Dive behaviour impacts the ability of heart rate to predict oxygen consumption in Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) foraging at depth.

The predictive relationship between heart rate (f(H)) and oxygen consumption (VO2) has been derived for several species of marine mammals swimming horizontally or diving in tanks to shallow depths. However, it is unclear how dive activity affects the f(H):VO2 relationship and whether the existing equations apply to animals diving to deeper depths. We investigated these questions by simultaneously measuring the f(H) and VO2 of Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) under different activity states (surface resting or diving), types of dives (single dives or dive bouts), and depths (10 or 40 m). We examined the relationship over dives only and also over dive cycles (dive + surface interval). We found that f(H) could only predict VO2 over a complete single dive cycle or dive bout cycle (i.e. surface intervals had to be included). The predictive equation derived for sea lions resting on the surface did not differ from that for single dive cycles. However, the equation derived over dive bout cycles (multiple dives + surface intervals) differed from those for single dive cycles or surface resting, with similar f(H) for multiple dive bout equations yielding higher predicted VO2 than that for single dive bout cycles (or resting). The f(H):VO2 relationships were not significantly affected by dive duration, dive depth, water temperature or cumulative food consumed under the conditions tested. Ultimately, our results demonstrate that f(H) can be used to predict activity-specific metabolic rates of diving Steller sea lions, but only over complete dive cycles that include a post-dive surface recovery period.

Environment and feeding change the ability of heart rate to predict metabolism in resting Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus).

The ability to use heart rate (fh) to predict oxygen consumption rates ([Formula: see text]) in Steller sea lions and other pinnipeds has been investigated in fasting animals. However, it is unknown whether established fh:[Formula: see text] relationships hold under more complex physiological situations, such as when animals are feeding or digesting. We assessed whether fh could accurately predict [Formula: see text] in trained Steller sea lions while fasting and after being fed. Using linear mixed-effects models, we derived unique equations to describe the fh:[Formula: see text] relationship for fasted sea lions resting on land and in water. Feeding did not significantly change the fh:[Formula: see text] relationship on land. However, Steller sea lions in water displayed a different fh:[Formula: see text] relationship after consuming a 4-kg meal compared with the fasting condition. Incorporating comparable published fh:[Formula: see text] data from Steller sea lions showed a distinct effect of feeding after a 6-kg meal. Ultimately, our study illustrated that both feeding and physical environment are statistically relevant when deriving [Formula: see text] from telemetered fh, but that only environment affects the practical ability to predict metabolism from fh. Updating current bioenergetic models with data gathered using these predictive fh:[Formula: see text] equations will yield more accurate estimates of metabolic rates of free-ranging Steller sea lions under a variety of physiological, behavioral, and environmental states.

Evaluation and pharmacologic management of symptoms in cancer patients undergoing acute rehabilitation in a comprehensive cancer center.

OBJECTIVES: To identify cancer patients' symptoms at admission and on discharge from an acute rehabilitation unit, to document the discharge medications used for symptom management, and to assess how symptoms affect lengths of stay (LOS). DESIGN: Retrospective chart review. SETTING: Acute inpatient rehabilitation unit within a tertiary cancer center. PARTICIPANTS: Ninety-six patients (49 men, 47 women) were admitted to an acute inpatient rehabilitation unit. The median age was 64 years (range, 26-87y). INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS) scores at admission and on discharge. RESULTS: The most intense symptom (mean ESAS visual analog scale score +/- standard deviation) on admission was poor appetite (3.7+/-3.3), followed by fatigue (3.4+/-2.6). Similar results were found for the 63 patients with ESAS scores available at both time points. On discharge, poor appetite (2.2+/-2.4) was still the most intense symptom reported, again followed by fatigue (2.2+/-2.1). There were significant improvements in anxiety (P=.001), constipation (P=.001), fatigue (P=.002), pain (P=.003), appetite (P=.004), sense of well-being (P=.01), and insomnia (P=.04). Seventy percent (65/93) of patients received discharge prescriptions for symptom control, with analgesics being the most frequently prescribed. The poor appetite and depression admission scores correlated positively with hospital LOS (P<.001, P=.05, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Assessment of symptoms revealed significant symptom burdens in cancer patients undergoing rehabilitation. Pharmacologic interventions for management of symptoms were frequently needed.