Microplastic pollution in the polar oceans-A review

Microplastic pollution is a global environmental threat. This problem is now the order of the day in everyone's eyes, leading to environmental and health challenges for the ecosystem. A plastic ban was implemented, but as the COVID-19 pandemic began, multiple needs for plastic materials arose. This resulted in the growth of worldwide plastic pollution, which has even reached remote polar regions. This chapter focuses on microplastic pollution in the polar oceans, such as the Antarctic and Arctic regions. The aim is to describe the microplastics reports underpinning the polar regions, summarize the acquired knowledge, and highlight the need for future perspectives. © 2023 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Characteristics of Population Reproduction in the Ural North

Numerous studies have been examining the influence of coronavirus on economic and demographic indicators of various countries and regions in the period from 2020 to 2021. However, little attention is paid to the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic for Northern and Arctic regions. The present study aims to identify the characteristics of population reproduction in the northern oil and gas regions and consider factors affecting the morbidity and mortality from Covid-19 in the post-Soviet and coronavirus periods. In particular, Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug - Yugra (KhMAO) and Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug (YaNAO), the Northern and Arctic regions of the Ural Federal District, were examined. The impact of the pandemic on population reproduction in the Ural North was assessed taking into account the regional demographic potential. To this end, the methods of retrospective and statistical analysis, aggregation, grouping, averaging and analogy approaches were utilised. The conducted retrospective analysis revealed the dependence of demographic processes on the time of settlement and development of the territory. In most regions and subregions of the Russian North and Arctic, with the exception of KhMAO and YaNAO, a gradual decrease in the population was observed. In 2020, mortality among patients with Covid-19 in the Ural North was lower than the national average, while the proportion of infected people to total population, on the contrary, was higher. This can be explained by the lower proportion of elderly in Yugra and YaNAO compared to other Russian regions. The research demonstrated that the mortality and birth rates in the most reproductive groups (people aged 20-29 and 30-39) were not affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. The main risk group is the older population aged 60-65 and over, determining the rate and number of deaths from coronavirus. The statistical analysis confirmed the existence of an eight-month cycle of Covid-19 waves from the lowest point to the peak. Future studies will focus on assessing the consequences of the pandemic for the population of the Arctic region at the municipal level.

Distribution of clinical forms of newly detected pulmonary tuberculosis among adult population of the Sakha Republic (Yakutia) during the pandemic of novel coronavirus infection

The article analyzes the epidemic situation of tuberculosis and the clinical structure of newly diagnosed pulmonary tuberculosis among the adult population, both in general on the territory of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) and with the allocation of the Arctic zone during the period of restrictive measures organized to combat the pandemic of a new coronavirus infection COVID- 19. During the period of strengthening anti-epidemic and sanitary measures, there was a significant decrease in the main epidemic indicators for tuberculosis, but at the same time, the situation with the timely detection of tuberculosis among the population worsened. The proportion of newly diagnosed adult patients with destructive forms of pulmonary tuberculosis and bacterial excretion increased when self-referencing to medical organizations. A statistically significant correlation was found between the indicators of the volume and quality of preventive examinations of the population for tuberculosis and the aggravated clinical structure of newly diagnosed patients with tuberculosis.

Rising level of pulmonary dioxin might trigger CMV and HSV-1 reactivation via bHLH/PAS/AhR:ARNT transcription pathway in lungs of immunocompetent COVID-19 patients with ARDS

Study objective. It has been shown that human common viruses are new target genes for host cell dioxin receptor transcriptional (AhR-ARNT) complex initially proven to up-regulate mammalian genes containing dioxin-response elements (DRE) in the promoters [doi:10.1016/j.ijid.2012.05.265]. Initially, transactivation of HIV-1 and HBV by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlodibenzop- dioxin (TCDD) at low nanomolar range was demonstrated [doi:10.3109/00498259309057034]. Noteworthy, transactivation of human cytomegalovirus (CMV) was shown with 0.3 ppt dioxin, i.e. lower than its current background level in the general population (~3.0 ppt). Recently, reactivation of CMV infection was found to influence worse clinical outcome following SARS-CoV-2 infection (doi: 10.1186/s12979-020- 00185-x). Other findings showed that CMV and herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) reactivation were observed in immunocompetent patients with COVID-19 acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) (doi.org/10.1186/s13054-020-03252-3). Addressing occurrence of Herpesviridae reactivation in severe COVID-19 patients, and still unspecified real triggers of CMV and HSV-1 reactivations, we tested TCDD, which current body burden (DBB) ranges from 20 pg/g (TEQ in fat) in general population to 100 pg/g in older people. Methods. In Silico quantitation of active DRE in promoters of viral genes. Virus DNA hybridization assay. Clinical and epidemiological analyses. Results and Discussion. In this study, a computational search for DRE in CMV and HSV-1 genes was performed by SITECON, a tool recognizing potentially active transcriptional factor binding sites. In silico analysis revealed in regulatory region of CMV IE genes from 5 to 10 DRE, and from 6 to 8 DRE in regulatory region of HSV-1 IE genes.We established that a low picomolar TCDD can trigger up-regulation of CMV and HSV-1 genes via AhR:Arnt transcription factor in macrophage(doi.org/10.1016/ j.ijid.2012.05.265) and glial human cell lines (doi.org/10.1016/j. jalz.2016.06.1268), respectively. In fact, viral reactivation may be triggered in COVID-19 ARDS patients by higher pulmonary TCDD concentrations, because "lipid storm" within lungs of severe COVID-19 patients has been recently reported (doi.org/ 10.1101/2020.12.04.20242115). TCDD is known as the most potent xenobiotic, which bioaccumulates and has estimation half-life in humans of up to 10 yr. Due to hydrophobic character (Log P octanol/water: 7.05), TCDD partitions into inflammatory lipids in lung tissue thus augmenting its local concentration. Population-based epidemiological data on SARS-CoV-2 first wave of pandemic revealed high level of CMV seropositivity and cumulative mortality rate 4.5 times in Lombardi region of Italy, where after Seveso industrial accident TCDD plasma level in pre-exposed subjects is 15 times the level in rest of Italy (doi. org/10.3389/fpubh.2020.620416). Also, Arctic Native (AN) peoples consume dioxin-contaminated fat in seafood and have TCDD DBB, i.e. 7 times that in general population. To the point of this paper, their COVID-19 mortality is 2.2 times of that among non-AN Alaskans (doi: 10.15585/mmwr.mm6949a3). Conclusion(s): TCDD in the picomolar range may trigger CMV expression in lung cells and commit virus to the lytic cycle, which can be applied to reactivation of Herpesviridae infection in immunocompetent patients with COVID-19 ARDS syndrome.Copyright © 2023 The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Climate Change and the Great Power Rivalry in the Arctic

The world politics of the 2020s seems to consist of two realities: People are concerned about an ecological catastrophe, as tion kills and climate change threatens societies. The focus of this article is to discuss climate change, and state politics in the Arctic in the context of the two realities. Behind this is the assumption that climate change mitigation is a challenge to state politics and national security. The commentary assumes that, although in world politics, there is a new (East-West) great power rivalry with its related conflicts, no armed conflicts appear in the Arctic, but environmental degradation and rapid climate change still threaten the people. The study firstly analyses how environmental issues came onto the political agenda of States, in particular, that of the Arctic states;secondly, it discusses huge investment packages and great power rivalry as substitutes for climate change mitigation, revealing the political inability of states;thirdly, it examines the Arctic from the point of view of functional cooperation on environmental protection, and that on science;and finally, it concludes what has possibly gone wrong in state politics related to the environment, and could be taken as the biggest challenge.

Arctic Port Activity Management Digitalization in Ice Season

In the paper, there are presented digitalization development results for Arctic port activity management in ice season within Industry 4.0 period under climate change and COVID-19 pandemic. In study, there are used situational analysis, web technologies and building database methods in distributed networks. As the research result, to increase the efficiency and reliability of port activity management in ice season within environmental economics, it is proposed the using of geodata from remote sensing and modelling. As the digital managerial support instrument, it is proposed to use aggregate modular managerial decision support system, which integrate the heterogeneous hardware and the software resources in distributed networks. As the research results, there are demonstrated examples for arctic ports in the area of the Ob and Yenisei rivers. The research results presented in this article has significant scientific novelty and can be useful to different players within Arctic port activity management in ice season, including insurance business. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

Decision Aid Digital Instrument Within Arctic Maritime Logistics During Polar Night

In the article, there are considered decision aid digital instrument development results for arctic maritime logistics during polar night under climate change and COVID-19 pandemic within Industry 4.0 era. In research, there are used risk management, situational analysis, web technologies and building database methods in distributed networks. As the research result, it is proposed the using of geodata from the active remote sensing and supercomputer modelling to increase the efficiency and reliability of arctic maritime logistics during polar night within the global environmental economics. As the decision aid digital instrument, it is proposed to use modular decision aid system, which integrate the heterogeneous hardware and the software resources in distributed networks. As the research results, there are demonstrated examples for arctic maritime logistics in central and eastern Russian Arctic during polar night. Presented in this paper study results have scientific novelty and can be used by the different players, including energy export sector, insurance business and institutional investors. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

The YOPP Final Summit: Assessing Past and Forecasting Future Polar Prediction Research

The successes of YOPP from the presentations and keynote presentations included * a better understanding of the impact of key polar measurements (radiosondes and space-based instruments such as microwave radiometers), and recent advancements in the current NWP observing system, achieved through coordinated OSEs in both polar regions (e.g., Sandu et al. 2021);* enhanced understanding of the linkages between Arctic and midlatitude weather (e.g., Day et al. 2019);* advancements in the atmosphere–ocean–sea ice and atmosphere–land–cryosphere coupling in NWP, and in assessing and recognizing the added value of coupling in Earth system models (e.g., Bauer et al. 2016);* deployment of tailored polar observation campaigns to address yet-unresolved polar processes (e.g., Renfrew et al. 2019);* progress in verification and forecasting techniques for sea ice, including a novel headline score (e.g., Goessling and Jung 2018);* advances in process understanding and process-based evaluation with the establishment of the YOPPsiteMIP framework and tools (Svensson 2020);* better understanding of emerging societal and stakeholder needs in the Arctic and Antarctic (e.g., Dawson et al. 2017);and * innovative transdisciplinary methodologies for coproducing salient information services for various user groups (Jeuring and Lamers 2021). The YOPP Final Summit identified a number of areas worthy of prioritized research in the area of environmental prediction and services for the polar regions: * coupled atmosphere, sea ice, and ocean models with an emphasis on advanced parameterizations and enhanced resolution at which critical phenomena start to be resolved (e.g., ocean eddies);* improved definition and representation of stable boundary layer processes, including mixed-phase clouds and aerosols;incorporation of wave–ice–ocean interactions;* radiance assimilation over sea ice, land ice, and ice sheets;understanding of linkages between polar regions and lower latitudes from a prediction perspective;* exploring the limits of predictability of the atmosphere–cryosphere–ocean system;* an examination of the observational representativeness over land, sea ice, and ocean;better representation of the hydrological cycle;and * transdisciplinary work with the social science community around the use of forecasting services and operational decision-making to name but a few. The presentations and discussions at the YOPP Final Summit identified the major legacy elements of YOPP: the YOPPsiteMIP approach to enable easy comparison of collocated multivariate model and observational outputs with the aim of enhancing process understanding, the development of an international and multi-institutional community across many disciplines investigating aspects of polar prediction and services, the YOPP Data Portal3 (https://yopp.met.no/), and the education and training delivered to early-career polar researchers. Next steps Logistical issues, the COVID-19 pandemic, but also new scientific questions (e.g., the value of targeted observations in the Southern Hemisphere), as well as technical issues emerging toward the end of the YOPP Consolidation Phase, resulted in the decision to continue the following three YOPP activities to the end of 2023: (i) YOPP Southern Hemisphere (YOPP-SH);(ii) Model Intercomparison and Improvement Project (MIIP);of which YOPPSiteMIP is a critical element;and (iii) the Societal, Economics and Research Applications (PPP-SERA) Task Team.

Weaponizing Wheat: Russia's Next Weapon in Pandemic and Climate Eras

[...]the article closes with policy recommendations to prevent the weaponization of wheat. [...]Russia has recently violated Swedish airspace,8 simulated attacks on Norway,9 jammed GPS systems during NATO exercises,10 and tested new missile systems.11 Russia's quest for melting Arctic fossil fuels is part of an overall plan to leverage the advantages they gain from climate change, a plan that is marked by increased aggression and strategic manipulation of climate-vulnerable regions. [...]as importing countries transition away from fossil fuels, demand for Russian oil and gas will decrease, reducing the overall [End Page 63] revenue for the Russian economy. Countries that fell under the Soviet sphere of influence during the Cold War are less diversified in their energy mixes than those in Western Europe and are highly dependent on Russia.19 For example, in 2015, the stateowned oil and gas company Gazprom increased prices for the Baltic states, Bulgaria, and Poland.20 EU antitrust regulators found that Gazprom was manipulating gas prices in Bulgaria and Poland to force them to participate in additional pipeline projects.21 Such manipulative tactics could indicate future avenues for hybrid warfare, through which Russia combines military strength with economic, resource, technological, or political aggression.22 Russia's use of energy as a form of hybrid warfare can also be seen clearly in Ukraine.

On growth patterns and mechanisms in arctic-alpine shrubs. (Special Issue: The uneven geographies of the COVID-19 pandemic.)

Arctic-alpine ecosystems are considered hot-spots of environmental change, with rapidly warming conditions causing massive alterations in vegetational structure. These changes and their environmental controls are highly complex and variable across spatial and temporal scales. Yet, despite their numerous implications for the global climate system, the underlying physiological processes and mechanisms at the individual plant scale are still little explored. Using hourly recordings of shrub stem diameter change provided by dendrometers, paired with on-site environmental conditions, enabled us to shed light on these processes. In this way, growth patterns in three widely distributed shrub species were assessed and linked to thermal and hygric conditions. We started our analysis with a close examination of one evergreen species under extreme environmental conditions, followed by a comparison of evergreen and deciduous species, and, finally, a comparative look at growth patterns across local micro-habitats. The results revealed distinct growth strategies, closely linked to species-specific water-use dynamics and cambial rhythms. Within the heterogenous alpine landscape these conditions were mainly attributed to the variation in local micro-habitats, defined by fine-scale topography and consequent variation in snow conditions and exposure. Thus, the overall growth success was mainly controlled by complex seasonal dynamics of soil moisture availability, snow conditions, and associated freeze-thaw cycles. It was therefore in many cases decoupled from governing regional climate signals. At the same time, exceedingly high summer temperatures were limiting shrub growth during the main growing season, resulting in more or less pronounced bimodal growth patterns, indicating potential growth limitation with on-going summer warming. While shrubs are currently able to maximize their growth success through a high level of adaptation to local micro-site conditions, their continued growth under rapidly changing environmental conditions is uncertain. However, our results suggest a high level of heterogeneity across spatial and temporal scales. Thus, broad-scale vegetational shifts can not be explained by a singular driver or uniform response pattern. Instead, fine-scale physiological processes and on-site near-ground environmental conditions have to be incorporated into our understanding of these changes.

'Remoteness was a blessing, but also a potential downfall': traditional/subsistence and store-bought food access in remote Alaska during the COVID-19 pandemic.

OBJECTIVE: This study employs a strengths-based approach to assess food access in remote Alaska during the COVID-19 pandemic, identifying both the negative consequences of the pandemic on store-bought and subsistence/traditional food access and compensatory strategies used. DESIGN: As a part of a larger study on the impacts of COVID-19 on daily life remote Alaskan communities, study data presented here were collected through key informant interviews (KII) and state-wide online surveys from 21 September 2020 to 31 March 2021 among remote Alaska community members. SETTING: This study was conducted with residents of remote communities in Alaska, defined as those off the road system. Remote communities often have small or no grocery stores and rely on subsistence or traditional sources of food. PARTICIPANTS: KII participants (n 36) were majority female (78 %) and Alaska Native (57 %). Survey participants (n 615) were also majority female, 25-54 years old and most had had some post-secondary education or training. RESULTS: Survey and interview data revealed that the pandemic had significant negative impacts on store-bought food access in remote Alaskan communities. Individuals also shared that locally available and wild harvested foods acted as a buffer to some of the loss of access to these store-bought foods, with some people sharing that the harvesting of wild and traditional foods served as a coping strategy during times of pandemic-related stress. CONCLUSIONS: The results from this study demonstrate that the remoteness of some Alaskan communities has been both a source of vulnerability and protection in terms of food access.

Norwegian and Russian settlements on Svalbard: An analysis of demographic and socio-economic trends

The Svalbard archipelago is a centre of global research on climate change and also an example of a rapidly changing Arctic area with tourism replacing the traditional mining industry. We compared the different development paths of the Norwegian (Longyearbyen and Ny-Ålesund) and Russian settlements (Barentsburg and Pyramida) on Spitsbergen as part of the Svalbard archipelago using demographic and socio-economic data until 2022 when available, but not focusing on the impacts of COVID-19 and changing geopolitics after 2022. We analysed strategy documents produced by Norway and Russia and by organisations connected to Svalbard. The analysis continued by scrutinising the statistical data available to ascertain if this supported the strategic goals outlined in the documents. Data collection was by direct enquiry to national statistical bureaus, agencies and institutions in Norway and Russia. Secondary data were collected from media publications and social media accounts. Statistics Norway provided very detailed data on demographics and industrial structure, turnover, investments and comprehensive statistics on employees by industry on Norwegian settlements on Svalbard. The results revealed disparities in socio-economic development, striking differences in data availability and in transparency between the Norwegian and Russian settlements. The population in the Norwegian settlements continued to grow during the period 1990–2022 with an increasing number of foreign nationals, and the population in the Russian settlements decreased by 85% at the same time period. The Norwegian settlements exemplify a diversified economy with a growing private sector, and the Russian settlements continued to rely on the town-forming Russian state unitary coal mining enterprise, Trust Arktikugol. While Svalbard presented a prime example of open data and transparency in the environmental sciences, the socio-economic and demographic statistics were lagging behind. Several practical proposals are presented for improved data collection on the Svalbard settlements.

The future of sustainable polar ship-based tourism

Over the last couple of decades, polar tourism has significantly grown in the number of visitors and diversified in terms of the tourism activities offered. The COVID-19 pandemic brought polar tourism to a halt and has prompted researchers, operators and policy-makers alike to reflect on how Arctic and Antarctic tourism have developed, how they are being managed and governed and, importantly, how tourism operators influence polar socio-ecological systems. Given the dominance of ship-based tourism over other types of tourism in the Polar Regions, we discuss the cornerstones of how polar ship-based tourism has developed over the last 50 years and explore the relevant international and regional governance regimes in this article. We identify which positive and negative biophysical, socio-cultural and economic impacts arising from polar tourism have been identified by researchers. It is difficult, if not impossible, to disentangle impacts caused by tourism alone from those that result from the interactions of multiple pressures at all levels (local, regional and global), and more research is needed to develop reliable and effective indicators to monitor tourism impacts. In addition, a better understanding is needed about the role tourist experiences might play in potentially encouraging long-term positive behavioural changes among visitors to the Polar Regions. The COVID-19 pandemic has provided an important opportunity to review polar tourism development and management, and to ask whether an emphasis should be placed on ‘degrowth' of the sector in the future.

Wild goose chase: Geese flee high and far, and with aftereffects from New Year's fireworks

In the present Anthropocene, wild animals are globally affected by human activity. Consumer fireworks during New Year (NY) are widely distributed in W-Europe and cause strong disturbances that are known to incur stress responses in animals. We analyzed GPS tracks of 347 wild migratory geese of four species during eight NYs quantifying the effects of fireworks on individuals. We show that, in parallel with particulate matter increases, during the night of NY geese flew on average 5–16 km further and 40–150 m higher, and more often shifted to new roost sites than on previous nights. This was also true during the 2020–2021 fireworks ban, despite fireworks activity being reduced. Likely to compensate for extra flight costs, most geese moved less and increased their feeding activity in the following days. Our findings indicate negative effects of NY fireworks on wild birds beyond the previously demonstrated immediate response.

China's Arctic Policy and Engagement: Review and Prospects

The Arctic is experiencing greatly accelerated change under the influence of climate change, economic globalization, and world power shifts. After China became an official observer state of the Arctic Council in 2013, its involvement in Arctic affairs has grown increasingly and intensively. It has been particularly prominent in three areas: science, economics, and governance. When China became an observer state, few people could have predicted the extent to which the world would change over the next decade. At that time, China did not stand out so much from the other four new observer countries in Asia (Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and India). Features such as Japan's close scientific cooperation with Arctic countries, South Korea's shipbuilding skills, and Singapore's important shipping position are why they have been granted observer status.A year later, however, a series of black swan events occurred, starting with the Crimean crisis in 2014. Like dominoes, the world landscape has since shifted dramatically. In 2016, Britain announced its departure from the European Union, while Donald Trump was elected president of the United States. After then U.S. secretary of state Mike Pompeo delivered an infamous speech at the ministerial meeting in 2019 warning China and Russia against "aggressive behavior," the Arctic Council closed for the first time without issuing a joint statement.1 In the speech, Pompeo used metaphorical and parallel questions to warn about China's presence in the Arctic, such as "Do we want the Arctic Ocean to transform into a new South China Sea, fraught with militarization and competing territorial claims?"2 However, this situation cannot happen because China has no legal right to claim any territorial sovereignty in the Arctic. Moreover, the only territorial dispute in the Arctic-over the small island Hans Island between Canada and Denmark (via Greenland)-was peacefully settled with an agreement.-3 When Covid-19 arrived, China was the first to respond with a strict epidemic prevention policy, but the country also entered a three-year self-imposed quarantine that slowed communication with the international community. At the same time, however, China has further deepened cooperation with Russia. In February 2022, after meeting at the Winter Olympics opening ceremony in Beijing, Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin issued a joint statement that announced their intention to develop a "polycentric world order."4 The world now is a very different place than it was in 2013.China released its official white paper on Arctic policy in 2018.5 The white paper marked the culmination of a five-year period of gradual outreach and initial involvement in the Arctic governance arena as an Arctic Council observer state. Therefore, its release announced the beginning of the first year of the country's full participation in Arctic affairs in a mature and steady manner, guided by defined objectives and principles. This essay reviews China's involvement in Arctic affairs, using the white paper as a blueprint. Following a discussion of China's Arctic identity, the subsequent two sections concentrate on Arctic science and technology development and international cooperation in polar science. The essay then concludes by commenting on the implications of the current Russia-Ukraine conflict for Arctic governance and China's position and prospects in the region.

Tularemia above the Treeline: Climate and Rodent Abundance Influences Exposure of a Sentinel Species, the Arctic Fox (Vulpes lagopus), to Francisella tularensis.

Tularemia is a zoonotic disease found throughout most of the northern hemisphere that may experience range expansion with warming temperatures. Rodents and lagomorphs are reservoirs for the disease, and outbreaks of tularemia often follow peaks in their abundance. As small mammals dominate the diet of arctic foxes (Vulpes lagopus), we determined whether they may serve as sentinels by identifying antibodies in live-captured and harvested foxes from northern Canada. Overall seroprevalence was 2% (CI95 1-2%) in 176 foxes harvested in 2018-2019 compared to 17% (CI95 12-22%) of 230 foxes captured live in 2011-2021. Prevalence was at an all-time high in 2018, following a peak in vole abundance in 2017. Antibodies were identified in fox pups born in 2018 and 2019, suggesting that F. tularensis was actively transmitted during the summers. High precipitation during the summer, increased snow cover and colder temperatures in May, and a higher abundance of voles were all associated with increased seroprevalence in live-captured foxes. Thus, exposure to F. tularensis is largely mediated through climate and rodent populations in the Canadian Arctic, and arctic foxes are useful sentinels for F. tularensis in northern ecosystems. Further studies should investigate whether infection impacts arctic fox survival and reproductive success in the circumpolar North.

Widespread Exposure to Mosquitoborne California Serogroup Viruses in Caribou, Arctic Fox, Red Fox, and Polar Bears, Canada.

Northern Canada is warming at 3 times the global rate. Thus, changing diversity and distribution of vectors and pathogens is an increasing health concern. California serogroup (CSG) viruses are mosquitoborne arboviruses; wildlife reservoirs in northern ecosystems have not been identified. We detected CSG virus antibodies in 63% (95% CI 58%-67%) of caribou (n = 517), 4% (95% CI 2%-7%) of Arctic foxes (n = 297), 12% (95% CI 6%-21%) of red foxes (n = 77), and 28% (95% CI 24%-33%) of polar bears (n = 377). Sex, age, and summer temperatures were positively associated with polar bear exposure; location, year, and ecotype were associated with caribou exposure. Exposure was highest in boreal caribou and increased from baseline in polar bears after warmer summers. CSG virus exposure of wildlife is linked to climate change in northern Canada and sustained surveillance could be used to measure human health risks.

CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY DURING THE CRISIS: HISTORICAL ASPECT AND RUSSIAN ARCTIC PRACTICE DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

The outbreak of a new coronavirus infection and the need to combat it everywhere contributed to the more active implementation by companies of their policies in the field of corporate social responsibility, the growth of social investments in healthcare and education, and the development of corporate volunteering. Such an increase in activity was also observed earlier - during periods of other crises and disasters, when companies significantly expanded their social orientation, moved to a new level of interaction with employees, consumers and communities to solve acute problems of a critical period, retaining these new elements in the future already in its current activities. The aim of the work was to study the practice of implementing corporate social responsibility during periods of various crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic. In the process of work, scientific methods of content analysis, logical and comparative analysis were used. The study contributes to the scientific discourse on the problem of the relationship between the theory and practice of corporate social responsibility, its implementation during periods of various crises. The practical significance lies in the possibility of applying the results obtained in the practice of initiating and implementing by business structures, including Russian Arctic companies, their policies in this area (including now, during the Ukrainian crisis, in conditions of geopolitical and geo-economic uncertainty). It is obvious that the still existing uncertainty in the manifestation of the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and the emergence of new unprecedented changes in geopolitical and geo-economic conditions caused by the Ukrainian crisis, suggests continuation of the study of these issues and requires additional research on corporate social responsibility, as well as its practical implementation by companies, carrying out their economic activities in the Russian Arctic. © 2022 Kola Science Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences. All right reserved.

THE EXTRACTIVE REGIONS OF THE RUSSIAN ARCTIC dURING THE PANdEMIC: ECONOMIC ANd STATISTICAL ASSESSMENTS

The comparative dynamics of the main indicators characterizing production, retail trade, labor market of the extractive regions of the Russian Arctic was clarified by economic-statistical methods in the context of the all-Russian situation in the development of the crisis generated by the COVID-19 pandemic. We confirmed the hypothesis of the research that the regions of the Russian Arctic show distinctive regional specifics of impact on the crisis, typically demonstrating greater resilience of industrial production (Nenets AO is an exception), labor markets and retail trade as compared to the national situation in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis. This is explained not only by the large-scale support of the corporate sector for socio-economic processes in the territories of its presence, but also by the phenomenon of the Arctic invariant (a group of invariable factors of the Arctic - the simplicity of the economy;weak development of small businesses;underdeveloped trade and services sector in comparison with the general Russian situation, etc.). © T.P. Skufina, S.V. Baranov, 2022.

To Cool or Not to Cool for Brugada Syndrome

Brugada syndrome (BrS) is an autosomal dominant genetic disorder, characterized by abnormal findings on the electrocardiogram (ECG) in conjunction with an increased risk of ventricular tachycardia (VT) and sudden cardiac death. Triggers of the ECG pattern and VT in BrS include fevers, drugs, and electrolyte abnormalities. This case reports a unique treatment approach of targeted temperature management (TTM) to treat persistent fevers and VT secondary to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in a patient with BrS. We report the case of a 23 year old male with history of BrS with an intracardiac defibrillator (ICD) who presented to the hospital with chest pain and a runny nose. Vital signs upon admission were notable for temperature of 38.2 C, heart rate of 155 beats/minute and blood pressure of 134/110 mmHG. Laboratory values on admission revealed a normal complete blood count, a normal basic metabolic panel, an elevated c-reactive protein (CRP) of 19.1, and PCR confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection, with a cycle threshold value of 16.4. ECG revealed a type 2 Brugada pattern. Interrogation of his ICD revealed 28 device shocks on the morning of admission, with each episode beginning with a premature ventricular contraction inciting polymorphic VT. His transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) discovered a newly reduced ejection fraction of 25% with global hypokinesis. Persistent VT prompted intubation and sedation with propofol. Repeat SARS-CoV-2 inflammatory markers revealed a rising CRP of 244. Therapies included acetaminophen around the clock and remdesivir and dexamethasone to target COVID-19. During the first two days in the cardiac intensive care unit (CICU), fevers persisted with Brugada pattern on ECG. Given the potential for recurrent VT, targeted TTM was initiated using the Arctic Sun external cooling device to maintain normothermia to 37 C. After 5 days of no VT, fever curve, Brugada pattern, and inflammatory markers improved. TTM was discontinued, COVID-19 therapies were completed, and he was extubated. His cardiac function normalized on repeat TTE and he was discharged home. We report a unique case of TTM use in a patient with BrS with VT secondary to infection with COVID-19, as a way to decrease fevers and prevent further triggering of VT.