Social olfaction in marine mammals: wild female Australian sea lions can identify their pup's scent

Historically, anatomical evidence has suggested that marine mammals are anosmic or at best microsmatic, i.e. absent or reduced olfactory capabilities. However, these neuroanatomical considerations may not be appropriate predictors for the use of olfaction in social interactions. Observations suggest that pinnipeds may use olfaction in mother–pup interactions, accepting or rejecting pups after naso-nasal contact. Such maternal–offspring recognition is a favourable area for investigating the involvement of odours in social recognition and selectivity, as females are evolutionarily constrained to direct resources to filial young. However, there is no experimental, morphological or chemical evidence to date for the use of olfaction in social contexts and for individual odour recognition abilities in pinnipeds. Here, we report unequivocal evidence that Australian sea lion (Neophoca cinerea) females can differentiate between the odour of their own pup and that of another, in the absence of any other distinguishing cues. This study demonstrates individual olfactory recognition in a free-ranging wild mammal and is clear evidence of the social function of olfaction in a marine mammal.     

新生儿首次呼吸前后脐带动静脉血液氧和二氧化碳变化探索呼吸调控机制的初步报告I—血液氧和二氧化碳分压脐带动静脉差值的组间分析*

目的: 胎儿没有实际上的呼吸,新生儿出生后才开始呼吸,我们假设人的第一次呼吸主要是由于低氧而触发。本研究对流经主动脉体外周化学感受器后的脐带动脉血液氧分压（PuaO₂）变化规律和下限进行分析以探讨新生儿自主呼吸产生机制。方法: 选择签署知情同意书的正常分娩产妇数十例,仅14例新生儿在自主呼吸开始前成功完成脐带动脉或静脉置管。分别进行逐搏取血及顺序血气分析,计算血气指标的平均值、最高值和最低值,统计比较脐带动静脉的异同。结果: 在14例新生儿自主呼吸开始前完成采集脐带动脉（Pua）样本9例,脐带静脉（Puv）样本8例。就PO₂而言,所有9例PuaO₂随时间（心跳次数）呈逐渐降低倾向,直至在自主呼吸产生大约8~10次心跳后Pua挛缩、基本上无法取得足够的血样。PuaO₂平均值是（25.94±6.79,18.04~37.51）mmHg,最高值是（29.11±6.46,23.00~45.90）mmHg,最低值是（21.34±5.54,14.00~33.60）mmHg;但PuaCO₂变化趋势和规律则不够稳定,PuaCO₂平均值是（47.26 ±7.71） mmHg。PuvO₂随时间（心跳次数）虽也呈逐渐降低趋势,但多数还呈现随母亲呼吸节律的规律性交替升降的倾向,特别是母亲吸氧时。所有8例PuvO₂平均值是（53.35±21.35,32.56~100.73）mmHg,最高值是（90.38±48.44,43.40~153.00）mmHg,最低值是（36.96±14.90,24.80~73.80）mmHg;PuvCO₂平均值是（41.04±6.44)mmHg。虽然有着较大的个体差异,但 PuvO₂平均值、最高值和最低值均显著较PuaO₂高（P<0.05）;PuvCO₂虽略低于PuaCO₂,但无显著差异（P>0.05）。结论: 胎儿娩出为新生儿后自主呼吸前PuaO₂随时间（心跳次数）逐渐降低,在达到触发呼吸的阈值时诱发第一次吸气,从而开始自主呼吸。