| hydroxylated and methyl sulfone pcb metabolites in adipose and whole blood of polar bear (ursus maritimus) from east greenland. | persistent methyl sulfone (meso2-) and hydroxylated (ho-) polychlorinated biphenyl (pcb) metabolites have emerged as important classes of environmental contaminants in vertebrate, aquatic biota and humans. in the present study, pcb, meso2-pcb and ho-pcb concentrations and congener patterns were determined in the whole blood and adipose tissue of male (n = 7) and female (n = 12) polar bears (ursus maritimus) of random age (3-25 years of age), and collected in 1999-2001 from the ittoqqortoormiit/s ... | 2004 | 15325145 |
| dietary composition in greenland 2000, plasma fatty acids and persistent organic pollutants. | human exposure to pollution in the arctic presents a potential future health risk for the local populations. epidemiological studies in greenland have shown that human blood levels of several organic contaminants are very high, especially in the north where people depend on local food. in east greenland (ittoqqortoormiit (scoresbysund)) the population shows the highest blood levels of several persistent organic pollutants found in arctic countries, especially pcb, the levels of which exceed cana ... | 2004 | 15325148 |
| antibodies to selected pathogens in free-ranging terrestrial carnivores and marine mammals in canada. | antibody titres to selected pathogens (canine adenovirus [cav-2], feline herpesvirus [fhv], phocine herpesvirus [phv-1], canine distemper virus, dolphin morbillivirus [dmv], phocine distemper virus [pdv], parainfluenza virus type 3 [pi3], rabies virus, dolphin rhabdovirus [drv], canine coronavirus, feline coronavirus, feline leukaemia virus, borrelia burgdorferi and toxoplasma gondii) were determined in whole blood or serum samples from selected free-ranging terrestrial carnivores and marine mam ... | 2004 | 15338705 |
| antibodies to canine distemper and phocine distemper viruses in polar bears from the canadian arctic. | serum samples collected from 200 polar bears (ursus marititnus) from two populations in the canadian arctic, the western hudson bay and lancaster sound populations, between 1989 and 1996, were tested for antibodies to canine distemper (cdv) and phocine distemper viruses (pdv) using virus neutralization. antibodies to cdv and pdv were detected in 48 and six polar bears, respectively. all six bears that tested positive for pdv also tested positive for cdv; in only one case did the antibody titer f ... | 2004 | 15362838 |
| is bone mineral composition disrupted by organochlorines in east greenland polar bears (ursus maritimus)? | we analyzed bone mineral density (bmd) in skulls of polar bears (ursus maritimus) (n = 139) from east greenland sampled during 1892-2002. our primary goal was to detect possible changes in bone mineral content (osteopenia) due to elevated exposure to organochlorine [polychlorinated biphenyls (pcbs), dichlorodiphenyl trichloroethane (ddt) and its metabolites, chlordanes (chls), dieldrin, hexacyclohexanes, hexachlorobenzene] and polybrominated diphenyl ether (pbde) compounds. to ensure that the bm ... | 2004 | 15579418 |
| enlarged clitoris in wild polar bears (ursus maritimus) can be misdiagnosed as pseudohermaphroditism. | a 23-year-old female polar bear (ursus maritimus) killed in an inuit hunt in east greenland on july 9, 1999 had a significantly enlarged clitoris resembling, in size, form and colour, those of previously reported 'pseudohermaphroditic' polar bears from svalbard. it has been suggested that an enzyme defect (21-hydroxylase deficiency), androgen producing tumour or high exposure to organochlorines during the foetal stage or early development could be the reason for the supposed pseudohermaphroditis ... | 2005 | 15626378 |
| serosurvey of selected zoonotic agents in polar bears (ursus maritimus). | between 1982 and 1999 blood samples were collected from 500 polar bears (ursus maritimus) captured in the beaufort and chukchi seas, to determine the seroprevalence of brucella species, toxoplasma gondii, and trichinella species infections. the bears were classified into four age groups, cubs, yearlings, subadults and adults. brucella and toxoplasma antibodies were detected by agglutination (a buffered acidified card antigen and rapid automated presumptive test for brucellosis and a commercial l ... | 2005 | 15658561 |
| hemoglobin, ph and dpg/chloride shifting. | in this study a decreased dpg response by polar bear (ursus maritimus) hemoglobin was observed, and this response was interpreted as an example of gradual dpg/chloride shifting. this sort of mechanism has been suggested to occur in ruminants and, intuitively, one might guess that for ruminants the dpg/cl- shifting might have been beneficial and hence selected for at the time of the latest ice age. however, suggestion that this is purely a temperature effect in polar bears and ruminants conflicts ... | 2004 | 15667943 |
| isolating isomers of perfluorocarboxylates in polar bears (ursus maritimus) from two geographical locations. | the source of involatile, anthropogenic perfluorocarboxylate anions (pfcas) in biota from remote regions is of heightened interest due to the persistence, toxicity, and bioaccumulation of these materials. large-scale production of fluorinated compounds is carried out primarily by one of two methods: electrochemical fluorination (ecf) and telomerization. products of the two processes may be distinguished based on constitutional isomer pattern as ecf products are characteristically comprised of a ... | 2004 | 15669310 |
| does high organochlorine (oc) exposure impair the resistance to infection in polar bears (ursus maritimus)? part ii: possible effect of ocs on mitogen- and antigen-induced lymphocyte proliferation. | previous studies have reported alarmingly high levels of organochlorines (ocs), particularly polychlorinated biphenyls (pcbs), in free-ranging polar bears (ursus maritimus). in this study plasma concentration of pcbs ranged from 14.8 to 200 ng/g wet weight. the aim of the study was to investigate associations between ocs and lymphocyte proliferation after in vitro stimulation with different mitogens and antigens. in 1998 and 1999, 26 and 30 free-ranging polar bears from svalbard and churchill, c ... | 2005 | 15799246 |
| trends in fluctuating asymmetry in east greenland polar bears (ursus maritimus) from 1892 to 2002 in relation to organohalogen pollution. | fluctuating asymmetry (fa) was studied in skulls of 283 polar bears (ursus maritimus) sampled in east greenland from 1892 to 2002. fourteen metric bilateral traits in skull and lower jaw were measured and compared between polar bears born until 1960 (n = 94) and from 1961 (n = 189). the period 1892-1960 was chosen to represent a period prior to appearance of organohalogens (polychlorinatedbiphenyls [pcbs], dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes [ddts], hexacyclohexanes [hchs], chlordanes [chls], hexac ... | 2004 | 15833243 |
| histology of selected immunological organs in polar bear (ursus maritimus) from east greenland in relation to concentrations of organohalogen contaminants. | samples of lymph nodes (axillary, n = 54 and inguinal, n = 45), spleen (n = 60), thymus (n = 11) and thyroid tissue (n = 5) from a total of 82 polar bears (ursus maritimus) collected in east greenland 1999-2002 were examined histologically. the purpose was to relate histology to concentrations of organohalogen contaminants (ohcs) [i.e., sum (sigma)pcbs, sigmaddts, sigmahchs, sigmachls, hcb, dieldrin and sigmapbdes] determined in adipose tissue, as studies on polar bears have indicated that some ... | 2004 | 15833246 |
| perflouroalkyl contaminants in liver tissue from east greenland polar bears (ursus maritimus). | perfluoroalkyl substances were determined in polar bears (ursus maritimus) collected in east greenland (69 degrees 00'n to 74 degrees 00"n) to compare with other populations and to examine effects of age and gender on concentrations of these contaminants. hepatic tissue (n = 29) was analyzed for perfluorooctane sulfonate (pfos), perfluorooctanoate (pfoa), perfluorohexane sulfonate, heptadecafluorooctane sulfonamide (pfosa), and perfluoroalkyl carboxylates (pfcas) with c9-c15 perfluorinated carbo ... | 2005 | 15839574 |
| vessel wall damage caused by cerebral protection devices: ex vivo evaluation in porcine carotid arteries. | to determine the extent of vessel wall damage caused by cerebral protection devices designed for carotid angioplasty by using ex vivo porcine carotid arteries. | 2005 | 15858088 |
| recent climate change in the arctic and its impact on contaminant pathways and interpretation of temporal trend data. | the arctic has undergone dramatic change during the past decade. the observed changes include atmospheric sea-level pressure, wind fields, sea-ice drift, ice cover, length of melt season, change in precipitation patterns, change in hydrology and change in ocean currents and watermass distribution. it is likely that these primary changes have altered the carbon cycle and biological systems, but the difficulty of observing these together with sporadic, incomplete time series makes it difficult to ... | 2005 | 15866268 |
| adaptation of the hindlimbs for climbing in bears. | the hindlimbs of the malayan sun bear (helarctos malayanus), the polar bear (ursus maritimus), the brown bear (ursus arctos) and the giant panda (ailuropoda melanoleuca) have been anatomically and osteometrically studied. the musculus tibialis cranialis of the malayan sun bear and the giant panda possessed a well-developed rich fleshy portion until the distal end of the tibia. in the polar bear and the brown bear, however, the fleshy portion of the m. tibialis cranialis was not developed until t ... | 2005 | 15900701 |
| gull eggs--food of high organic pollutant content? | a wide range and occasionally high levels of persistent organic pollutants (pops) are reported in arctic regions, especially among top predators. polar bears (ursus maritimus), arctic foxes (alopex lagopus) and some gull species (larus spp.) often have high levels of these fat-soluble pollutants. gulls deposit significant levels of these contaminants in their eggs. in northern regions, gull eggs are part of the traditional human diet. in the present study we have investigated the levels of pops ... | 2005 | 15931427 |
| determination of hydroxylated polychlorinated biphenyls (ho-pcbs) in blood plasma by high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem quadrupole mass spectrometry. | hydroxylated metabolites of polychlorinated biphenyls (ho-pcbs) and pentachlorophenol (pcp) are halogenated phenolic compounds, and they are increasingly common as environmental contaminants mainly in the blood of wildlife and humans. a methodology based on high-performance liquid chromatography (reversed-phase)-electrospray (negative) ionization-tandem quadrupole mass spectrometry (lc-esi(-)-ms-ms) in the select ion monitoring or multiple reaction monitoring modes was developed for ho-pcb and p ... | 2005 | 15975248 |
| levels of toxaphene congeners in white whales (delphinapterus leucas) from svalbard, norway. | this study reports concentrations of three pesticide toxaphene congeners (chbs; chb-26, -50 and -62) from the blubber of ten adult, male white whales (delphinapterus leucas) from svalbard, norway. the chb congeners that occurred at the highest levels in the blubber of the white whales were, as expected, chb-26 (4636+/-1992 (sd) ng/g l.w.) and chb-50 (6579+/-2214 ng/g l.w.); chb-62 (232+/-231 ng/g l.w.) was also present, but at much lower concentrations. the mean level of the sum of the three chb ... | 2006 | 15975634 |
| outbreak of trichinellosis associated with consumption of game meat in west greenland. | the inuit population of the arctic has always been at risk of acquiring trichinellosis and severe outbreaks have been recorded in alaska and canada. in west greenland, a number of large outbreaks took place during the 1940s and 1950s; they involved total 420 cases including 37 deaths. since then only sporadic cases have been reported. here, we describe an outbreak of infection with trichinella spp. after consumption of infected meat presumably from walrus or polar bear caught in western greenlan ... | 2005 | 16023294 |
| serologic survey for selected virus infections in polar bears at svalbard. | polar bears (ursus maritimus) were chemically immobilized and sampled at svalbard, norway, and on the pack ice in the barents sea from late march to mid-may between 1990 and 1998. plasma samples were tested for the presence of antibodies to canine distemper virus (cdv), calicivirus, phocid herpesvirus type 1 (phhv-1), and rabies virus. a seroprevalence of 8% to cdv and 2% to calicivirus were found, whereas no antibodies were detected against phhv-1 or rabies virus. this serologic survey indicate ... | 2005 | 16107665 |
| chlorinated hydrocarbon contaminants and metabolites in polar bears (ursus maritimus) from alaska, canada, east greenland, and svalbard: 1996-2002. | a suite of chlorinated hydrocarbon contaminants (chcs) including organochlorine pesticides (ocps) and by-products, polychlorinated biphenyls (pcbs), and methyl sulfone (meso2) pcb and p,p'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p,p'-dde) metabolites were determined in adipose tissue of 107 adult and sub-adult polar bears, almost exclusively females, sampled between 1996 and 2002 from populations spanning arctic and subarctic regions of alaska, canada, east greenland, and svalbard. the east greenland ... | 2005 | 16115663 |
| an assessment of the toxicological significance of anthropogenic contaminants in canadian arctic wildlife. | anthropogenic contaminants have been a concern in the canadian arctic for over 30 years due to relatively high concentrations of bioaccumulating and biomagnifying organochlorine contaminants (ocs) and toxic metals found in some arctic biota and humans. however, few studies have addressed the potential effects of these contaminants in canadian arctic wildlife. prior to 1997, biological effects data were minimal and insufficient at any level of biological organization. the present review summarize ... | 2005 | 16154621 |
| flame retardants and methoxylated and hydroxylated polybrominated diphenyl ethers in two norwegian arctic top predators: glaucous gulls and polar bears. | the brominated flame retardants have been subject of a particular environmental focus in the arctic. the present study investigated the congener patterns and levels of total hexabromocyclododecane (hbcd), polybrominated biphenyls, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (pbdes), as well as methoxylated (meo) and hydroxylated (oh) pbdes in plasma samples of glaucous gulls (larus hyperboreus) and polar bears (ursus maritimus) from the norwegian arctic. the analyses revealed the presence of total hbcd (0.07 ... | 2005 | 16173559 |
| polycyclic musk compounds in higher trophic level aquatic organisms and humans from the united states. | polycyclic musks, 1,3,4,6,7,8-hexahydro-4,6,6,7,8,8-hexamethylcyclopenta[g]-2-benzopyran (hhcb) and 7-acetyl-1,1,3,4,4,6-hexamethyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene (ahtn), are used as fragrance ingredients in numerous consumer products such as cleaning agents and personal care products. studies have reported the widespread occurrence of these musks in surface waters and fish from western european countries. nevertheless, little is known about their accumulation in humans and wildlife in the united ... | 2005 | 16219504 |
| do organohalogen contaminants contribute to histopathology in liver from east greenland polar bears (ursus maritimus)? | in east greenland polar bears (ursus maritimus), anthropogenic organohalogen compounds (ohcs) (e.g., polychlorinated biphenyls, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, and polybrominated diphenyl ethers) contributed to renal lesions and are believed to reduce bone mineral density. because ohcs are also hepatotoxic, we investigated liver histology of 32 subadult, 24 adult female, and 23 adult male east greenland polar bears sampled during 1999-2002. light microscopic changes consisted of nuclear displac ... | 2005 | 16263513 |
| helicobacter spp. from captive bottlenose dolphins (tursiops spp.) and polar bears (ursus maritimus). | the gastric fluid of six bottlenose dolphins and the faeces of four polar bears from the same oceanarium were examined for the presence of helicobacter. as detected by pcr, all dolphins and 8/12 samples collected from polar bears were positive for helicobacter. novel sequence types were identified in samples collected from these animals of which several were unique to either the dolphins or the polar bears. at least one sequence type was, however, detected in both animal taxa. in addition, a seq ... | 2005 | 16266854 |
| endocrine disruption induced by organochlorines (ocs): field studies and experimental models. | long-range transport of persistent organic compounds by air and ocean currents from industrialized areas resulted in high levels of these pollutants in food webs in the svalbard area. with the aim to test if organochlorine (oc) exposure in free-living polar bears from svalbard affected their plasma steroid hormone concentrations, it was found that polychlorinated biphenyls (pcbs) were associated with increased progesterone levels in females. the sum of pesticides (sigma pesticides) and sigma pcb ... | 2006 | 16291562 |
| identification and characterization of tandem repeats in exon iii of dopamine receptor d4 (drd4) genes from different mammalian species. | in this study we have identified and characterized dopamine receptor d4 (drd4) exon iii tandem repeats in 33 public available nucleotide sequences from different mammalian species. we found that the tandem repeat in canids could be described in a novel and simple way, namely, as a structure composed of 15- and 12- bp modules. tandem repeats composed of 18-bp modules were found in sequences from the horse, zebra, onager, and donkey, asiatic bear, polar bear, common raccoon, dolphin, harbor porpoi ... | 2005 | 16332176 |
| relationships between pcbs and thyroid hormones and retinol in female and male polar bears. | we studied the relationships between polychlorinated biphenyls (pcbs) and thyroid hormones (ths) and retinol within two groups of female polar bears (ursus maritimus), females with cubs of the year (fwcoy) and females without cubs of the year (fwocoy), and within a group of males. concentrations of five of the six quantified pcb congeners, i.e., pcb-99, pcb-153, pcb-156, pcb-180, pcb-194 (sigma pcb5), correlated with each other, whereas the concentrations of pcb-118 did not correlate with the ot ... | 2004 | 15175168 |
| cerebral arteriosclerosis in an aged captive polar bear (ursus maritimus). | cerebral arteriosclerosis was observed upon necropsy of a 36-yr-old female captive polar bear (ursus maritimus) that developed a sudden onset of seizure-like activity and died. the medium and large cerebral arteries of the meninges had moderate to severe diffuse discoloration and mineralization of the matrix of the tunica media, with little or no associated cellular reaction. scanning electron microscopy of the affected arteries showed discrete crystalline calcified deposits in the media and scl ... | 2002 | 12564538 |
| relationships between plasma levels of organochlorines, retinol and thyroid hormones from polar bears (ursus maritimus) at svalbard. | associations were determined between retinol and the thyroid hormones thyroxine (t4) and triiodothyronine (t3), respectively, and the organochlorine contaminants (ocs) polychlorinated biphenyls (pcbs), 1, 1-dichloro-2,2-bis-(4-chlorophenyl)ethylene (dde), hexachlorobenzene (hcb), and hexachlorocyclohexanes (hchs) in blood plasma from polar bears (ursus maritimus) caught at svalbard. the blood samples were collected from free-ranging polar bears of different age and sex in 1991-1994. the retinol ... | 2001 | 11245393 |
| chemical characterization of milk oligosaccharides of the polar bear, ursus maritimus. | two trisaccharides, three tetrasaccharides, two pentasaccharides, one hexasaccharide, one heptasaccharide, one octasaccharide and one decasaccharide were isolated from polar bear milk samples by chloroform/methanol extraction, gel filtration, ion exchange chromatography and preparative thin-layer chromatography. the oligosaccharides were characterized by 1h-nmr as follows: the saccharides from one animal: gal(alpha1-3)gal(beta1-4)glc (alpha3'-galactosyllactose), fuc(alpha1-2)gal(beta1-4)glc (2'- ... | 2000 | 10913842 |
| fatal hepatic sarcocystosis in two polar bears (ursus maritimus). | fatal hepatic sarcocystosis was diagnosed in 2 polar bears from a zoo in anchorage, alaska. gross lesions were icterus and systemic petechiae. marked microscopic lesions were detected only in the liver and included severe random necrotizing hepatitis with hemorrhage. only asexual stages of an apicomplexan parasite were detected within hepatocytes, and rare extracellular zoites were seen in foci of necrosis. the parasite divided by endopolygeny, and occasionally merozoites formed rosettes around ... | 1997 | 9194839 |
| serological evidence of morbillivirus infection in polar bears (ursus maritimus) from alaska and russia. | one-hundred-and-ninety-one samples of blood serum collected from 186 polar bears (ursus maritimus) between 1987 and 1992 were analysed for morbillivirus antibodies. the samples were collected in the bering, chukchi and east siberian seas. sixty-eight samples (35.6 per cent) had morbillivirus antibody titres > 5; the percentage of positive samples ranged from 26.2 to 46.2 per cent from year to year. the proportions of adults, sub-adults and cubs which were seropositive were 43.9, 35.7 and 37.9 pe ... | 1996 | 8807784 |
| comparative anatomy of the cardiac foramen ovale in cats (felidae), dogs (canidae), bears (ursidae) and hyaenas (hyaenidae). | the structure of the foramen ovale from 16 species representing 4 carnivore families, the felidae, canidae, ursidae and hyaenidae, was studied using the scanning electron microscope. the felidae were represented by 9 domestic cat fetuses (felis catus), 2 snow leopard neonates (uncia uncia), an ocelot neonate (leopardus pardalis), 2 lion neonates (panthera leo), a panther neonate (panthera pardus) and 3 tigers (neofelis tigris), comprising 2 fetuses and a neonate. the canidae were represented by ... | 1995 | 7649822 |
| immobilization of polar bears (ursus maritimus) with telazol in the canadian arctic. | in 1986, 213 polar bears (ursus maritimus) were immobilized with telazol on the sea ice of the eastern beaufort sea during april and may, and 106 along the western coast of hudson bay near churchill, manitoba (canada) in september. no animals died from handling. the efficacy of this drug at different seasons and the physiological responses of the immobilized bears were compared. a single injection of 8 to 9 mg of telazol per kg of body weight gave a rapid full immobilization with satisfactory an ... | 1989 | 2716095 |
| observations on a trichinella spiralis isolate from a polar bear. | | 1978 | 739315 |
| status of trichinosis in bears in the atlantic provinces of canada 1971--1976. | during 1971 to 1976 inclusive, 73 black bears, ursus americanus and one polar bear, thalarctos maritimus, originating in the atlantic provinces of canada were examined for the presence of trichinosis. the polar bear was infected but all of the black bears were negative. | 1978 | 667710 |
| parasite-related lesions in a bearded seal, erignathus barbatus. | a free-ranging adult male bearded seal (erignathus barbatus) killed by polar bears was salvaged and examined at necropsy. significant findings included diffuse intrahepatic bile duct fibrosis and chronic cholangitis; multiple nodules of chronic fibrosing pancreatitis; and gastric ulcers. trematode eggs (family campulidae) were found in the pancreatic nodules. these eggs and the trematodes that produced them probably caused the pancreatic and liver lesions. phocanema decipiens and contracaecum os ... | 1979 | 113564 |
| clinical sarcocystis neurona, sarcocystis canis, toxoplasma gondii, and neospora caninum infections in dogs. | sarcocystis neurona, sarcocystis canis, toxoplasma gondii, and neospora caninum are related apicomplexans that can cause systemic illness in many species of animals, including dogs. we investigated one breeder's 25 basset hounds for these infections. in addition, tissues from dogs and other non-canine hosts previously reported as s. canis infections were studied retrospectively. schizonts resembling those of s. neurona, and recognized by polyclonal rabbit anti-s. neurona antibodies, were found i ... | 2006 | 16458431 |
| brominated flame retardants in polar bears (ursus maritimus) from alaska, the canadian arctic, east greenland, and svalbard. | polybrominated diphenyl ethers (pbdes) were determined in adipose tissue of adult and subadult female polar bears sampled between 1999 and 2002 from sub-populations in arctic canada, eastern greenland, and svalbard, and in males and females collected from 1994 to 2002 in northwestern alaska. only 4 congeners (bde47, 99, 100, and 153) were consistently identified in all samples. bde47 was the major pbde congener representing from 65% to 82% of the sum (sigma) pbdes. age was not a significant cova ... | 2006 | 16468388 |
| endocrine disrupters and female reproductive health. | there is growing evidence of the impact of estrogenic contaminants in the environment. studies have shown that male fish in detergent-contaminated water express female characteristics, turtles are sex-reversed by polychlorinated biphenyls (pcbs), male frogs exposed to a common herbicide form multiple ovaries, pseudohermaphroditic offspring are produced by polar bears, and seals in contaminated water have an excess of uterine fibroids. endocrine-disrupting chemicals (those found in the external e ... | 2006 | 16522520 |
| impairment of cellular immunity in west greenland sledge dogs (canis familiaris) dietary exposed to polluted minke whale (balaenoptera acutorostrata) blubber. | minke whale (balaenoptera acutorostrata) blubber is rich in organohalogen contaminants, mercury, and n-3 fatty acids. in the present study we show that a daily intake of 50-200 g of minke whale blubber causes an impairment of the nonspecific and specific cellular immune system in the west greenland sledge dog (canis familiaris). immune reactions were measured by mitogen (pha, con a) and antigen (klh) intradermal testing, and as the study used exposure levels similar to those of inuits and polar ... | 2006 | 16570636 |
| trends in mercury in hair of greenlandic polar bears (ursus maritimus) during 1892-2001. | mercury concentrations in hair from 397 greenland polar bears (ursusmaritimus) sampled between 1892 and 2001 were analyzed for temporal trends. in east greenland the concentrations showed a significant (p < 0.0001, n = 27) increase of 3.1%/year in the period 1892-1973. in northwest greenland, a similar (p < 0.0001, n = 69) increase of 2.1%/year was found, which continued until 1991, when the most recent samples were obtained. in east greenland, a significant (p = 0.009, n = 322) decrease of 0.8% ... | 2006 | 16572764 |
| are organohalogen contaminants a cofactor in the development of renal lesions in east greenland polar bears (ursus maritimus)? | tissues of polar bears (ursus maritimus) from east greenland contain the highest concentrations of organohalogen contaminants (ohcs) among subpopulations of any mammalian species in the arctic. negative associations also have been found between ohc concentrations and bone mineral density and liver histology parameters for this subpopulation of polar bears. the present study examined the ohc concentrations and adverse effects on renal tissue for 75 polar bears collected during 1999 to 2002. speci ... | 2006 | 16764473 |
| detection of igg and igm in sera from canines with blastomycosis using eight blastomyces dermatitidis yeast phase lysate antigens. | the objective of this study was to compare the efficacy of eight blastomyces dermatitidis yeast phase lysate antigens (t-58: dog, tennessee; t-27: polar bear, tennessee; erc-2: dog, wisconsin; b5894: human, minnesota; soil: soil, canada; b5896: human, minnesota; 48089: human, zaire; 48938: bat, india) in the detection of the immunoglobulins igg and igm in serum specimens from canines with blastomycosis. an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (elisa, peroxidase system) was used to analyze ... | 2006 | 16830189 |
| biomagnification of polybrominated diphenyl ether and hexabromocyclododecane flame retardants in the polar bear food chain in svalbard, norway. | concentrations of brominated flame retardants (bfrs), including polybrominated diphenylethers (pbdes) and hexabromocyclododecane (hbcd), were investigated in an arctic marine food chain consisting of four invertebrate species: polar cod (boreogadus saida), ringed seals (pusa hispida), and polar bears (ursus maritimus). the most abundant bfr, brominated diphenyl ether (bde)-47, was found in detectable concentrations even in zooplankton, the lowest trophic level examined in this study. most of the ... | 2006 | 16986806 |
| xenoendocrine pollutants may reduce size of sexual organs in east greenland polar bears (ursus maritimus). | reproductive organs from 55 male and 44 female east greenland polar bears were examined to investigate the potential negative impact from organohalogen pollutants (ohcs). multiple regressions normalizing for age showed a significant inverse relationship between ohcs and testis length and baculum length and weight, respectively, and was found in both subadults (dichlorodiphenyl trichloroethanes, dieldrin, chlordanes, hexacyclohexanes, polychlorinated biphenyls (pcbs), and polybrominated diphenyl ... | 2006 | 17007124 |
| [a molecular phylogeny of shennongjia white bear based on mitochondrial cytochrome b gene sequence]. | the phylogenetic relationship of shennongjia white bear has been an open question. total dna was extracted and sequenced from hair and feces of shennongjia white bear. based on the partial cyt b gene sequence obtained from the samples, the authors aligned them using the clustal w software program. the mega software was used to analyze the divergences and base substitutions of the partial cyt b gene among the 11 species: shennongjia white bear, selenarctos thibetanus, euarctos americanus, helarct ... | 2006 | 17035181 |
| age and seasonal variability of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in free-ranging east greenland polar bears (ursus maritimus). | polybrominated diphenyl ethers (pbdes) were analysed in adipose tissue from 92 east greenland polar bears (ursus maritimus) sampled during 1999-2001. mean sigmapbde concentrations were 70 ng/g lipid weight (lw) (range: 22-192 ng/g lw) and showed no relationship with age or sex. of the 32 analysed pbde congeners; bde47, bde153, bde99 and bde100 dominated, and comprised 99.6% of the sigmapbde concentration. the sigmapbde concentration had a highly significant correlation with sigmapcb, sigmachl, d ... | 2007 | 17055135 |
| skull pathology in east greenland and svalbard polar bears (ursus maritimus) during 1892 to 2002 in relation to organochlorine pollution. | east greenland and svalbard polar bears (ursus maritimus) are heavily polluted with long-range transported organochlorines such as pcbs (polychlorinated biphenyls). to investigate the negative health impacts, a time-trend study of skull pathology was conducted on 269 east greenland and 241 svalbard polar bears. the skulls were sampled during 1892-2002 and 1964-1992, respectively. seven different pathological changes were found: adonti, displacement of teeth, caries, osseous proliferations, exost ... | 2007 | 17156821 |
| contaminants, diet, plasma fatty acids and smoking in greenland 1999-2005. | the purpose of this study is to monitor and assess human exposure to pollution in the arctic which presents a potential future health risk for the local populations. epidemiological studies in greenland have shown that human blood levels of several organic contaminants are very high, especially in the north where people depend on local food. in east greenland (ittoqqortoormiit (scoresbysund)) the population shows the highest blood levels of several persistent organic pollutants found in arctic c ... | 2007 | 17157358 |
| an immunohistochemical study of retinol-binding protein (rbp) in livers of free-living polar bears (ursus maritimus) from east greenland. | from 1999 to 2002 samples from 114 free-ranging polar bears (ursus maritimus) were collected in the municipality of scoresby sound, east greenland, to detect levels of organochlorines and potential histopathologic changes. livers of 16 female polar bears from this group were evaluated histologically and analyzed for hepatic retinol-binding protein by immunohistochemistry. retinol-binding protein is the main transport protein for retinol, an important vitamin a metabolite in the polar bear. only ... | 2005 | 17312762 |
| tracheitis associated with bordetella bronchiseptica in a polar bear (ursus maritimus). | a male polar bear (ursus maritimus) was diagnosed with tracheitis associated with bordetella bronchiseptica that was cultured from an endotracheal sample of thick mucopurulent exudate. the condition responded to oral amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, and clinical signs of inappetence, depression, dysphagia, and tussis were resolved. one week after this presentation, a female conspecific presented with similar clinical signs, suggesting a transmissible nature of the disease or the same source of infec ... | 2006 | 17312800 |
| vitamin a-storing cells (stellate cells). | hepatic stellate cells (hscs; also called as vitamin a-storing cells, lipocytes, interstitial cells, fat-storing cells, ito cells) exist in the space between parenchymal cells and sinusoidal endothelial cells of the hepatic lobule, and store 80% of vitamin a in the whole body as retinyl palmitate in lipid droplets in the cytoplasm. in physiological conditions, these cells play pivotal roles in the regulation of vitamin a homeostasis; they express specific receptors for retinol-binding protein (r ... | 2007 | 17368315 |
| are liver and renal lesions in east greenland polar bears (ursus maritimus) associated with high mercury levels? | in the arctic, polar bears (ursus maritimus) bio-accumulate mercury as they prey on polluted ringed seals (phoca hispida) and bearded seals (erignathus barbatus). studies have shown that polar bears from east greenland are among the most mercury polluted species in the arctic. it is unknown whether these levels are toxic to liver and kidney tissue. | 2007 | 17439647 |
| occurrence of hydroxylated polychlorinated biphenyls in the brain of cetaceans stranded along the japanese coast. | levels of hydroxylated polychlorinated biphenyls (oh-pcbs) and pcbs were measured in the brain of melon-headed whales (mw: peponocephala electra), striped dolphins (sd: stenella coeruleoalba) and finless porpoises (fp: neophocaena phocaenoides) stranded along the japanese coast during 2002-2003. levels of oh-pcbs (including identified and unknown oh-p(5)cb, -h(6)cb, -h(7)cb and o(8)cb congeners) in the brain of mw, sd and fp were in the range of 20-290, 21-330 and 170-240pg/g wet wt., respective ... | 2007 | 17445835 |
| the complete mitochondrial genome and phylogenetic analysis of the giant panda (ailuropoda melanoleuca). | the complete mitochondrial genome sequence of the giant panda, ailuropoda melanoleuca, was determined by the long and accurate polymerase chain reaction (la-pcr) with conserved primers and primer walking sequence methods. the complete mitochondrial dna is 16,805 nucleotides in length and contains two ribosomal rna genes, 13 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer rna genes and one control region. the total length of the 13 protein-coding genes is longer than the american black bear, brown bear and pol ... | 2007 | 17499457 |
| tissue-specific congener composition of organohalogen and metabolite contaminants in east greenland polar bears (ursus maritimus). | congener patterns of the major organohalogen contaminant classes of pcbs, pbdes and their metabolites and/or by-products (oh-pcbs, meso2-pcbs, oh-pbdes and meo-pbdes) were examined in adipose tissue, liver, brain and blood of east greenland polar bears (ursus maritimus). pcb, oh-pcb, meso2-pcb and pbde congener patterns showed significant differences (p<or=0.05) mainly in the liver and the brain relative to the adipose tissue and the blood. oh-pbdes and meo-pbdes were not detected in the brain a ... | 2008 | 17707109 |
| spatial and temporal variation in size of polar bear (ursus maritimus) sexual organs and its use in pollution and climate change studies. | sexual organs and their development are susceptible to atmospheric transported environmental xenoendocrine pollutants and climate change (food availability). we therefore investigated sexual organs from 55 male and 44 female east greenland polar bears (ursus maritimus) to obtain information about growth/size and sexual maturity. then, the genitalia size was compared with those previously reported from canadian and svalbard polar bears. growth models showed that east greenland male polar bears re ... | 2007 | 17720226 |
| in search of virus carriers of the 1988 and 2002 phocine distemper virus outbreaks in european harbour seals. | european harbour seal (phoca vitulina) populations decreased substantially during the phocine distemper virus (pdv) outbreaks of 1988 and 2002. different hypotheses have stated that various seals and terrestrial carnivore species might be the source of infection. to further analyse these hypotheses, grey (halichoerus grypus) and ringed (phoca hispida) seals, polar bears (ursus maritimus) and minks (mustela lutreola) were sampled from the north sea and east greenland coasts between 1988 and 2004 ... | 2008 | 17896075 |
| greenland sledge dogs (canis familiaris) develop liver lesions when exposed to a chronic and dietary low dose of an environmental organohalogen cocktail. | we assessed the relationship between exposure to organohalogen polluted minke whale (balaenoptera acutorostrata) blubber and liver morphology and function in a generational controlled study of 28 greenland sledge dogs (canis familiaris). the prevalence of portal fibrosis, mild bile duct hyperplasia, and vascular leukocyte infiltrations was significantly higher in the exposed group (all chi-square: p<0.05). in case of granulomas, the frequency was significantly highest in the bitches (p generatio ... | 2008 | 17904542 |
| analysis of complete mitochondrial genome sequences increases phylogenetic resolution of bears (ursidae), a mammalian family that experienced rapid speciation. | despite the small number of ursid species, bear phylogeny has long been a focus of study due to their conservation value, as all bear genera have been classified as endangered at either the species or subspecies level. the ursidae family represents a typical example of rapid evolutionary radiation. previous analyses with a single mitochondrial (mt) gene or a small number of mt genes either provide weak support or a large unresolved polytomy for ursids. we revisit the contentious relationships wi ... | 2007 | 17956639 |
| geographic distribution of selected elements in the livers of polar bears from greenland, canada and the united states. | to assess geographic distributions of elements in the arctic we compared essential and non-essential elements in the livers of polar bears (ursus maritimus) collected from five regions within canada in 2002, in alaska between 1994 and 1999 and from the northwest and east coasts of greenland between 1988 and 2000. as, hg, pb and se varied with age, and co and zn with gender, which limited spatial comparisons across all populations to cd, which was highest in greenland bears. collectively, geograp ... | 2008 | 17959286 |
| novel papillomavirus isolated from the oral mucosa of a polar bear does not cluster with other papillomaviruses of carnivores. | papillomatosis has been documented in several carnivores, and papillomavirus (pv) types have been characterized from lesions in a number of carnivore species: the canine oral pv (copv), the felis domesticus pv type 1 (fdpv-1) isolated from a persian cat, the procyon lotor pv type 1 (plpv-1) isolated from a raccoon, the canine pv type 2 (cpv-2) from a dog's foot pad lesion and the canine pv type 3 (cpv-3) associated with a canine epidermodysplasia verruciformis - like disease. a tissue sample was ... | 2008 | 18215475 |
| comparative fate of organohalogen contaminants in two top carnivores in greenland: captive sledge dogs and wild polar bears. | the limited knowledge and/or the inability to control physiological condition parameters that influence the fate of organohalogen contaminants (ohcs) has been the foremost confounding aspect in monitoring programs and health risk assessments of wild top predators in the arctic such as the polar bear (ursus maritimus). in the present comparative study, we used a potential surrogate canoidea species for the east greenland polar bear, the captive sledge dog (canis familiaris), to investigate some f ... | 2008 | 18248775 |
| occurrence and prevalence of clostridium perfringens in polar bears from svalbard, norway. | to obtain insight into the occurrence and prevalence of clostridium perfringens and its major toxins in polar bears (ursus maritimus), we took fecal samples for bacteriologic analysis from live-captured bears in the svalbard archipelago, norway, in 2001. clostridium perfringens was isolated from 40 of 92 samples (44%). thirty strains were further characterized by determining toxin type and were classified to be type a, while one was also positive for the gene encoding beta2-toxin. despite the fa ... | 2008 | 18263831 |
| target tissue selectivity and burdens of diverse classes of brominated and chlorinated contaminants in polar bears (ursus maritimus) from east greenland. | the tissue-specific composition of sum classes of brominated and chlorinated contaminants and metabolic/degradation byproducts was determined in adult male and female polar bears from east greenland. significantly (p < 0.05) higher concentrations of sigma-pcbs, various other organochlorines such as sigma-chl, p,p'-dde, sigma-cbz, sigma-hchs, octachlorostyrene (ocs), sigma-mirex, dieldrin, the flame retardants sigma-pbdes, and total-(alpha)-hexabromocyclododecane (hbcd), sigma-methylsulfonyl (mes ... | 2008 | 18323098 |
| does the nutrition profile of vitamins, fatty acids and microelements counteract the negative impact from organohalogen pollutants on bone mineral density in greenland sledge dogs (canis familiaris)? | there is a great need for understanding the impact from dietary ohcs (organohalogen compounds) on bone mineral composition - and thereby osteoporosis - in especially arctic wildlife such as polar bears (ursus maritimus) as well as humans. for that purpose, we measured bmd (bone mineral density) by dxa scanning (g/cm(-2)) in 15 age and weight normalized sledge dog (canis familiaris) bitches and their 26 pups divided into a control group (n=26) given 50-200 g/day clean pork (suis scrofa) fat and a ... | 2008 | 18342937 |
| regional variability in food availability for arctic marine mammals. | this review provides an overview of prey preferences of seven core arctic marine mammal species (amm) and four non-core species on a pan-arctic scale with regional examples. arctic marine mammal species exploit prey resources close to the sea ice, in the water column, and at the sea floor, including lipid-rich pelagic and benthic crustaceans and pelagic and ice-associated schooling fishes such as capelin and arctic cod. prey preferred by individual species range from cephalopods and benthic biva ... | 2008 | 18494364 |
| arctic marine mammals and climate change: impacts and resilience. | evolutionary selection has refined the life histories of seven species (three cetacean [narwhal, beluga, and bowhead whales], three pinniped [walrus, ringed, and bearded seals], and the polar bear) to spatial and temporal domains influenced by the seasonal extremes and variability of sea ice, temperature, and day length that define the arctic. recent changes in arctic climate may challenge the adaptive capability of these species. nine other species (five cetacean [fin, humpback, minke, gray, an ... | 2008 | 18494369 |
| increasing perfluoroalkyl contaminants in east greenland polar bears (ursus maritimus): a new toxic threat to the arctic bears. | a well-defined subsample of 128 subadult (3-5 years) polar bears (ursus maritimus) from 19 sampling years within the period 1984-2006 was investigated for perfluoroalkyl contaminants (pfcs). linear regression analysis of logarithmic-transformed median concentrations showed significant annual increases for pfos (4.7%), pfna (6.1%), pfuna (5.9%), pfda (4.3%), pftra (8.5%), pfoa (2.3%), and pfdoa (5.2%). for four of the pfcs, a loess smoother model provided significantly better descriptions, reveal ... | 2008 | 18505019 |
| prevalence of antibodies against toxoplasma gondii in polar bears (ursus maritimus) from svalbard and east greenland. | serum samples from 419 polar bears (ursus maritimus) from svalbard and the barents sea (collected 1990-2000) and 108 polar bears from east greenland (collected 1999-2004) were assayed for antibodies against toxoplasma gondii using the modified agglutination test. antibody prevalences were 3.6% among cubs dependent on their mothers and 21.4% among subadults and adults. among subadults and adults there was an interaction between population and sex, with similar prevalences among females (svalbard ... | 2009 | 18578588 |
| mitochondrial genomes reveal an explosive radiation of extinct and extant bears near the miocene-pliocene boundary. | despite being one of the most studied families within the carnivora, the phylogenetic relationships among the members of the bear family (ursidae) have long remained unclear. widely divergent topologies have been suggested based on various data sets and methods. | 2008 | 18662376 |
| monorail snare technique for the retrieval of an adherent microcatheter from an onyx cast: technical case report. | microcatheters retained after onyx (ev3 neurovascular, inc., irvine, ca) embolization represent a potential source of thromboembolic complications. catheter retention depends on the degree of onyx reflux and vessel tortuosity. to overcome this problem, we have adapted a previously described monorail snare technique for stretched coils to remove an adherent microcatheter from the occipital artery during onyx embolization of a dural arteriovenous fistula. | 2008 | 18728613 |
| dietary, age and trans-generational effects on the fate of organohalogen contaminants in captive sledge dogs in greenland. | studies on the fate of organohalogen contaminants (ohcs) in wild top predator mammals in the arctic have often been a challenge due to important knowledge deficiencies in the life history of the sampled animals. the present study investigated the influence of age, dietary and trans-generational factors on the fate of major lipophilic chlorinated and brominated ohcs in adipose tissue of a potential surrogate captive species for the polar bear (ursus maritimus), the sledge dog (canis familiaris) i ... | 2009 | 18774608 |
| new hosts for equine herpesvirus 9. | equine herpesvirus 9 was detected in a polar bear with progressive encephalitis; the source was traced to 2 members of a potential equid reservoir species, grevy's zebras. the virus was also found in an aborted persian onager. thus, the natural host range is extended to 6 species in 3 mammalian orders. | 2008 | 18826828 |
| deciphering the complete mitochondrial genome and phylogeny of the extinct cave bear in the paleolithic painted cave of chauvet. | retrieving a large amount of genetic information from extinct species was demonstrated feasible, but complete mitochondrial genome sequences have only been deciphered for the moa, a bird that became extinct a few hundred years ago, and for pleistocene species, such as the woolly mammoth and the mastodon, both of which could be studied from animals embedded in permafrost. to enlarge the diversity of mitochondrial genomes available for pleistocene species, we turned to the cave bear (ursus spelaeu ... | 2008 | 18955696 |
| effects of an environmentally relevant organochlorine mixture and a metabolized extract of this mixture on porcine sperm parameters in vitro. | organochlorine chemicals are present in the environment worldwide; however, populations living in the far north are particularly at risk because their traditional diets are mainly composed of contaminated animals (fish, seals, whales, and polar bears). it has been suggested that male fertility is globally declining, possibly because of chronic, low-level exposure to environmental contaminants. this study was designed to assess the effects on fresh sperm fertility parameters using the porcine mod ... | 2009 | 19136392 |
| estimated dietary exposure to fluorinated compounds from traditional foods among inuit in nunavut, canada. | increasing evidence shows that persistent organic pollutants such as perfluorinated compounds (pfcs) are found in the arctic ecosystem and their prevalence is causing human health concerns. the objective of this study was to estimate dietary exposure to pfcs among inuit in northern canada. perfluorooctane sulfonate (pfos), perfluorinated carboxylates (pfca c(7)-c(11)) and fluorotelomer unsaturated carboxylic acids (6:2, 8:2 and 10:2 ftuca) were measured in 68 traditional foods collected in nunav ... | 2009 | 19342075 |
| variation in digestive efficiency of captive north american river otters (lontra canadensis) on various diets. | energy content, proximate nutrient values, passage rate, and digestive efficiency associated with various diet types and factors affecting these parameters have not been quantified for the north american river otter (lontra canadensis). we measured energy digestive efficiency (deff) and intestinal passage rate of three captive river otters on their regular diet (a combination of polar bear diet, cat food, and feline diet) and on test diets consisting of the constituent components of their regula ... | 2007 | 19360560 |
| linear and branched perfluorooctane sulfonate isomers in technical product and environmental samples by in-port derivatization-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. | perfluorooctane sulfonate (pfos) is found globally as an environmental contaminant and is highly bioaccumulative in exposed biota including humans. however, there is a dearth of environmental information on the isomeric profile of pfos, especially in biological samples, which requires suitable analysis methods for the identification and quantification of ultratrace amounts. in the present study, a novel method was developed that incorporates clean up by solid-phase extraction (spe) wax cartridge ... | 2009 | 19402680 |
| meningoencephalitis in a polar bear caused by equine herpesvirus 9 (ehv-9). | a 12-year-old female polar bear (ursus maritimus) developed a sudden onset of muscle tremors, erratic circling, increased blinking, head shaking, and ptyalism, which progressed to partial and generalized seizures. ancillary diagnostic tests were inconclusive, and the only significant laboratory finding was nonsuppurative pleocytosis of cerebrospinal fluid. euthanasia was elected. microscopic evaluation demonstrated multifocal, random nonsuppurative meningoencephalitis involving most prominently ... | 2009 | 19605910 |
| bioaccumulation and biotransformation of brominated and chlorinated contaminants and their metabolites in ringed seals (pusa hispida) and polar bears (ursus maritimus) from east greenland. | we report on the comparative bioaccumulation, biotransformation and/or biomagnification from east greenland ringed seal (pusa hispida) blubber to polar bear (ursus maritimus) tissues (adipose, liver and brain) of various classes and congeners of persistent chlorinated and brominated contaminants and metabolic by-products: polychlorinated biphenyls (pcbs), chlordanes (chls), hydroxyl (oh-) and methylsulfonyl (meso(2)-) pcbs, polybrominated biphenyls (pbbs), oh-pbbs, polybrominated diphenyl ether ... | 2009 | 19683343 |
| implications of climate change for northern canada: freshwater, marine, and terrestrial ecosystems. | climate variability and change is projected to have significant effects on the physical, chemical, and biological components of northern canadian marine, terrestrial, and freshwater systems. as the climate continues to change, there will be consequences for biodiversity shifts and for the ranges and distribution of many species with resulting effects on availability, accessibility, and quality of resources upon which human populations rely. this will have implications for the protection and mana ... | 2009 | 19714961 |
| trichinella nativa in iceland: an example of trichinella dispersion in a frigid zone. | in most arctic and subarctic regions, trichinella nativa is a common zoonotic pathogen circulating among wild carnivores. the polar bear (ursus maritimus) is one of the most important reservoirs for t. nativa in frigid zones. in iceland, trichinella infection has never been detected in the local wildlife, despite the presence of one of the host species, the arctic fox (alopex lagopus). in 2008, one of two polar bears that had swum to iceland's coast was found to have been infected with trichinel ... | 2010 | 19732473 |
| paraparesis in a polar bear (ursus maritimus) associated with west nile virus infection. | a polar bear (ursus maritimus) housed at the toronto zoo presented with acute-onset, nonambulatory paraparesis. physical examination 24 hr after onset was otherwise unremarkable, spinal radiographs looked normal, and blood tests indicated mild dehydration. with continued deterioration in its general condition, euthanasia was elected a day later. necropsy did not reveal a cause for the major presenting clinical signs. serum collected at the time of initial examination was positive for west nile v ... | 2009 | 19746875 |
| origin of hydroxylated brominated diphenyl ethers: natural compounds or man-made flame retardants? | polybrominated diphenyl ethers (pbdes) have been widely used as flame retardants. the structurally related hydroxylated pbdes (oh-pbdes) and methoxylated pbdes (meo-pbdes) occur in precipitation, surface water, wildlife, and humans. the formation of oh-pbdes in wildlife and humans is of considerable concern due to their greater toxicities relative to pbdes and meo-pbdes. research to date suggests that oh-pbdes are formed by hydroxylation of pbdes, and meo-pbdes are then formed by methylation of ... | 2009 | 19848173 |
| reproductive performance in east greenland polar bears (ursus maritimus) may be affected by organohalogen contaminants as shown by physiologically-based pharmacokinetic (pbpk) modelling. | polar bears (ursus maritimus) feed mainly on ringed seal (phoca hispida) and consume large quantities of blubber and consequently have one of the highest tissue concentrations of organohalogen contaminants (ohcs) worldwide. in east greenland, studies of ohc time trends and organ system health effects, including reproductive, were conducted during 1990-2006. however, it has been difficult to determine the nature of the effects induced by ohc exposures on wild caught polar bears using body burden ... | 2009 | 19863991 |
| exposure and effects assessment of persistent organohalogen contaminants in arctic wildlife and fish. | persistent organic pollutants (pops) encompass an array of anthropogenic organic and elemental substances and their degradation and metabolic byproducts that have been found in the tissues of exposed animals, especially pops categorized as organohalogen contaminants (ohcs). ohcs have been of concern in the circumpolar arctic for decades. for example, as a consequence of bioaccumulation and in some cases biomagnification of legacy (e.g., chlorinated pcbs, ddts and chls) and emerging (e.g., bromin ... | 2010 | 19910021 |
| bacterial diversity in faeces from polar bear (ursus maritimus) in arctic svalbard. | polar bears (ursus maritimus) are major predators in the arctic marine ecosystem, feeding mainly on seals, and living closely associated with sea ice. little is known of their gut microbial ecology and the main purpose of this study was to investigate the microbial diversity in faeces of polar bears in svalbard, norway (74-81 degrees n, 10-33 degrees e). in addition the level of blatem alleles, encoding ampicillin resistance (ampr) were determined. in total, ten samples were collected from ten i ... | 2010 | 20074323 |
| trichinella infection in a hunting community in east greenland. | trichinella nativa infection (trichinellosis) is highly prevalent in arctic wildlife, but the human burden of trichinellosis in present-day greenland is unknown. the study aimed to determine trichinella seroprevalence in an eastern greenlandic hunting community and to evaluate risk factors for seropositivity. overall, 998 inhabitants aged 10 years in the ammassalik municipality were tested for trichinella-specific igg antibodies. background information was obtained from questionnaires. seroposit ... | 2010 | 20144253 |
| femoral fracture repair using a locking plate technique in an adult captive polar bear (ursus maritimus). | to report successful femoral fracture repair in a polar bear. | 2010 | 20210973 |
| health effects from long-range transported contaminants in arctic top predators: an integrated review based on studies of polar bears and relevant model species. | the aim of this review is to provide a thorough overview of the health effects from the complexed biomagnified mixture of long-range transported industrial organochlorines (ocs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (pbdes), perfluorinated compounds (pfcs) and mercury (hg) on polar bear (ursus maritimus) health. multiple scientific studies of polar bears indicate negative relationships between exposure to these contaminants and health parameters; however, these are all of a correlative nature and do n ... | 2010 | 20398940 |
| polychlorinated biphenyls and their hydroxylated metabolites (oh-pcbs) in the blood of toothed and baleen whales stranded along japanese coastal waters. | in this study, we determined the residue levels and patterns of polychlorinated biphenyls (pcbs) and hydroxylated pcbs (oh-pcbs) in the blood from eight species of toothed whales and three species of baleen whales stranded along the japanese coast during 1999-2007. penta- through hepta-chlorinated pcb congeners were the dominant homologue groups in all cetaceans. in contrast, specific differences in the distribution of dominant oh-pcb isomers and homologues were found among the cetacean species. ... | 2010 | 20426459 |
| biomonitoring in greenland: human biomarkers of exposure and effects - a short review. | since 1997 the arctic monitoring and assessment programme (amap) has produced integrated assessment reports on the status of and trends in environmental persistent organic pollutants (pops) in the arctic ecosystem. three reports on biomonitoring pops and their health risks for arctic populations were published in 1998, 2002, and 2009. | 2010 | 20572746 |
| morbillivirus and toxoplasma exposure and association with hematological parameters for southern beaufort sea polar bears: potential response to infectious agents in a sentinel species. | arctic temperatures are increasing in response to greenhouse gas forcing and polar bears have already responded to changing conditions. declines in body stature and vital rates have been linked to warming-induced loss of sea-ice. as food webs change and human activities respond to a milder arctic, exposure of polar bears and other arctic marine organisms to infectious agents may increase. because of the polar bear's status as arctic ecosystem sentinel, polar bear health could provide an index of ... | 2010 | 20607348 |
| hematology of southern beaufort sea polar bears (2005-2007): biomarker for an arctic ecosystem health sentinel. | declines in sea-ice habitats have resulted in declining stature, productivity, and survival of polar bears in some regions. with continuing sea-ice declines, negative population effects are projected to expand throughout the polar bear's range. precise causes of diminished polar bear life history performance are unknown, however, climate and sea-ice condition change are expected to adversely impact polar bear (ursus maritimus) health and population dynamics. as apex predators in the arctic, pola ... | 2010 | 20617361 |
| rickets in polar bear cubs: is there a lesson for human infants? | | 2011 | 20639682 |