Enhanced shrub growth in the Arctic increases habitat connectivity for browsing herbivores

Habitat connectivity is a key factor influencing species range dynamics. Rapid warming in the Arctic is leading to widespread heterogeneous shrub expansion, but impacts of these habitat changes on range dynamics for large herbivores are not well understood. We use the climate-shrub-moose system of northern Alaska as a case study to examine how shrub habitat will respond to predicted future warming, and how these changes may impact habitat connectivity and the distribution of moose (Alces alces). We used a 19 year moose location dataset, a 568 km transect of field shrub sampling, and forecasted warming scenarios with regional downscaling to map current and projected shrub habitat for moose on the North Slope of Alaska. The tall-shrub habitat for moose exhibited a dendritic spatial configuration correlated with river corridor networks and mean July temperature. Warming scenarios predict that moose habitat will more than double by 2099. Forecasted warming is predicted to increase the spatial cohesion of the habitat network that diminishes effects of fragmentation, which improves overall habitat quality and likely expands the range of moose. These findings demonstrate how climate change may increase habitat connectivity and alter the distributions of shrub herbivores in the Arctic, including creation of novel communities and ecosystems.

Sensitivity evaluation of the Kudryavtsev permafrost model

Modeling is an important way to assess current and future permafrost spatial distribution and dynamics, especially in data poor areas like the Arctic region. Here, we evaluate a physics-based analytical model, Kudryavtsev's active layer model, which is widely used because it has relatively few data requirements. This model was recently incorporated into a component modeling toolbox, allowing for coupled modeling of permafrost and geomorphic processes over geological timescales. However, systematic quantitative assessment of the influence of its controlling parameters on permafrost temperature and active layer thickness predictions has not been undertaken before. We investigate the sensitivity of the Kudryavtsev's active layer model by Monte Carlo simulations to generate probability distributions for input parameters and compare predictions with a comprehensive benchmark dataset of in-situ permafrost observations over entire Alaska. Predicted permafrost surface temperature is highly dependent on mean annual air temperature (r = 0.78 on average), annual temperature amplitude (-0.41), and winter-averaged snow thickness (0.30). Uncertainty of predicted permafrost temperature is relatively small (RMSE = 1 °C), when air temperature and snow depth are well constrained. Similarly, RMSE between simulated and observed ALT at stations is ~0.08 m. However, under given air temperature and snow conditions, soil water content bias can significantly affect modeled active layer thickness (RMSE = 0.1 m or 40% of the observed active layer thickness). If soil water content has a large bias, improvements in other parameters may not significantly improve the active layer predictions of the Kudryavtsev's model.

Using Workers' Compensation Claims Data to Describe Nonfatal Injuries among Workers in Alaska

BACKGROUND

To gain a better understanding of nonfatal injuries in Alaska, underutilized data sources such as workers' compensation claims must be analyzed. The purpose of the current study was to utilize workers' compensation claims data to estimate the risk of nonfatal, work-related injuries among occupations in Alaska, characterize injury patterns, and prioritize future research.

METHODS

A dataset with information on all submitted claims during 2014-2015 was provided for analysis. Claims were manually reviewed and coded. For inclusion in this study, claims had to represent incidents that resulted in a nonfatal acute traumatic injury, occurred in Alaska during 2014-2015, and were approved for compensation.

RESULTS

Construction workers had the highest number of injuries (2,220), but a rate lower than the overall rate (34 per 1,000 construction workers, compared to 40 per 1,000 workers overall). Fire fighters had the highest rate of injuries on the job, with 162 injuries per 1,000 workers, followed by law enforcement officers with 121 injuries per 1,000 workers. The most common types of injuries across all occupations were sprains/strains/tears, contusions, and lacerations.

CONCLUSION

The successful use of Alaska workers' compensation data demonstrates that the information provided in the claims dataset is meaningful for epidemiologic research. The predominance of sprains, strains, and tears among all occupations in Alaska indicates that ergonomic interventions to prevent overexertion are needed. These findings will be used to promote and guide future injury prevention research and interventions.

Ringed seal (Pusa hispida) seasonal movements, diving, and haul-out behavior in the Beaufort, Chukchi, and Bering Seas (2011-2017)

Continued Arctic warming and sea-ice loss will have important implications for the conservation of ringed seals, a highly ice-dependent species. A better understanding of their spatial ecology will help characterize emerging ecological trends and inform management decisions. We deployed satellite transmitters on ringed seals in the summers of 2011, 2014, and 2016 near Utqiaġvik (formerly Barrow), Alaska, to monitor their movements, diving, and haul-out behavior. We present analyses of tracking and dive data provided by 17 seals that were tracked until at least January of the following year. Seals mostly ranged north of Utqiaġvik in the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas during summer before moving into the southern Chukchi and Bering Seas during winter. In all seasons, ringed seals occupied a diversity of habitats and spatial distributions, from near shore and localized, to far offshore and wide-ranging in drifting sea ice. Continental shelf waters were occupied for >96% of tracking days, during which repetitive diving (suggestive of foraging) primarily to the seafloor was the most frequent activity. From mid-summer to early fall, 12 seals made ~1-week forays off-shelf to the deep Arctic Basin, most reaching the retreating pack-ice, where they spent most of their time hauled out. Diel activity patterns suggested greater allocation of foraging efforts to midday hours. Haul-out patterns were complementary, occurring mostly at night until April-May when midday hours were preferred. Ringed seals captured in 2011-concurrent with an unusual mortality event that affected all ice-seal species-differed morphologically and behaviorally from seals captured in other years. Speculations about the physiology of molting and its role in energetics, habitat use, and behavior are discussed; along with possible evidence of purported ringed seal ecotypes.

Regional mapping of species-level continuous foliar cover: beyond categorical vegetation mapping

The ability to quantify spatial patterns and detect change in terrestrial vegetation across large landscapes depends on linking ground-based measurements of vegetation to remotely sensed data. Unlike non-overlapping categorical vegetation types (i.e., typical vegetation and land cover maps), species-level gradients of foliar cover are consistent with the ecological theories of individualistic response of species and niche space. We collected foliar cover data for vascular plant, bryophyte, and lichen species and 17 environmental variables in the Arctic Coastal Plain and Brooks Foothills of Alaska from 2012 to 2017. We integrated these data into a standardized database with 13 additional vegetation survey and monitoring data sets in northern Alaska collected from 1998 to 2017. To map the patterns of foliar cover for six dominant and widespread vascular plant species in arctic Alaska, we statistically associated ground-based measurements of species distribution and abundance to environmental and multi-season spectral covariates using a Bayesian statistical learning approach. For five of the six modeled species, our models predicted 36% to 65% of the observed species-level variation in foliar cover. Overall, our continuous foliar cover maps predicted more of the observed spatial heterogeneity in species distribution and abundance than an existing categorical vegetation map. Mapping continuous foliar cover at the species level also revealed ecological patterns obscured by aggregation in existing plant functional type approaches. Species-level analysis of vegetation patterns enables quantifying and monitoring landscape-level changes in species, vegetation communities, and wildlife habitat independently of subjective categorical vegetation types and facilitates integrating spatial patterns across multiple ecological scales. The novel species-level foliar cover mapping approach described here provides spatial information about the functional role of plant species in vegetation communities and wildlife habitat that are not available in categorical vegetation maps or quantitative maps of broadly defined vegetation aggregates.

Redefining physiological responses of moose (Alces alces) to warm environmental conditions

We tested the concept that moose (Alces alces) begin to show signs of thermal stress at ambient air temperatures as low as 14 °C. We determined the response of Alaskan female moose to environmental conditions from May through September by measuring core body temperature, heart rate, respiration rate, rate of heat loss from exhaled air, skin temperature, and fecal and salivary glucocorticoids. Seasonal and daily patterns in moose body temperature did not passively follow the same patterns as environmental variables. We used large changes in body temperature (≥1.25 °C in 24hr) to indicate days of physiological tolerance to thermal stressors. Thermal tolerance correlated with high ambient air temperatures from the prior day and with seasonal peaks in solar radiation (June), ambient air temperature and vapor pressure (July). At midday (12:00hr), moose exhibited daily minima of body temperature, heart rate and skin temperature (difference between the ear artery and pinna) that coincided with daily maxima in respiration rate and the rate of heat lost through respiration. Salivary cortisol measured in moose during the morning was positively related to the change in air temperature during the hour prior to sample collection, while fecal glucocorticoid levels increased with increasing solar radiation during the prior day. Our results suggest that free-ranging moose do not have a static threshold of ambient air temperature at which they become heat stressed during the warm season. In early summer, body temperature of moose is influenced by the interaction of ambient temperature during the prior day with the seasonal peak of solar radiation. In late summer, moose body temperature is influenced by the interaction between ambient temperature and vapor pressure. Thermal tolerance of moose depends on the intensity and duration of daily weather parameters and the ability of the animal to use physiological and behavioral responses to dissipate heat loads.

Mycobiont contribution to tundra plant acquisition of permafrost-derived nitrogen

As Arctic soils warm, thawed permafrost releases nitrogen (N) that could stimulate plant productivity and thus offset soil carbon losses from tundra ecosystems. Although mycorrhizal fungi could facilitate plant access to permafrost-derived N, their exploration capacity beyond host plant root systems into deep, cold active layer soils adjacent to the permafrost table is unknown. We characterized root-associated fungi (RAF) that colonized ericoid (ERM) and ectomycorrhizal (ECM) shrub roots and occurred below the maximum rooting depth in permafrost thaw-front soil in tussock and shrub tundra communities. We explored the relationships between root and thaw front fungal composition and plant uptake of a ¹⁵ N tracer applied at the permafrost boundary. We show that ERM and ECM shrubs associate with RAF at the thaw front providing evidence for potential mycelial connectivity between roots and the permafrost boundary. Among shrubs and tundra communities, RAF connectivity to the thaw boundary was ubiquitous. The occurrence of particular RAF in both roots and thaw front soil was positively correlated with ¹⁵ N recovered in shrub biomass Taxon-specific RAF associations could be a mechanism for the vertical redistribution of deep, permafrost-derived nutrients, which may alleviate N limitation and stimulate productivity in warming tundra.

Contemporary diets of walruses in Bristol Bay, Alaska suggest temporal variability in benthic community structure

Background

Pacific walruses (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) are a conspicuous and important component of the Bristol Bay ecosystem and human social systems, but very little is known about walrus ecology in this region, principally their feeding ecology. The present work provides contemporary data on the diets of walruses at four haulout locations throughout Bristol Bay between 2014 and 2018.

Methods

We analyzed scat and gastrointestinal tract samples from these animals using quantitative polymerase chain reaction to amplify prey DNA, which allowed for diet estimates based on frequencies of prey item occurrence and on the relative importance of dietary items as determined from DNA threshold cycle scores.

Results

Diets were highly diverse at all locations, but with some variation in composition that may be related to the time of year that samples were collected (summer vs. autumn), or to spatial variability in the distribution of prey. Overall, polychaetes and tunicates had the highest frequencies of occurrence and relative abundances in 2014-15, but a major change in diet appears to have occurred by 2017-18. While some sample sizes were small, diets in these later years contrasted sharply, with a greater prevalence of sea cucumbers and mollusks, and reduced importance of decapods and fishes compared to the earlier years. Prey identified in scat samples from one collection site also contrasted sharply with those reported from the same location in 1981. The apparent temporal shifts in walrus prey may represent a changing benthic ecosystem due to warming waters in recent decades.

Protura in Arctic Regions, with Description of Mastodonentomon n. gen. (Acerentomidae, Nipponentominae) and a Key to Known Arctic Taxa

Protura are widespread, but their presence in the Arctic was first noted only ca. 70 years ago and is still little acknowledged. This work compiles taxonomic information on proturans in the Arctic regions and adds unpublished data from Northern Siberia. Currently, this fauna is represented by 23 species in two orders and 14 genera. The large cosmopolitan genus Eosentomon is represented by only four species, whereas Acerentomidae is much more diverse, with 19 species in 13 genera (eight Nipponentominae, five Acerentominae). Most of the Arctic species possess a larger number of setae than species living in temperate regions. Based on several unique characters, a new genus, Mastodonentomon, is erected for Nipponentomon macleani, and the species is re-described with the original description supplemented with new characters, including head chaetotaxy, seta length, and porotaxy. Proturan occurrence in the Arctic is limited to Beringia, but the majority of species have restricted distributions and none have been found in both the American Arctic and Siberia. This implies relict origins and high levels of proturan endemism in the Arctic. This emerging view on biogeographical history is, however, hampered by the limited extent of available data, which highlights the need for considerably greater survey efforts. A key to Arctic proturans is provided to facilitate further studies.

Community water service and incidence of respiratory, skin, and gastrointestinal infections in rural Alaska, 2013-2015

BACKGROUND

Communities in rural Alaska have access to multiple types of water service (piped, vehicle-hauled, and self-hauled) and experience varying levels of water service coverage. We assessed the incidence rate of inpatient and outpatient infectious disease visits among communities with different water service types and coverage levels.

METHODS

We classified ICD-9 codes for inpatient and outpatient visits to the Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation facilities between 2013 and 2015 into six infectious disease categories. Using Poisson models, we compared the incidence of visits in each category across communities with differing water service coverage levels as defined by water service billing data for the same years. Using census data, we adjusted for community median household income, median age, crowding, and health aide staffing.

RESULTS

We included 48 communities in this analysis. After adjusting for possible confounders, each 10% increase in piped water coverage was associated with a 4% lower incidence of pneumonia/influenza visits (adjusted incidence rate ratio [IRR] 0.96, 95% CI 0.93-0.98), a 2% lower incidence of other respiratory infection visits (adjusted IRR 0.98, 95% CI 0.97-0.99), an 8% lower incidence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus visits (adjusted IRR 0.92, 95% CI 0.87-0.97), and a 4% lower incidence of other skin infections visits (adjusted IRR 0.96, 95% CI 0.95-0.98). Each 10% increase in vehicle-hauled water coverage was associated with a 2% lower incidence of respiratory infection visits (adjusted IRR 0.98, 95% CI 0.97-0.996) and a 3% lower incidence of skin infection visits (adjusted IRR 0.97, 95% CI 0.95-0.99), also after adjustment.

CONCLUSIONS

Higher levels of water service coverage were associated with lower incidence rates of visits for several infectious disease categories. These associations were more pronounced for communities with piped water service compared to vehicle-hauled water service.

Presence of cagPAI genes and characterization of vacA s, i and m regions in Helicobacter pylori isolated from Alaskans and their association with clinical pathologies

Introduction. Gastric cancer is a health disparity in the Alaska Native people. The incidence of Helicobacter pylori infection, a risk factor for non-cardia gastric adenocarcinoma, is also high. Gastric cancer is partially associated with the virulence of the infecting strain.Aim. To genotype the vacA s, m and i and cag pathogenicity island (cagPAI) genes in H. pylori from Alaskans and investigate associations with gastropathy.Methodology. We enrolled patients with gastritis, peptic ulcer disease (PUD) and intestinal metaplasia (IM) in 1998-2005 and patients with gastric cancer in 2011-2013. Gastric biopsies were collected and cultured and PCR was performed to detect the presence of the right and left ends of the cagPAI, the cagA, cagE, cagT and virD4 genes and to genotype the vacA s, m and i regions.Results. We recruited 263 people; 22 (8 %) had no/mild gastritis, 121 (46 %) had moderate gastritis, 40 (15%) had severe gastritis, 38 (14 %) had PUD, 30 (11 %) had IM and 12 (5 %) had gastric cancer. H. pylori isolates from 150 (57%) people had an intact cagPAI; those were associated with a more severe gastropathy (P≤0.02 for all comparisons). H. pylori isolates from 77 % of people had either the vacA s1/i1/m1 (40 %; 94/234) or s2/i2/m2 (37 %; 86/234) genotype. vacA s1/i1/m1 was associated with a more severe gastropathy (P≤0.03 for all comparisons).Conclusions. In this population with high rates of gastric cancer, we found that just over half of the H. pylori contained an intact cagPAI and 40 % had the vacA s1/i1/m1 genotype. Infection with these strains was associated with a more severe gastropathy.

Ice-age persistence and genetic isolation of the disjunct distribution of larch in Alaska

Larix laricina (eastern larch, tamarack) is a transcontinental North American conifer with a prominent disjunction in the Yukon isolating the Alaskan distribution from the rest of its range. We investigate whether in situ persistence during the last glacial maximum (LGM) or long-distance postglacial migration from south of the ice sheets resulted in the modern-day Alaskan distribution. We analyzed variation in three chloroplast DNA regions of 840 trees from a total of 69 populations (24 new sampling sites situated on both sides of the Yukon range disjunction pooled with 45 populations from a published source) and conducted ensemble species distribution modeling (SDM) throughout Canada and United States to hindcast the potential range of L. laricina during the LGM. We uncovered the genetic signature of a long-term isolation of larch populations in Alaska, identifying three endemic chlorotypes and low levels of genetic diversity. Range-wide analysis across North America revealed the presence of a distinct Alaskan lineage. Postglacial gene flow across the Yukon divide was unidirectional, from Alaska toward previously glaciated Canadian regions, and with no evidence of immigration into Alaska. Hindcast SDM indicates one of the broadest areas of past climate suitability for L. laricina existed in central Alaska, suggesting possible in situ persistence of larch in Alaska during the LGM. Our results provide the first unambiguous evidence for the long-term isolation of L. laricina in Alaska that extends beyond the last glacial period and into the present interglacial period. The lack of gene flow into Alaska along with the overall probability of larch occurrence in Alaska being currently lower than during the LGM suggests that modern-day Alaskan larch populations are isolated climate relicts of broader glacial distributions, and so are particularly vulnerable to current warming trends.

Multi-year assessment (2006-2015) of persistent organic pollutant concentrations in blubber and muscle from Western Arctic bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus), North Slope, Alaska

Blubber and muscle were collected from male bowhead whales (n = 71) landed near Utqiaġvik (Barrow), Alaska, between 2006 and 2015 and analyzed for lipid content and concentrations of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in order to determine levels and trends over the collection period. Collection year was a significant predictor of blubber concentrations for most classes of POPs, while for a few classes, animal length (proxy for age) was also a significant predictor. This is the first report on levels of PBDEs in bowhead whales; concentrations of these compounds are low (≤55 ng/g wet weight). Blubber concentrations were lower than those reported in samples collected between 1992 and 2000, and many POP classes in blubber declined significantly between 2006 and 2015. Concentrations of POPs in bowhead whale tissues, which are subsistence foods for Native Alaskan communities, appear to be declining at rates comparable with previously reported temporal trends in Arctic biota.

An exploratory study examining the associations between sunlight exposure, sleep behaviours and sleep outcomes during an Arctic summer

Few evidence-based recommendations exist for maintaining healthy sleep during Arctic summers. Our study aimed to examine associations between sleep hygiene, sunlight exposure and sleep outcomes in workers living in and/or near the Arctic Circle during a 24-h light period. A survey was administered July 2017 to 19 workers at 3 Arctic base camps in Northeastern Alaska. Participants with poorer sleep hygiene reported increased sleepiness (r=.62, p=0.01); this correlation remained moderately strong, albeit not statistically significant (NS), after controlling for shift work (r=.46, p=0.06). No other statistically significant correlations between sleep hygiene and sleep outcomes were found. Weekly daytime (<8pm) and evening (>8pm) sunlight exposures, estimated from daily self-reported sunlight exposures for a typical workday and day off, were dichotomised, based on means, into: longer (>45 h/week) versus shorter (<45 h/week) daytime exposures, and longer (>16 h/week) versus shorter (<16 h/week) evening exposures. Participants reporting longer, versus shorter, weekly daytime sunlight exposure had statistically significantly (Mann-Whitney U=18.00, Z=-1.98, p≤0.05) decreased median sleep duration (6 h, 18 min versus 8 h, respectively) during the past month. Correlations of r≥.3 for longer, vis-à-vis shorter, daylight sunlight exposure suggest it could be related to poorer sleep outcomes, such as insufficient sleep and sleep quality, yet, as these correlations were NS, future work is needed to determine this. Weak or no correlations (and NS differences) were found for longer, versus shorter, weekly evening sunlight exposure and sleep outcomes. Findings support previous research suggesting self-regulation behaviours alone are not protective against poor sleep in Arctic environments. Sleep outcomes did not differ statistically significantly by evening sunlight exposure length. Longer weekly daytime sunlight exposure, versus shorter, was significantly associated with decreased sleep duration. Results from this exploratory study should be confirmed in studies using larger sample sizes.

Field-based method for assessing duration of infectivity for influenza A viruses in the environment

Understanding influenza A virus (IAV) persistence in wetlands is limited by a paucity of field studies relating to the maintenance of infectivity over time. The duration of IAV infectivity in water has been assessed under variable laboratory conditions, but results are difficult to translate to more complex field conditions. We tested a field-based method to assess the viability of IAVs in an Alaska wetland during fall and winter which incorporated physical and chemical properties of the waterbody in which samples were held. Filtered pond water was inoculated with avian fecal samples collected from the environment, aliquoted into a series of duplicate sealed vials and submerged back in the wetland for up to 132 days (October 2018-March 2019). Sample aliquots were sequentially recovered and tested for IAVs by rRT-PCR and virus isolation. One sample remained rRT-PCR positive for the duration of the study and virus isolation positive for 118 days. The surrounding water temperature was 1°-6 °C with near neutral pH (6.6-7.3) for the duration of the study. This proof of concept study demonstrates a protocol for testing the persistence of infectious IAV naturally shed from waterfowl under ambient environmental conditions.

Sources and variation of isotopic ratio of airborne radionuclides in Western Arctic lichens and mosses

This research concerned radioactivity of lichens and mosses from coastal zones of the Canadian Arctic and Alaska. Over 50 samples were collected from 7 positions during two scientific expeditions in 2012 and 2013. The tundra contamination caused by anthropogenic radionuclides was relatively low, reaching mean values with SD's of: 17.4 ± 3.5 Bq/kg for ⁹⁰Sr, 14.0 ± 2.9 Bq/kg for ¹³⁴Cs, 38.4 ± 7.5 Bq/kg for ¹³⁷Cs, 0.86 ± 0.24 Bq/kg for ^239+240Pu, 0.065 ± 0.017 Bq/kg for ²³⁸Pu and 0.50 ± 0.13 Bq/kg for ²⁴¹Am. The increase of activity concentration with increasing latitudes was noticed mostly in regard to ⁹⁰Sr, Pu isotopes and ²⁴¹Am. The analysis of isotopic ratios exhibited dominant contribution of the global fallout (+SNAP 9A satellite re-entry fallout) for the presence of plutonium isotopes and ²⁴¹Am. The Fukushima fallout signature was identified in a few lichens from Alaska. However, the influence of additional unknown factor on the occurrence of ⁹⁰Sr and ¹³⁷Cs has been detected in western part of Canadian Arctic. Natural radioisotopes of thorium and uranium were found throughout the entire investigated region and the average values of activity concentration with SD's were as follows: 2.92 ± 0.47 Bq/kg for ²³⁰Th, 2.61 ± 0.48 Bq/kg for ²³²Th, 4.32 ± 0.80 Bq/kg for ²³⁴U and 3.97 ± 0.71 Bq/kg for ²³⁸U. Examined Western Arctic tundra was not affected with any technically enhanced natural radioactivity.

Pathological findings and survey for pathogens associated with reproductive failure in perinatal Steller sea lions Eumetopias jubatus

Steller sea lions (SSLs) Eumetopias jubatus experienced a population decline in the 1960s, leading to the listing of the western stock as endangered and the eastern stock as threatened under the US Endangered Species Act. A decrease of births in the western stock beginning in the late 1960s indicates that reproductive failure may have contributed to the decline. We evaluated the role pathogens play in spontaneous abortions, premature births and neonatal deaths in SSLs. Archived tissues from carcasses (n = 19) collected in Alaska from 2002 to 2015 were tested by PCR for Coxiella burnetii, Brucella spp., Chlamydia and morbilliviruses. Animals examined included 47% premature pups, 32% aborted fetuses, 11% neonates and 11% intrauterine fetuses. Gross necropsy and histology findings were summarized in the context of the PCR findings. Tissues were negative for Chlamydia and C. burnetii. Brucella spp. were detected in the lung tissues of 3 animals, including 1 positive for the ST27 strain, the first detection of Brucella spp. DNA in SSLs. Phocine distemper virus was detected in 3 animals in 2 skin lesions and 1 placenta by hemi-nested diagnostic qRT-PCR. Both skin and the placental lesions had vesiculoulcerative changes, and 1 skin lesion contained inclusion bodies in syncytia and upon histologic examination, suggesting that the lesions may be associated with an infection reminiscent of phocine distemper virus, the first in SSLs. We highlight the continuing need for disease surveillance programs to improve our understanding of the prevalence and potential population impacts of these infectious disease agents for pinnipeds in Alaskan waters.

Social Media Intervention to Promote Smoking Treatment Utilization and Cessation Among Alaska Native People Who Smoke: Protocol for the Connecting Alaska Native People to Quit Smoking (CAN Quit) Pilot Study

BACKGROUND

Despite the high prevalence of tobacco use among Alaska Native (AN) people, tobacco cessation interventions developed specifically for this group are lacking. Social media hold promise as a scalable intervention strategy to promote smoking treatment utilization and cessation, given the barriers to treatment delivery (ie, geographic remoteness, limited funding, climate, and travel costs) in the state of Alaska (AK). Building on a longstanding tobacco control research partnership with the AK Tribal Health System, in this study, we are developing and pilot-testing a culturally relevant, Facebook (FB)-delivered intervention that incorporates a digital storytelling approach adapted from the effective Centers for Disease Control Tips from Former Smokers campaign.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to promote evidence-based smoking treatment (eg, state quitline and Tribal cessation programs) uptake and cessation among AN people.

METHODS

This study fulfills the objectives for stage 1 of the National Institute on Drug Abuse behavioral integrative treatment development program. In stage 1a, we will use a mixed method approach to develop the FB intervention. Cultural variance and surface/deep structure frameworks will address the influence of culture in designing health messages. These developmental activities will include qualitative and quantitative assessments, followed by beta testing of proposed intervention content. In stage 1b, we will conduct a randomized pilot trial enrolling 60 AN adults who smoke. We will evaluate the feasibility, uptake, consumer response, and potential efficacy of the FB intervention compared with a control condition (quitline/treatment referral only). Primary outcome measures include feasibility and biochemically verified smoking abstinence at 1-, 3-, and 6-month follow-ups. Secondary outcomes will include self-reported smoking cessation treatment utilization and abstinence from tobacco/nicotine products. We will also explore interdependence (relationship orientation and collaborative efforts in lifestyle change) as a culturally relevant mediator of intervention efficacy.

RESULTS

The study enrolled 40 participants for phase 1, with data saturation being achieved at 30 AN people who smoke and 10 stakeholders. For phase 2, we enrolled 40 participants. Qualitative assessment of proposed intervention content was completed with 30 AN smokers and 10 stakeholders. We are currently analyzing data from the quantitative assessment with 40 participants in preparation for the beta testing, followed by the randomized pilot trial.

CONCLUSIONS

The project is innovative for its use of social media communication tools that are culturally relevant in a behavioral intervention designed to reach AN people statewide to promote smoking treatment utilization and cessation. The study will further advance tobacco cessation research in an underserved disparity group. If the pilot intervention is successful, we will have a blueprint to conduct a large randomized controlled efficacy trial. Our approach could be considered for other remote AN communities to enhance the reach of evidence-based tobacco cessation treatments.

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID)

DERR1-10.2196/15155.

Concentrations of organohalogens (PCBs, DDTs, PBDEs) in hunted and stranded Northern sea otters (Enhydra lutris kenyoni) in Alaska from 1992 to 2010: Links to pathology and feeding ecology

Many organohalogen compounds (OHCs) are persistent organic pollutants (POPs) found in appreciable concentrations in marine predators. While production of some POPs has declined or ceased in recent decades, their capacity for global transport and bioaccumulation results in observations of unchanging or increasing concentrations in marine systems. Sea otters (Enhydra lutris) have been advocated as an environmental sentinel for contaminants due to their longevity, site fidelity and prey species that often overlap with human consumption. Using archived (1992-2010) samples of livers from Northern sea otters (n = 50) from Alaska we examine concentrations of chlordanes (CHLs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDTs), and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and associated metabolites. We found some evidence for declining ΣPCBs over the two decades, however for most animals concentrations were low compared to toxicological thresholds. Six animals had relatively high concentrations of ΣPCBs (mean = 262,000 ng/g lipid weight), ΣDDTs (mean = 8,800 ng/g lw), and ΣPBDEs (mean = 4,600 ng/g lw), with four of these six animals experiencing hepatic parasitism or hepatitis. In order to assess whether differences in POP concentrations are associated with feeding ecology, we examined stable isotopes of C and N in archived muscle and whisker samples. In general, there were no significant relationships between ΣPOP concentrations and stable isotope ratios. There were small differences in stable isotope profiles in animals with high POP concentrations, although it was unclear if these differences were due to feeding ecology or disease processes. This study highlights the importance of considering feeding ecology and necropsy (health and disease status) data while conducting contaminant surveys, and confirms some previous reports of trends in OHCs in Alaska marine mammals.

Spatial scale affects novel and disappeared climate change projections in Alaska

The formation of novel and disappeared climates between the last glacial maximum (LGM) and the present is important to consider to understand the expansion and contraction of species niches and distributions, as well as the formation and loss of communities and ecological interactions over time. Our choice in climate data resolution has the potential to complicate predictions of the ecological impacts of climate change, since climate varies from local to global scales and this spatial variation is reflected in climate data. To address this issue, we downscaled LGM and modern (1975-2005) 30-year averaged climate data to 60-m resolution for the entire state of Alaska for 10 different climate variables, and then upsampled each variable to coarser resolutions (60 m to 12 km). We modeled the distributions of novel and disappeared climates to evaluate the locations and fractional area of novel and disappeared climates for each of our climate variables and resolutions. Generally, novel and disappeared climates were located in southern Alaska, although there were cases where some disappeared climates existed within coastal and interior Alaska. Climate resolution affected the fractional area of novel and disappeared climates in three patterns: As the spatial resolution of climate became coarser, the fractional area of novel and disappeared climates (a) increased, (b) decreased, or (c) had no explainable relationship. Overall, we found the use of coarser climate data increased the fractional area of novel and disappeared climates due to decreased environmental variability and removal of climate extremes. Our results reinforce the importance of downscaling coarse climate data and suggest that studies analyzing the effects of climate change on ecosystems may overestimate or underestimate their conclusions when utilizing coarse climate data.

Physiological and gene transcription assays to assess responses of mussels to environmental changes

Coastal regions worldwide face increasing management concerns due to natural and anthropogenic forces that have the potential to significantly degrade nearshore marine resources. The goal of our study was to develop and test a monitoring strategy for nearshore marine ecosystems in remote areas that are not readily accessible for sampling. Mussel species have been used extensively to assess ecosystem vulnerability to multiple, interacting stressors. We sampled bay mussels (Mytilus trossulus) in 2015 and 2016 from six intertidal sites in Lake Clark and Katmai National Parks and Preserves, in south-central Alaska. Reference ranges for physiological assays and gene transcription were determined for use in future assessment efforts. Both techniques identified differences among sites, suggesting influences of both large-scale and local environmental factors and underscoring the value of this combined approach to ecosystem health monitoring.

The 1925 Diphtheria Antitoxin Run to Nome - Alaska: A Public Health Illustration of Human-Animal Collaboration

Diphtheria is an acute toxin-mediated superficial infection of the respiratory tract or skin caused by the aerobic gram-positive bacillus Corynebacterium diphtheriae. The epidemiology of infection and clinical manifestations of the disease vary in different parts of the world. Historical accounts of diphtheria epidemics have been described in many parts of the world since antiquity. Developed in the late 19th century, the diphtheria antitoxin (DAT) played a pivotal role in the history of public health and vaccinology prior to the advent of the diphtheria-tetanus toxoids and acellular pertussis (DTaP) vaccine. One of the most significant demonstrations of the importance of DAT was its use in the 1925 diphtheria epidemic of Nome, Alaska. Coordinated emergency delivery of this life-saving antitoxin by dog-sled relay in the harshest of conditions has left a profound legacy in the annals of vaccinology and public health. Lead dogs Balto and Togo, and the dog-led antitoxin run of 1925 represent a dynamic illustration of the contribution made by non-human species towards mass immunization in the history of vaccinology. This unique example of cooperative interspecies fellowship and collaboration highlights the importance of the human-animal bond in the one-health initiative.

Genome of Alaskapox Virus, A Novel Orthopoxvirus Isolated from Alaska

Since the eradication of smallpox, there have been increases in poxvirus infections and the emergence of several novel poxviruses that can infect humans and domestic animals. In 2015, a novel poxvirus was isolated from a resident of Alaska. Diagnostic testing and limited sequence analysis suggested this isolate was a member of the Orthopoxvirus (OPXV) genus but was highly diverged from currently known species, including Akhmeta virus. Here, we present the complete 210,797 bp genome sequence of the Alaska poxvirus isolate, containing 206 predicted open reading frames. Phylogenetic analysis of the conserved central region of the genome suggested the Alaska isolate shares a common ancestor with Old World OPXVs and is diverged from New World OPXVs. We propose this isolate as a member of a new OPXV species, Alaskapox virus (AKPV). The AKPV genome contained host range and virulence genes typical of OPXVs but lacked homologs of C4L and B7R, and the hemagglutinin gene contained a unique 120 amino acid insertion. Seven predicted AKPV proteins were most similar to proteins in non-OPXV Murmansk or NY_014 poxviruses. Genomic analysis revealed evidence suggestive of recombination with Ectromelia virus in two putative regions that contain seven predicted coding sequences, including the A-type inclusion protein.

Human Seroprevalence to 11 Zoonotic Pathogens in the U.S. Arctic, Alaska

Background: Due to their close relationship with the environment, Alaskans are at risk for zoonotic pathogen infection. One way to assess a population's disease burden is to determine the seroprevalence of pathogens of interest. The objective of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of 11 zoonotic pathogens in people living in Alaska. Methods: In a 2007 avian influenza exposure study, we recruited persons with varying wild bird exposures. Using sera from this study, we tested for antibodies to Cryptosporidium spp., Echinococcus spp., Giardia intestinalis, Toxoplasma gondii, Trichinella spp., Brucella spp., Coxiella burnetii, Francisella tularensis, California serogroup bunyaviruses, and hepatitis E virus (HEV). Results: Eight hundred eighty-seven persons had sera tested, including 454 subsistence bird hunters and family members, 160 sport bird hunters, 77 avian wildlife biologists, and 196 persons with no wild bird exposure. A subset (n = 481) of sera was tested for California serogroup bunyaviruses. We detected antibodies to 10/11 pathogens. Seropositivity to Cryptosporidium spp. (29%), California serotype bunyaviruses (27%), and G. intestinalis (19%) was the most common; 63% (301/481) of sera had antibodies to at least one pathogen. Using a multivariable logistic regression model, Cryptosporidium spp. seropositivity was higher in females (35.7% vs. 25.0%; p = 0.01) and G. intestinalis seropositivity was higher in males (21.8% vs. 15.5%; p = 0.02). Alaska Native persons were more likely than non-Native persons to be seropositive to C. burnetii (11.7% vs. 3.8%; p = 0.005) and less likely to be seropositive to HEV (0.4% vs. 4.1%; p = 0.01). Seropositivity to Cryptosporidium spp., C. burnetii, HEV, and Echinococcus granulosus was associated with increasing age (p ≤ 0.01 for all) as was seropositivity to ≥1 pathogen (p < 0.0001). Conclusion: Seropositivity to zoonotic pathogens is common among Alaskans with the highest to Cryptosporidium spp., California serogroup bunyaviruses, and G. intestinalis. This study provides a baseline for use in assessing seroprevalence changes over time.

MicroFEWs: A Food-Energy-Water Systems Approach to Renewable Energy Decisions in Islanded Microgrid Communities in Rural Alaska

In recent years, there has been increased recognition of the importance of a nexus approach to optimize food, energy, and water (FEW) security at regional and global scales. Remote communities in the Arctic and Subarctic regions in Alaska provide unique examples of closed and isolated systems, wherein the FEW nexus not only needs to be examined to lend resilience to these vulnerable communities but that could also serve as small-scale test beds for a wider and systematic understanding of the FEW nexus. In this short communication, looking at the FEW nexus in Cordova, Alaska, through an energy lens, we introduce an approach (referred to as the "MicroFEWs approach") that may assist remote communities in Alaska in making informed decisions regarding the use of renewable energy to increase FEW security. Our example uses the MicroFEWs approach to assess the impacts of increased renewable energy generation on FEW security in the community, more specifically to food security through potential changes to the community's fish processing industry. This approach can serve as a basis for investigating the FEW nexus in varying contexts and locales.