The Harvest of Beluga Whales in Canada's Western Arctic: Hunter-based Monitoring of the Size and Composition of the Catch

Hunter-based beluga monitoring programs, in place in the Mackenzie Delta since 1973 and in the Paulatuk, Northwest Territories, area since 1989, have resulted in collection of data on the number of whales harvested and on the efficiency of the hunts. Since 1980, data on the standard length, fluke width, sex, and age of the landed whales have also been collected. The number of belugas landed each year averaged 131.8 (SD 26.5, n = 1337) between 1970 and 1979, 124.0 (SD 23.3, n = 1240) between 1980 and 1989, and 111.0 (SD 19.0, n = 1110) between 1990 and 1999. The human population increased during this same period. Removal of belugas from the Beaufort Sea stock, including landed whales taken in the Alaskan harvests, is estimated at 189 per year. The sex ratio of landed belugas from the Mackenzie Estuary was 2.3 males:1 female. Median ages were 23.5 yr (47 growth layer groups [GLG]) for females (n = 80) and 24 yr (48 GLG) for males (n = 286). More than 92% of an aged sample (n = 368) from the harvest consisted of whales 10 or more years old (20 GLG). The rate of removal is small in relation to the expected maximum net productivity rate of this stock. The continued availability of large, old individuals after centuries of harvesting and the apparent lack of change in the size and age structure of the catch in recent years also support a conclusion that the present level of harvest is sustainable.Des programmes de surveillance du bélouga gérés par les chasseurs et mis en oeuvre dans le delta du Mackenzie depuis 1973 et dans la région de Paulatuk (Territoires du Nord-Ouest) depuis 1989, ont abouti à la collecte de données sur le nombre de baleines blanches prélevées et sur l'efficacité des expéditions de chasse. Depuis 1980, on a également collecté des données sur la longueur standard, la largeur de la nageoire caudale, le sexe et l'âge des bélougas ramenés à terre. Le nombre moyen de bélougas ramenés à terre chaque année était de 131,8 (écart-type 26,5, n = 1337) entre 1970 et 1979, de 124,0 (écart-type 23,3, n = 1240) entre 1980 et 1989, et de 111,0 (écart-type 19,0, n = 1110) entre 1990 et 1999. La population humaine s'est accrue durant cette même période. On estime à 189 le nombre annuel de bélougas prélevés sur le stock de la mer de Beaufort, y compris ceux ramenés à terre qui font partie des récoltes de l'Alaska. Le rapport des sexes des bélougas ramenés à terre depuis l'estuaire du Mackenzie était de 2,3 mâles pour 1 femelle. La moyenne d'âge était de 23,5 (47 groupes de couches de croissance [GCC]) pour les femelles (n = 80) et 24 (48 GCC) pour les mâles (n = 286). Plus de 92 p. cent d'un échantillonnage (n = 368) prélevé sur la récolte et dont l'âge avait été déterminé, consistait en des baleines blanches de 10 ans ou plus (20 GCC). Le taux de retrait est faible par rapport à la productivité maximale nette à laquelle on peut s'attendre de ce stock particulier. La présence continue d'individus âgés et de grande taille après des siècles de prélèvements, et le manque apparent de changements dans le nombre des prises et leur distribution d'âge au cours des dernières années permettent de conclure que le niveau actuel des prélèvements est durable

Empowering Internal Stakeholders Through the Dissemination of Useful Information: A Review of Crisis Management Concepts

In this article, we define crisis management as not only a problem, but also an opportunity for leaders to be flexible, creative, and innovative that contributes to social change. In the past, organizational leaders often looked at crisis management as a quick fix or stopgap to business as usual. Empowering internal stakeholders and disseminating useful information that is relevant, valid, timely, and reliable to people within the organization can lead to crisis resolution at the closest point of action and contribute to social change. We look at the primary and secondary stakeholders and stewardship of the employees during the crisis and discuss crisis management as the action research process and the relationship to social change. Moreover, corporate social responsibility from the perspective of the for-profit business leader can be a marketing and branding effort to improve organizational performance from the crisis management process that also contributes to social change

Tribal Gaming Leader Strategies toward a Sustainable Future

One aspect of leadership strategy is the need to account for the core values of the organization.The purpose of this case study was to explore the tribal gaming leader strategies used toward sustainability, an action that leads to tribal economic development and stability. The conceptual framework of situational leadership theory was used to guide the scope and analysis of this study. Six tribal gaming leaders from Oklahoma participated in a focus group session; 7 additional tribal gaming leaders from the same gaming organization participated in individual interview sessions. Member checking was used to strengthen the credibility and trustworthiness of the interpretation of the participants’ responses. Additionally, company documents were reviewed to triangulate the data. Four emergent themes were identified after data analysis: business value, which was attributed to tribal leaders’ alignment to their mission; strategic vision, which included their marketing and overall business environment; collaboration, which was evident wherein the tribal gaming leaders utilized internal and external partnerships to improve local communities and maintain competitive advantage; and communication, which was emphasized for its importance as a daily skill for information sharing

Using Person-Centered Scheduling with Geriatric Patients to Reduce Anxiety with Telepsychiatry

This study explored using person-centered scheduling with telepsychiatry for rural community geriatric patients. Quantitative research approaches were used to determine the level of satisfaction participants experienced with person-centered scheduling and geriatric telepsychiatry. Quantitative data were collected by using the Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) before scheduling the first appointment and to assess the intervention’s effectiveness after the telepsychiatry session. Person-centered telepsychiatry scheduling decreased geriatric patients’ anxiety as evidenced by Zung SAS scores. Conclusion: Older adult patients saw telepsychiatry as a viable means of treatment. Future research with geriatrics from different regions is needed. Implications and future directions include exploring patient responses from different regions such as rural areas vs. urban metropolitan areas. Qualitative data from different age categories, 65 to 75 and over 75 may yield different perspectives. The results of this study are consistent with the benefits of person-centered approaches and the benefits of telepsychiatry

Duration of shedding of respiratory syncytial virus in a community study of Kenyan children

Background: Our understanding of the transmission dynamics of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection will be better informed with improved data on the patterns of shedding in cases not limited only to hospital admissions. Methods: In a household study, children testing RSV positive by direct immunofluorescent antibody test (DFA) were enrolled. Nasal washings were scheduled right away, then every three days until day 14, every 7 days until day 28 and every 2 weeks until a maximum of 16 weeks, or until the first DFA negative RSV specimen. The relationship between host factors, illness severity and viral shedding was investigated using Cox regression methods. Results: From 151 families a total of 193 children were enrolled with a median age of 21 months (range 1-164 months), 10% infants and 46% male. The rate of recovery from infection was 0.22/person/day (95% CI 0.19-0.25) equivalent to a mean duration of shedding of 4.5 days (95%CI 4.0-5.3), with a median duration of shedding of 4 days (IQR 2-6, range 1-14). Children with a history of RSV infection had a 40% increased rate of recovery i.e. shorter duration of viral shedding (hazard ratio 1.4, 95% CI 1.01-1.86). The rate of cessation of shedding did not differ significantly between males and females, by severity of infection or by age. Conclusion: We provide evidence of a relationship between the duration of shedding and history of infection, which may have a bearing on the relative role of primary versus re-infections in RSV transmission in the community

The “Mera” lahar deposit in the upper Amazon basin: Transformation of a late Pleistocene collapse at Huisla volcano, central Ecuador

Over the last years, project work in teams has become commonplace in organizations. Studies have indicated that the motivational climate in which teams operate is highly relevant in determining employee behavior. This study investigates the effect of motivational climates, as defined by goal setting theory, on collaboration in project teams. In a survey among 173 senior project members from different organizations, we found that congruence between performance and mastery climates is positively and significantly related to collaboration behavior in teams. Furthermore, we highlight the moderating role of prosocial motivation in the relationship between (in)congruence in motivational climates and collaboration. Specifically, we find that under conditions of low prosocial motivation, a focus on either a mastery or a performance climate is preferable to adopting a congruence between these two climates, at least in terms of collaboration in teams

Genetic relatedness of infecting and reinfecting respiratory syncytial virus strains identified in a birth cohort from rural Kenya

Background: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) reinfects individuals repeatedly. The extent to which this is a consequence of RSV antigenic diversity is unclear. Methods: Six-hundred thirty-five children from rural Kenya were closely monitored for RSV infection from birth through 3 consecutive RSV epidemics. RSV infections were identified by immunofluorescence testing of nasal washing samples collected during acute respiratory illnesses, typed into group A and B, and sequenced in the attachment (G) protein. A positive sample separated from a previous positive by ≥14 days was defined as a reinfection a priori. Results: Phylogenetic analysis was undertaken for 325 (80%) of 409 identified infections, including 53 (64%) of 83 reinfections. Heterologous group reinfections were observed in 28 episodes, and homologous group reinfections were observed in 25 episodes; 10 involved homologous genotypes, 5 showed no amino acid changes, and 3 were separated by 21–24 days and were potentially persistent infections. The temporal distribution of genotypes among reinfections did not differ from that of single infections. Conclusions: The vast majority of infection and reinfection pairs differed by group, genotype, or G amino acid sequence (ie, comprised distinct viruses). The extent to which this is a consequence of immune memory of infection history or prevalent diversity remains unclear

Frog nest foams exhibit pharmaceutical foam-like properties

Foams have frequently been used as systems for the delivery of cosmetic and therapeutic molecules; however, there is high variability in the foamability and long-term stability of synthetic foams. The development of pharmaceutical foams that exhibit desirable foaming properties, delivering appropriate amounts of the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) and that have excellent biocompatibility is of great interest. The production of stable foams is rare in the natural world; however, certain species of frogs have adopted foam production as a means of providing a protective environment for their eggs and larvae from predators and parasites, to prevent desiccation, to control gaseous exchange, to buffer temperature extremes, and to reduce UV damage. These foams show great stability (up to 10 days in tropical environments) and are highly biocompatible due to the sensitive nature of amphibian skin. This work demonstrates for the first time that nests of the túngara frog ( Engystomops pustulosus ) are stable ex situ with useful physiochemical and biocompatible properties and are capable of encapsulating a range of compounds, including antibiotics. These protein foam mixtures share some properties with pharmaceutical foams and may find utility in a range of pharmaceutical applications such as topical drug delivery systems

Effects of Age and Hearing Impairment on the Ability to Benefit From Temporal and Spectral Modulation

At poor signal-to-noise ratios, speech understanding may depend upon the ability to combine speech fragments that are distributed across time and frequency. The goal of this study was to determine the effects of development and hearing impairment on this ability

Centriolar satellites expedite mother centriole remodeling to promote ciliogenesis

Centrosomes are orbited by centriolar satellites, dynamic multiprotein assemblies nucleated by Pericentriolar material 1 (PCM1). To study the requirement for centriolar satellites, we generated mice lacking PCM1, a crucial component of satellites. Pcm1−/− mice display partially penetrant perinatal lethality with survivors exhibiting hydrocephalus, oligospermia, and cerebellar hypoplasia, and variably expressive phenotypes such as hydronephrosis. As many of these phenotypes have been observed in human ciliopathies and satellites are implicated in cilia biology, we investigated whether cilia were affected. PCM1 was dispensable for ciliogenesis in many cell types, whereas Pcm1−/− multiciliated ependymal cells and human PCM1−/− retinal pigmented epithelial 1 (RPE1) cells showed reduced ciliogenesis. PCM1−/− RPE1 cells displayed reduced docking of the mother centriole to the ciliary vesicle and removal of CP110 and CEP97 from the distal mother centriole, indicating compromised early ciliogenesis. Similarly, Pcm1−/− ependymal cells exhibited reduced removal of CP110 from basal bodies in vivo. We propose that PCM1 and centriolar satellites facilitate efficient trafficking of proteins to and from centrioles, including the departure of CP110 and CEP97 to initiate ciliogenesis, and that the threshold to trigger ciliogenesis differs between cell types