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As the use of coastal and offshore environments expands, there is a need to better understand the exposure of marine megafauna to anthropogenic activities that potentially threaten their populations. Individual satellite telemetry studies are often hampered by small sample sizes, providing limited information on spatiotemporal distributions of migratory animals and their relationships to anthropogenic threats. We addressed this issue by synthesising satellite tracking data from 484 individuals of three taxonomic groups and six species; three marine turtle, two whale and one shark. The spatial overlap between taxa distributions and multiple anthropogenic activities was assessed as a proxy for the cumulative exposure of these taxa to anthropogenic threats (coastal modification, vessel strike, underwater noise, oil spill, bycatch, entanglement, and artificial light) across an area totalling 2,205,740 km2 off north-western Australia. Core exposure areas (top 50% of the distribution) encompassed ecologically important sites for all taxa, such as the Ningaloo and Pilbara regions, migratory routes for whales and sharks in offshore waters beyond Ningaloo Reef, and marine turtle nesting beaches at Barrow Island and Cape Lambert. Although areas of high exposure represented <14% of taxa distributions, we showed that no taxa occurred in the absence of threats and that even areas with existing spatial protections are experiencing high levels of exposure. Importantly, we developed a robust approach for documenting the potential exposure of marine species to a range of human activities at appropriate spatial scales to inform conservation management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is characterized by an excessive fear of social situations that can lead to serious functional impairment; it negatively affects a person's self‐esteem and social interactions. Its prevalence has increased over the past four decades, and SAD is one of the most prevalent psychiatric disorders in Japan. Therefore, more precise interventions are needed. This study administered false safety behavior elimination therapy (F‐SET), which eliminates safety behavior (i.e., strategies that reduce anxiety), to six Japanese patients with SAD. This is the first adaptation of F‐SET into Japanese. Seven patients were screened and six (Mage = 27.83 years, only males) were eligible for the study criteria. Each patient received five weekly 60‐min F‐SET sessions. At post‐F‐SET, the mean reduction in Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale score from baseline was −20.50 (95% confidence interval: −30.65, −10.35; p =.003). After completing the treatment, all participants showed substantially decreased SAD symptoms, which indicates preliminary support for the adapted treatment's efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Shipping impacts are a major environmental concern that can affect the behaviour and health of marine mammals and fishes. The potential impacts of shipping within marine parks is rarely considered during the planning process. Aims: We assessed the areal disturbance footprint of shipping around Australia, its overlap with marine parks, and known locations of megafauna, so as to identify areas of concern that warrant further investigation. Methods: Automatic Identification System (AIS) shipping data from 2018 to 2021 were interpreted through a kernel-density distribution and compared with satellite data from ∼200 individuals of megafauna amalgamated from 2003 to 2018, and the locations of marine parks. Key results: Over 18% of marine parks had shipping exposure in excess of 365 vessels per year. Around all of Australia, 39% of satellite-tag reports from whale shark and 36.7% of pygmy blue and humpback whale satellite-tag reports were in moderate shipping-exposure areas (>90 ships per year). Shipping exposure significantly increased from 2018 despite the pandemic, including within marine parks. Conclusions: These results highlight the wide-scale footprint of commercial shipping on marine ecosystems that may be increasing in intensity over time. Implications: Consideration should be made for assessing and potentially limiting shipping impacts along migration routes and within marine parks. We assessed areal extent and frequency of shipping in Australian waters, and how that pattern relates to the distribution of marine parks, and satellite tracked whale sharks and baleen whales. Nearly 30% of marine parks were exposed to daily shipping effects across 100% of their area, and ∼25% of tag records of whales and whale sharks were in exposed areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Activity patterns of animals often relate to environmental variables such as food availability and predation pressure. Technological advances are providing us with new tools to monitor and better understand these activity patterns. We used animal-attached data loggers recording acceleration and depth to compare activity patterns and vertical habitat use of whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) at Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia. Whale sharks showed a moderate reverse diel vertical migration but exhibited a clear crepuscular pattern in locomotory activity. Peak activity occurred at sunset, whereas vertical movement peaked prior to this. Typical ram surface filter feeding could be identified and occurred primarily during sunset and the first hours of night. At such times, direct observations indicated whale sharks were feeding on tropical krill swarms. Kinematic analysis of postural data and data from vertical movement suggests that whale sharks at Ningaloo spend ~8 min per day actively ram surface filter feeding. Considering the high biomass present in krill schools, it is estimated that whale sharks at Ningaloo have a similar energy intake as those at other aggregation sites. Diel patterns in activity and diving behaviour suggest that whale sharks have tuned their diving behaviour in anticipation of the formation of these high-density patches which appear to only be periodically, but predictably available at sunset. Our results confirm that diel patterns in vertical habitat selection and vertical movements do not necessarily reflect patterns in activity and foraging behaviour. Direct quantification of activity and behaviour is required in gaining accurate representation of diel activity patterns., Introduction Diel changes in vertical habitat use (e.g. diel vertical migration, DVM) have been widely documented in aquatic predators and are considered to be the result of changes in the [...]

Prolactin, a hormone secreted by the pituitary gland, is associated with lactation, or the secretion of breast milk. Normally, elevated levels of prolactin in nonpregnant female patients indicate a malfunction of the pituitary gland. However, a case history is presented in which, after treatment to relieve symptoms of secondary amenorrhea (absence of menstruation) and galactorrhea (spontaneous flow of breast milk) caused by elevated prolactin (hyperprolactinemia), the condition returned. The patient, a 25-year-old women, was initially diagnosed with a pituitary tumor and treated surgically. The procedure was not entirely successful and was followed-up with drug therapy. After apparent relief of symptoms for about two years, prolactin levels were again found to be elevated and galactorrhea returned. An ovarian teratoma (tumor) was noted during routine examination. When the tumor was removed, tissue examination revealed the presence of prolactin. After removal of the tumor, the patient's prolactin level returned to normal. The authors are not aware of any other documented cases of hyperprolactinemia associated with teratoma. It was believed that this patient's pituitary function was not the cause of the initial prolactin irregularity, although it is possible that pituitary irregularity was a contributing factor. A variety of suggestions which outline possible courses that this patient's condition actually followed are discussed. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

In this paper, we examine the expenditure of whale shark tour participants at Ningaloo Marine Park, Western Australia; the location of the world's first whale shark tourism industry, established in 1989. We demonstrate that in 2006, participants' expenditure in the region was $894 per trip, total expenditure was $6.0 million (all figures are in Australian dollars), and between $2.4 and $4.6 million would have been lost to the region if whale shark tourism did not exist. Our measure of participants' expenditure is substantially lower than the calculation of $2370 per participant from a previous study of whale shark tourists using data collected in 1995. We argue that this is consistent with a change in the types of wildlife tourists that participate in an activity as the industry reaches the point of consolidation. Our results also suggest that using old data to forecast wildlife tourists' expenditure needs to take into account the industry's stage of development. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]