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Hewitt RE, DeVan MR, Taylor DL, Mack MC. Root-associated fungi and acquisitive root traits facilitate permafrost nitrogen uptake from long-term experimentally warmed tundra. New Phytol 2024; 242:1704-1716. [PMID: 38273466 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
Root-associated fungi (RAF) and root traits regulate plant acquisition of nitrogen (N), which is limiting to growth in Arctic ecosystems. With anthropogenic warming, a new N source from thawing permafrost has the potential to change vegetation composition and increase productivity, influencing climate feedbacks. Yet, the impact of warming on tundra plant root traits, RAF, and access to permafrost N is uncertain. We investigated the relationships between RAF, species-specific root traits, and uptake of N from the permafrost boundary by tundra plants experimentally warmed for nearly three decades at Toolik Lake, Alaska. Warming increased acquisitive root traits of nonmycorrhizal and mycorrhizal plants. RAF community composition of ericoid (ERM) but not ectomycorrhizal (ECM) shrubs was impacted by warming and correlated with root traits. RAF taxa in the dark septate endophyte, ERM, and ECM guilds strongly correlated with permafrost N uptake for ECM and ERM shrubs. Overall, a greater proportion of variation in permafrost N uptake was related to root traits than RAF. Our findings suggest that warming Arctic ecosystems will result in interactions between roots, RAF, and newly thawed permafrost that may strongly impact feedbacks to the climate system through mechanisms of carbon and N cycling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca E Hewitt
- Center for Ecosystem Science and Society, Northern Arizona University, PO Box 5620, Flagstaff, AZ, 86011, USA
- Department of Environmental Studies, Amherst College, Amherst, MA, 01002, USA
| | - M Rae DeVan
- Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, MSC03 2020, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
| | - D Lee Taylor
- Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, MSC03 2020, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
| | - Michelle C Mack
- Center for Ecosystem Science and Society, Northern Arizona University, PO Box 5620, Flagstaff, AZ, 86011, USA
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2
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Swallow MA, Virgen CA. Alaskapox virus, an emerging Orthopoxvirus in the Arctic region. Int J Dermatol 2024. [PMID: 38610072 DOI: 10.1111/ijd.17152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Cesar A Virgen
- Department of Dermatology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Center for Cutaneous Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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3
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Cameron DB, Grage L, Van Wyck R, Edwards A, Chavez Mapaye J, Cheng A, Garcia G. Identifying trusted local sources and predicting behavior change pathways according to COVID-19 vaccination status: Results of a 2022 statewide survey of Alaskan adults. Vaccine 2024; 42:2592-2607. [PMID: 38490821 PMCID: PMC11005074 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2024.03.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Revised: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 03/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Low rates of COVID-19 vaccination remain a substantial public health challenge. Despite early successes, vaccinations of Alaskans trail the US average, drawing attention to the need for better-designed and targeted vaccine confidence interventions. Our objective was to assess levels of community trust and theory-driven predictors of vaccination status to inform the design of future programs. METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional, telephone-based survey of 940 Alaskan adults between May and June 2022. Data were collected on vaccination status (including initial vaccination and receipt of booster shots), trust in local community members, demographic characteristics, and thematic questions designed using the Capability, Opportunity, Motivation - Behavior (COM-B) model to examine possible predictors (barriers/facilitators) of vaccination status. FINDINGS Among those who are not fully vaccinated and boosted, we observe significantly lower trust placed in many immediate community members, especially health workers (e.g., doctors, nurses, specialty care physicians, health administrators). Firefighters and emergency medical technicians enjoy the most community trust, followed by medical professionals. Among those who received only a primary vaccine series, we find that perceptions of whether close friends are vaccinated, a sense of professional responsibility, and age were the strongest predictors vaccination status. Among the unvaccinated, we find significant predictive power from the same variables, as well as perceptions of whether family members are vaccinated, perceived risks from non-vaccination and whether vaccination is a healthy choice. CONCLUSIONS These findings will help inform the design and targeting of future vaccine promotion interventions to adult populations in Alaska. Interventions that leverage reflective motivation and social opportunity domains of the COM-B framework may be most effective. Local community members including firefighters and emergency medical technicians, as well as medical professionals may be perceived as the most trustworthy and influential messengers among those who are not fully vaccinated and boosted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Drew B Cameron
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Yale School of Public Health, Yale University, 60 College Street, New Haven, CT 06502, United States.
| | - Laura Grage
- Information Insights, PO Box 83070, Fairbanks, AK 99708, United States.
| | - Rebecca Van Wyck
- DPHS Institute for Circumpolar Health Sciences, University of Alaska, Anchorage, 3211 Providence Dr., Anchorage, AK 99508, United States; Institute for Social and Economic Research, University of Alaska, Anchorage, 3211 Providence Dr., Anchorage, AK 99508, United States.
| | - Alexandra Edwards
- Institute for Social and Economic Research, University of Alaska, Anchorage, 3211 Providence Dr., Anchorage, AK 99508, United States; Center for Behavioral Health Research & Services, University of Alaska, Anchorage, 3211 Providence Dr., Anchorage, AK 99508, United States.
| | - Joy Chavez Mapaye
- Department of Journalism and Public Communications, Fine Arts Building, 3211 Providence Drive, Anchorage, AK 99508, United States.
| | - Ann Cheng
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, Yale University, 60 College Street, New Haven, CT 06502, United States; L&M Policy Research, 1743 Connecticut Ave NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20009, United States.
| | - Gabriel Garcia
- Division of Population Health Sciences, University of Alaska, 3211 Providence Dr., PSB 206J, Anchorage, AK 99508, United States.
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Mastick N, Welicky R, Katla A, Odegaard B, Ng V, Wood CL. Opening a can of worms: Archived canned fish fillets reveal 40 years of change in parasite burden for four Alaskan salmon species. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11043. [PMID: 38576463 PMCID: PMC10994144 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2023] [Revised: 01/28/2024] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024] Open
Abstract
How has parasitism changed for Alaskan salmon over the past several decades? Parasitological assessments of salmon are inconsistent across time, and though parasite data are sometimes noted when processing fillets for the market, those data are not retained for more than a few years. The landscape of parasite risk is changing for salmon, and long-term data are needed to quantify this change. Parasitic nematodes of the family Anisakidae (anisakids) use salmonid fishes as intermediate or paratenic hosts in life cycles that terminate in marine mammal definitive hosts. Alaskan marine mammals have been protected since the 1970s, and as populations recover, the density of definitive hosts in this region has increased. To assess whether the anisakid burden has changed in salmonids over time, we used a novel data source: salmon that were caught, canned, and thermally processed for human consumption in Alaska, USA. We examined canned fillets of chum (Oncorhynchus keta, n = 42), coho (Oncorhynchus kisutch, n = 22), pink (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha, n = 62), and sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka, n = 52) processed between 1979 and 2019. We dissected each fillet and quantified the number of worms per gram of salmon tissue. Anisakid burden increased over time in chum and pink salmon, but there was no change in sockeye or coho salmon. This difference may be due to differences in the prey preferences of each species, or to differences in the parasite species detected across hosts. Canned fish serve as a window into the past, providing information that would otherwise be lost, including information on changes over time in the parasite burden of commercially, culturally, and ecologically important fish species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie Mastick
- School of Aquatic and Fishery SciencesUniversity of WashingtonSeattleWashingtonUSA
- Yale Peabody MuseumYale UniversityNew HavenConnecticutUSA
| | - Rachel Welicky
- School of Aquatic and Fishery SciencesUniversity of WashingtonSeattleWashingtonUSA
- Department of Arts and SciencesNeumann UniversityAstonPennsylvaniaUSA
- Unit for Environmental Sciences and ManagementNorth–West UniversityPotchefstroomSouth Africa
| | - Aspen Katla
- School of Aquatic and Fishery SciencesUniversity of WashingtonSeattleWashingtonUSA
| | | | - Virginia Ng
- Seafood Products AssociationSeattleWashingtonUSA
| | - Chelsea L. Wood
- School of Aquatic and Fishery SciencesUniversity of WashingtonSeattleWashingtonUSA
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Huettmann F, Andrews P, Steiner M, Das AK, Philip J, Mi C, Bryans N, Barker B. A super SDM (species distribution model) 'in the cloud' for better habitat-association inference with a 'big data' application of the Great Gray Owl for Alaska. Sci Rep 2024; 14:7213. [PMID: 38531933 PMCID: PMC10965900 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-57588-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The currently available distribution and range maps for the Great Grey Owl (GGOW; Strix nebulosa) are ambiguous, contradictory, imprecise, outdated, often hand-drawn and thus not quantified, not based on data or scientific. In this study, we present a proof of concept with a biological application for technical and biological workflow progress on latest global open access 'Big Data' sharing, Open-source methods of R and geographic information systems (OGIS and QGIS) assessed with six recent multi-evidence citizen-science sightings of the GGOW. This proposed workflow can be applied for quantified inference for any species-habitat model such as typically applied with species distribution models (SDMs). Using Random Forest-an ensemble-type model of Machine Learning following Leo Breiman's approach of inference from predictions-we present a Super SDM for GGOWs in Alaska running on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI). These Super SDMs were based on best publicly available data (410 occurrences + 1% new assessment sightings) and over 100 environmental GIS habitat predictors ('Big Data'). The compiled global open access data and the associated workflow overcome for the first time the limitations of traditionally used PC and laptops. It breaks new ground and has real-world implications for conservation and land management for GGOW, for Alaska, and for other species worldwide as a 'new' baseline. As this research field remains dynamic, Super SDMs can have limits, are not the ultimate and final statement on species-habitat associations yet, but they summarize all publicly available data and information on a topic in a quantified and testable fashion allowing fine-tuning and improvements as needed. At minimum, they allow for low-cost rapid assessment and a great leap forward to be more ecological and inclusive of all information at-hand. Using GGOWs, here we aim to correct the perception of this species towards a more inclusive, holistic, and scientifically correct assessment of this urban-adapted owl in the Anthropocene, rather than a mysterious wilderness-inhabiting species (aka 'Phantom of the North'). Such a Super SDM was never created for any bird species before and opens new perspectives for impact assessment policy and global sustainability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Falk Huettmann
- -EWHALE Lab-, Biology and Wildlife Department, Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, AK, 99775, USA.
| | - Phillip Andrews
- -EWHALE Lab-, Biology and Wildlife Department, Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, AK, 99775, USA
| | - Moriz Steiner
- -EWHALE Lab-, Biology and Wildlife Department, Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, AK, 99775, USA
| | - Arghya Kusum Das
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, AK, 99775, USA
| | - Jacques Philip
- Indigenous Health, Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, AK, 99775, USA
| | - Chunrong Mi
- National Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | | | - Bryan Barker
- Oracle for Research, 2300 Oracle Wy, Austin, TX, 78741, USA
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6
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Springer YP, Kammerer JS, Felix D, Newell K, Tompkins ML, Allison J, Castrodale LJ, Chandler B, Helfrich K, Rothoff M, McLaughlin JB, Silk BJ. Using Geographic Disaggregation to Compare Tuberculosis Epidemiology Among American Indian and Alaska Native Persons-USA, 2010-2020. J Racial Ethn Health Disparities 2024:10.1007/s40615-024-01919-z. [PMID: 38334874 DOI: 10.1007/s40615-024-01919-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2023] [Revised: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) populations are frequently associated with the highest rates of tuberculosis (TB) disease of any racial/ethnic group in the USA. We systematically investigated variation in patterns and potential drivers of TB epidemiology among geographically distinct AIAN subgroups. METHODS Using data reported to the National Tuberculosis Surveillance System during 2010-2020, we applied a geographic method of data disaggregation to compare annual TB incidence and the frequency of TB patient characteristics among AIAN persons in Alaska with AIAN persons in other states. We used US Census data to compare the prevalence of substandard housing conditions in AIAN communities in these two geographic areas. RESULTS The average annual age-adjusted TB incidence among AIAN persons in Alaska was 21 times higher than among AIAN persons in other states. Compared to AIAN TB patients in other states, AIAN TB patients in Alaska were associated with significantly higher frequencies of multiple epidemiologic TB risk factors (e.g., attribution of TB disease to recent transmission, previous diagnosis of TB disease) and significantly lower frequencies of multiple clinical risk factors for TB disease (e.g., diagnosis with diabetes mellitus, end-stage renal disease). Occupied housing units in AIAN communities in Alaska were associated with significantly higher frequencies of multiple measures of substandard housing conditions compared to AIAN communities in other states. CONCLUSIONS Observed differences in patient characteristics and substandard housing conditions are consistent with contrasting syndromes of TB epidemiology in geographically distinct AIAN subgroups and suggest ways that associated public health interventions could be tailored to improve efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuri P Springer
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Division of Tuberculosis Elimination, Atlanta, GA, USA.
| | - J Steve Kammerer
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Division of Tuberculosis Elimination, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Derrick Felix
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Division of Tuberculosis Elimination, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Katherine Newell
- Epidemic Intelligence Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial Public Health Infrastructure and Workforce, Division of Workforce Development, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Alaska Division of Public Health, Section of Epidemiology, Anchorage, Alaska, USA
| | - Megan L Tompkins
- Alaska Division of Public Health, Section of Epidemiology, Anchorage, Alaska, USA
| | - Jamie Allison
- Alaska Division of Public Health, Section of Epidemiology, Anchorage, Alaska, USA
| | - Louisa J Castrodale
- Alaska Division of Public Health, Section of Epidemiology, Anchorage, Alaska, USA
| | - Bruce Chandler
- Alaska Division of Public Health, Section of Epidemiology, Anchorage, Alaska, USA
| | - Kathryn Helfrich
- Alaska Division of Public Health, Section of Epidemiology, Anchorage, Alaska, USA
| | - Michelle Rothoff
- Alaska Division of Public Health, Section of Epidemiology, Anchorage, Alaska, USA
| | - Joseph B McLaughlin
- Alaska Division of Public Health, Section of Epidemiology, Anchorage, Alaska, USA
| | - Benjamin J Silk
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Division of Tuberculosis Elimination, Atlanta, GA, USA
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7
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Steinberg J, Bressler SS, Orell L, Thompson GC, Kretz A, Reasonover AL, Bruden D, Bruce MG, Fischer M. Invasive Pneumococcal Disease and Potential Impact of Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccines Among Adults, Including Persons Experiencing Homelessness- Alaska, 2011-2020. Clin Infect Dis 2024; 78:172-178. [PMID: 37787072 PMCID: PMC10868556 DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciad597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Adults aged ≥65 years, adults with certain underlying medical conditions, and persons experiencing homelessness are at increased risk for invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD). Two new pneumococcal conjugate vaccines, 15-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV15) and 20-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV20), were recently approved for use in US adults. We describe the epidemiology of IPD among Alaska adults and estimate the proportion of IPD cases potentially preventable by new vaccines. METHODS We used statewide, laboratory-based surveillance data to calculate and compare IPD incidence rates and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) among Alaska adults aged ≥18 years during 2011-2020 and estimate the proportion of IPD cases that were caused by serotypes in PCV15 and PCV20. RESULTS During 2011-2020, 1164 IPD cases were reported among Alaska adults for an average annual incidence of 21.3 cases per 100 000 adults per year (95% CI, 20.1-22.5). Incidence increased significantly during the study period (P < .01). IPD incidence among Alaska Native adults was 4.7 times higher than among non-Alaska Native adults (95% CI, 4.2-5.2). Among adults experiencing homelessness in Anchorage, IPD incidence was 72 times higher than in the general adult population (95% CI, 59-89). Overall, 1032 (89%) Alaska adults with IPD had an indication for pneumococcal vaccine according to updated vaccination guidelines; 456 (39%) and 700 (60%) cases were caused by serotypes in PCV15 and PCV20, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Use of PCV15 and PCV20 could substantially reduce IPD among adults in Alaska, including Alaska Native adults and adults experiencing homelessness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Steinberg
- Arctic Investigations Program, Division of Infectious Disease Readiness and Innovation, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Anchorage, Alaska, USA
| | - Sara S Bressler
- Arctic Investigations Program, Division of Infectious Disease Readiness and Innovation, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Anchorage, Alaska, USA
| | - Laurie Orell
- Arctic Investigations Program, Division of Infectious Disease Readiness and Innovation, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Anchorage, Alaska, USA
| | - Gail C Thompson
- Arctic Investigations Program, Division of Infectious Disease Readiness and Innovation, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Anchorage, Alaska, USA
| | - Anthony Kretz
- Arctic Investigations Program, Division of Infectious Disease Readiness and Innovation, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Anchorage, Alaska, USA
| | - Alisa L Reasonover
- Arctic Investigations Program, Division of Infectious Disease Readiness and Innovation, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Anchorage, Alaska, USA
| | - Dana Bruden
- Arctic Investigations Program, Division of Infectious Disease Readiness and Innovation, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Anchorage, Alaska, USA
| | - Michael G Bruce
- Arctic Investigations Program, Division of Infectious Disease Readiness and Innovation, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Anchorage, Alaska, USA
| | - Marc Fischer
- Arctic Investigations Program, Division of Infectious Disease Readiness and Innovation, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Anchorage, Alaska, USA
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8
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Cueva K, Bulkow L, Milton E, Van Wyck R, Hargrave S, Meyer J. Application of COVIDTracer to Inform Public Health Workforce Planning in Alaska During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Public Health Rep 2024; 139:11-17. [PMID: 37846519 PMCID: PMC10905761 DOI: 10.1177/00333549231199479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused social and economic disruption worldwide and spurred numerous mitigation strategies, including state investments in training a large contact tracing and case investigation workforce. A team at the University of Alaska Anchorage evaluated implementation of the COVID-19 contact tracing and case investigation program of the State of Alaska Department of Health and Social Services, Division of Public Health, Section of Public Health Nursing. As part of that evaluation, the team used COVIDTracer, a spreadsheet modeling tool. COVIDTracer generated projections of COVID-19 case counts that informed estimates of workforce needs and case prioritization strategies. Case count projections approximated the reported epidemiologic curve with a median 7% difference in the first month. The accuracy of case count predictions declined after 1 month with a median difference of 80% in the second month. COVIDTracer inputs included previous case counts, the average length of time for telephone calls to cases and outreach to identified contacts, and the average number of contacts per case. As each variable increased, so too did estimated workforce needs. Decreasing the average time from exposure to outreach from 10 to 5 days reduced case counts estimated by COVIDTracer by approximately 93% during a 5-month period. COVIDTracer estimates informed Alaska's workforce planning and decisions about prioritizing case investigation during the pandemic. Lessons learned included the importance of being able to rapidly scale up and scale down workforce to adjust to a dynamic crisis and the limitations of prediction modeling (eg, that COVIDTracer was accurate for only about 1 month into the future). These findings may be useful for future pandemic preparedness planning and other public health emergency response activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katie Cueva
- Center for Behavioral Health Research and Services, Institute of Social and Economic Research, University of Alaska Anchorage, Anchorage, AK, USA
| | - Lisa Bulkow
- Division of Population Health Sciences, University of Alaska Anchorage, Anchorage, AK, USA
| | - Elaina Milton
- Division of Population Health Sciences, University of Alaska Anchorage, Anchorage, AK, USA
| | - Rebecca Van Wyck
- Division of Population Health Sciences, University of Alaska Anchorage, Anchorage, AK, USA
| | - Sarah Hargrave
- Section of Public Health Nursing, Division of Public Health, State of Alaska Department of Health and Social Services, Anchorage, AK, USA
| | - Jennifer Meyer
- Division of Population Health Sciences, University of Alaska Anchorage, Anchorage, AK, USA
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Keogh MJ, Thompson DP, Crouse JA. Tracking reproductive events: Hoof growth and steroid hormone concentrations in hair and hoof tissues in moose ( Alces alces). Conserv Physiol 2023; 11:coad097. [PMID: 38107464 PMCID: PMC10722880 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coad097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2023] [Revised: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Measurements of reproductive and stress-related hormones in keratinous tissues (e.g. hair, claws, hooves, baleen) can provide a record of stress and reproductive response in wildlife. We evaluated a method to collect keratin tissue from hooves of immobilized moose (Alces alces) and validated enzyme immunoassays for measuring cortisol and progesterone in hooves and hair. We also measured the annual growth and wear rates of moose hooves. Progesterone (range: 1.0-43.7 pg/mg) and cortisol (range: 0.05-2.9 pg/mg) were measurable and showed variation among hoof samples and moose. Pregnant females had twice as high progesterone concentrations (18.00 ± 3.73 pg/mg) from hoof sample locations post breeding compared to non-pregnant moose (9.40 ± 0.25 pg/mg). Annual hoof growth differed between the front (5.58 ± 0.12 cm) and rear (4.73 ± 0.13 cm) hooves and varied by season with higher growth rates during summer which decreased into autumn and winter. Adult female hooves represented between 1.6 and 2.1 years of growth and included up to two reproductive cycles. We established a method to estimate hoof growth rate and applied this to postmortem samples and were able to detect previous pregnancies. Shoulder guard hairs grew between August and March including during late gestation; however, hair progesterone concentrations (range: 2-107.1 pg/mg) were not related to reproductive state. Hair cortisol concentrations in our study (range: 0.2-15.9 pg/mg) were within the range of values previously reported for cervids. Our study supports the use of hooves for longitudinal sampling and measuring reproductive and stress-related hormones, providing a new tool for tracking reproductive events and understanding what variables may contribute to population level changes in reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mandy J Keogh
- Division of Wildlife Conservation, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, 802 3rd St, Douglas, AK 99801, USA
| | - Daniel P Thompson
- Kenai Moose Research Center, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, 43961 Kalifornsky Beach Road Suite B, Soldotna, AK 99669, USA
| | - John A Crouse
- Kenai Moose Research Center, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, 43961 Kalifornsky Beach Road Suite B, Soldotna, AK 99669, USA
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10
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Grage L, Cuellar MJ. Did text-based news-media coverage about the COVID-19 pandemic increase vaccine uptake? A population-based study in Alaska. Int J Circumpolar Health 2023; 82:2213913. [PMID: 37216574 DOI: 10.1080/22423982.2023.2213913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2023] [Revised: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
COVID-19 vaccinations protect against severe infection, hospitalisation, and death. News media can be an important source of information for the public during a health crisis. This study explores the extent to which local or statewide text-based news coverage of the pandemic was related to the uptake of initial doses of COVID-19 vaccines among adults in Alaska. Multilevel modelling was employed to explore the association between news media intensity and vaccine uptake rates across boroughs and census areas, while controlling for relevant covariates. Results suggest that the intensity of news media did not significantly influence vaccine uptake during the majority of this time period and had a negative affect during the Delta-surge in the fall of 2021. However, the political lean and median age of boroughs or census areas were significantly associated with vaccine uptake. Race, poverty, or education were not significant determinants of vaccine uptake suggesting there are unique differences in Alaska compared to the U.S., particularly amongst Alaska Native people. The political environment in Alaska surrounding the pandemic was polarized. Future research in communications and channels that can cut through this polarized and politicized environment, and reach younger adults is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Grage
- College of Health, Division of Population Health Sciences, University of Alaska Anchorage, Anchorage, Alaska, USA
| | - Matthew J Cuellar
- College of Health, School of Social Work, University of Alaska Anchorage, Anchorage, Alaska, USA
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11
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Garcia G, Meyer J, Edwards A, Cameron D. Factors associated with receiving an initial COVID-19 vaccine among Alaskan residents: results from an online cross-sectional survey. Int J Circumpolar Health 2023; 82:2252604. [PMID: 37652714 PMCID: PMC10478585 DOI: 10.1080/22423982.2023.2252604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Revised: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023] Open
Abstract
We conducted an online survey of Alaskan adults between May and June, 2022 to identify factors associated with vaccine hesitancy. Of the 948 respondents, approximately 80% reported having received a COVID-19 vaccine. The factors significantly associated with ever receiving COVID-19 vaccine include perceived risk of harm if not vaccinated (PRH), the vaccination status of the respondent's social network (SNW), gender, and education. For each point increase in PRH score, there was more than three times the odds of having ever been vaccinated (OR = 3.42, p < 0.001); and for every point increase in SNW score, there was more than two times the odds of having ever been vaccinated (OR = 2.15, p < 0.001). Males had more than four times the odds of having ever been vaccinated compared to females (OR = 4.55, p < 0.001). Those with a college degree (OR = 2.80, p < 0.05) had greater odds of ever being vaccinated compared to their counterparts. Findings from this sample suggest that, among Alaskans, ever receiving a COVID-19 vaccine is associated with having a majority of their close social networks who have received COVID-19 vaccine and perceiving that not obtaining a COVID-19 vaccine can pose greater risk of harm to themselves than not getting vaccinated. Practical implications of these findings are provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel Garcia
- Division of Population Health Sciences, University of Alaska Anchorage, Anchorage, AK, US
| | - Jennifer Meyer
- Division of Population Health Sciences, University of Alaska Anchorage, Anchorage, AK, US
| | - Alexandra Edwards
- Center for Behavioral Health Research and Services, University of Alaska Anchorage, Anchorage, AK, US
| | - Drew Cameron
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, US
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12
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Running Bear U, Poole EM, Muller C, Hanson JD, Noonan C, Trojan J, Rosenman R, Manson SM. The use of patient navigation to transition detoxification patients to substance use treatment in the Alaska Interior. Public Health Pract (Oxf) 2023; 6:100418. [PMID: 37635913 PMCID: PMC10448195 DOI: 10.1016/j.puhip.2023.100418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Revised: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Objectives Detoxification clinics manage acute intoxication and withdrawal from alcohol and other drugs. At discharge, patients are referred to treatment, yet many are readmitted to detoxification, creating a "revolving door" of discharges and admissions. This pattern disproportionately affects some groups such as Alaska Native and American Indian (AN/AI) people. The primary goals of this study are to: 1) test the effectiveness of a patient navigation intervention to increase rates of transition to alcohol treatment following detoxification, and 2) prevent readmission to detoxification within 12-months. The secondary goal is a cost-effectiveness and cost-benefit evaluation of patient navigation. Study design This randomized controlled comparative effectiveness trial plans to recruit 440 patients (∼70% AN/AI) admitted to alcohol detoxification. We collaborated with Fairbanks Native Association (FNA) to select an appropriate intervention, control condition, and other study-related decisions. Here, we describe intervention development, study design, challenges encountered during implementation, and collaborative processes to identify solutions. Methods Participants are equally randomized to the control (one motivational interviewing session) or intervention (one motivational interviewing session plus up to four weeks of patient navigation). The primary outcomes are successful transition to alcohol treatment within 30-days after discharge and detoxification readmission within 12-months. The secondary outcome is health-related quality of life. Conclusion Patient navigation is successful in other settings and for other health conditions. It may assist in overcoming barriers to successful transition to substance use treatment and may augment interventions, such as motivational interviewing, that are less resource-intensive but may not be optimally effective by themselves. ClinicalTrialsgov Identifier NCT03737864.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ursula Running Bear
- Department of Population Health, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of North Dakota, 1301 North Columbia Rd., Grand Forks, ND, USA
| | - Erin M. Poole
- University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Colorado School of Public Health, Centers for American Indian and Alaska Native Health, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Clemma Muller
- Initiative for Research and Education to Advance Community Health, Washington State University, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Jessica D. Hanson
- Department of Applied Human Sciences, University of Minnesota Duluth, Duluth, MN, USA
| | - Carolyn Noonan
- Initiative for Research and Education to Advance Community Health, Washington State University, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - Robert Rosenman
- Initiative for Research and Education to Advance Community Health, Washington State University, Seattle, WA, USA
- School of Economic Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
| | - Spero M. Manson
- University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Colorado School of Public Health, Centers for American Indian and Alaska Native Health, Aurora, CO, USA
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13
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Eichelberger L, Hansen A, Cochran P, Hahn M, Fried R. COVID-19 vaccine decision-making in remote Alaska between November 2020 and November 2021. Int J Circumpolar Health 2023; 82:2242582. [PMID: 37535846 PMCID: PMC10402834 DOI: 10.1080/22423982.2023.2242582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Revised: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Vaccine hesitancy is an ongoing barrier to achieve sufficient COVID-19 vaccination coverage. Although there are many studies globally of vaccine hesitancy based on large survey samples, there are fewer in-depth qualitative studies that explore vaccine hesitancy and acceptance as a spectrum of decision-making. In this paper, we begin to describe vaccination decision-making among 58 adults living in remote Alaska based on three waves of online surveys and follow-up semi-structured interviews conducted between November 2020 and November 2021. The survey question of intention was not a predictor of adoption for about one third of the interviewees who were unvaccinated when they took the survey (n=12, 35%). Over half of all interviewees (n=37, 64%) had vaccine-related concerns, including 25 vaccinated individuals (representing 57% of vaccinated interviewees). Most interviewees reported that they learned about COVID-19 vaccines through interpersonal interactions (n=30, 52%) and/or a variety of media sources (n=29, 50%). The major facilitators of acceptance were trust in the information source (n=20, 48% of the 42 who responded), and learning from the experiences of family, friends, and the broader community (n=12, 29%). Further, trust and having a sense of agency appears to be important to interviewee decision-making, regardless of vaccination status and intention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Eichelberger
- Tribal Water Center, Research Services, Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, Anchorage, AK, USA
| | - Amanda Hansen
- Tribal Water Center, Research Services, Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, Anchorage, AK, USA
| | | | - Micah Hahn
- Institute for Circumpolar Health Studies, University of Alaska Anchorage, Anchorage, AK, USA
| | - Ruby Fried
- Institute for Circumpolar Health Studies, University of Alaska Anchorage, Anchorage, AK, USA
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14
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Barnett E, Harvill JJ, Rabang NJ. Use of the Extension for Community Health Outcomes (ECHO) model for public health emergency response in Alaska. Int J Circumpolar Health 2023; 82:2244768. [PMID: 37561083 PMCID: PMC10416732 DOI: 10.1080/22423982.2023.2244768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Revised: 07/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Project ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) is a telehealth and virtual mentoring model. It is a scalable platform to create peer communities where professionals can gain knowledge, skills, and relevant information to their work and clinical practice. Key informant interviews of Alaska public health leaders, clinical providers, ECHO staff, and local government representatives were conducted to evaluate the effectiveness and utility of the Project ECHO for COVID-19 response. Project ECHO session attendance and evaluation data were also reviewed. A combined total of 41,255 attendees participated in a COVID-19 response ECHO July 1, 2019 - June 30, 2022. Eight key informant interviews were conducted with individuals involved in leading or coordinating COVID-19 response efforts. Key informants identified four themes impacting the effectiveness of the Project ECHO model in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic: (1) Engagement, (2) Amplification, (3) Adaptability, and (4) Trust. In a rapidly changing pandemic, the ECHO model provided adaptive and effective virtual spaces where Alaskan providers, communities, elected officials, educators, and other stakeholders were able to receive tailored and up-to-date information on mitigation, treatment, and other concerns exacerbated by COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erinn Barnett
- College of Health, Center for Human Development, University of Alaska Anchorage, Anchorage, AK, USA
| | - Jessica J. Harvill
- College of Health, Center for Human Development, University of Alaska Anchorage, Anchorage, AK, USA
| | - Nathan J. Rabang
- College of Health, Center for Human Development, University of Alaska Anchorage, Anchorage, AK, USA
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15
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Smith MB, Brownson E, Newman AK, Madison C, Fuentes M, Amtmann D, Carrougher GJ, Gibran NS, Stewart BT. Experiences of Alaska Native people living with burn injury and opportunities for health system strengthening. BMC Health Serv Res 2023; 23:1260. [PMID: 37968627 PMCID: PMC10652576 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-023-10243-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Injuries are a leading cause of death and disability for Alaska Native (AN) people. Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC) is supporting the development of a burn care system that includes a partnership between Alaska Native Medical Center (ANMC) in Anchorage, AK and UW Medicine Regional Burn Center at Harborview Medical Center (HMC) in Seattle, WA. We aimed to better understand the experiences of AN people with burn injuries across the care continuum to aid development of culturally appropriate care regionalization. METHODS We performed focus groups with twelve AN people with burn injury and their caregivers. A multidisciplinary team of burn care providers, qualitative research experts, AN care coordinator, and AN cultural liaison led focus groups to elicit experiences across the burn care continuum. Transcripts were analyzed using a phenomenological approach and inductive coding to understand how AN people and families navigated the medical and community systems for burn care and areas for improvement. RESULTS Three themes were identified: 1-Challenges with local burn care in remote communities including limited first aid, triage, pain management, and wound care, as well as long-distance transport to definitive care; 2-Divergence between cultural values and medical practices that generated mistrust in the medical system, isolation from their support systems, and recovery goals that were not aligned with their needs; 3-Difficulty accessing emotional health support and a survivor community that could empower their resilience. CONCLUSION Participants reported modifiable barriers to culturally competent treatment for burn injuries among AN people. The findings can inform initiatives that leverage existing resources, including expansion of the Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (ECHO) telementoring program, promulgation of the Phoenix Society Survivors Offering Assistance in Recovery (SOAR) to AK, coordination of regionalized care to reduce time away from AK and provide more comfortable community reintegration, and define rehabilitation goals in terms that align with personal goals and subsistence lifestyle skills. Long-distance transport times are non-modifiable, but better pre-hospital care could be achieved by harnessing existing telehealth services and adapting principles of prolonged field care to allow for triage, initial care, and resuscitation in remote environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mallory B Smith
- Harborview Injury Prevention & Research Center, University of Washington, 325 9th Ave, Box 359796, Seattle, WA, 98104, USA
- Division of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Elisha Brownson
- Department of Surgery, Alaska Native Medical Center, Anchorage, AK, USA
| | - Andrea K Newman
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - Molly Fuentes
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Dagmar Amtmann
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Gretchen J Carrougher
- Division of Trauma, Critical Care, and Burn, Department of Surgery, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Nicole S Gibran
- Division of Trauma, Critical Care, and Burn, Department of Surgery, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Barclay T Stewart
- Harborview Injury Prevention & Research Center, University of Washington, 325 9th Ave, Box 359796, Seattle, WA, 98104, USA.
- Division of Trauma, Critical Care, and Burn, Department of Surgery, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
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16
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Chen D, Billmire M, Loughner CP, Bredder A, French NHF, Kim HC, Loboda TV. Simulating spatio-temporal dynamics of surface PM 2.5 emitted from Alaskan wildfires. Sci Total Environ 2023; 898:165594. [PMID: 37467978 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Revised: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/15/2023] [Indexed: 07/21/2023]
Abstract
Wildfire is a major disturbance agent in Arctic boreal and tundra ecosystems that emits large quantities of atmospheric pollutants, including PM2.5. Under the substantial Arctic warming which is two to three times of global average, wildfire regimes in the high northern latitude regions are expected to intensify. This imposes a considerable threat to the health of the people residing in the Arctic regions. Alaska, as the northernmost state of the US, has a sizable rural population whose access to healthcare is greatly limited by a lack of transportation and telecommunication infrastructure and low accessibility. Unfortunately, there are only a few air quality monitoring stations across the state of Alaska, and the air quality of most remote Alaskan communities is not being systematically monitored, which hinders our understanding of the relationship between wildfire emissions and human health within these communities. Models simulating the dispersion of pollutants emitted by wildfires can be extremely valuable for providing spatially comprehensive air quality estimates in areas such as Alaska where the monitoring station network is sparse. In this study, we established a methodological framework that is based on an integration of the Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) model, the Wildland Fire Emissions Inventory System (WFEIS), and the Arctic-Boreal Vulnerability Experiment (ABoVE) Wildfire Date of Burning (WDoB) dataset, an Arctic-oriented fire product. Through our framework, daily gridded surface-level PM2.5 concentrations for the entire state of Alaska between 2001 and 2015 for which wildfires are responsible can be estimated. This product reveals the spatio-temporal patterns of the impacts of wildfires on the regional air quality in Alaska, which, in turn, offers a direct line of evidence indicating that wildfire is the dominant driver of PM2.5 concentrations over Alaska during the fire season. Additionally, it provides critical data inputs for research on understanding how wildfires affect human health which creates the basis for the development of effective and efficient mitigation efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong Chen
- Department of Geographical Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA.
| | - Michael Billmire
- Michigan Tech Research Institute, Michigan Technological University, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
| | - Christopher P Loughner
- Air Resources Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, College Park, MD, USA.
| | - Allison Bredder
- Department of Geographical Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA.
| | - Nancy H F French
- Michigan Tech Research Institute, Michigan Technological University, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
| | - Hyun Cheol Kim
- Air Resources Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, College Park, MD, USA; Cooperative Institute for Satellite Earth System Studies, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA.
| | - Tatiana V Loboda
- Department of Geographical Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA.
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17
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Stimmelmayr R, Rotstein D, Sanchez S, Baird A, Sheffield G, Snyder JA. Novel peeling skin condition in neonatal Pacific walruses, Saint Lawrence Island, Alaska, USA. J Vet Diagn Invest 2023; 35:761-765. [PMID: 37705293 PMCID: PMC10621566 DOI: 10.1177/10406387231200577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/15/2023] Open
Abstract
We describe here a novel peeling skin condition (PSC) in 2 neonatal Pacific walruses (Odobenus rosmarus subsp. divergens). Macroscopically, calves had various degrees of peeling skin exacerbated by mechanical trauma. Lesions occurred in areas subject to friction: ventrum, fore- and hindflippers, and associated joints. Histopathologic features included pseudocarcinomatous epithelial hyperplasia with orthokeratotic hyperkeratosis. Bacterial cocci were present within the stratum corneum. A few intraepidermal clefts were present. Inflammation, epidermolysis, and vasculopathies were not observed. PCR assays were negative for vesivirus and for Staphylococcus aureus exfoliative and toxic shock syndrome toxins. Tissue samples were cultured and bacteria isolated and identified by MALDI-TOF MS as Carnobacterium maltaromaticum, Psychrobacter phenylpyruvicus, Globicatella sanguinis, Streptococcus phocae, Pseudomonas spp., Rahnella aquatilis, and Escherichia coli. Given the young age of the calves and their clinical presentation, congenital ichthyosis was suspected. No genetic differences were detected for sequenced portions of keratin genes (keratin gene K10) between diseased and normal walrus skin. This rare PSC in neonatal Pacific walruses is recognized as novel by indigenous Alaskan marine mammal hunters of the Bering Strait region. A comprehensive diagnostic work-up of future case materials is needed to characterize the underlying biochemical defect(s).
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Affiliation(s)
- Raphaela Stimmelmayr
- North Slope Borough, Department of Wildlife Management, Utqiagvik, AK
- Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA
| | | | - Susan Sanchez
- Athens Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Amy Baird
- Department of Natural Sciences, University of Houston–Downtown, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Gay Sheffield
- Alaska Sea Grant–Marine Advisory Program, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Nome, AK, USA
| | - Jonathan A. Snyder
- Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Anchorage, AK, USA
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18
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Grigorieva E, Alexeev V, Walsh J. Universal thermal climate index in the Arctic in an era of climate change: Alaska and Chukotka as a case study. Int J Biometeorol 2023; 67:1703-1721. [PMID: 37572111 PMCID: PMC10589199 DOI: 10.1007/s00484-023-02531-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/14/2023]
Abstract
The modern unambiguous climate change reveals in a rapid increase of air temperature, which is more distinctly expressed in the Arctic than in any other part of the world, affecting people health and well-being. The main objective of the current research is to explore the inter- and intra-annual changes in thermal stress for people in the Arctic, specifically for two parts of Beringia: Alaska, USA, and Chukotka, Russia, using climatology of the universal thermal climate index (UTCI). Data for 39 locations are taken from the ERA5-HEAT reanalysis for the period 1979-2020. Climatologically, the study area is divided into four subregions in Alaska: North, Interior, West and South, and two in Chukotka: Interior and Coast. The extreme coldest UTCI categories (1 and 2) are most common in coastal locations of northern Alaska and Chukotka, where strong winds exacerbate the low temperatures during winter. The results show that the frequency of category 1 (UTCI<-40°C) varies spatially from a quarter of all hours annually in Alaska North to almost zero in Alaska South. On the other hand, the warmest categories are rarely reached almost everywhere in Alaska and Chukotka, and even categories 7 and 8 (UTCI between +26 and +38°C) are found occasionally only at interior locations. Category 6 with no thermal stress (UTCI between +9 and+26°C) has frequencies up to 3% and 25% in Alaska North and Interior, respectively. The extremely cold thermal stress frequencies have substantially decreased over the 1979-2020 period, especially in Alaska North and Chukotka Coast. At the same time, the number of hours with UTCI in the comfortable category of thermal perception has increased depending on subregion, from 25 to 203 h/year. Overall, a decrease in the UTCI categories of extremely cold stress is coupled with an increase in the comfortable range in both Alaska and Chukotka. The salient conclusion is that, from the point of view of comfort and safety, global warming has a positive impact on the climatology of thermal stress in the Arctic, providing advantages for the development of tourism and recreation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - V.A. Alexeev
- International Arctic Research Center, University of Alaska Fairbanks (IARC UAF), Fairbanks, USA
| | - J.E. Walsh
- International Arctic Research Center, University of Alaska Fairbanks (IARC UAF), Fairbanks, USA
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19
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Salcido EL, van Riper CJ, Stewart WP, Leitschuh BA. Roles for Wildlife in the Development of Place Meanings Ascribed to a Protected Area. Environ Manage 2023; 72:1072-1085. [PMID: 37584679 DOI: 10.1007/s00267-023-01869-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/17/2023]
Abstract
Wildlife play prominent roles in popular images of America's outdoor landscapes, yet our understanding of their contribution to place meanings is not fully developed. Although environmental management agencies have a long history of stewarding wildlife for hunting and fishing, they have been less inclined to prioritize non-consumptive uses such as the contribution of wildlife to sense of place. Given that agencies are increasingly challenged to implement policies that align with citizen priorities, connecting wildlife to sense of place could lead to more effective decisions. Our research explored the plurality of connections that residents made with wildlife in multiple protected areas across the USA region of Interior Alaska. Residents of nine communities were engaged over a five-year period, followed by a thematic analysis of interview data, which resulted in the identification of seven place meaning themes. These themes reflected qualities of the local environment that were appreciated by residents, including: 1) desirable travel destination, 2) distinct sense of community, 3) landscape of subsistence and tradition, 4) landscape of wildlife habitat, 5) natural resources in need of harvesting, 6) rural Alaskan lifestyle, and 7) wildland areas tied to recreation. Native wildlife species-from traditionally charismatic species like moose (Alces alces) to less iconic species such as snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus) - were discussed in the context of all seven place meaning themes. Wildlife provided a basis for study participants to interpret landscapes and ascribe meanings to places, thus supporting our argument that shared influences of wildlife and place meanings should be prioritized in environmental planning and management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evan L Salcido
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1102 S. Goodwin Avenue, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA.
| | - Carena J van Riper
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1102 S. Goodwin Avenue, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA.
| | - William P Stewart
- Department of Recreation, Sport and Tourism, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 104 George Huff Hall, 1206 S 4th St, Champaign, IL, 61820, USA
| | - Benjamin A Leitschuh
- Department of Recreation, Sport and Tourism, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 104 George Huff Hall, 1206 S 4th St, Champaign, IL, 61820, USA
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20
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Eichelberger L, Hansen A, Cochran P, Fried R, Hahn M. "In the beginning, I said I wouldn't get it.": Hesitant adoption of the COVID-19 vaccine in remote Alaska between November 2020 and 2021. Soc Sci Med 2023; 334:116197. [PMID: 37666096 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2023.116197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/06/2023]
Abstract
Achieving sufficient COVID-19 vaccination coverage has been hindered in many areas by vaccine hesitancy. Many studies based on large survey samples have characterized vaccine refusal, but there are fewer in-depth qualitative studies that explore hesitant adoption: the middle-ground between vaccine acceptance and refusal, and how individuals may move across this continuum depending on their lived experience. For this paper, we use the narratives of 25 adults living in off-road, predominately Alaska Native communities to describe the complex decision-making processes undertaken by 'hesitant adopters', defined in our study as those who completed their initial COVID-19 series despite reporting hesitancy. Interviewees' stories help illustrate how hesitant adopters' decision-making processes involved making sense of information through interactions with trusted individuals, lived experiences, observations, emotions, and personal motivations. For the majority of these hesitant adopters' (n = 20, 80%) interpersonal interactions were key in helping to make the decision to get vaccinated. Over half of the interviewees (n = 14, 56%) described how conversations with individuals they trusted, including healthcare providers, family, friends, and interactions through their professional network made them feel safe. One third of the hesitant adopters (n = 7, 28%) attributed their decision to get vaccinated based on the influence of Alaska Native Elders including their knowledge, personal experiences, as well as being motivated by the desire to protect them. Independent research was also important to about a quarter of hesitant adopters (n = 6, 24%), and for these interviewees it was the process of gathering information on their own and learning from others, especially healthcare providers who could answer their questions and alleviate their concerns. This paper illustrates the temporality of vaccine decision-making: vaccine acceptance for those who are hesitant may be an ongoing process that is influenced by personal experience, relationships, and context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Eichelberger
- Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, Tribal Water Center. 4000 Ambassador Drive Anchorage, Alaska, 99508, USA.
| | - Amanda Hansen
- Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, Tribal Water Center. 4000 Ambassador Drive Anchorage, Alaska, 99508, USA.
| | - Patricia Cochran
- Alaska Native Science Commission. 429 L Street, Anchorage, AK 99501, USA.
| | - Ruby Fried
- University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA), Institute for Circumpolar Health Studies (ICHS), 1901 Bragaw, Suite 220, Anchorage, Alaska, 99508, USA.
| | - Micah Hahn
- University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA), Institute for Circumpolar Health Studies (ICHS), 1901 Bragaw, Suite 220, Anchorage, Alaska, 99508, USA.
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21
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Hahn MB, Hojgaard A, Disler G, George W, Droghini A, Schlaht R, Durden LA, Coburn S, Gerlach R, Eisen RJ. Ticks and tick-borne microbes identified through passive and active surveillance in Alaska. J Med Entomol 2023; 60:1099-1107. [PMID: 37348952 PMCID: PMC10496432 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjad078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2022] [Revised: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023]
Abstract
Rapid environmental change in Alaska and other regions of the Arctic and sub-Arctic has raised concerns about increasing human exposure to ticks and the pathogens they carry. We tested a sample of ticks collected through a combination of passive and active surveillance from humans, domestic animals, and wildlife hosts in Alaska for a panel of the most common tick-borne pathogens in the contiguous United States to characterize the diversity of microbes present in this region. We tested 189 pooled tick samples collected in 2019-2020 for Borrelia spp., Anaplasma spp., Ehrlichia spp., and Babesia spp. using a multiplex PCR amplicon sequencing assay. We found established populations of Ixodes angustus Neumann (Acari: Ixodidae), Ixodes uriae White (Acari: Ixodidae), and Haemaphysalis leporispalustris Packard (Acari: Ixodidae) in Alaska, with I. angustus found on a variety of hosts including domestic companion animals (dogs and cats), small wild mammals, and humans. Ixodes angustus were active from April through October with peaks in adult and nymphal activity observed in summer months (mainly July). Although no known human pathogens were detected, Babesia microti-like parasites and candidatus Ehrlichia khabarensis were identified in ticks and small mammals. The only human pathogen detected (B. burgdorferi s.s.) was found in a tick associated with a dog that had recently traveled to New York, where Lyme disease is endemic. This study highlights the value of a combined passive and active tick surveillance system to detect introduced tick species and pathogens and to assess which tick species and microbes are locally established.
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Affiliation(s)
- Micah B Hahn
- Institute for Circumpolar Health Studies, University of Alaska Anchorage, 3211 Providence Drive, Anchorage, AK 99508, USA
| | - Andrias Hojgaard
- Division of Vector-Borne Diseases National Center for Emerging Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 3156 Rampart Road, Fort Collins, CO, 80521, USA
| | - Gale Disler
- Institute for Circumpolar Health Studies, University of Alaska Anchorage, 3211 Providence Drive, Anchorage, AK 99508, USA
| | - William George
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alaska Anchorage, 3211 Providence Drive, Anchorage, AK 99508, USA
| | - Amanda Droghini
- Alaska Center for Conservation Science, University of Alaska Anchorage, 3211 Providence Drive, Anchorage, AK 99508, USA
| | - Renate Schlaht
- UAF/CSU 2 + 2 Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Program, Colorado State University, 1601 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, CO 80523-160, USA
| | - Lance A Durden
- Department of Biology, Georgia Southern University, 4324 Old Register Road, Statesboro, GA 30458, USA
| | - Sarah Coburn
- Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, Office of the State Veterinarian, 5251 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, Anchorage, AK 99507, USA
| | - Robert Gerlach
- Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, Office of the State Veterinarian, 5251 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, Anchorage, AK 99507, USA
| | - Rebecca J Eisen
- Division of Vector-Borne Diseases National Center for Emerging Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 3156 Rampart Road, Fort Collins, CO, 80521, USA
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Newell K, Fischer M, Massey S, Orell L, Steinberg J, Tompkins M, Castrodale L, McLaughlin J. Temporally Associated Invasive Pneumococcal Disease and SARS-CoV-2 Infection, Alaska, USA, 2020-2021. Emerg Infect Dis 2023; 29:1765-1771. [PMID: 37506683 PMCID: PMC10461657 DOI: 10.3201/eid2909.230080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Streptococcus pneumoniae can co-infect persons who have viral respiratory tract infections. However, research on S. pneumoniae infections that are temporally associated with SARS-CoV-2 infections is limited. We described the epidemiology and clinical course of patients who had invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) and temporally associated SARS-CoV-2 infections in Alaska, USA, during January 1, 2020-December 23, 2021. Of 271 patients who had laboratory-confirmed IPD, 55 (20%) had a positive SARS-CoV-2 test result. We observed no major differences in age, race, sex, or underlying medical conditions among IPD patients with and without SARS-CoV-2. However, a larger proportion of IPD patients with SARS-CoV-2 died (16%, n = 9) than for those with IPD alone (4%, n = 9) (p<0.01). IPD patients with SARS-CoV-2 were also more likely to be experiencing homelessness (adjusted OR 3.5; 95% CI 1.7-7.5). Our study highlights the risk for dual infection and ongoing benefits of pneumococcal and COVID-19 vaccination, especially among vulnerable populations.
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23
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Grage L, Wise F, Meyer J. Exploring factors associated with parent-reported early childhood caries with Alaska's childhood understanding behaviors survey data. J Public Health Dent 2023; 83:284-291. [PMID: 37309218 DOI: 10.1111/jphd.12577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Early Childhood Caries (ECC) can negatively impact the lives of young children, despite being preventable. The purpose of this study was to utilize available data in Alaska to describe changes in parent reports of ECC, and identify factors related to ECC. METHODS The Childhood Understanding Behaviors Survey (CUBS) is a population-based survey of parents of 3-year-old children and was utilized to describe changes in: parent-reported ECC among children with a dental visit, access to and or utilization of dental care, and consumption of three or more cups of sweetened beverages between 2009-2011 and 2016-2019. Logistic regression modeling was used to explore factors associated with parent-reported ECC among children with a dental visit. RESULTS Over time, a significantly smaller proportions of parents whose 3-year-old child had seen a dental professional reported ECC. Additionally, a smaller proportion of parents reported three or more cups of sweetened beverage consumption by their child, while larger proportions had seen a dental professional by age 3. Factors associated with parent-reported ECC included consumption of three or more cups of sweetened beverages, and enrollment in Medicaid or Tribal health care insurance, while protective factors included a parent earning a college degree, and military insurance. CONCLUSIONS Although at the statewide level, improvements were observed in parent-reported measures over time, regional disparities were apparent. Social and economic factors as well as excessive consumption of sweetened beverages appear to play important roles in ECC. CUBS data can help identify trends in ECC within Alaska.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Grage
- Division of Population Health Sciences, University of Alaska Anchorage, Anchorage, AK, USA
| | - Frances Wise
- State of Alaska, Department of Health, Anchorage, AK, USA
| | - Jennifer Meyer
- Division of Population Health Sciences, University of Alaska Anchorage, Anchorage, AK, USA
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Fiorillo AR, Tykoski RS. Paleobiological inferences from paleopathological occurrences in the Arctic ceratopsian Pachyrhinosaurus perotorum. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2023; 306:1697-1711. [PMID: 36271743 DOI: 10.1002/ar.25104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Revised: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
As a key tool for understanding how animals lived in the past, paleopathology informs us about the lives and deaths of fossil animals. We identify paleopathologies within an assemblage of bones of the pachyrostran centrosaurine Pachyrhinosaurus perotorum, an Arctic ceratopsian. More than 1,000 bones of this dinosaur were collected from the Prince Creek Formation of North Slope, Alaska from fossil sites along the Colville River. Our survey shows the occurrence of paleopathology to be very low and comparable to other populations of horned dinosaurs from the lower latitudes, suggesting that the ancient Arctic environment did not impose intense hardships on these dinosaurs greater than in other environments, as expressed by paleopathological modification of the skeleton. This result may be due to the more equable mean annual temperatures in the Arctic region during the Cretaceous. Also of interest, the frequency of occurrence of paleopathology in the Arctic Pachyrhinosaurus population is very low compared to populations of fossil and historic quadrupedal artiodactyls that are recognized as long distance wanderers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony R Fiorillo
- The New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
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Naylor A, Kenny TA, Harper S, Beale D, Premji Z, Furgal C, Ford J, Little M. Inuit-defined determinants of food security in academic research focusing on Inuit Nunangat and Alaska: A scoping review protocol. Nutr Health 2023; 29:175-183. [PMID: 36650987 PMCID: PMC10114254 DOI: 10.1177/02601060221151091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Academic research on food security in Inuit Nunangat and Alaska frequently adopts the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations' working definition of food security and Western conceptualisations of what it means to be 'food secure'. However, in 2014, the Alaskan branch of the Inuit Circumpolar Council (ICC) stated that academic and intergovernmental definitions and understandings 'are important, but not what we are talking about when we say food security'. The organisation subsequently developed its own conceptualisation and definition: the Alaskan Inuit Food Security Conceptual Framework (AIFSCF), which in 2020 received informal assent by ICC-Canada. AIM This protocol establishes a review strategy to examine how well academic research reflects Inuit conceptualisations and understandings of food security, as outlined in the AIFSCF. METHODS Review structure and reporting will be completed according to adapted RepOrting standards for Systematic Evidence Syntheses (ROSES) guidelines. A comprehensive search strategy will be used to locate peer-reviewed research from Medline, Scopus, Web of Science and the Arctic and Antarctic Regions (EBSCO) databases. Dual reviewer screening will take place at the abstract, title, and full-text stages. Different study methodologies (qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods) will be included for review, on the proviso that articles identify drivers of food security. An a priori coding framework will be applied by a single reviewer to extract data on publication characteristics, methods and article aims. Deductive thematic content analysis will then identify the frequency and precedence afforded within literature to the drivers and dimensions of food security identified by the AIFSCF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angus Naylor
- School of Public Health and Social Policy, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Tiff-Annie Kenny
- Département de Médecine Sociale et Préventive, Université Laval, Québec, Quebec, Canada
| | - Sherilee Harper
- School of Public Health, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Dorothy Beale
- School of Public Health and Social Policy, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Zahra Premji
- Libraries, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Chris Furgal
- Department of Indigenous Studies, Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada
| | - James Ford
- Priestley International Centre for Climate, University of Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK
| | - Matthew Little
- School of Public Health and Social Policy, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
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Ulaski BP, Sikes DS, Konar B. Beach-cast and drifting seaweed wrack is an important resource for marine and terrestrial macroinvertebrates in high latitudes. Mar Environ Res 2023; 187:105970. [PMID: 37004498 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2023.105970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2023] [Revised: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Seaweeds are foundation species across near-subtidal and intertidal zones, including when detached and free-floating and then cast ashore as wrack. Wrack is sometimes removed by humans for aesthetics or to be used as fertilizer. The study of wrack as an important habitat and resource for macroinvertebrates in high latitudes has been limited. To determine which taxa might be impacted when wrack is removed, the composition and relative abundance of macroinvertebrates were quantified monthly and compared in areas with and without wrack in Kachemak Bay, Alaska. Relationships were assessed between macroinvertebrates and wrack line (tidal height, moisture content, seaweed biomass) and beach characteristics (wave exposure, beach slope, substrate types). Approximately 47,000 animals were counted and a total of 87 taxa were identified from beach-cast wrack, drifting wrack, and bare sediment habitats. Macroinvertebrate communities within beach-cast wrack and bare sediment habitats were significantly different. Beach-cast wrack generally had more terrestrially-derived animals, especially Coleoptera and Diptera. Bare beach sediment was predominantly occupied by Enchytraeida (annelids). Macroinvertebrate communities were most strongly influenced by seaweed biomass and tidal height of the wrack line. Beach-cast wrack and bare sediments were also compared to drifting wrack in shallow, nearshore waters. Drifting wrack was different and generally occupied by more marine-derived animals, especially Amphipoda, Gastropoda, Mytilida, and Polychaeta. Ecological succession in decaying beach-cast wrack was documented, with decomposers (e.g., Amphipoda and Diptera) being early colonizers, and predators (e.g., Coleoptera and Hymenoptera) arriving later. Understanding the importance of this unique and ecologically important habitat to macroinvertebrates is essential, as removals and reductions in wrack availability could influence macroinvertebrate community structure, higher trophic level consumers, and key ecological processes on beaches. This study is the first direct investigation into seaweed wrack-associated macroinvertebrate communities in a sub-Arctic system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian P Ulaski
- College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks, P.O. Box 757220, Fairbanks, AK, 99775-7220, USA.
| | - Derek S Sikes
- University of Alaska Museum, Department of Biology & Wildlife, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 1962 Yukon Drive, Fairbanks, AK, 99775-6960, USA
| | - Brenda Konar
- College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks, P.O. Box 757220, Fairbanks, AK, 99775-7220, USA
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Abstract
Background Climate change impacts humans and society both directly and indirectly. Alaska, for example, is warming twice as fast as the global mean, and researchers are starting to grapple with the varied and inter-connected ways in which climate change affects the people there. With the number of wildfires increasing in Alaska as a result of climate change, the number of asthma cases has increased, driven by exposure to small particulate matter. However, it is not clear how far away smoke from wildfires can affect health. In this study, we hope to establish a relationship between proximity to wildfires and asthma in locations where direct PM2.5 measurement is not easily accomplished. Methods In this study, we examined whether proximity to wildfire exposure is associated with regional counts of adults with asthma, calculated using Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) survey data and US Census data. We assigned "hotspots" around population centers with a range of various distances to wildfires in Alaska. Results We found that wildfires are associated with asthma prevalence, and the association is strongest within 25 miles of fires. Conclusions This study highlights the fact that proximity to wildfires has potential as a simple proxy for actual measured wildfire smoke, which has important implications for wildfire management agencies and for policy makers who must address health issues associated with wildfires, especially in rural areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. Luke Smith
- Social Science Research Institute, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Guangqing Chi
- Social Science Research Institute, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
- Department of Agricultural Economics, Sociology, and Education, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
- Population Research Institute, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
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28
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von Biela VR, Laske SM, Stanek AE, Brown RJ, Dunton KH. Borealization of nearshore fishes on an interior Arctic shelf over multiple decades. Glob Chang Biol 2023; 29:1822-1838. [PMID: 36565055 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Revised: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Borealization is a type of community reorganization where Arctic specialists are replaced by species with more boreal distributions in response to climatic warming. The process of borealization is often exemplified by the northward range expansions and subsequent proliferation of boreal species on the Pacific and Atlantic inflow Arctic shelves (i.e., Bering/Chukchi and Barents seas, respectively). But the circumpolar nearshore distribution of Arctic-boreal fishes that predates recent warming suggests borealization is possible beyond inflow shelves. To examine this question, we revisited two nearshore lagoons in the eastern Alaska Beaufort Sea (Kaktovik and Jago lagoons, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska, USA), a High Arctic interior shelf. We compared summer fish species assemblage, catch rate, and size distribution among three periods that spanned a 30-year record (baseline conditions, 1988-1991; moderate sea ice decline, 2003-2005; rapid sea ice decline, 2017-2019). Fish assemblages differed among periods in both lagoons, consistent with borealization. Among Arctic specialists, a clear decline in fourhorn sculpin (Myoxocephalus quadricornis, Kanayuq in Iñupiaq) occurred in both lagoons with 86%-90% lower catch rates compared with the baseline period. Among the Arctic-boreal species, a dramatic 18- to 19-fold increase in saffron cod (Eleginus gracilis, Uugaq) occurred in both lagoons. Fish size (length) distributions demonstrated increases in the proportion of larger fish for most species examined, consistent with increasing survival and addition of age-classes. These field data illustrate borealization of an Arctic nearshore fish community during a period of rapid warming. Our results agree with predictions that Arctic-boreal fishes (e.g., saffron cod) are well positioned to exploit the changing Arctic ecosystem. Another Arctic-boreal species, Dolly Varden (Salvelinus malma, Iqalukpik), appear to have already responded to warming by shifting from Arctic nearshore to shelf waters. More broadly, our findings suggest that areas of borealization could be widespread in the circumpolar nearshore.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sarah M Laske
- U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, Anchorage, Alaska, USA
| | - Ashley E Stanek
- U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, Anchorage, Alaska, USA
| | - Randy J Brown
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Fairbanks Field Office, Fairbanks, Alaska, USA
| | - Kenneth H Dunton
- Marine Science Institute, University of Texas at Austin, Port Aransas, Texas, USA
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Clerkin SM, Carlson NT, Long B, Taylor DH, Bridwell RE. Cold Weather Injury in a Special Operations Aviation Crew Member: A Case Report. J Spec Oper Med 2023; 23:80-83. [PMID: 36753716 DOI: 10.55460/utey-nscp] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023]
Abstract
As arctic warfare becomes a center focus within Special Operations, cold weather injury looms as both a medical and operational threat. While cold weather injury can range from pernio to hemodynamically unstable systemic hypothermia, the more minor injuries are far more common. However, these present a challenge in austere medical care and can drastically impact mission capability. We present a case of a Special Operations crew chief with cold weather digital injury while at the Arctic Isolation Course in Alaska and his subsequent clinical course. Prevention remains the key for mitigating these injuries, while the decision to rewarm must be made with both medical and tactical factors in mind as refreezing incurs significant morbidity. Other components of prehospital treatment include active rewarming, ibuprofen, aloe vera, and pain control.
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Petri L, Beaury EM, Corbin J, Peach K, Sofaer H, Pearse IS, Early R, Barnett DT, Ibáñez I, Peet RK, Schafale M, Wentworth TR, Vanderhorst JP, Zaya DN, Spyreas G, Bradley BA. SPCIS: Standardized Plant Community with Introduced Status database. Ecology 2023; 104:e3947. [PMID: 36494323 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Revised: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The movement of plant species across the globe exposes native communities to new species introductions. While introductions are pervasive, two aspects of variability underlie patterns and processes of biological invasions at macroecological scales. First, only a portion of introduced species become invaders capable of substantially impacting ecosystems. Second, species that do become invasive at one location may not be invasive in others; impacts depend on invader abundance and recipient species and conditions. Accounting for these phenomena is essential to accurately understand the patterns of plant invasion and explain the idiosyncratic results reflected in the literature on biological invasions. The lack of community-level richness and the abundance of data spanning broad scales and environmental conditions have until now hindered our understanding of invasions at a macroecological scale. To address this limitation, we leveraged quantitative surveys of plant communities in the USA and integrated and harmonized nine datasets into the Standardized Plant Community with Introduced Status (SPCIS) database. The database contains 14,056 unique taxa identified within 83,391 sampling units, of which 52.6% have at least one introduced species. The SPCIS database includes comparable information on plant species occurrence, abundance, and native status across the 50 U.S. States and Puerto Rico. SPCIS can be used to answer macro-scale questions about native plant communities and interactions with invasive plants. There are no copyright restrictions on the data, and we ask the users of this dataset to cite this paper, the respective paper(s) corresponding to the dataset sampling design (all references are provided in Data S1: Metadata S1: Class II-B-2), and the references described in Data S1: Metadata S1: Class III-B-4 as applicable to the dataset being utilized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laís Petri
- School for Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Evelyn M Beaury
- Organismic and Evolutionary Biology Graduate Program, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jeffrey Corbin
- Department of Biological Sciences, Union College, Schenectady, New York, USA
| | - Kristen Peach
- National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, USA
| | - Helen Sofaer
- U.S. Geological Survey, Pacific Island Ecosystems Research Center, Hawaii National Park, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
| | - Ian S Pearse
- U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Regan Early
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter Penryn Campus, Penryn, UK
| | - David T Barnett
- Battelle, National Ecological Observatory Network, Boulder, Colorado, USA
| | - Inés Ibáñez
- School for Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Robert K Peet
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Michael Schafale
- North Carolina Natural Heritage Program, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
| | - Thomas R Wentworth
- Department of Plant Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
| | - James P Vanderhorst
- West Virginia Division of Natural Resources, Natural Heritage Program, Elkins, West Virginia, USA
| | - David N Zaya
- Illinois Natural History Survey, University of Illinois, Champaign, Illinois, USA
| | - Greg Spyreas
- Illinois Natural History Survey, University of Illinois, Champaign, Illinois, USA
| | - Bethany A Bradley
- Department of Environmental Conservation, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
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Wilson EJ, Shedlock AM. Evaluating the Potential Fitness Effects of Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) Aquaculture Using Non-Invasive Population Genomic Analyses of MHC Nucleotide Substitution Spectra. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13. [PMID: 36830380 DOI: 10.3390/ani13040593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Genetic diversity plays a vital role in the adaptability of salmon to changing environmental conditions that can introduce new selective pressures on populations. Variability among local subpopulations may increase the chance that certain advantageous genes are passed down to future generations to mitigate susceptibility to novel diseases, warming oceans, loss of genetic stocks, and ocean acidification. Class I and II genes of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) are crucial for the fitness of Chinook salmon due to the role they play in disease and pathogen resistance. The objective of this study was to assess the DNA sequence variability among wild and hatchery populations of Alaskan Chinook salmon at the class I α1 and class II β1 exons of the MHC. We hypothesized that the 96 wild samples taken from the Deshka River would display greater levels of observed heterozygosity (Ho) relative to expected heterozygosity (He) in suggesting that individuals with similar phenotypes mate with one another more frequently than would be expected under random mating patterns. Conversely, since no mate selection occurs in the William Jack Hernandez Sport Fish hatchery, we would not expect to see this discrepancy (He = Ho) in the 96 hatchery fish tested in this study. Alternatively, we hypothesized that post-mating selection is driving higher levels of observed heterozygosity as opposed to mate selection. If this is the case, we will observe higher than expected levels of heterozygosity among hatchery salmon. Both populations displayed higher levels of observed heterozygosity than expected heterozygosity at the Class I and II loci but genetic differentiation between the spatially distinct communities was minimal. Class I sequences showed evidence of balancing selection, despite high rates of non-synonymous substitutions observed, specifically at the peptide binding regions of both MHC genes.
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Zulz T, Huang G, Rudolph K, DeByle C, Tsang R, Desai S, Massey S, Bruce MG. Epidemiology of invasive Haemophilus influenzae serotype a disease in the North American Arctic, 2006-2017. Int J Circumpolar Health 2022; 81:2150382. [PMID: 36461156 PMCID: PMC9728126 DOI: 10.1080/22423982.2022.2150382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Invasive Haemophilus influenzae type a (iHia) disease was detected in Alaska and Northern Canada in 2002 and 2000, respectively. From 2006 to 2017, 164 iHia cases (Alaska=53, Northern Canada=111) were reported. Rates of iHia disease per 100,000 persons were higher in Northern Canada compared to Alaska and were significantly higher in Indigenous (Alaska 2.8, Northern Canada 9.5) compared to non-Indigenous populations (Alaska 0.1, Northern Canada=0.4). Disease rates were highest in Indigenous children <2 years of age (Alaska 56.2, Northern Canada=144.1) and significantly higher than in non-Indigenous children <2 (Alaska 0.1, Northern Canada 0.4). The most common clinical presentation in children <5 years was meningitis of age and pneumonia in persons ≥5 years old. Most patients were hospitalised (Alaska=87%, Northern Canada=89%) and fatality was similar (Alaska=11%, Northern Canada=10%). MLST testing showed sequence types ST23 and ST576 in Northern Canada and ST576, ST23 and ST56 in Alaska. Alaska and Northern Canada have high rates of iHia disease. A vaccine is needed in these regions to protect young children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tammy Zulz
- Arctic Investigations Program, Division of Preparedness and Emerging Infections, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Anchorage, Alaska, USA
| | - Grace Huang
- Infectious Disease Programs Branch, Public Health Agency of Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Karen Rudolph
- Arctic Investigations Program, Division of Preparedness and Emerging Infections, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Anchorage, Alaska, USA
| | - Carolynn DeByle
- Arctic Investigations Program, Division of Preparedness and Emerging Infections, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Anchorage, Alaska, USA
| | - Raymond Tsang
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Shalini Desai
- Infectious Disease Programs Branch, Public Health Agency of Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Stephanie Massey
- Section of Epidemiology, Division of Public Health, Alaska Department of Health & Social Services, Anchorage, Alaska, USA
| | - Michael G Bruce
- Arctic Investigations Program, Division of Preparedness and Emerging Infections, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Anchorage, Alaska, USA,CONTACT Michael G Bruce
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33
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Hicks KL, Robler SK, Simmons RA, Ross A, Egger JR, Emmett SD. Hearing-related quality of life in children and adolescents in rural Alaska. Laryngoscope Investig Otolaryngol 2022; 8:269-278. [PMID: 36846414 PMCID: PMC9948564 DOI: 10.1002/lio2.973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2022] [Revised: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective This study evaluated the Hearing Environments and Reflection on Quality of Life (HEAR-QL) questionnaire in rural Alaska, including an addendum crafted through community feedback to reflect the local context. The objectives were to assess whether HEAR-QL score was inversely correlated with hearing loss and middle ear disease in an Alaska Native population. Methods The HEAR-QL questionnaires for children and adolescents were administered as part of a cluster randomized trial in rural Alaska from 2017 to 2019. Enrolled students completed an audiometric evaluation and HEAR-QL questionnaire on the same day. A cross-sectional evaluation of questionnaire data was utilized. Results A total of 733 children (ages 7-12 years) and 440 adolescents (ages ≥13 years) completed the questionnaire. Median HEAR-QL scores were similar among children with and without hearing loss (Kruskal-Wallis, p = .39); however, adolescent HEAR-QL scores significantly decreased with increasing hearing loss (p < .001). Median HEAR-QL scores were significantly lower in both children (p = .02) and adolescents (p < .001) with middle ear disease compared with those without. In both children and adolescents, the addendum scores were strongly correlated with total HEAR-QL score (ρSpearman = 0.72 and 0.69, respectively). Conclusions The expected negative association between hearing loss and HEAR-QL score was observed in adolescents. However, there was significant variability that could not be explained by hearing loss, and further investigation is warranted. The expected negative association was not observed in children. HEAR-QL scores were associated with middle ear disease in both children and adolescents, making it potentially valuable in populations where the prevalence of ear infections is high. Level of Evidence Level 2 Clinicaltrials.gov registration numbers: NCT03309553.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelli L. Hicks
- Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck SurgeryUniversity of North Carolina‐Chapel HillChapel HillNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Samantha Kleindienst Robler
- Department of AudiologyNorton Sound Health CorporationNomeAlaskaUSA,Department of Otolaryngology‐Head and Neck SurgeryUniversity of Arkansas for Medical SciencesLittle RockArkansasUSA
| | - Ryan A. Simmons
- Department of Biostatistics & BioinformaticsDuke UniversityDurhamNorth CarolinaUSA,Duke Global Health InstituteDurhamNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Alexandra Ross
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery and Communication SciencesDuke University School of MedicineDurhamNorth CarolinaUSA,Center for Health Policy and Inequalities Research, Duke UniversityDurhamNorth CarolinaUSA
| | | | - Susan D. Emmett
- Department of Otolaryngology‐Head and Neck SurgeryUniversity of Arkansas for Medical SciencesLittle RockArkansasUSA,Duke Global Health InstituteDurhamNorth CarolinaUSA,Department of Head and Neck Surgery and Communication SciencesDuke University School of MedicineDurhamNorth CarolinaUSA,Center for Health Policy and Inequalities Research, Duke UniversityDurhamNorth CarolinaUSA,Department of EpidemiologyFay W. Boozman College of Public Health, University of Arkansas for Medical SciencesLittle RockArkansasUSA
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Trammell EJ, Carlson ML, Reynolds JH, Taylor JJ, Schmidt NM. Ecological integrity and conservation challenges in a rapidly changing Arctic: A call for new approaches in large intact landscapes. Ambio 2022; 51:2524-2531. [PMID: 35779211 PMCID: PMC9584027 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-022-01756-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Revised: 05/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Intactness is a commonly used measure of ecological integrity, especially when evaluating conservation status at the landscape scale. We argue that in the large and relatively unfragmented landscapes of the Arctic and sub-Arctic, intactness provides only partial insight for managers charged with maintaining ecological integrity. A recent landscape assessment suggests that 95% of Alaska shows no measured direct or indirect impacts of human development on the landscape. However, the current exceptionally high levels of intactness in Alaska, and throughout the Arctic and sub-Arctic, do not adequately reflect impacts to the region's ecological integrity caused by indirect stressors, such as a rapidly changing climate and the subsequent loss of the cryosphere. Thus, it can be difficult to measure, and manage, some of the conservation challenges presented by the ecological context of these systems. The dominant drivers of change, and their associated ecological and socioeconomic impacts, vary as systems decline in ecological integrity from very high to high, and to intermediate levels, but this is not well understood in the literature. Arctic and sub-Arctic systems, as well as other large intact areas, provide unique opportunities for conservation planning, but require tools and approaches appropriate to unfragmented landscapes undergoing rapid climate-driven ecological transformation. We conclude with possible directions for developing more appropriate metrics for measuring ecological integrity in these systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- E. Jamie Trammell
- Alaska Center for Conservation Science, University of Alaska Anchorage, 3211 Providence Drive, Anchorage, AK 99508 USA
- Environmental Science, Policy, & Sustainability, Southern Oregon University, 1250 Siskiyou Blvd., Ashland, OR 97520 USA
| | - Matthew L. Carlson
- Alaska Center for Conservation Science, University of Alaska Anchorage, 3211 Providence Drive, Anchorage, AK 99508 USA
| | - Joel H. Reynolds
- Climate Change Response Program, U.S. National Park Service, 1201 Oakridge Dr. Suite 200, Fort Collins, CO 80525 USA
| | - Jason J. Taylor
- Aldo Leopold Wilderness Research Institute, USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, 790 E. Beckwith Ave, Missoula, MT 59801 USA
| | - Niels M. Schmidt
- Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark
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35
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Krause MJ, Detwiler N, Schwarber A, McCauley M. An evaluation of solar thermal heating to support a freeze-thaw anaerobic digestion system for human waste treatment in subarctic environments. Renew Energy 2022; 198:618-625. [PMID: 36760369 PMCID: PMC9907457 DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2022.08.055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Remote locations, small communities, and weather prohibit the operation of piped sanitary sewers in many Alaska Native Villages (ANVs). Research was conducted to understand the technical feasibility of installing anaerobic digesters (ADs) in remote ANVs which would be heated by solar thermal collectors. Biochemical methane potential (BMP) assays were conducted to understand the effect of freezing and thawing on methanogenic activity of synthetic human feces. BMPs were frozen at -20 or -80 °C for 7 days and then incubated at psychrophilic (20 °C) or mesophilic (37 °C) conditions. Psychrophilic BMPs frozen at -20 or -80 °C yielded 453 ± 119 and 662 ± 77 mL CH4/g VS, respectively. Mesophilic BMPs frozen at -20 or -80 °C yielded 337 ± 59 and 495 ± 63 mL CH4/g VS, respectively. Freezing caused a lag period, but ultimately many of the assays reached yields similar to or even greater than the baseline, unfrozen assays. Monthly solar radiation and air temperature data were used to identify the number of solar thermal collectors that would be required to supplement heat energy to operate the ADs in several locations. Alaskan subarctic locations receive enough solar thermal energy in summer months to support seasonally operated, psychrophilic ADs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max J. Krause
- US Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research & Development, 26 Martin Luther King Dr W, Cincinnati, OH, 45268, USA
| | - Natalie Detwiler
- Oak Ridge Associated Universities, 26 Martin Luther King Dr W, Cincinnati, OH, 45268, USA
| | - Amy Schwarber
- US Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research & Development, 26 Martin Luther King Dr W, Cincinnati, OH, 45268, USA
| | - Margaret McCauley
- US Environmental Protection Agency, Region 10, 1200 Sixth Avenue, Seattle, WA, 98101, USA
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36
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Smith MM, Van Hemert C, Atwood TC, Sinnett DR, Hupp JW, Meixell BW, Gustine DD, Adams LG, Ramey AM. A SEROLOGIC SURVEY OF FRANCISELLA TULARENSIS EXPOSURE IN WILDLIFE ON THE ARCTIC COASTAL PLAIN OF ALASKA, USA. J Wildl Dis 2022; 58:746-55. [PMID: 36302352 DOI: 10.7589/JWD-D-21-00162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Tularemia is an infectious zoonotic disease caused by one of several subspecies of Francisella tularensis bacteria. Infections by F. tularensis are common throughout the northern hemisphere and have been detected in more than 250 wildlife species. In Alaska, US, where the pathogen was first identified in 1938, studies have identified F. tularensis antibodies in a diverse suite of taxa, including insects, birds, and mammals. However, few such investigations have been conducted recently and knowledge about the current distribution and disease ecology of F. tularensis is limited, particularly in Arctic Alaska, an area undergoing rapid environmental changes from climate warming. To help address these information gaps and provide insights about patterns of exposure among wildlife, we assessed the seroprevalence of F. tularensis antibodies in mammals and tundra-nesting geese from the Arctic Coastal Plain of Alaska, 2014-17. With a commercially available slide agglutination test, we detected antibodies in 14.7% of all individuals sampled (n=722), with titers ranging from 1:20 to 1:320. We detected significant differences in seroprevalence between family groups, with Canidae (foxes, Vulpes spp.) and Sciuridae (Arctic ground squirrel, Spermophilus parryii) having the highest seroprevalence at 21.5% and 33.3%, respectively. Mean seroprevalence for Ursidae (polar bears, Ursus maritimus) was 13.3%, whereas Cervidae (caribou, Rangifer tarandus) had comparatively low seroprevalence at 6.5%. Antibodies were detected in all Anatidae species sampled, with Black Brant (Branta bernicla nigricans) having the highest seroprevalence at 13.6%. The detection of F. tularensis antibodies across multiple taxa from the Arctic Coastal Plain and its nearshore marine region provides evidence of exposure to this pathogen throughout the region and highlights the need for renewed surveillance in Alaska.
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37
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Koffman BG, Saylor P, Zhong R, Sethares L, Yoder MF, Hanschka L, Methven T, Cai Y, Bolge L, Longman J, Goldstein SL, Osterberg EC. Provenance of Anthropogenic Pb and Atmospheric Dust to Northwestern North America. Environ Sci Technol 2022; 56:13107-13118. [PMID: 36083611 PMCID: PMC9494742 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c03767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Revised: 08/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Industrial activities release aerosols containing toxic metals into the atmosphere, where they are transported far from their sources, impacting ecosystems and human health. Concomitantly, long-range-transported mineral dust aerosols play a role in Earth's radiative balance and supply micronutrients to iron-limited ecosystems. To evaluate the sources of dust and pollutant aerosols to Alaska following the 2001 phase-out of leaded gasoline in China, we measured Pb-Sr-Nd isotopic compositions of particles collected in 2016 from snow pits across an elevational transect (2180-5240 m-a.s.l) in Denali National Park, USA. We also determined Pb flux and enrichment from 1991-2011 in the Denali ice core (3870 m-a.s.l). Chinese coal-burning and non-ferrous metal smelting account for up to 64% of Pb deposition at our sites, a value consistent across the western Arctic. Pb isotope ratios in the aerosols did not change between 2001 and 2016, despite the ban on lead additives. Emissions estimates demonstrate that industrial activities have more than compensated for the phase-out of leaded gasoline, with China emitting ∼37,000 metric tons year-1 of Pb during 2013-2015, approximately 78% of the Pb from East Asia. The Pb flux to Alaska now equals that measured in southern Greenland during peak pollution from North America.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bess G. Koffman
- Department
of Geology, Colby College, Waterville, Maine 04901, United States
| | - Patrick Saylor
- National
Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, Colorado 80307, United States
- Earth
Science Department, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire 03755, United States
| | - Roujia Zhong
- Department
of Computer Science, Colby College, Waterville, Maine 04901, United States
| | - Lily Sethares
- Department
of Geology, Colby College, Waterville, Maine 04901, United States
| | - Meg F. Yoder
- Department
of Geology, Colby College, Waterville, Maine 04901, United States
- Department
of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Boston
College, Boston, Massachusetts 02467, United States
| | - Lena Hanschka
- Department
of Geology, Colby College, Waterville, Maine 04901, United States
| | - Taylor Methven
- Department
of Geology, Colby College, Waterville, Maine 04901, United States
| | - Yue Cai
- State
Key
Laboratory of Paleobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Paleontology, Chinese Academy of
Sciences, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province 210008, P.R. China
- Lamont-Doherty
Earth Observatory of Columbia University, Palisades, New York 10964, United States
| | - Louise Bolge
- Lamont-Doherty
Earth Observatory of Columbia University, Palisades, New York 10964, United States
| | - Jack Longman
- Institute
for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment, University of Oldenburg, 26129 Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Steven L. Goldstein
- Lamont-Doherty
Earth Observatory of Columbia University, Palisades, New York 10964, United States
- Department
of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Columbia
University, New York, New York 10027, United
States
| | - Erich C. Osterberg
- Earth
Science Department, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire 03755, United States
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38
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Devotta DA, Kent AD, Nelson DM, Walsh PB, Fraterrigo JM, Hu FS. Effects of alder- and salmon-derived nutrients on aquatic bacterial community structure and microbial community metabolism in subarctic lakes. Oecologia 2022; 199:711-724. [PMID: 35739283 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-022-05207-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Alder (Alnus spp.) and Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) provide key nutrient subsidies to freshwater systems. In southwestern Alaska, alder-derived nutrients (ADNs) are increasing as alder cover expands in response to climate warming, while climate change and habitat degradation are reducing marine-derived nutrients (MDNs) in salmon-spawning habitats. To assess the relative influences of ADN and MDN on aquatic microbial community structure and function, we analyzed lake chemistry, bacterial community structure, and microbial metabolism in 13 lakes with varying alder cover and salmon abundance in southwestern Alaska. We conducted bioassays to determine microbial nutrient limitation and physical factors modulating microbial response to nutrient inputs (+N, +P and +NP treatments). Seasonal shifts in bacterial community structure (F = 7.47, P < 0.01) coincided with changes in lake nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) concentrations (r2 = 0.19 and 0.16, both P < 0.05), and putrescine degradation (r2 = 0.13, P = 0.06), suggesting the influx and microbial use of MDN. Higher microbial metabolism occurred in summer than spring, coinciding with salmon runs. Increased microbial metabolism occurred in lakes where more salmon spawned. Microbial metabolic activity was unrelated to alder cover, likely because ADN provides less resource diversity than MDN. When nutrients were added to spring samples, there was greater substrate use by microbial communities from lakes with elevated Chl a concentrations and large relative catchment areas (β estimates for all treatments > 0.56, all P < 0.07). Thus, physical watershed and lake features mediate the effects of nutrient subsidies on aquatic microbial metabolic activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denise A Devotta
- Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA.
| | - Angela D Kent
- Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA.,Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - David M Nelson
- Appalachian Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Frostburg, MD, 21532, USA
| | - Patrick B Walsh
- Togiak National Wildlife Refuge, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Dillingham, AK, 99576, USA
| | - Jennifer M Fraterrigo
- Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA.,Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Feng Sheng Hu
- Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA.,Department of Plant Biology, Department of Geology, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
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39
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Eisaguirre JM, Booms TL, Barger CP, Lewis SB, Breed GA. Demographic partitioning of dynamic energy subsidies revealed with an Ornstein-Uhlenbeck space use model. Ecol Appl 2022; 32:e2542. [PMID: 35137484 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
In populations across many taxa, a large fraction of sexually mature individuals do not breed but are attempting to enter the breeding population. Such individuals, often referred to as "floaters," can play critical roles in the dynamics and stability of these populations and buffer them through periods of high adult mortality. Floaters are difficult to study, however, so we lack data needed to understand their roles in the population ecology and conservation status of many species. Here, we analyzed satellite telemetry data with a newly developed mechanistic space use model based on an Ornstein-Uhlenbeck process to help overcome the paucity of data in studying the differential habitat selection and space use of floater and territorial golden eagles Aquila chrysaetos. Our sample consisted of 49 individuals tracked over complete breeding seasons across 4 years, totaling 104 eagle breeding seasons. Modeling these data mechanistically was required to disentangle key differences in movement and particularly to separate aspects of movement driven by resource selection from those driven by use of a central place. We found that floaters generally had more expansive space use patterns and larger home ranges, as well as evidence that they partition space with territorial individuals seemingly on fine scales through differential habitat and resource selection. Floater and territorial eagle home ranges overlapped markedly, suggesting that floaters use the interstices between territories. Furthermore, floater and territorial eagles differed in how they selected for uplift variables, key components of soaring birds' energy landscape, with territorial eagles apparently better able to find and use thermal uplift. We also found relatively low individual heterogeneity in resource selection, especially among territorial individuals, suggesting a narrow realized niche for breeding individuals, which varied from the level of among-individual variation present during migration. This work furthers our understanding of floaters' potential roles in the population ecology of territorial species and suggests that conserving landscapes occupied by territorial eagles also protects floaters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph M Eisaguirre
- Department of Biology and Wildlife, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, Alaska, USA
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, Alaska, USA
| | - Travis L Booms
- Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Fairbanks, Alaska, USA
| | | | - Stephen B Lewis
- United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Juneau, Alaska, USA
| | - Greg A Breed
- Department of Biology and Wildlife, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, Alaska, USA
- Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, Alaska, USA
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40
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Schmidt JI, Johnson B, Huntington HP, Whitney E. A framework for assessing food-energy-water security: A FEW case studies from rural Alaska. Sci Total Environ 2022; 821:153355. [PMID: 35093360 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.153355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2021] [Revised: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Food, energy, and water (FEW) are basic needs for well-being and quality of life. Assessing FEW security allows residents, communities, and policy makers to make informed decisions about how to sustain and improve well-being. We have developed a FEW security assessment framework that examines four components of security: availability, access, quality, and preference. With the help of local community members, we interviewed 114 households in three rural Alaska communities to assess FEW security, drivers and outcomes of FEW security, and potential interactions among FEW components and with renewable energy (RE) developments. While FEW security was high overall, preference and quality, especially for food, was lower. Food harvested from the local environment (i.e. subsistence) was necessary to include in security assessments given that 24% of participants reported insecurity when asked about contemporary sources (i.e. purchased) versus 5% reporting insecurity for subsistence food sources (i.e., harvested). The major influences on FEW security tended to originate from outside the community, including factors such as transportation, income, fuel prices, and weather. One internal factor, health, was both a driver and an outcome of FEW security. Satisfaction with RE varied (42%-68%) with dissatisfaction due to unreliability, uncertainty of the economic benefit, desire for other types of RE, or wanting more RE (n = 6). Communication about RE projects was key to managing expectations, promoting knowledge, and identifying benefits for residents. Participants did not identify linkages between RE and FEW security. Our assessment tool can be used by communities and policy makers to contextualize FEW security into more insightful and specific components, allowing for identification of attainable actions to improve FEW security and thus individual and community well-being.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer I Schmidt
- Institute of Social and Economic Research, University of Alaska Anchorage, Anchorage 99508, AK, USA.
| | - Barbara Johnson
- University Alaska Fairbanks, Nat Resources & Environment, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA
| | | | - Erin Whitney
- Alaska Center for Energy and Power, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 99775, AK, USA
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Rd P, L L, Md A, J M. Twenty Years of Addiction and Mental Illness in Alaska: Using the National Survey on Drug Use and Health to Understand Addiction in a Low Population and Rural State. J Community Health 2022. [PMID: 35567711 DOI: 10.1007/s10900-022-01098-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Understanding changes in substance use in a small population state is challenging. Many national datasets restrict data to reduce the probability of identifying persons. Alaska is a small population state (731,000 residents) with a large geographic region (25% the size of the lower 48), a diverse population, and highly variable seasons, with fewer than 10% of the state being road accessible. Given the uniqueness of Alaska, this project sought to understand what could be learned about addiction and its relationships with unemployment and median income in Alaska. National Survey on Drug Use and Health, State and Small Area Estimates (1999-2020) data were analyzed to measure prevalence changes. Outcome prevalence were independently correlated with median income and annual unemployment rate as the annual collection periods varied. Analyses were limited to simple bivariate analyses due to the data restrictions. Median income was found to have stronger correlational relationships and significant relationships with more negative outcomes compared to unemployment. While annual unemployment rates had statistically significant relationships with substance use outcomes, negative mental health outcomes appeared more related to unemployment than median income. Alcohol use in the past month, cigarette and tobacco use, and pain reliever misuse declined while binge drinking in the past month and illicit drug use increased. More people reported depression, serious mental illness, and suicidal ideation and planning over time peaking in the last year of data collection. While NSDUH data provide some idea of the changes in drug use over time, their effectiveness in Alaska is unknown. Many data sources claim they are nationally representative, but these statements cannot be objectively measured. We will use these outcomes and data as a baseline for future studies where we will explore state specific data sources.
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42
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Spaulding F, McLaughlin JF, Glenn TC, Winker K. Estimating Movement Rates Between Eurasian and North American Birds That Are Vectors of Avian Influenza. Avian Dis 2022; 66:155-164. [PMID: 35510470 DOI: 10.1637/aviandiseases-d-21-00088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Avian influenza (AI) is a zoonotic disease that will likely be involved in future pandemics. Because waterbird movements are difficult to quantify, determining the host-specific risk of Eurasian-origin AI movements into North America is challenging. We estimated relative rates of movements, based on long-term evolutionary averages of gene flow, between Eurasian and North American waterbird populations to obtain bidirectional baseline rates of the intercontinental movements of these AI hosts. We used population genomics and coalescent-based demographic models to obtain these gene-flow-based movement estimates. Inferred rates of movement between these continental populations varies greatly among species. Within dabbling ducks, gene flow, relative to effective population size, varies from ∼3 to 24 individuals/generation between Eurasian and American wigeons (Mareca penelope and Mareca americana) to ∼100-300 individuals/generation between continental populations of northern pintails (Anas acuta). These are evolutionary long-term averages and provide a solid foundation for understanding the relative risks of each of these host species in potential intercontinental AI movements. We scale these values to census size for evaluation in that context. In addition to being AI hosts, many of these bird species are also important in the subsistence diets of Alaskans, increasing the risk of direct bird-to-human exposure to Eurasian-origin AI virus. We contrast species-specific rates of intercontinental movements with the importance of each species in Alaskan diets to understand the relative risk of these taxa to humans. Assuming roughly equivalent AI infection rates among ducks, greater scaup (Aythya marila), mallard (Anas platyrhynchos), and northern pintail (Anas acuta) were the top three species presenting the highest risks for intercontinental AI movement both within the natural system and through exposure to subsistence hunters. Improved data on AI infection rates in this region could further refine these relative risk assessments. These directly comparable, species-based intercontinental movement rates and relative risk rankings should help in modeling, monitoring, and mitigating the impacts of intercontinental host and AI movements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fern Spaulding
- University of Alaska Museum, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK 99775, .,Department of Biology and Wildlife, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK 99775
| | - Jessica F McLaughlin
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720
| | - Travis C Glenn
- Department of Environmental Health Science and Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602
| | - Kevin Winker
- University of Alaska Museum, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK 99775.,Department of Biology and Wildlife, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK 99775
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43
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Pellerin A, Lotem N, Walter Anthony K, Eliani Russak E, Hasson N, Røy H, Chanton JP, Sivan O. Methane production controls in a young thermokarst lake formed by abrupt permafrost thaw. Glob Chang Biol 2022; 28:3206-3221. [PMID: 35243729 PMCID: PMC9310722 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Revised: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 02/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Methane (CH4 ) release to the atmosphere from thawing permafrost contributes significantly to global CH4 emissions. However, constraining the effects of thaw that control the production and emission of CH4 is needed to anticipate future Arctic emissions. Here are presented robust rate measurements of CH4 production and cycling in a region of rapidly degrading permafrost. Big Trail Lake, located in central Alaska, is a young, actively expanding thermokarst lake. The lake was investigated by taking two 1 m cores of sediment from different regions. Two independent methods of measuring microbial CH4 production, long term (CH4 accumulation) and short term (14 C tracer), produced similar average rates of 11 ± 3.5 and 9 ± 3.6 nmol cm-3 d-1 , respectively. The rates had small variations between the different lithological units, indicating homogeneous CH4 production despite heterogeneous lithology in the surface ~1 m of sediment. To estimate the total CH4 production, the CH4 production rates were multiplied through the 10-15 m deep talik (thaw bulb). This estimate suggests that CH4 production is higher than emission by a maximum factor of ~2, which is less than previous estimates. Stable and radioactive carbon isotope measurements showed that 50% of dissolved CH4 in the first meter was produced further below. Interestingly, labeled 14 C incubations with 2-14 C acetate and 14 C CO2 indicate that variations in the pathway used by microbes to produce CH4 depends on the age and type of organic matter in the sediment, but did not appear to influence the rates at which CH4 was produced. This study demonstrates that at least half of the CH4 produced by microbial breakdown of organic matter in actively expanding thermokarst is emitted to the atmosphere, and that the majority of this CH4 is produced in the deep sediment.
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Affiliation(s)
- André Pellerin
- Department of Earth and Environmental SciencesBen Gurion University of the NegevBeershevaIsrael
| | - Noam Lotem
- Department of Earth and Environmental SciencesBen Gurion University of the NegevBeershevaIsrael
| | - Katey Walter Anthony
- Water and Environmental Research CenterUniversity of Alaska FairbanksFairbanksAlaskaUSA
- International Arctic Research CenterFairbanksAlaskaUSA
| | - Efrat Eliani Russak
- Department of Earth and Environmental SciencesBen Gurion University of the NegevBeershevaIsrael
| | - Nicholas Hasson
- Water and Environmental Research CenterUniversity of Alaska FairbanksFairbanksAlaskaUSA
| | - Hans Røy
- Department of BiologyAarhus UniversityAarhusDenmark
| | - Jeffrey P. Chanton
- Department of Earth Ocean and Atmospheric ScienceFlorida State UniversityTallahasseeFloridaUSA
| | - Orit Sivan
- Department of Earth and Environmental SciencesBen Gurion University of the NegevBeershevaIsrael
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Garcia GM, Mapaye JC, Hedwig T, Petalio J, Aquino SR, Lasquete P, Tungul C. Feasibility of implementing project Buhay: the first colorectal cancer screening promotion programme for Filipinos in Alaska. Int J Circumpolar Health 2022; 81:2059173. [PMID: 35356871 PMCID: PMC8979537 DOI: 10.1080/22423982.2022.2059173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
This study assessed the feasibility of implementing Project Buhay (PB), the first colorectal cancer (CRC) screening promotion programme for Filipinos in Alaska and developed through university-community partnership. PB involved piloting two interventions: a group health education intervention and (GHEI) a video-based intervention (VBI) showing a mini-documentary of a Filipina from Alaska with CRC. Participants included self-identified Filipinos, aged 50 to 75 years who were not current in CRC screening. Data collected include recruitment, reach, implementation process, short-term outcomes, and implementation barriers. Results show that PB reached a total of three Alaskan communities and exposed almost 50 participants. GHEI and VBI participants were followed-up at three-month post-intervention, with 80% reporting their intention to get CRC screening within a year. The main barrier in implementing PB was its lack of funding and time, which lessened effectiveness and reduced community and participant reach. However, PB team's ability to make adjustments in implementation and leverage existing university and community assets led to the successful implementation of theinterventions. At the project's conclusion, there were positive implications for both the Filipino community in Alaska and project team, affirming the importance of university-community partnership.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel M Garcia
- Division of Population Health Sciences, University of Alaska Anchorage, Anchorage, Alaska, USA
| | - Joy Chavez Mapaye
- Department of Journalism and Public Communications, University of Alaska Anchorage, Anchorage, Alaska, USA
| | - Travis Hedwig
- Division of Population Health Sciences, University of Alaska Anchorage, Anchorage, Alaska, USA
| | - Jessica Petalio
- Department of Psychology, University of Alaska Anchorage, Anchorage, Alaska, USA
| | - Suzanna Rosie Aquino
- Division of Population Health Sciences, University of Alaska Anchorage, Anchorage, Alaska, USA
| | - Pauline Lasquete
- Division of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences, San Diego State University, San Diego, Alaska, USA
| | - Claudine Tungul
- Department of Psychology, University of Alaska Anchorage, Anchorage, Alaska, USA
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Sinicrope PS, Young CD, Resnicow K, Merritt ZT, McConnell CR, Hughes CA, Koller KR, Bock MJ, Decker PA, Flanagan CA, Meade CD, Thomas TK, Prochaska JJ, Patten CA. Lessons Learned From Beta-Testing a Facebook Group Prototype to Promote Treatment Use in the "Connecting Alaska Native People to Quit Smoking" (CAN Quit) Study. J Med Internet Res 2022; 24:e28704. [PMID: 35175208 PMCID: PMC8895280 DOI: 10.2196/28704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Revised: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Social media provides an effective tool to reach, engage, and connect smokers in cessation efforts. Our team developed a Facebook group, CAN Quit (Connecting Alaska Native People to Quit smoking), to promote use of evidence-based smoking cessation resources for Alaska Native people living in Alaska, which are underused despite their effectiveness. Often separated by geography and climate, Alaska Native people prefer group-based approaches for tobacco cessation that support their culture and values. Such preferences make Alaska Native people candidates for social media-based interventions that promote connection. This viewpoint discusses the steps involved and lessons learned in building and beta-testing our Facebook group prototype, which will then be evaluated in a pilot randomized controlled trial. We describe the process of training moderators to facilitate group engagement and foster community, and we describe how we developed and tested our intervention prototype and Facebook group. All parts of the prototype were designed to facilitate use of evidence-based cessation treatments. We include recommendations for best practices with the hope that lessons learned from the CAN Quit prototype could provide a model for others to create similar platforms that benefit Alaska Native and American Indian people in the context of smoking cessation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pamela S Sinicrope
- Behavioral Health Research Program, Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Colleen D Young
- Division of Consumer Communications, Social and Digital Innovation, Mayo Clinic Connect, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Ken Resnicow
- Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Zoe T Merritt
- Clinical & Research Services, Division of Community Health Services, Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, Anchorage, AK, United States
| | - Clara R McConnell
- Wellness and Prevention, Division of Community Health Services, Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, Anchorage, AK, United States
| | - Christine A Hughes
- Behavioral Health Research Program, Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Kathryn R Koller
- Clinical & Research Services, Division of Community Health Services, Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, Anchorage, AK, United States
| | - Martha J Bock
- Behavioral Health Research Program, Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Paul A Decker
- Behavioral Health Research Program, Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Christie A Flanagan
- Clinical & Research Services, Division of Community Health Services, Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, Anchorage, AK, United States
| | - Crystal D Meade
- Wellness and Prevention, Division of Community Health Services, Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, Anchorage, AK, United States
| | - Timothy K Thomas
- Clinical & Research Services, Division of Community Health Services, Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, Anchorage, AK, United States
| | - Judith J Prochaska
- Stanford Prevention Research Center, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Christi A Patten
- Behavioral Health Research Program, Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
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Lieske CL, Herndon DR, Highland MA, Beckmen KB. LABORATORY CONCORDANCE STUDY FOR THE MOLECULAR DETECTION OF MYCOPLASMA OVIPNEUMONIAE. J Wildl Dis 2022. [PMID: 35104345 DOI: 10.7589/JWD-D-21-00118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
As part of a respiratory pathogen survey of Alaska wildlife, we conducted a concordance study to assess Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae detection among three different PCR assays using a total of 346 nasal swabs sampled from four species (Dall's sheep, Ovis dalli dalli; mountain goats, Oreamnos americanus; caribou, Rangifer tarandus granti; and moose, Alces alces gigas), and two taxonomic subfamilies (Bovidae subfamily Caprinae and Cervidae subfamily Capreolinae). A federal research laboratory performed two PCR assays (xxxxxxxxx [LM40] and intergenic spacer region [IGS]), and a state diagnostic laboratory performed the third (universal Mycoplasma [UM]). Overall concordance was good, ranging from 93% to 99%, which was probably a result of low detection rate of M. ovipneumoniae. Due to differences in positive agreement, the quality of concordance between LM40 and both IGS and UM was considered fair. However, the quality of concordance between IGS and UM was excellent. All three PCR methods detected M. ovipneumoniae in a non-Caprinae species (caribou), and the LM40-PCR assay also detected M. ovipneumoniae in additional Caprinae species. The LM40-PCR assay detected M. ovipneumoniae in a larger number of samples than did the other two assays (IGS, UM). Because of potential differences in detection rates, it is critical to consider test parameters when evaluating a host population for the presence of M. ovipneumoniae.
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Ramey AM, Reeves AB, Lagassé BJ, Patil V, Hubbard LE, Kolpin DW, McCleskey RB, Repert DA, Stallknecht DE, Poulson RL. Evidence for interannual persistence of infectious influenza A viruses in Alaska wetlands. Sci Total Environ 2022; 803:150078. [PMID: 34525758 PMCID: PMC9277558 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.150078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Revised: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 08/28/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Influenza A viruses (IAVs) deposited by wild birds into the environment may lead to sporadic mortality events and economically costly outbreaks among domestic birds. There is a paucity of information, however, regarding the persistence of infectious IAVs within the environment following deposition. In this investigation, we assessed the persistence of 12 IAVs that were present in cloacal and/or oropharyngeal swabs of naturally infected ducks. Infectivity of these IAVs was monitored over approximately one year with each virus tested in five water types: (1) distilled water held in the lab at 4 °C and (2-5) filtered surface water from each of four Alaska sites and maintained in the field at ambient temperature. By evaluating infectivity of IAVs in ovo following sample retrieval at four successive time points, we observed declines in IAV infectivity through time. Many viruses persisted for extended periods, as evidenced by ≥25% of IAVs remaining infectious in replicate samples for each treatment type through three sampling time points (144-155 days post-sample collection) and two viruses remaining viable in a single replicate sample each when tested upon collection at a fourth time point (361-377 days post-sample collection). The estimated probability of persistence of infectious IAVs in all five water types was estimated to be between 0.25 and 0.75 during days 50-200 post-sample collection as inferred through Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. Our results provide evidence that IAVs may remain infectious for extended periods, up to or even exceeding one year, when maintained in surface waters under ambient temperatures. Therefore, wetlands may represent an important medium in which infectious IAVs may reside outside of a biotic reservoir.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew M Ramey
- U. S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, 4210 University Drive, Anchorage, AK 99508, USA.
| | - Andrew B Reeves
- U. S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, 4210 University Drive, Anchorage, AK 99508, USA.
| | - Benjamin J Lagassé
- U. S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, 4210 University Drive, Anchorage, AK 99508, USA; Department of Biology and Wildlife, University of Alaska Fairbanks, P.O. Box 756100, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA
| | - Vijay Patil
- U. S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, 4210 University Drive, Anchorage, AK 99508, USA.
| | - Laura E Hubbard
- U. S. Geological Survey, Upper Midwest Water Science Center, 8505 Research Way, Middleton, WI 53562, USA.
| | - Dana W Kolpin
- U. S. Geological Survey, Central Midwest Water Science Center, 400 S. Clinton Street, Iowa City, IA 52244, USA.
| | - R Blaine McCleskey
- U. S. Geological Survey, Water Resources Mission Area, 3215 Marine Street, Building 6, Boulder, CO 80309, USA.
| | - Deborah A Repert
- U. S. Geological Survey, Water Resources Mission Area, 3215 Marine Street, Building 6, Boulder, CO 80309, USA.
| | - David E Stallknecht
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
| | - Rebecca L Poulson
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
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48
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Shaw DG, Blanchard AL. Aromatic hydrocarbon data in sediments from Port Valdez, Alaska. Data Brief 2021; 39:107486. [PMID: 34729385 PMCID: PMC8545665 DOI: 10.1016/j.dib.2021.107486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Revised: 10/10/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) were measured in sediments from 14 locations in Port Valdez, Alaska in an effort to understand changes associated with the operation of a marine terminal where crude oil delivered by pipeline was transferred to tankers for marine shipment. Samples of surficial sediment were collected annually from 1989 through 2019 at water depths of roughly 30 to 240 m by haps corer of Van Veen grab. PAH concentrations were determined by flame-ionization gas chromatography from 1989 to 2002 and by single ion monitoring gas chromatography-mass spectrometry from 2003 to 2019. Geographic coordinates and environmental variables (water depth, total organic carbon, and sediment grain-size) were also determined. The data are useful for comparisons to trend data elsewhere as well as the investigation of measurement uncertainty in chemical measurements.
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Affiliation(s)
- David G Shaw
- College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks, United States
| | - Arny L Blanchard
- College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks, United States
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49
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Hadley ME, Day G, Beans JA, Groen RS. Postpartum hemorrhage: Moving from response to prevention for Alaska Native mothers. Int J Gynaecol Obstet 2021; 155:290-295. [PMID: 34403505 PMCID: PMC9438451 DOI: 10.1002/ijgo.13883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Revised: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To identify risk factors for postpartum hemorrhage in a population of Alaska Native women. METHODS A case-control study of 384 women (128 cases, 256 controls) delivering between August 1, 2018, and July 31, 2019, was conducted at a Level III maternal referral center for Alaska Native women in Alaska. Risk factors were assessed via retrospective chart review, and bivariate and conditional regression analyses were conducted to determine odds ratios (ORs) between women with and without postpartum hemorrhage. RESULTS Body mass index ≥40 (OR 2.6, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.4-4.5), antepartum bleeding (OR 6.3, 95% CI 1.2-31.6), previous postpartum hemorrhage (OR 5, 95% CI 2.6-9.8), suspected macrosomia (OR 2.7, 95% CI 1.4-5.3), macrosomia with birthweight ≥4000 g (OR 3.1, 95% CI 1.8-5.3), pre-eclampsia with magnesium sulfate (OR 4.0, 95% CI 2.0-8.0), length of third stage of labor >20 min (OR 2.2, 95% CI 1.1-4.4), oxytocin use >12 h (OR 5.4, 95% CI 2.0-14.6), residence in a rural community (OR 2.2, 95% CI 1.4-3.6), and vitamin D supplementation (OR 1.7, 95% CI 1.1-2.6) were associated with greater risk of postpartum hemorrhage. CONCLUSION Analysis of clinical and geographic risk factors for postpartum hemorrhage in Alaska Native women identified important targets for prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan E Hadley
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Southcentral Foundation, Anchorage, Alaska, USA
| | - Gretchen Day
- Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, Anchorage, Alaska, USA
| | - Julie A Beans
- Department of Research, Southcentral Foundation, Anchorage, Alaska, USA
| | - Reinou S Groen
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Southcentral Foundation, Anchorage, Alaska, USA
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50
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Williamson ER, Sergeant CJ. Independent validation of downscaled climate estimates from a coastal Alaska watershed using local historical weather journals. PeerJ 2021; 9:e12055. [PMID: 34595065 PMCID: PMC8436960 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.12055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Downscaling coarse global and regional climate models allows researchers to access weather and climate data at finer temporal and spatial resolution, but there remains a need to compare these models with empirical data sources to assess model accuracy. Here, we validate a widely used software for generating North American downscaled climate data, ClimateNA, with a novel empirical data source, 20th century weather journals kept by Admiralty Island, Alaska homesteader, Allen Hasselborg. Using Hasselborg's journals, we calculated monthly precipitation and monthly mean of the maximum daily air temperature across the years 1926 to 1954 and compared these to ClimateNA data generated from the Hasselborg homestead location and adjacent areas. To demonstrate the utility and potential implications of this validation for other disciplines such as hydrology, we used an established regression equation to generate time series of 95% low duration flow estimates for the month of August using mean annual precipitation from ClimateNA predictions and Hasselborg data. Across 279 months, we found strong correlation between modeled and observed measurements of monthly precipitation (ρ = 0.74) and monthly mean of the maximum daily air temperature (ρ = 0.98). Monthly precipitation residuals (calculated as ClimateNA data - Hasselborg data) generally demonstrated heteroscedasticity around zero, but a negative trend in residual values starting during the last decade of observations may have been due to a shift to the cold-phase Pacific Decadal Oscillation. Air temperature residuals demonstrated a consistent but small positive bias, with ClimateNA tending to overestimate air temperature relative to Hasselborg's journals. The degree of correlation between weather patterns observed at the Hasselborg homestead site and ClimateNA data extracted from spatial grid cells across the region varied by wet and dry climate years. Monthly precipitation from both data sources tended to be more similar across a larger area during wet years (mean ρ across grid cells = 0.73) compared to dry years (mean ρ across grid cells = 0.65). The time series of annual 95% low duration flow estimates for the month of August generated using ClimateNA and Hasselborg data were moderately correlated (ρ = 0.55). Our analysis supports previous research in other regions which also found ClimateNA to be a robust source for past climate data estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily R Williamson
- College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska-Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, United States of America
| | - Christopher J Sergeant
- College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska-Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, United States of America.,Flathead Lake Biological Station, University of Montana, Polson, MT, United States of America
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