| [helminth fauna of bering sea pinnipeds from karaginskiy bay]. | the helminthological investigations were conducted from may 6 to may 28, 1972 in the karaginsk gulf of the bering sea. the helminths were collected from 124 specimens of phoca vitulina largha, 9 specimens of erignathus barbatus nauticus, 9 specimens of pusa hispida krascheninnikovi and 9 specimens of histriophoca fasciata. in all, 23 species, 2 immature and 1 larval form of helminths were recorded. the data are given on the localization of helminths, intensity and extensity of their invasion, pa ... | 1976 | 958725 |
| the occurrence of rabies in the svalbard islands of norway. | after the first recorded outbreak of rabies in the svalbard islands (norway) in 1980, brain tissue from 817 trapped arctic foxes (alopex lagopus) was tested for rabies by a direct fluorescent antibody test. during the same period (1980 to 1990), 29 arctic foxes, 23 polar bears (ursus maritimus), 19 reindeer (rangifer tarandus) and five ringed seals (phoca hispida) were also tested using the same technique. these animals had either been found dead, killed because of abnormal behavior or were appa ... | 1992 | 1548803 |
| swedish dioxin survey: evaluation of the h-4-ii e bioassay for screening environmental samples for dioxin-like enzyme induction. | the h-4-ii e enzyme induction bioassay was used for testing both pure reference substances and extracts of wildlife samples. polychlorinated naphthalenes were found to be as active as enzyme inducers as certain coplanar polychlorinated biphenyls (pcbs). also a mixture of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (bromkal 70-5de) was shown to induce enzyme activity. in extracts of herring, containing polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (pcdds) and dibenzofurans (pcdfs), bioassay and chemically derived tcdd-eq ... | 1991 | 1766920 |
| toxaphene: chemistry, biochemistry, toxicity and environmental fate. | the chemistry of toxaphene is now well developed; 20 isomers have been isolated and identified. the molecular weight and molecular formula are known for the remaining major components. the major metabolic degradation mechanisms for toxaphene in all organisms from bacteria to primates are now believed to the reductive dechlorination, reductive dehydrochlorination, and in some cases, oxidative dechlorination to produce hydroxyl derivatives, acids or ketones. earlier reports that toxaphene was biod ... | 1991 | 1992492 |
| measurement of the body composition of living gray seals by hydrogen isotope dilution. | the body composition of living gray seals (halichoerus grypus) can be accurately predicted from a two-step model that involves measurement of total body water (tbw) by 2h or 3h dilution and application of predictive relationships between body components and tbw that were derived empirically by slaughter chemical analysis. tbw was overestimated by both 2hho and 3hho dilution; mean overestimates were 2.8 +/- 0.9% (se) with 2h and 4.0 +/- 0.6% with 3h. the relationships for prediction of total body ... | 1990 | 2246176 |
| a review of the 1988 european seal morbillivirus epizootic. | an epizootic of morbillivirus infection killed thousands of common seals (phoca vitulina) in european seas in 1988. most of the affected seals had respiratory signs and the main post mortem finding was acute pneumonia. the histopathological changes were similar to those of canine distemper. six common porpoises (phocoena phocoena) found stranded on the coast of northern ireland in late 1988 had similar lesions. morbillivirus infection also killed several thousand siberian seals (phoca siberica) ... | 1990 | 2288059 |
| red cell aggregation and viscoelasticity of blood from seals, swine and man. | rbc aggregation and viscoelasticity parameters were determined for 40% suspensions of washed cells in autologous plasma from elephant seals (es), mirounga angustirostris, ringed seals (rs), phoca hispida, and swine, (ss), sus scrofa. interspecific comparisons including human (hs) blood data revealed unusual rheological properties of seal blood relative to that from pigs or man: 1) rbc aggregation extent, rate and sedimentation were lower for seals (ai = 0, zsr = .40, esr = 0 for rs blood) relati ... | 1990 | 2375957 |
| prevalence and pathology of nematode infections in the lungs of ringed seals (phoca hispida) of the western arctic of canada. | two genera of lung nematodes were found in a sample of 382 wild ringed seals (phoca hispida). otostrongylus circumlitus were found mainly in young of the year where they occupied the main stem bronchi causing extensive mucus production, mucosal hyperplasia and peribronchitis. immature stages of the nematode were found in pulmonary vessels causing end-arteritis. there was only a slight reduction in respiratory parenchyma in infected seals and no correlation between infection and size or body cond ... | 1989 | 2716101 |
| an experimental assessment of the toxic potential of mercury in ringed seal liver for adult laboratory cats. | | 1980 | 7434363 |
| arctic indigenous women consume greater than acceptable levels of organochlorines. | exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls and organochlorine pesticides through traditional food resources was examined for arctic indigenous women living in two cultural and environmental areas of the canadian arctic--one community representing baffin island inuit in eastern arctic and two communities representing sahtú dene/métis in western arctic. polychlorinated biphenyls, toxaphene, chlorobenzenes, hexachlorocyclohexanes, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, chlordane-related compounds and dieldrin ... | 1995 | 7562084 |
| assessment of dietary exposure to trace metals in baffin inuit food. | chronic metal toxicity is a concern in the canadian arctic because of the findings of high metal levels in wildlife animals and the fact that traditional food constitutes a major component of the diet of indigenous peoples. we examined exposure to trace metals through traditional food resources for inuit living in the community of qikiqtarjuaq on baffin island in the eastern arctic. mercury, cadmium, and lead were determined in local food resources as normally prepared and eaten. elevated concen ... | 1995 | 7588487 |
| diseases and environmental contaminants in seals from the baltic and the swedish west coast. | investigations have shown that baltic grey seal (halichoerus grypus) and ringed seal (phoca hispida) suffer from a disease complex described as a primary lesion in the adrenals causing secondary reactions in various other organs. studies on historical baltic grey seal skull bone material show that the prevalence of affected animals started to increase after world war ii. the disease complex explains the dramatic decrease in the baltic grey and ringed seal population during the 1960s and 1970s an ... | 1994 | 7973608 |
| fatty acid composition in liver and blubber of the saimaa ringed seal (phoca hispida saimensis) compared with that of the ringed seal (phoca hispida botnica) and grey seal (halichoerus grypus from the baltic. | 1. the main differences in fatty acid composition of blubber between the saimaa seal (phoca hispida saimensis) and the baltic seals (phoca hispida botnica and halichoerus grypus) were, that in fresh water the proportions of polyunsaturated c18 acids and arachidonic acid (20:4 omega 6) were high. 2. the trend became more evident when data on ringed seals from northern oceans were compared with the present data. 3. the proportions of exogenous 20:1 and 22:1 were extremely low in ringed seals from ... | 1993 | 8365111 |
| venous structures associated with thermoregulation of phocid seal reproductive organs. | seal reproductive systems are surrounded by thermogenic muscle and insulating blubber, suggesting elevated temperatures at the gonads and uterus. in the limbs of terrestrial mammals, cooled blood returning from superficial veins is mixed proximally with warm blood returning from deep veins. thus, mixed cool-superficial and warm-deep venous blood from the hind limbs is returned to the central circulation. | 1995 | 8579259 |
| the "phoca standard": an external molecular reference for calibrating recent evolutionary divergences. | comparison of the complete mitochondrial dna (mtdna) of the high-arctic ringed seal (phoca hispida) and the sub-arctic harbour (p. vitulina) and grey (halichoerus grypus) seals shows that they are genetically equidistant from one another. we relate the evolutionary divergence of the three species to expanding glaciation in the arctic basin and establish, in conjunction with mtdna data, a standard reference for calibration of recent divergence events among mammalian taxa. in the present study, we ... | 1996 | 8660422 |
| overview and regional and temporal differences of heavy metals in arctic whales and ringed seals in the canadian arctic. | concentrations of mercury, cadmium, and other heavy metals in tissues of belugas (delphinapterus leucas), narwhal (monodon monoceros) and ringed seals (phoca hispida) from across the canadian arctic are reported. published and new information is used to provide an overview of metals in tissues of these animals, to delineate the existence of a spatial trend of mercury and cadmium in belugas and ringed seals, and to show a temporal trend is superimposed on the geochemical trend. mercury concentrat ... | 1996 | 8685709 |
| chromosome survey of seals in the baltic sea in 1988-1992. | the populations of grey seals (halichoerus grypus) and ringed seals (phoca hispida botnica) in the baltic sea have decreased very much, especially during the last decades. environmental pollution has been seen as an important cause. as top predators, the seals accumulate pollutants from their environment. high concentrations of chlorinated hydrocarbons and heavy metals have been found in seals from the baltic sea. in the present study the possible mutagenic effects of environmental pollutants on ... | 1996 | 8854834 |
| amino acid sequences of hemoglobin beta chains of five species of pinnipeds: neophoca cinerea, otaria byronia, eumetopias jubatus, pusa hispida, and pagophilus groenlandica. | pinnipeds (otariidae, odobenidae, and phocidae) in the order carnivora have one or two types (hb i and hb ii) of hemoglobin components. these hemoglobins consist of identical beta chains and different alpha chains. we determined the complete amino acid sequences of the hemoglobin beta chain of three species of otariidae (australian sea lion, south american sea lion, and northern sea lion) and two species of phocidae (ringed seal and harp seal) from intact beta chain and chemical cleavage fragmen ... | 1996 | 8968957 |
| epizootiology of morbillivirus infection in harp, hooded, and ringed seals from the canadian arctic and western atlantic. | using a virus neutralization technique, we found phocine distemper virus (pdv) antibody in 130 (83% of 157) harp seals (phoca groenlandica) from the western north atlantic sampled between 1988 and 1993 inclusive. in contrast, only 44 (24% of 185) hooded seals (cystophora cristata) had antibodies against pdv even though they were sympatric with harp seals and were sampled over a similar period, from 1989 to 1994 inclusive. antibodies occurred in 106 (41%) of 259 ringed seals (phoca hispida); this ... | 1997 | 9027686 |
| concentrations of chlorinated hydrocarbons and trace elements in marine mammal tissues archived in the u.s. national biomonitoring specimen bank. | the u.s. national biomonitoring specimen bank (nbsb) provides for the long term storage of well documented and preserved specimens representing several types of environmental matrices. a major part of this inventory consists of marine mammal tissues (e.g., blubber, liver, kidney, and muscle). within the nbsb selected specimens are periodically analyzed for chlorinated hydrocarbons and trace elements. although only 20% of the 560 marine mammal specimens in the nbsb have been analyzed, the databas ... | 1997 | 9159906 |
| serosurvey of toxoplasma gondii in north atlantic marine mammals by the use of agglutination test employing whole tachyzoites and dithiothreitol. | serum samples from north atlantic populations of harp seal, phoca groenlandica (n = 316), ringed seal, phoca hispida (n = 48), hooded seal, cystophora cristata (n = 78), and minke whale, balaenoptera acutorostrata (n = 202), were tested for toxoplasma gondii-specific igg. the modified agglutination test (mat) was slightly modified to be more user-friendly by replacing the 0.2 m 2-mercaptoethanol with 10 mm dithiothreitol. no positive samples were found at 1:40 dilution. | 1998 | 9611681 |
| absence of short-wavelength sensitive cones in the retinae of seals (carnivora) and african giant rats (rodentia). | most non-primate mammals have two types of cone: short-wavelength sensitive (s) and middle-to-long-wavelength sensitive (m/l) cones. in two species of african giant rats, cricetomys gambianus and c. emini, and in two species of earless seals, phoca hispida and p. vitulina, the retinal cone types and cone distributions were assessed with antibodies specific for the m/l-cone opsin and the s-cone opsin, respectively. all four species were found to completely lack s-cones, while m/l-cones were prese ... | 1998 | 9767389 |
| diving seals, ischemia-reperfusion and oxygen radicals. | the cardiovascular adaptations of seals that contribute to their ability to tolerate long periods of diving asphyxial hypoxia result in episodic regional ischemia during diving and abrupt reperfusion upon termination of the dive. these conditions might be expected to result in production of oxygen-derived free radicals and other forms of highly reactive oxygen species. seal organs vary during dives with respect to the degree and persistence of ischemia. myocardial perfusion is reduced and interm ... | 1998 | 9773490 |
| the impact of parasites on marine mammals: a review. | the design and implementation of conservation plans for marine mammals is a matter of public concern. however, very little is known about the role of parasites in the dynamics of marine mammal populations. this is probably due to methodological constraints concerning sampling biases, poor knowledge of the biology of the hosts and parasites and difficulty and costy of experimental studies. however, current evidence supports the theory that parasites may regulate marine mammal populations. crassic ... | 1997 | 9802082 |
| twenty years of trace metal analyses of marine mammals in alaska: evaluation and summation. | the compilation of existing data on contaminants in the marine food chain is essential in addressing concerns regarding the magnitude of potential human exposures and in the evaluation of subsistence food safety. this paper presents a summary of studies on trace metals in tissues of alaska marine mammals from the 1970s to the present, along with derived mean tissue trace metal concentrations. the derived mean can serve as a norm against which future monitoring results may be compared, and may be ... | 1998 | 10093345 |
| health condition of the baltic grey seal (halichoerus grypus) during two decades. gynaecological health improvement but increased prevalence of colonic ulcers. | results obtained at postmortem examinations of 159 baltic grey seals during the 20-year period 1977-1996 are presented. the investigation was initiated due to a serious reduction of the baltic grey and ringed seal populations. earlier, reduced reproductive ability with occlusions and stenoses of the uterus, as well as a disease complex in adult individuals of both sexes, was reported. the disease complex comprised lesions of claws, skull bone, intestine (colonic ulcers), kidneys (glomerulopathy, ... | 1999 | 10223299 |
| evidence of brucella infection in marine mammals in the north atlantic ocean. | between 1983 and 1996 a total of 1386 samples of serum were taken from four species of seal and three species of whale in the waters west of iceland, the area of pack-ice north-west of jan mayen, the northern coast of norway and the kola peninsula, the waters west of svalbard, and the barents sea; they were tested for the presence of anti-brucella antibodies with an indirect elisa (protein g conjugate). the positive sera were re-tested with classical brucellosis serological tests, such as the se ... | 1999 | 10378290 |
| health effects of endocrine-disrupting chemicals on wildlife, with special reference to the european situation. | many wildlife species may be exposed to biologically active concentrations of endocrine-disrupting chemicals. there is strong evidence obtained from laboratory studies showing the potential of several environmental chemicals to cause endocrine disruption at environmentally realistic exposure levels. in wildlife populations, associations have been reported between reproductive and developmental effects and endocrine-disrupting chemicals. in the aquatic environment, effects have been observed in m ... | 2000 | 10680769 |
| geographical differences of zinc, cadmium, mercury and selenium in polar bears (ursus maritimus) from greenland. | muscle, liver, and kidney tissues from 100 polar bears (ursus maritimus), caught in the avanersuaq area, north-west greenland, and ittoqqortoormiit area, central-east greenland, were analysed for zinc, cadmium, mercury and selenium. the zinc concentrations in muscle and liver were higher than in kidney. mean zinc concentrations ranged from 19.7 to 76.0 micrograms/g (all data are presented as geometric means on a wet wt. basis). the presented cadmium concentrations by area and age groups were all ... | 2000 | 10682354 |
| brucellosis in ringed seals and harp seals from canada. lforbes@em.agr.ca. | a novel brucella sp. was isolated from lymph nodes of four ringed seals (phoca hispida) collected near pangnirtung (baffin island, canada) in january and february 1995 and in one harp seal (phoca groenlandica) collected near the magdalen islands (gulf of st. lawrence, canada) in march 1996. bacteriological characteristics were the same for all five isolates. the colonies were typical of brucella spp., but took 2 to 5 days longer than the traditional species to appear on primary isolation media. ... | 2000 | 10941754 |
| expression and inducibility of members in the cytochrome p4501 (cyp1) family in ringed and grey seals from polluted and less polluted waters. | the expression and inducibility of cytochrome p4501a (cyp1a) were investigated in hepatic microsomes of ringed seals (phoca hispida) and grey seals (halichoerus grypus) from polluted (baltic sea) and less polluted (svalbard and sable island) areas. liver cyp1a protein levels and activities were assessed by immunoblot analysis and determining catalytic activities towards ethoxyresorufin (erod) and pentoxyresorufin (prod). the amount of cyp1a apoprotein and its catalytic activity were increased up ... | 2000 | 10996541 |
| eox and organochlorine compounds in fish and ringed seal samples from lake ladoga, russia. | information about the pollution of lake ladoga, the largest lake in europe, has been controversial. various effluents and drainage waters affect the quality of the lake water. wastewaters have caused eutrophication of parts of lake ladoga, but concentrations of persistent organic pollutants in the lake's food webs are poorly understood. in this study, concentrations of some organochlorine compounds, chlorophenols (cps), and extractable organic halogen (eox) were determined in smelt (osmerus eper ... | 2000 | 11057612 |
| the occurrence and ecology of trichinella in marine mammals. | trichinella in marine mammals has a circumpolar arctic distribution and a narrow range of host species. it is commonly found in polar bears (ursus maritimus), and increasingly in walruses (odobenus rosmarus) where it presents a significant zoonotic hazard. this has resulted in the implementation of food safety programs in some arctic communities to test harvested walrus meat for trichinella larvae prior to consumption. trichinella has been reported infrequently in bearded seals (erignathus barba ... | 2000 | 11099845 |
| characterization of xenobiotic-metabolizing cytochrome p450 (cyp) forms in ringed and grey seals from the baltic sea and reference sites. | earlier studies have shown that members of the cytochrome p4501 (cyp1) enzyme family are constitutively expressed, and are elevated in the livers of ringed seals (phoca hispida) and grey seals (halichoerus grypus) living in the heavily polluted baltic sea. in this study, we compared the expression profiles of several additional cyp enzymes in the liver and extrahepatic tissues of baltic ringed and grey seals with the corresponding cyp expression in seals from relatively unpolluted waters. we use ... | 2001 | 11166678 |
| bioaccumulation of polychlorinated biphenyls (pcbs) and dichlorodiphenylethane (dde) methyl sulfones in tissues of seal and dolphin morbillivirus epizootic victims. | polychlorinated biphenyl (pcb) and dichlorodiphenylethane (dde) methyl sulfone (msf) metabolites possess high affinities for binding two homologous 16,000 da homodimeric receptor proteins in the lung (clara cell secretory protein, ccsp) and the uterus (uteroglobin, ug), leading to selective bioaccumulation of msfs in these tissues. as marine mammals are highly exposed to organochlorines, concentrations of pcbs, pcb msfs, ddt, and dde msf were analyzed in blubber, lung, and uterus samples from ha ... | 2001 | 11205532 |
| influence of chemical and biological factors on trophic transfer of persistent organic pollutants in the northwater polynya marine food web. | persistent organic pollutants (pops) and stable isotopes of nitrogen (delta 15n) were measured in zooplankton (6 species), a benthic invertebrate (anonyx nugax), arctic cod (boreogadus saida), seabirds (6 species), and ringed seals (phoca hispida) collected in 1998 in the northwater polynya to examine effects of biological and chemical factors on trophic transfer of pops in an arctic marine food web. strong positive relationships were found between recalcitrant pop concentrations (lipid correcte ... | 2001 | 11349285 |
| hexachlorocyclohexane (hch) isomers and chiral signatures of alpha-hch in the arctic marine food web of the northwater polynya. | concentrations of hexachlorocyclohexane (hch) isomers (alpha, beta, and gamma) and enantiomer fractions (efs) of alpha-hch were determined in the northwater polynya arctic marine food web. relative food web structure was established using trophic level models based on organic delta 15n values. concentrations of hch in the samples collected, including water, sediment, benthic invertebrates (four species), pelagic zooplankton (six species), arctic cod, seabirds (seven species), and ringed seal, we ... | 2001 | 11393969 |
| brucella sp. antibodies in polar bears from svalbard and the barents sea. | a prevalence of 5.4% of anti-brucella sp. antibodies was found in plasma samples from 297 polar bears (ursus maritimus) from svalbard and the barents sea. plasma was tested by the classical brucellosis tests slow agglutination of wright (saw), edta modified saw and rose bengal test, as well as by an indirect protein a elisa. only samples classified as positive in all tests were regarded as containing anti-brucella sp. antibodies. a significant west to east increase in the proportion of bears wit ... | 2001 | 11504225 |
| microsatellite variation in ringed seals (phoca hispida): genetic structure and history of the baltic sea population. | genetic variability and population structure of baltic ringed seals and an arctic reference population were assessed using eight microsatellite loci. ringed seals colonized the baltic sea basin soon after deglaciation 11 500 years ago and are supposed to have remained largely isolated from the main arctic stock since then, approximately 1000 generations. in the 1900s the baltic population declined rapidly, and is now confined to three distinct breeding areas, with n < 6000 seals altogether. micr ... | 2001 | 11554977 |
| serologic evidence of influenza a infection in marine mammals of arctic canada. | a serologic survey of influenza a antibodies was undertaken on 1,611 blood samples from five species of marine mammals collected from arctic canada from 1984-98. sampling was done in 24 locations throughout the canadian arctic encompassing sachs harbor (72 degrees n, 125 degrees w), northwest territories in the west to loks land (63 degrees n, 64 degrees w), nunavut in the east, to eureka (80 degrees n, 86 degrees w), nunavut in the north to sanikiluaq (56 degrees n, 79 degrees w), nunavut in th ... | 2001 | 11763748 |
| renal lesions in baltic grey seals (halichoerus grypus) and ringed seals (phoca hispida botnica). | a severe reduction in the populations of grey and ringed seals in the baltic occurred during the 1960s and 1970s. adult animals showed (and still show) a series of lesions inter alia in the female reproductive organs, intestines, integument, kidneys, adrenals, and skulls (the baltic seal disease complex). the morphology and prevalence of light microscopic changes in the kidneys of 76 grey seals and 29 ringed seals collected in the baltic proper and the gulf of bothnia during 1977-1996 are presen ... | 2001 | 11795214 |
| examination of the bioaccumulation of halogenated dimethyl bipyrroles in an arctic marine food web using stable nitrogen isotope analysis. | concentrations of four possibly naturally produced organohalogens--1,1'-dimethyl-3,3',4-tribromo-4,5,5'-trichloro-2,2'-bipyrrole (dbp-br3cl3), 1,1'-dimethyl-3,3',4,4'-tetrabromo-5,5'-dichloro-2,2'-bipyrrole (dbp-br4cl2), 1,1'-dimethyl-3,3',4,4',5-pentabromo-5'-chloro-2,2'-bipyrrole (dbp-br5cl) and 1,1'-dimethyl-3,3',4,4',5,5'-hexabromo-2,2'-bipyrrole (dbp-br6)--were quantitated and the extent of their magnification through an entire arctic marine food web [measured as integrated trophic magnific ... | 2002 | 11808557 |
| exponential increases of the brominated flame retardants, polybrominated diphenyl ethers, in the canadian arctic from 1981 to 2000. | a suite of 37 polybrominated diphenyl ether (pbde) congeners and all of the homologue groups from mono- to deca-brominated were determined in ringed seal (phoca hispida) blubber collected from subsistence hunts in the canadian arctic in 1981, 1991, 1996, and 2000. total pbde (sum(pbde)) concentrations have increased exponentially over this period in male ringed seals aged 0-15 years. penta- and hexa-bdes are increasing at approximately the same rate (t2 = 4.7 and 4.3 years, respectively) and mor ... | 2002 | 12026966 |
| organochlorine concentrations in the saimaa ringed seal (phoca hispida saimensis) from lake haukivesi, finland, 1981 to 2000, and in its diet today. | organochlorine and mercury (hg) pollution has been one possible reason for a decline in the size of the population of the saimaa ringed seal (phoca hispida saimensis) in lake haukivesi, finland. in this study, we analyzed changes in the concentrations of organochlorine compounds (ocls) and extractable organic halogen (eox) in the blubber of saimaa ringed seals that died from 1981 to 2000. in addition, the present concentrations and biomagnification factors of ocls and hg from the main prey fish ... | 2002 | 12109735 |
| polychlorinated naphthalenes and coplanar polychlorinated biphenyls in beluga whale (delphinapterus leucas) and ringed seal (phoca hispida) from the eastern canadian arctic. | blubber collected from beluga whales and ringed seals during subsistence hunts in the southern baffin island region of the canadian arctic were analysed for polychlorinated naphthalenes and eight planar pcb congeners (mono-ortho pcbs: 105, 114, 118 and 156; non-ortho pcbs: 77, 81, 126, 169). sigmapcn (3-7 cl) concentrations in blubber ranged from 35.9-383 pg/g (lipid weight; lw) in beluga and 35.4-71.3 pg/g (lw) in ringed seal. these represent the first measurements of pcns in marine mammals in ... | 2002 | 12125730 |
| current levels of ddt, pcb and trace elements in the baltic ringed seals (phoca hispida baltica) and grey seals (halichoerus grypus). | residue levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (pcbs) and 1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis[p-chlorophenyl]ethane (ddt) were determined from liver samples of ringed seals (phoca lispida) from the baltic sea and svalbard, and of grey seals (halichoerus grypus) from the baltic sea and sable island in canada. both baltic seal populations showed clearly higher average sum pcb (spcb) and sum ddt (sddt) levels than the reference seal populations. among the baltic seals, spcb levels were twice as high as sddt level ... | 2002 | 12166673 |
| perfluorooctanesulfonate and related fluorinated hydrocarbons in marine mammals, fishes, and birds from coasts of the baltic and the mediterranean seas. | perfluorooctanesulfonate (pfos; c8f17so3-), perfluorooctanesulfonamide (fosa; c8f17so2nh2), perfluorohexanesulfonate (pfhxs; c6f13so3-), and perfluorooctanoate (pfoa; c7f15co2-) were detected in 175 samples of liver and blood of bluefin tuna (thunnus thynnus), swordfish (xiphias gladius), common cormorants (phalacrocorax carbo), bottlenose dolphins (tursiops truncatus), striped dolphins (stenella coeruleoalba), common dolphins (delphinus delphi), fin whales (balenoptera physalus), and long-finne ... | 2002 | 12188342 |
| diving seals: are they a model for coping with oxidative stress? | the diving lifestyle of seals depends upon cardiovascular adjustments that result in frequent vasoconstriction of numerous organs. with the first post-dive breath, reperfusion allows for eliminating accumulated carbon dioxide (co(2)) and reloading oxygen (o(2)) stores. reintroduction of oxygenated blood raises the potential for production of reactive oxygen species (ros) and the possibility that they may overwhelm the antioxidant defenses. this study addresses the question of possible adaptive r ... | 2002 | 12458181 |
| contaminant exposure and effects in baltic ringed and grey seals as assessed by biomarkers. | the baltic sea ecosystem has suffered from a heavy pollutant load for more than three decades. persistent organic pollutants (pops) and heavy metals have been of most concern due to their persistence and toxic properties. ringed seals (phoca hispida baltica) and grey seals (halichoerus grypus) living in the baltic sea have been suffering from pathological impairments, including reproductive disturbances, which have resulted in a depressed reproductive capacity. we investigated several biochemica ... | 2003 | 12469777 |
| trophic transfer of persistent organochlorine contaminants (ocs) within an arctic marine food web from the southern beaufort-chukchi seas. | stable isotope values (13c, 15n) and concentrations of persistent organochlorine contaminants (ocs) were determined to evaluate the near-shore marine trophic status of biota and biomagnification of ocs from the southern beaufort-chukchi seas (1999-2000) near barrow, ak. the biota examined included zooplankton (calanus spp.), fish species such as arctic cod (boreogadus saida), arctic char (salvelinus alpinus), pink salmon (oncorhynchus gorbuscha), and fourhorn sculpin (myoxocephalus quadricornis) ... | 2003 | 12758030 |
| enantiomer-specific biomagnification of alpha-hexachlorocyclohexane and selected chiral chlordane-related compounds within an arctic marine food web. | concentrations of achiral and chiral organochlorine contaminants (ocs), including hexachlorocyclohexane isomers (hch), chlordane congeners (cis- and trans-chlordane, cis- and trans-nonachlor, mc5, mc7, and u82), and related metabolites (oxychlordane [oxy] and heptachlor exo-epoxide [hepx]), were quantified in seawater (100 l; n = 6) and biota from the coastal beaufort-chukchi seas food web near barrow (ak, usa). the biota included zooplankton (calanus spp.; n = 5), fish species such as arctic co ... | 2003 | 14552014 |
| toxoplasma gondii, neospora caninum, sarcocystis neurona, and sarcocystis canis-like infections in marine mammals. | toxoplasma gondii, neospora caninum, sarcocystis neurona, and s. canis are related protozoans that can cause mortality in many species of domestic and wild animals. recently, t. gondii and s. neurona were recognized to cause encephalitis in marine mammals. as yet, there is no report of natural exposure of n. caninum in marine mammals. in the present study, antibodies to t. gondii and n. caninum were assayed in sera of several species of marine mammals. for t. gondii, sera were diluted 1:25, 1:50 ... | 2003 | 14580799 |
| organotins in marine mammals and seabirds from norwegian territory. | an increasing number of studies indicate that marine mammals and some seabirds are exposed to organotins. however, results from northern and arctic areas are few. here results from analysis of tributyltin (tbt), dibutyltin (dbt), monobutyltin (mbt), triphenyltin (tpht), diphenyltin (dpht) and monophenyltin (mpht) in harbour porpoise (phocoena phocoena), common seal (phoca vitulina), ringed seal (phoca hispida) and glaucous gull (larus hyperboreus) from norwegian territory are presented. relative ... | 2004 | 14760453 |
| accumulation and lactational transfer of pcbs and pesticides in harbor seals (phoca vitulina) from svalbard, norway. | the harbor seal population on svalbard, the northernmost breeding site for this species, appears to have a truncated age distribution with older animals being largely absent. pcbs and pesticides were measured in harbor seal males, females, milk and pups from svalbard to explore whether contaminant exposure or accumulation is a possible cause of premature death for these animals. the levels and patterns of these contaminants were assessed. in addition, transfer of these compounds from females to ... | 2004 | 14967507 |
| mercury and selenium in arctic and coastal seals off the coast of norway. | mercury and selenium concentrations (wet weight) have been determined in samples of liver, kidney and brain of grey seal (halichoerus grypus), harbour seal (phoca vitulina), harp seal (phoca groenlandica) and ringed seal (phoca hispida) caught along the norwegian coast, 114 individuals in all. significant differences have been found in mercury contamination between the 4 species caught in the same coastal area, jarfjord, located at the north-east of the norwegian coast close to the russian borde ... | 1994 | 15091671 |
| some heavy metals, essential elements, and chlorinated hydrocarbons in polar bear (ursus maritimus) at svalbard. | during the period 1978-1989, samples of liver, kidney and subcutaneous fat from 24 polar bears, ursus maritimus, from svalbard were analysed for mercury, cadmium, lead, copper, zinc, selenium, arsenic, hcb, dde, pcbs (as aroclor 1260 or phenoclor dp6). in a selected number of liver (seven) and fat (three) samples, the composition of individual pcb congeners was studied by comparison with 23 individual pcb congeners (iupac nos 28, 52, 74, 101, 99, 110, 149, 118, 114, 105, 153, 141, 138, 187, 128, ... | 1992 | 15091977 |
| trace elements in marine birds, arctic hare and ringed seals breeding near qikiqtarjuaq, nunavut, canada. | | 2004 | 15234883 |
| levels and spatial and temporal trends of contaminants in greenland biota: an updated review. | knowledge of contaminant levels in greenland biota has increased substantially in recent years, particularly for persistent organic pollutants. this paper reviews and updates knowledge of spatial and temporal trends of cd, hg and organochlorines (pcbs, ddts, hchs, hcb and chlordane-related compounds) in greenland terrestrial, freshwater and marine biota. the most comprehensive studies of spatial trends of cd and hg in the terrestrial ecosystem concern lichens, with relatively complete coverage, ... | 2004 | 15325140 |
| hypoxia-inducible factor in ringed seal (phoca hispida) tissues. | tissue hypoxia and ischemia-reperfusion pose a dangerous situation for oxidative stress. however, diving mammals and birds show pronounced resistance to oxidative injury under such conditions, which are a consequence of selective vasoconstriction during a dive. as the function of hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha (hif-1alpha) in protection against and adaptation to hypoxia has been recognized in terrestrial animals, we have investigated the genomics and expression of this protein in ringed seal (p ... | 2004 | 15493458 |
| antibodies to human-related h3 influenza a virus in baikal seals (phoca sibirica) and ringed seals (phoca hispida) in russia. | antibodies to influenza a virus were detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (elisa) in the sera from two of seven baikal seals (phoca sibrica) and from five of six ringed seals (phoca hispida) in russia. in a hemagglutination-inhibition test using h1-h15 reference influenza a viruses, elisa-positive sera from one baikal seal and four ringed seals reacted to a/aichi/2/68 (h3n2) and a/bangkok/1/79 (h3n2) strains. one ringed seal serum sample reacted to a/seal/massachusetts/1/80 (h7n7). t ... | 2004 | 15557750 |
| age differences in vitamin a intake among canadian inuit. | inuit traditional food provides ample amounts of preformed vitamin a. however, the dietary transition away from traditional food raises concerns regarding dietary adequacy. vitamin a is an essential nutrient with inadequate and excessive exposures having adverse effects. | 2004 | 15622799 |
| prevalence of brucella pinnipediae in healthy hooded seals (cystophora cristata) from the north atlantic ocean and ringed seals (phoca hispida) from svalbard. | investigations for brucella-infections were conducted in 29 hooded seals (cystophora cristata) caught between svalbard and greenland (north atlantic ocean; greenland sea) autumn 2002, and from 20 ringed seals (phoca hispida) caught in billefjord, svalbard, spring 2003. all animals were apparently healthy and were caught in their natural habitat. bacteriology on tissue samples from ringed seals was negative, whereas brucella sp. were recovered in tissues from 11 of the 29 hooded seals (38%), with ... | 2004 | 15627521 |
| accumulation of dietary organochlorines and vitamins in baltic seals. | we studied the accumulation of polychlorinated biphenyls (pcbs), 1,1,1.trichloro-2,2-bis[p-chlorophenyl]ethane (ddt) and its metabolites, and vitamins a and e in the top levels of the baltic sea food web. the investigation focused on the transfer of contaminants and vitamins to the ringed seal (phoca hispida baltica) and the grey seal (halichoerus grypus) from their main prey species. the trophic level of the seals was investigated using stable isotopes of nitrogen and the results indicated that ... | 2004 | 15769500 |
| comparison of toxaphene congeners levels in five seal species from eastern canada: what is the importance of biological factors? | environmentally relevant chlorobornanes (chbs) were measured in blubber samples of harbor (phoca vitulina), gray (halichoerus grypus), harp (phoca groenlandica), and hooded seals (cystophora cristata) sampled in different part of the st. lawrence marine ecosystem (slme) and ringed seals (phoca hispida) sampled in the eastern canadian arctic waters. the purpose of this study was to compare the levels of six chbs (parlar-26, -40/-41, -44, -50, and -62) among the five seal species. seal species cou ... | 2005 | 15819196 |
| concentrations of persistent organochlorine contaminants in bowhead whale tissues and other biota from northern alaska: implications for human exposure from a subsistence diet. | bowhead whale (balaena mysticetus; n = 5) blubber, liver, muscle, kidney, heart, diaphragm, tongue, and uncooked maktak (bowhead whale epidermis and blubber) were collected during subsistence hunts at barrow, ak, usa (1997-1999) to measure concentrations of persistent organochlorine contaminants (ocs). the exposure of humans to ocs via bowhead whales and other biota [fish, ringed (phoca hispida) and bearded seals (erignathus barbatus), and beluga whale (delphinapterus leucas)] as part of a subsi ... | 2005 | 15910787 |
| hypoxia-inducible factor 1 proteomics and diving adaptations in ringed seal. | the putative amino acid sequence of ringed seal (phoca hispida) hypoxia-inducible factor 1alpha (hif-1alpha) derived from dna sequence analysis of the single-copy gene has been investigated. the rationale for these studies was to determine the reasons for the presence of hif-1alpha at relatively high levels in seal tissues, and its possible role in protection against diving-related oxidative damage. sequence analysis indicated that the bhlh/pas and tad functional domains are very similar to thos ... | 2005 | 15964512 |
| persistent organic pollutant patterns in grey seals (halichoerus grypus). | the aim of this paper is to examine the patterns of polychlorinated biphenyls (pcb) in the grey seals (halichoerus grypus) from the baltic, northeast and eastern england, and the st. lawrence estuary (canada). in fact, the feeding habits of the ringed seal (phoca hispida) include ingestion of major quantities of benthic crustaceans that might cause observed differences obtained in pcbs, whereas the grey seal feed mainly on fish. the profile (percent in mixture) of polychlorinated biphenyls (pcb) ... | 2005 | 15992598 |
| why do organochlorine differences between arctic regions vary among trophic levels? | statistical analysis of organochlorine contaminants (ocs) in marine mammals has shown that, for most ocs, the european arctic is more contaminated than the canadian and u.s. arctic. recently, comparison of oc concentration ranges in seabirds, arctic cod (boregadus saida), and zooplankton, found no difference between these regions. to address these inconsistencies, marine food web oc data from the european (central barents sea (cbs)) and canadian arctic (northwater polynya (now)) were simultaneou ... | 2005 | 16047766 |
| mercury and other trace elements in a pelagic arctic marine food web (northwater polynya, baffin bay). | total mercury (thg), methylmercury (mehg) and 22 other trace elements were measured in ice algae, three species of zooplankton, mixed zooplankton samples, arctic cod (boreogadus saida), ringed seals (phoca hispida) and eight species of seabirds to examine the trophodynamics of these metals in an arctic marine food web. all samples were collected in 1998 in the northwater polynya (now) located between ellesmere island and greenland in baffin bay. thg and mehg were found to biomagnify through the ... | 2005 | 16061271 |
| development and application of bioaccumulation models to assess persistent organic pollutant temporal trends in arctic ringed seal (phoca hispida) populations. | individual- and population-based models were developed to simulate the bioaccumulation of persistent organic pollutants (pops) over the lifetime of ringed seals (phoca hispida) and account for the effects of age, growth, body condition and sex (including gestation, birth and lactation). lactational transfer was described using a milk to blubber partition coefficient, which was shown to be a function of kow (kmb=1/(1.676+1.293.10(-7).kow) r2=0.60, n=32, p<0.001). simulations showed that nursing m ... | 2005 | 16081143 |
| the composition of pulmonary surfactant from diving mammals. | maintaining a functional pulmonary surfactant system at depth is critical for diving mammals to ensure that inspiration is possible upon re-emergence. the lipid and protein composition of lavage extracts from three pinniped species (california sea lion, northern elephant seal and ringed seal) were compared to several terrestrial species. lavage samples were purified using a nabr discontinuous gradient. concentrations of phospholipid classes and molecular species were measured using electrospray ... | 2006 | 16140043 |
| antioxidant enzymes in ringed seal tissues: potential protection against dive-associated ischemia/reperfusion. | diving seals experience heart rate reduction and preferential distribution of the oxygenated blood flow to the heart and brain, widespread peripheral vasoconstriction, and selective ischemia in the most hypoxia-tolerant tissues. the first breath after the dive restores the oxygenated blood flow to all tissues and raises the potential for the production of reactive oxygen species (ros). we hypothesized that in order to counteract the damaging effects of ros and to tolerate repetitive cycles of is ... | 2006 | 16269268 |
| enantiomeric fractions of chiral polychlorinated biphenyls provide insights on biotransformation capacity of arctic biota. | chiral polychlorinated biphenyls (pcbs) were measured in an arctic marine food web from the northwater polynya (now) in the canadian arctic to examine potential biotransformation of chiral pcb atropisomers. organisms under investigation included pelagic zooplankton, arctic cod (boreogadus saida), seabirds, and ringed seals (phoca hispida). previous studies using achiral methods (e.g., biomagnification factors) have shown that chiral pcb congeners biomagnified in the now food web, but provided li ... | 2005 | 16398111 |
| the surface activity of pulmonary surfactant from diving mammals. | pinnipeds (seals and sea lions) have developed a specialised respiratory system to cope with living in a marine environment. they have a highly reinforced lung that can completely collapse and reinflate during diving without any apparent side effects. these animals may also have a specialised surfactant system to augment the morphological adaptations. the surface activity of surfactant from four species of pinniped (california sea lion, northern elephant seal, northern fur seal and ringed seal) ... | 2006 | 16476655 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| underwater sounds of pinnipeds. | descriptions and analyses are presented of underwater sounds made by six species of seals in captivity, zalophus californianus, phoca vitulina, p. (pusa) hispida, p. (pagophilus) groenlandica, halichoerus grypus, and cystophora cristata. the suitability of these very faint sounds for echolocation is discussed. | 1963 | 17742884 |
| 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 |
| a highly divergent picornavirus in a marine mammal. | nucleic acids from an unidentified virus from ringed seals (phoca hispida) were amplified using sequence-independent pcr, subcloned, and then sequenced. the full genome of a novel rna virus was derived, identifying the first sequence-confirmed picornavirus in a marine mammal. the phylogenetic position of the tentatively named seal picornavirus 1 (sepv-1) as an outlier to the grouping of parechoviruses was found consistently in alignable regions of the genome. a mean protein sequence identity of ... | 2008 | 17942560 |
| is there a link between hypospadias and organochlorine exposure in east greenland sledge dogs (canis familiaris)? | in a clinical survey on east greenland male sledge dogs (canis familiaris), one dog exhibited malformation of the external genital organs. the clinically in situ examination of the sledge dog revealed a rare congenital malformation of the urethra and penis corresponding to severe perineal and penile hypospadias. the testes showed spermiogenesis and no sign of true hermaphroditism. we did not have the opportunity to examine the dam for endocrine organ pathology or tumours. but, based on organochl ... | 2008 | 18061260 |
| enzymological characteristic of the cholinesterase from the caudate nucleus of the ladoga seal (phoca hispida ladogensis) brain. | | 2007 | 18064827 |
| 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 |
| bone-related effects of contaminants in seals may be associated with vitamin d and thyroid hormones. | the high levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (pcbs) and ddt in gray seal (halichoerus grypus) and ringed seal (phoca hispida botnica) in the baltic sea have been associated with pathological disruptions, including bone lesions and reproductive failures. the underlying environmental and toxicological mechanisms leading to these pathological changes are not yet fully understood. the present study investigated the relationship between the individual contaminant load and bone- and thyroid-related ef ... | 2008 | 18333671 |
| polybrominated diphenyl ethers (pbdes) in seal populations from eastern and western canada: an assessment of the processes and factors controlling pbde distribution in seals. | polybrominated diphenyl ether (pbde) concentrations were measured in the blubber of five mother-pup pairs of grey seals (halichoerus grypus) from sable island, nova scotia (ns) sampled in 1995 and in 20 harbour seals (phoca vitulina) from british columbia (bc) sampled in 1991-1992. concentrations in maternal grey seals from sable island averaged 112+/-55.2 ng/g lipid (mean+/-s.d.) and were over twice the concentrations measured in their pups; higher brominated pbdes showed a distinct decline in ... | 2008 | 18359511 |
| giardia duodenalis and cryptosporidium spp. in the intestinal contents of ringed seals (phoca hispida) and bearded seals (erignathus barbatus) in nunavik, quebec, canada. | the prevalence of giardia duodenalis and cryptosporidium spp. was determined for ringed and bearded seals harvested for food in the nunavik region in northern quebec, canada. flow cytometric results demonstrated that g. duodenalis was present in the intestinal contents of 80% of the ringed seals and 75% of the bearded seals tested, while cryptosporidium spp. were present in 9% of the ringed seals and none of the bearded seals. prevalence of both parasites was highest in animals less than 1 yr of ... | 2008 | 18576814 |
| macroscopic anatomy of the great vessels and structures associated with the heart of the ringed seal (pusa hispida). | the ringed seal [pusa (phoca) hispida], as well as other seals, exhibits unique anatomical properties when compared to its terrestrial counterparts. in the ringed seal, the most conspicuous marine adaptation is the aortic bulb. this large dilatation of the ascending aorta is comparable to that found in other seal species and marine mammals. the branches of the ascending aorta (brachiocephalic trunk, left common carotid artery and left subclavian artery) are similar to those of higher primates an ... | 2009 | 19245671 |
| 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 |
| trophodynamics of some pfcs and bfrs in a western canadian arctic marine food web. | the trophodynamics of per- and polyfluorinated compounds and bromine-based flame retardants were examined in components of a marine food web from the western canadian arctic. the animals studied and their relative trophic status in the food web, established using stable isotopes of nitrogen (delta15n), were beluga (delphinapterus leucas) > ringed seal (phoca hispida) > arctic cod (boreogadus saida) > pacific herring (clupea pallasi) approximately equal to arctic cisco (coregonus autumnalis) > pe ... | 2009 | 19569333 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| aquatic environment and differentiation of vibrissae: comparison of sinus hair systems of ringed seal, otter and pole cat. | this study investigated the structure and innervation of the vibrissal systems of the pole cat (mustela putorius), european otter (lutra lutra) and ringed seal (phoca hispida) in order to find adaptations to aquatic environment. the number of myelinated nerve fibers of deep vibrissal nerve (dvn) of the entire vibrissal system was considerably greater in the ringed seal (10x, aquatic mammal) and in the otter (4x, semi-aquatic mustelid) compared to the pole cat which is a terrestrial mustelid. sim ... | 2009 | 19996585 |
| ecosystem changes in the neva estuary (baltic sea): natural dynamics or response to anthropogenic impacts? | the neva estuary situated in the eastern gulf of finland is one of the largest estuaries of the baltic sea with a large conurbation, st. petersburg, situated on its coast. eutrophication, alien species and large-scale digging and dumping of bottom sediment are the most prominent anthropogenic impacts on its ecosystem. however, many ecosystem responses, which are traditionally attribute to these impacts, are related to natural dynamics of the ecosystem. fluctuations in discharge of the neva river ... | 2010 | 20347454 |
| mercury hair concentrations and dietary exposure among inuit preschool children in nunavut, canada. | there is concern that the traditional diet is a source of mercury exposure among inuit in the canadian arctic. mercury exposure in utero and in early childhood presents a risk to neurodevelopment. the objectives of the present study were to assess the dietary mercury exposure from traditional food among inuit children 3 to 5 years of age in nunavut, and evaluate the association between estimated dietary mercury intake and body burden. a cross-sectional nunavut inuit child health survey was condu ... | 2011 | 20673686 |
| helminth parasites in ringed seals (pusa hispida) from svalbard, norway with special emphasis on nematodes: variation with age, sex, diet, and location of host. | complete gastrointestinal tracts from 257 ringed seals (pusa hispida) from svalbard, norway, were examined for helminth parasites. three different helminth groups were recorded (acanthocephalans 61.1%; nematodes 38%; cestodes 0.9%). acanthocephalans (polymorphidae) and cestodes (anophryocephalus and diphyllobothrium sp(p)., as well as unidentified species, were confined to the intestines. the anisakid nematodes phocascaris phocae, pseudoterranova sp(p)., anisakis sp(p)., and phocascaris/contraca ... | 2010 | 20950103 |
| a simple route to single-nucleotide polymorphisms in a nonmodel species: identification and characterization of snps in the artic ringed seal (pusa hispida hispida). | although single-nucleotide polymorphisms (snps) have become the marker of choice in the field of human genetics, these markers are only slowly emerging in ecological, evolutionary and conservation genetic analyses of nonmodel species. this is partly because of difficulties associated with the discovery and characterization of snp markers. herein, we adopted a simple straightforward approach to identifying snps, based on screening of a random genomic library. in total, we identified 768 snps in t ... | 2011 | 21429159 |
| comparative hepatic microsomal biotransformation of selected pbdes, including decabromodiphenyl ether, and decabromodiphenyl ethane flame retardants in arctic marine-feeding mammals. | the present study assessed and compared the oxidative and reductive biotransformation of brominated flame retardants, including established polybrominated diphenyl ethers (pbdes) and emerging decabromodiphenyl ethane (dbdpe) using an in vitro system based on liver microsomes from various arctic marine-feeding mammals: polar bear (ursus maritimus), beluga whale (delphinapterus leucas), and ringed seal (pusa hispida), and in laboratory rat as a mammalian model species. greater depletion of fully b ... | 2011 | 21437940 |
| trichinella nativa in grey seal halichoerus grypus - spill-over from a highly endemic terrestrial ecosystem. | abstract trichinella infections of marine mammals pose a human health risk in arctic regions where game meat is important part of the diet. in the last decade, the grey seal population of the subarctic baltic sea has reached a level at which hunting is possible and seal meat is now available for food. we conducted a survey on the occurrence of trichinella spp. in grey seals halichoerus grypus (n = 171) and ringed seals phoca hispida botnica (n = 56) of the baltic sea in the coastal waters of fin ... | 2011 | 21506828 |
| spatio-temporal variations and age effect on toxoplasma gondii seroprevalence in seals from the canadian arctic. | summarytoxoplasmosis is a significant public health threat for inuit in the canadian arctic. this study aimed to investigate arctic seals as a possible food-borne source of infection. blood samples collected from 828 seals in 7 canadian arctic communities from 1999 to 2006 were tested for toxoplasma gondii antibodies using a direct agglutination test. polymerase chain reaction (pcr) was used to detect t. gondii dna in tissues of a subsample of seals. associations between seal age, sex, species, ... | 2011 | 21813043 |