Trichodectes canis, an invasive ectoparasite of Alaskan wolves: detection methods, current distribution, and ecological correlates of spread

Thesis (M.S.) University of Alaska Fairbanks, 2010Trichodectes canis, (Ischnocera: Trichodectidae), was first documented on Alaska gray wolves (Canis lupis) in 1981. Two hypotheses may explain why T. canis was not observed in Alaska until the 1980s. Symptomatic wolves could be predisposed to pediculosis, whereas mild infestations outside the observed infestation region are undetected by visual inspection. A second possible explanation is that T. canis is an invasive ectoparasite, and Alaska wolves outside the infestation region do not harbor lice. We examined wolf hides from December 2003 to February 2009, to investigate potential sampling locations, determine T. canis current distribution within Alaska, and investigate potential ecological correlates of spread. We determined that the caudal region of the wolf possessed the highest mean proportion of T. canis and we detected all cases of mild pediculosis. Lice were documented on wolves in a contiguous distribution from Southcentral Alaska to immediately north of the Alaska Range, (estimated area 174,000 km²). Occult infestations were not detected outside of the current infestation zone. That pattern of occurrence suggests that T. canis is a novel parasite within Alaska. Ecological correlates positively associated with T. canis presence include wolf densities greater than eight wolves/1000 km² and mean annual January temperatures warmer than -19°C.Thesis introduction -- 1. Evaluation of Trichodectes canis detection methods in Alaska gray wolves -- 2. Distribution of Trichodectes canis within Alaska : an invasive ectoparasite of gray wolves? -- 3. Ecological correlates of distribution and spread of an invasive ectoparasite of Alaska gray wolves -- Thesis conclusions

Human Immunodeficiency Virus Theranostics

RATIONALE: Long-acting slow effective release antiretroviral therapy (LASER ART) was developed to improve patient regimen adherence, prevent new infections, and facilitate drug delivery to human immunodeficiency virus cell and tissue reservoirs. However, maintenance of sustained plasma drug levels, for weeks or months, after a single high-level dosing, could improve regimen adherence but, at the same time, affect systemic toxicities. Of these, the most troubling are those that affect the central nervous system (CNS) In an effort to facilitate LASER ART development, “multimodal imaging theranostic nanoprobes” were created. These allow combined bioimaging, drug pharmacokinetics and tissue biodistribution tests in animal models. Additionally, dolutegravir (Tivicay, DTG), in both a native drug form and within a nanoformulations, were administered to mice to investigate potential neurotoxicity or lack thereof in animal models for further LASER ART technology development. METHODS: Europium (Eu3+)- doped cobalt ferrite (CF) dolutegravir (DTG)- loaded (EuCF-DTG) nanoparticles were synthesized then fully characterized based on their size, shape and stability. These were then used as platforms for nanoformulated drug biodistribution. Rodents were administered parenteral 45-mg/kg doses. DTG-associated changes in CNS homeostasis were assessed by measuring brain metabolic activities. After antiretroviral treatment, brain subregions were dissected and screened by mass spectrometry-based metabolomics. RESULTS: Folic acid (FA) decoration of EuCF-DTG (FA-EuCF-DTG) nanoparticles facilitated macrophage targeting and sped drug entry across cell barriers. Macrophage uptake was higher for FA-EuCF-DTG than EuCF-DTG nanoparticles with relaxivities of r2 = 546 mM-1 s-1 and r2 = 564 mM-1 s-1 in saline, and r2 = 850 mM-1 s-1 and r2 = mM-1 s-1 in cells, respectively. The values were ten or more times higher than what was observed for ultra-small superparamagnetic iron oxide particles (r2 = 31.15 mM-1 s-1 in saline) using identical iron concentrations. Drug particles were detected in macrophage Rab compartments by dual fluorescence labeling. Replicate particles elicited sustained antiretroviral responses. After parenteral injection of FA-EuCF-DTG and EuCF-DTG into rats and rhesus macaques, drug, iron and cobalt levels, measured by LC-MS/MS, magnetic resonance imaging, and ICP-MS were coordinate. Within metabolomic experimentations, metabolic drug-related dysregulation of energy and oxidative stress were readily observed within the cerebellum and frontal cortex following native drug administrations. Each was associated with alterations in neural homeostasis and depleted canonical oxidation protection pools that included glutathione and ascorbic acid. Surprisingly, the oxidative stress-related metabolites were completely attenuated when DTG was administered as nanoformulations. These data demonstrate the importance of formulation design in control of DTG or perhaps other antiretroviral drug-associated CNS events

Quality Inspection Task in Modern Manufacturing

The development of numerically controlled machines, group technology, cellular manufacturing and just-in-time (JIT) production systems have revolutionized the way products are designed and manufactured. These technological and strategic advances have changed the role of human operators in the manufacturing environment. The highly specialized work force of the low-tech manufacturing system has evolved into the multi-skilled work force of the high- tech manufacturing system. Among the multiple tasks that an operator is expected to perform in advance manufacturing systems (AMS) are job scheduling, inventory planning, machine set-up, problem-solving and quality inspection. Throughout this evolution, human sensory detection capabilities have been a vital but often ignored component of the quality inspection task. Although automation is often employed to construct and assemble products within AMS, most inspections and quality checks are still done by human operators due to the inherent problems in machine vision and decision-making. While humans remain responsible for inspection, it has been widely accepted that the quality inspection task performed by humans is prone to error. Some studies indicate human inspectors typically find only ~80% of the defects. Despite the contributions of human factors research to the understanding of human performance in the quality inspection task, the manufacturing trend has been to design quality schemes that compensate for poor inspector performance instead of trying to improve it (Drury 1992)

The effect of single-handed lifting tasks on the activation of the neck-shoulder shared musculature

The use of the hand in lifting has been linked to occupational injuries of the neck and shoulder. This research is aimed at examining the effect of work-related factors on the major neck-shoulder shared musculature activity on both sides of the cervical spine for a right-handed lifting task. Subjects lifted different weights from 20 different locations produced by the interaction of varying heights, reach distance, and angles simulating the work done by assembly line workers. All lifting tasks were done by the right hand. Bilateral electromyography data of major shared musculature (upper trapezius, sternocleidomastoid, and levator scapula) were collected using surface EMG electrodes. Analyses demonstrate that work-related factors; hand weights, reach distance, angles, and gender significantly affect the activation level of active shared musculature of the neck. Results also showed that the active shared musculature (the right side) has a significant influence on the activation of the antagonistic shared musculature. The findings show that reducing the weights being handled and keeping work area closer to the body reduces the muscle activities in the shared muscles. These findings may be used to build a biomechanical model to predict the compressive forces acting on the cervical spine due to one hand lifting

Risk of injury analysis in depth jump and squat jump

Introduction: The depth jump (DJ) and squat jump (SJ) are accepted ways to assess and train power producing ability but are not without risk of injury. Methods: Sixteen male participants (age = 21.7 ± 1.54 yrs., height = 177.7 ± 11.4 cm, mass = 77.7 ± 13.6 kg) were evaluated for power exertion capabilities while being assessed for risk of injury in the knee and low back through a range of resistances based on a percentage of participants’ heights in the DJ (0% through 50%) and bodyweights for the SJ (0% through 100%). Two variables were used to assess the risk of injury in the knee: valgus angle and internal abduction moment (IAM). Four variables were used in the low back: compression and shear force at the L5/S1 vertebrae, intra-abdominal pressure (IAP), and erector muscle tension. Results: With increasing DJ drop height, participants showed increased risk of injury in the knee through the valgus angle and IAM. In the low back, significant correlation occurred between increasing drop height and the shear force and IAP while compression force and erector muscle tension were more correlated with the power exertion of the participants than the drop height. With increasing SJ resistance, no significant increased risk of knee injury was detected. However, all low back variables except the IAP were significantly influenced by the increased resistance. Conclusion: Risk of injury in the knee and low back can be strongly dependent not only on the type of jump, but also the amount of resistance. The resulting power exerted by the athlete can also influence the risk of injury

Risk of injury analysis in depth jump and squat jump

Introduction: The depth jump (DJ) and squat jump (SJ) are accepted ways to assess and train power producing ability but are not without risk of injury. Methods: Sixteen male participants (age = 21.7 ± 1.54 yrs., height = 177.7 ± 11.4 cm, mass = 77.7 ± 13.6 kg) were evaluated for power exertion capabilities while being assessed for risk of injury in the knee and low back through a range of resistances based on a percentage of participants’ heights in the DJ (0% through 50%) and bodyweights for the SJ (0% through 100%). Two variables were used to assess the risk of injury in the knee: valgus angle and internal abduction moment (IAM). Four variables were used in the low back: compression and shear force at the L5/S1 vertebrae, intra-abdominal pressure (IAP), and erector muscle tension. Results: With increasing DJ drop height, participants showed increased risk of injury in the knee through the valgus angle and IAM. In the low back, significant correlation occurred between increasing drop height and the shear force and IAP while compression force and erector muscle tension were more correlated with the power exertion of the participants than the drop height. With increasing SJ resistance, no significant increased risk of knee injury was detected. However, all low back variables except the IAP were significantly influenced by the increased resistance. Conclusion: Risk of injury in the knee and low back can be strongly dependent not only on the type of jump, but also the amount of resistance. The resulting power exerted by the athlete can also influence the risk of injury

Hvordan holde styr på væskebalansen? : Sykepleieres erfaringer med registrering av væskebalansen hos pasienter innlagt på sykehus med nyresvikt

Formål: Studiens hensikt er å beskrive faktorer som påvirker registrering av vekt, drikke og diurese hos pasienter innlagt på sykehus med nyresvikt. Studien fokuserer på sykepleieres rutiner i forhold til registrering av daglig morgenvekt og 24-timers registrering av drikke og diurese hos disse pasientene, og hvilke faktorer som fremmer eller hindrer registreringene. Teoretisk forankring: Virginia Hendersons` teori danner studiens sykepleiefaglige ramme. I tillegg til tidligere forskning relatert til registrering av væskebalansen, inngår litteratur om nyrenes fysiologi, patofysiologi og konsekvenser av nyresvikt for pasienten. Metode: Det er utført en kvalitativ studie med beskrivende design. Kvalitativt forskningsintervju og en semistrukturert intervjuguide ble benyttet til å samle inn data. Utvalget bestod av åtte sykepleiere som arbeider ved en nyremedisinsk sengepost ved et universitetssykehus i Sør-Norge. Det ble utført en kvalitativ innholdsanalyse av intervjuene. Resultater: Funnene viser at stor arbeidsmengde på morgenen kan føre til at pasientene ikke blir veid i henhold til sengepostens rutine. Når oppegående pasienter er involvert i veiing, ser det ut til at opplysninger om morgenvekt oftere blir journalført. Respondentene beskrev at de har gode erfaringer med å la pasientene selv måle drikke og/eller diurese og følge med på væskebalansen. Pasientens krefter, kunnskap og vilje, sykepleiers samhandling med pasienten og samarbeid mellom kollegaer, ser ut til å være av betydning for gjennomføring av rutinene. Ulike rutiner for registrering på pasientens væskeskjema kan medføre et unøyaktig væskeregnskap. Funnene synliggjør viktigheten av kliniske retningslinjer, skriftlig pasientinformasjon og et funksjonelt utstyr for målinger vedrørende væskebalansen til pasienter som har alvorlig nyresvikt. Konklusjon: Studien viser betydningen av standardiserte rutiner, hensiktsmessige rammefaktorer og samarbeidsformer i praksis. Pasientmedvirkning og relasjonen mellom sykepleier og pasient er i tillegg vesentlige faktorer med hensyn til rutiner for den livsviktige registreringen av væskebalansen til nyrepasienter. Nøkkelord: Væskebalansen, drikke- og diureseregistrering, kroppsvekt, nyresvikt, nyresykepleie, dokumentasjon

Navigating ambiguous regulations: an artist's perspective on indigenous art materials and resource management in Alaska

Master's Project (M.F.A.) University of Alaska Fairbanks, 2020Alaska Native art is legally defined as art created by a member of a state or federally-recognized tribe of Alaska Natives or a certified non-member artisan (Indian Arts and Crafts Act). Yet this legal definition does not reference the cultural expression and application of creative skill that makes Alaska Native Art a strategic expressive resource. Alaska Native Art is a cultural resource that impacts indigenous economies, cultural social networks, natural resource utilization, and political engagement. Through the creation of native art, an individual not only expresses their culture but also becomes engaged in the natural resource utilization and management in Alaska. However, the link between natural resource management and customary material harvest and utilization has been historically underappreciated primarily due to regulatory ambiguity and broad nature of artistic creation. The harvest and use of these customary materials are governed by multiple state and federal laws across diverse management agencies. State and federal natural resource management agencies possess different interpretations for who may harvest natural resources for art, definitions of significant modifications of natural materials to create art, and priorities governing urban and rural access. Each agency applies different administrative codes to determine proper permitting for both personal artistic creation and the manufacture of marketplace authentic Alaska Native Handicrafts. However, this ambiguous labyrinth of regulation is constantly changing and adapting to new federal and state laws, treaties, and court rules. It is the responsibility of the native artist to navigate this complicated mosaic of regulatory authority to harvest natural materials for art. Yet the foundation from which an artist begins navigating regulatory authority is often inadequately defined. It is the purpose of this MFA thesis is to provide an artist’s perspective on native art materials and resource management in Alask

Assessment of Slip Severity Among Different Age Groups

A laboratory study utilizing new techniques for assessing slip severity was conducted to investigate the process of inadvertent slips and falls among different age groups. Forty-two subjects from three age groups (young adults, middle-aged, and the elderly) walked on a rectangular track at a self-determined pace. Without the subjects’ awareness, a slippery floor surface was placed on the track over a force-measuring platform. The results indicated that elderly adults’ friction demand (RCOF) was not significantly different from the young and middle-aged adults. The older adults, however, fell more often than the other age groups. Fall recovery threshold (FRT) measures indicated that younger adults were able to recover from a slip (thus preventing a fall) with higher sliding speeds and longer slip distances than older adults. Additionally, older adults’ adjusted friction utilization (AFU) on the slippery floor surface was not adjusted within the dynamic friction requirements, resulting in more falls. Based on the age-related differences observed, it appears that fall-related accidents among older adults are due more to factors influencing compensation of a slip rather than gait characteristics influencing slip initiation

A comparative analysis of fish and wildlife enforcement in Alaska from the passage of the 1902 Alaska game law to 2011

Thesis (M.A.) University of Alaska Fairbanks, 2011This study examines the institutional evolution of wildlife enforcement in the context of Alaskan history and politics from 1902 to the present. Balancing competing demands for expertise in fish and wildlife matters on one hand, with a technical knowledge of law enforcement on the other, has long been the central institutional challenge facing those protecting Alaska's living resources. Following enactment of the first Alaska Game Law in 1902, responsibility for enforcement was initially left to already over-burdened law enforcement officials, with ultimate authority remaining under the U.S. Agriculture Department. Passage of the 1925 "Alaska Game Law" and establishment of the Alaska Game Commission saw the creation of professional wardens. Following statehood the Department of Fish and Game assumed the enforcement responsibility from 1960 to 1972, until Governor William Egan shifted the protection personnel to the Department of Public Safety (DPS), thereby transforming them into state troopers, although in a separate division. As a result of the transfer to DPS, conservation of fish and wildlife was in the hands of professional law enforcement. Many resource users opposed the transfer, certain that the emphasis on general law enforcement came at the expense of wildlife expertise, a tension that continues to persist today.Introduction -- 1. The historical perspective of Fish and Wildlife Enforcement -- Origins of wildlife management and preservation -- The establishment of game wardens -- The law enforcement movement -- 2. The first Alaska game laws and game wardens -- Rampart killing and wanton waste of game -- The 1900 Lacey Act: the first federal fish and wildlife law -- The 1902 Alaska Game Act: the federal marshals -- The1908 Alaska Game Act: the governor's wardens -- The 1925 Alaska Game Act: the Alaska Game Commission -- The Utilitarian conservation movement -- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service -- 3. The State prepares to take charge -- Fish traps -- The statehood convention -- Regulatory boards and advisory committees -- The Alaska Department of Fish and Game -- 4. The Division of Protection -- The handover to Alaska Department of Fish and Game -- The protection officers -- The lack of training -- The step child syndrome -- Restrictive regulations and resource pressure -- The conservation officer concept -- Alaska Fish and Game Law Enforcement Officer's Association -- The transfer to DPS -- 5. The Brown Shirts turn Blue -- Governor Egan's administration: the transition to DPS (1972-1974) -- Governor Hammon's administration: growth years (1974-1982) -- Governor Sheffield's administration: cross training (1982-1986) -- Governors Cowper, Hickel and Knowles: status-quo years (1986-2002) -- Governor Murkowski's administation: the merger (2002-2006) -- Governors Palin and Parnell: back to Divisional status (2006-2011) -- Conclusion -- Bibliography