| the effect of hypercapnia on respiratory characteristics and diving behaviour of freely diving seals. | three trained young seals, one harp seal, pagophilus groenlandicus, and two hooded seals, cystophora cristata, have been used to study the effect of hypercapnia on respiratory characteristics and diving behaviour. the seals were allowed free movements within a circular pool, while diving and respiratory behaviour were recorded. during the experiments the alveolar co2 tension was continually recorded. there was a significant decrease in duration of dives with increasing paco2 for all animals. ve ... | 1976 | 935697 |
| the harp seal, pagophilus groenlandicus (erxleben, 1777). xvii. structure and metabolic adaption of the caval sphincter muscle with some observations on the diaphragm. | three types of fibre, dark (type 1), light (type 2) and intermediate, were distinguished in the caval sphincter muscle of the diaphragm in the harp seal (pagophilus groenlandicus) using histochemical and electron-microscopic techniques. the dark fibre contained large peripheral aggregations of mitochondria, numerous lipid droplets and dense aggregates of glycogen granules. the same features were observed in the dark fibre of the diaphragm muscle too. in the light of the low oxidative enzyme acti ... | 1975 | 1189903 |
| insulation and thermal balance of fasting harp and grey seal pups. | 1. harp and grey seal pups were examined during the post-weaning period to quantify their thermoregulatory abilities and thermal limits. 2. deep body temperatures of harp seals (37.8 +/- 0.8 degrees c) were not significantly different from those of grey seals (38.9 +/- 0.4 degrees c). 3. as blubber depth declined during the fast, temperature gradients extended increasingly deeper into the muscle layer potentially decreasing heat loss. 4. blubber conductivity (approximately 0.18 w/m/degrees c) di ... | 1991 | 1685375 |
| [the effect of blood serum proteins from the seal on the analgetic action of narcotic analgesics]. | the protein fraction isolated from blood of seal, phoca groenlandica, has been found to produce hyperalgesic effect on rats exposed to thermic or electrocutaneous nociceptive stimulation, but fail to affect writhes provoked by intraperitoneal injection of acetic acid solution on mice. when combined with morphine, the fraction lowered completely its narcotic analgetic action in the above mentioned tests. on the contrary, these same proteins combined with promedol or fentanil enhanced and prolonge ... | 1991 | 1687360 |
| [structure of the adrenal glands of greenland seal pagophilus groenlandica erxleben, 1777 (phocidae)]. | the harp seal adrenal gland studied is alike that of terrestrial mammals, but has some peculiarities. firstly, this is presence of the fetal cortex in the adrenal gland without any signs of involution and degeneration in adult animals. this phenomenon has been previously described only for the horse adrenal gland. the glomerular zone of the cortex peculiar for the adrenals in the terrestrial mammals in the species studied has the form of arches. this property is also characteristic only to the h ... | 1990 | 2268192 |
| 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 |
| effects of suckling and the postsuckling fast on weights of the body and internal organs of harp and hooded seal pups. | the weights of harp seal pups quadruple during 13 days of suckling while hooded seal pups double in weight in a lactation period of just 4 days. pups of both species then fast for a month or longer. as a first measure of tissue responses to this 'feast and famine' pattern, we weighted the body, sculp (blubber and attached skin), core (carcass including viscera) and major internal organs of seal pups at birth, at the end of suckling, and at the end of the fast. when expressed as a percentage of b ... | 1989 | 2605282 |
| chemical modification and composition of tetrameric isozyme k of alkaline phosphatase from harp seal intestinal mucosa. | 1. the carbohydrate content of isozyme k of alkaline phosphatase (ec 3.1.3.1) from harp seal intestinal mucosa was examined. the presence of n-acetylglucosamine, n-acetylgalactosamine and considerable amounts of mannose residues was shown. 2. the amino acid content of seal alkaline phosphatase was determined. a high extent of homology (85%) between bovine and seal alkaline phosphatases was demonstrated. 3. by chemical modification lysine, dicarboxylic acids, arginine and tyrosine residues of tet ... | 1989 | 2706930 |
| [various properties of angiotensin-converting enzyme from the seal phoca groenlandica]. | it was found that the molecular mass of the angiotensin-converting enzyme from seal (phoca groenlandica) lungs determined by electrophoresis in 7.5% paag in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate is 150 kd. the enzyme has a ph optimum with respect to hippuryl-l-histidyl-l-leucine at 7.3--7.5; km is 1.2 mm. the enzyme is inhibited by the substrate to form a nonproductive es2 complex with the dissociation constant (ks') of 4.8 mm. the activation of the seal angiotensin-converting enzyme in the pre ... | 1987 | 2833935 |
| blood levels of thyroid hormones and certain metabolites in relation to moult in the harp seal (phoca groenlandica). | 1. changes in blood levels of thyroxine (t4), triiodothyronine (t3), free fatty acids (ffa), glucose, pyruvic acid and lactic acid in the harp seal during moult, were studied. 2. serum levels of both t4 and t3 showed significant increase in the moult phase from that in the pre-moult phase. while t4 level continued to remain high during the early and late post-moult phases, t3 level dropped in the latter two phases to the same low pre-moult level. 3. the t3/t4 ratio was significantly higher durin ... | 1987 | 2892641 |
| purification and characterization of intestinal alkaline phosphatase from harp seal. | 1. alkaline phosphatase (ec 3.1.3.1.) from harp seal (phagophilus groenlandicus) has been purified by concanavalin a-sepharose chromatography to homogeneity with a specific activity of 1200-1500 units/mg of protein. 2. the mol. wt of the enzyme and its subunits were estimated as 260,000 and 70,000, respectively. by chromatofocusing the isoelectric point of this enzyme is 5.5. 3. with p-nitrophenylphosphate, ph-optimum and km for the enzyme are 9.8 and 0.9 mm, respectively. 4. the enzyme was stro ... | 1988 | 3248366 |
| experimental thiamine deficiency in captive harp seals, phoca groenlandica, induced by eating herring, clupea harengus, and smelts, osmerus mordax. | | 1972 | 5017320 |
| dimensional analysis and dynamic response characterization of mammalian peripheral vestibular structures. | extensive morphometric measurements were made on the vestibular system of the rabbit ( oryctulagus cuniculus), the gerbil (meriones unguiculatus), the chinchilla (chinchilla laniger ), and the squirrel monkey (saimiri sciureus) from serial sections of temporal bones. additionally, a more limited set of measurements were also completed on the owl monkey (aotus trivirgatus), the capuchin monkey (cebus sp.), the harp seal ( pagophilus groenlandicus erxleben , 1777), and the two-toed sloth ( choloep ... | 1984 | 6609629 |
| distribution and size of boettcher cells in the little brown bat, rabbit, and other species. | the distribution and size of boettcher cells were determined from serial sections of the temporal bones of four little brown bats and six rabbits. in addition, one harp seal and one two-toed sloth were examined. in the little brown bat, the heights of the boettcher cells measured 4-8 micron and they were found throughout much of the length of the cochlea. there were four rows in most of the lower basal coil, five rows in the upper basal coil, and four rows in the middle coil. in the rabbit there ... | 1983 | 6670760 |
| adaptive hormone changes in harp seals, phoca groenlandica, and gray seals, halichoerus grypus, during the postnatal period. | | 1980 | 7372092 |
| pineal and thyroid functions in newborn seals. | daily variations of pineal and plasma melatonin and plasma thyroid hormones were measured in harp seals (phoca groenlandica), grey seals (halichoerus grypus), and hooded seals (cystophora cristata), ranging in age from newborn to 14 days. in newborn harp seals the mean mass of the pineal gland was 273 mg (+/- 45 sem, n = 11), containing 49 ng (median) melatonin. in newborn, 4- and 10-day-old grey seals, the pineal mass was similar, weighing on average 337 mg (+/- 74, n = 6) and containing 90 ng ... | 1995 | 7628691 |
| herpesvirus in botryomycotic lesions from a harp seal (phoca groenlandica). | | 1994 | 8053137 |
| serological investigation of virus infections in harp seals (phoca groenlandica) and hooded seals (cystophora cristata). | | 1994 | 8073595 |
| phocine distemper in a harp seal (phoca groenlandica) from the gulf of st. lawrence, canada. | the first case of phocine distemper in a seal from canadian waters and the first case of clinical phocine distemper in a harp seal, phoca groenlandica, is reported. a two-month-old female harp seal stranded on prince edward island in may 1991. significant clinical findings were lethargy and severe conjunctivitis. pulmonary congestion was the main necropsy finding, and histological lesions included diffuse demyelinating nonsuppurative encephalitis and mild multifocal interstitial pneumonia. acido ... | 1993 | 8445769 |
| energetics of lactation in harp seals (phoca groenlandica) from the gulf of st. lawrence, canada. | this study reports the findings of an integrated, comprehensive analysis of lactation energetics in harp seals conducted using longitudinal measurements of mass, body composition and milk composition from mother-pup pairs in conjunction with water flux measurements in pups. the nursing period of harp seals is a short, intense and relatively efficient period of energy transfer from mothers to pups. the average daily milk intake for pups was 3.65 +/- 0.24 kg which is equivalent to 79.5 mj of energ ... | 1996 | 8870260 |
| 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 |
| temporal trends in antibody production in captive grey, harp and hooded seals to a single administration immunocontraceptive vaccine. | the temporal production of antibody to a single-administration immunocontraceptive vaccine, known to be immunocontraceptive in free-ranging female grey seals (halichoerus grypus), was studied in captive grey seals, harp seals (phoca groenlandica) and hooded seals (cystophora cristata). the vaccine is based on liposome delivery of porcine zona pellucida antigens. when measured by antigen capture, the response of hooded and harp seals to the vaccine was similar to the response of grey seals. deter ... | 1997 | 9373858 |
| diets enriched in menhaden fish oil, seal oil, or shark liver oil have distinct effects on the lipid and fatty-acid composition of guinea pig heart. | the purpose of this investigation was to determine whether diets supplemented with oils from three different marine sources, all of which contain high proportions of long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (pufa), result in qualitatively distinct lipid and fatty acid profiles in guinea pig heart. albino guinea pigs (14 days old) were fed standard, nonpurified guinea pig diets (np) or np supplemented with menhaden fish oil (mo), harp seal oil (slo) or porbeagle shark liver oil (plo) (10%, w/w) ... | 1997 | 9450671 |
| further evidence of species variation in mechanisms of epithelial cell loss in mammalian small intestine: ultrastructural studies on the reindeer (rangifer tarandus) and seal (phoca groenlandica). | ultrastructural studies were conducted on mechanisms of epithelial cell loss in the small intestine of seal and reindeer. mechanisms maintaining epithelial integrity were distinguished from those that did not and the non-epithelial cell types involved were identified. three types of cell extrusion were noted. in two, tight junctional integrity was preserved and anucleate apical cell fragments (rather than complete cells) were lost into the lumen. in reindeer (type 1), this involved creating larg ... | 1998 | 9477308 |
| 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 |
| dietary menhaden, seal, and corn oils differentially affect lipid and ex vivo eicosanoid and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances generation in the guinea pig. | this investigation was carried out to characterize the effects of specific dietary marine oils on tissue and plasma fatty acids and their capacity to generate metabolites (prostanoids, lipid peroxides). young male guinea pigs were fed nonpurified diet (np), or np supplemented (10%, w/w) with menhaden fish oil (mo), harp seal oil (slo), or corn oil (co, control diet) for 23 to 28 d. only the plasma showed significant n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (pufa)-induced reductions in triacylglycerol (tag ... | 1999 | 10102237 |
| 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 |
| microemulsion of seal oil markedly enhances the transfer of a hydrophobic radiopharmaceutical into acetylated low density lipoprotein. | four different microemulsions differing in their core lipid component (triolein, canola oil, squalene, or seal oil) and containing 1,3-dihydroxypropan-2-one 1,3-diiopanoate (dpip), a potential radioimaging probe, were prepared by means of ultrasonication. the dpip microemulsions were incubated with acetylated human low density lipoprotein (acldl) and the amount of dpip transferred into acldl was examined. the amount of dpip in the microemulsions expressed as dpip/oil (w/w) was dependent on the c ... | 1999 | 10380123 |
| giardiasis in pinnipeds from eastern canada. | cysts of giardia sp. were detected in feces from the rectum of 20 of 74 pinnipeds examined from the eastern coast of canada in 1997 and 1998 using a monoclonal antibody technique. infected pinnipeds included 15 adult harp seals (phoca groenlandica), four adult grey seals (halichoerus grypus), and one juvenile harbor seal (phoca vitulina). cysts were not detected in 15 seal pups <1-yr-old. the highest prevalence (50%) occurred in adult harp seals collected near the magdalen islands in the gulf of ... | 1999 | 10574540 |
| essential elements and priority contaminants in liver, kidney, muscle and blubber of harp seal beaters. | concentrations of 22 elements were determined in blubber, liver, kidney and muscle of five male and five female, 8-month-old harp seals (phoca groenlandica) by icp-ms. young harp seals are hunted during the spring and fall and represent an important traditional dietary item for some northern fishing communities. interest in the commercial use of seal meat products and the limited data on the level of contaminants in tissues of harp seal beaters motivated our investigation. for most elements, con ... | 1999 | 10635596 |
| levels and patterns of pcbs and oc pesticides in harbour and grey seals from the st lawrence estuary, canada. | blubber samples from harbour (phoca vitulina) and grey seals (halichoerus grypus) captured in the st lawrence estuary were analysed for pcbs and oc pesticides. concentrations of sigma pcb, sigma ddt, sigma chlor and mirex were higher in harbour than in grey seals, while sigma hch and hcb were similar in the two species. age vs. concentration plots showed that sigma pcb, sigma ddt and sigma chlor concentrations increased with age in males, but plateaued at sexual maturity in females. concentratio ... | 1999 | 10635597 |
| effect of a low-fat diet on body composition and blubber fatty acids of captive juvenile harp seals (phoca groenlandica). | we investigated the effects of a change from a high-fat diet to a low-fat diet of differing fatty acid (fa) composition on the body composition and blubber fa of five captive juvenile harp seals. seals that had been maintained for 1 yr on a diet of atlantic herring (>/=9% fat) were switched to a diet of atlantic pollock (1. 7% fat) for 30 d. on days 0, 14, and 30, mass and body composition (using isotope dilution) were measured, and blubber biopsies (5 cmx6 mm) were taken for fa analysis. fat ac ... | 2000 | 10685906 |
| 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 |
| tris (4-chlorophenyl) methane and tris (4-chlorophenyl) methanol in marine mammals from the estuary and gulf of st. lawrence. | levels of tris (4-chlorophenyl) methanol (tcpm) and its presumed precursor tris (4-chlorophenyl) methane (tcpme) are reported in marine mammals from the estuary and gulf of st. lawrence, canada. these compounds were measured in blubber samples of seals and whales using ion trap mass spectrometry (ms/ms) detection. detectable concentrations of both tcpm and tcpme were observed in all of the samples analysed. concentrations of these compounds varied with species ranging from 1.7 to 153 and from 1. ... | 2001 | 11202713 |
| 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 |
| melatonin potentiates the vasoconstrictive effect of noradrenaline in renal artery from newborn hooded seals (cystophora cristata) and harp seals (phoca groenlandica). | isometric tension was recorded by force displacement transducers in ring segments of the inferior branch of the renal artery from newborn hooded seals (cystophora cristata, n=6), harp seals (phoca groenlandica, n=3) and domestic pigs (sus scrofa f. domestica, n=5). arterial segments were mounted in heated organ baths and exposed to graded concentrations of noradrenaline (na) and adrenaline (a), alone or together with melatonin. the melatonin concentration in the bath was similar to the plasma co ... | 2001 | 11585261 |
| morbilliviral dermatitis in seals. | a juvenile female hooded seal (cystophora cristata) and a juvenile male harp seal (phoca groenlandica) stranded separately on the new jersey (usa) coast and were taken to a marine mammal rehabilitation center. both were lethargic and emaciated, had dermatitis, and died. histologic skin lesions in the seals were similar and consisted of epidermal and follicular epithelial hyperplasia, hyperkeratosis, degeneration, and necrosis. the most distinctive finding was extensive syncytial zones bounded su ... | 2001 | 11732810 |
| transfer of polychlorinated biphenyls and chlorinated pesticides from mother to pup in relation to cytochrome p450 enzyme activities in harp seals (phoca groenlandica) from the gulf of st. lawrence, canada. | congener-specific transfer of polychlorinated biphenyls (pcbs) and chlorinated pesticides from female to pup was studied in harp seals from eastern canada. possible effects on hepatic cytochrome p450 enzymes (cyp450) due to contaminant mobilization from blubber lipids in females and ingestion of contaminated milk in pups were studied. contaminant transfer from blubber to milk in females favored the more polar compounds (lower chlorinated pcbs, toxaphenes, hexachlorocyclohexanes, and hexachlorobe ... | 2002 | 11804067 |
| preparation and characterisation of gelatine from the skin of harp seal (phoca groendlandica). | this paper describes a method for extraction of gelatine from the skin of harp seal at mild acid conditions and gives a chemical and physical comparison of this gelatine with other mammalian and cod-skin gelatines. as compared to the wet weight of unhaired skin, a recovery of 11% dry gelatine was achieved after acid treatment and a two step water extraction at 60 and 75 degrees c. the chemical and physical properties of the gelatine were similar to the properties of commercial gelatines made fro ... | 2002 | 12003322 |
| isolation of two cytochrome p450 cdnas, cyp1a1 and cyp1a2, from harp seal (phoca groenlandica) and grey seal (halichoerus grypus). | two cytochrome p450 (cyp), cyp1a1 and cyp1a2, cdna sequences have been isolated and cloned from harp seal (phoca groenlandica) and grey seal (halichoerus grypus). erod, a model substrate for cyp1a, and heterologous antibodies have been employed as a biomarker in marine mammals, however the cyp1a sequences have not been characterised in these two seal species. mrna was used as the template in rt-pcr, rather than dna as this indicates transcription of the cyp1a gene in these seal species exposed t ... | 2002 | 12106895 |
| pcbs and ocps in male harbour, grey, harp and hooded seals from the estuary and gulf of st lawrence, canada. | blubber samples from adult male harbour seals (phoca vitulina) from the st lawrence estuary, and from grey (halichoerus grypus), harp (phoca groenlandica) and hooded (cystophora cristata) seals from the gulf of st lawrence, were analysed for polychlorinated biphenyls (pcb) and organochlorinated pesticides (ocp). all seals were between 5 and 19 years of age, and mean ages were not statistically different among the seal species. mean concentrations of sigmapcb and mirex were significantly higher i ... | 2002 | 12398323 |
| apparent seroprevalence of salmonella spp. in harp seals in the greenland sea as determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. | an indirect elisa was developed as a possible tool for surveillance of the seroprevalence of salmonella spp. in harp seals. this species is hunted for human consumption and thus transmission of disease to humans cannot be excluded. to cover a broad spectrum of serogroups, a mixture of the lipopolysaccharides (lps) of s. typhimurium and s. choleraesuis was used as the antigen in this pilot study. chicken anti-harp-seal immunoglobulin horseradish peroxidase conjugate served as the immunoconjugate. ... | 2002 | 12416866 |
| thermal windows on the trunk of hauled-out seals: hot spots for thermoregulatory evaporation? | seals have adapted to the high heat transfer coefficient in the aquatic environment by effective thermal insulation of the body core. while swimming and diving, excess metabolic heat is supposed to be dissipated mainly over the sparsely insulated body appendages, whereas the location of main heat sinks in hauled-out seals remains unclear. here, we demonstrate thermal windows on the trunk of harbour seals, harp seals and a grey seal examined under various ambient temperatures using infrared therm ... | 2003 | 12682104 |
| pulmonary mucormycosis in a harp seal caused by mucor pusillus. | | 1960 | 14404426 |
| evidence of brucella sp. infection in marine mammals stranded along the coast of southern new england. | after recent isolations of brucella sp. from pinnipeds and cetaceans, a survey was initiated to investigate the prevalence of brucella sp. infections and serologic evidence of exposure in marine mammals stranded along the coasts of connecticut and rhode island. one hundred and nineteen serum samples from four species of cetaceans and four species of pinnipeds were collected from 1985 to 2000 and tested for antibodies to brucella sp. using the brucellosis card test, buffered acidified plate antig ... | 2003 | 14582787 |
| isolation and characterization of novel helicobacter spp. from the gastric mucosa of harp seals phoca groenlandica. | since the recent discovery of helicobacter cetorum in cetaceans and its role in the development of gastritis, speculation has existed as to whether pinnipeds have helicobacter spp. associated gastritis and peptic ulcer disease. the gastric mucosa of 4 stranded harp seals phoca groenlandica from the massachusetts coastline were assessed for helicobacter spp. by culture and pcr. we cultured 2 novel helicobacter spp. from the pyloric antrum of 1 of the 4 harp seals studied, and identified these by ... | 2003 | 14735915 |
| click sounds produced by cod (gadus morhua). | conspicuous sonic click sounds were recorded in the presence of cod (gadus morhua), together with either harp seals (pagophilus groenlandicus), hooded seals (cystophora cristata) or a human diver in a pool. similar sounds were never recorded in the presence of salmon (salmo salar) together with either seal species, or from either seal or fish species when kept separately in the pool. it is concluded that cod was the source of these sounds and that the clicks were produced only when cod were appr ... | 2004 | 15000203 |
| concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, dibenzofurans and non-ortho substituted biphenyls in polar bear milk from svalbard (norway). | polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (pcdd), dibenzofurans (pcdf) and non-ortho substituted biphenyls (pcb, cb) were determined in 6 polar bear milk samples from svalbard (norway). for these compounds, no data for polar bears have been reported before from this region. most of the pcdd/pcdf congeners were found at detectable levels. concentrations expressed as 2,3,7,8-tcdd equivalents (nordic model) were in the order of 1-3 pg/g(-1) fat (0.2-1.6 pg ml(-1) milk) which is comparable with ringed and h ... | 1995 | 15091475 |
| 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 |
| retrospective differentiation of canine distemper virus and phocine distemper virus in phocids. | formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues from one caspian seal (phoca caspica), one harp seal (phoca groenlandica), one hooded seal (cystophora cristata), and one harbor seal (phoca vitulina vitulina) were used to compare the utility of immunohistochemistry (ihc) versus that of a novel seminested reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (rt-pcr) to detect and differentiate canine distemper virus (cdv) and phocine distemper virus (pdv). four antibodies made against pdv were able to detect ... | 2004 | 15137488 |
| endogenous glycogen prevents ca2+ overload and hypercontracture in harp seal myocardial cells during simulated ischemia. | the purpose of this study was to determine if elevated myocardial glycogen content could obviate ca(2+) overload and subsequent myocardial injury in the setting of low oxygen and diminished exogenous substrate supplies. isolated harp seal cardiomyocytes, recognized as having large glycogen stores, were incubated under conditions simulating ischemia (oxygen and substrate deprivation) for 1 h. rat cardiomyocytes were used for comparison. freshly isolated seal cardiomyocytes contained approximately ... | 2004 | 15242734 |
| seroprevalence of toxoplasma gondii in canadian pinnipeds. | sera (n = 328) collected from phocids (1995-97) from the east coast of canada, including harp seals (phoca groenlandica), hooded seals (cystophora cristata), grey seals (halichoerus grypus), and harbor seals (phoca vitulina), were diluted 1:25, 1:50, and 1:500 and tested by a modified agglutination test for antibodies to toxoplasma gondii. titers equal to or greater than 1:25 were considered evidence of exposure. grey seal (11/122, 9%), harbor seal (3/34, 9%), and hooded seal (1/60, 2%) had tite ... | 2004 | 15362830 |
| 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 |
| comparison of helicobacter spp. genetic sequences in wild and captive seals, and gulls. | helicobacter species are widely distributed in the gastrointestinal system of humans and many animal taxa. investigations of natural infections are essential to elucidating their role within the host. the feces of fur seals arctocephalus pusillus doriferus and sea lions neophoca cinerea from 3 separate captive populations, as well as a wild colony from kangaroo island, australia, were examined for the occurrence of helicobacter spp. the feces from several wild silver gulls larus novahollandiae w ... | 2005 | 16060262 |
| attenuation of ciclosporin-induced nephrotoxicity by dietary supplementation of seal oil in sprague-dawley rats. | fish oil, rich in omega-3 (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (pufas), has been reported to attenuate nephrotoxicity induced by ciclosporin (cyclosporine a). harp seal oil is a rich source of n-3 pufas. this study investigated the ability of dietary seal oil to reduce nephrotoxicity caused by ciclosporin. sprague-dawley rats were maintained on a standard diet (with sunflower oil as lipid, sfo) or a diet enriched with seal oil (with 85% seal oil and 15% sunflower oil as lipid, so) for four weeks be ... | 2005 | 16259782 |
| 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 |
| levels of non-essential elements in muscle from harp seal (phagophilus groenlandicus) and hooded seal (cystophora cristata) caught in the greenland sea area. | the non-essential elements, arsenic, cadmium, mercury and lead, inevitably accumulate in marine top predators such as seals. the concentration of these elements and the essential element selenium, due to its proposed protective properties against mercury toxicity in marine mammals, were measured in muscle, liver and kidney from reproductive active females of harp seal (phagophilus groenlandicus) and hooded seal (cystophora cristata) caught in the drift ice between iceland and east greenland. ars ... | 2006 | 16368127 |
| identification of highly brominated analogues of q1 in marine mammals. | three novel halogenated organic compounds (hocs) have been identified in the blubber of marine mammals from coastal new england with the molecular formulae c(9)h(3)n(2)br(6)cl, c(9)h(3)n(2)br(7), and c(9)h(4)n(2)br(5)cl. they were identified using high and low resolution gas chromatography mass spectrometry (gcms) and appear to be highly brominated analogues of q1, a heptachlorinated hoc suspected to be naturally produced. these compounds were found in atlantic white sided dolphin (lagenorhynchu ... | 2006 | 16517037 |
| hematology and serum chemistry of harp (phoca groenlandica) and hooded seals (cystophora cristata) during the breeding season, in the gulf of st. lawrence, canada. | standard hematologic and serum chemistry parameters were determined from 28 harp seals (phoca groenlandica) and 20 hooded seals (cystophora cristata) sampled from 6 march 2001 to 13 march 2001 during the breeding season. whole blood was collected immediately postmortem from harp seal mother-pup pairs and from six hooded seal pups, and from live-captured adult hooded seals and three hooded seal pups; blood was analyzed within 24 hr at a local human hospital. a certified veterinary laboratory vali ... | 2006 | 16699154 |
| the ice lover: biology of the harp seal (phoca groenlandica). | the number of harp seals, phoca groenlandica (eodeben 1777) may now range from 2.25 million to 3 million. the total population is divided among three separate breeding stocks in the white sea, the greenland sea, and the northwest atlantic. the continued exploitation of the northwest atlantic stock has caused controversy, primarily because of public concern for the fate of the newborn "whitecoat." the harp seal's life-cycle is marked by a progression from on-ice birth to in-water mating and subse ... | 1982 | 17821351 |
| victims or vectors: a survey of marine vertebrate zoonoses from coastal waters of the northwest atlantic. | surveillance of zoonotic pathogens in marine birds and mammals in the northwest atlantic revealed a diversity of zoonotic agents. we found amplicons to sequences from brucella spp., leptospira spp., giardia spp. and cryptosporidium spp. in both marine mammals and birds. avian influenza was detected in a harp seal and a herring gull. routine aerobic and anaerobic culture showed a broad range of bacteria resistant to multiple antibiotics. of 1460 isolates, 797 were tested for resistance, and 468 w ... | 2008 | 18828560 |
| marine mammals' influence on ecosystem processes affecting fisheries in the barents sea is trivial. | some interpretations of ecosystem-based fishery management include culling marine mammals as an integral component. the current norwegian policy on marine mammal management is one example. scientific support for this policy includes the scenario barents sea (sbs) models. these modelled interactions between cod, gadus morhua, herring, clupea harengus, capelin, mallotus villosus and northern minke whales, balaenoptera acutorostrata. adding harp seals phoca groenlandica into this top-down modelling ... | 2009 | 19126534 |
| gas bubbles in seals, dolphins, and porpoises entangled and drowned at depth in gillnets. | gas bubbles were found in 15 of 23 gillnet-drowned bycaught harp (pagophilus groenlandicus), harbor (phoca vitulina) and gray (halichoerus grypus) seals, common (delphinus delphis) and white-sided (lagenorhyncus acutus) dolphins, and harbor porpoises (phocaena phocaena) but in only 1 of 41 stranded marine mammals. cases with minimal scavenging and bloating were chilled as practical and necropsied within 24 to 72 hours of collection. bubbles were commonly visible grossly and histologically in byc ... | 2009 | 19176498 |
| distribution patterns suggest biomagnification of halogenated 1'-methyl-1,2'-bipyrroles (mbps). | the halogenated 1'-methyl-1,2'-bipyrroles (mbps) are a suite of marine natural products that have been detected in marine mammals worldwide. although their concentrations are similar to persistent organic pollutants that biomagnify, such as 2,2',4,4',5,5'-hexachlorobiphenyl (cb-153), it is notyet clearthat these natural products also biomagnify. here we analyze mbps and cb-153 isolated from the blubber and liver of marine mammals stranded on the eastern coast of massachusetts. four odontocete sp ... | 2009 | 19209594 |
| harp seal heart valves being tested for human use. | | 2009 | 19546449 |
| development of myoglobin concentration and acid buffering capacity in harp (pagophilus groenlandicus) and hooded (cystophora cristata) seals from birth to maturity. | pinnipeds rely on muscle oxygen stores to help support aerobic diving, therefore muscle maturation may influence the behavioral ecology of young pinnipeds. to investigate the pattern of muscle development, myoglobin concentration ([mb]) and acid buffering ability (beta) was measured in ten muscles from 23 harp and 40 hooded seals of various ages. adult [mb] ranged from 28-97 to 35-104 mg g tissue(-1) in harp and hooded seals, respectively, with values increasing from the cervical, non-swimming m ... | 2009 | 19565249 |
| septicemia, endocarditis, and cerebral infarction due to staphylococcus aureus in a harp seal (phoca groenlandica). | an adult, wild-collected, male harp seal (phoca groenlandica) was transferred from a rehabilitation center to a display facility because of unilateral phthisis bulbi and decreased use of the right forelimb, which precluded its release. in quarantine, the animal demonstrated limited use of the right forelimb, which acutely progressed to complete disuse of the limb accompanied by intermittent lethargy. one month after transfer, the animal was found dead on exhibit. necropsy showed septic arthritis ... | 2009 | 19569495 |
| phagocytosis in pup and adult harbour, grey and harp seals. | knowledge on pinniped immunology is still in its infancy. for instance, age-related and developmental aspects of the immune system in pinnipeds need to be better described. the present study examined the phagocytic activity and efficiency of harbour, grey and harp seal leukocytes. in the first part of the study, peripheral blood was collected from captive female harbour seals of various ages. data showed an age-related decrease in phagocytosis in female harbour seals from sub-adult to adulthood. ... | 2010 | 19766324 |
| phylogeographic genomics of mitochondrial dna: highly-resolved patterns of intraspecific evolution and a multi-species, microarray-based dna sequencing strategy for biodiversity studies. | phylogeographic genomics, based on multiple complete mtdna genome sequences from within individual vertebrate species, provides highly-resolved intraspecific trees for the detailed study of evolutionary biology. we describe new biogeographic and historical insights from our studies of the genomes of codfish, wolffish, and harp seal populations in the northwest atlantic, and from the descendants of the founding human population of newfoundland. population genomics by conventional sequencing metho ... | 2008 | 20483203 |
| giardia and cryptosporidium in harp and hooded seals from the gulf of st. lawrence, canada. | giardia and cryptosporidium are protozoan parasites known to cause enteric disease in terrestrial wildlife species (mammals, reptiles and birds). few surveys for giardia and cryptosporidium in marine wildlife species, such as pinnipeds, have been reported. the objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and genotype of giardia and cryptosporidium in two species of pinnipeds, harp seal (phoca groenlandica) and hooded seal (cystophora cristata), from the gulf of st. lawrence, canada. f ... | 2010 | 20594649 |
| bronchoalveolar lavage and pulmonary histopathology in harp seals (phoca groenlandica) experimentally infected with otostrongylus circumlitus. | the objective of this study was to characterize pathologic changes associated with experimental infection of harp seals (phoca groenlandica) with the lungworm otostrongylus circumlitus (metastrongyloidea: crenosomatidae). the leukocyte differential cell count in samples obtained by unguided bronchoalveolar lavage (bal) and the intensity of the histologic lesions in the lungs were assessed in seven harp seals experimentally exposed to 300 infective, third-stage o. circumlitus larvae. seven unexpo ... | 2010 | 20688634 |
| pbdes in serum and blubber of harbor, grey and harp seal pups from eastern canada. | serum and blubber of pup harbor (phoca vitulina), grey (halichoerus grypus) and harp (phoca groenlandica) seals from the estuary and the gulf of st. lawrence were analyzed for polybrominated diphenyl ethers (pbdes). concentrations of ∑pbdes (on lipid weight basis) in tissues of harbor seal pups inhabiting the st. lawrence estuary were about five times higher than in those from a colony located in the northern gulf. harp seal pups have the lowest levels of ∑pbdes among the seal species born in th ... | 2010 | 21112068 |
| experimental replacement of pig trachea with novel bioprosthesis from harp seal. | tracheal replacement has been a challenging problem for thoracic surgeons for over half of a century. we evaluated the in-vivo performance of a new tracheal bioprosthesis derived from harp seal (phoca groelandica) trachea that was fixed and preserved in 0.625% buffered glutaraldehyde solution for 3 months. ten young male pigs weighing 27-32 kg (mean, 28.7 kg) underwent replacement of a tracheal segment with this new bioprosthesis. the length of replaced trachea was 1.8-2.4 cm (mean, 2.17 cm), re ... | 2010 | 21149405 |
| in vivo calcification of glutaraldehyde-fixed cardiac valve and pericardium of phoca groenlandica. | calcification remains the main reason for failure of bioprosthetic valves. the aim of this study was to evaluate the in vivo calcification response of a new bioprosthetic valve, derived from cardiac tissue of phoca groenlandica. aortic and pulmonary leaflets, bovine, and phoca groenlandica pericardia were fixed in buffered glutaraldehyde solution. tissues were divided into four groups: group 1, bovine pericardium (bp); group 2, pulmonary leaflets; group 3, seal pericardium; and group 4, aortic l ... | 2011 | 21502861 |
| molecular identification of prey in the stomach contents of harp seals (pagophilus groenlandicus) using species-specific oligonucleotides. | all methods of diet analysis in marine mammals, including hard part analysis (hpa), have biases affecting the accuracy of prey-species identification and frequency in the estimated diet due to differential consumption, digestion and retention. using pcr amplification of specific prey dna with species-specific primers, we developed a dna-based method that complements hpa and provides an alternative means to detect prey from stomach contents of harp seals (pagophilus groenlandicus). the target siz ... | 2010 | 21565007 |
| static inflation and deflation pressure-volume curves from excised lungs of marine mammals. | excised lungs from eight marine mammal species [harp seal (pagophilus groenlandicus), harbor seal (phoca vitulina), gray seal (halichoerus grypush), atlantic white-sided dolphin (lagenorhynchus acutus), common dolphin (delphinus delphis), risso's dolphin (grampus griseus), long-finned pilot whale (globicephala melas) and harbor porpoise (phocoena phocoena)] were used to determine the minimum air volume of the relaxed lung (mav, n=15), the elastic properties (pressure-volume curves, n=24) of the ... | 2011 | 22031747 |
| DETECTION OF CRYPTOSPORIDIUM SP. SEAL IN TWO NEW SEAL SPECIES, PHOCA VITULINA AND CYSTOPHORA CRISTATA AND A NOVEL CRYPTOSPORIDIUM GENOTYPE IN A THIRD SEAL SPECIES, PAGOPHILUS GROENLANDICUS FROM THE GULF OF MAINE. | Abstract Data on the geographic distribution and host-specificity of Cryptosporidium spp. are critical for developing an understanding of likely transmission patterns in nature. During a molecular based survey of fecal samples from 293 terrestrial and aquatic animals in Maine, we detected Cryptosporidium sp. in 11 harbor seals, 1 hooded seal, and 1 harp seal. None of the terrestrial or freshwater mammal fecal samples or bird samples tested positive for Cryptosporidium sp. However, the seque ... | 2011 | 22017467 |
| [sleep and wakefulness in greenland seal pups]. | ecog of both hemispheres, eog, neck emg and ekg were recorded in 2 white (age 10 days) and 2 gray pups (age 1 month) of harp seal. the active wakefulness occupied 23.4 +/- 3.8% of total recording time, the relaxed wakefulness--32.6 +/- 3.6%, drowsiness--4.8 +/- 1.1%, slow wave sleep--31.5 +/- 3.0%, paradoxical sleep--7.7 +/- 0.8%. the sleep cycle averaged 18.2 +/- 1.4 min. interhemispheric asymmetry of the ecog was not seen in all 4 pups. the respiration was fast and regular in the relaxed wakef ... | 2009 | 2629390 |
| the harp seal, pagophilus groenlandicus (erxleben, 1777). xxi. the structure of the vestibular apparatus. | | 2015 | 4539353 |
| some aspects of temperature regulation in newborn harp seal pups. | harp seals are born on the drifting ice of the north atlantic ocean during arctic winter when temperatures of -20 degrees c, occasionally in combination with wind of 10 m/s, might prevail for days. at birth the pups lack subcutaneous blubber and the wet infantile fur has a conductance value of 30.0 w . m-2 . degrees c-1, as compared with only 2.0 w . m-2 . degrees c-1 when dry. while still wet immediately after birth the pups are nevertheless able to retain body core temperature by shivering. th ... | 1979 | 218465 |
| structure of the adenohypophysis in parturient female and neonate harp seals, pagophilus groenlandicus. | the pars distalis of parturient harp seals (pagophilus groenlandicus) is divisible into three distinct zones based on the major cellular components of the different regions. a clear zonation is lacking in neonate seals, the medical "basophilic wedge" and the anterior gonadotrophic were small and difficult to identify. five cell types were identified based on cytological characteristics: somatotrophs, mammotrophs, thyrotrophs, gonadotrophs and stellate cells; corticotrophs could not be identified ... | 1987 | 212196 |
| species composition and infection dynamics of ascaridoid nematodes in barents sea capelin (mallotus villosus) reflecting trophic position of fish host. | capelin (mallotus villosus) is among the most abundant fish species in the barents sea, and represents a critical food source for many predators in the area including atlantic cod and harp seal. in norway, the fish is of economic importance since whole capelin and roe are valuable export products. despite its economic and ecological importance, the parasites of barents sea capelin are poorly known. however, the presence of parasites in the edible parts may adversely affect product quality and co ... | 2016 | 27473836 |
| herpesviruses including novel gammaherpesviruses are widespread among phocid seal species in canada. | little is known about herpesviruses in canadian pinnipeds. we measured prevalence of antibodies to herpesviruses in the sera from canadian phocid seals by an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. wild harbor seals (phoca vitulina) and captive harbor seals were positive for antibodies to phocid herpesvirus 1 (phohv-1) at prevalences of 91% and 100%, respectively. sera from wild hooded seals (cystophora cristata), harp seals (pagophilus groenlandica), and grey seals (halichoerus grypus) were ... | 2016 | 26555112 |
| human pathogens in marine mammal meat – a northern perspective. | only a few countries worldwide hunt seals and whales commercially. in norway, hooded and harp seals and minke whales are commercially harvested, and coastal seals (harbour and grey seals) are hunted as game. marine mammal meat is sold to the public and thus included in general microbiological meat control regulations. slaughtering and dressing of marine mammals are performed in the open air on deck, and many factors on board sealing or whaling vessels may affect meat quality, such as the ice use ... | 2014 | 24344685 |
| neuroglobin of seals and whales: evidence for a divergent role in the diving brain. | although many physiological adaptations of diving mammals have been reported, little is known about how their brains sustain the high demands for metabolic energy and thus o(2) when submerged. a recent study revealed in the deep-diving hooded seal (cystophora cristata) a unique shift of the oxidative energy metabolism and neuroglobin, a respiratory protein that is involved in neuronal hypoxia tolerance, from neurons to astrocytes. here we have investigated neuroglobin in another pinniped species ... | 2012 | 22864183 |
| the use of non destructive biomarkers in the study of marine mammals. | marine mammals have been subject to heavy anthropogenic pressure by direct killing and chemical pollution all over the world. most studies of contamination and biomarker responses in marine mammals have been conducted using animals killed by hunting out of a total of 12 cetacean species studied, 45 of the specimens were obtained by sacrificing the animal; out of a total of eight pinniped species studied, 40 of the specimens were obtained by killing. the development of a series of non destructive ... | 1997 | 23899212 |
| pinniped phylogeny and a new hypothesis for their origin and dispersal. | the relationships and the zoogeography of the three extant pinniped families, otariidae (sea lions and fur seals), odobenidae (one extant species, the walrus), and phocidae (true seals), have been contentious. here, we address these topics in a molecular study that includes all extant species of true seals and sea lions, four fur seals and the walrus. contrary to prevailing morphological views the analyses conclusively showed monophyletic pinnipedia with a basal split between otarioidea (otariid ... | 2006 | 16815048 |
| preparing muscles for diving: age-related changes in muscle metabolic profiles in harp (pagophilus groenlandicus) and hooded (cystophora cristata) seals. | in adult marine mammals, muscles can sustain aerobic metabolism during dives in part because they contain large oxygen (o2) stores and metabolic rates are low. however, young pups have significantly lower tissue o2 stores and much higher mass-specific metabolic rates. to investigate how these differences may influence muscle function during dives, we measured the activities of enzymes involved in aerobic and anaerobic metabolic pathways (citrate synthase [cs], β-hydroxyacyl-coenzyme a dehydrogen ... | 2015 | 25730272 |
| to each its own: thermoregulatory strategy varies among neonatal polar phocids. | cold environmental conditions and small body size promote heat loss and may create thermoregulatory challenges for marine mammals born in polar regions. however, among polar-born phocid seal species there are variations in physical attributes and environmental conditions at birth, allowing for an interesting contrast in thermoregulatory strategy. we compared thermoregulatory strategies through morphometrics, sculp attributes (conductivity and resistance), nonshivering thermogenesis (nst via unco ... | 2014 | 25151642 |
| selective brain cooling and its vascular basis in diving seals. | brain (t(brain)), intra-aorta (t(aorta)), latissimus dorsi muscle (t(m)) and rectal temperature (t(r)) were measured in harp (pagophilus groenlandicus) and hooded (cystophora cristata) seals during experimental dives in 4 degrees c water. the median brain cooling was about 1 degrees c during 15 min diving, but in some cases it was as much as 2.5 degrees c. cooling rates were slow for the first couple of minutes, but increased significantly after about 5 min of diving. the onset of cooling someti ... | 2010 | 20639422 |
| liquid chromatographic enantioseparation of the brominated flame retardant 2,3-dibromopropyl-2,4,6-tribromophenyl ether (dpte) and enantiomer fractions in seal blubber. | enantioselective analyses of the chiral brominated flame retardant 2,3-dibromopropyl-2,4,6-tribromophenyl ether (dpte) are the focus of this work. high performance liquid chromatography (hplc) equipped with a column that had a chiral stationary phase consisting of a modified cellulose derivative allowed for the fractionation of the enantiomers of dpte. the enantiomeric excess was 98.2% for enantiomer 1 and 99% for enantiomer 2. polarimetric measurements verified that the first eluting enantiomer ... | 2010 | 19863996 |
| a study of metal concentrations and metallothionein binding capacity in liver, kidney and brain tissues of three arctic seal species. | arctic seals are known to accumulate relatively high concentrations of potential toxic heavy metals in their vital organs, such as livers and kidneys, as well as in their central nervous system. we therefore decided to determine whether mercury, copper, cadmium and zinc levels in liver, kidney and brain tissues of three arctic seal species were associated with the intracellular metal-binding protein metallothionein (mt) as a sign of toxic exposure. samples from four ringed (phoca hispida), five ... | 2009 | 19773017 |
| size and distribution of oxygen stores in harp and hooded seals from birth to maturity. | pinnipeds rely primarily on oxygen stores in blood and muscles to support aerobic diving; therefore rapid development of body oxygen stores (tbo(2)) is crucial for pups to transition from nursing to independent foraging. here, we investigate tbo(2) development in 45 harp (pagophilus groenlandicus) and 46 hooded (cystophora cristata) seals ranging in age from neonates to adult females. we found that hooded seal adults have the largest tbo(2) stores yet reported (89.5 ml kg(-1)), while harp seal a ... | 2007 | 17576570 |
| synthesis and characterization of 2,3-dibromopropyl-2,4,6-tribromophenyl ether (dpte) and structurally related compounds evidenced in seal blubber and brain. | the unknown compound ubc-1 previously described as the major organobromine contamination in the blubber extract of a hooded seal (cystophora cristata) from the barents sea was identified as 2,3-dibromopropyl-2,4,6-tribromophenyl ether (dpte). dpte, which is the main component of the brominated flame retardant (bfr) bromkal 73-5 pe, was synthesized by electrophilic addition of bromine to allyl-2,4,6-tribromophenyl ether (ate). the chirality of dpte was proven by gas chromatographic enantioseparat ... | 2007 | 17396646 |
| quantitative differences in the pineal ultrastructure of perinatal and adult harp (phoca groenlandica) and hooded seals (cystophora cristata). | seals are unique among mammals in that newborns have a large pineal gland and extremely high plasma levels of melatonin at birth. melatonin levels are also high in the seal fetus but decline rapidly during the first few days of life. the aim of the present study was to provide quantitative information about the ultrastructure of the seal pineal gland using fetal, newborn, and adult hooded seals (cystophora cristata), and newborn and adult harp seals (phoca groenlandica). the relative and absolut ... | 2003 | 12932203 |
| health status of harp seals (phoca groenlandica) and hooded seals (cystophora cristata) on sable island, nova scotia, canada, concurrent with their expanding range. | beach surveys for harp (phoca groenlaandica) and hooded (cystophora cristata) seals documented a dramatic increase in their numbers on sable island in mid 1990s. in the 1980s, no more than five animals of both species were observed on this island each year, however, during late 1994 to 1998, 1,191 harp and 870 hooded seals, mostly young animals, were recorded. although some of these seals had been killed by sharks, most (roughly 75%) were found alive or as intact carcasses on the beach, and some ... | 2003 | 12685065 |
| melatonin is rhythmic in newborn seals exposed to continuous light. | we have investigated the effect of continuous light and darkness on plasma levels of melatonin in relation to the extremely large and active pineal gland typically found in newborn seals. plasma levels of melatonin in captive newborn harp (phoca groenlandica) and hooded seals (cystophora cristata) were generally extremely high, with peak concentrations ranging from 0.8 ng/ml to 62.3 ng/ml. moreover, plasma melatonin showed a similar, pronounced rhythmicity, both outdoors under natural light cond ... | 2003 | 12592441 |
| experimental evidence of seawater drinking in juvenile hooded (cystophora cristata) and harp seals (phoca groenlandica). | this study was undertaken to measure whether young harp seals (phoca groenlandica) and hooded seals (cystophora cristata) drink seawater and, if so, to investigate how the excess salt load is handled. blood and urine samples were collected from hooded seal pups (n = 3) and harp seal pups (n = 3) after 2 weeks of freshwater exposure, at intervals during 3 weeks of seawater exposure and, finally, after 2 weeks of re-exposure to fresh water. total water turnover, as measured by injection of tritiat ... | 2000 | 11083522 |
| trace element levels in harp seal (pagophilus groenlandicus) and hooded seal (cystophora cristata) from the greenland sea. a multivariate approach. | concentrations of the essential trace elements, iron, copper, zinc and selenium and the non-essential elements arsenic, cadmium, total mercury and lead, were measured in the meat, liver and kidney of two species of seals, harp seal (pagophilus groenlandicus) and hooded seal (cystophora cristata) collected in the greenland sea. the spread among the individual seals was considerable. however, multivariate statistics simplified the evaluation of the data. the muscle tissue contained lower levels of ... | 2000 | 10811256 |