Hematology and Plasma Chemistry as Indicators of Health and Ecological Status In Beluga Whales, Delphinapterus Leucas

The capture of beluga whales, Delphinapterus leucas, for instrumentation or tagging afforded the opportunity to collect blood, which was analyzed to evaluate the animals' health and gain information on basic physiological systems. Here, we report on hematological and plasma chemical constituents in samples obtained from 183 belugas, 55 of which were handled during attempts to apply tracking instruments. The other 128 samples were either drawn from live belugas captured for exhibit in zoological parks or research or obtained from the fresh carcasses of whales taken by Inuit hunters. The data span a 15-year period beginning in 1983 and represent various beluga stocks in the Canadian Arctic. The majority of the specimens were collected during the summer or estuarine phase of the belugas' annual cycle. Comparisons by age group, sex, stock, season, and year revealed significant differences in most of the cellular and chemical constituents examined. These results demonstrate some of the variability that might be encountered when examining a "random" selection of belugas at a particular location and time. Immature-sized whales had higher leucocyte counts, electrolyte concentrations, enzyme activity, total protein, albumin, hemoglobin, and some metabolites than older animals. Sex alone was associated with few hematological and plasma chemical differences. Seasonal variation in thyroid hormone activity was linked to marked environmental changes associated with the transition from cold oceanic waters to relatively warm estuaries. Two belugas recaptured 19 and 24 days after instrumentation showed changes in leucocyte counts, hematocrit, and a variety of plasma chemical constituents, some of which indicate inflammation and a likely physiological response to handling and tagging stresses.On a profité du fait qu'on capturait des bélougas, Delphinapterus leucas, en vue de les équiper d'instruments ou de les marquer, pour prélever des échantillons de sang qu'on a ensuite analysés afin d'évaluer l'état de santé des individus et de collecter de l'information sur leurs grands systèmes physiologiques. Nous présentons ici un rapport sur les constituants hématologiques et chimiques du plasma dans des échantillons provenant de 183 bélougas, dont 55 ont été manipulés au cours de tentatives visant à les équiper d'instruments de poursuite. Les 128 autres échantillons ont été obtenus soit de bélougas vivants capturés en vue d'être placés dans des zoos ou pour la recherche, soit de carcasses fraîches de baleines prises par les chasseurs inuits. Les données couvrent une période de 15 ans, commençant en 1983, et représentent divers stocks de bélougas de l'océan Arctique canadien. La plupart des spécimens ont été recueillis durant l'été ou durant la phase estuarienne du cycle annuel du bélouga. Des comparaisons par groupe d'âge, sexe, stock, saison et année ont révélé des différences marquées dans la plupart des constituants cellulaires et chimiques examinés. Ces résultats font ressortir une certaine variabilité à laquelle on peut s'attendre quand on étudie un échantillon "aléatoire" de bélougas pris à un endroit et à un moment donnés. Par rapport à des individus plus âgés, les baleines qui n'avaient pas atteint leur taille adulte avaient un compte de globules blancs plus élevé, de même qu'une plus forte concentration d'électrolytes, une plus grande activité enzymatique, et un taux plus fort d'albumine, d'hémoglobine et de certains métabolites. Le sexe seul n'était associé qu'à quelques différences hématologiques et chimiques du plasma. Une variation saisonnière de l'activité des hormones thyroïdiennes était liée à des changements nets du milieu correspondant à la transition des eaux froides océaniques aux estuaires relativement chauds. Deux bélougas recapturés 19 et 24 jours après avoir été équipés d'instruments montraient des changements dans le compte de globules blancs, dans l'hématocrite et dans divers constituants chimiques du plasma, dont certains révèlent une inflammation et probablement une réaction physiologique au stress dû à la manipulation et au marquage

First observation and amplitude analysis of the B- -> D+K-pi(-) decay

The B-→D+K-π- decay is observed in a data sample corresponding to 3.0 fb-1 of pp collision data recorded by the LHCb experiment during 2011 and 2012. Its branching fraction is measured to be B(B-→D+K-π-)=(7.31±0.19±0.22±0.39)×10-5 where the uncertainties are statistical, systematic and from the branching fraction of the normalization channel B-→D+π-π-, respectively. An amplitude analysis of the resonant structure of the B-→D+K-π- decay is used to measure the contributions from quasi-two-body B-→D0∗(2400)0K-, B-→D2∗(2460)0K-, and B-→DJ∗(2760)0K- decays, as well as from nonresonant sources. The DJ∗(2760)0 resonance is determined to have spin 1

First observation and amplitude analysis of the B−→D+K−π− decay

The B−→D+K−π− decay is observed in a data sample corresponding to 3.0  fb−1 of pp collision data recorded by the LHCb experiment during 2011 and 2012. Its branching fraction is measured to be B(B−→D+K−π−)=(7.31±0.19±0.22±0.39)×10−5 where the uncertainties are statistical, systematic and from the branching fraction of the normalization channel B−→D+π−π−, respectively. An amplitude analysis of the resonant structure of the B−→D+K−π− decay is used to measure the contributions from quasi-two-body B−→D∗0(2400)0K−, B−→D∗2(2460)0K−, and B−→D∗J(2760)0K− decays, as well as from nonresonant sources. The D∗J(2760)0 resonance is determined to have spin 1

Dalitz plot analysis ofB0→D¯0π+π−decays

The resonant substructures of $B^0 \to \overline{D}^0 \pi^+\pi^-$ decays are studied with the Dalitz plot technique. In this study a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3.0 fb$^{-1}$ of $pp$ collisions collected by the LHCb detector is used. The branching fraction of the $B^0 \to \overline{D}^0 \pi^+\pi^-$ decay in the region $m(\overline{D}^0\pi^{\pm})>2.1$ GeV$/c^2$ is measured to be $(8.46 \pm 0.14 \pm 0.29 \pm 0.40) \times 10^{-4}$, where the first uncertainty is statistical, the second is systematic and the last arises from the normalisation channel $B^0 \to D^*(2010)^-\pi^+$. The $\pi^+\pi^-$ S-wave components are modelled with the Isobar and K-matrix formalisms. Results of the Dalitz plot analyses using both models are presented. A resonant structure at $m(\overline{D}^0\pi^-) \approx 2.8$ GeV$/c^{2}$ is confirmed and its spin-parity is determined for the first time as $J^P = 3^-$. The branching fraction, mass and width of this structure are determined together with those of the $D^*_0(2400)^-$ and $D^*_2(2460)^-$ resonances. The branching fractions of other $B^0 \to \overline{D}^0 h^0$ decay components with $h^0 \to \pi^+\pi^-$ are also reported. Many of these branching fraction measurements are the most precise to date. The first observation of the decays $B^0 \to \overline{D}^0 f_0(500)$, $B^0 \to \overline{D}^0 f_0(980)$, $B^0 \to \overline{D}^0 \rho(1450)$, $B^0 \to D_3^*(2760)^- \pi^+$ and the first evidence of $B^0 \to \overline{D}^0 f_0(2020)$ are presented.Comment: 64 pages, 17 figure

Morbillivirus in common seals stranded on the coasts of Belgium and northern France during summer 1998

Sixteen common seals (Phoca vitulina) were stranded on the Belgian and northern French coasts during the summer of 1998. Eleven (10 pups and one adult) were sampled for histopathological, immunohistochemical, serological. bacteriological, parasitological and virological investigations. The main gross findings were severe emaciation, acute haemorrhagic enteritis, acute pneumonia, interstitial pulmonary emphysema and oedema, and chronic ulcerative stomatitis. Microscopical lung findings were acute to subacute pneumonia with interstitial oedema and emphysema. Severe lymphocytic depletion was observed in lymph nodes. Severe acute to subacute meningoencephalitis was observed in one animal. Specific staining with two monoclonal antibodies directed against canine distemper virus (CDV) and phocine distemper virus was observed in a few lymphocytes in the spleen and lymph nodes of three seals. Anti-CDV neutralising antibodies were detected in sera from six animals. Seven of the seals were positive by reverse transcriptase-PCR for the morbillivirus phosphoprotein gene. The lesions observed were consistent with those in animals infected by a morbillivirus, and demonstrated that distemper has recently recurred in North Sea seals