diseases, bolstering a referral hospital, and updating congolese physicians on new treatment or preventive standards of car ...	2015	26360354
assessing uncertainty in sighting records: an example of the barbary lion.	as species become rare and approach extinction, purported sightings can be controversial, especially when scarce management resources are at stake. we consider the probability that each individual sighting of a series is valid. obtaining these probabilities requires a strict framework to ensure that they are as accurately representative as possible. we used a process, which has proven to provide accurate estimates from a group of experts, to obtain probabilities for the validation of 32 sighting ...	2015	26357597
pharmacokinetics of tramadol hydrochloride and its metabolite o-desmethyltramadol following a single, orally administered dose in california sea lions (zalophus californianus).	tramadol is a synthetic, centrally acting, opiate-like analgesic that is structurally related to codeine and morphine. the objective of this study was to determine the pharmacokinetics of tramadol hydrochloride and its major active metabolite o-desmethyltramadol (m1) in the california sea lion (zalophus californianus). a single dose of tramadol was administered orally in fish at 2 mg/kg to a total of 15 wild california sea lions admitted for rehabilitation. twenty-four total blood samples were c ...	2015	26352950
differences in foraging ecology align with genetically divergent ecotypes of a highly mobile marine top predator.	foraging differentiation within a species can contribute to restricted gene flow between ecologically different groups, promoting ecological speciation. galapagos sea lions (zalophus wollebaeki) show genetic and morphological divergence between the western and central archipelago, possibly as a result of an ecologically mediated contrast in the marine habitat. we use global positioning system (gps) data, time-depth recordings (tdr), stable isotope and scat data to compare foraging habitat charac ...	2015	26307593
prescription extraction from clinical notes: towards automating emr medication reconciliation.	medication in for ma lion is one of [he most important clinical data types in electronic medical records (emr) this study developed an nlp application (predmed) to extract full prescriptions and their relevant components from a large corpus of unstructured ambulatory office visit clinical notes and the corresponding structured medication reconciliation (med rec) data in the emr. predmed achieved an 84.4% f-score on office visit encounter notes and 95.0% on med"rec data, outperforming two availab ...	2015	26306266
current efavirenz (efv) or ritonavir-boosted lopinavir (lpv/r) use correlates with elevate markers of atherosclerosis in hiv-infected subjects in addis ababa, ethiopia.	hiv patients on antiretroviral therapy have shown elevated incidence of dyslipidemia, lipodystrophy, and cardiovascular disease (cvd). most studies, however, focus on cohorts from developed countries, with less data available for these co-morbidities in ethiopia and sub-saharan africa.	2015	25915208
estimation of shape of the sea lion for hydrodynamic analysis. response to 'cambered profile of a california sea lion's body'.		2015	25911736
bringing comfort and convenience to the colonial table: delhaize frères & cie's colonial department in the 1920s and 1930s.	the paper explores the role of convenient shopping in establishing a sense of comfort for europeans in a colonial environment. so far, there has been little investigation into how belgian retailers tried to gain a firm foothold in the congo, how they presented themselves and promoted their wares. this paper examines the activities of the colonial department of delhaize frères & cie 'le lion', belgium's first and largest food multiple. it examines how this large grocery chain tried to establish i ...	2015	25862981
real-time teleophthalmology in rural western australia.	this study aims to assess the current utilisation of a real-time teleophthalmology service for rural western australia (wa).	2015	25851959
radiology in the lion city.		2015	26302387
clinical trials update from the european society of cardiology-heart failure meeting 2015: augment-hf, titration, stop-hf, harmonize, lion heart, mood-hf, and renin-angiotensin inhibitors in patients with heart and renal failure.	this article provides an overview on the key trials relevant to the pathophysiology, prevention, and treatment of heart failure (hf) presented at the heart failure association (hfa) of the european society of cardiology (esc) annual meeting held in seville, spain in may 2015. trials reported include augment-af (myocardial injections of calcium-alginate hydrogel), a propensity score-matched study of renin-angiotensin system antagonists in patients with hf and severe renal dysfunction, harmonize ( ...	2015	26289928
identification of pyridine analogs as new predator-derived kairomones.	in the wild, animals have developed survival strategies relying on their senses. the individual ability to identify threatening situations is crucial and leads to increase in the overall fitness of the species. rodents, for example have developed in their nasal cavities specialized olfactory neurons implicated in the detection of volatile cues encoding for impending danger such as predator scents or alarm pheromones. in particular, the neurons of the grueneberg ganglion (gg), an olfactory subsys ...	2015	26283896
a case of trychophyton rubrum dermatophytosis in a patagonian sea lion (otaria byronia).	a 23-yr old female patagonian sea lion (otaria byronia) presented multifocal to coalescing and ulcerative skin lesions on the lumbar region. skin scrapings were collected and a microscopic examination was conducted followed by a fungal culture that revealed a trychophyton rubrum infection, an anthropophilic dermatophytosis agent. oral terbinafine and topical eniconazole were used as a treatment for a period of 75 days and complete recovery was achieved. epidemiological analysis revealed a dermat ...	2015	26352974
diving deeper into individual foraging specializations of a large marine predator, the southern sea lion.	despite global declines in the abundance of marine predators, knowledge of foraging ecology, necessary to predict the ecological consequences of large changes in marine predator abundance, remains enigmatic for many species. given that populations suffering severe declines are of conservation concern, we examined the foraging ecology of southern sea lions (ssl) (otaria flavescens)-one of the least studied otariids (fur seal and sea lions)-which have declined by over 90% at the falkland islands s ...	2015	26323982
diet-to-female and female-to-pup isotopic discrimination in south american sea lions.	the use of accurate, species-specific diet-tissue discrimination factors is a critical requirement when applying stable isotope mixing models to predict consumer diet composition. thus, diet-to-female and female-to-pup isotopic discrimination factors in several tissues for both captive and wild south american sea lions were estimated to provide appropriate values for quantifying feeding preferences at different timescales in the wild populations of this species.	2015	26212166
the influence of time in captivity, food intake and acute trauma on blood analytes of juvenile steller sea lions, eumetopias jubatus.	the steller sea lion, eumetopias jubatus, has experienced regionally divergent population trends over recent decades. one potential mechanism for this disparity is that local factors cause reduced health and, therefore, reduced survival of individuals. the use of blood parameters to assess sea lion health may help to identify whether malnutrition, disease and stress are important drivers of current trends, but such assessments require species-specific knowledge of how parameters respond to vario ...	2015	27293693
opposite effects of male and female helpers on social tolerance and proactive prosociality in callitrichid family groups.	across a broad variety of primate species (including lemurs, new world monkeys, old world monkeys, and apes), proactive prosociality and social tolerance are linked to allomaternal care, reaching the highest levels in the cooperatively breeding callitrichid monkeys and humans. however, considerable variation exists within callitrichids, and the aim of this study was to identify factors that explain this variation. male and female callitrichids pursue different reproductive strategies, leading ma ...	2015	25881136
description of uncinaria lyonsi n. sp. (nematoda: ancylostomatidae) from the california sea lion zalophus californianus lesson (carnivora: otariidae).	a new species of hookworm, uncinaria lyonsi n. sp., is described based on morphological studies of the nematodes collected by dr. e. t. lyons from the california sea lion zalophus californianus (lesson) on san miguel island, california, usa. the new species is morphologically similar to three other species of the genus uncinaria frölich, 1789 parasitising pinnipeds, u. lucasi stiles, 1901, u. hamiltoni baylis, 1933 and u. sanguinis marcus, higgins, šlapeta & gray, 2014, in the body dimensions, t ...	2015	25655115
pre-historic and recent vicariance events shape genetic structure and diversity in endangered lion-tailed macaque in the western ghats: implications for conservation.	genetic isolation of populations is a potent force that helps shape the course of evolution. however, small populations in isolation, especially in fragmented landscapes, are known to lose genetic variability, suffer from inbreeding depression and become genetically differentiated among themselves. in this study, we assessed the genetic diversity of lion-tailed macaques (macaca silenus) inhabiting the fragmented landscape of anamalai hills and examined the genetic structure of the species across ...	2015	26561307
inference by exclusion in lion-tailed macaques (macaca silenus), a hamadryas baboon (papio hamadryas), capuchins (sapajus apella), and squirrel monkeys (saimiri sciureus).	previous research has suggested that several primate species may be capable of reasoning by exclusion based on the finding that they can locate a hidden object when given information about where the object is not. the present research replicated and extended the literature by testing 2 old world monkey species, lion-tailed macaques (macaca silenus) and a hamadryas baboon (papio hamadryas), and 2 new world species, capuchin monkeys (sapajus apella) and squirrel monkeys (saimiri sciureus). the new ...	2015	26010194
mechanism of asymmetric hydrogenation of aromatic ketones catalyzed by a combined system of ru(π-ch2c(ch3)ch2)2(cod) and the chiral sp(2)n/sp(3)nh hybrid linear n4 ligand ph-binan-h-py.	the combination of a goodwin-lions-type chiral n4 ligand, (r)-ph-binan-h-py ((r)-3,3'-diphenyl-n(2),n(2')-bis((pyridin-2-yl)methyl)-1,1'-binaphthyl-2,2'-diamine; l), with ru(π-ch2c(ch3)ch2)2(cod) (a) (cod = 1,5-cyclooctadiene) catalyzes the hydrogenation of acetophenone (ap) to (r)-1-phenylethanol (pe) with a high enantiomer ratio (er). almost no ru complex forms, with a and l remaining intact throughout the reaction while generating pe quantitatively according to [pe] = k(obs)t(2). an infinites ...	2015	26046693
laparoscopic implantation of neuromodulators for treating urinary dysfunctions and improving locomotion in multiple sclerosis patients.	the laparoscopic implantation of neuromodulation electrodes--the lion procedure--was first described as a rescue procedure in patients with local complications of a brindley procedure. the objective of this video article is to demonstrate the technique for the laparoscopic implantation of electrodes for bilateral neuromodulation of femoral, sciatic and pudendal nerves and describe our initial experience with two multiple sclerosis (ms) patients.	2015	25944656
equal latency contours for bottlenose dolphins (tursiops truncatus) and california sea lions (zalophus californianus).	loudness perception by non-human animals is difficult to study directly. previous research efforts have instead focused on estimating loudness perception using simple reaction time (rt) data. these data are used to generate equal latency contours that serve as a proxy for equal loudness contours. to aid the design of auditory weighting functions for marine mammals, equal latency contours were generated using rt data for two marine mammal species that are representative of broader functional hear ...	2015	26627745
phosphatidylcholine composition of pulmonary surfactant from terrestrial and marine diving mammals.	marine mammals are repeatedly exposed to elevated extra-thoracic pressure and alveolar collapse during diving and readily experience alveolar expansion upon inhalation - a unique capability as compared to terrestrial mammals. how marine mammal lungs overcome the challenges of frequent alveolar collapse and recruitment remains unknown. recent studies indicate that pinniped lung surfactant has more anti-adhesive components compared to terrestrial mammals, which would aid in alveolar opening. howev ...	2015	25812797
co-occurrence and habitat use of fin whales, striped dolphins and atlantic bluefin tuna in the northwestern mediterranean sea.	different dolphin and tuna species have frequently been reported to aggregate in areas of high frontal activity, sometimes developing close multi-species associations to increase feeding success. aerial surveys are a common tool to monitor the density and abundance of marine mammals, and have recently become a focus in the search for methods to provide fisheries-independent abundance indicators for tuna stock assessment. in this study, we present first density estimates corrected for availabilit ...	2015	26458254
cross-species transmission of canine distemper virus-an update.	canine distemper virus (cdv) is a pantropic morbillivirus with a worldwide distribution, which causes fatal disease in dogs. affected animals develop dyspnea, diarrhea, neurological signs and profound immunosuppression. systemic cdv infection, resembling distemper in domestic dogs, can be found also in wild canids (e.g. wolves, foxes), procyonids (e.g. raccoons, kinkajous), ailurids (e.g. red pandas), ursids (e.g. black bears, giant pandas), mustelids (e.g. ferrets, minks), viverrids (e.g. civet ...	2015	28616465
whisker spot patterns: a noninvasive method of individual identification of australian sea lions (neophoca cinerea).	reliable methods for identification of individual animals are advantageous for ecological studies of population demographics and movement patterns. photographic identification, based on distinguishable patterns, unique shapes, or scars, is an effective technique already used for many species. we tested whether photographs of whisker spot patterns could be used to discriminate among individual australian sea lion (neophoca cinerea). based on images of 53 sea lions, we simulated 5,000 patterns bef ...	2015	26937048
ivermectin treatment of free-ranging endangered australian sea lion (neophoca cinerea) pups: effect on hookworm and lice infection status, haematological parameters, growth, and survival.	a placebo-controlled study was used to investigate the effectiveness of ivermectin to treat hookworm (uncinaria sanguinis) and lice (antarctophthirus microchir) infections in free-ranging australian sea lion (neophoca cinerea) pups and to test the hypotheses that these parasitic infections cause anaemia, systemic inflammatory responses, and reduced growth, and contribute towards decreased pup survival. ivermectin was identified as an effective and safe anthelmintic in this species. pups administ ...	2015	25911163
diversity of mhc dqb and drb genes in the endangered australian sea lion (neophoca cinerea).	major histocompatibility complex (mhc) class ii molecules have an important role in vertebrate adaptive immunity, being responsible for recognizing, binding, and presenting specific antigenic peptides to t lymphocytes. here, we study the mhc class ii dqb and drb exon 2 genes of the australian sea lion (neophoca cinerea), an endangered pinniped species that experiences high pup mortality. following characterization of n. cinerea dqb and drb by molecular cloning, and evaluation of diversity in pup ...	2015	25908666
health assessment of free-ranging endangered australian sea lion (neophoca cinerea) pups: effect of haematophagous parasites on haematological parameters.	evaluation of the health status of free-ranging populations is important for understanding the impact of disease on individuals and on population demography and viability. in this study, haematological reference intervals were developed for free-ranging endangered australian sea lion (neophoca cinerea) pups within the context of endemic hookworm (uncinaria sanguinis) infection and the effects of pathogen, host, and environment factors on the variability of haematological parameters were investig ...	2015	25724096
interspecific interactions between wild felids vary across scales and levels of urbanization.	ongoing global landscape change resulting from urbanization is increasingly linked to changes in species distributions and community interactions. however, relatively little is known about how urbanization influences competitive interactions among mammalian carnivores, particularly related to wild felids. we evaluated interspecific interactions between medium- and large-sized carnivores across a gradient of urbanization and multiple scales. specifically, we investigated spatial and temporal inte ...	2015	26811767
evaluation of viruses and their association with ocular lesions in pinnipeds in rehabilitation.	to assess whether corneal lesions in stranded pinnipeds were associated with viral infections, and to identify the potential pathogen(s) associated with the lesions.	2015	25400019
correction: assessment of competition between fisheries and steller sea lions in alaska based on estimated prey biomass, fisheries removals and predator foraging behaviour.		2015	26244864
age specific survival rates of steller sea lions at rookeries with divergent population trends in the russian far east.	after a dramatic population decline, steller sea lions have begun to recover throughout most of their range. however, steller sea lions in the western aleutians and commander islands are continuing to decline. comparing survival rates between regions with different population trends may provide insights into the factors driving the dynamics, but published data on vital rates have been extremely scarce, especially in regions where the populations are still declining. fortunately, an unprecedented ...	2015	26016772
discovery of a polyomavirus in european badgers (meles meles) and the evolution of host range in the family polyomaviridae.	polyomaviruses infect a diverse range of mammalian and avian hosts, and are associated with a variety of symptoms. however, it is unknown whether the viruses are found in all mammalian families and the evolutionary history of the polyomaviruses is still unclear. here, we report the discovery of a novel polyomavirus in the european badger (meles meles), which to our knowledge represents the first polyomavirus to be characterized in the family mustelidae, and within a european carnivoran. although ...	2015	27692047
discovery of a polyomavirus in european badgers (meles meles) and the evolution of host range in the family polyomaviridae.	polyomaviruses infect a diverse range of mammalian and avian hosts, and are associated with a variety of symptoms. however, it is unknown whether the viruses are found in all mammalian families and the evolutionary history of the polyomaviruses is still unclear. here, we report the discovery of a novel polyomavirus in the european badger (meles meles), which to our knowledge represents the first polyomavirus to be characterized in the family mustelidae, and within a european carnivoran. although ...	2015	25626684
hepatic lesions in 90 captive nondomestic felids presented for autopsy.	hepatic lesions in nondomestic felids are poorly characterized. the purpose of this study was to evaluate hepatic lesions in 90 captive, nondomestic felids including tigers, cougars, and lions. hepatic lesions were histologically characterized as vacuolar change (lipidosis or glycogenosis), biliary cysts, biliary hyperplasia, hepatitis, necrosis, neoplasia, fibrosis, veno-occlusive disease, cholestasis, hematoma, congestion, or hemorrhage. stepwise logistic regression analyses were performed for ...	2015	24788521
mucoperiosteal exostoses in the tympanic bulla of african lions (panthera leo).	mucoperiosteal exostoses (mpes) of the tympanic bulla (tb), also referred as middle-ear otoliths, have been occasionally described in dogs and cats in association with clinical signs of otitis media or as an incidental finding, but they have not been recorded in other species. in this report, we describe the radiographic, gross, and histopathologic features of mpes in 8 african lions (panthera leo). all animals (5 males and 3 females) were adults that had been kept in captivity and had their ske ...	2015	24788401
mitochondrial genome of the african lion panthera leo leo.	in this study, the complete mitochondrial genome sequence of the african lion p. leo leo was reported. the total length of the mitogenome was 17,054 bp. it contained the typical mitochondrial structure, including 13 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer rna genes, 2 ribosomal rna genes and 1 control region; 21 of the trna genes folded into typical cloverleaf secondary structure except for trnase. the overall composition of the mitogenome was a (32.0%), g (14.5%), c (26.5%) and t (27.0%). the new seq ...	2015	24409914
validity and reliability of an online visual-spatial working memory task for self-reliant administration in school-aged children.	working memory is an important predictor of academic performance, and of math performance in particular. most working memory tasks depend on one-to-one administration by a testing assistant, which makes the use of such tasks in large-scale studies time-consuming and costly. therefore, an online, self-reliant visual-spatial working memory task (the lion game) was developed for primary school children (6-12 years of age). in two studies, the validity and reliability of the lion game were investiga ...	2015	24771322
ventricular structure-function relations in health and disease: part ii. clinical considerations.	normal cardiac function of the left and right ventricles, together with the septum, is related to form/function interactions within the helical ventricular myocardial band. this knowledge is a prerequisite to understanding form/function interactions in diseases and for planning new treatments. topics discussed include congestive heart failure in dilated hearts of ischaemic, valvar or nonischaemic origin as well as diastolic dysfunction. similar thinking underlies novel treatments for dyssynchron ...	2015	25082144
the use of porphyrins as a non-destructive biomarker of exposure to contaminants in two sea lion populations.	this study was carried out in two populations of otariaflavescens, living in a polluted and in a reference site, in order to validate the use of porphyrins as a non-destructive biomarker of exposure to environmental contaminants. analysis of porphyrins was carried out in the feces, blood and fur of free ranging sea lions and in the liver and kidney of stranded specimens. the results show that: (a) all biological materials used were useful for porphyrin determinations; (b) no clear seasonal varia ...	2015	12408648
[pasteur's thought in the light of the ideas of the lions club].		2015	13841907
antibiotic efficacy in eliminating leptospiruria in california sea lions (zalophus californianus) stranding with leptospirosis.	stranded california sea lions (zalophus californianus) along the california coast have been diagnosed with leptospirosis every year since at least the 1980s. between september 2010 and november 2011, we followed 14 stranded california sea lions that survived to release and evaluated antibiotic efficacy in eliminating leptospiruria (urinary shedding of leptospires). leptospiruria was assessed by real-time pcr of urine and urine culture, with persistence assessed using longitudinally collected sam ...	2015	30792564
metal-organic frameworks via emissive metal-carboxylate zwitterion intermediates.	this month's cover is dedicated to the golden anniversary of singapore by the collaborating groups of wen-hua zhang of the imre, singapore, and t. s. andy hor of the nus, singapore, and two more groups from monash university, malaysia, and soochow university, p. r. china. in the cover picture the number "50" commemorates the 50th anniversary of singapore, the lion city. the photo on the top-right corner shows the modern skyline of singapore. underneath are the structures described in this articl ...	2015	31973288
a randomized 3-month clinical comparison of a power toothbrush to a manual toothbrush in the reduction of gingivitis.	to compare the anti-gingivitis effect of a power toothbrush relative to a manual toothbrush control.	2016	29178746
improvement in survivorship: the key for population recovery?	maría florencia grandi, silvana l. dans, and enrique a. crespo (2016) in northern patagonia, commercial harvesting of south american sea lions, otaria flavescens, from 1920 to 1960, decimated its population abundance. population recovery was not immediate after hunting ceased in 1962. the population was stable until 1989, and since then has grown at an annual rate of increase of 5.7%. along with this growth there was an increase of the juvenile fraction and changes in the social composition of c ...	2016	31966154
[application of coⅰ gene mini-barcoding in species identification of hair].	to identify the species of mammalian hair using coⅰ gene mini-barcoding technology.	2016	29205973
thrown to the lions.		2016	3347545
characterizing and developing strategies for the treatment of community-acquired pneumonia at a community hospital.	patients admitted to lions gate hospital, north vancouver, british columbia, with a primary diagnosis of community-acquired pneumonia (cap) have a mean length of stay (los) of 9.1 days compared with 7.9 days for peer group hospitals. this difference of 1.2 days results in an annual potential savings of 406 bed days and warranted an investigation into the management of cap.	2016	12195270
the lion, the witch and the petri dish.		2016	18414276
fluorescein angiography and adverse drug reactions revisited: the lions eye experience.	the last major survey of adverse reactions to intravenous fluorescein angiography was performed more than 20 years ago. there have been two recent fatalities involving intravenous fluorescein in australia. it is important to review the current incidence of adverse reactions and latest literature on the pathogenesis, prophylaxis and alternatives to intravenous fluorescein angiography.	2016	16451256
diabetic retinopathy screening model for rural population: awareness and screening methodology.	worldwide, the prevalence of diabetic retinopathy is increasing at an alarming rate. who has predicted that in india the number of adults with diabetes will be the highest in the world: from 19 million in 1995 to 80 million in 2030. although originally thought to be a disease of an urban population, the prevalence of diabetes mellitus is increasing in rural areas as well. the socioeconomic burden resulting from visual impairment or blindness caused by diabetic retinopathy, particularly in the wo ...	2016	16212469
complete mitochondrial genome of a asian lion (panthera leo goojratensis).	the entire mitochondrial genome of this asian lion (panthera leo goojratensis) was 17,183 bp in length, gene composition and arrangement conformed to other lions, which contained the typical structure of 22 trnas, 2 rrnas, 13 protein-coding genes and a non-coding region. the characteristic of the mitochondrial genome was analyzed in detail.	2016	24937568
palliating hiccups in cancer patients: moving beyond recommendations from leonard the lion.		2016	19731577
computed tomographic analysis of calvarial hyperostosis in captive lions.	osseous malformations in the skull and cervical vertebrae of lions in captivity are believed to be caused by hypovitaminosis a. these often lead to severe neurologic abnormalities and may result in death. we describe the characterization of these abnormalities based on computed tomography (ct). ct images of two affected and three healthy lions were compared with define the normal anatomy of the skull and cervical vertebrae and provide information regarding the aforementioned osseous malformation ...	2016	20166390
computed tomographic imaging of the normal immature california sea lion head (zalophus californianus).	different computed tomography (ct) protocols were tested to optimize imaging of the head of the california sea lion. transverse mode images were superior to helical mode images. bone structures were best imaged using 1 mm slice width combined with a high-frequency image reconstruction algorithm and best viewed using a wide window setting. soft tissue structures were generally difficult to differentiate with the exception of the orbital region, which was best imaged using 2mm slice width combined ...	2016	19051645
lions as bone accumulators? paleontological and ecological implications of a modern bone assemblage from olduvai gorge.	analytic models have been developed to reconstruct early hominin behaviour, especially their subsistence patterns, revealed mainly through taphonomic analyses of archaeofaunal assemblages. taphonomic research is used to discern which agents (carnivores, humans or both) generate the bone assemblages recovered at archaeological sites. taphonomic frameworks developed during the last decades show that the only large-sized carnivores in african biomes able to create bone assemblages are leopards and ...	2016	27144649
flipper strokes can predict energy expenditure and locomotion costs in free-ranging northern and antarctic fur seals.	flipper strokes have been proposed as proxies to estimate the energy expended by marine vertebrates while foraging at sea, but this has never been validated on free-ranging otariids (fur seals and sea lions). our goal was to investigate how well flipper strokes correlate with energy expenditure in 33 foraging northern and antarctic fur seals equipped with accelerometers, gps, and time-depth recorders. we concomitantly measured field metabolic rates with the doubly-labelled water method and deriv ...	2016	27658718
long-term seasonal and interannual patterns of marine mammal strandings in subtropical western south atlantic.	understanding temporal patterns of marine mammal occurrence is useful for establishing conservation strategies. we used a 38 yr-long dataset spanning 1976 to 2013 to describe temporal patterns and trends in marine mammal strandings along a subtropical stretch of the east coast of south america. this region is influenced by a transitional zone between tropical and temperate waters and is considered an important fishing ground off brazil. generalized additive models were used to evaluate the tempo ...	2016	26814667
respiratory function in voluntary participating patagonia sea lions (otaria flavescens) in sternal recumbency.	we measured esophageal pressures (n = 4), respiratory flow rates (n = 5), and expired o2 and co2 (n = 4) in five adult patagonia sea lions (otaria flavescens, body mass range 94.3-286.0 kg) during voluntary breaths while laying down out of water. the data were used to estimate the dynamic specific lung compliance (scl), the o2 consumption rate ([formula: see text]o2) and co2 production rates ([formula: see text]co2) during rest. our results indicate that the resting tidal volume in patagonia sea ...	2016	27899896
adding constraints to predation through allometric relation of scats to consumption.	a thorough understanding of mechanisms of prey consumption by carnivores and the constraints on predation help us in evaluating the role of carnivores in an ecosystem. this is crucial in developing appropriate management strategies for their conservation and mitigating human-carnivore conflict. current models on optimal foraging suggest that mammalian carnivores would profit most from killing the largest prey that they can subdue with minimal risk of injury to themselves. wild carnivore diets ar ...	2016	26931378
a bioenergetics approach to understanding the population consequences of disturbance: elephant seals as a model system.	using long-term empirical data, we developed a complete population consequences of acoustic disturbance (pcad) model and application for northern elephant seals. we assumed that the animals would not successfully forage while in a 100-km-diameter disturbance region within their foraging and transit paths. the decrease in lipid gain due to exposure was then translated to changes in birth rate and pup survival. given their large foraging range, elephant seals were resilient to such a disturbance, ...	2016	26610956
population structure and historical demography of south american sea lions provide insights into the catastrophic decline of a marine mammal population.	understanding the causes of population decline is crucial for conservation management. we therefore used genetic analysis both to provide baseline data on population structure and to evaluate hypotheses for the catastrophic decline of the south american sea lion (otaria flavescens) at the falkland islands (malvinas) in the south atlantic. we genotyped 259 animals from 23 colonies across the falklands at 281 bp of the mitochondrial hypervariable region and 22 microsatellites. a weak signature of ...	2016	27493782
individual and population level resource selection patterns of mountain lions preying on mule deer along an urban-wildland gradient.	understanding population and individual-level behavioral responses of large carnivores to human disturbance is important for conserving top predators in fragmented landscapes. however, previous research has not investigated resource selection at predation sites of mountain lions in highly urbanized areas. we quantified selection of natural and anthropogenic landscape features by mountain lions at sites where they consumed their primary prey, mule deer (odocoileus hemionus), in and adjacent to ur ...	2016	27411098
fertility suppression of some wildlife species in southern africa-a review.	generally speaking, southern africa's wildlife populations in small-to-medium-sized protected game reserves (10,000-65,000 ha) reproduce at rapid rates which often lead overpopulation of certain species. most commonly these are large predators such as lions, african wild dogs and cheetahs, and elephants. overpopulation of large predators leads to depletion of prey species, breakouts into neighbouring communities and increased risks for disease transmission. an overabundance of elephants leads to ...	2016	27670936
genetic characterization and classification of human and animal sapoviruses.	sapoviruses (savs) are enteric caliciviruses that have been detected in multiple mammalian species, including humans, pigs, mink, dogs, sea lions, chimpanzees, and rats. they show a high level of diversity. a sav genome commonly encodes seven nonstructural proteins (nss), including the rna polymerase protein ns7, and two structural proteins (vp1 and vp2). we classified human and animal savs into 15 genogroups (g) based on available vp1 sequences, including three newly characterized genomes from ...	2016	27228126
passive acoustic monitoring reveals group ranging and territory use: a case study of wild chimpanzees (pan troglodytes).	assessing the range and territories of wild mammals traditionally requires years of data collection and often involves directly following individuals or using tracking devices. indirect and non-invasive methods of monitoring wildlife have therefore emerged as attractive alternatives due to their ability to collect data at large spatiotemporal scales using standardized remote sensing technologies. here, we investigate the use of two novel passive acoustic monitoring (pam) systems used to capture ...	2016	27507999
using reaction time and equal latency contours to derive auditory weighting functions in sea lions and dolphins.	subjective loudness measurements are used to create equal-loudness contours and auditory weighting functions for human noise-mitigation criteria; however, comparable direct measurements of subjective loudness with animal subjects are difficult to conduct. in this study, simple reaction time to pure tones was measured as a proxy for subjective loudness in a tursiops truncatus and zalophus californianus. contours fit to equal reaction-time curves were then used to estimate the shapes of auditory w ...	2016	26610970
simplified large african carnivore density estimators from track indices.	the range, population size and trend of large carnivores are important parameters to assess their status globally and to plan conservation strategies. one can use linear models to assess population size and trends of large carnivores from track-based surveys on suitable substrates. the conventional approach of a linear model with intercept may not intercept at zero, but may fit the data better than linear model through the origin. we assess whether a linear regression through the origin is more ...	2016	28028454
seals and sea lions are what they eat, plus what? determination of trophic discrimination factors for seven pinniped species.	mixing models are a common method for quantifying the contribution of prey sources to the diet of an individual using stable isotope analysis; however, these models rely upon a known trophic discrimination factor (hereafter, tdf) that results from fractionation between prey and animal tissues. quantifying tdfs in captive animals is ideal, because diet is controlled and the proportional contributions and isotopic values of all prey items are known.	2016	27060839
comparison of carnivore, omnivore, and herbivore mammalian genomes with a new leopard assembly.	there are three main dietary groups in mammals: carnivores, omnivores, and herbivores. currently, there is limited comparative genomics insight into the evolution of dietary specializations in mammals. due to recent advances in sequencing technologies, we were able to perform in-depth whole genome analyses of representatives of these three dietary groups.	2016	27802837
anthropozoonotic endoparasites in free-ranging "urban" south american sea lions (otaria flavescens).	the present study represents the first report on the gastrointestinal endoparasite fauna of a free-ranging "urban" colony of south american sea lions (otaria flavescens) living within the city of valdivia, chile. a total of 40 individual faecal samples of south american sea lions were collected during the year 2012 within their natural habitat along the river calle-calle and in the local fish market of valdivia. coprological analyses applying sodium acetate acetic formalin methanol (saf) techniq ...	2016	27051860
inconsistency of allometric scaling for dissociative anesthesia of wild felids.	to evaluate allometric scaling for ketamine-xylazine (kx) anesthesia in wild felids using domestic cats for reference.	2016	26376437
survey of plasmodium in the golden-headed lion tamarin (leontopithecus chrysomelas) living in urban atlantic forest in rio de janeiro, brazil.	communicating the presence of potential zoonotic pathogens such as plasmodium spp. in wild animals is important for developing both animal and human health policies.	2016	26883507
hepatic osteodystrophy in a golden lion tamarin (leontopithecus rosalia).	an 8-yr-old, captive, female golden lion tamarin ( leontopithecus rosalia ) with a 6-yr history of hyperbilirubinemia was examined for inappetence and weight loss. physical examination and blood pressure monitoring under anesthesia revealed hypothermia and hypotension, and blood work revealed hypoglycemia, markedly elevated liver enzymes, including serum alkaline phosphatase, aspartate aminotransferase, and alanine aminotransferase, and confirmed the hyperbilirubinemia. a complete blood count su ...	2016	27691975
treatment of diabetes mellitus in a golden lion tamarin (leontopithecus rosalia) with the glucagon-like peptide-1 mimetic exenatide.	an 8-yr-old male golden lion tamarin ( leontopithecus rosalia ) was diagnosed with diabetes mellitus based on hyperglycemia and persistent glycosuria. initial treatment consisted of the oral antihyperglycemic medications glipizide and metformin that resulted in decreased blood glucose concentrations; however, marked glycosuria persisted. insufficient improvement on oral antihyperglycemic therapy and poor feasibility of daily subcutaneous insulin therapy led to an investigation into an alternativ ...	2016	27691959
a high-resolution area in the retinal ganglion cell layer of the steller's sea lion (eumetopias jubatus): a topographic study.		2016	15354821
corrigendum: respiratory function in voluntary participating patagonia sea lions (otaria flavescens) in sternal recumbency.	[this corrects the article on p. 528 in vol. 7, pmid: 27899896.].	2016	28070180
reference intervals of mineral elements in plasma of anesthetized free-ranging adult females of south american sea lion, otaria flavescens.	levels of zinc (zn), copper (cu), potassium (k), calcium (ca), magnesium (mg), and phosphorus (p) in plasma of otaria flavescens females (n = 29) were evaluated. reference intervals were established for each element, being the first report for this species.	2016	27156112
pup vibrissae stable isotopes reveal geographic differences in adult female southern sea lion habitat use during gestation.	individuals within populations often differ substantially in habitat use, the ecological consequences of which can be far reaching. stable isotope analysis provides a convenient and often cost effective means of indirectly assessing the habitat use of individuals that can yield valuable insights into the spatiotemporal distribution of foraging specialisations within a population. here we use the stable isotope ratios of southern sea lion (otaria flavescens) pup vibrissae at the falkland islands, ...	2016	27304855
colony location and captivity influence the gut microbial community composition of the australian sea lion (neophoca cinerea).	gut microbiota play an important role in maintenance of mammalian metabolism and immune system regulation, and disturbances to this community can have adverse impacts on animal health. to better understand the composition of gut microbiota in marine mammals, fecal bacterial communities of the australian sea lion (neophoca cinerea), an endangered pinniped with localized distribution, were examined. a comparison of samples from individuals across 11 wild colonies in south and western australia and ...	2016	27037116