Olfactory Enrichment in California Sea Lions (Zalophus californianus): An Effective Tool for Captive Welfare?

In the wild, California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) are exposed to a wide variety of sensory information, which cannot be replicated in captive environments. Therefore, unique procedures are necessary for maintaining physiological and psychological health in nonhuman animals in captivity. The effects of introducing natural scents to captive enclosures have been investigated in a variety of species, yet they have not been examined in marine mammals. This project explored the behavioral effect of scent added to the environment, with the goal of improving the welfare of sea lions in captivity. Two scent types were introduced: (a) natural scents, found in their native environment, and (b) non-natural scents, not found in their native environment. This study examined not only scent enrichment but also the possible evolutionary underpinnings of pinniped olfaction. Scent enrichment was found to significantly impact sea lion behavior as demonstrated by a reduction in pattern swimming, an increase in habitat utilization, and a reduction in stereotypical behavior. However, there were no differences in behavior between natural and non-natural scent conditions.     

Les urgences andrologiques en milieu urbain au Cameroun : aspects cliniques et thérapeutiques

Goal

Describe clinical and therapeutic aspects of andrologic emergencies in an urban area, received in a university teaching hospital in Cameroon.

Methodology

We prospectively studied during 36 months all andrologic emergencies received at Laquintinie Hospital of Douala.

Results

We had a total of 291 patients. The mean age was 42.50 years. Most of our patients?? age was between 0 and 45 years. The most frequent lesion was genito-urinary trauma (51.50%) and uro-genital infections (23.71%). Priapism and torsion of the spermatic cord were also frequent. We carried out 185 emergency surgical interventions. Exploration and suture of wounds of the external genitalia (38.91%) and the exploratory scrototomy (21.62%) were the main emergency procedures.

Conclusion

Genito-urinary trauma are the most encountered andrologic emergencies in an urban area of Cameroon. Priapism and torsion of the spermatic cord were not rare.     

Seasonal and Diurnal Patterns of Behavior Exhibited by Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in the Mississippi Sound

Many of the threats to bottlenose dolphins are anthropogenic factors including overfishing, high‐speed boats, chemical runoff, and noise pollution. Having a thorough understanding of the behavior and behavioral patterns of these animals can help with conservation plans to protect this species. This study examined the behavioral states and behavioral events of Atlantic bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in the Mississippi Sound. The behavioral states exhibited by dolphins within the Sound were found to vary by both season and time of day. Dolphins socialized more during the spring and spent more time feeding in the fall. Feeding was highest early in the morning and decreased throughout the day, while socializing occurred at low levels in the morning and increased in the early afternoon. Two distinct forms of social behavior and multiple feeding strategies were exhibited by dolphins within the Sound. Results suggest that certain percussive behavioral events may be used to communicate motivation during transitional behavioral states. These results demonstrate the need for a more complete understanding of dolphin behavior that will facilitate the conservation of this species.     

Poly(styrenesulfonate)/poly(allylamine) multilayers: a route to favor endothelial cell growth on expanded poly(tetrafluoroethylene) vascular grafts

Small-diameter synthetic vascular grafts of expanded poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (ePTFE) polymer concern one of the most common alternatives for the replacement of diseased vessels. However, high failure rates arise especially due to the lack of endothelial cells (ECs). EC seeding was developed to build a monolayer on the luminal surface. Because ECs show little or no adhesion on synthetic prostheses, it is necessary to promote their retention. On ePTFE surfaces we successfully deposited polyelectrolyte multilayer films (PMFs) consisting of poly(ethylenimine) (PEI), poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) (PSS), and poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH) to obtain PEI-(PSS-PAH)3 films. EC adhesion and spreading on modified ePTFE were assessed by scanning electron and confocal microscopies. Cell viability was evaluated by Alamar Blue assay. After 7 days of culture, the ePTFE modified with PMF exhibited improvements of EC viability as compared to that of the controls (nonmodified ePTFE) or even ePTFE coated by a PAH monolayer (p < 0.05). Moreover, the spreading of ECs was largely enhanced compared to that of the same controls, resulting in a healthy confluent cell monolayer formation. Positive staining for the von Willebrand factor confirmed the EC phenotype. Promoting EC attachment and function on ePTFE modified with PMFs could become in the future a promising treatment for synthetic small-diameter vascular grafts.     

First report of the giant snake Gigantophis (Madtsoiidae) from the Paleocene of Pakistan: Paleobiogeographic implications

We report here the discovery of madtsoiid snake remains from the early Paleocene Khadro Formation (Ranikot Group, Sindh, Southern Pakistan). These specimens consist of vertebrae and are referred to Gigantophis. This is the first report of Gigantophis from outside of Africa. The problem of the generic distinction between Gigantophis and Madtsoia is stressed. The specimens from Pakistan slightly differ from the single species (G. garstini) referred to the genus Gigantophis, but the available material does not allow further considerations and the fossil is referred to as Gigantophis sp. However, Gigantophis sp. from the Khadro Formation is more closely related to G. garstini, that is known only from the middle and late Eocene of northern Africa, than to any other species, thus suggesting dispersal between these two areas during the Paleocene or earlier. These results are consistent with the hypothesis of intermittent dispersals between the Indo-Pakistan Plate and Africa suggested by other fossil evidences.     

Un accident de travail peu ordinaire: embrochage de la verge par une esquille de bois

This is a case study of a perforating wound of the penis by a wood, which happened during the daily activity of a carpenter. The patient was referred three hours after the accident that happened at its jobsite. There were three wounds. The entry point was on the left side of the penis, the exit point on the right and the second entry point on the medial face of the right thigh. The surgical exploration revealed a wound of 1.5 by 3 centimeters that went through the corpus cavernosum. The urethra seemed to be normal and the quadriceps muscle was torn. The risk of erection disorder following the penile injury is to be considered.     

Properties of human kidney heme oxygenase: inhibition by synthetic heme analogues and metalloporphyrins

Heme oxygenase activities in human kidney microsomes were found to be from 0.238 to 0.620 nmol of bilirubin/mg/hr (mean 0.375, SD 0.134), which represent approximately 30% of activities determined for human adult liver. There was interindividual variation in heme oxygenase activity of a 2-5-fold difference. Rabbits were immunized with purified human liver heme oxygenase and the resulting antibody preparation was used to examine the species specificity of the enzyme. Microsomal protein with a molecular weight of 32,000 from human kidney was identified on Western blots by its reaction with the anti-heme oxygenase liver antibody similar to the purified enzyme protein. Thus, a homology exists between human hepatic and kidney heme oxygenase. The enzyme activity was sensitive to inhibition by metalloporphyrins, such as tin-protoporphyrin IX and, to a lesser degree, by zinc and cobalt protoporphyrin IX. In a study of different synthetic heme analogues for in vitro inhibition of heme oxygenase, we found that replacement of iron by zinc in deuteroporphyrin IX 2,4 bis glycol dramatically potentiated the inhibition of heme oxygenase activity. This finding demonstrated that zinc deuteroporphyrin IX 2,4 bis glycol is a most potent inhibitor of heme oxygenase activity.