Wild Alaskan Research Articles

Wild Alaskan salmon supplementation increases 25-OHD levels in sled dogs

Vitamin D deficiency affects canines and humans alike. Athletes are a particularly high-risk group. Further research regarding optimal intake and supplementation is needed to establish the parameters of vitamin D status in both humans and canines and to create a physiologically-relevant definition for vitamin D sufficiency. The objectives of this study were to (1) compare 25-OHD (25-hydroxy vitamin D) levels in sled dogs before and after receiving a diet supplemented with wild Alaskan salmon and (2) correlate biomarkers associated with vitamin D metabolism to 25-OHD levels in sled dogs. Plasma samples from 14 working sled dogs between 10 months and 7 years of age were collected before and after a 4-week supplementation with »0.45 kg of salmon/day. Samples were analyzed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) for parathyroid hormone and vitamin D binding protein (DBP); 25-OHD levels were measured via radioimmunoassay. 25-OHD and DBP in sled dogs significantly increased after a 4-week supplementation with salmon (P=0.0011 and 0.0367, respectively). Additional variations in 25-OHD were observed when separated by sex (P=0.0404) and age (P<0.0001). 57% of the dogs were deficient prior to the salmon supplementation and 14% at the completion of the study. Wild Alaskan salmon is one of the few food sources that provide appreciable amounts of vitamin D. A 4-week salmon supplementation in sled dogs was sufficient to improve 25-OHD concentrations in most sled dogs in this study. Confounding factors such as age and sex affect circulating 25-OHD levels.

20 Young Scholar Talk PHD: Implications of Histone Toxicity and Complement System Activity in Sheep and Cattle During Immunomodulatory States Including Respiratory Disease and Pregnancy

Abstract The immunostimulatory and toxic effects of extracellular histones have been demonstrated in humans and rodents suffering from acute respiratory distress syndrome and acute lung injury. Accumulating evidence suggests intricate interactions between extracellular histones and immune complement system proteins occur as a regulatory mechanism. However, limited information is available on the interactions of complement system activity and histone toxicity during immunomodulatory events in livestock. Therefore, our current research is aimed at investigating the contributions of histone toxicity and complement system activity in relation to respiratory disease and pregnancy in wild and domestic sheep and cattle. In an initial study, feedlot heifers were evaluated for protective capacity against extracellular histones and complement activity related to subsequent disease outcomes. At feedlot arrival, serum samples were collected from 118 heifer calves (BW 229 ± 2.4 kg) and subjected to a histone toxicity assay and a 50% hemolytic complement activity assay. Heifers were retrospectively assigned as either never receiving treatment with antibiotics for bovine respiratory disease (NT; n = 80) or calves that died from bovine respiratory disease within 1 wk of entering the feedlot (DA; n = 9). Serum from DA animals was less (P < 0.001) protective against histone toxicity compared to NT heifers. Likewise, complement activity of DA animals was reduced (P < 0.05) compared to NT animals. These results suggest cattle predisposed to severe cases of respiratory disease have impaired complement system activity presumably leading to reduced protection against histone toxicity. In a second study, wild Alaskan Dall sheep (Ovis dalli dalli) and domestic sheep (Ovis aries) were evaluated for susceptibility to histone toxicity. Serum was collected from Debouillet sheep (n = 150) with no clinical signs of illness and serum of wild Alaskan Dall sheep (n = 135) was collected from live capture and release animals. Dall sheep serum was less (P < 0.05) protective against histone toxicity compared to Debouillet sheep. Low protection against histone toxicity may be related to higher reported disease states for wild sheep. Furthermore, recognizing that disease modulates immune function, it is also recognized pregnancy relies on immune system activation. Therefore, pregnant sheep serum was evaluated to determine the effect of histone toxicity and complement system activity. Serum was collected from Debouillet ewes (n = 8) and analyzed for histone toxicity protectiveness and complement activity. Serum was collected from ewes prior to breeding (d -0) and at d 1 and 17 of the estrous cycle. Serum protective capacity against histones and complement activity was not significantly different on d -0 compared to d 1 and d 17. Collectively, these data implicate the toxic effect of extracellular histones and complement system activity during respiratory disease states with less obvious observations during pregnancy.

Erythrocyte, Whole Blood, Plasma, and Blubber Fatty Acid Profiles in Oceanaria-Based versus Wild Alaskan Belugas (Delphinapterus leucas)

This investigation compared the fatty acid (FA) levels found in erythrocyte (RBC) membranes, plasma, whole blood (WB), and blubber from wild Alaskan (Bristol Bay) belugas (Delphinapterus leucas) (BBB, n = 9) with oceanaria-based belugas (OBB, n = 14) fed a controlled diet consisting of primarily herring (Clupea harengus) and capelin (Mallotus villosus). FA patterns in RBCs, WB, and plasma varied considerably between BBB and OBB animals. Focusing on RBC FA levels of known dietary origin, the OBBs had markedly higher levels of 20:1n9,11 and 22:1n9,11. RBC levels of these fatty acids were 1% and 0.2% in the BBBs, but 8.2% and 4.5%, respectively, in the OBBs (p < 0.05 both). These long-chain mono-unsaturated FAs (LC-MUFAs) are rich in herring and capelin but not in the prey species (i.e., salmonids, smelt, cod, and shrimp) generally available to BBBs. As for the marine omega-3 poly-unsaturated fatty acids [PUFAs; 20:5n3 (eicosapentaenoic acid) and 22:6n3 (docosahexaenoic acid)], the former was higher in the OBBs vs. BBBs (16% vs. 11%, p < 0.05), but the latter was low and similar in both (3.8% vs. 4%). Similar patterns were seen in the other sample types, except that DHA% was higher in BBB than OBB animals in both plasma (12.6% vs. 8.7%) and in blubber (12% vs. 4.9%) (p < 0.05). A physiologically important omega-6 PUFA, 20:4n6 (arachidonic acid) was approximately 2× higher in BBB than OBB within RBC (22% vs. 12%), WB (16% vs. 7%), plasma (11.5% vs. 4.6%) and blubber (4.6% vs. 2.4%), respectively. While blubber FAs have been evaluated historically and relatively easy to procure with biopsy darts in the field, this study proposes that blood-based FAs collected during health assessments or subsistence hunts, especially RBC or WB FAs, may be more convenient to handle using dried blood spot cards (DBS) with limited cold storage and simplifies shipping requirements, and may more accurately reflect tissue FA status.

Comparative Analysis of Phenolic Content and Profile, Antioxidant Capacity, and Anti-inflammatory Bioactivity in Wild Alaskan and Commercial Vaccinium Berries

Wild Alaskan Vaccinium berries, V. vitis-idaea (lowbush cranberry) and V. uliginosum (bog blueberry), were investigated in parallel with their commercial berry counterparts, V. macrocarpon (cranberry) and V. angustifolium (lowbush blueberry). Lowbush cranberry accumulated about twice the total phenolics (624.4 mg/100 g FW) and proanthocyanidins (278.8 mg/100 g) content as commercial cranberries, but A-type proanthocyanidins were more prevalent in the latter. Bog blueberry anthocyanin and total phenolic contents of 220 and 504.5 mg/100 g, respectively, significantly exceeded those of the lowbush blueberry. Chlorogenic acid, however, was quite high in lowbush blueberry (83.1 mg/100 g), but undetected in bog blueberry, and the proanthocyanidins of lowbush blueberry had significantly higher levels of polymerization. Antioxidant capacity (DPPH, APTS, and FRAP) correlated with phenolic content for each berry. A polyphenol-rich fraction from lowbush cranberry exhibited dose-dependent inhibition of LPS-elicited induction of IL-1β in RAW 264.7 cells, indicative of strong anti-inflammatory activity. These results corroborate the historic use of wild Alaskan berries as medicinally important foods in Alaska Native communities.

Evolution of age and length at maturation of Alaskan salmon under size‐selective harvest

Spatial and temporal trends and variation in life-history traits, including age and length at maturation, can be influenced by environmental and anthropogenic processes, including size-selective exploitation. Spawning adults in many wild Alaskan sockeye salmon populations have become shorter at a given age over the past half-century, but their age composition has not changed. These fish have been exploited by a gillnet fishery since the late 1800s that has tended to remove the larger fish. Using a rare, long-term dataset, we estimated probabilistic maturation reaction norms (PMRNs) for males and females in nine populations in two basins and correlated these changes with fishery size selection and intensity to determine whether such selection contributed to microevolutionary changes in maturation length. PMRN midpoints decreased in six of nine populations for both sexes, consistent with the harvest. These results support the hypothesis that environmental changes in the ocean (likely from competition) combined with adaptive microevolution (decreased PMRNs) have produced the observed life-history patterns. PMRNs did not decrease in all populations, and we documented differences in magnitude and consistency of size selection and exploitation rates among populations. Incorporating evolutionary considerations and tracking further changes in life-history traits can support continued sustainable exploitation and productivity in these and other exploited natural resources.

Wild Alaskan weather intensifies climate debate

Wild Alaskan weather intensifies climate debate

Growth of enterotoxigenic Bacillus cereus on salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka).

We previously demonstrated the widespread presence of enterotoxigenic Bacillus cereus in marine foods. In view of the widespread consumption of raw fish, we sought to determine the ability of this organism to grow on the surface of wild Alaskan salmon at abusive temperatures (12, 16, and 20°C), using an isolate able to produce elevated levels of hemolysin BL enterotoxin and nonhemolytic enterotoxin. An incubation temperature of 37°C for colony formation was found to be selective for B. cereus grown on salmon held for up to 24 h at each temperature. A fivefold increase in log CFU per gram was observed after 26 and 22 h at 16 and 20°C, respectively, while a >4-log CFU/g increase occurred on salmon held at 12°C for 48 h. Generation times of 169.7, 53.5, and 45.6 min were observed at 12, 16, and 20°C. Nonhemolytic enterotoxin was detected when levels of B. cereus were in excess of 10(8) CFU/g. Nisin, at concentrations of 1 and 15 m g/g of salmon, reduced levels of B. cereus 2.5- and 25-fold, respectively. Our results indicate that fresh salmon can serve as an excellent substrate for enterotoxigenic B. cereus and that this organism can reach levels associated with foodborne illness following moderate temperature abuse.

Prospects for Commercialisation of an Alaska Native Wild Resource as a Commodity Crop

The emerging research evidence regarding functional food health benefits, coupled with the modern rise in degenerative and lifestyle-related health conditions, has created a growing market in the United States: the super-fruit. Wild berries, which contain bioactive phytochemicals with demonstrated efficacy against metabolic syndrome, have fulfilled important nutritional, medicinal, and social roles in Native American/Alaska Native lifestyles for generations. In this article, a SWOT analysis was used to explore the opportunities and obstacles for native development of wild Alaskan berries as a commercial product. On one hand, the novelty, market appeal and abundance of these phytochemically enriched berries suggest an entrepreneurial prospect for native communities. On the other hand, historical traditions typically dictate community ownership of the wild indigenous berries, and a natural inclination to protect common resources is prevalent in most communities. The factors that influence this complex juxtaposition between internal culture and external development are highlighted.

Rock, Water, Wild: An Alaskan Life (review)

Reviewed by: Rock, Water, Wild: An Alaskan Life Ann Ronald Rock, Water, Wild: An Alaskan Life. By Nancy Lord. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 2009. 231 pages, $24.95. When I opened the pages of Rock, Water, Wild, I reconnected with an old friend. I’ve never met Nancy Lord, never had a conversation with her. But I’ve read all of her nonfiction books—this is her fifth—and have liked every one of them. Her prose is smart and smooth, provocative and powerful. What I like best about Lord’s essays is her ability to extend nature writing beyond the confines of the trees and sky. Her words get down to the minutiae of flora and fauna; she quotes a range of authors, alludes to scientific data, describes geology in depth, and—most important—she asks key philosophical questions about the relationships humans have with an ever-changing environment. The latter strength is what I most appreciated in Rock, Water, Wild. For example, when floating down a wild Alaskan river, she identifies what has changed and what has stayed the same, even as she ponders an expanded mining site where pollution most likely will alter the landscape irrevocably. The mine sits in British Columbia; its discharge will affect Juneau. That’s a conundrum Lord cannot personally solve but can bring to the reader’s attention. Likewise, issues of bear habitat preservation. Likewise, questions of fishery rules and regulations. A trip to Russia raises questions about whaling policy and simultaneously transcends the language differences with something as simple as a fishing pole. Lord challenges the reader to think beyond the narrow confines of the conservation movement by acknowledging its real-life implications and also by embracing a natural world in flux from generation to generation. One of my favorite essays takes Lord and her partner back to the site of Fishcamp (1997), her first Alaskan book. The life they led there no longer exists—salmon netting is too unprofitable, Nancy and Ken are no longer in their twenties, their beloved neighbors are gone, the underbrush is overgrown, the beach well-nigh abandoned. Thoughts about life’s natural transitions abound in this essay, always tied closely to the scenery and its inhabitants, animal and human. As is often my experience with Lord’s prose, when I finished the piece, I couldn’t stop thinking about it and the questions it raised. If anything, Rock, Water, Wild is more philosophical than Lord’s previous books—a trait that bodes well for her future writing. I do hope she stretches herself in that direction, because [End Page 99] occasionally she revisits old haunts without moving beyond their original confines. The complexities of Native languages, for example, are explored in Fishcamp and then repeated in Rock, Water, Wild. The same holds true of the Harriman expedition so thoroughly experienced in Green Alaska (2000) and of whaling trivia in Beluga Days (2004). Lord’s writing is more compelling, I think, when she moves the context farther, and further. Nonetheless, I recommend Rock, Water, Wild. Most of it is quite new, an accomplished collection of essays that challenges the reader in evocative and sometimes surprising ways. Ann Ronald University of Nevada, Reno Copyright © 2010 The Western Literature Association

Alaskan wild berry resources and human health under the cloud of climate change.

Wild berries are integral dietary components for Alaska Native people and a rich source of polyphenolic metabolites that can ameliorate metabolic disorders such as obesity and diabetes. In this study, five species of wild Alaskan berries (Vaccinium ovalifolium , Vaccinium uliginosum , Rubus chamaemorus , Rubus spectabilis , and Empetrum nigrum) were screened for bioactivity through a community-participatory research method involving three geographically distinct tribal communities. Compositional analysis by HPLC and LC-MS(2) revealed substantial site-specific variation in anthocyanins (0.01-4.39 mg/g of FW) and proanthocyanidins (0.74-6.25 mg/g of FW) and identified A-type proanthocyanidin polymers. R. spectabilis increased expression levels of preadipocyte factor 1 (182%), and proanthocyanidin-enriched fractions from other species reduced lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Selected extracts reduced serum glucose levels in C57BL/6J mice by up to 45%. Local observations provided robust insights into effects of climatic fluctuations on berry abundance and quality, and preliminary site-specific compositional and bioactivity differences were noted, suggesting the need to monitor this Alaska Native resource as climate shifts affect the region.

The Tangled Bank: an introduction to evolution

The Tangled Bank: an introduction to evolution

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in farmed and wild salmon marketed in the Northeastern United States

Recently, we reported on the analysis of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and chlorinated pesticides in farmed Atlantic salmon ( Salmo salar) from Maine, eastern Canada, and Norway, and wild Alaskan Chinook salmon ( Oncorhynchus tshawytscha). In this paper, we extend the analysis to polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in these samples. Total PBDE concentrations in the farmed salmon (0.4–1.4 ng/g, wet weight, ww) were not significantly different from those in the wild Alaskan Chinook samples (0.4–1.2 ng/g, ww), nor were significant differences found among regions. However, significant intra-regional variations in concentrations of total PBDEs and tetra-BDE 47 were observed in the salmon from the Canadian farms ( p < 0.01). Congener profiles were dominated by BDE-47, followed by the penta-BDEs 99 and 100. PBDE concentrations in the Canadian samples were lower than those reported two years earlier. Removal of skin resulted in no overall reduction in PBDE concentrations in our farmed salmon, and in some cases, PBDE concentrations were higher in skin-off samples. PBDEs were correlated with lipids only in the skinned samples, suggesting that there is greater accumulation and retention of PBDEs in muscle lipids than in skin-associated fat. In skin-on samples, modest correlations were observed between concentrations of PBDEs and PCBs ( R 2 = 0.47) and mono- ortho PCBs ( R 2 = 0.50), whereas PBDEs were not correlated with non- ortho PCBs.

PCBs, PCDD/Fs, and Organochlorine Pesticides in Farmed Atlantic Salmon from Maine, Eastern Canada, and Norway, and Wild Salmon from Alaska

Farmed Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) from Maine and eastern Canada, wild Alaskan Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), and organically farmed Norwegian salmon samples were analyzed for the presence of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dioxin-like PCBs, polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), dibenzo-p-furans (PCDFs), and chlorinated pesticides. PCDD and PCDF congeners were not detected in > 80% of the samples analyzed. Total PCB concentrations (7.2-29.5 ng/g, wet weight, ww) in the farmed salmon were significantly higher than those in the wild Alaskan Chinook samples (3.9-8.1 ng/g, ww). Concentrations of PCBs, WHO PCB TEQs, and chlorinated pesticides varied significantly by region. PCB and WHO PCB TEQ concentrations in farmed salmon from eastern Canada were lower than those reported in samples collected two years earlier, possibly reflecting recent industry efforts to lower contaminant concentrations in feed. Organically farmed Norwegian salmon had the highest concentrations of PCBs (mean: 27 ng/g, ww) and WHO PCB TEQs (2.85 pg/g,ww); their TEQ values are in the higher range of those reported in farmed salmon from around the world. Removal of skin from salmon fillets resulted in highly variable reductions of lipids and contaminants, and in some skin-off samples, contaminant levels were higher, suggesting that skin removal does not protect the consumer from health risks associated with consumption of farmed salmon.

A kinematic examination of wild sockeye salmon jumping up natural waterfalls

Wild Alaskan sockeye salmon Oncorhynchus nerka jumping natural waterfalls were observed and photographed to obtain insight into factors important to the fish in dealing with obstacles during their upstream spawning migrations. The fish showed preferences for specific sets of conditions related to heights of waterfalls and depths in pools below waterfalls. Successful jumps appeared to result from running starts, not standing fast starts. The proportion of observed jumps that were successful was low (10% at Brooks Falls, Katmai National Park, Alaska, U.S.A.). Successful jumping behaviour was modelled mathematically and predictions were compared to measured kinematic variables of successful and unsuccessful jumping obtained from analyses of digital video photographs. There were statistically significant differences between the two data sets, but the model identified takeoff velocities and angles, and distances between takeoffs and successful landings as important variables.

Comparison of the effects of adding fish high or low in n-3 fatty acids to a diet conforming to the dietary guidelines for Americans

Objective To compare the effects of diets containing high or low amounts of n-3 fatty acids on lipid levels in men. Design A continuous 40-day feeding study was conducted using a 5-day cycle menu. The control diet, which was fed the first 21 days of the trial, contained 32% of energy as fat and 44.4 total dietary fiber per day. Total serum cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and triglycerides (TGs) were evaluated 1 day before the trial began and on days 21 and 41. Subjects 17 men aged 21 to 42 years who were free-living individuals with no apparent illnesses of hyperlipidemia. Intervention The treatment diets, which were substituted daily for the regular entrees for the last 19 days of the trial, contained 180 g/day of either farm-raised catfish or wild Alaskan salmon. Statistical analyses performed Serum data were analyzed using analysis of covariance with the initial values as the covariates. Results After 21 days on the control diet, TC and TGs decreased; however, there were no further decreases during the last 19 days when fish was consumed. LDL-C remained unchanged after the first 21 days but was lower than the initial value by day 41. HDL-C levels were similar over the 40 days. There were no significant differences in lipid levels of men who consumed catfish and those who consumed salmon. Applications/conclusions Farm-raised catfish compared favorably to wild Alaskan salmon when incorporated into the total diet in regard to lipid levels in men.

Hematological Studies on Mammals from Alaska

It is evident, according to Downey (1938), that hematological studies on mammals other than the common laboratory and domestic forms are relatively scarce. The comprehensive tabulations in the appendix of Wintrobe's (1953) work on hematology show the dearth of information in this field. During the course of a research problem dealing with the physiology of arctic animals, considerable hematological data were obtained from a variety of mammalian specimens. The work of Slane and Wilber (1952) on the hematology of the red backed mouse, Clethrionomys dawsoni from central Alaska, is the only recent contribution to our knowledge of blood cells in wild Alaskan mammals. In order to keep interested investigators informed, this report on blood counts, differentials and erythrocyte measurements from a number of mammals collected in Alaska is presented. Species .—The following species were studied in this investigation: Hudson Bay ground squirrel, Citellus parryii parryii ; Yukon ground squirrel, Citellus osgoodi ; Alaska red squirrel, Sciurus hudsonicus petulans ; MacFarlane meadow mouse, Microtus macfarlani ; black bear, Ursus americanus ; ochraceous wood-chuck, Marmota monax ochracea ; snowshoe hare, Lepus americanus; cottontail rabbit, Sylvilagus sp .; Richardson weasel, Mustela erminea richardsonii ; north-western muskrat, Ondatra zibethica spatulata ; Alaska porcupine, Erethizon epixan thum myops . Field and laboratory work .—During the summer of 1951, red squirrels, meadow mice, woodchucks, snowshoe hares and muskrats were collected at various places in central Alaska. Some ground squirrels, porcupines, weasels, rabbits and the black bear were supplied from the menagerie at the Arctic Aeromedical Laboratory, Ladd Air Force Base, Fairbanks, Alaska. Blood samples for counts and differentials were generally taken by bleeding an animal from a digit. The blood smears were stained with Wright's or Giemsa's technique. Erythrocyte measurements were made using a calibrated ocular micrometer. This research project was supported in part by …