BACKGROUND Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ) is a country with a tobacco endgame plan that includes denicotinisation of tobacco. 2 Because of concerns these measures could increase tobacco smuggling, we aimed to provide new baseline data on such smuggling. We studied littered tobacco packs during a ‘natural experiment’ when no international tourists and relatively few NZ travellers arrived due to COVID19related border controls (eg, typically requiring 2 weeks of facilitybased quarantine for NZ citizens only). That is, we assumed that during this period, the proportion of littered packs which were foreign was likely to reflect levels of smuggling. Evidence suggests tobacco smuggling into NZ occurs mainly via shipping containers, the postal system and international airline staff.

Small vessels contribute substantially to coastal soundscapes, presenting myriad potential impacts on marine species and ecosystems, yet are challenging to monitor using standard tracking methods (e.g. AIS). Here, we present an automated camera system developed to quantify coastal vessel traffic in a core habitat for Hector’s dolphins (Cephalorhynchus hectori) within Akaroa Harbour, Aotearoa New Zealand. Analysis of 55,569 images taken during the austral summer of 2019/20 showed that traffic was highest around midday, on weekends, and in January. A mean of 41.9 vessel trips per day transited the area of core habitat. Vessel speeds estimated from photographs were assigned to 5-knot bins with 84% accuracy. Findings suggest vessel traffic in Akaroa Harbour has approximately doubled between 2006–2008 and 2020. Additionally, tours focused specifically on dolphins composed a significantly larger proportion of vessel traffic in 2020 than observed during 2006–2008. We validate the use of an automated camera system as a robust, novel, repeatable, and cost-effective tool for quantifying fluctuations in coastal vessel traffic. Such tools can provide baseline data and help assess impacts, and their use can guide management action.

Vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are becoming invaluable data collection platforms for cetacean research. In particular, multi-rotors can be used to measure whales and investigate their behavior. Moreover, VTOL UAVs are increasingly accessible for recreational and commercial pilots, and close encounters with whales are widely documented. Unfortunately, quantitative assessments of potential disturbance for the targeted animals are not yet published and guidelines for responsible use of UAVs around cetaceans are still under development. We conducted VTOL UAV surveys on humpback whales in Vava'u, Kingdom of Tonga. Interestingly, whale behaviors such as socializing and nurturing were not detected by trained observers on board the research vessel, but were evident from the UAV. Nevertheless, no significant differences were detected in diving and swim parameters between absence and presence of UAV flying at 30 m altitude. These results suggest that VTOL UAVs can be a noninvasive tool to gather morphometric and behavioral data on baleen whales. However, further research is necessary to establish whether applications that require flight altitudes lower than 30 m and targeting different species may elicit behavioral responses.

The Kingdom of Tonga is a one of the few countries worldwide that allow swim-with-whales tourism activities. Most of the tour operators are based in Vava'u archipelago which represents an important breeding ground for Oceania humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae). This study represents an assessment of the effects of swimmer approaches on humpback whales' behaviour using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). UAV flights took place during the 2016 and 2017 whale breeding seasons from onboard research and swim-with-whales vessels. Whales' behavioural states (resting, travelling, surface-active, socialising, nurturing) were assessed from aerial videos and the proportions of time spent in each state in the presence and absence of swimmers were compared. Whale agonistic behaviours directed towards swimmers and the injury of a swimmer caused by a whale were documented. Results indicate that in-water tourism activities significantly altered the time spent in each behavioural state by humpback whale in Vava'u. Mother-calf pairs decreased the proportion of time spent nurturing, while the time spent travelling increased two-fold when approached by swimmers. These findings indicate a potential energy expenditure increase for humpback whale mothers and their calves in response to swim-with tourism activities in Vava'u. Moreover, whales' behavioural responses can pose danger of injury to swimmers.

The majority of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) undertake an annual migration from high latitude feeding grounds to tropical/subtropical breeding grounds. Suitable calving habitat for this species includes warm (typically 19?C to 28?C), shallow, sheltered waters in tropical and subtropical waters. Here, we investigated occurrence of calving beyond the primary recognised breeding grounds (16? to 24?S) of the east Australian humpback whale population (E1). We examined location, depth (m), and SST (?C) associated with newborn observations in Gold Coast Bay, in southern Queensland, Australia from 2013 to 2016. A total of 74 newborns were recorded in the study area, with the majority observed in July and August. These findings may signify that the Gold Coast Bay provides an apparently suitable habitat for calving for this humpback whale population. As the area has not been classified as calving habitat, these findings will assist conservation managers in making informed management decisions regarding this species.

Vava'u, Kingdom of Tonga, is a well-established whale-watching destination in the South Pacific. Between July and October, the waters around the archipelago represent one of the most important breeding grounds for Oceania humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae). The Tongan government allows tourist swimming activities with whales and tour operators strongly promote the practice of swimming-with-whales, focusing primarily on mother-calf pairs. However, there is increasing evidence, derived from empirical research on swim-with-cetacean tourism, that this kind of interaction affects cetacean behaviour and can lead to negative effects on the cetaceans involved. This study represents the first assessment of humpback whales' behavioural responses to vessel and swimmer approaches in Vava'u. Fifty-six surveys took place during the 2016 and 2017 whale breeding seasons aboard dedicated research and tour vessels. Whale dive time, number of reorientation events, and respiration rates were documented in both the absence and presence of boats and swimmers. Vessel approach type, swimmer placement, and whale avoidance responses were also recorded. Results indicate that the average diving time and the proportion of time spent diving in the presence of swimming activities increased significantly for mother-calf pairs (F2,36 = 18.183, P < 0.001; F2,36 = 5.462, P = 0.009, respectively). Moreover, avoidance responses of whales towards tour vessels were observed for one third of vessel approaches (33.5%) and the avoidance rate was significantly affected by the boat approach type (95% CI: 20.7-69.2%, z = 3.50, P < 0.001). Finally, low levels of compliance to the existing Tongan swim-with-whales regulations were documented, in particular the stipulated whale resting time between interactions with tour operator vessels and swimmers was often not respected (38.4%). Vava'u is an important calving ground for the Oceania humpback whale population and these findings should be carefully considered by stakeholders in Tonga and at other locations where swim-with-whales opportunities are being undertaken. Effective strategies to reduce the risk of detrimental effects on the whales targeted by swimming activities, especially mother-calf pairs, are needed.

Unmanned aerial systems (UAS), commonly referred to as drones, are finding applications in several ecological research areas since remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) technology has ceased to be a military prerogative. Fixed-wing RPA have been tested for line transect aerial surveys of geographically dispersed marine mammal species. Despite many advantages, their systematic use is far from a reality. Low altitude, long endurance systems are still highly priced. Regulatory bodies also impose limitations while struggling to cope with UAS rapid technological evolution. In contrast, small vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) UAS have become increasingly affordable but lack the flight endurance required for long-range aerial surveys. Although this issue and civil aviation regulations prevent the use of VTOL UAS for marine mammal abundance estimation on a large scale, recent studies have highlighted other potential applications. The present note represents a general overview on the use of UAS as a survey tool for marine mammal studies. The literature pertaining to UAS marine mammal research applications is considered with special concern for advantages and limitations of the survey design. The use of lightweight VTOL UAS to collect marine mammal behavioral data is also discussed.

Pancreatic adenocarcinomas and diabetes mellitus are responsible for the deaths of around two million people each year worldwide. Patients with chronic pancreatitis do not die directly of this disease, except where the pathology is hereditary. Much current literature supports the involvement of bile salt-dependent lipase (BSDL), also known as carboxyl ester lipase (CEL), in the pathophysiology of these pancreatic diseases. The purpose of this review is to shed light on connections between chronic pancreatitis, diabetes, and pancreatic adenocarcinomas by gaining an insight into BSDL and its variants. This enzyme is normally secreted by the exocrine pancreas, and is diverted within the intestinal lumen to participate in the hydrolysis of dietary lipids. However, BSDL is also expressed by other cells and tissues, where it participates in lipid homeostasis. Variants of BSDL resulting from germline and/or somatic mutations (nucleotide insertion/deletion or nonallelic homologous recombination) are expressed in the pancreas of patients with pancreatic pathologies such as chronic pancreatitis, MODY-8, and pancreatic adenocarcinomas. We discuss the possible link between the expression of BSDL variants and these dramatic pancreatic pathologies, putting forward the suggestion that BSDL and its variants are implicated in the cell lipid metabolism/reprogramming that leads to the dyslipidemia observed in chronic pancreatitis, MODY-8, and pancreatic adenocarcinomas. We also propose potential strategies for translation to therapeutic applications.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a devastating disease progressing asymptomatically until death within months after diagnosis. Defining at-risk populations should promote an early diagnosis and efficient follow-up, therefore avoiding its development. Single nucleotide polymorphisms, or SNPs, constitute the most abundant form of genetic variation in the human genome. SNPs are markers of diverse populations or individuals, yet also can be associated with differences in susceptibility or severity of certain diseases and/or individual responses to drugs. Many SNPs have previously been identified in studies of healthy subjects and patients with different alleles of a given gene. To date, around forty SNPs from the human genome have been correlated with predisposition to PDAC by pan-genomic studies or genome wide association studies (GWAS). However, parts of the human genome located within the GC-rich repeated domain of chromosomes are unsuitable for GWAS. Unfortunately, of those forty SNPs none are currently used in routine clinical protocols as potential biomarkers for PDAC. Exon 11 of the bile salt-dependent lipase gene ( BSDL ) plays a key role in pancreatic disease and encodes variable number of tandem repeat (VNTR) sequences, therefore Martinez et al . [Oncotarget. 2015; 6: 39855-39864.] hypothesized that a genetic link exists between mutations in VNTR loci and predisposition to pancreatic cancer (PC). Authors reported that the c.1719C>T transition (SNP rs488087) present in BSDL VNTR may be a useful marker for defining a population at risk of developing PC (occurrence: 63.90% in the PC group versus 27.30% in the control group). Notably, the odds ratio (OR) of 4.7 for the T allele was larger than those already determined for other SNPs suspected to be predictive of PC. Further studies on tumor pancreatic tissue suggested that the T allele may favor Kras G12R/G12D somatic mutations which represent negative prognostic factors associated with reduced survival. Furthermore, a robust method using probes for droplet digital (dd)-PCR was designed to specifically discriminate the C/C major from C/T or T/T minor genotypes. Altogether, Martinez et al . propose that detection of the T allele in rs488087 SNP should lead to an in-depth follow-up of these patients, particularly if associated with other potential risk factors of PC.

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a dismal disease.The lack of specific symptoms still leads to a delay in diagnosis followed by death within months for most patients.Exon 11 of the bile salt-dependent lipase (BSDL) gene encoding variable number of tandem repeated (VNTR) sequences has been involved in pancreatic pathologies.We hypothesized that BSDL VNTR sequences may be mutated in PDAC.The amplification of BSDL VNTR from RNA extracted from pancreatic SOJ-6 cells allowed us to identify a BSDL amplicon in which a cytosine residue is inserted in a VNTR sequence.This insertion gives rise to a premature stop codon, resulting in a truncated protein and to a modification of the C-terminal amino-acid sequence; that is PRAAHG instead of PAVIRF.We produced antibodies directed against these sequences and examined pancreatic tissues from patients with PDAC and PanIN.Albeit all tissues were positive to anti-PAVIRF antibodies, 72.2% of patient tissues gave positive reaction with anti-PRAAHG antibodies, particularly in dysplastic areas of the tumor.Neoplastic cells with ductal differentiation were not reactive to anti-PRAAHG antibodies.Some 70% of PanIN tissues were also reactive to anti-PRAAHG antibodies, suggesting that the C insertion occurs early during pancreatic carcinogenesis.Data suggest that anti-PRAAHG antibodies were uniquely reactive with a short isoform of BSDL specifically expressed in pre-neoplastic lesions of the pancreas.The detection of truncated BSDL reactive to antibodies against the PRAAHG C-terminal sequence in pancreatic juice or in pancreatic biopsies may be a new tool in the early diagnosis of PDAC.

Common dolphins, Delphinus sp., are one of the marine mammal species tourism operations in New Zealand focus on. While effects of cetacean-watching activities have previously been examined in coastal regions in New Zealand, this study is the first to investigate effects of commercial tourism and recreational vessels on common dolphins in an open oceanic habitat. Observations from both an independent research vessel and aboard commercial tour vessels operating off the central and east coast Bay of Plenty, North Island, New Zealand were used to assess dolphin behaviour and record the level of compliance by permitted commercial tour operators and private recreational vessels with New Zealand regulations. Dolphin behaviour was assessed using two different approaches to Markov chain analysis in order to examine variation of responses of dolphins to vessels. Results showed that, regardless of the variance in Markov methods, dolphin foraging behaviour was significantly altered by boat interactions. Dolphins spent less time foraging during interactions and took significantly longer to return to foraging once disrupted by vessel presence. This research raises concerns about the potential disruption to feeding, a biologically critical behaviour. This may be particularly important in an open oceanic habitat, where prey resources are typically widely dispersed and unpredictable in abundance. Furthermore, because tourism in this region focuses on common dolphins transiting between adjacent coastal locations, the potential for cumulative effects could exacerbate the local effects demonstrated in this study. While the overall level of compliance by commercial operators was relatively high, non-compliance to the regulations was observed with time restriction, number or speed of vessels interacting with dolphins not being respected. Additionally, prohibited swimming with calves did occur. The effects shown in this study should be carefully considered within conservation management plans, in order to reduce the risk of detrimental effects on common dolphins within the region.

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is a devastating disease progressing asymptomatically until death within months after diagnosis. Defining at-risk populations should promote its earlier diagnosis and hence also avoid its development. Considering the known involvement in pancreatic disease of exon 11 of the bile salt-dependent lipase (BSDL) gene that encodes variable number of tandem repeat (VNTR) sequences, we hypothesized upon the existence of a genetic link between predisposition to PC and mutations in VNTR loci. To test this, BSDL VNTR were amplified by touchdown-PCR performed on genomic DNA extracted from cancer tissue or blood samples from a French patient cohort and amplicons were Sanger sequenced. A robust method using probes for droplet digital (dd)-PCR was designed to discriminate the C/C major from C/T or T/T minor genotypes. We report that the c.1719C > T transition (SNP rs488087) present in BSDL VNTR may be a useful marker for defining a population at risk of developing PC (occurrence: 63.90% in the PC versus 27.30% in the control group). The odds ratio of 4.7 for the T allele was larger than those already determined for other SNPs suspected to be predictive of PC. Further studies on tumor pancreatic tissue suggested that a germline T allele may favor Kras G12R/G12D somatic mutations which represent negative prognostic factors associated with reduced survival. We propose that the detection of the T allele in rs488087 SNP should lead to an in-depth follow-up of patients in whom an association with other potential risk factors of pancreatic cancer may be present.

Whale-watching activities can induce behavioral changes that may negatively affect cetacean populations. However, these changes may vary depending on species, populations and environmental features. It is important to determine inter-specific variation in cetacean responses to stressors in order to identify the best metrics for evaluation of consequences of anthropogenic disturbance. We used meta-analyses to assess the consistency of cetacean responses to whalewatching vessels across a pool of suitable studies covering a variety of species and sites. We analyzed several metrics to capture cetacean heterogeneous responses and to explore their reliability across species. We found disruptions of activity budget and of path directionality as the most consistent responses towards whale-watching vessels. In a similar manner across species, animals were more likely to travel and less likely to rest and forage in the presence of vessels. Cetaceans also showed a tendency to increase path sinuosity (deviation index) and decrease path linearity (directness index) during boat interactions. We also explored the influence of socio-ecological factors on behavioral response but found no consistent results among studies. Further population-specific studies should address the potential long-term consequences of these behavioral responses to inform management of the whale-watching industry.

Knowledge about the maturity status of specimens included in evolutionary, tax-onomic or life history investigations is fundamentally important. This study investigated the use of the degree of cranial suture fusion, the developmental status of cranial bones, and the degree of tooth wear as indicators for cranial maturity status in Delphinus sp. from New Zealand waters. In total, 15 sutures, one joint and three nonmetric characters were assessed on 66 skulls obtained from stranded and by-caught individuals sampled between 1932 and 2011. A suture index (SI) was computed based on 10 sutures, in which degree of fusion was correlated with age and the three misclassification indices (MI), calculated for a given suture, were <50%. In addition to these, five premaxilla-maxilla fusion and seven tooth wear categories were assessed. Results suggest that New Zealand Delphinus sp. skulls should be regarded as cranially mature if at least two of the following criteria are met: (1) individuals assessed as sexually mature, (2) aged ≥ 11 yr, (3) SI ≥ 8, and (4) premaxilla-maxilla fusion ≥ 75% of the length of the dorsal side of the rostrum. Presence of any number of rostral teeth worn to the gum line provided further evidence for cranial maturity.

Few studies have investigated regional and natural climate variability on seabird populations using ocean reanalysis datasets (e.g. Simple Ocean Data Assimilation (SODA)) that integrate atmospheric information to supplement ocean observations and provide improved estimates of ocean conditions. Herein we use a non-systematic dataset on Australasian gannets (Morus serrator) from 2001 to 2009 to identify potential connections between Gannet Sightings Per Unit Effort (GSPUE) and climate and oceanographic variability in a region of known importance for breeding seabirds, the Hauraki Gulf (HG), New Zealand. While no statistically significant relationships between GSPUE and global climate indices were determined, there was a significant correlation between GSPUE and regional SST anomaly for HG. Also, there appears to be a strong link between global climate indices and regional climate in the HG. Further, based on cross-correlation function coefficients and lagged multiple regression models, we identified potential leading and lagging climate variables, and climate variables but with limited predictive capacity in forecasting future GSPUE. Despite significant inter-annual variability and marginally cooler SSTs since 2001, gannet sightings appear to be increasing. We hypothesize that at present underlying physical changes in the marine ecosystem may be insufficient to affect supply of preferred gannet main prey (pilchard Sardinops spp.), which tolerate a wide thermal range. Our study showcases the potential scientific value of lengthy non-systematic data streams and when designed properly (i.e., contain abundance, flock size, and spatial data), can yield useful information in climate impact studies on seabirds and other marine fauna. Such information can be invaluable for enhancing conservation measures for protected species in fiscally constrained research environments.

Oncofetal fucose-rich glycovariants of the pathological bile salt-dependent lipase (pBSDL) appear during human pancreatic oncogenesis and are detected by the monoclonal antibody J28 (mAbJ28). We aimed to identify murine counterparts on pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cells and tissue and investigate the potential of dendritic cells (DC) loaded with this unique pancreatic tumor antigen to promote immunotherapy in preclinical trials. Pathological BSDLs purified from pancreatic juices of patients with PDAC were cleaved to generate glycosylated C-terminal moieties (C-ter) containing mAbJ28-reactive glycoepitopes. Immunoreactivity of the murine PDAC line Panc02 and tumor tissue to mAbJ28 was detected by immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry. C-ter-J28(+) immunization promoted Th1-dominated immune responses. In vitro C-ter-J28(+)-loaded DC skewed CD3(+) T-cells toward Th1 polarization. C-ter-J28(+)-DC-vaccinations selectively enhanced cell immunoreactivity to Panc02, as demonstrated by CD4(+)-and CD8(+)-T-cell activation, increased percentages of CD4(+)- and CD8(+)-T-cells and NK1.1(+) cells expressing granzyme B, and T-cell cytotoxicity. Prophylactic and therapeutic C-ter-J28(+)-DC-vaccinations reduced ectopic Panc02-tumor growth, provided long-lasting protection from Panc02-tumor development in 100% of mice but not from melanoma, and attenuated progression of orthotopic tumors as revealed by MRI. Thus murine DC loaded with pancreatic tumor-specific glycoepitope C-ter-J28(+) induce efficient anticancer adaptive immunity and represent a potential adjuvant therapy for patients afflicted with PDAC.

We present the first fine-scale data relating to the occurrence and group characteristics for killer whales (Orcinus orca) in the Hauraki Gulf, New Zealand, as observed from a platform of opportunity (PoP). Group size and composition were examined in relation to water depth and sea surface temperature (SST). From 2000 to 2010, 119 orca encounters were recorded, involving 1 to 18 animals. The encounter rate varied seasonally, being highest in austral spring and lowest in summer. Water depth in which whales were observed was significantly affected by group composition. Sixty-seven percent of groups contained immature animals. Group size was highly skewed towards smaller groups comprising two animals. While this study illustrates that PoPs can be used to indicate the occurrence and group characteristics of highly mobile social species, biases clearly exist. Through identifying such inaccuracies, we present recommendations on how future data should be collected to minimise error and improve datasets for scientific use.

Ductal adenocarcinoma of the pancreas is ranking 4 for patient' death from malignant disease in Western countries, with no satisfactory treatment. We re-examined more precisely the histone deacetylases (HDAC) and Sirtuin (SIRT) gene expression patterns in pancreatic cancer with more pancreatic tumors and normal tissues. We also examined the possible relationship between HDAC gene expression levels and long term disease outcome. Moreover, we have evaluated by using an in vitro model system of human pancreatic tumor cell line whether HDAC7 knockdown may affect the cell behavior. We analyzed 29 pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PA), 9 chronic pancreatitis (CP), 8 benign pancreatic (BP) and 11 normal pancreatic tissues. Concerning pancreatic adenocarcinoma, we were able to collect biopsies at the tumor periphery. To assess the possible involvement of HDAC7 in cell proliferation capacity, we have generated recombinant human Panc-1 tumor which underexpressed or overexpressed HDAC7. The expression of HDAC1,2,3,4,7 and Nur77 increased in PA samples at levels significantly higher than those observed in the CP group (p = 0.0160; 0.0114; 0.0227; 0.0440; 0.0136; 0.0004, respectively). The expression of HDAC7, was significantly greater in the PA compared with BP tissue samples (p = 0.05). Mean mRNA transcription levels of PA for HDAC7 and HDAC2 were higher when compared to their counterpart biopsies taken at the tumor periphery (p = 0.0346, 0.0053, respectively). Moreover, the data obtained using confocal microscopy and a quantitative method of immunofluorescence staining strongly support the HDAC7 overexpression in PA surgical specimens. The number of deaths and recurrences at the end of follow up were significantly greater in patients with overexpression of HDAC7. Interestingly, the rate of growth was significantly reduced in the case of cell carrying shRNA construct targeting HDAC7 encoding gene when compared to the parental Panc-1 tumor cells (p = 0.0015) at 48 h and 96 h (p = 0.0021). This study strongly support the notion that HDAC7play a role in pancreatic adenocarcinoma progression.